Wash, DC The Sewing Thread

Ok, someone mentioned starting a sewing thread, so I'm going to start one. Let the chatter begin.

As much as I want armor, I think I have to start out with sewing SOMETHING. I need to actually learn on my own rather than handing it to my mom saying "Here, you finish it." I'm really liking the handmaiden costume idea. I'd like to make my Husband a rebel scum...I mean jedi costume one of these days.

Velvetdragon

 

I would love to have a Bespin Leia costume but the intricate detail on the robe scares me!

 

Be afraid SB, that costume is a ton of work. I know someone who did it and it took her about a year to do the detailing on it by hand.

I'm a meatball surgeon when it comes to sewing, I have to get it done ASAP and I curse the whole time I'm doing it. That maybe why I need to get my machine into the shop!!

I've made enough jedi costumes to know their aren't that hard, but maybe do something alittle different with it, different colors are something like that. My jedi is all black and pretty cool looking if you ask me, not the dime a dozen jedi for sure!

 

a year???

hmmm...I don't know if I could spend a year doing one costume.

 

Miss Short Attention Span? I think not.

*snicker*

 

I guess I'll just stick with Endor Leia for now. It will be easier and more geared towards my short attention span.

 

I prefer not to spend more then 2 months sewing/working on a costume. Now that I'm getting into armor, I have to play the waiting game for the armor to arrive, but still once I get it, no more then 2 months to finish it I hope.

Stop laughing Jeff, you still haven't purchased anything for your ARC trooper yet!!

 

Thats because I'm waiting on the builder. Not my fault.

 

I have this habit of speed sewing - getting the entire thing done in a weekend. This happens in part because I'm lazy, but mostly because I don't actually own a sewing machine and have to go to my parents' house to use theirs. On the one hand, it's nice because Mom will help me, but on the other, I can't work in my off hours after work. Mostly I've just done Jedi stuff - dark and "regular" - and I'm ready to move on but still try to learn the basics. Some knowlege is coming back from 8th grade home ec, but I wasn't very good then either.

Maybe if we're all nagging each other, and working on projects together, we'll be motivated and learn quickly!

 

I heard the book "Sewing for Dummies" is a great starting point for those who want to learn to sew.

I'm thinking of grabing a copy of it to see if it can teach me what I don't already know aobut sewing.

But if your thinking about buying a sewing machine, stay away from Wal-Mart. Those $100 machines are not going to do what you'll need it to do to do some SW costume projects.

 

Hi everyone...

I was going to post this on the "Introducing... ME" thread, but since I'm interested in learning sewing for costuming, too, I guess this is as good a place to post as any.

I'm new to the boards, as well as GS. I saw your flier at Farpoint on Saturday night and figured it'd be a good idea to check you guys out. I live in the NOVA area (Reston). It seems most of the DC chapter lives around here. I guess most people on the MD side are from Baltimore. Anyway, I'll definately be at the meeting on March 20th and if anyone's willing to teach those of us who are fabricly challenged, I'd be up for that as well. Nice to see there's a fanbase in the area!

 

well, welcome to the GS, Wolfdog! I'm calling you WD for short.

 

Hello Wolfdog!!!!

Well even though I am new to the GS, I've been sewing for many years.

Maybe if everyone is interested we should go ahead and do a costuming workshop, I did a couple of these when I was in the Philly Outer Rim and I can do it for the GS as well.

I can do one after Empire Fan Fest, I will be too busy moving and Brandon also has a birthday in early April, so the 1st half of the month is out for me.

Let me know what everyone thinks.

 

Not another dog in our Fan Force!

 

Thanks to Jeff, we can do the workshop at his place, or would it be our place by then....

Nonetheless, everyone let me know if this is something we all want to do ok.

 

Welcome Wolfdog! Glad to know that the flyers were seen by someone!

I would be very interested in a costume workshop. I think that could be fun and productive even.

But wait, we are the GS... we aren't supposed to be productive...

 

Glad you took the initiative, Velvetdragon!

I had the day off for a doctor's appt. today, and stopped in at Hancock to scope out patterns, considering what might be adaptable for various outfits. There are a few good possibilities, but I need to take a hard look at the HM battle outfit; from the look of the collar I am wondering if there is a shoulder seam or not?

FYI, the Hancock that I was in was having a sale on McCall's, all patterns $1.99 from the 19th to the 22nd, limit 5. Commercial patterns can make a good starting point for a lot of stuff.

After EmpireFF is good for me, May is terrible. Really, really terrible.

And welcome, Wolfdog!

 

Mistress_Renata, if you do a search in the costuming forum here at TF.N, you should be able to find some people who already did this costume. I always find it useful to seek someone else who did it for ideas or some detail I may have missed.

 

I was thinking about doing Slave Leia once I reach my goal. I can't decide because that thing is pretty skimpy...

 

And how the eff are you going to make that costume? That's probably harder than Bespin Leia.

Anyways, if I make Bastila or Tenel Ka for Dragon*Con, I can die happy.

 

yeah it would be a pain, Heather, that's for sure. If I do it it won't be for a year or two. gotta get thin first.

 

I'm all for a sewing workshop as well. My only problem is that I'm out for 10 days at the end of April but any other time is fine for me as well. I'll check out patterns also.

I'm having a problem with my sewing machine, its the bobbin thing (either that or my ineptitude). For some reason it keeps fighting me and screwing up the sewing. I've done a few small little projects like Xmas stockings and little stuffed animal projects. I think maybe Ill try out a vest and maybe a skirt and see how it goes. Then I'll be all ready to dive into complex stuff. Right? Riiiight. At least I can embroider, that has to count for something.

Welcome Wolfdog! You came to the right place, really nice people here!

Velvetrdragon

 

Hey VD, what is your bobbin doing when you sew?

 

Thanks for welcoming me everyone! I look forward to meeting you all eventually.

Actually, I'm sorta thinking about buying a small sewing machine (under $100), but I was wondering if a machine that small will be any any real use for me. I'm not about to try to make anything as complicated as boots or armor or anything like that, but I would like to try making basic things like tunics, vests, capes or things like that. I might work with leather, but something lightweight. 2-3oz tops. I was wondering if anyone had some insight on this, but maybe that's something that'll be broguht up at the workshop.

I'm calling you WD for short.

That's fine, as long as I'm not called "W" (or "Dubya")or anything like that.


So, what's the story behind the Empire Fan Fest? I doubt I'll be able to make that since I'll be trying to save money for Shore Leave and Dragon*Con, but hey, you never know.