Yeah that is my guess too. One day I'll feel confident enough to try it.

3/17/2011 1:34:22 PM

ive done pleats on bags and it's not that hard. of course, a bag is NOT a dress!

when do you think you'll be done with your dress?

3/17/2011 6:07:17 PM

holy guacamole wolfy.


that dress is AWESOME!

3/17/2011 6:28:42 PM

awthxu

3/17/2011 6:47:19 PM

My wife has a monogramming machine if anyone ever needs something monogrammed. Just hit me up and let me know cm@chris-moody.com.

3/17/2011 7:13:57 PM

haha thats quite an offer, i hope you cleared that with wifey first

3/17/2011 8:05:46 PM

I just keep dropping in here to post resources, some day I'll actually post things I've sewn.

If you're making dresses and other clothes, the book Fit for Real People is a life saver. It'll teach you how to do full/small bust adjustments if you're anything above/below a C cup and takes care of other fit issues.

3/17/2011 9:13:43 PM

That book sounds like just what I need.

3/21/2011 10:17:15 AM

alright ya'll

i have a request...if i get hte fabric can one of yall sew me a tie (like a neck tie? )

i know its probably the easiest thing ever lol

i'll pay you

3/24/2011 9:38:46 PM

http://manmadediy.com/chris/posts/56-how-to-sew-a-necktie

It looks pretty easy to do. If I wasn't such a n00b at sewing I'd do it

3/25/2011 8:55:25 AM

im scurred to do it!
i once sewed shorts when i was in 8th grade and they were pretty awesome.
it's gone downhill since.

i tried sewing a batch on some jeans the other day.
huge fail

3/25/2011 9:02:38 AM

hmm i might be willing to take a crack at it....

im having surgery in 3 weeks and will be at home recovering for a day or two with nothing to do

how quickly do you need it?

i read the tutorial and there is a lot more hand sewing than machine sewing. if you know how to do a slip stitch that is like half of the project right there. i think the directions call for using the actual machine to stitch together the 3 pieces so we're talking like... less than 12" of actual machine sewing. the rest of it is just follow directions and hand sew & iron down where needed. since there isn't a lot of machine sewing it will take a lot longer, even if it is "easy"

seems easy enough.... famous last words

3/26/2011 12:22:29 PM

first weekend in may

itll be for the wedding!

3/26/2011 1:29:54 PM

I didn't realize you're getting married the same weekend as me. Yay!

3/26/2011 1:56:08 PM

lol. im getting married on june 11

we're getting our pics done on the 1st weekend of may : P

3/26/2011 1:57:34 PM

ahhh no pressure!!

lets talk, send me a pm

3/26/2011 4:31:36 PM

yo

6/26/2011 6:48:52 PM

Anyone know a good place to taking beginner quilting lessons? Or is it the sort of thing I could teach myself? I'm a really hands-on visual learner though so I'm not sure how well I would fair just relying on a book.

6/26/2011 6:50:00 PM

im joining a quilting "club" with a friend i sew with. the ladies at her work do it

so maybe you could look into a group? otherwise, i think youtube and msg boards could prob cover the gaps for you

6/26/2011 7:02:42 PM

It seems like all of the quilting groups around here meet during the day on weekdays. Which you know, totally works for people who have jobs

6/26/2011 7:18:47 PM

well i am totally inspired to make this quilt i found in a book at joanns. my friend invited me to join and since she works and so do the ladies in the group, i assume it will be after hours.

i can help you! once i get started i can give you the real-deal talk on how easy it is

6/26/2011 7:58:57 PM

joanns is having their 4th of july weekend sale fri-mon!

15% off total purchase with student id (i think this is through july)

10% off total purchase with their in-store coupon (go shop now to get it)

and 20% off total purchase with military id-- i already told the bf he was going to joanns with me so i could creep his discount. i have already put together a shopping list & know which fabrics i need so i don't drag him around the store for hours

PLUS there is a 40% off coupon out there that you can print

http://www.joann-mail.com/J20110626RG/coupons_only.html?bc1=00D1CCE9771AE7554D479F7B93A4561101000000C0287C5E7C1DD7D72AB3B916BEBFFED6D39C6F7F858C6091B6C7C359809497CED821D1CEBF52E610E5A7F9FE6768E75BBF51B16D93CA12DC89E1C56547A2B070

its good thru july 16 & you can stack it with the other "total purchase" discounts i mentioned but you cant use it on something that is already marked down

i am going to get fabric & notions to make this

http://presserfoot.blogspot.com/search/label/vintage%20lace%20dress



all you need is a tank top, some lace, some coordinating fabric for the tank, some elastic, fabric, thread and baddaboom! i'm going to make 2 long and 1 short

6/29/2011 11:50:47 AM

Ooh thanks for this! I need some linen.

6/29/2011 12:46:31 PM

the day has come.... the beast is finally done!!

i am so proud. this dress is like my pride & joy. i couldn't have done it without the help of my sewing friend stacie! it took 4 months to complete (sewing off and on)

i had to take it to the tailor for a complex alteration in the arm/side. i have ridiculous small shoulders for my body i guess because nothings fits my shoulders. everything is too big. i could use a little more taking out of the straps but i can do that myself and as it is. i can still wear it. but if i wanted it perfect i would take a little more out of the straps.

anyway! i wanted to share. also i picked up tons of fabric at the sale today and might start the anthro-inspired dress tonight, if i get on a roll with the tutorial and don't hit a snag

i took the pics with my computer so the quality sucks but this one gives you an idea of some of the details




and this one is a full length shot. anyone who knows the shop thread... those are the purple shoes i got fort valentines day that my bf called probably a dozen different macys around the country to find for me

7/1/2011 6:57:43 PM

just made this



just an easy dress to run around in. casual, comfortable

i have some other fabrics i am going to make 2 other short ones and 1 long one that is silky

7/1/2011 10:48:36 PM

I love that purple dress!

I went to Joann today but their selection was pretty sparse. Sad day And then I forgot to bring the fabric for a wedding gift I'm making, had to guess on the color orange I needed for the thread, and it's the wrong color So now I have to return tomorrow. Oh well, at least I have the fabric cut out and can fuse the interfacing tomorrow.

7/1/2011 10:54:33 PM

i got 2 years of beautiful white eyelet fabric today

i have no idea what i am going to make with it but it was calling me and i got half of the yard at 50% off because it was the end of the bolt and it just happened to be a round number

i made another dress like the last one i posted

seriously they take like 90 min once you know what you're doing

and thanks for the compliment on my purple dress. i love it too! i'm so unbelievably happy it turned out as good as it did considering how hard it was for my skill level

7/2/2011 1:01:48 AM

i meant YARDS not years, lol

also i was really bothered by my total at joanns yesterday. it seemed very high, especially for the sale plus coupons plus military discount

so i went through my long ass receipt and found that i was charged for 11.5 yards and not 1.5 yards on one of my fabrics. it happened because their scanners were down at the cut table so they were writing everything down. so when i checked out, the cashier keyed in an extra 1

so i will go back today and recoup like $75

now i feel way less guilty about all the shit i got...

7/2/2011 11:02:30 AM

^ Wow wow yeah that's a HUGE difference!!

So maybe someone here can help. I want to find some cute/chic grey fabric, but apparently no one makes grey fabric. I only need a small amount, like half a yard if that, so I don't mind if it's a little on the pricey side. But I went to Joann, no gray patterned fabric. Went to Elegant Stitches in Cary, they didn't really have any either.

I'd love to find something like this:



But I want to find it local to match it up with some fabric I already have on hand. I really hate buying fabric sight unseen if I'm having to couple it with another fabric.

Also, does anyone know where to find the orange and white fabric that's at the bottom of this picture:


It would make PERFECT bias tape for my current project!

7/2/2011 10:53:19 PM

my sewing bddy has had success with ordering fabric on fabric.com ymmv but worth a look if you fine a grey that works. not sure about the orange print though. it reminds me of amy butler fabric, maybe try looking at her collection?

here is my latest creation



i actually made it fri night but was to tired to model it. i'm wearing it today though so i took a pic. i have a friend coming over today to do some sewing. i am going to teach her how to make that tie skirt i did in black & white. and i have fabric that i want to make some more out of. plus i want to make the silk maxi dress. busy busy busy!

7/3/2011 10:55:03 AM

Simplicity 2360



do wanna make

7/16/2011 12:19:18 PM

all these dresses look square

7/16/2011 1:13:26 PM

I've had pretty good success on Fabric.com, sometime it just takes a while to get your stuff and they don't offer expedited shipping. <3 sewing and screenprinting

7/16/2011 4:55:46 PM

cute! how do you do your screen printing? i would be interested in dabbling

7/17/2011 11:23:42 AM

I love a woman that can make her own clothes

gg girls

7/17/2011 4:21:19 PM

Buh. I desperately wish I had a sewing machine so that I could contribute to this thread.

7/18/2011 10:43:04 AM

Its a complicated process, but really fun. This video is bland but explains it pretty well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2t0lF_5oeo

They have hobby size kits for about $150, I think. I like the sturdier press but just use a worklight to expose and a heat gun for curing the ink. It was a fun addition to our bedroom:

7/18/2011 1:58:27 PM

Here's a bag I finished up Wednesday night. I broke three freaking heavy duty needles trying to sew through 4 layers of the really heavy black fabric to make the handle area. Ended up having to fabric glue it but it's holding up really well so far. It's also huge, I can fit a 3 ring binder, makeup case, and a 900 page hardcover book in there.



Lightened to show the fabric texture.

7/22/2011 9:07:21 PM

cute! i love the polka dots inside

and im dreading the day i break a needle on my machine. good for you for persisting even if you ended up gluing it, it worked out!

7/23/2011 2:21:06 AM

i need to buy a new machine pretty soon, fixing up an old machine for 2 hrs each time i want to use it is tiring. any suggestions?

7/24/2011 9:41:19 PM

I really like my Brother. It's one of those Project Runway models but it works really well!

7/25/2011 8:36:54 AM

I have a Husqvarna Viking E20. Absolutely love it. I have no complaints whatsoever.

I got criticized a little for not wanting a drop-in bobbin, however, I work for a textile testing laboratory, and we got one of those. I can't tell you how many times something went wrong with the bobbin and the entire assembly down there. It was infuriating.

7/25/2011 9:45:20 AM

i want this

janome dc2011

but i have this

singer talent

it works great but i wish i would have gone for more fancy features because it holds me back at times

7/25/2011 1:43:28 PM

anyone still sewing?

i made this quilt for my friend's daughter



it was my first one and there are a lot of mistakes, i mean...character

ive gotten into quilting and have all these wild ideas of things i want to do but right now im working on a red linen dress that ive had cut out FOREVER and now i want to wear it and it's not done so hopefully i'll have pics to share soon as i hope to have it finished in 30 days

10/8/2011 2:21:36 PM

I want to learn how to quilt. I even have a book I bought but haven't gotten around to opening up. Unfortunately all my sewing stuff is packed away since we just moved

10/8/2011 7:07:48 PM

I'm almost done with the bustle for my Halloween costume!

10/9/2011 12:56:27 PM

wow! looking good!! post pics when its finished

10/12/2011 11:11:29 AM

The nice thing about Halloween costumes is it's okay if you mess up since you only wear it once

10/12/2011 12:18:38 PM

^ I wish I had that mindset. I worked on my vest for this costume for six hours last night, and it still isn't perfect. I know I need to move past it to the next piece, but every time I walk by my mannequin I fiddle with it.
My SO and I are filmmakers, though, so there is always a chance that it will be reused on camera for something.

10/12/2011 3:48:55 PM

oh i wanna know what your costume is.

10/12/2011 5:49:01 PM