Bit difficult to see the detail due to lack of good light, but i'm pleased with it so far 
That’s looking great and you’re really cracking on with it!
Last night we warped up the loom:
The photo is a bit dark, but it’s 236 ends of a 2.5m warp. I hope my maths is not too out as I’ve fudged the numbers from a scarf pattern. This will be my first prooercweaving project after testing the theory of weaving when the loom arrived, so naturally I’ve chosen a complicated textured pattern with pick up sticks and other things I’ve never tried.
The photo is a bit dark, but it’s 236 ends of a 2.5m warp. I hope my maths is not too out as I’ve fudged the numbers from a scarf pattern. This will be my first prooercweaving project after testing the theory of weaving when the loom arrived, so naturally I’ve chosen a complicated textured pattern with pick up sticks and other things I’ve never tried.
Started the weave today. Doing something called ‘Spot Bronson’ weave which uses two pickup sticks to make offset areas of weft floats on the front of the fabric and warp floats on the reverse.
It looks big, is it big? I want one 
It’s 24” wide, so if you work in double weave you can weave a 48” wide piece of fabric. The looms come in sizes 8-32” so it’s one of the larger rigid heddle looms you can get. Perfect for our tiny flat!
We should make a beex uniform for beex meets, you weave the cloth, I'll make the jackets...
Minor disaster. It turns out the last owner was using the wrong size needle, so when it snapped it actually took out a small chunk of the bobbin case too, leaving a jagged edge. The correct needles are a bit shorter. I've found a replacement bobbin case to order, but until that comes i'm fraught with thread snapping issues. It's ok for a little bit, but every so often you can feel it catch on the metal edge and the thread snaps.
Progress has understandably slowed down...
This is where i'm at.
Undercollar lined and attached. If I was doing a proper custom tailoring technique, then this should really be horsehair lining that is pad stitched on, but that takes hours to do. Fusible interfacing is good enough...
I'm putting bound buttonholes on, mainly because I don't have a machine with a 1 step buttonhole setting, and doing them manually is annoyingly tricky to get them neat. Bound buttonholes are a bit more effort, but it's a nice touch.
Buttonholes done, not as straight and even as I would like, but good enough!
Progress has understandably slowed down...
This is where i'm at.
Undercollar lined and attached. If I was doing a proper custom tailoring technique, then this should really be horsehair lining that is pad stitched on, but that takes hours to do. Fusible interfacing is good enough...
Attachment:
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I'm putting bound buttonholes on, mainly because I don't have a machine with a 1 step buttonhole setting, and doing them manually is annoyingly tricky to get them neat. Bound buttonholes are a bit more effort, but it's a nice touch.
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Buttonholes done, not as straight and even as I would like, but good enough!
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I started a new cross stitch as our sofa is not big enough to accommodate both a loom and a tapestry frame so when Mimi is weaving I can be stitching. Progress is slow so far
It’s going to be a baby alphabet with animals for each letter. You can see part of a nightingale and an iguana here so far.
It’s going to be a baby alphabet with animals for each letter. You can see part of a nightingale and an iguana here so far.
Which letters are they for?
MaliA wrote:
Which letters are they for?
B and L.
I can be crafty too! Last night I added a 3 way switch into my Megadrive so that it'll play games from any region. More importantly though is that it'll play PAL games in 60hz which is apparently 17% faster than 50hz. I can tell the difference in most games... Especially when the title screen for Streets of Rage comes up as 'Bare Knuckle' (which is the Japanese name for the game)
This is the board with my messy soldering on it. I've cut the link between the middle four dots and added the red, yellow and blue wires.
More messy soldering as this is the switch which will control the region changes.
And here's the back of the finished Megadrive. I had to drill a hole for the switch and I almost jammed the drill bit through, ruining the whole thing. I've added a label too so you know which way to switch it.
I've also modded a Gameboy Advance with a back lit screen but that's not quite right yet so I'll show that off later.
Attachment:
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This is the board with my messy soldering on it. I've cut the link between the middle four dots and added the red, yellow and blue wires.
Attachment:
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More messy soldering as this is the switch which will control the region changes.
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And here's the back of the finished Megadrive. I had to drill a hole for the switch and I almost jammed the drill bit through, ruining the whole thing. I've added a label too so you know which way to switch it.
I've also modded a Gameboy Advance with a back lit screen but that's not quite right yet so I'll show that off later.
I'm not sure, but I think I can see the problem...
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Sleeves are on, much happier with the sewing around the scye this time, no wrinkly bits!
I've even tried it on and found out that it fits, which was a surprise
How it looks all together, just the finishing touches to go, which isn't much, all I have to do is:
Attach the overcollar
Put in shoulder padding
Hand hem the sleeves
Hand hem the bottom jacket hem
Attach the facings
Sew the jacket lining together
Put inner pockets in the lining
Machine bag the lining to the jacket
Anchor the lining to the shoulder
Hand slipstitch the lining to the jacket hem
Hand slipstitch the lining to the sleeve hems
Sew on buttons.
Make a back tie (undecided on that, the pattern doesn't have one, but it's a traditional touch)
So, not much left then, and this is using the speed tailoring techniques, and even skipping steps from that as it is an overcoat and not a jacket!
I've even tried it on and found out that it fits, which was a surprise
Attachment:
20180404_202444.jpg
How it looks all together, just the finishing touches to go, which isn't much, all I have to do is:
Attach the overcollar
Put in shoulder padding
Hand hem the sleeves
Hand hem the bottom jacket hem
Attach the facings
Sew the jacket lining together
Put inner pockets in the lining
Machine bag the lining to the jacket
Anchor the lining to the shoulder
Hand slipstitch the lining to the jacket hem
Hand slipstitch the lining to the sleeve hems
Sew on buttons.
Make a back tie (undecided on that, the pattern doesn't have one, but it's a traditional touch)
So, not much left then, and this is using the speed tailoring techniques, and even skipping steps from that as it is an overcoat and not a jacket!
Attachment:
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Getting there, most of the machine work is now done, it's all hand sewing from here on in...
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Top stuff!
That is ace. Would you be able to make.. Say.. An extravagant Wrestling singlet and Cape?
Asking for a friend.
Asking for a friend.
TheVision wrote:
That is ace. Would you be able to make.. Say.. An extravagant Wrestling singlet and Cape?
Asking for a friend.
Asking for a friend.
One of my assessment pieces was a 60s batman suit in lycra with built in cape and separate utility belt
Only problem with making one at home is that you really need to use an overlocker, as a straight stitch machine won't be able to handle the stretch of the final garment. I don't have an overlocker... Mimi does though
More progress.
This is what your coat looks like on the inside.
All pinned up and ready to slipstitch in, hopefully I should get that done today.
After that it's a matter of hemming the sleeves, attaching the lining to the sleeve hems, and putting on the buttons, then after a lot of pressing we should be done!
Not sure what to do next, but I have a job interview next week, so progress will be a lot slower on the next thing if I do get it.
I fancy trying a leather messenger bag, but not sure if my machine will be up to it really, depends very much on the leather thickness.
Other things on the list are a Chinese style house coat, if I can find some good material with dragons on it, or an everyday quilted bomber jacket.
This is what your coat looks like on the inside.
Attachment:
20180409_170549.jpg
All pinned up and ready to slipstitch in, hopefully I should get that done today.
Attachment:
20180410_101036.jpg
After that it's a matter of hemming the sleeves, attaching the lining to the sleeve hems, and putting on the buttons, then after a lot of pressing we should be done!
Not sure what to do next, but I have a job interview next week, so progress will be a lot slower on the next thing if I do get it.
I fancy trying a leather messenger bag, but not sure if my machine will be up to it really, depends very much on the leather thickness.
Other things on the list are a Chinese style house coat, if I can find some good material with dragons on it, or an everyday quilted bomber jacket.
Seen some really nice bike/messenger bags made out of old lorry tarps, they look really nice if you can find ones that had big logos and stuff on.
My plans is to go trawl some charity shops and see if I can get any old leather coats I can cut up. Lorry tarps sound interesting, but no idea where to get some and I think I'd have the same problem putting them through the machine.
Heavy materials need some serious machines to work with really, otherwise you just bend and snap needles every five minutes. Plus the motor on my machine has trouble pulling thread through lining when it gets caught, I dread to think what it will be like on heavy stuff!
I expect i'll pull out the cheap domestic machine and try it on that, if it fucks up, so be it.
Heavy materials need some serious machines to work with really, otherwise you just bend and snap needles every five minutes. Plus the motor on my machine has trouble pulling thread through lining when it gets caught, I dread to think what it will be like on heavy stuff!
I expect i'll pull out the cheap domestic machine and try it on that, if it fucks up, so be it.
No no no...
It means you need to buy industrial machinery! Or remap your current stuff.
It means you need to buy industrial machinery! Or remap your current stuff.
Zardoz wrote:
No no no...
It means you need to buy industrial machinery! Or remap your current stuff.
It means you need to buy industrial machinery! Or remap your current stuff.
Industrial machines are on the cards, but i'll need to move to a bigger place for that, which means I need a job
What kind of fabric are you looking for, for your house coat, Trooper? Are you looking for an actual Chinese brocade, or a different type of fabric with a print?
I would love real brocade, but I suspect that will be both pricey and difficult to find. It's more the look i'm after, i'm seeing a deep blue or red, with large gold dragons, gold chinese ball buttons and frogs, high neck, flared hem, wide sleeves with gold trim...
Grim... do you still have your shirt with dragon on it?
Trooper wrote:
I would love real brocade, but I suspect that will be both pricey and difficult to find. It's more the look i'm after, i'm seeing a deep blue or red, with large gold dragons, gold chinese ball buttons and frogs, high neck, flared hem, wide sleeves with gold trim...
Sounds... fancy! It sounds lovely, actually.
I don’t have anything like that, just some light cotton with modern oriental print that I picked up from Ikea (as you do) with Koi on one and pairs of mandarin duck on the other, but quite different from what you are after and would need a lining and perhaps wadding to make it in anyway useful as a house coat. It was £2.50 for 5m each when I bought it. One has a lengthways border print edge as well.
Ikea! Never even considered them, do they have much in the way of material?
Hmmm... I could get some royal blue material, line it with fleece, and then stencil on dragons in gold fabric paint. If I start it soon, it might be finished by winter when i'll need it
Ours generally has about 50 or so fabrics at any given time and they change their offering quite regularly. Most is a heavy cotton twill, 60” wide. It’s actuslly where I bought the fabric for my littl’uns coat from (I have it cut... I’m just waiting for Nursery to start back up to begin sewing). There are some good plain fabrics, and patterns. Some of the prints can be a little large as it’s primarily furnishing fabric, but as it’s 100% cotton it functions well anywhere you might use a twill or indeed a denim or similar. The website usually has a few fabrics where you can check the weight and pattern repeat size, but there are always far more in store. Most is bought off a bolt that you measure and cut yourself and they just weigh it to determine length.
Mimi wrote:
Ours generally has about 50 or so fabrics at any given time and they change their offering quite regularly. Most is a heavy cotton twill, 60” wide. It’s actuslly where I bought the fabric for my littl’uns coat from (I have it cut... I’m just waiting for Nursery to start back up to begin sewing). There are some good plain fabrics, and patterns. Some of the prints can be a little large as it’s primarily furnishing fabric, but as it’s 100% cotton it functions well anywhere you might use a twill or indeed a denim or similar. The website usually has a few fabrics where you can check the weight and pattern repeat size, but there are always far more in store. Most is bought off a bolt that you measure and cut yourself and they just weigh it to determine length.
Cool, I need a side table too so that gives me a good excuse to go have a look.
Mimi wrote:
...it functions well anywhere you might use a twill or indeed a denim or similar.
Please make Russel some Mandarin Duck / Coy Carp jeans
Zardoz wrote:
Mimi wrote:
...it functions well anywhere you might use a twill or indeed a denim or similar.
Please make Russel some Mandarin Duck / Coy Carp jeans
Haha, well this is actually a light cotton. I do have some denim weight white fabric with huge circles of different colours, each circle about 16” diameter.
Done! Just in time for the weather to heat up... Not perfect, I can see lots of issues with it, but very pleased with the fit
I got some nice deep blue linen from ikea, so it'll be a linen jacket next I think, or maybe a waistcoat in a wool check I picked up too. Need to order some lining that works well with those.
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I got some nice deep blue linen from ikea, so it'll be a linen jacket next I think, or maybe a waistcoat in a wool check I picked up too. Need to order some lining that works well with those.
Beautiful and smart, Trooper! How have you pressed the seams out in the wool? With a steamer?
Mimi wrote:
Beautiful and smart, Trooper! How have you pressed the seams out in the wool? With a steamer?
I spent £50 on a steam generator iron system thing. That's one of the things that could be better, I could do with some tailors hams and wooden pressing shapes really, and a clapper.
Trooper wrote:
Mimi wrote:
Beautiful and smart, Trooper! How have you pressed the seams out in the wool? With a steamer?
I spent £50 on a steam generator iron system thing. That's one of the things that could be better, I could do with some tailors hams and wooden pressing shapes really, and a clapper.
I saw a link somewhere to sewing your own hams out of wool and sawdust. Might be a possible project if you have any spare wool?
I have wool, I don't have sawdust though. I do have a saw and a table however...
Hmmm... there must be places that you can get sawdust for free. Or I wonder if sawdust sold for pet bedding is cheap/suitable?
This link suggests making them out of a cotton canvas fabric (I’d say one of the cotton upholstery fabrics from Ikea would work well here) and provides patterns: http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2012/ ... sages.html
One user said they stuffed theirs with shredded paper, though I don’t know if that would compact/degrade faster?
One user said they stuffed theirs with shredded paper, though I don’t know if that would compact/degrade faster?
Trooper wrote:
I have wool, I don't have sawdust though. I do have a saw and a table however...
I’m about to empty my dust extractor, it’s full of sawdust. Go to a diy store that cuts wood, they will give you some
DBSnappa wrote:
I’m about to empty my dust extractor
Us simple folks call them Hoovers. Middle classes call them Vacuum cleaners. I assume you are the queen.
Or if you like the smell of hamster piss and you know someone with a pet hamster they'll often throw away used sawdust.
I expect i'll just end up buying one I also need a tailors board, which isn't cheap.
I also need a tailors board, which isn't cheap. Trooper wrote:
I expect i'll just end up buying one.
Then get out of the Crafty thread and come back when you’re making something yourself.
Mimi wrote:
DBSnappa wrote:
I’m about to empty my dust extractor
Us simple folks call them Hoovers. Middle classes call them Vacuum cleaners. I assume you are the queen.
I was joking, DB!
Also, I have an actual Hoover. As in, it’s a Hoover brand vacuum.
Also, I have an actual Hoover. As in, it’s a Hoover brand vacuum.
Mimi wrote:
I was joking, DB!
Also, I have an actual Hoover. As in, it’s a Hoover brand vacuum.
Also, I have an actual Hoover. As in, it’s a Hoover brand vacuum.
I wasn’t offended