Hmm, this footing seems rather slippery for some reason...

[tcepsa]

Clothes are kind of pricey, and it is sometimes hard to find ones that I really like, so to save money and make costumes I'm hoping to get more into sewing in the near future. To do that, I need fabric. So I've been looking at fabric online and I'm coming to the conclusion that fabric is also expensive. (That, or I'm not looking in the right places). This, in turn, has led me to contemplate that yarn, especially weaving yarn, is pretty cheap... and now I am thinking that maybe I could make my own fabric. But to do that I'd need a loom, and, guess what! Looms are expensive (I'm starting to see a pattern here...) On the other hand, I suspect that I've got enough woodworking skills to make a basic loom... especially if I can find the parts that aren't made out of wood...

Comments

[reedrover]

I have way more fabric than I can use. Come over and get some!

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

~smacks forehead~ Oh right, I'm friends with people who have hoards! ^_^

[reedrover]

I wouldn't call it a hoard exactly... maybe it's a prudent supply set aside in case of a worldwide fabric shortage?

What kind of costumes are you looking to make? I've got lots of silks and cottons, but I'm pretty scarce on wool.

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't call it a hoard exactly... maybe it's a prudent supply set aside in case of a worldwide fabric shortage?

You're only saying that because it's smaller than your fiberstash ~evil grin~

I'm not looking to make anything in particular right now--mostly just looking for fabric to practice on with a sewing machine. I'd really love to make some con costumes, and possibly things I could wear to the Renaissance Festival as well... and maybe some other fun clothes, depending on how things work out ^_^

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, my fiberstash has its own storage unit. My fabric is the equivalent of three bins worth.

If you are just looking for practice fabric, I've definitely got stuff for you. I also have some patterns wandering around for cloaks and suchlike. Patterns can be pretty cheap if you wait for the sales.

Go for it!

[elkor.livejournal.com]

Then, after you survive the complete collapse of society, you'll have the skills necessary to become a valuable member of the new order.

I'll brew the mead, which'll get them drunk enough to buy your clothes at an outrageous price.

Re: Go for it!

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

Cheers!

[dreamtigress.livejournal.com]

::pats you (and Elkor) gently on the head:::

The biggest cost for most of these tpyes of projects is your own time. How precious is your time ?

For instance - when I make a pair of wrap pants - I spend about two and a half hours to make them, about $10 or slightly less on materials - If I paid myself $10 an hour.... I can buy a pair of wrap pants at Faire for $35. But I still enjoy making them, and that's one of the few things I can make successfully.

Materials/fabrics - you just have to start bargain hunting. That's why fabric hoards often exist. You see some wonderful fabric at a good price, and though you haven't a clue what you need it for, or if you'll ever use it, the price is too good to pass up ! I usually go to the $1 - $3/yard section and hunt through. I still have a few wrap pants worth of fabric in my basement. Now I just have to get my sewing machine serviced !

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

That makes a lot of sense (and yeah, I'm also looking to expand my craftiness in general because I like being able to make things and I like actually applying those skills, so it's about more than just the money aspect). The bargain hunting... for some reason, I never really got the hang of it with yarn, but with fabric, I could see that changing. ("Hmm, I really like this! Oh, $10 for ten yards... I'm sure I could find something to do with it!") Also, with yarn, projects tend to take me on the order of months, so I don't have a terribly high yarn consumption rate to begin with. My understanding is that it's a lot easier to go through fabric ~wry smile~

[dreamtigress.livejournal.com]

::grins:: Yeah, fabric can be gone through much quicker. Especially since if you totally screw up with fabric, it's must harder to reuse it or start over, as opposed to yarn, where many projects can simply be unravelled and redone.

So, I'm going to be dropping off my sewing machine to get serviced. At some point, it will need to get returned from the Sew Vac in Ellicott City to my place. Maybe I could bribe you for your help in its return with a lesson in making wrap pants ? (And the pattern I use.) I do believe I have the process down pat enough to teach someone else.

[margoeve.livejournal.com]

But can you teach people to make them when they have large back sides and small waists?

I've never found a pair to fit me right. And that's just sad.

[dreamtigress.livejournal.com]

Wrap pants are inherently adjustable in the waist area. I've found that as my backside, er, um, adjusts itself larger, I have to stick to the pairs of pants I have made that have wider legs. Otherwise I have a slight indecent exposure danger. ::grins::

So - Slightly taller rise to accomodate the fundunkadunk, and wider legs that should help cover the assets, and the normal style waist that wraps and cinches to one's waist... should help.

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

Assuming that it's not too difficult to fit into my car, I believe we have an accord ^_^

[dreamtigress.livejournal.com]

Honey, it comes out of the cabinet to get serviced. ::grins and pats you on the head again:: It will fit in a foot well.

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

~laugh~ Right then, in exchange for instruction and pattern to make wrap pants, I'll happily assist in reuniting you with your serviced sewing machine ^_^

(The reason I asked is because Sarah's got one of the ones that is mounted on a table... though now that I think about it, you can probably detach it from the table to get it serviced...)

[dreamtigress.livejournal.com]

Yep. There are generally two pins that the machine attaches to and that hinges it into and out of the table. Remind me to show you the nifty ways my grandfather altered my table for my grandmother.

[margoeve.livejournal.com]

What dreamtigress said.

There's a LOT of things out there that I think, "Why should I pay for this, I can make something just like it."

And then I remember it took me many hours over the course of 3 years to crochet a throw.

If you are going to do something like this, do it for the fun of it. (And the preperation for the eventual collapse of the civilized world.) Don't delude yourself into thinking you'd be saving money.

And I'm not just saying that because I want to learn how to weave too. (Though I kinda know how to make patches on a hand loom already. You could make one of those EASY! It's a frame with pegs all around it.)

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

~nods~ Currently it definitely falls into the realm of leisure activity (with slightly higher ranking than videogame playing due to the possibility of collapse of industry... and, more importantly and something I just realized consciously, I generally enjoy making things with my hands more than playing videogames. Someone alert the media!!)