Bespoke Cutter And Tailor

Quote from: Steelmillal on September 12, 2023, 09:27:18 PM

Quote from: Gerry on September 12, 2023, 08:06:00 AMare non-iron and you can't alter them".

Another reason local tailoring talent is needed on every main/side street everywhere.

A mere dent, but if enough businesses follow their example it'll make a difference:

https://twitter.com/PiccadillySW1/status/1687496398156001280

Ain't arguing.

30 years ago was a bumper sticker said "think globally act locally". Personally knowing your butcher, baker, and candlestick maker, would "solve"(solvent pun hehe) a lot. But its money and they disappear people when messing with their money.

So guessing EvanTA's 'new' Kenmore hasn't let the factory packed smoke out?

Quote from: EvanTA on September 12, 2023, 11:10:21 PM

QuoteOut of interest, does the label say 100% cotton?

Yes

If shirt makers (and I include many bespoke companies, especially those with workshops) pre-shrunk their cloth, pressed seams before felling them, and used cleaner methods of completing seams, they wouldn't need to stay them with fusible tape. A lot of puckering/roping results from not following the above; and what there is should/can press out easily.

However, time = money. What would I know.

Since we're talking felled seams a lot, how do people feel about felling feet or other hemmer feet? My machine came with no additional feet, and for these last two shirts I just folded and pressed myself before sewing, should I just stick with that and get good at it so I possess that additional level of control, or just use the special presser feet because it's a time saver and I'll get more consistent results?

Quote from: EvanTA on September 13, 2023, 12:32:05 AMSince we're talking felled seams a lot, how do people feel about felling feet or other hemmer feet? My machine came with no additional feet, and for these last two shirts I just folded and pressed myself before sewing, should I just stick with that and get good at it so I possess that additional level of control, or just use the special presser feet because it's a time saver and I'll get more consistent results?

Hemmer feet for domestic machines tend to work best with thin, sheer material. The larger feet (1/4 inch seams and above) can take shirting, but they're devilishly fiddly to use and even then some thicker shirting is difficult to feed through.

Even if you get the hang of them, they create dirty seams and hems, literally twisting the cloth as you sew. This is more easily observed with striped cloth (the stripes at the hem tends to go off at an angle to the main body). This is one of the reasons why ready-to-wear shirts (and even bespoke) can look tired after a single wash. Factories/workshops press the hell out of everything with industrial presses. But after washing - especially if there's shrinkage - that twisting (AKA 'roping') comes back to haunt you. Good luck trying to press that with a domestic iron.

I've achieved good results with hemmed seams by pressing the whole seam before feeding it through the foot. In which case, the hemmer becomes a glorified edge-guide and, therefore, a bit pointless. Especially seeing as it's still fiddly to use.

Felling feet are more useful for doing hems, IMO. You starch then press the whole hem and feed it through. Again, it acts as a glorified edge guide, but the channel of the foot does keep the stitch-line even. That said, I don't use them for hemming.

I wouldn't recommend using a felling foot for actually felling, though. The way you're supposed to use them is to offset the seams by a single seam width, fold bottom-piece (the front, actually) over top and secure the main seam using the foot. Then fold everything over and align its edge with the feed-guide on the LHS to fell the seam flat. The problem with this is that the main seam is sewn at less than a seam's width  (the needle position is slightly to the right, therefore within a quarter of an inch); so when doing the felling, the main seam is pulled over to the left, creating an inherent ruck/bow in the seam. It looks neatly stitched, but it's a bad end-result and is never going to press well.

Better results are to be had by offsetting, pressing and sewing the main seam in advance, then feeding it through the felling foot. Though, once more, this makes it a glorified edge-guide and a bit redundant.

My main problem with these feet is that they tackle everything from the wrong side of the cloth. I prefer to actually top-stich: what looks good on the side you're stitching can look slightly off on the other. Plus, with some machines the bobbin stitch isn't as neat as the top stitch.

Most bespoke makers use little more than a single-needle machine and a quarter inch foot to do the whole shirt. A magnetic guide helps to obtain more accuracy, but even that isn't necessary (with a bit of practice).

1/4 inch quilting feet are really great. They have a blade at the side of the foot that the seam can butt-up against. I bought two and prised the blade of one of them with some pliers. This allows better visibility and manoeuvrability when top-stitching collars etc. If I need straight line precision (top-stitching plackets), I simply use it in conjunction with a magnetic guide. The other foot, with the blade intact, is useful for securing pockets with a second line of stitching, 1/4 inch in from the edges. The blade simply runs against the side of the already secured pocket, to give a dual needle/thread look. I also use it for felling, top stitching from the right side (the blade running in the seam).

The second method in the following vid is typically how shirt-makers fell seams. The top piece is offset by a seam, the bottom piece folds over it by about a 1/16th more than a seam's width, then you stitch at a seam's width, catching the very edge of the folded over cloth. This creates the main seam and holds the initial fold, preventing it from bulging, pleating or unfolding under the foot when doing the felling. It's easier to do with an edge guide (see second vid). Just pull the top piece over so that it's slightly to the left of the needle (this can all be done by eye, aligning everything in advance of each stretch of sewing).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmSnUyQt0c8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU8OCHdJ-d8

I no longer use the above method (I bias bind all my seams nowadays). A drawback is that with some cloth the very edge frays and the first run of stitching doesn't always hold the fold in place. In which case you have to use a slightly wider seam: pulling over the folded under-piece by about an eighth instead of a sixteenth.

Note the roping in the second vid. Not clean. It can be avoided by gently pulling from both front and back as you sew. Equal tension to neutralise the forces. This stretches the cloth a little, so when everything relaxes after sewing, the stiches contract and loosen, avoiding that pull on the cloth. Also note that the machinist doesn't press the seam before felling it flat. That doesn't do much to aid a clean seam, either.

Time equals money, though ...

Bloody hell, did I just type all that? I clearly have nothing better to do! 

This is great, thank you for the extended thoughts. The second process shown in the first video is what I did, good to know I was following a standard practice.

And what you say of the felling/hemmer feet makes sense, I'd wondered if they were one of those things that is only helpful when it works perfectly.

So, really the attachments to get if any are the presser feet with a guide on one edge (1/4" at least, maybe some other widths?) and the movable magnetic guide. Those will help me to reliably stitch in straight lines.

Most feet end up to be little more than gimmicks. Either that or there are better, less fiddly ways of doing things.

Shirts typically use 1/4 inch seams, so a 1/4 inch foot is a must IMO. If you already have a foot that wide, then you're good to go. Simply buy a magnetic guide. Otherwise, 1/4 inch quilting feet are available for every type of machine. And you don't need a branded/vintage foot. The ones I bought are 'low-shank' suitable for many, vintage Singers (and copies). This foot:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171451816610

Obviously they can vary in looks, but easily available. I find that removing the blade makes them more versatile (so long as you also have/buy a magnetic guide). But nice to have both (simply buy two feet).

With a quarter inch foot, you can do every part of the shirt.

PS, stay away from domestic feet with an adjustable guide. The guides/blades tend to wobble.

There are heavy-duty/industrial, adjustable seam-guides that also fit domestic machines. The ones I own are a little proud, however, and scar the cloth unless foot pressure is slackened off considerably. It's less faff to simply use a magnetic guide, frankly. Admittedly that type is useful for felling, but only heavy duty cloth (denim), not shirting. The blades tend to be quite thick, so they don't exactly fit into the seam nicely. They're more for butting-up against elevated seams.

Why don't you make a shirt pattern, fit it, and make your shirts there after? Messing around with pre-made shirts is a waste of time. There are several shirt pattern methods on this site.

Greger is right.

Watch for balance in the bodice though.

My take is EvanTA is using the hack n wack method of learning. Dive in and burn time to learn as fast as possible using cheap subjects, aka thrift store. At the outset he said for his own alterations.

Be patient, he'll get it soon enough, and wander through the forum. Shoot, ain't even got to Posaune's territory yet, where fit REALLY matters. Plus he's in DC. There's Masters there still, too.May go off the deep end and become a broom operator just to learn secrets that make money, albeit little money

Quote from: Gerry on September 12, 2023, 11:36:57 PMWhat would I know.

Should we tell her??

Nah, I enjoy reading longer winded than mine and I learn lots

No seriouslyy, I learn. I thank you. Carry on..

Quote from: Steelmillal on September 13, 2023, 08:04:29 PMMy take is EvanTA is using the hack n wack method of learning. Dive in and burn time to learn as fast as possible using cheap subjects, aka thrift store. At the outset he said for his own alterations.

Be patient, he'll get it soon enough, and wander through the forum.

With my 'journey' I taught myself cutting before I went anywhere near a machine; then got stuck-in, making my own stuff and learning by trial and error (mostly the latter!). However, I have also spent time taking apart and studying/measuring old, ready-to-wear garments, to see how they were constructed and to get guidelines for drafts (in some cases, guidelines of what to avoid).

It's not one approach or the other, but both IMO. It's all experience. As you say, "he'll get there soon enough". 

welder mantra: more ya burn, more ya learn, measured by the pound. its why you also practice basketball free throws with less dominant hand; it's hard and teaches lessons not learned otherwise. It really is about balance in all things.