jakes-jules

[jakes-jules]

Contrary to popular belief the biggest beginner's roadblock to art isn't even technical skill it's frustration tolerance, especially in the age of social media. It hurts and the frustration is endless but you must build the frustration tolerance equivalent to a roach's capacity to survive a nuclear explosion. That's how you build on the technical skill. Throw that "won't even start because I'm afraid it won't be perfect" shit out the window. Just do it. Just start. Good luck.

[jakes-jules]

this messed up vintage cat sewing pattern has tormented me since i saw it & like some other folks have done in that post - i tried my hand at tweaking the pattern to resemble the illustration (and my personal tastes) a little more. i've ended up with this, which i have only tested at a small scale and not this final version exactly (where i have done such things as further widening the cheeks and finalizing the leg shapes.) i bestow it upon you nice folks now 👐

go forth and make weird little beanbag kittens! pls show me if you do!

[jakes-jules]

Let's Learn About Sewing Needles

WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS ON THE PACKAGES?

80/12, 70/10, 90/14

The first, larger number is the metric sizing and refers to the diameter of the shaft of the needle. So a size ’80’ is 0.8mm. The second smaller number i.e. 12 is the old imperial measurement. What’s easy to remember is that the bigger the number, the bigger the needle.

WHAT DO THE NAMES MEAN?

The names refer to the fabric they are made for and the tip that needle has.

Universal-These have a slightly rounded tip and are the go-to choice for many sewing projects using woven fabric (e.g. dressmaking, soft furnishing and crafts).They come in a wide range of sizes from NM 60/8 to NM 130/21. This needle is also the standard fit in modern overlockers. Needle system: 130/705 H or sometimes HAx1

Super Universal-Super-universal needles have a particularly smooth, non-stick coating that significantly reduces adhesive build-up. It also has an enlarged eye which is the equivalent to that of a needle two sizes larger.  This reduces thread abrasion so this is a good embroidery needle too. The slightly rounded point shape is suitable for most fabric types whilst the reinforced blade penetrates thick fabrics like denim easily. Needle system: 130/705 H-SU

Ballpoint/jersey- They gently push aside the fibers instead of punching their way through, which prevents holes forming in the fabric, and skipped stitches. Needle system: 130/705 H-SUK

Stretch-Stretch needles are often confused with ballpoint, but they are a different needle and perform a distinct function. Use these for sewing elastic or fabrics containing a high degree of elastic e.g. swimwear. They have a medium ballpoint tip, a shorter eye, and a flatter shank. This allows the needle to be closer to the bobbin hook, preventing skipped stitches. Needle system: 130/705 H-S

Super Stretch-These needles have been developed for easy sewing of highly-elastic fabrics. The flat shank allows the needle to be closer to the bobbin hook. There’s also a special scarf design allowing a larger thread loop, which is more likely to be picked up by the hook. A reinforced shaft reduces likelihood of breakage and allows a straight stitch whilst the chrome coating, instead of nickel is more resistant to abrasion. Needle system: HAx1 SP

Microtex-A very slim, sharp point gives good results when sewing fine or densely woven fabrics such as microfiber, silk, polyester and taffeta lining. Perfect straight stitches are achieved during topstitching. Needle system: 130/705 H-M

Quilting-These have a special taper to their slight-rounded point for easier penetration of fabric layers and eliminate skipped stitches. Needle system: 130/705 H-Q

Jeans-A medium ballpoint tip displaces the fabric for less stress during fabric penetration whilst a reinforced blades copes with heavy fabrics such as canvas, denim and twill. Needle system: 130/705 H-J

Topstitch-A long eye of 2mm allows thicker thread to pass unhindered reducing skipped stitched and thread abrasion.  A slightly rounded point is suitable for most woven fabrics. Needle system: 130 N

Leather-For sewing leather, and hard faux leather/vinyl. This needle has a flat ‘chisel’-shaped tip which cuts a tiny slit instead of making a hole.  This prevents the fabric tearing.  These needles must not be used on woven or knit fabrics, they will cut any woven or knits.

There is a common myth that Singer brand are 1mm longer but that's not true. The length of all sewing machine needles has been standardized.

Singer uses a non-standardized numbering system on the packaging that can make it seem like they are larger, but you can measure them to see that they are the same length. I have so many issues with singer and i never recommend their products because they slap the singer logo on super cheaply made shit constantly (like the pins that have no points on them, the thread that is dry rotted but its "new", the sewing machines that are trash, the unrepaired returns that they resell).

How often should I change my needles?

After every sewing project (or about 6-8 hours of sewing). No matter the effort you’ve put in to choose the best needle for your project, you won’t get good results if it’s blunt. Also, if you hit a pin, then check your needle for a bent tip. If you feel any rough edges or burrs, then change it to avoid fabric damage and/or stitching problems.

[jakes-jules]

Hello folks, it slipped my mind a little but I'm at Katsucon this weekend!

Friday will be Garry (fancy) from Ib (w/ friend as The Gallery)

Saturday is Tallman Chilchuck from Delicious in Dungeon

Sunday is Maid Zakuro from Tokyo Mew Mew (w/ friend as Pudding)

[jakes-jules]

Plus Size Sewing Pattern Database

I've seen some people on here express interest in making their own clothes, and I recently discovered this database for plus size/size inclusive sewing patterns and wanted to share.

All of the patterns/brands on the list accommodate at least a 60 inch hip measurement, though the actual size ranges and other measurements vary, and there’s even a search function that allows you to plug in your own measurements (both imperial and metric) and find brands that can fit them. The site also does a monthly pattern roundup sharing specific patterns that meet the sizing criteria, which I think is neat.

A lot of these *do* tend to max out around the 60-65 inch range, so it's not the most inclusive for superfats, but it's still waaaaay more inclusive than the big-brand sewing pattern companies tend to be.

[jakes-jules]

[jakes-jules]

I've been thinking about this amazing pattern for days....

BEHOLD

rainbow croak army

there is a black one that looks like an orca and one color of leather bag

[jakes-jules]

Went to PAX Unplugged today as the Darkest Faerie and neglected to take pictures (as usual), so here's the single selfie I took, and a full costume shot from Katsucon this year

[jakes-jules]

Sophie!

(Technically we're not finished but she's wearable!!)

[jakes-jules]

Alright so, I can't say this is the best way to go about things and we'll see how she holds up once I wear her out of the house but:

The cone is a layer of linen flat-lined to acrylic felt, which is acting as my interfacing. That gives her those nice bulky folds, but the trick is in the gathering stitches and polyfil stuffing.

She's gathered 1) a few inches above the brim in the back, 2) near the beginning of the darker brown section on the top of the hat, and 3) at the very tip TECHNICALLY in two places but shh

And she's stuffed rather loosely from where she rests on my head up until...the end of the darker section I think?

The stuffing keeps her from sitting flat against my head and keeps the fabric in place, and the gathering stitches give her that lovely curve

Finally some more Sophie progress!

Her skirt is done as well (sans hook and bar) but I was truly in the sewing zone and did not take progress photos ✌🏻😔

[jakes-jules]

Finally some more Sophie progress!

Her skirt is done as well (sans hook and bar) but I was truly in the sewing zone and did not take progress photos ✌🏻😔

[jakes-jules]

Fuck it

After years of selling it, Here is my zipfolder that contains all of my old reference folders

(not including what's in my ko-fi shop)

[jakes-jules]

Pinned up like a bug

[jakes-jules]

Lalalala

[jakes-jules]

after eight years, I finally updated my huge Historical Fashion Reference & Resources Doc! Now in the form of a MUCH more easily updated Google Doc with better organization, refreshed links, and five more pages of books and online resources.

I know tumblr hates links, but it’s worth it for a doc that I can now update with far more regularity going forward! RIP to the original, you did your duty for far longer than you should have. 😔🙏🏼

[jakes-jules]

It's embroidery floss! I split it in half (used three strands) and sewed everything down with it.

The base fabrics were sewn together by machine and the patches were stuck down with a light fusible webbing, so the big stitches aren't entirely load-bearing, but they do help hold the backing-felt in place

Some Sophie progress ✨