Chris

@elfkin
7 Followers
63 Following
727 Posts
Greek daddy elf living with my husband, a dog, and two cats in the heart of West Hollywood where I spend most of my time #sewing, #cooking, and #cycling with occasional bouts of #photography and #origami. #queer af.
Bloghttps://www.elfk.in
AIDS/Lifecycle donationshttps://giving.aidslifecycle.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=2466
Custom garment inquirieshttps://www.elfk.in/about
ChrisJul 22, 2023
I made all kinds of progress today on the prototype for the summery silk (this version is in poly) shirt. Sleeves and side seams are in, both with French seams, and the convertible collar is on though unshaped. Actually, this is the second collar after I made a mess of the first one. I wasn’t as ready to go off book on the new catching-in method as I thought! #sewing
ChrisJul 21, 2023
Gwen FisherJul 21, 2023
PSA: If you want to learn how to sew clothes (or housewares) you need this book, “Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing.” If you know a kid who wants to learn to sew, please buy them a copy. Want to know how to sew a waistband? It explains 11 types. Mine is copyright 1978. The new versions are textbook prices, but the old ones are cheap, and sewing techniques haven’t changed much over time. If I had a copy growing up, I would have been sewing my own clothes twenty years sooner. #sewing
Show threadChrisJul 21, 2023
@artbyailbhe @EllenInEdmonton Honestly, I don’t mind working with slippery fabrics but adding the glue does make it all much less fiddly.
Show threadChrisJul 21, 2023
@WorstedSkeins As I’m just doing prototypes right now and figured it wouldn’t hurt, I simply grabbed the nearest Elmer’s glue stick from my desk. It works a treat!
Show threadChrisJul 21, 2023
@RubyGloomIRL Thank you for this sage advice! This is precisely what I just did.
Show threadChrisJul 21, 2023
@EllenInEdmonton OMG I feel like such a fool for not trying it sooner. It really speeds things up!
ChrisJul 21, 2023
@xantha Thank you! The fabric is an old (verrrry polyester) caftan I had relegated to the scrap pile years ago thinking, “the next time I need to test a new silk shirt/skirt pattern, this will be perfect.” And it is!
ChrisJul 21, 2023
Plackets are stitched in, darts are made, and shoulders attached for the summery silk shirt prototype. Glue basting on slippery fabrics is my new favorite thing. #sewing
Show threadChrisJul 21, 2023

@EllenInEdmonton @artbyailbhe LOL I look at it like this… I love descending steep hills on my bike. It’s the only reason to climb some of the stupid mountainsides I’ve ascended over the years.

All of my prep work before executing a final piece of clothing is the uphill so that I may enjoy the ride down with a big smile and sense if accomplishment.

Show threadChrisJul 21, 2023
@EllenInEdmonton @artbyailbhe To be clear, I’m not trying to tell everyone that mine is the best way to sew. It’s just the best way I know how to sew custom couture for money!