Handmade Lolita and Sewing General

[Anonymous No.8502029]

Old thread >>8451663

Unanswered questions:
>How to use ONS patterns?
>Any updates on google document?
>How best to calculate ruffles?

If your question isn't lolita related or a general sewing/crafting question, it may be more beneficial for you to go to the Help Thread, which is a little more cosplay focused.

[Anonymous No.8502051]

>>8502029
Op, what the hell is that

[Anonymous No.8502065]

>>8502051
Not op but it is made by Penny Cohn.
Don't remember much about her but she is but she is an infamous seamstress on cgl.

[Anonymous No.8502112]

>>8502065
apparently it was also a commission. Who the fuck pays for that?

Also, to contribute - For whoever wanted to know about ruffles, I usually do 1.5-2x the length of the fabric you're applying the ruffles to, depending on how full you want it to be. I usually cut a little more than 2x and gather it along as I like it and end up with a little extra. I'd rather waste a small amount of fabric than end up with sad ruffles.

[Anonymous No.8502116]

I read somewhere Penny was saying she's going to do Wa lolita. Well, more material for the ita thread I suppose.

[Anonymous No.8502120]

>>8502065
>>8502112
Jesus

[Anonymous No.8502124]

>>8502029

That thing is absolutely heinous.

Anyway, anyone have any tutorials on hat making?

[Anonymous No.8502127]

>>8502124
What kind of hat are you looking for?

[Anonymous No.8502133]

>>8502116
>Wa-lolita

Oh Lord help us.

[Anonymous No.8502200]

>>8502127
Classic stuff, something a little bit Victorian-esque. I made one attempt already, and it came out super cute, but it's enormous, and I'd love to see what other people are doing.

[Anonymous No.8502226]

>>8502200
I made this hat - apparently it looks like a vagina, but I still like it.

[Anonymous No.8502385]

>>8502029
>How to use ONS patterns?
Like...any other sewing pattern.
There are instructions for each pattern, some with photos, others with drawings. If you have some basic knowledge of garment construction, you'll figure it out.

>How best to calculate ruffles?
I do 3-3.5x the width and do really tight ruffles. I think 2x is the minimum before it starts to look sad.

[Anonymous No.8502393]

>>8502385
I also forgot to mention, there was a PDF with common terms for the gosu rori patterns. Applies to ONS too since they're basically the same magazine.

http://www.feorag.com/gosurori/gr-patterns.pdf

[Anonymous No.8502486]

>>8502029
don't forget with ONS you have to add your own seam allowance when you trace.

While we're on the topic of ONS, it would be cool to see some examples of things people have made with those patterns.

[Anonymous No.8502652]

>>8502486
I'm in the process of making something that has part of a ONS pattern.

I took a sailor collar and enlarged it. I still have to make a bow for it though and finish altering the jsk.

[Anonymous No.8503259]

>>8502486
I've made a few, but I'm pretty self-conscious about self-posting here.

We should start a tag on instagram like #otomenosewingmade or something.

[Anonymous No.8503466]

>>8502226
The scrunched up pink kinda does come with negative connotations! Shame, because I think it's a nice shade of pink.

[Anonymous No.8503470]

>>8502116
That's gong to be a grand waste of fabric. Someone should ask her what she actually knows about kimono and yukata first.

[Anonymous No.8503472]

>>8502226
I don't think it has a lolita aesthetic.

[Anonymous No.8503474]

>>8503259
Tag it, I'll look for them. I'm so tired of the sadness I'm seeing from adapted western patterns like OP photo. I want to see things made from lolita patterns. THAT would be a good group to join, in fact. Sewing From Lolita Patterns.

[Anonymous No.8503526]

>>8503474
I'm convinced that most handmade lolitas haven't handled brands dresses, or actually looked at any pictures from brand. if they did (and maybe have some sewing under their belt) they would be able to see how stupidly uncomplicated lolita patterns are.

[Anonymous No.8503581]

>>8503526
I got my first brand dress when I was 14 and continued to be a western-pattern-altering little ita seamstress for almost five years afterwards because I was too stupid to figure out how a 3D garment would look as a 2D pattern. Still am, honestly. Whenever I'm trying to figure out a new bodice or sleeve type I either look for a similar existing pattern or buy a very cheap example and take it apart.

[Anonymous No.8503599]

>>8503526
Knowing how it's supposed to end up looking and actually being able to execute it are two different things. Lolita patterns are simple but sewing in general does require a fair amount of skill and practice.

[Doc-anon No.8503641]

Hey everyone! Sorry for my absence, I've been out of town with a somewhat limited internet connection. I did manage to work on it for a little while, and I actually decided to switch the patterns over to a spreadsheet, link to the spreadsheet in the doc, and turn the doc into a general resource guide for sewing in lolita.
Here's the doc link, with the spreadsheet link in it. I don't want to get too overambitious right right off the bat, because this is a sort of ongoing project that's going to take me a little while, but in the future I would love to add a sheet of Japanese patterns, lolita specific sewing and crafting tutorials, etc. Even if someone else wants to make those, I'm happy to compile them into the document! Let me know what you all think, I really want this to be a helpful resource for everyone!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZoSyFzn2HVSl7rWG-y3ML1FGbAIyBM1E7F6oc1JEq0A/edit?usp=sharing

[Anonymous No.8503744]

>>8503526
The patterns itself aren't that complicated, but figuring out how to incorporate ruffles, pintucks, lace etc. can be really overwhelming. Details are what makes or brakes the dress and you can't just slap them on as an afterthought, despite what many amateur seamstresses think.

[Anonymous No.8503789]

>>8503526
You don't even have to have handled a brand dress. You don't even have to own a lolita dress. The patterns are so simple, I don't understand how you can fuck up.

[Anonymous No.8503794]

>>8503474
Done. I'm using #otomenosewingmade. I hope someone else tags theirs too!

[Doc-anon No.8503815]

>>8503789
You don't have to, but I agree that it's immensely helpful for people who can't just look at a picture and see how the pattern pieces should look. It seems so simple for someone who has a mind for sewing and can easily translate 3D to 2D in their head, but it's not that way for everyone. Handling a high-quality dress and seeing how each step should be done is immensely helpful. Even for someone with a fair amount of experience, they might be able to pick up on a detail that they couldn't figure out before. Along with all that, seeing pictures of details and actually touching and studying them in person is really different. Back when I got my first brand dress, I was amazed at all the things a photograph couldn't capture.

[Anonymous No.8503832]

>>8503815
Yeah, I thought about it some more after I typed this, and I kinda have to take it back, I always like to have something similar to the things I want to make so I can look at it. But honestly, if you take away the print, most brand dresses are rather plain in terms of cut. I think the most difficult part is choosing appropriate lace and fabric, especially because many printed fabrics aren't really suitable for lolita.

[Anonymous No.8503837]

Probably the wrong time to post this, but I want to buy a bodyline dress, take it apart, and use it as a pattern to sew a new dress with different fabric. I am a tactile learner, so reading and looking at patterns are ok, but I do better hands on. Will never take a part my brand either.

Also, I found this 70s sewing book that teaches how to sew ruffles, gathering, shirring, pleats and more. It's outdated, but still pretty good.

[Doc-anon No.8503844]

>>8503832
Agreed. It seems like a lot of beginner sewists can't get past the idea that you must use a print to have a real lolita dress, or some just use prints as an excuse to be lazy with the details. Maybe those who want to work with plain fabrics are intimidated by making changes to a pattern to accommodate for extra ruffles, pintucks, etc?

[Anonymous No.8503849]

>>8503794
Is this just on instagram or also on tumblr? I was thinking about spamming tumblr with my OnS stuff sooner or later.

[Anonymous No.8503852]

>>8503844
I still haven't bought a print dress and I have been a lolita for 3 years. I wanted to make the dresses with the frills, pintucks and gathers and all those other bells and whistles, but I know I am not there yet. With that in mind, making a Lolita dress can be tough.

[Anonymous No.8503853]

>>8503641
thanks anon!

[Anonymous No.8503855]

>>8503837
That's the best book.

[Anonymous No.8503859]

>>8503844
Probably. I went nuts trying to look for lolita printed fabrics, tbh. Florals are often too small, novelty prints are often garish. If you want print as a beginner, stick to tartan, big polka dots and vertical stripes, they're also easy to get and affordable.

I think the problem with ruffles, pintucks and scallops is that they take a lot of extra time and look really bad if you mess up. I admire VM and MM so much because they release a lot of non-prints that are absolutely divine.

[Anonymous No.8503864]

>>8503849
It's just on insta for now, but feel free to use it wherever. I'd love to follow more handmade lolitas on tumblr too.

[Anonymous No.8503868]

>>8503859
mixing of fabrics also helps.

[Anonymous No.8503871]

>>8502116
this is too funny though.

[Anonymous No.8503875]

>>8503871
WOW where was this posted at?

[Anonymous No.8503878]

>>8502112
Thanks for the tip on ruffles, anon.

[Anonymous No.8503884]

>>8503837
Do it! Honestly you might have to alter the bodyline pattern a little, as depending on the item, there's often not quite enough flare in the skirt (could just be my taste, though)

[Anonymous No.8503893]

>>8503844
On this topic, I think something nice for beginners is to try making a nice, simple, oldschool moitie-style JSK. You know the kind, with an A-line skirt and often cross neck straps. They're quite simple to sew but look great if you use a high quality, non-print fabric and high quality lace.

[Anonymous No.8503904]

>>8503871

[Anonymous No.8503908]

>>8502200
Seconding this. I'm planning an OTT classic outfit and I'd love to make some kind of hat, either a tricorn or something Victorian or Rococo.

Also, where are people getting their fabrics to make underskirts? If I want to make a long, ruffly underskirt, should I just use cotton? Chiffon? What kind of weight should I be looking for?

[Doc-anon No.8503909]

>>8503893
I agree! I think there should be a beginner style dress for each of the three styles, something easy to sew and easy to coordinate that looks undeniably lolita to help them get started with something nice.

[Anonymous No.8503911]

>>8503875
On the comments for the wa-lolita thing in PnL

[Anonymous No.8503921]

>>8503893
>high quality fabric

I think his is also an issue. a lot of girls how sew, do so because a) they think they're too poor for regular lolita or b)too fat/skinny or a combination or the two. they really haven't felt what nice fabric feels like because they probably buy cheap shit RTW. everyone needs to go on a window shopping trip to the local fabric district and TOUCH EVERYTHING and then go to the most expensive store in the area and TOUCH EVERYTHING.

[Anonymous No.8503926]

>>8503921
Tactile anon here. This speaks to me.

>>8503884
Now I have to decide on which dress.

[Anonymous No.8503928]

>>8503921
>TOUCH EVERYTHING
I laughed a little too loud, because for people who sew a lot and appreciate good fabrics, this is such a habit. My husband makes fun of me when we go to the store and I slather on hand sanitizer and traipse along the aisles, just touching everything. He says I'm like an obsessive compulsive five year old in a candy store. I love touching fabric.

[Anonymous No.8503935]

>>8503928
everything i buy depends on how it feels (except maybe food).
if it feels gross or wrong, I don't buy it. usually fabric I need to take into account for starch in the fibers...but usually you can still tell.

[Anonymous No.8503954]

>>8503909
I agree with you. Perhaps for classic, a simple 4-part bodice with straps, and a gathered rectangle skirt, with some lace at the bottom or a chiffon lining/underskirt that pokes out a couple inches? I'm not *that* great at drafting patterns but I might try and make one and post it somewhere. The gothic one I mentioned before, I think you can find a link to a tutorial for it on fyeahlolita.

Dunno what to do for sweet though. A salopette? Skirt and blouse combo? Apron skirt? I rarely wear sweet so I haven't really got a clue. The things I've seen have all either had prints or lots of elaborate details. I suppose something like pic related would be a bit tricky for a beginner, with pintucks and ruffles?

>>8503921
Oh gosh yes. I do that. Go to the fabric store, touch ALL THE FABRIC.

>>8503926
I own two bodyline dresses, l510 and l362. L510 has a decent, simple pattern but the skirt could do with a tad bit more volume, and the waist probably could do with being a tiny bit lower (for most people. If you have a short torso it'll be fine)

L362 actually has a really nice design, great skirt volume and everything, but the false bolero thing could throw you off, plus it has loads of shirring. Dunno if this info is any use to you anon but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

[Anonymous No.8504007]

>>8503921
Bahah, I often feel self-conscious at stores because I walk around touching and stroking everything, even when I'm buying regular clothes. Gotta do what you gotta do.

>>8503909
Otome no Sewing has released a selection book with their best patterns from vol 1-3. Maybe this will be something to recommend to newbies.
>

[Anonymous No.8504015]

>>8504007
Forgot to paste link, oops.
>http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/483474048X/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=AN1VRQENFRJN5&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1NCD8577ZC822017XMBX&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=207655209&pf_rd_i=desktop

[Anonymous No.8504039]

>>8504007
>>8504015
noice.

[Doc-anon No.8504137]

>>8503954
I like the idea of a basic princess seam bodice with a gathered rectangle skirt or an a-line jsk for classic and gothic, since it's much easier to find fabric that's suitable for those and still get the look right even if the design itself is simple. Maybe for sweet you can take the same princess seam bodice, give it a sweetheart neckline, two rows of ruffles and lace like in pic related? It's similar to your picture, but attaching the ruffles will be simpler and you don't have to worry about pintucks.

I'm not the best at drafting patterns either, but I can do a princess seam bodice easy peasy, maybe we can work together on creating "starter pack" patterns for classic, gothic, and sweet? A dress, a headdress (either a bonnet, canotier or headbow?), a basic blouse (either peter pan collar or bow neck with long and short sleeve options?) and two different basic bow sizes to add either to the chest or waist? It could just be in a pdf file.

I think with a more or less full coordinate pattern, new people are less likely to face as many difficulties. Then we could release tutorials based off each pattern showing you how to alter them a little bit so it would be like a series that gets people comfortable with adding more details. Say one tutorial might show you how to add a shirring panel, another might show you how to add pintucks to your skirt, and another might show you how to change the style of sleeve on the blouse.

[Anonymous No.8504148]

>>8504007
>just woke up
>read this as Skeleton Book

[Anonymous No.8504368]

>>8504137
That's a great idea. I know that when I was just starting out I was really confused about where to start. There aren't really any good, simple, basic patterns in English for starter lolita dresses. I like your idea for the sweet dress. And yeah, including a pattern for a basic blouse and a headdress would be perfect.

I think we should definitely do this, anon. I have some sewing and patterning experience, though not really specifically for lolita, but honestly a simple princess seam JSK with a gathered rectangle skirt would be really simple to draft.

[Anonymous No.8504397]

>>8504368
>>8504137
now would these be free? or have a price? would they be sized/scaled?

[[e-mail] No.8504442]

>>8504368
Yay! I'm so excited! Feel free to email me whenever you want to get started!

>>8504397
I'm not against doing it for free in PDF form since the user will have to spend on paper and ink anyways, but if anyone wanted us to do paper ones that we mail out, I would probably just charge the cost of materials and shipping.
I'm up for sizing them, as well. I wonder if anyone would object to 5-6 standard sizes with a back shirring panel so we don't have to draft a pattern for fifteen different sizes? Like an XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL? Perhaps if these are popular enough, we'll draft a pattern for a larger size? I'm hesitant to do that right off the bat because we'll need to redraft something entirely new to be more suitable for a plus size frame. If there's interest, I'm willing to do it though.

[Anonymous No.8504456]

>>8504442
XXL...what would that bust/waist size be?
you could supplement with links on how to do FBA/SBA and lengthen/shorten bodice

[Anonymous No.8504460]

Kinda shy to post this but I made my first 'lolita' dresses for my college project. Some of them I wouldn't call necessarily lolita as my teachers encouraged me to make them more unusual than regular lolita for the grading but I did alter patterns from Otome no Sewing so I can talk about using and altering the patterns. This is one of the dresses I made but it's been neatened up since I took this photo as this photo was a rush job for my hand in portfolio. I think when I have time I'd like to try making something more classical/gothic in lolita design and something more embellished. Any in put would be appreciated.

[Anonymous No.8504476]

>>8504460
I think it's really nice, I can understand the front ruffles if your teacher wanted you to change them. Those sleeves are pretty cute though. The bodice could use some more decoration on the front, perhaps, or details like buttons. cute/10 but not super loli

[Anonymous No.8504513]

>>8504460
For lolita, the neckline looks a little awkward- for lolita OPs, there's usually a more stylized collar, such as a square neck with small ruffles, or a wide peter pan collar as such. The front ruffles also look too crowded. For your next try, if you want a more conventional lolita design detail, horizontal ruffles rather than vertical ones might do the trick. For example, Jetj does it in the attached image in a really beautiful way.

[Anonymous No.8504604]

>>8504442
>>8504397
I'd also be happy to do it for free. I've emailed you, anon :D

[Anonymous No.8504633]

>>8504513
Another one of the JetJ dresses that I just can't love. There is such a thing as too much ruffle.

[Anonymous No.8504640]

>sewing shirt for ouji
>pattern calls for French seams
>can't sew a straight line to save my life
>fabric is slippery and crinkled
>fuck

On the plus side, because of the texture of the fabric you can't see how jacked up the seams are unless you're like two feet away.

[Anonymous No.8504650]

>>8504633
Yeah, for this one, I either wanted them to tone that shit way down or make it way crazier. This is awkwardly in the middle for me.

[Anonymous No.8504902]

>>8504640
But when senpai notices you and comes in for a hug, they'll be like two feet away. What then?

[Anonymous No.8504947]

>>8504902
blind senpai with a dazzling smile.

[Anonymous No.8504950]

>>8503837
Well, I don't really think it's 100% necessary to take it apart. My second lolita dress years ago was a handmade double of my first, the bodyline squirrel party jsk. It was painstaking, but I just traced every piece of the bodice, measured it to check it, then added the necessary seam allowance.
I don't see why you can't do this with your brand, especially if you have a dress that fits really well, I find that my bodyline pieces are all bigger than my brand. Not to mention bodyline just isn't as cheap anymore.

[Anonymous No.8505132]

>>8504640
Stop being retarded and iron your shit and/or use a stabilizer.

[Anonymous No.8505138]

>>8504950
I actually have a slightly older singer book that gives a step by step for this method. I can scan them for you if you would like? The method is basically a rubbing, like you would do with the side of a crayon on paper over textured things as a kid? It helps transfer darts and things as well as the shape of the pattern piece.

[Anonymous No.8505208]

>>8505132
You want me to iron this?

[Anonymous No.8505223]

>>8505138
yesyesyes please
Not that anon, but please

[Anonymous No.8505240]

>>8505208
>and/or use a stabilizer.
Did I fucking stutter?

[Anonymous No.8505253]

>>8505240
Well, how about sharing what kind of stabilizer I would use with this. I have very little experience with interfacing (fusible with basic cotton).

[Anonymous No.8505264]

>>8505208
You should use a steamer. That will work out with less tears.

[Anonymous No.8505273]

>>8505264
Wouldn't that remove the texture?

[Anonymous No.8505284]

>>8505223
Okeydokey! As soon as I find it I will! I'm in the middle of moving, so its either in my storage space or at my father's, I'll look tomorrow!

[Anonymous No.8505381]

>>8503871
She's so clueless, she doesn't even know she's clueless. How is this possible?

[Anonymous No.8505429]

>>8504950
Okay. I have noticed the prices going up too. Probably can't get stuff for cheap anymore. Will try your method.

[Doc-anon No.8505589]

>>8504456
I imagine an XS might fall around a 28 inch bust min, with the 2XL going up to a 60 something inch bust max. I know that's an extreme measurement range, but if the shirring panels had around a 5-6 inch range of stretch, it's doable. I want it to be useable for people in those extremes because those are often the beginners who go straight for sewing when brand won't fit them.

I like the idea of adding instructions on full or small bust adjustments, maybe that could be a part of the tutorial series?

[Anonymous No.8505998]

>>8505589
I also think you should get some people to test the pattern before you post it to see how easy it is to use, like different skill levels etc. I think this is a really great idea, I'd love to have a pattern that I don't have to lengthen at least 10cm because it's made for short Japanese girls.

[Anonymous No.8506080]

>>8504137
>>8504442

This would be absolute fabulous to have starter patterns. I'm a beginner/intermediate and still struggle getting stuff appropriately lolita so that'd be amazing.

[Anonymous No.8506133]

Hey gulls, I'm interested in making dresses and whatnot and I understand that it would certainly be better to use a machine than hand sew.

What's an inexpensive yet beginner friendly model? Considering getting a Brother LS14 Manual Stitch Sewing Machine but it's still pretty pricey, I'd prefer something under a hundred if possible.

[Anonymous No.8506142]

>>8506133
wait, where are you located?

[Anonymous No.8506153]

>>8506133
Under a hundred what? USD? Euro? CAD?
Check amazon for deals if you can.

[Anonymous No.8506168]

>>8506142
Ireland, but I'll be buying it online.

>>8506153
Sorry, I should have specified. Under a hundred euro if possible!

>amazon

I didn't even think of that, thank you.

[Anonymous No.8506181]

>>8506168
No problem! I'm in Europe too and got mine on Amazon for 120€. It's a rebranded Janome, but I can't find it on amazon UK. Make sure you read the reviews carefully and pick a reputable brand.

[Anonymous No.8506730]

i want to make or atleast have a jiji. does anyone know any good patterns? im not finding anything : (

[Anonymous No.8506786]

>>8506168
I'm in Ireland too, got a Singer recently from Lidl. It does the job just fine. You can use amazon.de as well as UK in Ireland, you can sometimes get better deals there. I'd also check out donedeal, gumtree, etc. I actually got my first sewing machine on freecycle. I don't know where it is, otherwise I'd pass it on to you (it's also a Singer...)

[Anonymous No.8508242]

>>8504460
The coord is awesome, especially the blue sheen on the heels matching the ruffles! I like the ruffles idea, but I think it would fit in lolita more seamlessly if it where a more standard, less eccentric colour, so I wouldn't give up on it right away.
The sheer sleeves are divine though, I wish I had the skills for handling those delicate fabrics right now!

[Anonymous No.8508375]

I'm making a skirt with box pleats and a decent amount of flare, how do I go about lining it? I've never lined something before/ made a lining (noob). This shouldn't be so hard but I want the lining to have some flare also. I wouldn't pleat the lining or underline or anything would I?
Also, would it add more structure to the skirt?

[Anonymous No.8508516]

I posted these a while back, but here's a link to the sewing and patterning textbook pdfs I've collected. I've listed the titles and authors out in the image.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d3z1814muvtxoyh/AADFuIAoYs9RYEkmaCEVNajDa?dl=0

[Anonymous No.8508770]

>>8508375
I think you best go with a gathered lining of the same width as the skirt. it probably won't add more structure, only prevents possible bumps in your petti to been seen through your skirt

[Anonymous No.8508825]

>>8508516
Anon, you're amazing. Marry me.

[Anonymous No.8510502]

I want to open up my store in the next couple of days but I'm really not happy with the photography for these. I need a better camera.

[Anonymous No.8510505]

>>8510502
Yeah, looks like you need wider shots (parts of the dress are cut off in one) and better, more even lighting as they all differ in lighting it looks like.

[Anonymous No.8510515]

>>8508770
Thanks anon
I'll line and interface the waist band at least so that should help. It's just the lining tutorials I saw were normally close-hugging things that used darts. Not really right for pettis.

[Anonymous No.8510559]

>>8510502
Sorry I can't help you with your question, but I was wondering something. When you're making things to sell, how do you decide on sizing? I have a large fabric stash that doesn't go with my current style at all and I was thinking of making them into dresses to sell, but I have no idea how to size them. It seems that most girls who go for handmade tend to be on the bigger side so they don't fit into brand, but I have no experience making things for bigger people and am not confident enough to do commissions. Does your stuff have shirring to make it fit a range of sizes or did you just decide on a size and go with that?

[Anonymous No.8510608]

>>8510559
I just decided on a 'medium' size based on the most common brand one-size-fits-all sizes, then made one a size smaller and one two sizes larger.

I've just made a couple of everything in the 'medium' size and will make any smaller/larger ones if/as they're ordered.
>Oh god, I hope they're ordered.
>pls like my stuff guys (´・ω・`);;

[Anonymous No.8510611]

>>8510502
I'm not really interested in buying anything at the moment, but do you take customized orders of your dresses?
I really love the boob bow for the left dress, but personally not loving the print/maybe fabric(?). For me I'd totally want this but with a textured black fabric like the middle dress and maybe a little lace on the straps.

As for the photography I'd just move back so all the dresses in the front and back shots are in equal proportion to each other.
eg: the middle dress looks awkward because the mannequin is cut off at the top, and there's no space at the bottom.
Especially having it side by side with the other photos, they should all have equal amounts of space to best show them off and have unison.

[Anonymous No.8510648]

>>8510502
What's going on at the bottom of the left dress? You've got some severe warping there and on the backdrop.

Overall though, your photos are adequate but as others have suggested having them a uniform distance from the backdrop and yourself a uniform distance from the dressform would help. Setting up a "tripod" (just stick the camera on a chair) will help with that.

Other than the warping though, these really are good enough, especially if you have close-ups and a shot from the back as well.

[Anonymous No.8510656]

>>8510502
It's just the wallpaper, it clashes with every dress. Go with something solid - BTSSB uses that solid red, which suits since most their dresses suit the red bg. AP goes more crazy with colours in their dresses so thr white BG works. I'd do a beige or white for you.

[Anonymous No.8510718]

>>8510611
>>8510648
>>8510656
Sweet, thanks! I think the main problem is that I'm stuck in such a limited space - One wall in my apartment with direct lighting from the left and a maximum 5-foot clearance in front.
I might see about finding a nice spot in a friends' house for photography in the future.

>>8510611
I do/will! There's an option to leave notes at checkout and I'll have some way of direct contact for commissions.

[Anonymous No.8510756]

>>8510718
Photography is suuuuper important when you're just starting out; the only way brands like Meta get away with their shitty pictures is because they already have a good reputation. Definitely worthy figuring out/investing in.

[Anonymous No.8510870]

>>8506133
Also in Ireland.
Check Argos also, I got a decent Brother machine there for between 100-120 euro.
Just read reviews and don't pick the cheapest one.

[Anonymous No.8511637]

Where the fuck do you buy decent brown lace? I'm looking all over the fucking place, and everything is shit.
Save me gulls.

[Anonymous No.8511646]

>>8511637
taobao? or etsy?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/108140438/embroidered-mesh-lace-1yard-width-25cm?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=brown%20lace%20mesh&ref=sr_gallery_4

[Anonymous No.8511657]

>>8511646
Thanks bro. Do you use any particular search terms? I tried just straight up "brown lace" and it's shit. What taobao seller do you use? Thanks for helping me out.

[Anonymous No.8511670]

>>8511657
I used 'mesh lace' or 'cluny lace' for etsy.

this is a nice taobao store: http://laces.taobao.com/

[Anonymous No.8511694]

>tfw you feel the need to make empire waist dress cus your smallest section is right at your ribs
>terrified of looking pregnant cus you got a bit of a tummy

fuck it.

[Anonymous No.8511721]

>>8511670
Wow... They even show the actual brand dresses that the lace designs are ripoffs of. Very brazen! Oo;;

[Anonymous No.8511732]

>>8510718
How much are you selling the dresses for?
Are they lined?
I want to start selling too (although I doubt I will) and I am curious as pricing confuses the hell out of me.
I remember seeing you posting those dresses in previous handmade threads. Looking pretty good!

[Anonymous No.8511737]

>>8511721

>imply lolita brands don't source their lace from china

[Anonymous No.8511744]

>>8511737
Seriously, these laces probably come from the exact same factory.

[Anonymous No.8512561]

>>8511732
Yup, all of them are fully lined with a poly Pongee and have invisible zips. You just reminded me to take photos of them flipped inside-out, actually!

I'm still stuck on pricing, to be honest. I've been looking around at other indie brands/stores and trying to get an idea.. But they've all had time to build a reputation, and I'm not how much that skews the value.

I was feeling ~$89USD for the butterfly and strawberry dresses and ~$49 for the animal/forest one as fair, but people keep telling me that that's too little profit for the time/effort.

[Anonymous No.8512566]

>>8512561

Speaking as a cheapo here, I would still go absolute minimum $110 to $120 for the butterfly one. And even then, I still think that would be incredibly unfair to you.

Whatever you price it as, please post when you get back here. I'm finally getting a steady salary and would love to spend it on well made indie brand!

[Anonymous No.8512731]

>>8512561
That's way too low, dressmaker anon. Go at LEAST $100 each.

[Anonymous No.8512761]

>>8512561
That is too low. How does that even cover materials? Plus it means if you decide to raise the prices in future you'll get backlash 'You could sell them for $X in the past, why are they suddenly $XX?' That butterfly dress should be $200. Or what you could do is use one of those wage calculator timers.

[Anonymous No.8513278]

>>8512761
>>8512566
>>8512731
It would juuust cover materials, haha. I'm just so worried that people will think that I'm full of myself for charging so much without any reputation!
I settled on a middle-ground.

>>8512566
I just published all of the pages! Feels a bit empty at the moment with only the three dresses, but I only have a small amount of the strawberry and forest fabrics. I'm working on three full 'collections' to put up next.

It's HelloBonesJones.com if you're interested!
>I'm having a small heart attack right now.

[Anonymous No.8513327]

>>8513278
I really like the forest dress, did since you first posted it. Are the sizes the garmet size or body size, because I'm exactly the listed measurements of size two.

[Anonymous No.8513343]

>>8513278
>HelloBonesJones.com
Just followed you facebook! Your pricing seems very reasonable now, and I can't wait to see what you do next! Also, you tumblr link on the website is broken. Sorry for the three totally disconnected sentences, but good work.

[Anonymous No.8513351]

>>8513327
The sizing is the actual garment size, but since they're made to order at the moment I can always adjust! There's an option to leave messages/requests at checkout. I might change the wording on the descriptions.

>>8513343
Thanks! I checked the links on a few different devices and they all worked - It might be on your end?

[Anonymous No.8513352]

>>8513278
I really like the forest dress and would pay up to $120, but I am a cheap ass and would feel bad for exploiting your labour. Look up some stuff on pricing like this https://www.etsy.com/au/seller-handbook/article/how-to-price-like-a-pro/22603777434 and remember that most of the time, you are not your own target market.

[Anonymous No.8513387]

If you're cutting a dress on the bias for drape and cling, how badly will it mess it up to line it with the fabric on-grain? The lining is not like a separate slip, it's supposed to follow the line of the dress itself, and I've only ever done on-grain fitted linings with bias cut items before.

[[e-mail](...) No.8513492]

welp, almost done with a dress (dessert OP replica) and only just now I realized my figure doesn't suit baby doll type dresses. anyone interested in taking over my project? it got a 78cm bust, but I have leftover fabric, so you could try making it bigger if you need to.

[Anonymous No.8513519]

How do you cover your hair bands? I made a hair bow and I have some plain blank hair bands to put it on but I'm not sure how people cover them. Do you make a fabrics slip or can you just wrap it in ribbon?

[Anonymous No.8513523]

>>8511637
You can also get white cotton lace and dye it.

[Anonymous No.8514606]

What's a good lightweight but opaque cotton fabric that you could use for lighter classic and Mori Key?

I tried Poplin but I keep getting cotton Chintz which is a little too heavy. Can't find poplin anywhere in person. Batiste is too see through. Cotton Sateen too heavy. What am I missing?

[Anonymous No.8514765]

>>8504460
I'm in love with those sleeves!

[Anonymous No.8514846]

I would like to think that I'm decent at sewing, but I want help with how to choose a printed fabric that would work well for classic and/or otome, thanks gulls.

[Anonymous No.8514868]

Which taobao fabric stores do you use? I've been just browsing by using the "related products" section at the bottom of the page, but I'd love some suggestions for specific shops.

[Anonymous No.8515025]

>>8513351
It's the tumblr link down the bottom not the one at the top, the URL it leads to is your tumblr URL just added to the website URL so it led me t a 404.

[Anonymous No.8515231]

>>8515025
Aha! Thank you! The FB one was broken too, so I fixed them both.

[Anonymous No.8515239]

>>8514606
Well.. The obvious bit of advice is just to look at classic and Otome pieces/brands.

Some general advice that I like to give to sewing lolis, because fabric choice seems like the biggest hurdle for so many:

>Will the waist be gathered? Pleated? Elasticised?
>Will the skirt be gored? Half circle? Rectangle?
>Which fabric will have the best drape for this?
>Will this pattern line up properly if the skirt is cut this way?
>Is the pattern a good size from various distances?
>Does this pattern look like it should be on a child's bedsheets and/or your grandmother's sofa?

[Anonymous No.8515247]

>>8515239
>>8515239
>print lining up
If you have a border print, you will be using a rectangle skirt. I learned this the hard way and wasted some nice castle print fabric cutting an a-line

[Anonymous No.8515250]

>>8514846
quirky prints, but not garish ones. Don't get super bold florals. Muted ones are best and they can be cute if they are against a background of stripes or something like >>8510718.
All I can really recommend is that you make a mood board (pics saved to phone are fine for this) of the different prints you like and bring it with you. When you find a fabric you like, look at it against the prints you already like and see if it "fits" with them.

[Anonymous No.8515253]

>>8514846
Help in what way? You need something that's decent quality and drapes well regardless of pattern but as far as pattern goes it's really personal taste. Florals in muted colours are hard to go wrong with, something where the pattern is no bigger than your hand.

[Anonymous No.8515278]

>>8515239
Hey now, some people like grandmother's sofa prints! There's even a tumblr dedicated to it lol.

[Anonymous No.8515364]

>>8503871
Wait, she offers to sew things for others and she doesn't even know the basics? Wow.

[Anonymous No.8515398]

Saw this in the chocolate thread, any thoughts on how the actual flexible chocolate part is made?

[Anonymous No.8515407]

>>8515398
looks like some kind of beads on elastic, anon.

[Anonymous No.8515417]

>bought some nice gingham fabric
>working on an op
>excited, think it's going to look good
>cruise taobao
>see image attached
>that's almost exactly how my dress is planned to look

I'm not sure how to feel. What do you think, anons? I'm almost done the bodice, and I have yet to cut the skirt. Should I keep it tiered? What would you change about this dress? (other than scrap it because I still want to make it)

[Anonymous No.8515423]

>>8515398
Is it definitely flexible, or could it be a hard piece that was just shaped to the curve of a head?

If it's flexible, I'd say that it's a soft silicone made from a mold; And the little icing 'swirls' along the sides would be something similar. Brown rubber cement/silicone tubed out.

[Anonymous No.8515446]

>>8508516
Thank you so much for this, I can't tell you how helpful some of these are going to be.

[Anonymous No.8515471]

>>8515417

I wouldn't keep it tiered since the pattern can easily get off. If you're tied to the tiers, do a 3 tier with some trimming lace to break up the edges where the tiers meet.

[Anonymous No.8515480]

>>8513519
I do a bias casing and hand sew the ends closed.

[Anonymous No.8515522]

>>8515471
So you don't think it would look too plain if I left it untiered? I'm thinking of just doing that and then attaching some nice eyelet lace to the bottom.

[Anonymous No.8515576]

>>8515417
>>8515522

If you want to tier the dress and keep the patterns straight, the best way would be to gather the tiers by pleating the top (but not actually ironing the pleats down) instead of ruffling them. That will give you maximum control over matching up the gingham to each other, while leaving it unironed will make it look like it's ruffled instead of pleated.

Leaving the skirt untiered is easier though, and if you think it's too boring, you could always add lace, shaped hem, ruffles, ribbon, appliques, pockets, etc etc (see pic)

[Anonymous No.8515597]

>>8515576
thanks anon, I think I'll leave it untiered.

[Anonymous No.8515667]

>>8515239
I'm using solid fabric since finding prints that fit classic is like finding a magical wish granting unicorn. Something with good breathability and good drape for the blistering hot summer.

A good example of the fabric I'm looking for is Mary Magdelene's Paulina JSK. The problem is the fabrics listed don't make sense. Chambray is far, far too heavy and when I run a search for cotton dobby the results all have a very loose weave, whereas on the JSK I have they have a nice tight weave, nothing you'd be able to see without a good lens.

What am I missing? It's not voile, not chintz, not Batiste, not sateen. Take the white summer dress from Marie Antoniette movie, after she says "something light, for the garden." I cannot figure out what the skirt is made of in that dress. The sleeves are voile, but not the skirt.

The muslins I've always used have been far too coarse for regular wear, is there a type of muslin maybe I should be looking at, one made for regular wear? I've never used the stuff but I hear broadcloth is an absolute no no due to weight and draping issues.

Who knew simple cotton dresses could be so difficult, argh.

[Anonymous No.8517105]

Would this be a good fabric for an otome style dress?

[Anonymous No.8517192]

>>8517105
I swear I've seen this fabric at IKEA before...
I think it works.

[Anonymous No.8517216]

>>8517105
I don't see why not, as long as you keep the cut relatively simple. For accents I'd go with white rather than trying to match the navy (?) background.

[Anonymous No.8518722]

>>8517105
Yeah it's cute. I like the idea of doing a simple round neck jsk with box pleats.

[Anonymous No.8520427]

Bump!

[Anonymous No.8522081]

Hey look I made a thing. Someone please explain to me how to chiffon without a serger. I'm sure this has flaws but I'm really happy with it

[Anonymous No.8522397]

>>8522081
This is really pretty, anon!

[Anonymous No.8522409]

>>8522081
wow that dress is gorgeous! Where did you get that fabric? and what weight is it?

[Anonymous No.8522622]

>>8522409
That is upholstery weight fabric, because I have no self respect and I will buy fabric regardless of consequences. I got it on etsy but unfortunately it seems to be out of print :(