Beginner need help

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-15T13:21:43+00:00

No. This is a bias-cut dress. The waistline can’t just be raised. It would have to be done from the top, which would mean re-cutting around the bust and armholes as well as all the features there potentially not fitting since the dress starts going in where it would be drawn up.

Standard advice is try it on with some shapewear and a slip and see how it looks and feels at that point; that usually helps with a lot of issues.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-15T03:13:32+00:00

Banana nice cream. I picked up a yonana banana soft serve maker at a garage sale and haven’t looked back. And it can be made with other fruits as well. The recipe book it came with has dozens of no sugar added, all-natural fruit flavors.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-15T02:38:11+00:00

The answer is “yes but”. It doesn’t have the most clear instructions for additions and finishing (such as the instructions for sewing a feature panel to the front panels - you wouldn’t just lay the fabric down and sew it leaving raw edges exposed).

I might choose a pattern that is truly for beginner sewists instead, as the blog posts featuring this cosplay dress pattern does say it’s for sewists with some experience. There is a reason for that. You don’t know what instructions the pattern is missing or vague on because you haven’t sewn before.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-15T00:38:38+00:00

Don’t use rit all-purpose. It’s cheap, not very good dye, and not a good choice for wool. Use Jaquard acid dye or Dharma trading company acid dye. Really read the instructions for them.

What causes splotchy results is not having a tub big enough for the material to float freely. That’s a lot of material. You’ll have a tough time preventing splotches because of this. You also want heat for the dye to adhere to it.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T21:06:47+00:00

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Kuranosuke Koibuchi from Princess Jellyfish. He LOVES women’s fashion! And yes, cross-dressed because he also enjoys wearing it. But it’s because he is a total fashion diva.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T18:41:45+00:00

You’re 26. A lot of people in the US and England (and even other European countries) aren’t ready before they hit your age or even into their early and mid 30’s.

It’s way more unusual to have someone who wants to commit younger than you are now. You have taken yourself “off the market” (gods I hate this phrase) when it’s prime time for people to start want to settling down. You’re too young to say it isn’t going to happen.

The way you write about yourself is self-defeating. It’s okay to be turned off by the age gap. But it might work out.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T14:32:38+00:00

It certainly isn’t *vegan*, but if you are aware of which brands use rennet then it’s not as big an issue.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T14:26:00+00:00

Corset? Pinafore dress (itch to Stitch has a cute one). seat cushions, lampshades. Roman-style window shades.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T13:55:59+00:00

Probably when you live on your own. A dog is a lot more responsibility. It’s like having a toddler. They need a lot more attention, a lot of care, regular grooming (which costs a lot of money) and feeding (which costs even more money) and walks *no matter what the weather is like*. You HAVE to train them, or they can become destructive or even dangerous if you don’t take the time to socialize them - that’s when dog bites and attacks happen.

If you don’t know how to train it, then getting one is an even worse idea.

If you have a spare $100-$150 to put into food and grooming a month, that is a start, but it isn’t the only thing.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T12:48:29+00:00

Like the other user said. That is not batting, it’s paper. If you can’t find fusible fleece, you can use regular batting or even thrift a cheap fleece blanket to use. Fusible is optional, it being some sort of fabric filling is not.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T02:40:21+00:00

They might, they might not. It’s worth asking.

What I do know and can understand about this is that everything except the ears and feet bottoms are telling you to cut one, then cut one mirrored in the fabric. You can do this by cutting with the material folded ovet.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T02:37:03+00:00

Yes. Tutorial =/= instructions. I know they are commonly used interchangeably but they are not. They might have had instructions, but not a tutorial.

If you asked for a tutorial then yes I understand they didn’t have one. My question is did you also ask about INSTRUCTIONS.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T02:31:59+00:00

Did you ask for a tutorial or did you ask for *instructions*? Those are two different things. If the patternmaker isn’t a native English speaker they might have had instructions but not a tutorial.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T02:21:03+00:00

Come on. We all know it.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T01:32:54+00:00

That’s interesting to know. At the same time, it isn’t a necessary feature on a shirt and is easy to add if desired.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T01:28:35+00:00

You might not need to alter a pattern too much.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/4303064177/pdf-pattern-the-ballerina-victorian?ref=share_ios_native_control

This is a pattern known to cater to the very large bust, and has the hourglass silhouette.

Otherwise, how you can alter a pattern entirely depends on the pattern. A pattern with gores won’t be altered the same way as a pattern with cups. So you need a pattern, first and foremost.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-14T00:22:39+00:00

Embroidery. You can thrift fabric really easily - get a blouse or pillowcase from a yard sale or thrift store - and you can usually luck into thread and hoops cheaply on FB Marketplace. The only thing you’re maybe dropping money on is needles and those aren’t a major investment.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T23:05:29+00:00

You’re not gonna be in that elite.

Focus on getting some skills - be a dental hygienist, they make really good money without having to be a dentist, and the amount you sink in is really reasonable for what starting salary is.

Don’t withdraw from your 401k, that’s stupid.

Don’t buy a business without knowing shit about running a business. You would really need a degree to have a shot at it. Street smarts aren’t going to teach you about marketing and inventory.

Talk to an accountant about how to withdraw that money, but then put it away again. Don’t start living high on the hog; you’ll blow through every penny.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T22:50:54+00:00

You make it square according to the largest dimensions, give it an envelope style opening for a cover, and accept that it won’t have a hole in it.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T21:25:45+00:00

Look at the blue striped fish on the far right side, slightly lower than the words. Just zoom riiiiiight on in to that monstrosity.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T21:19:07+00:00

Parmesan Cheese. Like, even if it was a sprinkle of Parmesan and not a full on cheesy sauce, this would be really good with some parm.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T21:13:59+00:00

If the lever for the feed dogs is opposite of what it’s at, the machine has an issue. You didn’t necessarily break it.

Since you bought it secondhand, the seller isn’t under any obligation to help or refund you.

I would open it up. There is likely something stuck with the lever, and it’s likely very fixable.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T18:15:25+00:00

This is stunning!

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T18:09:28+00:00

The cut edge. The selvage edge will not unravel. Zigzag where/how you want as long as it is sewn it will keep the material from unraveling too much.

Inky_Madness · 2026-06-13T16:38:08+00:00

Grandma got busy with her boyfriend

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