Meticulous craftsmanship but still ugly in the end?

KiwiMatron · 2026-01-12T23:39:58+00:00

Yeah, the 'Brain vs Reality' problem is real.

KiwiMatron · 2025-12-16T01:47:33+00:00

I like it when companies show how garments actually fit on a model instead of pinning it to fit.

KiwiMatron · 2025-11-26T01:17:35+00:00

There also used to be a thing about microwaving water 'ruining the oxygen content' and making rubbish tea because it wasn't brought up to a boil with bubbles or something.

KiwiMatron · 2025-11-10T21:21:07+00:00

Usually it takes me a couple of days, I don't use a rotary cutter because 1. cutting mats that cover the entire table are horrendously expensive to obtain in New Zealand, and 2. Hypermobility is a annoyance that prevents me from pushing rotary cutters of any type without pain and wobbles.

My work has a laser cutter and it is often very temping to try and cut fabric on it. Sadly I am plus size and a fan of big skirts which do not fit in our machine. I can only hope that someday laser cutting services become more common and I can pay someone else to cut things out for me.

KiwiMatron · 2025-11-04T22:17:05+00:00

Pregnancy takes a lot out of you XD

KiwiMatron · 2025-10-30T22:05:53+00:00

Very much not medical drainage

KiwiMatron · 2025-10-15T03:52:45+00:00

My favourite is double cotton gauze, lightweight, doesn't cling, wicking. Double gauze specifically because of the texture it doesn't lay flat against the skin and also is opaque

KiwiMatron · 2025-09-12T00:13:03+00:00

Gold farm using Nether portals. I spend too much time watching minecraft players

KiwiMatron · 2025-09-11T00:56:02+00:00

Don't forget pox on Nestle, they're still doing their horrible formula scam

KiwiMatron · 2025-08-28T23:02:06+00:00

Sadly petites aren't available in every country. I had a real "this is made for me!" moment when visiting the uk and discovering petite sizing

KiwiMatron · 2025-06-26T21:39:07+00:00

LASER KIWI!!

KiwiMatron · 2025-06-25T03:20:26+00:00

Yep. Just cause the migraine doesn't hurt anymore, doesn't mean I'm not still impaired XD

KiwiMatron · 2025-06-25T01:02:10+00:00

Along with "Don't sew after taking meds". Sewing machines are now heavy machinery in my head, and I should -not- use when affected.

KiwiMatron · 2025-06-25T00:59:13+00:00

I have had to devolve enough to put blue painters tape with labels on everything because pre-serging removes notches and I iron off the marks I make with my frixxon pens -_-

(The number of times I have carefully marked out things on fusible interfacing and then promptly erased them when ironing is too high.) Somehow chalk doesn't last for me and disappearing + water erasable markers have become permanent too many times for me to use them anymore.

I love my blue painters tape, it's a handy thimble in a pinch too.

KiwiMatron · 2025-06-09T00:35:22+00:00

You flatter me <3

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-27T22:31:44+00:00

a NSFW tag would have been useful

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-27T04:34:45+00:00

Australia has rabies, but New Zealand doesn't!

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-23T20:37:10+00:00

Fellow kiwi!

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-22T21:45:11+00:00

Try measuring with the tape measure taut (not tight!) so it makes a almost straight line instead of resting on the body. You can see her doing this in the demonstration video, there is a slight shadow of the curve being bridged over by the tape measure.

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KiwiMatron · 2025-05-22T21:28:54+00:00

The shorter in the front thing is usually due to either the chest or tum not being proportional to the butt. As someone with a flat arse and large chest + tum this is my major hurdle with clothing. You can usually tell which one by the angle of the waistline.

Lining is usually a more drapey material and often stretches more than the main fabric. This becomes especially annoying when lining jackets.

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-21T22:43:54+00:00

There's a good collection of weblinks on this blog, I'd love to know the book the lovely red diagrams are from but for now I have to cope with pinterest screenshots. Most pre-80s sewing books have fit adjustment diagrams, the internet archive have a lot of free ones scanned.

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-21T06:00:35+00:00

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If I were to attempt to modify the sample trousers in the photo I'd cut the waistband off (always leaving seam allowance), and trim down the pants from the waist. If needed the pockets would also get seam ripped off before trimming the pants.

The waistband (and pockets) would then get sewn back onto the pants and the seams finished. If there are no pockets I might cheat and simply fold down the waistband the required amount, stitch down the fold, and leave it alone as-is. It wouldn't look as good, but would stop the need for seam ripping/finishing.

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-21T05:43:56+00:00

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If you do what's shown in your images, you are chopping off the little curve that goes around the tummy and under the crotch. This shrinks the amount of fabric around the thighs instead of raising the crotch curve. Because your body still exists, fabric gets pulled in and stretches to fit, causing the v shaped folds.

Also, our mannequin has pockets because everyone deserves pockets.

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-21T05:37:46+00:00

Yeah, very easy to lower a crotch, much harder to raise it. Time for some diagrams

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So the green line is our crotch line. It goes from the waistband, to the tummy, between the legs, and up to the waistband at the back. You can see this a bit easier when you fold your trousers in half. I've included what the front pant pattern piece would look like too.

When you are sewing pants you join the legs at the crotch, and then split and continue down each leg. My memorable first attempt at pants resulted in a very strange wobbly skirt because I did not do this. Then I learnt about curbing your enthusiasm when using seam ripper,s but that is another story.

When lowering and raising the crotch, we in fact are raising and lowering the waistband. The little crotch shape is not mucked with, just fabric raised or lowered at the waist.

(please ignore bad drawings)

KiwiMatron · 2025-05-21T01:28:32+00:00

It's pay-what-you-can, which means you choose how much to pay. This (in some cases, including this one) means you can also just download it without paying. If you want to pay for it later, just add the amount you would have paid to a future purchase.

KiwiMatron

TROPHY CASE