shopping weekend

all i can say is wow.

the singer 4210 was making me crazy an i was done.

found a computerized brother 6820 on craigslist for cheep and jumped on it

i have never used an electronic or computer controlled machine before. damn i was missing allot.
this thing doesn't even have to use the foot pedal. there is a nifty start button that can be hit by your thumb as you hold fabric. 3 speed settings to slow it way down and 50 nice stitched (I've already found my hem of choice for swimwear

i know it won't do heavy work but for light fabrics and projects i am in heaven.


did some project shopping at joanns . the husband picked up some fabric for some cargo shorts, gym shorts and some fleece pajama pants.
i picked up some fabric for the Male Pattern Boldness boxer sew along

finally got a cutting mat and some other goodies

more shorts

decided to make another pair of the crazy trunks about 10:30 tonight.
This time for my stout husband.

took my pattern and added a inch to the edges and mucked with the pattern.
cut it and stitched the shape together in about 2 hours.
had to make some pouch adjustments to work with the pattern upsizing, but i think the larger size will work.

todo: do a fitting to mark the waist
hem wiast with elastic or drawstring, hem and roll the leg holes.

woot was quick and looks like it'll be good
tried a new method for getting the pattern to line up better. wasted more fabric but i'm please with the results.

a diversion

I have had one hell of a frustrating time getting the right angles right (hah) 

so after remarking it 3x i decided i needed a break.

I decided to make my first box shorts.

quick and dirty with lazy seams and no frills.

I whipped it so fast i cut my waistband off and had to make a creative belt to make it work.

will wear this at the GayOA campground this weekend and probably make another better version for me and my husband.

now this fabric. can you believe it was only $2 a yard. i snatched up 5.5 yards just to have on hand

its a poly stretch that was more annoying the spandex

pattern was some old sport boxerbriefs

 the after. we will ignore the lazy added waistband questionable work.

and the pose

what can i say dear reader. they are slopy yet cute. will be wearing them to the pool this weekend.

was a fun project and i look forward to remaking these with time and care

xkilt marks the spot

Oh dear reader what is it about a man in a kilt.

the raw masculinity or just the hot legs who knows. In the end i just want one.
Years ago i bought a Utilikilt at folsom Street fair. wore it for the day while i was working with the bootblacks.
It didn't fit right. In the end I gave it to my ex who wore it better. I should have  learned that nice clothes don't fit me well.
To the present
I have been thinking about a kilt or three for years. some time ago i stumbled on the plans for a contemporary kilt on X Marks the Scott. This Xkilt is made with box pleats and requires about 3.5 yards of duck cloth/cotton/poly twill/ etc.

picked a green drabish duckcloth. not as heavy as i'd like but a good first try.
did something i never do on a project. washed it on hot, dried it on hot, and *gasp* ironed the fabric
well the rapture did not happen from these somewhat professional methods.

spread it out on my work table and started marking and doing the math,
arrrggg! i missed the under-apron measurement in my marking so i will have to start the marking again tomorrow.

I picked chalk pencil today that is my best friend. it reminds me of the old pre-mechanical drafting pencils

working to have this complete this week. assuming that i don't get distracted with another bathing suit

new sewing room

EDIT - this house was a nightmare come inspection. we did not buy it.

We're buying a house with room for a pony.
whats that mean to me? glad you asked

an even bigger craft/party room.
345 days of the year this will be my sewing room\

wetbar/ utility sink place

want a big conference table that will work for drafting, cutting, game night, and as a buffet for  our occasional house party

sometimes i spoil myself.

trunks of the classic variety

 

What is it about the classic swimming brief that just looks right. I find the modern speedo to only work for skinny anorexic men. if a normal man wears one it just feels trashy. This months project is to make a classic brief for the pool this year. I want to learn the styling and technique to make the brief. This project will force me to get really friendly with the serger and stretch designs.

 

 

 

 

The pattern Simplicity 5046 was purchased in a bulk ebay auction

I made my pattern tests from muslin

 

and then and old T-shirt for check the shape and basic fit.

ok that kinda works. now to pull out the serger and destroy an old ‘activewear’ shirt that stretches. I used another nylon shirt with no stretch for the liner

I did a lot of practice scrape to get the serger techniques right. the drawstring hem was a pain. I skipped the leg elastic on this because I was strongly told not to wear these in public (I had a strange ridge from a off center inside seam down the pouch)

I had my notes and was ready to cut the liquid teflon .. I mean spandex

here’s an in process picture of the trunks so far. decided to skip leg elastic and just hem 2 layers of spandex. torn between a belt of blue spandex or just a simple top with drawstring

I’ll post a modeled pic after the next session on this.

Friends, Queens, Fun Housewives, Lend me your eyes

Ok its a nifty kick off post I'll do bio, influences, and what i think this will be

Bio
I'm Clarence a mid 30's married gay male. I was taught to sew by my mother and grandmother but forgot it all. I have serger, cheepo chinese singer, and my grandmothers <3 singer featherweight <3 (thats heart in geek)

• I tend to get drawn into projects i can't complete 
• I love unconventional modifications of clothes and everyday item. 
• At my heart i am cheep. i will spent $30 on a project to save $10 if i don't believe the value is there from the manufacture. 
• I have clasic ADD and i work for a major internet company.
• i LOVE to work with my hands. the focus and thought gives me calm in a otherwise chaotic maelstrom of thought and desires
• I suck. no really i do. i don't make straight seams. often my stitching is disjointed and something crazy.
• I will never do this in volume or professorially.
• I prefer the art school project look vs the finished profesionaly. I think it adds charm.
• I hate conformity of modern clothes, homes, and culture. I think my desire to have something unique drives this sewing.

Influences

• steampunk: its kinda a make believe Victorian modern thing. think jules vern. I don't cosplay but i love the fashion and ideas from the artists and participants.
• malepatternboldness: Peter inspires me daily to take the plunge on projects i know will fail but learn anyway. and he's sassy
• goth industrial: somewhat the music and style I fell near growing up. problem is I love my life now. still like the darkness and edge of the fashion and art still.
• punk: don't like the music or whining. do love the fashion and reuse of clothing.
• Drag queens: I don't do drag or wear womens clothing to look like a woman. (i will buy a womans shirt, jacket or rainboots and such if i like them) i love the innovation that comes from being broke and having to shove a 250# man in a size 2. the camp is always fantastic and give me ideas for techniques and sometimes clothes

WTF is this

• progress and pictures: i will post what i;m working on and how it looks as i go
• place holder for ideas
• archive for crazy things i see

A few pictures of the lair. This is a 'family room' in the basement unused except when i have a project

my sewing table.

 the cutting and drafting table

 the make this all go awaye storage

 my husbands singer (i hate this thing) Singer Inspiration 4210 Sewing Machine

 the serger which is slowly becoming my friend Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger