Steampunk Pinup - Not really that SFW

[MinistryOfTruth]

I have a used sewing machine I got gifted, I spent three hours yesterday attempting to use it and it JUST WON'T WORK for me! Mostly the top thread keeps bunching up underneath the fabric, then I got some weird thing going on where the lower thread was flat and the top thread made all sorts of really weird-looking coils around it while I was sewing... I really don't know what I'm doing wrong, and I want to get this frock coat made durnit! Good thing I'm practicing by making a hanky first...

Try adjusting the thread tension.  That's normally the cause of those sorts of problems.

[Otto Von Pifka]

also try turning the thread spool over. the thread might be getting overly twisted by the motion used to work it around the bobbin under the machine. flipping the spool will make it untwist instead of twisting. this is especially true with machines with the spool horizontal, vertical it's not usually a problem. on a vertical spool, sometimes the thread will go slack and end up under the spool, wrapped around the post.
I make a felt washer for the spool to sit on so the spool won't "birdsnest"

thread twist can become a terrible problem with thread that isnt marked "MACHINE THREAD" especially in a terrible machine. make sure you are threading the needle from the correct side too. not all machines like the same side of the needle in relation to the machine.

and I agree about the tension adjustment. on many machines the tension is temporarily released when you raise the presser foot. make sure you lower the lever completely every time so the tension returns.
make doubly sure you have the thread in the right groove between all the bits at the tensioner.

some tensioners have a separate screw that will increase or decrease the tension beyond the parameters of the tension knob settings. if max setting on the tension knob isn't enough, the screw will need adjusting.

if the knob is working correctly, you should be able to pull the thread fairly easily through the tensioner with the foot down and the knob set to low. on high setting the thread should be fairly hard to pull, but not to the point of hurting your finger if you've wrapped the thread around your finger.

the bobbin could be part of the problem, depending on how its made. make sure the thread is coming out correctly. you can also flip the bobbin so it's unspooling differently, to see if it helps or hinders operation.

it also depends on the type of needle, the thickness and toughness of the material sewn and the thread you are using, bit of a learning curve.

what I do when changing from sewing completely different materials is to find a different color thread of the same type and size I'm going to use. I then sew a few pieces of scrap with one color thread on top and the second color on the bobbin. I adjust the tensioner until the colors balance out on top and on bottom. either there will be only one color on each side or just a tiny dot of the other color showing in the actual hole in the cloth. they should be of the same size on top and bottom when balanced out.

[Esmee Weatherwax]

Cpt. Tobias Warde, you look exactly how one of my brood will look in a few years time. The resemblance is uncanny and matches hair, eyes, facial hair and general expression. 

Good heavens, a little scary that!


Ahh I would love to possess a frock coat similar to the one in your link. I do already own a shorter length brocade frock coat, but have been looking around for a plain one of a different design.

Dear Sir, fear not. Nowhere did I say or indicate I am "windowshopping" around your good self    Merely noticing a resemblance.
I've shown my beloved offspring your pic and he agrees that bar the eyecolour, there is a strong resemblance.  So all it means there is someone walking this planet who does look a lot like you do... fast forward a year or ten.

I'll be sewing his frock coat whilst I'm away at our little off grid house. So no way to try for measurements during the process.
If at any possible point in time I may have a sly look at your portrayal, it will be for seamstress purposes only, promise.  But access to the aetherweb will only be possible visiting the library. Being off grid and all....
Still, visiting the library is a perfectly respectable activity for a woman after all.


Miss Cox, the theory of the tension thread is a plausible one. That would be first thing to investigate when a sewingmachine is misbehaving. Have you had any luck yet in finding the cause of the problem?

[CorneliaCarton]

Anyone in the mood for half-naked Gabriel with sharp object?
Hope so....

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Anything you can do, I can do half-as-well 
Half-naked Tobias lacking a blade, but wearing post-shower & pre-shave 'hairy' look.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Geh-heh....
*Swoons at the sight of two half-naked gentlemen*

[darkshines]

Hmmm, I got contacted by a photographer today who said for £200, she will make me over, and supply me with 10 digital photos and three print outs. I don't know if thats good or not as I have never paid for my photos before.... :/

[RoseOak]

Anyone in the mood for half-naked Gabriel with sharp object?
Hope so....

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Anything you can do, I can do half-as-well  
Half-naked Tobias lacking a blade, but wearing post-shower & pre-shave 'hairy' look.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Geh-heh....
*Swoons at the sight of two half-naked gentlemen*

*Catches the swooning Cornelia* Now who's gonna catch me ?  *thud*

[Utini420]

*slides in low to catch RoseOak just in time... then notices she's already holding Cornelia... his knees buckle, but only slightly*

Oh, dear.

[RoseOak]

*slides in low to catch RoseOak just in time... then notices she's already holding Cornelia... his knees buckle, but only slightly*

Oh, dear.

Thank you,*crash*  nice soft landing.

[Utini420]

*bending as a reed in the wind, two lovely ladies are lowered lightly to the linoleum*

[Esmee Weatherwax]

Hmmm, I got contacted by a photographer today who said for £200, she will make me over, and supply me with 10 digital photos and three print outs. I don't know if thats good or not as I have never paid for my photos before.... :/

Does she have a good portfolio? A professional shoot is expensive but normally a photographer ought to bring a make up artist. Not do it herself.  Unless she is multi talented perhaps?
Did the photographer contact you from out of nowhere? If she is so keenly looking for work, it may be an idea to check her references. Although in this time of crisis it can also mean she is pro-active.
Still think it's a bit strong for only 3 prints.

[darkshines]

No she has a professional body artist who does the make up. This photogrpaher was recommended to me by a friend, and I must say the website is impressive:

http://www.phototom.co.uk/index2.php

Go to the portrait gallery, and then adults.

I want to do three sets of photos in one shoot, which she seems happy to do, so I mean if I can get three completly different photos, then thats good, right? I need them for projects on here!

[Esmee Weatherwax]

Took a look there Darkshines. It is clear she makes very beautiful pictures.
Couldn't help but notice what would be drawbacks to me as well:
Nearly every pic is in the same style.  I'd expect a subtle shift of style throughout the slideshow to show her ability to differ.
All pics have been heavily photoshopped and with an accent on the eyes.  All of them.
The dark haired model's eye makeup is... OTT a bit. It doesn't add up with the mood of the pictures so to speak.

All in all, I cannot see 3 completely different moods of pictures for you here.
If you are willing to part with this much cash, you might want to shop around a bit more. Compare a few other photographers perhaps and see if some would be more to your liking?
If not, she is still here.

Hope I've not offended you.

[darkshines]

No not at all, I wcome the feedback! I would be wearing three completly different outfits/make up and even location for the three different pictures. I am Miss May in the pin up calender, which we are planning to shoot outside, then I am the three of hearts and the queen of spades in the pin up card deck.All three require extremly different costumes and styles anyway.(I envisage May being playful, soft, fairy like pastels etc, three of hearts is downright filthy burlesque in sequins, stockings and elbow length gloves and queen of spades is villainous, with an eyepatch, feathers and a military edge)...........

[Vorpal Bandersnatch]

I want to do three sets of photos in one shoot, which she seems happy to do, so I mean if I can get three completly different photos, then thats good, right? I need them for projects on here!

Her gallery looks pretty good to me. Price doesn't seem too bad either. In terms of getting a variety of shots, most photographers will be thrilled if you have really specific ideas in mind, so if you give the photographer a sample of photos that you like and would like to emulate, then you have a lot better chance of getting something that you're happy with.

Also, see how willing she is to give you RAW files - those are basically digital negatives, so if you get those then you can photoshop them to your heart's content.

[Utini420]

Well, I must say, I like the sound of what you have in mind....

But £200 sounds like a LOT for some pics and make up.  I have zero frame of reference, not even sure how the pound stacks up to the dollar, but it sounds like a lot.  If you really want the pictures and think its worth it, well, at least you know someone who can photoshop stuff.   

[Mr. Boltneck]

For serious professional portraiture, that doesn't sound way out of line. At my last day job, we could easily spend 300 - 500 dollars getting an executive portrait done, and that was just getting some decent shots in a suit and tie, minimal-to-no styling. A full day's product shooting in a pro studio takes you past the $1000 mark easily, and that's if you don't need models, wardrobe, and stylists, or even product-styling experts (yes, there are such people).
I agree about getting the Camera RAW data if you can. It's always good to have.

[popuptoaster]

Thats not a bad price at all, my friend does this, she charges a bit more, but you get a CD with all your pics on free rather than having to pay more for extras.


http://www.leigh-photographic.com/home.htm

[Mrs. Coppernut]

I have to be completely honest, I don't find that gallery special in any way. Anyone with a makeshift studio (like I have) and some photoshop skills can make those...  No disrespect to the photographer, but I'm not sure if it's worth 200 quid.
Maybe it has something to do that I'm cheap and if I want pictures like that, I'll take them myself or have my friends do it for free. Could be because I have everything I need for a shoot at hand and go to art school, so if I don't have something, there's bound to be someone who will lend it to me.

It's such a shame you are over the pond Darkshines, I would love to shoot you, and provide the photo's on cd and if you wanted prints it would be like 10 quid or so.

[darkshines]

Gah, so much mixed feedback! I think I will wait and shop around. There is an art school nearby, maybe I should advertise for a photographer there....

And Mrs Coppernut, I would be honoured to model for you, should we ever be on the same patch of land 

[popuptoaster]

£200 is not a bad price, even for "nice" rather than "spectacular" pictures, my friend charges £50 an hour just too rent her studio which includes the lights and back drops and hers is pretty much booked up most days, so bearing in mind you could easily shoot for two hours and you'd have to pay a make up artist as well the £200 doesn't really leave much profit.

The photographer that made you that offer will be hoping to make extra money from you ordering extra pictures, i doubt very much that you'll be able to get it cheaper from a professional in the UK, and anyone (like my friend) that lets you have the whole shoot on CD will charge more in the first place.


i think what you need to do is browse for someone who's work you like the look of and then find out the price, if you really want a set of pro photos done, or find a uni that runs photographic courses and volountere as a model, i did it years ago as they used to pay for nudes, i got quite a kick out of getting me bits out in front of an audience, but i was younger and less accident damaged back then.

[maduncle]

£200 is not a bad price, even for "nice" rather than "spectacular" pictures, my friend charges £50 an hour just too rent her studio which includes the lights and back drops and hers is pretty much booked up most days, so bearing in mind you could easily shoot for two hours and you'd have to pay a make up artist as well the £200 doesn't really leave much profit.

The photographer that made you that offer will be hoping to make extra money from you ordering extra pictures, i doubt very much that you'll be able to get it cheaper from a professional in the UK, and anyone (like my friend) that lets you have the whole shoot on CD will charge more in the first place.


i think what you need to do is browse for someone who's work you like the look of and then find out the price, if you really want a set of pro photos done, or find a uni that runs photographic courses and volountere as a model, i did it years ago as they used to pay for nudes, i got quite a kick out of getting me bits out in front of an audience, but i was younger and less accident damaged back then.

Switch from posing nude for photos to posing nude for life drawing classes.

Take it from me - the older you get the more detail they have to draw!

[Utini420]

Gah, so much mixed feedback! I think I will wait and shop around. There is an art school nearby, maybe I should advertise for a photographer there....

Yes, yes, THIS.  If there is an art school near by, there are also art students with pending projects due.  There may or may not be the perfect over lap of photographer's style, you're desired look, and project requirements so I don't really want to push that specifically.  And you may get student results rather than pro results, but you never know.  The price is a lot better, and it may be free if they need to be taking pictures for their own reasons.  I'd think it would be worth at least checking out the student end of things before dropping a bunch of change on pictures.  Then again, my own schooling was in broadcast production, which is at least similar enough that I tend to figure that if I'm going to pay someone to do it, they better be able to do it a lot better than I could.  I can't get that artist's page to load, so I can't really judge their work directly.

[popuptoaster]

Switch from posing nude for photos to posing nude for life drawing classes.

Take it from me - the older you get the more detail they have to draw!

I'm not wrinkly, just 3 stone lighter than i used to be (skinny) and marked with a selection of interesting scars, including a Frankensteins monster style one running from my groin up my stomach.

[Vorpal Bandersnatch]

Gah, so much mixed feedback! I think I will wait and shop around. There is an art school nearby, maybe I should advertise for a photographer there....

I don't know about this one - a professional photographer has an established portfolio and has a reputation to uphold. You have a good idea what you're getting.

With students, it is going to be a gamble. I wouldn't pay anything, honestly... and many students would be happy to exchange photography services for your modeling services.

I think it comes down to this: if you want solid pictures in a style you have some control over, pick a photographer with a portfolio you like and find the money. If you want to save money, try to find a student and be prepared for a mixed bag of results, which could come out amazingly or could come out terribly.

[SweetestPoison]

oh my, i have been missing out! Gabriel, Tobias, you two know how to excite the ladies... *swoons*