Any other men who sew?

[Professor Ross]

I wouldn't say sewing is a hobby of mine, but costuming certainly is.

So yes, I sew. When I need to.

[The Iron Tailor]

I've been with a local Costuming Guild for about 15 years now, and I used to be the only man in it!

When I started, I didn't sew at all, but traded carpentry work for sewing.  Then, I gradually started to modify more and more modern clothes into historical costumes.  Finally, I bit the bullet, and taught myself to sew with a machine.  Now, I sew complete outfits from scratch, and can outfit my wife and I completely in a weekend!

We are frequently displaying or demonstrating at various events, and the men try to pass off sewing as women's work.  Our favorite line:

"A sewing machine is a power tool.  It has a bigger motor than most drills or saws, an accelerator pedal, and has dangerous, sharp, fast moving parts!"

The reason I do all of the sewing is that my wife has difficulty making the transition from the 2D cut-out pieces, to the 3D garment.  This is a common complaint amongst the women I ask, yet, men are used to this, from wood shop, metal shop, etc.  I am trained as an engineer, and don't see much difference between the fabric patterns, and building drawings (especially with steampunk, as I frequently add copper tubing, metal struts, etc.).

A couple of notes for those who are just starting:

1. Patterns - stay away from the 'historical' or 'forklore' patterns.  The ones done by Simplicity and McCalls have very clear instructions, and are easy to follow.  Also, there are quite a few historical patterns now for men in these lines.  But wait for your local fabric store to put the patterns on sale.  JoAnn's sells them for $1.99 each every few months.  Since the cover price is generally $15+ for the historical patterns, this is a much better deal!

2. Instructions - Here is where women are better than men, because they will stop and ask for directions, and the READ ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS first.  This is probably the most crucial step!  In addition, there will be jargon and terms in the directions the will befuddle you.  This is where you must again refer to point #1.  Simplicity and McCalls patterns have a glossary built right into the directions, and additional hints printed on the pattern pieces.  After nearly 10 years of struggling to get patterns to fit, I spotted a short paragraph on the patterns that pointed out there are dots on each pattern piece, at the waist, chest, hips, etc.  To tailor to pattern exactly, take all of your measurements, and then compare them to the size chart on the back of the pattern.  I am a 44" chest (large), with 37" sleeves (XLarge), and a 36 waist (medium).  No wonder clothes fit so poorly.  But if you keep track of this, and use those dots, you then cut out the pattern BETWEEN the appropriate dots, and your finished garment will fit much better!  There are also 'break lines' where you can lengthen or shorten sleeves and pants' legs in the same way.  And all this help from reading the directions!!

3. Cheating - Don't sew more than you have to!  Keep an eye out at EVERY store for pieces you can use or adapt.  I don't do well at thrift stores as I find the sizes run small, but get amazing stuff at Target, Walmart, and Hot Topic!  And Burlington Coat Factory might as well be a historical outlet!  Vests are currently everywhere, and suits (on clearance, of course) can be turned into some amazing pieces.  It helps that mens' clothing styles really haven't changed much in the past century.  I'm currently changing a screaming red Tommy Hilfiger cotton sportscoat ($11.99 at Burlington) into a late Victorian British Red Coat.  A little trim, and mostly just turning up the lapels to make a mandarin collar jacket.  Do your research, then cheat like a maniac.  And don't be afraid to check the womens' department.  Target currently has a beautiful black felt bowler for $15!

4. Period Appropriate - When making historical costumes, you have to be very careful with fabrics, stitches, and a bunch of picky little details that the costume Nazis enforce.  For steampunk, there is always an explanation: "That's not plastic, it's Martian Ceramic"; "This uniform?  Of course it's period correct!  It's authentic for the 5th Regiment of the Czar's Venusian Dragoons!"; "This is the latest style from Her Magesty's colony of California!"     

So beg, borrow or shop up a sewing machine, and give it a try!  Most sewing machine stores offer beginner's classes very cheap, or even free!  And you surely have a Costuming group in your area that would be only too glad to help!  I'm in both the local Costuming Guild, Steampunk group, and I'm checking into the local Cosplay group!

[SPBrewer]

  For some reason I thought men were the original Taylors, and women didn't get into it until the home sewing machine became available.

  As far as asking directions, didn't Jesica Lynch say,
"I'm going to pull over and ask these guys where the American Army base is." 

                                  The Sky Pirate

[Robo Von Bismark]

1. Patterns - stay away from the 'historical' or 'forklore' patterns.  The ones done by Simplicity and McCalls have very clear instructions, and are easy to follow.  Also, there are quite a few historical patterns now for men in these lines.  But wait for your local fabric store to put the patterns on sale.  JoAnn's sells them for $1.99 each every few months.  Since the cover price is generally $15+ for the historical patterns, this is a much better deal!

I always wondered how good patterns from smaller specialist outlets were. A previous poster mentioned folkwear.com, which I had seen but was unsure how useful the patterns are.

[Stella Gaslight]

I find from making hakama the folkwear patterns are good but some of the instructions assume you know at least the basic terminology of sewing and can be confusing because of that but I find a quick googleing of tricky words helps.

[MWBailey]

I think I may have already posted this on here, but just in case I haven't...

I stitch and build up leather pieces for my costume(s) (knife scabbards, flute cases, goggle shrouds, etc. I am currently -interminably- working on a blanket coat (about to attach the sleeves and hood and add panels to the front to accommodate my increased girth -long story- and provide coverage for non-costume items that are nonetheless necessary...

[Boudhewein]

OKay, I confess. I sew. Clothing and leather. I'm currently working on a Chinese coat. And after that I planning to make a victorian costume for my wife. I ussually get my patterns from a Ducth Dutch site, www.naaipatronen.nl, or the medieval tailors assistent.

[Kelley]

It should also be noted that, while The Cutter and Tailor does have resources useful to Victorian garments, the forum is explicitly dedicated to modern tailoring, and the subject of historical costume when not applied to the modern is excluded.

That's certainly true, though it's worth noting that Sator's views on modern tailoring, like mine, are not what most people would consider modern at all.

Anyone who wishes to post there should read this first :  http://www.cutterandtailor.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=803 . I simply do not want his good will in making the forum abused, is all.




On the topic of patterns, I disagree about the Simplicity kind. I never liked the instructions on those patterns, and I usually ended up discarding or disregarding them when I used such patterns. I found them frustrating and inadequate.

Also, the patterns are nowhere near historically accurate, if that matters to you. They're all made for the modern sewer who they assume is used to dumbed-down, completely modern, home sewing methods of construction (I have experience with patterns across several centuries, and if anything, the older ones tend to actually be simpler and easier). Some of the patterns are a bit better, but the vast majority are completely useless to anyone wishing to make a historically correct garment.

My own recommendation to a man wishing to make historical men's garments is to check out or buy a book about tailoring - the way garments were made before mass-production, and what makes fine Victorian garments so special.


I would also encourage learning about different fabrics. If anyone is interested, I could recommend a basic "sample kit" that you could buy for fairly cheaply of a wide variety of fabrics.

Wool is incredibly important in Victorian men's clothing. I really hate polyester, not (only) because "it's not period", but because I wear my clothing outdoors, sometimes in very warm weather. I fare much better in wool than in polyester.

Wool also tailors the best of all fabrics when it comes to men's clothing - and is more forgiving to the learner - silks and velvets are considered to be more challenging, due to the fabric not being able to be worked so nicely with the iron and tending to be slippery and shifty to work with. Polyester is impossible to work with the iron, and does not hold pressing well or at all and looks like plastic.

Linen can be very nice for summer clothing, and I've worked with some very nice linen-cotton that was very cost-effective and avoided the heat-trapping and hard-to-work polyester.


Also, polyester is hard to dye, and while there are products designed to do so - it is best done as part of the manufacturing process. With natural fibres, you can use a wider variety of treatments.


Also, wool and silk are naturally resistant to catching fire, which may or may not be a concern to you - and they will not melt onto you, which can be very nasty. Reenactors may work around fire, and it would be unwise to wear clothing that would melt with exposure to fire / heat.

[Mr Quartermaine]

I admit I dabble in sewing when the need arises, sadly I’m often called the “good housewife” when I’m caught sewing buttons and fixing the other half’s clothes. I’m currently working on a set of gloves at the moment.

[Great Bizarro]

I am self taught to sew and do historical recreation outfits, current items, leather etc. I bought an industrial Singer machine and have in the last few years sewn 1/2 chaps for bikers of leather with ballistic nylon backing. My wife is trained in costuming so we go shopping at the fabric stores when we have extra cash and squirrel away fabric when on sale. I end up helping the ladies out at the stores as often as not when they have questions about fabrics patterns etc. 

[Polaris]

Don't feel too bad, it's not a one way street. I was the only girl in my wood shop class in highschool and now I'm also the only girl in the bronze foundry where I work that works in finishing and no in the sales office. The floor foreman looked at me like I was insane the day I asked him to teach me how to weld. 

[Kor Greenfield]

I do some sewing, and am currently working on a vest (for which I have had the fabric cut out for months, but lacking access to a sewing machine means I am waiting on my sister in law to borrow and use). I do a lot more knitting however, and I get a lot of strange looks from people, especially employees. I generally ignore them, or just annoy them until they help me.

[MWBailey]

STILL haven't gotten 'round to sewing the sleeves on the blanket coat (LOL). I've gained a bit of weight, and am thinking of adding to the coat to handle my uh...*ahem* 'increased circumfrence,' let us say.

It should also be noted that, while The Cutter and Tailor does have resources useful to Victorian garments, the forum is explicitly dedicated to modern tailoring, and the subject of historical costume when not applied to the modern is excluded.

Linen can be very nice for summer clothing, and I've worked with some very nice linen-cotton that was very cost-effective and avoided the heat-trapping and hard-to-work polyester.


Also, polyester is hard to dye, and while there are products designed to do so - it is best done as part of the manufacturing process. With natural fibres, you can use a wider variety of treatments.


Also, wool and silk are naturally resistant to catching fire, which may or may not be a concern to you - and they will not melt onto you, which can be very nasty. Reenactors may work around fire, and it would be unwise to wear clothing that would melt with exposure to fire / heat.

Didn't know that about wool being fire resistant. Same for Alpaca? That would explain why, all these years, while wearing my alpaca poncho while tending the fire in the campground at festivals and reenactments the thing has never caught fire, not even when its practically dangling in the flames. Or maybe I'm just incredibly lucky...

funny thing, a friend of mine who makes her own yarn and thread has noted that cotton dyes in pastels and wool in nice, bold, dark shades when using Koolade as a dye. (well of course they had Koolade back then! whaddaya think they drank when the tea ran out!? ).

[Kelley]

Protein fibres are self-extinguishing. It would be very bad for a sheep or a bird (feathers) to catch on fire !

Silk behaves similarly, and alpaca should, too.



You can also use Kool-Aid to dye human hair. 

[Vienna Fahrmann]

    My husband sews...mostly sportswear adaptations and household things like heavy duty chair covers that will prevent damage from our most rampantly destructive pet.

    Vienna

[Choreocrat]

When I have a bit more time to myself (i.e. post-thesis) I'm thinking that a sewing machine would be a good purchase. It would be, in my brothers' eyes, the last shred of my masculinity slipping away. I don't have the patience for hand-stitching, so I think I'd enjoy the more immediate pleasures of machine stitching.

[Cubinoid]

Yes, of course I do! I have an ancient Singer machine, and I enjoy repairing (and creating) top hats by hand...I've been sewing since I was a teenager. It's therapeutic, isn't it?
I'm also fond of washing the dishes too.

[randomjedi_1138]

I won't deny knowing my round the odd sewing machine.....

[Pheobsky]

I'm more into knitting than sewing which does get very mixed responses especialy if I'm knitting on the bus etc. still other than the odd dissaproving glare most responses are positive
When I sew it's mainly just repairing clothes etc. but do occasionaly make the odd thing that takes my fancy.

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

done a bit of hand sewing here, bigest project to date was a jean jacket made out of the lower legs of old dungarees when i was on activie duty in "A" school  some twenty years ago, it wore quite well , i gave it to a buddy that was a prospect for one of the scooter clubs in hawaii after two years, ended up making three more of simalar style for other folks before i left pearl harbor. weired days that was, real weired.                     
 
 other than a bit of emegency repair work on tents or sewing the sole back on a boot with safety wire i havent done much in the last couple years mostly cuz of no room to cut fabric without a cat getting in the way (16 cats my wife has).