The Sewing Place

Standards?

Efemera

Standards?
« on: January 23, 2021, 09:45:20 AM »
Is this something you should be showcasing for a pattern?...in my opinion definitely not!
It’s advertised as the backpack of your dreams sewn by some amazingly talented person.

BrendaP

Re: Standards?
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2021, 10:01:02 AM »
I'm sure that many of us can relate to wonky stitching, especially around zips and piping, but there are lots of places in that bag where a seam ripper should have been used.  I certainly wouldn't want to advertise sewing like that.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Standards?
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2021, 10:08:43 AM »
No I wouldn’t put that up as an example.  I agree that standards are important especially if you’re putting yourself and your work out there. 
A friend sent me a link to a pattern she wanted to make. I messaged back saying she needed to check the measurements cos if they thought that fitted the model they were sorely mistaken.  She hadn’t noticed but I just told her to have a good look and she could work it out.  She hasn’t been sewing many years.  Anyway, she made it and fitted lovely. 

Lachica

Re: Standards?
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2021, 12:11:47 PM »
A local sewing shop was selling classes. Lovely location, beautiful set up, lovely owner. Her fabric stock was small but top quality. Dotted around were mannequins showcasing the fabrics & indy patterns in stock, with captions 'you could make this at class'. Trouble was, the finish was not good. I didn't say anything but it wasn't a good advert for the classes priced at around £100 for 5 hours. If I'd produced those garments I wouldn't put them out for scrutiny!
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

William

Re: Standards?
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2021, 17:35:47 PM »
Hello-

In a number of the sewing mags, the level of stitching has also been subpar the last few years.

Something tells me this is being done by choice - not giving the home sewist the attitude of 'I could

never stitch that well' or 'my sewing looks just awful'. Understandable, but a poor excuse for 

bringing the level of  standards down.

William David
...it was a Hobbit hole, and that meant comfort.

b15erk

Re: Standards?
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2021, 17:56:56 PM »
That is pretty awful.  Using the premise that you would always put your best work 'out there', this is not a piece of work to aspire to...

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Morzel

Re: Standards?
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2021, 16:39:14 PM »
Actually, I think a bit of a relaxed attitude towards your hobby (and therefore the qualtity of your sewing) is healthy. It makes you go ahead and sew! And wear the stuff! And enjoy! I tend to look more than I should at the things I did wrong in a garment... which, on the other hand, makes me improve. As I have improved over the last years, I shudder sometimes when even looking at cheap RTW... no, I certainly don't want it to look like that... A acquaintance of mine cut patterns and sewed like there is no tomorrow - no structure, no rules, wonky seam lines, seamallowances of different widths, slapdash sewing. But she liked and wore the stuff she sewed. She never got better and the stuff not always looked good, but that was just not the goal! So, I guess, for a hobby sewist, wonky seams once in a while are okay...
As a professional -  :rolleyes:. If I were to sell a pattern, I would make sure to make an excellent sample. If it were a garment, I would see that the garment fits the model. A bag: Nice fabric, good topstitching. Because selling something is showtime. But then, that's me. If the person(s) selling there patterns are fine with their sample, and the pattern sells, maybe they got good value for their money (time)? They'll get some customers, they'll frighten some away.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2021, 16:46:42 PM by Morzel »
Eva

Greybird

Re: Standards?
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2021, 23:26:44 PM »
The whole point here is in the title - Standards. Standards should be firstly for yourself. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced sewer, if you are happy to produce poorly made items you will never improve. I wouldn't be happy with such work even if I was the only person who would ever see it. I have my own standards and have to live up to them for my own sake. That's me though - standards for others will be their standards - not mine!

Mr Twingo

Re: Standards?
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2021, 09:06:30 AM »
I wouldn't be happy with such work even if I was the only person who would ever see it. I have my own standards and have to live up to them for my own sake.

Eloquently expressed, @Greybird. After every sewing project is complete, I look at my work and note where I feel I need to improve. And as I'm hand stitching leather, which is unforgiving, there is a lot to improve! I aspire to produce work as good as the artisans I watch on YouTube.

I would opine that it's not that people don't want to improve, it more a case of being unwilling to put in the effort required to improve.

Greybird

Re: Standards?
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2021, 10:34:16 AM »
@Mr Twingo having seen some of your work I'd say there isn't much improvement needed - if any! Where most of us can unpick something and do it again - a one time chance is a level up in itself!

Ohsewsimple

Re: Standards?
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2021, 10:43:23 AM »
Obviously the first thing is to enjoy what you do.  I’ve had students who expect perfection immediately.  Or say 'it doesn’t look like yours'.  Yeah, but I’ve been sewing some 50 years.  If I can’t sew a straight line etc by now I ought to give it up.  But I always wanted to know if they were enjoying what they were doing.  If yes, then great, now work on the skills. 

I think we should all strive to do our best and improve in any walk of life.   If we don’t,  we will have to put up with shoddy workmanship everywhere and in everything.  And quite honestly I see that in many areas.  Is that because we don’t push kids enough? 

b15erk

Re: Standards?
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2021, 11:25:31 AM »
I confronted this issue last night, while looking for a Blazer pattern for Theo - who wants to be Bert from Mary Poppins 1.

I elected for PDF so that a)I didn't have to wait for it b) no tracing.  The selection wasn't great, but I found a beautiful Burda one, only to find that it started at a 7. Several others I found were awful.  Not going to name names here but they are all well known names.  Only one was free, the others were asking quite a lot of money for what were, pretty shoddy looking garments - imho.

Please, if you are asking people to pay money for something, at least make it well.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Mr Twingo

Re: Standards?
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2021, 11:52:39 AM »
@Mr Twingo having seen some of your work I'd say there isn't much improvement needed - if any! Where most of us can unpick something and do it again - a one time chance is a level up in itself!

What you don't see are the scores that came before I had something worth posting about.

I certainly wouldn't say my wallets and purses are of a quality I would want to sell, but they are adequate as gifts.

(Currently working on 14 purses and 8 wallets for this year's cohort of Year 6 pupils, 7 months before they leave.)


Ellabella

Re: Standards?
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2021, 21:53:51 PM »
@Mr Twingo , you must be a lovely teacher, they are lucky children.

Mr Twingo

Re: Standards?
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2021, 23:08:04 PM »
@Mr Twingo , you must be a lovely teacher, they are lucky children.

It's the other way round – the children are lovely, and I am a lucky teacher.