Leather Carving

 

Another video is up!  Come join me on some leather carving, for my millinery class!

So....You want to buy a sewing machine

 Long post, but lots of info here, that you might want to check out. 

Please read this before you buy

deep inhale "ok so you want a sewing machine. Anything that is considered "new" on Amazon, unless it is from a brand most sewists know of, do not buy You don't know the quality, what to expect, it may highly likely be overpriced, and not worth getting from Amazon, so try to avoid Amazon if you can in general. 

 New machines:

The primary sewing machine brands are as follows, in order of more to least reliable in sturdyness, quality, and overall longevity for home sewing brands:

Bernina 
Juki
Bernette (subsidiary of Bernina)
Brother
Janome
Husqvarna
Necchi
Singer

For "Industrial machines", I've used Singer, Juki, and "Reliable" brands at school. Industrial machines, they only do one thing, but do it really REALLY well, and FAST. Do not get an industrial machine as a beginner

Singer for home sewing is the lowest on the rung for "new" machines,  because of the current quality and longevity of the machines. 

Yes, I have several Singer machines, no I would not recommend buying them if you want them to last. I should have gone with a Bernina but its what I could afford at the time

Vintage machines:

If you get a VINTAGE machine (40 years or older), Singer is ok, as is most other vintage machines which you will find the following brands, again high to low (although they're all pretty competitive, even back then)

Singer Bernina Juki White Kenmore/Sears Brother Viking Husqvarna Remington Elna Vulcan Cavalier Dressmaker

Ok so why is Singer at the top of this list now?

Because cross compatibility. There were/are a LOT of parts that fit multiple machines depending on what era you buy it from. If you buy one that's made between 1920 and 1950, there are a shit tonne of Singer 15 clones, so tonnes of parts. The bodies were metal, built to last with regular maintenance

With that said, older machines will have their ticks, and quirks. I mean…don't we all with age?

The key thing with any machine is knowing how to use one, and maintaining it, so regular oiling is mandatory

Part of the problem is, newer machines, they don't want you getting under the hood, kinda like a car, to maintain them. They want you to use it till it breaks, then throw it out and get a new one Examples of machines and personal opinions on each:

 

As an example, this is my Vintage baby. She's old, but still beautiful! Built in Scotland in 1937, and she still works! Hand powered (no electricity) cast iron body, all metal parts, except for the felt for wicking oil into the bobbin thread shuttle, and the rubber tire for the winding mechanism. Built to survive a nuclear blast just about. The downside is she's the heaviest machine I own, and also the oldest machine I have. This is the Singer 99k. The K is just an indicator of where she was made. Most Singer 66 parts are cross compatible with the Singer 99 models, if you're looking for replacement parts. The most likely thing to go is the springs, such as the presser foot springs and the spring that opens and closes the tension discs. (I'm working on replacing mine, but she does work)

 

 

This is an example of 'a in bad need of repair' industrial machines, that is also pretty old. They were selling them as is at college fairly cheap. I'd estimate this machine was made in the 60s or 70s based on the color of the table. I'm sure once they are given some love, they'd work just fine. Industrial machines are a workhorse, and generally regarded as being able to do the heaviest lifting when it comes to layers of fabric. You as a beginner do not need an industrial machine, but if you want to lean in and splurge, see if you can get a working second hand machine that's had a tune up

  

This one is a "Reliable" branded industrial sewing machine that I snapped a pic of in mid process of me making a collar sample for school. Its a newer machine, maybe max 20 years old. Just wanted to show you one as a comparison

 

 

 This is a vintage machine that I gave to someone, thinking a newer one that was given to me would be more valuable. I was quite wrong, and I regret giving it up, but I hope the person who had it still uses it. This is the Kenmore Ultra-Stitch 12. My workhorse for the better part of a decade before I gave it up. Had I known then what I know now, it likely just needed a timing adjustment and it would have been fine. All metal body, the basic 12 stitches I needed, and worked really well for what I was doing with it. The video on me oiling this machine is one of my most popular on YouTube. Cat tax (RIP kitty), included. (she passed in 2020 from cancer for anyone wondering)

 

She was oh so helpful too. Anyhow...moving on 

  

 

This is the Singer Esteem II. I realize the case is off. Not often you see a machine that has its case off. I wanted to show you that this one is ok. Mostly metal frame, fairly decent construction being made in the past 15 -20 years or so. I've used it for about 5 years, and it was given to me second hand by a colleague of mine who wasn't using it anymore. 

 

Just snapped a quick pic of what it looks like with the shell on, and coated in stickers. What can I say, I like playing Terraria from time to time, and I have a lot of Holo Taco. Again, not a bad machine. This has been fixed up, greased and oiled, and will be going to The Shitpost Calligrapher at a later date for them to enjoy 

 

 

My camera skills aren't great, but this is a mostly repaired machine. This is the Singer Prelude. Found on the side of the road. I cleaned it up, it just needs the reverse bar replaced (working on that), and its good to go. The most common problem on this machine is the reverse bar breaking. So much so that you can get a replacement STL file on Thingverse I'm keeping this one just cause I like the button hole function a bit better 

 

One of my newest machines, and the first brand new out of the box machine I ever bought for myself. This is the Singer Heavy Duty 6380. Metal frame, fairly sturdy plastic body, and most of the basic stitches you'll ever need, multi positionable needle (left, center, right). It will go through 2 layers of coutil (really tight woven corset making cotton), and if I want to use an electric machine, this is my daily driver so far. The Prelude is going to wind up being my "take with me to travel to a sewing party or help a friend with repairs" machine.  

NOW.....what you don't see in any of these is "digital" features. Why? The more electronic stuff a machine has, the more chances of something going wrong and not being able to fix it it has. 

 Now... I'm not saying digital machines are bad. I would love to have one to do embroidery with, but that's just not in my budget, or most folks who want to just start out in sewing. If you want to get a digital machine, I wouldn't recommend one for a beginner as they're harder to maintain or fix. I'd wait till you are more comfortable with sewing before you consider getting a digital machine.

Sources for getting machines: 

Facebook Marketplace/Craigslist/Kajiji if you're Canadian/yard sales: 

This might be a good option. Someone couldn't get into sewing and wants to get rid of their machine. Someone in the family might even have a vintage one. Most vintage machines will go between 40$ to 100$, especially the really old treadle and hand cranked machines, or the Singer "featherweight" series machines from the 50s, or common cast iron bodied ones like my Singer 99k. Granted I overpaid for mine but I wanted a machine that was guaranteed to work when I got it.

Ebay/Etsy: 

Again it really depends on the brand/condition/refurbished state of the machine. Some people are machine collectors (someone I remember seeing having an army of the grasshopper Elna machines as example), some people just want to sell their family members' machine that passed away with no intention on using it themselves 

Estate sales: See Ebay/Etsy 

Now....Any used machine you get, please have it checked out by someone you know who sews regularly, who can confirm any trouble spots before you get into using the machine. Or, get one cheap, and take it to a shop to get it refurbished 

Thrift stores: Places like Savers/Value Village/Goodwill:

Again might be a good idea to take a sewing friend with you shopping if you're looking for a used machine and find one at a thrift shop. 

In person stores: If Canadian: Lens Mills, Canadian Tire, Fabricland/Fabricville, Quilt shops, sewing supply shops, Walmart, Michaels, Costco, some leather shops, sewing outlets stores. Sometimes colleges in the fashion department will have someone selling one (as can be seen by my pics from George Brown), Best Buy for some reason (be careful, a fair number of unknown brands) 

If USA: Wawak, Walmart, Target, Costco, sewing outlet stores, quilt shops, leather shops (IE Tandy Leather sells a few in brands I've never heard of but specific for leather sewing), dry cleaning supply stores, some Youtubers (ie Sarah Spaceman has a promo code for Bernina brand via her YouTube Channel), other big box craft stores like Michael's (RIP Joann), Best Buy for some reason (be careful, a fair number of unknown brands) 

Avoid if in USA: Hobby Lobby (at your own risk, non LGBT friendly, extreme christian-puritanical views for the company, terrible health care plan if you're AFAB) 

Elsewhere: Quilt shops, Department stores, sewing supply stores, sometimes hardware shops, clothing fabric shops, sometimes you just have to shop around based on your location. Again beware unknown brands that are not commonly known. 

Nice to have but not necessary: Sergers

 

This was brand new to me out of the box in 2024 the Singer heavy duty 4 strand home serger, model number 14HD854, also known as an overlock machine 

Can you make clothes and sew with a serger: yes 
Is it complicated to sew with a serger: also yes 
Do I have to have a serger to make cool stuff: No 
Do I have to have a sewing machine at all to make cool stuff: Also no

As an example I made this jumper dress 100% hand sewn, made out of linen.

 

Lastly: Industrial machines Can I get an industrial machine as a beginner: yes, but with a caveat. You will want to reduce the speed in which your machine goes, cause hoooooly shit can they go fast when you're not expecting it.

As an experienced sewist, I would say that the ones set at college with no speed regulator go way too fast for beginners. Even with the foot pedal, the slowest speed goes faster than my home sewing machine's top speed. So, if you do get an industrial machine, you will need to reduce the speed.

What NOT to buy:

  

If the machine looks like any of these above, DO NOT BUY!  Super duper light weight, all plastic parts, or looks like a stapler, do not buy. They break super fast, and its not even worth the 30$ you can get for them on Amazon.

Final thoughts:

Take a friend, ask around, and please do your research before buying a sewing machine. When you get one, read the instructions VERY thoroughly, watch a few YouTube videos on your specific make and model to get to know the features, go forth, and create cool stuff! 

Thank you for reading this long post.

Latest Video - A blast from the past - How to make a Duct Tape Sword for LARP or Fantasy Fun!

 Hello Denizens of the internet!  Are you prepared to go back about 10 years into the past when I used to LARP?

Neither was I till I went and tried to do a fresh edit on this ancient artifact of a video

I can't believe I still have my old foam swords, padded arrows, and cricket bat!

 Come join me on this fresh edit of some old video on how to make a foam and duct tape sword!

 

 

 

 

School, Fashion Design, and Fashion Production

 (Cross-Posted from my Tumblr account)

Hello people of the internet! I'm going to share a bit of insight with what I've been learning at school this semester

These are illustrations and drawings I have drawn up, no AI was used. The colored drawing (Left) was done using alcohol markers, Gelly Roller pens, and pencil crayons. The other was done using a photo and illustration program  

  

  

 

 The one on the left shows the layers, the texture, color, if there's sparkle or gold metallic something to it, and the other (Right) is the "technical drawing" to provide the manufacturing company. The "tech pack" or "technical package will add information with details on where the stitching will be, the design elements, and then coupled with a "Spec Sheet" with details of what kind of thread, what color matching the fabric has to be, fiber content, assembly, label printing instructions, and close up detail for any embroidery that needs to be done, and info for the pattern makers for fit  

As a point in reference in cost, in Canadian dollars, if I use all natural fiber for ONLY the bolero-cape part, after doing the math, the approximate retail price of just that one piece, is close to $1500 if I was to sell a single copy of this garment....only one on the market

So, you have to wonder... how are clothes designed and sold so cheap, coming from places like China, or sold on Amazon, Temu, Shien, etc In my tech pack, I gave the "labour" costs to make this, at 17$/hour. That is above minimum wage currently in Ontario (Canada)

All the fabric is natural fiber (wool, and cotton sateen). The only thing that's synthetic, is the embroidery, and maybe the interfacing for the cuffs. And as some of you may know, natural fiber gets expensive. Especially wool, which you have to go hunting fabrics for, which can run up to 40-50$ per meter (about 48$/yard for the Americans for conversion)

So, lets say this design gets stolen (which, because its the internet which is most likely to happen), they'll make it out of cheap synthetic fiber (probably polyester), glue or print everything on without top stitching (more chemicals), no embroidery so that'll be printed on (even more paint print chemicals), and likely give their workers maybe 1$/hr to make it, at 5 hours tops (forced labour, slave labour, child labour, or underpaying sewists) to make from start to finish. It will also likely be poorly fitted because of the use of AI that's going to pump out the design (environmental impact from data centers), it won't be fitted on a real human (more AI environmental impact) for photos before sending it off to be produced and posted online, turning this expensive design into a cheap knock-off that will likely be sold by the hundreds of thousands for cheap...maybe about 40$ max, for Halloween.

This will also be the sort of thing people only wear once, throw it out, and it winds up back on the shores of the country that made it (most likely somewhere like Bangladesh, which is home to the lowest paid garment workers in the world, last I heard on social media), causing more pollution, choking off wildlife, and causing locals of wherever they get dumped, to deal with the garbage in their own backyard. What I want to happen with my designs, and what will happen are likely two different things. But I just wanted to bring this information to light.

You may ask yourself "why are you taking this class then?". Well, I want to design clothes for myself, that will be closer to timeless or classic pieces, that are made of natural fiber, that will last as long as possible, with a better chance of biodegradability, wearability (clothes I will want to reach for frequently), mixing and matching, as well as durability during the lifetime of the garment.

I'm also getting older, my body is changing, and menopause is a rough thing to deal with, especially when a hot flash hits, and you need that breathability of natural fiber garments. Especially when it's close to the body to absorb and wick away sweat.

I very much doubt I'll go into production for any of my designs, as I have no overhead (broke college student stereotype), but I want to keep my environmental impact small where I can, that I know I can manage.

Just a little peek behind the curtain of fashion design And now, just a little hand woven project that I'm doing a video for, as a bit of a palate cleanser.

Update part 2 - I have a E-Zine! Learn how to sew!

 I did tease on one of my videos that I was working on an e-zine, that people can download for free, and print out a single copy to use, for beginner sewists, that I wrote out by hand.  

Well, that first volume is LIVE!

 You can find the link to the E-zine to download it, from my Ko-Fi page

 Keep in mind that if you find any value in any of my work, or enjoy seeing what I'm doing, or want to support me through school, or making YouTube videos, please consider making a donation to my Ko-Fi page

 Click on, or scan the QR code to go to my Ko-Fi page to download the E-Zine today! 

 

 

 

As a taste of what to expect, here's a sample page from my first volume: 

 

I hope you enjoy, and please, send a message on YouTube or Ko-Fi if you find it useful, or if you want to ask a question, or help me out on any project I'm working on!

Mid-year update 2025 - Sewing machine repair, pattern making, school, wasteland vibes and more

Many apologies, as I often forget to cross-post here. I really should use this blog a lot more often As many of you know, I've been working on my education.  Even if I don't get a job working in the industry, I can keep working on my own wardrobe, and hopefully buying less, and re-using the fabric in my current wardrobe, to make something new, that will long term fit me better

With that said, I have a bunch of videos that I posted since the beginning of the year:


First up, we have a video for basic techniques for those who have never used a sewing machine before

 

 

 

Then we have a quick patch job on one of my favourite tee shirts, from Threadbanger

 

 

 

How about a Deerstalker hat for those who want something fashionable, for a Sherlock Holmes cosplay or for those Holo Taco detectives out there?

 

 

Spent a day volunteering at a workshop, to teach people how to mend their clothes, or make it fit better, or even just learning how to use a sewing machine

 

Made some decor that has a post-apocalyptic vibe, because of the current state of the world, because why not?  My Geiger counter is in the shop, and our sassy Vault seamstress isn't having it with ridiculous requests

Taking apart and re-assembling not only 1, but 2 sewing machines!

 

Struggling with a custom body block and fitting mockups to my body, so I can make my own designs that fit me well

 

 

 

More machine oiling tips, and using nail polish for unconventional uses, to highlight lines on my sewing machine to make it easier to see

 

 

I also had a special guest over, to help them with their coat, skirt, and them borrowing my iron.  The Shitpost Calligrapher!

 

 There will be more videos to come, that you may not want to miss!

 

The more you subscribe, like and comment, the more the algorithm will see my work, show it to more people, and they tell two friends, then they tell two friends, and so on, and so on

 

 

See something you like?  Have a comment on a technique, or want to help me out with my struggles?  Go onto YouTube and please leave a comment, so I can reply, and so I'll see it.

I'll see you there! 

School, future plans, long term goals, and donations

 This is a loooong post, but there's important updates and school stuff for transparency of what I've been working towards. 

 Let's just call it a few long term goals, and a call out for some help. I'm not working at this time. That's right, I don't have a job. 

 This is so I can focus on school, to get the experience I need, to start looking into working for garment repair places, or possibly even having the piece of paper I need from school, to teach mending, sewing and repair. How anyone can do all the full time courses and manage to find time to hand all their stuff in with a full day of classes, along with all the homework, which takes a lot of work, is beyond me. 

I've spent DAYS sewing the same hat to finish it for class, or patterning out something by hand to get the best grades possible. For the record, I have a straight A grade average across ALL of my classes I've taken so far. 

 For possible future employers who come across my videos (or this blog), if there's any Toronto (Canada) based businesses that is a sewing shop, repair shop, or crafting studio that is looking for someone who's been home sewing since they were in grade school, that wants someone who can teach sewing basics on their payroll, or someone that is willing to learn tailoring methods through working experience, please send me a message and I will reply! 

My email for my Youtube channel is kiera.oona.crafts@gmail.com

I can also be reached via the following platforms:

 Instagram: @kieraoona

Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@kieraoona

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/kieraoona

Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/kieraoona.bsky.social

 I want to do better by the environment, moving towards a job in the Toronto area (preferably closer to home) that has sustainability in mind, or towards slow fashion or more tailored fashion, so people can make their own clothes, or reach for clothes they will wear more often.... but I also need to keep a roof over my head. 

With that said... The current problem, is all my classes that I planned on taking, and wanted to take as a backup were all cancelled (a little frustrating). 

I have enough funds to keep a roof over my head and pay for classes **for now** without going into debt. However, most sewing places expect that you have experience in the industry, which I don't. 

Everything I have learned is either through personal experience, or through the continuing education courses at George Brown so far.I also have tools and supplies I needed to replace or get repaired. I was able to replace my steam iron with my own money, but I could use some help to recoup the losses....which is where all of you lovely people come in! 

The money will funnel back into my Youtube channel for supplies, music subscriptions for music on my videos, as well as taking more classes if they become available through the college in the spring (April is when the next semester for Con-ed is usually available) 

 For transparency, I'm still looking at taking the following classes that I need to obtain the Fashion Fundamentals Certificate at George Brown College: 

Pattern Drafting 2 (I have supplies for this from the last class)
Introduction to Adobe (prerequisite) (Adobe Creative Cloud subscription needed)
Adobe Illustrator for Fashion (Adobe Creative Cloud subscription needed)
Fashion Illustration and Design (will probably need Copic markers for this)
Draping for Fashion Design (possibly some fabric expenses)

For these classes I still need a laptop to take with me, and that will run Adobe Creative Cloud (another monthly expense)

In the images below, I have the course list, and the classes that I still need or want to take are listed on the image, which is the list provided from the college. Also my Ko-Fi goal posting on my Ko-Fi page.

As for the other courses for more industry experience, I'm hoping the professors will provide me with more information on the following courses through George Brown Fashion Exchange:

Power Sewing
Apparel Fit Technician
 

In the meantime, I'm still working on making more videos while waiting for classes to open back up, working on body blocks that are tailor fit to myself for pattern drafting practice, and passing along the knowledge of what I've learned, in video format, for all of you out there. For anyone who is able to donate, thank you! My Ko-Fi link is https://ko-fi.com/kieraoona

 

 

 

 

 

Joining Bluesky

Just wanted to give a bit of an update.

Other than kicking off 2025 with Covid (still getting over the symptoms but they are fading slowly), I decided to join over on Bluesky

https://bsky.app/profile/kieraoona.bsky.social is the link to my profile if you would like to join me over there.

I may start slowly backing off of any META platform due to their most recent policy changes, and lack of ability to opt out of AI scraping.  I don't like generative AI in general.

In the meantime, I'll be at home, drinking my juice, taking my meds, and hoping my classes for this semester have enough people to go through.

Tinker Workshop - Bampot house - December 19 2024 - Toronto

 

 As a heads up, I will be facilitating at the Tinker workshop again, for sewing assistance, visible mending, mending suggestions, and other fiber related things.

Have a torn fabric item that you want to fix that you need a bit of guidance?

Have a home sewing pattern you are stumped on by the instructions?

Have a hole in your sock?

Come on down and I will help you out

Limited amount of seats available, and please be sure to register at the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPGgh8gufVqdJU6UtX-Ozfjkn-8u_noP9jIJs-P15R8zsdeg/viewform

I'll see you there!

Making a handstitched soup bowl cosy - last minute handmade gift idea

 

 

Come on in and grab your bowl of soup.   

Need something to keep your bowl warm, and your fingers insulated from the heat?   This might be the perfect household item to do just that.  

You might also be able to make one for a friend or family member! 

This project only took me 2 days to make, while filming, but if this is your first time, or if you make one that has more top stitching, you may need more time to make it.

Above is the pattern

Please note that you may need to adjust the darts for length, and width, as well as the size of the fabric, for the size of your bowl.