too much to ask ( just a little rant)

Don't mind me , just ranting

Over the summer I enherited a sewing machine from my late grand-mother ( 39 yrs old Omega super 900, if you must know). Not a great machine by any means but a usefull little work horse. Actualy both my brother and I got machines ( lots of elderly great aunts past away in recent years, and there aren't any nieces). Being a man (did I mention I am a man ?) I cannot stand owning a power-tool that is not in perfect working order and which I can't use so, now that I got the sewing machine properly cleaned oiled and adjusted ( that was a lot of fun actualy ), I decided that I wanted to do a little project, a manly little project. And what is more manly then Boxers . they even got a place to put my tool...( sorry couldn't resist) There pretty much a standard in home ec. classes so I shouldn't have a problem finding a pattern online or at the library. Too much to ask apparenlty.

You know, I would figure such a basic beginner project would be all over the place with variations to no end but noooooooo.

(sigh)

So I am back to looking for another manly project to do ...

Any suggestions ?

Jean

Reply to
Jean
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Not free, but certainly online:

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Kwiksew patterns run closer to ready-to-wear sizes than Vogue, Butterick etc.

Reply to
Sally Holmes

How about making a shop apron or a tool roll for your wood lathe turning tools, or a turning smock?

Reply to
JAMES RISER

There are very few clothing patterns available for free on the internet. Most of them are very generic types of patterns. You can buy a pattern for 99c on sale at the fabric store or for less than that at a thrift store if you want a real pattern. Otherwise there are a few sites that tell you how to draft patterns to fit you, or you could pick something different for a first pattern.

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - take out TRAS

Another thing you might try is taking apart one of your old pair and drafting a pattern from that. I'm no expert but I did that with a pair of my nephews boxers.

Reply to
Heidi

Kwik Sew have a lovely boxer's pattern. Pop over to their web site and look it up:

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If you want a 'manly' project, quilting is good too. And a word of encouragement: don't forget that most tailors are men, and my beloved FIL used to make all his own trousers - he's a retired engineer (built RADAR during the war). He also made the suit my MIL wore for her wedding to him (they were both widowed before), and the one she wore to my own wedding. Just this last summer he made her some very smart tailored trousers. he's 83. If he can, you can! :) Oh, and my favourite shirt making book was written by a bloke who started as an amateur sewist! Shirtmaking: Developing skills for fine sewing by David Page Coffin. ISBN 1-56158-264-6 (The Taunton Press, 1998), £11.24/US$19.95

Your machine sounds fine, and I understand the buzz fixing it gives you

- I just removed and fixed the declutching mechanism on my old treadle, and a few weeks back I dismantled, cleaned, de-rusted, oiled and 're-mantled' its upper and lower tension mechanisms. I'm very pleased with myself on this!

BTW... Welcome to the group! Just don't ever try to sell us anything! ;D

Reply to
Kate Dicey

much to ask apparenlty.

OK, I'll rant right back at you!! :-) :-)

I simply cannot fathom why people are willing to put money or major work into a sewing machine, buy fabric, needles and thread, but then expect to get patterns free. It is the same in the knitting world, people will invest major bucks in needles and yarn, but still want free patterns. Surely the people who design, make and publish these patterns are also entitled to be paid for their work and/or creativity? I don't have nearly as large a pattern collection as many of my friends, but there are in there about a half-dozen or so patterns which I use over and over, in different fabrics and sometimes with minor details altered, and I consider those patterns worth their weight in gold. I have been using the same boxer short patterns for my DH for many years, likewise the dressing gown (robe) and pj patterns. For myself I have a basic skirt pattern and a basic knit top pattern, both of which are so ratty that I finally had to iron non-woven interfacing on the back in order to keep on using them. All of these patterns were bought at full price years ago, long before the 99c prices started being used as loss leaders, but I do not begrudge the money they cost, they have paid for themselves over and over again.

JMNSHO.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Reply to
Olwynmary

ideas: pillow case, drawstring bad, stuff sack, potholders... none of these require a pattern. There should be tons of books in the free library that have free craft patterns.

Penny S

Reply to
Penny S

Maybe they are too used to pirating software, craft patterns, etc. (whether they realize that this is illegal or not -- some people don't realize it and others don't think about whether it is or not) and expect it to be the norm

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - take out TRAS

A simple Google (sewing +pattern +boxers) found

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are pretty basic - you'd probably be happier with the fit if you usedthe Kwiksew pattern. There is also a free pattern for briefs - they are forlarge men but you could probably print out the pattern then use a copier toreduce size of the pattern pieces.http://www.total.net/~lours/FREE.htmlGood luck!

Reply to
C Underwood

There is more science and engineering to reducing pattern sizes than just making a smaller print on a copy machine. This guy needs to bust lose with

99 cents and buy a d *$%# pattern.

Val

Val

Reply to
Valkyrie

Val - I think you are right! You are assuming though that he is in the US and near TSWLTH...

Jean - If you are in the states and near a JoAnn's store the Simplicity patterns are 5 for $5 Nov 8 - 10th, Butterick & Mc Call's patterns are $.99, and Vogue patterns are 75% off Nov 13 - 15.

Reply to
C Underwood

Here in Australia the patterns are more like $20 - $30, I think (say $15 - $20 USD). Not a vast price, compared to a sewing machine, but not the sort of thing you just go buying dozens of on the off-chance you'll use them. Don't know about Canada -- Is that where Jean is?

Liz

Reply to
Liz

Wow, I live in the bush (Australia) hours from a big town and still only pay $12 - $15(Aust.) max for patterns at our tiny shop. Spotlight has 1/2 price Simplicity or 2 for the price of one (Buttericks, McCalls etc.) very regularly!!

Reply to
romanyroamer

I just worked out what UK converts to AUD and 12 pounds (don't have that symbol, sorry) converts to $28.35! OUCH!!! I don't remember what we pay, but it's far less than that - except we only buy when they're having "buy 1 get 2 free" sales and the like.

Do you have these sales over there, and what would the price of patterns work out to be then? (LOL... At those prices, I could make a business out of sending patterns over to you guys!)

Ouch - are these made with gold thread?

Allan.

Reply to
Just Allan

Here in rural France - 27 euros per pattern (roughly 27 dollars). Ouch. I do, admittedly, tend to buy online, but 12 dollars, say, for me, is an out and out bargain. I cheerfully (well, maybe not all that cheerfully ;) pay

20 dollars for Sewing Workshop patterns, and I've paid over 40 dollars for some collectors patterns on Ebay. In the UK, patterns were pretty expensive and so I've always regarded them as an investment, not as a commodity.

:) Trish

Reply to
Trishty

How can anybody afford to sew if they have to pay full price on the patterns? Good grief, I would have to make each one dozens of time to mak it pay for itself! Well, I guess if it provides a creative outlet.....then, to each his own, there is some redeeming value in that, but.....OUCH!

Reply to
Joy Hardie

I never pay full price for anything :-) =20

I always wait for patterns to go on sale then get several at once. Like the when the patterns go on sale at JoAnn's for 50-cents...last time I walked out with eight of them.

Reply to
IMS

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