Handmade Lolita Thread

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I thought this handmade hat was very pretty. I wish I had the talent for millinery.

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I'll be picking up Otome no Sewing 8 soon! Very excited to have a good collection of versatile patterns.

>Do you make your own lolita items?
Sometimes
>Which craft do you practice? (sewing, knitting, crochet, decoden, etc)
Sewing and knitting
>Do you have a certain thing you prefer to make?
Dresses and skirts mostly. I keep telling myself that I'll make myself a decent blouse, but I always get frustrated around buttons and collars and give up.
>What is your opinion on others' handmade items?
I love seeing things other people made! However the only other sewing lolita in my comm isn't very good and has not so great taste in fabric, so it's a little hard to keep enthusing about tube bodices and not-enough-volume skirts made out of Joann's quilting cotton. I kinda wish she's start accepting criticism.
>What are you working on at the moment?
I have a few projects in rotation so I can work on one when I get sick of the other, all dresses at the moment. Plus a lot that only exist in my head.

>>9302880
>Do you make your own lolita items?
Yes, I'm pretty much completely handmade.

>Which craft do you practice? (sewing, knitting, crochet, decoden, etc)
Sewing and jewelry making

>Do you have a certain thing you prefer to make?
Dresses and accessories

>What is your opinion on others' handmade items?
There are too many people who are making things and selling poorly made garments. I wish more handmade lolitas would take time and uses proper materials. There are a few really awesome handmade girls tho.

>What are you working on at the moment?
A constellation dress set.

>>9302884
Anon, those flowers look bad

>>9302928
yes, but the rest of it looks lovely. Bad flowers don't completely ruin it when you look at the nice lace and pearl detailing.

>Do you make your own lolita items?
Sometimes - mainly headbows these days as I don't have much time
>Which craft do you practice? (sewing, knitting, crochet, decoden, etc)
Sewing. I can't really knit very well.
>Do you have a certain thing you prefer to make?
Hair accessories, dresses and skirts in that order. I've made one bolero but I don't really like how it came out. Blouses are too much like hard work.
>What is your opinion on others' handmade items?
Ngl, most of the ones posted online are shit. Good handmade is good, but it's a rarity to see. I don't understand why people try to sell such shit either.
>What are you working on at the moment?
I have been meaning to repair the zipper from a handmade OP for the last 2 years. I hate invisible zips and it's a fucking difficult fabric to work with. Maybe next winter.

Does anyone have a favorite Otome No Sewing? I only have six and seven, but is there any stand out ones that you gulls just love?

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>>9303760
I think I like the fall/winter ones more because they tend to focus more on classic. I think 8 is my favorite of them all, but I also really like 4 and 6. There are a lot of simple designs that are really cute.

Question for those who have used Otome no Sewing - the sizing always seems like it's off on the models (most dresses look massive on them) so how do you go about fixing the sizing so that it fits properly?

That's always been the primary thing stopping me from attempting any of the patterns because that's a hell of a lot of work to be doing for something that fits like a sack.

>>9303771
Choose the right size? Honestly they don't fit too bad if you use the right measurements. If I think something will be too big or small I just readjust the pattern for that. No idea why they're so big on some of the models.

>>9302880

>Do you make your own Lolita items?
Yes. Originally my goal was to be 80% handmade but then I realized what kind of a commitment that would be.

>Which craft do you practice? (sewing, knitting, crochet, decoden, etc)
Sewing and beading. Beading together necklaces and bracelets to go with the colors of a dress's print is probably the easiest beginner Lolita project I can think of.

>Do you have a certain thing you prefer to make?
Accessories and Alterations. At first I wanted to do big projects, but it's hard to set aside enough time for that; so smaller-scale projects are more likely to actually get completed with me.

>What is your opinion on others' handmade items?
I think everyone under-estimates their sewing skills and over-prices their accessories. A whole dress takes a lot of time and skill and most good dresses on Etsy are very reasonably priced; but a lot of the jewelry is overpriced considering the craftsmanship. I suspect it's that they are paying a lot for the actual metal pieces and parts in use, but then their actual skill in assembling pieces isn't as solid as the amount of effort they put into sourcing materials.

>What are you working on at the moment?
A front-panel for a Bodyline dress. I bought an OP and made a slit right up the middle to the waist line. I'm going to sew-in a nylon lining (because bodyline dresses are unlined) and the the part that faces the slit will be a panel of printed cotton.

bump
Does anyone know any good blogs with good handmade lolita. I've only seen bad to mediocre ones which is a shame since I really like seeing handmade things

>>9304017
There's the 'handmade lolita' on tumblr. I don't know her user names but she stamps all of her images with that screen name.

>>9304187
http://mylolitahandmade.tumblr.com/
Some of her stuff is pretty good but her bodices are really lacking...

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>>9303760
Definitely!
My favorites are 5, 8 and 10.

>>9303771
I've noticed the waists often do run large but that's relatively easy to fix and notice early if you simply measure the pattern itself. I'm an M in their sizes (excluding hips but those are irrelevant unless I'm making bloomers) and the only thing I've consistently had to fiddle with was the waist sizes.

I have questions about Otome No Sewing sizing.
According to a chart these are the measurements:
M = bust: 82cm, waist: 64cm, hips: 88cm
L = bust: 88cm, waist: 70cm, hips: 94cm
I have a 86cm bust, 65cm waist, 88cm hips.
That means I need the L size right?
But since this anon >>9306371 says the waists run large, should I take them in as my waist is 5cm smaller than their L size?
Does the bust run true to size?
Also, how far do must shirred patterns go, the shirring panel of a jsk for instance or a blouse?
Sorry for asking so many questions,I haven't bought any Otome no Sewing books yet so I can't check myself.

>>9304217
I love her designs and her work is really creative, so I can forgive her boring bodices.

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I still can't believe this dress is handmade. I'm always so impressed when I see simple dresses with good construction like this. It's like a unicorn in handmade lolita nowadays.

>>9306460
Hey anon, that's a nice dress, but not hard to make - you'll only need some patience to make those bottom pleats.

>>9306482
It's not hard to make, but it's hard to make well. That's my point. Her quality looks almost professional.

>>9306460
>tfw made something very similar as a newbie lolita, except out of horrible fabric so it's unwearable
all of the patience and drive
none of the taste

Are there any clever tricks for sewing pintucks? Because I love the look of them but hated all the fuss of measuring them out. I can't do it by eye, too wonky for that.

>>9306565
Quilting rulers (the big clear ones with the grid) and a tailors chalk pencil make measuring quick and easy to follow.

>>9303771
>>9303779


There is usually a postcard at the back of the books that you can mail in for a raffle of the dresses they've made for the book, so maybe the dresses are always made in common sizing knowing that they'll end up being mailed to random girls, and the models they use happen to be smaller than that.


>>9306392

This is where you whip out the ruler/measuring tape and measure on the patterns themselves, add up the totals and see if it'll fit. Also good for those with odd ribcages to make sure the underbust will fit them.

fwiw I had this issue with the older gosurori (same company), the bust ran small while the waist ran true.

>>9303771
I have this problem too, since I'm an hourglass shape.
Best this to do is to use the patterns as a guide, avoid making too many alterations to the skirt pattern in the dress, but adapt the bodice to your own custom bodice block. They're very easy to make but you must measure yourself correctly. There are numerous tutorials online, and they can also be found in dressmaking books.
I really dislike the bodice patterns used in ONS because they always end up looking like stuffed tubes on me, no matter how much I try. Like I said, make yourself a bodice block and change it just enough so that it fits the pattern (for stuff like straps and sleeves).

If that sounds like way too much fuss, commercial patterns can be useful. I recently bought a vintage square-neck bodiced dress pattern for like, 50p on ebay. While the skirt is absolutely no good for lolita, the bodice shape is, albeit slightly too long. I shortened the bodice length slightly and lo, I now have a cute JSK, without any sort of monoboob occurring.

TL;DR: I'm a seamstress who likes splicing patterns when I cba using up paper to do bodice blocks (but both are good ways to get a decent fit)

Anyone have any fun ideas/tutorials on handmaking pins or brooches?

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Does anybody have the link/pictures of that one cotton bib tutorial for JSKs and OPs?

Like pic related?

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>>9309904
SORRY, wrong pic.
oh my god

>>9309905
I'm not sure for tutorials but there was a pattern for one in an ONS I got recently (10 or selection, I can't remember which off the top of my head)

>>9309810
Check out jessica_flapjac on pinterest; she has a board called "Rosette Workshop" and MyInspiration on etsy makes embroidered cameo brooches. The possibilities are endless with embroidery.

>>9309904
kek
>>9309905
Otome no Sewing 4 or 3 has one that looks like this. It has a girl in pink on the cover besides one wearing black.

>>9309905
>>9309977
>>9310094
It's ONS 3, complete with detailed photo tutorial. Really though it's quite simple. Pick a bodice pattern you like, draw the shape of the yoke you'd want onto it, cut it out and treat it as a separate pattern piece and hey presto. In the ONS tutorial the first step (after decorating the yoke with lace) is to sew the yoke into the bodice and hide the seam with more lace. After that you can treat it as a single front bodice panel again.

If my drowsy ESL explanation isn't clear enough I might be able to take pictures of the ONS pages tomorrow if anyone's interested.

>>9310123
Please do

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Okay, here goes.
This JSK has a fully shirred back (rectangle, left) and a relatively simple front panel with darts (right). The rightmost picture crawling with numbers kinda shows what I mean about how you can see the front + yoke as one piece that you take apart and then sew back together again.

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>>9310818
whoops forgot to resize

Anyway here's an overview of all the pattern pieces that I can't figure out how to rotate properly without part of it being cut off.

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>>9310818
>>9310819
1) decorate yoke piece
2) use markings (which aren't on the pattern as far as I can tell so you might need to add these yourself) to line up the bodice and yoke patterns
3) pin, baste, whatever them together
4) clip the seam allowance along the curves to make your life easier
5) sew together and finish edges
6) laaaace

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>>9310818
>>9310819
>>9310823
8) sew and press darts

And now you have a front bodice panel with a yoke/bib. This pattern uses partial interfacing along the top edge but if you prefer fully lined bodices, you should be able to frankenstein the yoke and front pattern pieces together and use that for the lining. There's no reason to keep the yoke separate in the lining, too.

>>9310825
Not the anon that asked for it, but thanks for sharing this!

>>9302928
Can you give any suggestions on the best flowers for this kind of thing? I just bought some flowers at Michaels and they aren't fraying but I'm suddenly wondering if they're nice enough.

>>9310825
Thanks anon!

What's the best method for making wrist cuffs? I've seen several different methods. Could someone link a tutorial– preferably one that isn't drawn in MS paint?

>>9311158
There's not really any photos, but this one is easy enough to follow:
http://abc-lolita.blogspot.com/2012/03/sparkle-stitches-wrist-stoppers.html

Yumi King did one of Simplicity's "lolita" patterns and it actually doesn't look as horrible as you'd imagine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy1lsfPpfpo

>>9313112
Except it does

>>9313112
You must have exceptionally low standards because that was about as horrible as most of us would have expected it to be.

>>9313166
>>9313174
My standards are fine, lol. I meant it could've turned out much worse. You know, cheap neon quilting fabric covered in cheap raschel lace, way too short, worn with her cat collar, etc.

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Does anyone have a pattern for bloomers? I've read and watched MeLikesTea's tutorial, but I'm struggling on how to draft the pattern. I just can't figure out how to create the curved part of the pattern. She mentions using a pair of short, but I was wondering if there's a better method?

>>9313112
It looks almost as bad as the photo which is a very low bar to begin with. Idk if anyone could salvage this even with modifications and good materials, the whole pattern just needs to go in the trash. It's so frumpy and terrible.

>>9310818
Try using Google translates app where you can take a picture and have it translated. It's not perfect but you'll get the idea, that's what I've been using for my copy

>>9313112
That looks exactly as horrible as I'd imagine.

>>9313265
Google antipope gosurori bloomers tutorial. My phone is being a shit and won't let me link it

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The thread seems kind of dead, so I don't know whether anyone will see this. But I might as well give it a shot. Lets talk about bonnets– and millinery in general.

Has anyone made their own half bonnet? Could anyone recommend a bonnet pattern? I want to try my hand at making a bonnet similar to Triple Fortune's (older style) bonnets.

I feel like millinery is one of those grey areas; you either know about it, or you don't. Obviously it's going to take a lot of trial and error to create a bonnet similar to TT. I'm still trying to make my mind up whether the bonnet base is made from buckram, or a heavy weight interface.

>>9318420
http://www.kimyasuda.com/costumes/strawbonnet.html

This is a pretty interesting tutorial using a straw hat as a base for a full or half bonnet. I think some of the creator's materials could be a lot better, but it's a good idea in theory. I have a few straw hats set aside to try this on my own soon.

>>9318431
Thanks, anon. I found this post on my travels too! I think it's an interesting idea to use a straw hat for the base.

Personally I want to make the base from scratch. I think it's going to be a case of trial and error, as I can't seem to find much information on the construction process. I wish millinery was more present throughout lolita.

>>9318420
I'd use buckram and millinery wire around the brim to help keep its shape.

>>9318458
>I wish millinery was more present throughout lolita
Same! I've really only dabbled so far but I can lose myself for hours in researching it and seeing what others have tried and done. I mostly end up in historical reconstruction and costuming circles, though. Lolita-specific millinery seems to be restricted to not-so-impressive bonnets and sewing lace onto existing straw hats. There's a handful of indie brands that make nice things but as sellers they're generally not as open about their process.

>>9318537
That's what I was planning to do, anon! You've confirmed my research has at least helped me work out the basics.

I don't suppose you know anything more on preparing the buckram, do you? I've seen quite a few bloggers cover their buckram base, prior to adding their fabric– if that makes sense? One blog suggested stayflex (fusible interfacing), to hide the lumps and bumps.

I'm pleased to see other people are interested in lolita-style millinery! I'm quite fond of Voodooodolly's work. I agree it's a real shame that milliners aren't more open about the process.

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Lolita-style millinery image dump incoming.

does anybody here actually incorporate handmade knitted/crocheted items into lolita? i can't think of anything that would be appropriate besides

-knitted cardigans/outerwear
-cute scarves/mufflers
-mittens?
-delicate crochet lace, maybe for wristcuffs or for adding to other things

i can't think of anything else that wouldn't look super tacky

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And that's the end of my mini millinery image dump.

>>9318660
Hipster Lolita?

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Looking for concrit. The concrit in the last thread was really helpful. (Thank you, anons)

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>>9318644
I'm getting into knitting and have made several scarves and a plain pullover for my bf, but I haven't really made anything specifically lolita yet. I'd like to knit some cardigans or boleros but with the cost of yarn in my area vs. the price of secondhand brand cardis/boleros, it's much easier and more cost-effective to just buy whatever I need, without the risk of it turning out derpy because I don't really know what I'm doing.
I have been hoarding free patterns (pic related lol), though, and am watching local yarn stores like a hawk just in case something I like goes on sale. I want to try it at least once. Maybe I'll enjoy it enough to make the time and cost worth it.

>>9319154
I like it! My only crit would be that the bow in the front looks kinda cheap, and that a fabric bow would look better. I also think the way the back shirring ribbon is attached to the JSK looks kinda flimsy but if you don't plan on putting any real strain on it, that shouldn't be a problem.

>>9319149
I believe that's the owner of 'I Do Declare'? I'm not a fan of the hat in general, but I like how they've matched the hat trim to the trim on their outfit.

>>9319155
oh damn, that sweater is actually really cute. reverse image search is giving me nothing, is there like a pattern # associated with it?

anyhow, i'm totally feeling your plight. knitting my own cardis and boleros would be cool, but it's just not worth it unless what i make is completely unique to what i could find on the secondhand market--maybe something with a cute pattern like your pic. feelsbadman.

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>>9319221
It's this pattern, DROPS 19-11:
http://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=2670

It's pretty fabulous. Same for this one!
(DROPS 4-17, if anyone was wondering)

>>9319154
This looks great, anon! I agree with what >>9319166 said though. I'm not very fond of the teal(?) coloured ribbon you've used. But I can see that you've used it to match the same teal accents in the print.

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Have you guys though about knitted lace cardigans? I'm thinking of making one when I learn to knit properly

>>9318644
what about doing some crochet-lace rosettes and adding charms or images to the top? make 'em like little mori-inspired things

I pretty much only do jewelry- mostly beading, and I work with metal to make my own charms. Occasionally I'll do clay flowers and incorporate them into a piece. This is a really good way to get into handmade

>>9319155
>>9319239
Is it me or do patterns always have the best pictures?

>>9319154
I actually LIKE that little ribbon bow in the front. I think it's cute, and it doesn't look too cheap to me.

My only concern is... well, I love the small trim on the back straps. It's not on the front... but wouldn't it look cute on those front straps too?

>>9319166
>>9319576
>>9319240
Thank you, anons. I will try making a matching fabric bow.
It didn't occur to me to add the lace to the front but I will definitely do that in the future, anon!

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>sewing double hem on dress for looks
>totally spacing out
>get to end and pull dress away
>fluff dress out
>why does my hem look so off all of a sudden
>forgot to backstitch

Anons help me. I was sewing and was holding some dress pins in my mouth when all of a sudden my lips started itching, then burning. I popped some Benadryl then my eyes started burning. I'm suddenly fucking allergic to my dress pins. Has anyone ever experienced this/use a specific brand of pins that won't fuck their shit up?

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>>9318644
Pretty hardcore knitter here, I've also been trying to think of ways to incorporate knitted things into my coords because being cold suuuuucks.
I think I might try doing a lace overdress at some point, maybe with a skirt something like this one?

>>9319815
Do your dress pins contain nickel? That would explain the irritation on your lips, but I doubt nickel would cause your eyes to water. I don't imagine there are many hypoallergenic dress pins on the market, but maybe that's something you could look into?

>>9320122
I have watery eyes (rip eyeliner), I'm constantly wiping my eyes and like the moron I am, I did that after my lips started getting itchy
I'm not sure, I've had my pins for years and never had a problem. I can't even remember what brand they are.

Speaking of handmade lolita, how is sweet mildred on etsy's quality? Has anyone ordered custom patterns from her before?

>>9318420
This is long, but since it's on topic, I hope nobody minds. I made a TF-inspired bonnet to match my JetJ Robe du Mugeut dress. I didn’t want to completely copy the TF design but I did keep details like the ruffled chiffon inner brim and bow details. Mine is smaller than the TF designs because I wanted something less overwhelming and easier to balance on my head (TF bonnets are notoriously tricky at staying in place).

I used posterboard to make the pattern, basically just cut out an approximate shape and then played around with trimming it down or taping on extra bits until I got the design I wanted.

The base is two layers of heavy interfacing fused together with double-sided fusible interfacing.The silk on the back is pleated because I didn’t have enough to cover the back without piecing together several smaller scraps (they were leftovers from another project) and I wanted to conceal that join. The inner brim has a base of plain ivory cotton fused to the interfacing.

For both the back and front, I didn’t bother to work out a pattern (too much math), just took fabric that was wider & a bit taller than the bonnet base and pinned it in place until it had the look I wanted.

To help with shaping, there is millinery wire whip-stitched along the brim, then concealed under the edging trim. I also stitched a wide, flat handband under the bonnet band to make it easier to wear, although it still needs the ribbons and a few hair pins to stay in place.

Regrets: not using more chiffon (the TF bonnets look so luxurious in part because they’re SO ruffled) and not springing for wider ribbon to use for the neck ties.

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>>9320562
Dropped pic, sorry

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>>9320565
Better back detail. The velvet bird is an old Christmas tree ornament.

The most helpful book I've found on millinery is "Period Reproduction Buckram Hats". It includes several bonnet styles (none of which are really lolita, kek) but provides patterns and detailed step-by-step photos that helped me make sense of the whole hat-making process.

>>9320562
>>9320565
This looks gorgeous, anon! Thank you for sharing. It's encouraging to hear that you were successfully able to use fusible interfacing– as it's my preferred medium; buckram is a rather elusive material to source in my country. I love the little bird decoration at the back of the bonnet. You've really inspired me!

Construction question incoming.
I make a lot of really basic JSKs but I continually struggle with using shirring. I usually do four channels with elastic band, but connecting the last channel of shirring with the back of the skirt absolutely kills me. It looks okay on the outside, like someone who doesn't sew wouldn't really notice anything off, but anyone whose done an hour of sewing would immediately know something was off. How should I connect that last channel to the skirt? Does that part of the skirt have to be a completely separate panel? If I'm not making sense I'll draw a little diagram of what I'm talking about.

>>9319815
You shouldn't be holding pins in your mouth at all. It's strongly discouraged by everyone, everywhere. Its really dangerous. People have inhaled or swallowed them and that is not fun.

To address your concerns. Its possible that there is some residue on your pins from a recent project if you used something like interfacing. The lingering glue could be causing a reaction. It could also be fibers from a specific kind of fabric that you are now learning you are allergic to.

>>9319567
My mother and her brothers as kids used to sneak into the attic to look at her mum's stack of knitting patterns and laugh at the pictures until they cried. The funniest one was a huge-eared, ugly child they called "monkey-boy".

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>Do you make your own lolita items?
So far all I've finished are bows. I want to make some petticoats and bloomers, but I haven't found the time.
>Which craft do you practice? (sewing, knitting, crochet, decoden, etc)
Sewing
>Do you have a certain thing you prefer to make?
Bows apparently
>What is your opinion on others' handmade items?
I hold it to the same standard as non handmade. If it's good, awesome. If it's regretsy tier, you need to evaluate yourself.
>What are you working on at the moment?
Bows. I ordered a base felt hat that I want to decorate with fabric, flowers, and lace.

>>9321943
>shouldn't be holding pins in your mouth at all
yeah, you're right.. i'm just lazy and holding pins in my mouth was super convenient,gonna stop doing it. i didn't think of the possibility of fabric/interfacing being the issue. thanks for the suggestion!

>>9319815
never had this happen, but an alternative to pins would be plastic wonderclips. They cost a little more but I really like them for pleats and thicker fabrics

>>9320577
Another method to consider is spray adhesive; I've been using it for my recent hat projects and it works well with fabrics that don't handle iron-heat nicely (like velvet).

>>9321798
It depends a bit on your technique - are you lining the dress or just using bias tape / ribbon to make the shirring channels? I usually line my dresses, so for shirring, I would make up both the outside and lining of the dress including the skirt section, stitch them together at the top, and then make shirring channels by sewing the outside & lining fabrics together (right-sides out). I do the last shirring channel just above the waistband and insert elastic after all my channels have been sewn. Not sure if that makes sense / helps at all?

>>9319815
get a pincushion that you wear on your wrist (magnetic or otherwise)

>>9320565
That bird is just precious.

>>9322475
I make the channels like you do with the lining and exterior fabric, I feel like that's the best looking way to do it. So you attach the skirt to the bodice before adding the channels? I would take the back panel, add the channels, insert elastic then attach the back panel with the rest of the bodice, and kind of clumsily attach the bodice to the skirt. Am I doing things out of order?

>>9320562
>>9320565
>>9320569
Oh man this is wonderful! I love the pleating in the back honestly! I just really got into bonnets and I've been dying to make my own!

>>9319888
I would love a lolita-appropriate knit overdress or long cardigan/peignoir/whatever! Long knit cardigans are so nice and cozy but they always ruin the lolita silhouette. It would be a lot of work though. I'm currently working on knitting a short cardi and I'm already tired of it even though it's only half done...

For those of you who do embroidery, where do you buy your floss? I was looking online and trying to find affordable places that sell specific colours, somewhere around 50 cents per skein.

If not, I was debating buying one of those huge packs of like 150 for ~$10 off ebay.

>>9324160
I just get it at AC Moore, JoAnn's, or Michaels. Stick with good brands like DMC, Anchor, or Coats. Shitty off brand floss can bleed or be brittle. Floss in store usually costs about 45 cents a strand, so just do the math including shipping and everything. As a general tip: if you're just starting out, don't go for the glittery floss yet, it's cute but pretty difficult to work with.

>>9324114
I put everything together, including back & side panels and skirt, before I sew the exterior and lining together. Then I sew the channels, insert the elastic and sew along both sides of the back panel to hold the elastic in place. It does mean that there is top-stitching along both sides of the back panel of the bodice, but I find it easier than wrestling with attaching the bodice to the skirt when there's already elastic causing the back panel to bunch up. Hope that makes sense!

>>9324129
Sometimes jury-rigged solutions turn out for the best! You should definitely just give it a shot - they're very fun to make and because bonnets are meant to be very decorated, you can conceal any construction weirdness with flowers, bows, etc.

>>9324291
Okay, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks anon!!

>>9324291
I do it that way as well! Overall I think it's easier and just as tidy

>>9324256
Thanks for the detailed reply anon <3 I'm in Canada so no Joann's, but we do have Michaels.

To be perfectly honest, I'm only asking for floss right now to make friendship bracelets for some friends (hurr hurr how quaint) but I was thinking I might as well use the opportunity to make some nice floral cameos or something. I used to do embroidery as a kid and thought it'd be fun to do small projects like that.

How the hell do I get interfacing to stay in place and not get all messed after a few washes? It's driving me fuckin bonkers

>>9322170
I used to do it all the time too. It's a really hard habit to break.

Sorry for a stupid question, but where can I buy the otome no sewing books?

>>9325919
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=otome+no+sewing
by literally googling it, anon.

>>9325919
CDJapan has a few for somewhat cheap too

>>9325919
There's a girl selling it on Lace Market too.Have you seen anything interesting on it?

>>9306458
>http://mylolitahandmade.tumblr.com/
Every time i see this girl mentioned on a handmade thread I die a little inside. She's just so bad, the materials she uses are horrible and most of "her designs" look way too much like other existing designs (mostly IW and Baby).

>>9326320
It could be a lot worse. It's not like she's trying to sell her stuff and push it on people. She just makes it for herself and shares her progress, and she's gotten better over time, like anyone else.

>>9326320
I don't find them as bad as people tend to say. They look plain, normal dresses, and I guess she's not trying to sell it or whatever. She was a nice inspo for me when I first started sewing. It's nice to see that it's possible to wear handmade with no shame.

>>9326451
I don't understand where this idea about handmade being shameful even comes from. I've never gotten that impression myself, except in cases where something is really badly made or ugly. The first meetup I attended I wore a handmade dress (which, in hindsight, was actually pretty ita) and I got nothing but compliments. I'm still not very good but it's like people fall over themselves to tell me how impressed they are that I can sew at all. The only time I've seen people talk about any supposed shame attached to handmade is when a girl in a badly made handmade dress/skirt/blouse/whatever gets concrit (or even just not as many compliments as expected) and she declares that everyone must hate her because they're brandwhores and she doesn't have brand. It's just an excuse to make up for lack of taste and skill.

So I wonder, do newbies who are just getting into the fashion really get this impression of handmade vs. brand? Do bitter itas really have such a big influence on how people view us as a community?

>>9326320
Bad?
I don't think her stuff looks bad at all.
She uses nice fabric and the cuts are nice.
The bodices look a bit simple but that works with styles she wears.
She clearly gets her inspiration from several brands but I don't see how that's a bad thing.
At least her stuff doest look like ita bedsheet stuff I see too often.

>>9318645
VooDooDolly is goals

>Do you make your own lolita items?
Yes
>Which craft do you practice? (sewing, knitting, crochet, decoden, etc)
Jewelry (beading, laser cutting, etc)
>Do you have a certain thing you prefer to make?
I like to do things that incorporate laser cut pieces because it feels more 'original'
>What is your opinion on others' handmade items?
I mostly like them! I only dislike when people who do low quality work try to sell them. I love how much DIY is prevalent in lolita.
>What are you working on at the moment?
A capelet and an overskirt - It's not going well I'm bad at sewing ._.

Also all you looking for millinery people go check out Cloudberry Lady

>>9326483

nayrt, I think it's nice to be able to see something that isn't perfect or professionally made by an experienced seamstress, but still looks decent and not like complete shit. It sort of makes handmade lolita look more like an easy, achieveable attainment, instead of something you need to spend years and years on before you even make your first dress.

Myself, I mainly appreciate that she's posting consistent handmade lolita to her tumblr. So many people make like three dresses and then stop entirely, I just want to see other people's handmade lolita (that isn't on facebook).

>>9326654
It's just weird to me how they say, for example, a good work like the first hat picture in this thread is considered to have bad materials, but they praise the mylolitahandmade.tumblr.com/ girl and say her stuff is of quality. It just baffles me since just from the ribbon and the lace used you can see theres a big gap between them. I am just at a loss to understand what people in this handmade threads consider good handmade and what's not good handmade.

>>9326874
consider the following: cgl is made of different people with differing standards.

>>9326483
>So I wonder, do newbies who are just getting into the fashion really get this impression of handmade vs. brand?

I feel like it's just a sort of boogeyman thing that gets blown out proportion. Newbie guides try to warn you that you want to avoid shitty sellers, and find something nice etc. and that brand is obviously better. So I feel like some girls either get super paranoid about not wearing brand or do a total 180 and go "omg I'm so rebellious screw brand!!! look at me in my not brand things!!!" and act super defensive and label anyone who doesn't fawn over them and a brand whore.

The general vibe I get is that good quality handmade is appreciated online (even by seagulls) and lolitas are often impressed in person even more. I think there was one thread where people were being particularly nitpicky and basically saying that if you can't sew at a professional level you shouldn't make lolita pieces at all because anything below brand quality will embarrass you. I found it kinda weird since that was the first time I saw comments that harsh, and doesn't seem to be the majority opinion.

>>9326654
>nayrt, I think it's nice to be able to see something that isn't perfect or professionally made by an experienced seamstress, but still looks decent and not like complete shit.
I feel this way too. I think it's ok to have just decent dresses. Maybe your pintucks weren't even to within millimeters of each other, but your stitching is straight and your hems aren't puckering and you can keep learning and getting better.

>>9326874
>I am just at a loss to understand what people in this handmade threads consider good handmade and what's not good handmade.
A lot of that IMO comes down to the expertise and taste of the posters too so there really isn't a straight answer...I think some things we can totally agree on (like shitty fabrics and obviously crooked hems and ill-fitting, loose bodices) but the rest might be in a grey area.

>>9326874
Probably not the same people, I guess.

There are some tumblrs I like to follow that usually post handmade progress shots and tips. Most of them are not veteran seamstresses, but nevertheless...

Does anyone know any nice tumblrs besides these?

http://mylolitahandmade.tumblr.com/
http://konekoanni.tumblr.com/
http://vanilladrops.tumblr.com/
http://jenrenfieldhandmade.tumblr.com/
http://welcome-to-my-dollhouse.tumblr.com/
http://sanakanin.tumblr.com/

>>9326483
I think it has a lot to do with poor lolitas being associated with handmade and they have a pretty shitty reputation from all the morons who whine about how expensive lolita is. That combined with newbies making Yumi King dresses doesn't help. It's the disastrous handmade dresses that stick in people's minds rather than the great ones or average ones.

Has anyone ordered from Lace Heaven before? Are they reliable? And does anyone have any recommendations for sites that carry decent lace for decent prices (preferably not Taobao or wholesale)

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>>9326894
>Omg I'm so rebellious screw brand!
I see this a lot, new girls thinking expensive clothes are snobby but still want the look. Also a lot of these newbies are underaged and or don't work and for most people their parents aren't willing to buy expensive weird clothes. Or just vastly underestimating the skill and materials required to make something look good and end up using cheap stuff. I know I did when I started...
>Yeah I can sew okay, it'll be much cheaper
>Hang on this nice fabric is 20 bucks a yard

>>9320253
Could have been something like a chemical on the fabric that transferred on to the pins.

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>>9327355
That or it's those people who always get into hobbies half-assed and waste money on cheap shit while talking up how great their hobby is. Some people never learn how to recognize quality and it scares me.

Not sure if it has been mentioned here before, but I found a VK account with several full scans of Otome no Sewing, GosuRori, GLB,and Japanese knitting books.
>4chan won't let me post the link, so go to vk dot com forward slash albums hyphen 36779752

>>9327686
Thanks for sharing this anon!

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Sorry is this is a stupid question, but what does the O and slash represent in the pattern measurements for the bodice?
I thought it might be a common measurement, but I can't seem to find where the measurement is.

>>9327686
>vk dot com forward slash albums hyphen 36779752
you are an angel. thank you

>>9327686
Bless you anon, I pray you find a killer fabric sale soon

>>9328330
It seems to be just the back measurement and front measurement considering you'd have the paper pattern for those. I'm guessing they didn't have space to list all four.

>>9328330
>>9328548
What book is that? I might be able to help you find it if I knew which one you were looking at.

>>9328550
It's the long Metamorphose JSK in GosuRori 3

How do you all do gathering? Everytime I do it, it looks like shit. There's so much fabric it bunches up at the waist. I'm sick of doing box pleats all the time, how do I achieve the cute delicate ruffles?

>>9329637
Maybe you can try a ruffle foot?

>>9329637
3 rows of gathering stitch instead of 2 gives a much nicer look.

>>9329674
I bought one and it didn't work well at all. It would miss ruffles and once in awhile it cut my fabric.

>>9329677
What do you mean by that?

>>9329692
How do you normally gather for ruffles anon? Not that anon, but they are referring to the running stitch you pull to form gathers.
Also it sounds like you bought a cheap one or were using it on too thin of fabric. Otherwise I can't imagine why it would slice your fabric.

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>>9327686
im about to cry omg thank you so so so much

>>9329757
The ruffle foot I bought was by Simplicity, I've never used ruffle foots so I thought that would be alright. I was using pretty thin fabric when I tested it but when I used thicker fabric that's when it started skipping ruffles. Do you have a recommendation on a ruffle foot?

I've tried the zigzag stitch with cord in the middle, I've tried the normal pulling one thread to gather, and I've done the high tension/long stitch method. It never looks right to me and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. It either looks uneven as all hell, it's wrinkly looking rather than fluffy [if that makes literally any sense], and if I do the 'pull a string' way the ruffles immediately slide out of place. I feel like I'm cursed.

>>9329810
Are you sure you had it set up correctly? Was it actually set to skip or was it attempting to ruffle, but the fabric slipped?

So anon was referring to pulling one thread, but do this three times versus two. But it sounds like you were just doing one. But you also have to adjust the ruffling and sew them in place to prevent them from sliding around.

>>9330077
Pretty sure, I found a video online showing how to set it up and watched them in use. What would happen is the lever would go to tuck the fabric in, but the fabric wouldn't catch and the ruffles would end up uneven.. some would be tucked in well, totally skipped. and everything in between. It looked awful, it was so gappy.

Yes, I would only use one stitch but thinking now it would make a lot more sense to do two/three lines of stitching. Sorry that I'm such a newb, just never really bothered with gathering after getting the hang of pleating.

>>9330092
Hm, I would guess the specific ruffle foot you got is the problem then. I had to try two before I got mine to not cause issues with my machine.

But glad to help, good luck with your gathers anon.

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>>9330100

>>9319239
>underrated file name

Thank you for the kek's anon.

>>9330092
My rufflefoot does this too sometimes a few reasons it might be happening.

1)This is a really simple and stupid mistake but i made it a bunch when i first got my ruffle foot, make sure the presser foot is actually down when you are sewing. The bulk of the ruffler attachment would confuse my brain and i would forget to put the presser food down. Skipped tucks and stitches was usually the result.

2) play around with the stitch length and tension. Sometimes the tension just isnt good enough or too high.

3)Check your needle, you may have to replace it, skipped stitches are usually a sign of a dulled needle or one that lost a bit of it's point. This usually happens when you are testing a new bit and the needle isn't fully situated or gets pulled when you are pulling the fabric through.

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>>9319888
>>9324149
>>9318644
Just checking, you guys are aware of Baby's "Heart Openwork Knit Onepiece" (actually a JSK), right? It's beautiful in person. Links:
http://lolibrary.org/apparel/heart-openwork-knit-jsk
http://blog.livedoor.jp/baby_mito/archives/50876599.html

I've been trying to find a video of someone putting an ONS dress together, there was one I had found awhile back but its seemingly been deleted. A girl was making a nice JSK from ONS, i believe, with a Hello Kitty print, but I can't find it anywhere. Any suggestions where I might find something like that? Not necessarily an in depth tutorial, just like a 'this is how i made this dress' kinda dealio.

I found Attitude Lolita on yt and I liked her diys, wish she would upload more.

>>9330616

Is this really knittable? I had the OP and the thing looked machine-knit to me, the threads were kinda small and tiny (made the dress really thin and comfy though).

Totally not a knitter, but I'd take it up if I could knit dresses like this. Most instructions I've found seem to result in really chunky dresses.

>>9333732
Just use smaller needles anon. Or acquire a knitting machine... But really though, it'd take quite a bit of time for something knit that tiny unless you did have a machine. I tend to go for smaller items like gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, etc. to make.

>>9333732
Oh yeah, it's definitely machine knit! I'm not a knitter myself, so I didn't think of that. But I think a slightly chunkier dress like >>9319888 would be pretty cute too.

Figure this might be the best place to ask. Has anyone tried using color lifter/remover on a cotton brand dress? I know that stuff works no problem on home dyes but was wondering if it had an effect on commercial dyes.

>>9333732
It's definitely possible to make something delicate by hand-knitting if you use thin needles and fine yarn, but like >>9334095 said it would end up taking a very long time.

>>9330616
Oh, I love this! The garter stitch scallops on the ruffles are really nice. It would take an eternity to knit by hand though, haha.

>>9319888
What if you tried knitting your oen lace and sewing it on a dress?

>>9335654
crochet is better for lace

>>9335678
I think crochet lace look tacky most of the time. It gives granny-fibe

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>>9335766
Practically all lace on brand knitwear is crocheted. Do you really think this looks tacky?

>>9335845
Brand or not, that looks tacky, but it's just my preference

>>9335766
I agree, I like thinner laces. Crochet looks chunky to me.

>>9319155
Yeah, I've been finding the same kind of cost+time prohibitive issue of knitting vs buying.

I'm doing it as a time filler now mostly, but damn is it ever telling when I see a $10 sweater at H&M that would cost me at least twice that in yarn. I think I'm just gonna go to Goodwill and buy any shit thing with nice yarn and just unravel it for supplies from now on.

Aliexpress is good for bulk buying when they're having sales too. I bought 1kg of wool yarn for $20 during their 11/11 sale, which was great; I wish I had more to spend at that time.

>>9335766
>>9336339
Knit lace is just as chunky as crochet lace, it depends on what yarn and what size needle/hook you use. Do you people even know anything about knitting or crochet?

>>9336908
U mad sis?

Knitted laces tend to be thinner than crochet ones when done with same yarns. Like >>9335845 the lace looks heavy and unfitful for otherwise thin knit. It would look better with lighter lace.

Also there are other ways to produce laces that look way better, why just stay in knitting and crochet?

>>9334095
>>9334876

Thanks for the clarifications. I guess I'll put them on the back burner then. I might do something small with lace-weight yarn and see how it goes before I attempt a dress.

>>9334664
I appreciated seeing it, I think the knitters/crocheters always appreciate when the handmade thread heads in their direction once in a while instead of always being about sewing.

>>9336375
I tried unraveling an existing sweater to cannibalise the yarn, but it ended up being too twisty and the knitting looked wonky because of that. If I try that again I'll need to figure out a way to straighten out the yarn after unraveling, preferably without having to run it through a spinning wheel again or something!
Do you have any recommendations for yarn stores on AE? The one time I bought wool yarn off AE it stank of some chemical and the stench wouldn't go away no matter what I did. I eventually tossed it in a drawer and when I took it out almost two years later that eye-watering smell hadn't faded at all. When I asked around, people just said that all wool from China is treated with toxic chemicals to protect with from insects and there's nothing I could do about it, so that wasn't very helpful.
Thrift stores are great, though. I've found several bags of perfectly nice unused yarn (and embroidery floss!) at thrift stores for like €1 per bag. I just try not to think about the poor granny whose stash was probably donated by her grandchildren after her death...

>>9337081
>why just stay in knitting and crochet
I guess because anons were responding to >>9335654. Sometimes people like to do stuff that involves their favourite craft even if it's not the most popular or efficient way to do something. I mean, why make anything at all when you can just buy it? Because we enjoy the crafting process as well in addition to the result. In this case that crafting process is knitting.

>>9337132
Regarding your twisty wool, you could try winding it into a hank and then washing it and hanging out to dry. Washing and blocking your finished object would probably help release some of that tension too.

Where do you guys get quality lace and ribbons? Big box stores have shitty lace and my local shops are only for quilting

>>9339343
Taobao

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Since we're in knitting, has anyone knitted socks for lolita? I think they would fit well with winter theme

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So this girl has a brand now. She seriously needs someone else to model, because the dress has some potential but just not on her..

I wish someone would just tell her that as business advice.

>>9341239
Does she cater to the extremely morbidly obese? If so, it makes sense to model her dresses herself. She can use a prettier model but then it won't accurately represent what her clothes will look like on her customers.

>>9341244
afaik that is a part of her mission statement, but that she does sizing from XS-6XL. I've never seen a piece of hers modeled by anyone but herself though.

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>>9341239
She displays her dresses on average sized mannequins as well,

>>9341273
That's definitely better, but she totally puts that photo of herself on the front page of her brand's website. If you are going to cater to plus size why not at least get a pretty plus size model?

It's egotistical and repels people from looking further.

>>9341273
Girl needs a better drawn icon/logo. It looks amateur.

>>9341282
Playing Devil's Advocate,
I think a big part of her brand is to be body positive and inclusive for lolita fashion, which I personally don't have an issue with, and if she were to be modeling her clothing on a traditionally attractive model her clientele may feel offended. And it makes sense in a way that she's using herself as a model if she makes all the dresses first as a personal dress and then picks which ones she wants to replicate as a sale dress.

From a business perspective she should definitely have another model.

>>9341239
I guess that for people that are plus sized this kind of photo is reassuring. As a pettit sized, I kinda wish she had more pics of The dress on small bodies. But then again, I guess that's how plus sized feel all the time.

She should get better photos, though. A Nice photoshoot with a full coord might help.

>>9341304
Good models and good photographers are hard to get on a budget. I'm lucky I'm an okay enough photog and my models will accept payment in accessories

>>9341239
I think it would be helpful for her to have at least one other model of a smaller size so that people have a better idea of how it fits if they aren't as large.

>>9341294
Every time I see it I think it's like a bulb of garlic before I realize it's supposed to be whipped cream.

>>9341413
Agreed, I really like her dresses but I don't think I've ever seen one one someone who is thin. Has anyone here purchased one of her dresses?
>>9341422
>til her icon isn't a cute onion

>>9341239
I really wanted to like this print but it just looks so flat and poorly done. Loved the concept of it. Kind of art nouveau IMO.

>>9341422
This too, I want to like her things but her art isn't really up to par.

>>9341273
The construction doesn't look so bad (then again, its just a simple plain jsk) but the print is terrible, and the lace is ugly. Has anyone brought it for $195?

>>9341488
I like the print, it's very toned down and simple, but I agree about the lace. That's something I consistently dislike about her dresses it how thick and awkward her lace can look.

>>9339502
I was just thinking the same thing, anon! Although I would probably use sock weight instead of the thicker yarn in your picture. untricate cables would be a great and subtle way to dress up some OTKs,

If I wanted to recreate an old school style dress, what fabric would be best to use to mimic the look and feel of real old school?

>>9341724

Cotton Twill. They come in varying quality, though. Try to find the nicer middleweight ones, not as flimsy or as thin as broadcloth, but not as heavy as upholstery either.

Does anyone else find it surprisingly difficult to find lace in their local fabric shops? Everything I find is big rolls of bridal lace, I can't even find BAD lace anywhere in the city.

>>9342023
Have you searched other than fabric shops? I live in a small city and the fabric shops have very bad laces. I have found at least 4 other places which sells good ones, one of them is vintage-decoration shop. Also craft shops sometimes have good selections and yarn shops might have some too, so explore your city

>>9342023
Yup. Local fabric/notion shops only have the same 5 kinds of shitty lace at stupidly high prices, so I always buy online from AliExpress, Etsy, Taobao etc. Makes it harder to match colors but it's either that or irredeemably shitty plastic lace.

Not exactly lolita, more like China-kei, but to make bun covers, it would just be like a circle but cinched at the edges, right? I can't seem to find any I like (all shiny satin and shitty lace) "Bun cover pattern" is only yielding crochet and knitting patterns
>>9344482
What taobao shops do you use? Would love to toss some lace into my next order

>>9345183
https://laces.world.taobao.com/ is one that's recommended often.

The embroidered net lace from here is super soft and detailed, and basically the exact same stuff brands put on their dresses. Plus, you get it for pennies, esp. compared to the scratchy raschel shit they charge $5/m at Fabricland/Joanns.

Just be careful when ordering, since it's fairly cheap you'll be tempted to order meters and meters of it but lace can get surprisingly heavy, lol.

For anyone who can drive to San Francisco; check out Britex Fabrics (https://www.britexfabrics.com/). It's a four-story fabric shop that has a lace department with a lace expert manning the section. They sell a super-wide range of lace trims and have a ton of medium-small size vintage lace pieces going back to the 1950's and earlier.

>>9345429
Holy shit anon this shop is a goldmine. I'm just getting back into crafting/sewing after a few years and need to replensish my stocks. Thank you for sharing!

>>9341239
Okay but how is she able to actually make things? When I sew, things roll over the table and fall and I drop shit on the floor all the time. How does she picks things up when they fall? How much time does it takes? Does she have like a magnet to reach for metal tools? I don't understand.

>>9310973
Not that anon but if you can find silk based flowers they tend to do better in the long run but they are very expensive. But some people luck out on finding a nice supplier.

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Any patterns or suggestions for sewing this kind of sleeve with a sheer fabric? I think I've worked out how it attaches to the bodice but I'm not completely sure.

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>>9302880
Does anyone here have some really solid tutorials or walkthroughs for pintucks? They're obviously fairly simple, but I'm having a kind of strange issue. I've been practicing sewing up blouses with some cheap fabric, and I added pintucks to the upper part- When laid out flat they're totally straight, but when I put the blouse on, they rest at a kind of 'diagonal' angle, so to speak? I've got a fairly large bust so that's obviously throwing the proportions off, but i'm not sure how to go about adjusting them to have them sit straight when I'm actually wearing the blouse.
I was thinking maybe I've simply placed them too far out in proportion to where the middle of the blouse is? I really don't know ;A; I've attached a drawing for reference.
>please end my suffering

>>9347611
There's a pattern for this in Otome no sewing 9 I think

>>9347630
That's probably just a visual effect created by the fact that your bust is 3D, not flat like the pattern. You can minimise it by placing the pintucks closer to the middle row of buttons so even if your bust projects forward, the top and bottom of the pintuck stick out equally far. I hope that makes sense (I'm ESL)

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>>9347630
I have AA-titties and still happens to me. It's just visual like >>9347727 said

>>9347763
I don't think it's possible to avoid it if you have a large bust. Binding it is probably not good for your health either.

If you really want them to be straight you could try making fake pintucks, like, sewing the stripes over the shirt in the right direction. So you could first wear it and then pin the pintucks over it to see how it should be sew to be straight.

Anyway, not being straight isn't ugly. It's pretty normal, actually.

btw, nice blouse!

Is it okay to use Western patterns? I've seen a bunch on Burda that looked really close to some of the JSKs I was looking at. Obviously I would jazz these up a bit using appropriate fabrics/ embellishment. I find these patterns are more accurate to my measurements, and obviously easier to read since they're in English.

>>9349116
Sure it is. Remember that Lolita is inspired by western clothing before all. Just make sure it fits you well and has all the prerequisites for being called Lolita

>>9349116
There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but it's important to have a very firm grasp on lolita first because simply sewing lace onto the bodice of a plain Burda sundress pattern doesn't turn it into a lolita dress. Western patterns practically never have enough volume for the skirt (at least 3x your waist!) and the bodices tend to be more low cut, for example. Sometimes it looks fine until you try to use something made with a Western pattern in a full coord, and only then when it's too late do you realize the proportions are off, so be careful. If you want, you can post the patterns you're considering here and anons can help you figure out what parts of them need tweaking.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but when I was starting out with sewing lolita I wasted a LOT of time and materials on Western patterns that I thought could be easily "lolified" and now I'm stuck with a bunch of frumpy unflattering sundresses with ribbons tacked on.

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>>9349116

I just noticed that McCalls put out a lolita pattern that might help

Has anyone used it yet?
It comes with the whole thing: dress, shirt, over skirt, and bow.

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>>9349931

>>9349238
3x your waist is old school poof. Should be at least 250cm or 3x hip these days, whatever looks right proportion wise.

This doesn't really look promising, whatever is happening in >>9349931 looks pretty retarded desu.

The blouse in >>9349933 actually looks decent, but I'd suggest rounding the collars for sweet lolita, and smaller collars for classic and gothic.

>>9349931
>>9349933
It's not the worst, but it's not good either. The JSK bodice is too low cut and shaped like a half-shirred tube with shitty thin straps, and much less versatile (or flattering) than you might expect. If you really want a shirred tube bodice, it’s much easier to dig up some Gosurori or OnS scans and size those patterns up because it’s almost all rectangles. Better to find a solidly constructed modest bodice pattern with princess seams and a zipper and use that as a base. You don’t need a pattern for a tiered rectangle skirt anyway.
The blouse looks promising at first until you realize it's just a basic office blouse with pointed collar, added pintucks, some lace and minimal other decorative elements. It's also way too long and boxy to wear over a skirt so prepare to always wear it under a JSK or stuffed into a skirt, which kinda negates the lacing in the back.
The overskirt has boning which is a pleasant surprise, but otherwise it looks like a large rectangle sewn to a smaller rectangle with some ribbon lacing keeping it together. If you feel like you need a pattern for a boned waistband then this is probably as good as anything, but be prepared to add more fabric to the skirt so it doesn’t end up looking like an apron rather than an overskirt.

IMO the only part of this set that’s worth it is the blouse, and then only if you’re prepared to alter the pointed collar into a rounded peter pan one (srsly McCall’s you had one job), possibly shorten it and add a ruffle, and don’t mind having only one option for the sleeves.

For $15.95 I’d rather just buy a volume of Otome no Sewing with a picture tutorial. If you’re not plus sized there are much better options out there. If you are plus sized.... meh. It's still not that great.

>>9350015
I agree, that's why I said at least. Western patterns often have 2.5x waist at most, and it's important to be aware of that before you end up making something that doesn’t even fit a petticoat.

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Hey gulls, just need a quick opinion- I'm currently reconstructing this cardigan. I'll be doing a lettuce hem on all the ruffles (once they're added), and I want to know if I should just match the base colour or perhaps go for something different? I was considering gold or possibly a dusty pink to match the embroidered flowers.
(Sorry about the dodgy picture, I adjusted the colours to make the brown closer to irl as the pic was really dark)

>>9350846
Personally, I'd go for base colour. I guess the embroidery makes it busy enough.

>>9350921
yeah you're right, better to keep things simple. Thanks!

Alright, crazy question, but has anyone tried making their owns shoes before?

>>9351965
I'd say to just stick in modifying and buying. If you want to make good shoes from scratch you'll need some spesific equipment and getting good fit will be hard if you don't know what you're doing

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Found someone describing how to scale the otome no sewing patterns up (or down).

http://jessiedressesup.blogspot.my/2015/11/otome-no-sewing-sizing-up.html