<< WOW ! !! I use a regular machine and it takes me a whillllllllle to finish a beautiful garment of this nature. The gown can be constructed using less expensive but good quality fabric. It would take that long to just lay and cut the pattern (or least for me) but then I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and take frequent breaks but still if I worked straight through it would take much longer than 2 hours. That is fantastic sewing. I love to sew the Ren garb but I also provide garments for today's fashion depending on the customer.>>
I have RA too and this weekend overdid the sewing a bit too much to help out a dance school. I took about 8 200mg Ibuprofen a day as well as up to 4mg prednisone (usually only on one) on top of my regular medication (including 1000mg of Naprosen)* and am still in terrific pain. The sewing trggered a massive inflamatory response (from toes to jaw with extra pain in those areas overused.) Anyway, just saying it's not just an added burden for time but for time taken to recover. That said I learnt I have indeed sped up and could be fast enough for industry standards, but couldn't keep that speed up for more than a day even with all the above precautions. European prices do tend more to the expensive but I understand that is as much to do with relative prices of materials as it does to regular living costs as well? I know various people on this list have been horrified by the prices of materials over there. My own garb will take weeks to do especially as I do so much handsewing. If it's for myself I can sew at a rate that ensures it's well done but also isn't overdoing it for my body. I will machine structual seams as I find handsewing heartbreaking to undo if I need to take material in or let it out. But then will put in linings by hand and finish hems etc that way. I have found putting in a seperate lining helps ease the hand sewing burden and am about to experiment the order I do the construction of my bodices in to see if I can reduce it even more. Michaela de Bruce http://glittersweet.com (my latest costume, Catwoman from Batman Returns only took a couple of weeks from buying material to final sewing. but again if I was healthier would have taken much less time.) * http://www.arthritis.co.za/ra.html Please read that if you have no idea about RA or even if you htink you know what arthritis is. _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
