Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
The home fabric deptarment IS very nice, esp for the heavier winter fabrics. I bought a load of stuff this past weekend, some which I need and some not now, but could definitely picture using for other projects later. That's how fabric shopping works! Those who don't do it, just don't get it and always wonder why we buy stuff we aren't using right now. Because! That's why!! You will never find a great deal on the same thing twice, ever. Atleast I've never had it happen. When you see something you love and you have the means to acquire it TAKE IT or else leave it and forget about since chances are it won't be there when you realize you should have gotten it. Take for example, Joann fabrics. I love their selection but boy does it hurt to use them as a main source of material for any project cause the bill is way too high. Last spring I went there to buy really elegant trims and just regular old cotton to make 1860's undies. A project that is still in the bag, literally. All i bought were a few yards of eyelet tape, lace beading, etc... my bill was $56! Now, most of the stuff I went there for and even turned down because it was too costly is now in the clearance bin for 97 cents a yard (I just learned there is no symbol on a computer keyboard for cents lol) so I bought a bunch of stuff, not needing it at this moment but well worth having. So, I haven't touched my bustle project in a couple days because I started back to class this morning and I was more or less occupied with preparing for that and for gathering materials. I spent $57 Friday night buying stuff, most of which is the aforesaid don't need right now stuff, another $81 (with my student discount) first thing Sat morning when i went back for the fabric I didn't know if there would be enough of left on the roll to use for the project, and $37 at Joann's Sat afternoon when i went back out to look for some other stuff. This is why i don't use my fabric more often, because it always involves spending so much more on notions and such. Do any other bustlers out there, or any period costumers for that matter, find that it REALLY costs alot to buy what is needed for doing these projects? Maybe I am just too picky with my fabrics and trims and spend more than i technically have to. Either way, this dress is not going to be ANYTHING like the original colour scheme I initially planned for it, and mainly because as usual there just wasn't any fabirc like what I wanted available. What complicated things, is that the dress calls for a plastron, bodice back, and trimming all made from the dress fabric but embroidered, or a really nice contrasting fabric. It won't work without having the strips of material for trimming, because they are used to hold the back parts of the polonaise together with buckles. I foresee in the near future, spending alot of money to have them embroidered by my friend around the corner with the much needed embroiderer. Pity I don't have that king of all computerized home embroidering machines at a beautiful ...$6k...(oy) now. When i went to Joann's my goal was to find some sort of contrasting but harmonizing wide tape trim or ribbon to use instead. Had I found some, that would have left me up the creek without a paddle for the plastron and bodice back so i think embroidery like originally used, even real fast sparse embroidered motifs, are best. Ok that was more info than I probably needed to share with the list, and in response to developing an eye for period correct fabrics, I guess it depends also on the person and their goal, as the expectations for period correctness vary alot. Some costumers are strictly by the book, aiming to acheive the most authentic museum quality reproductions, even if that means sacrificing overall attractiveness for using instead of frilly inaccurate materials what's left of the drab but period correct fabrics available today for the modern costumer, and some use fabrics I don't even want to talk about. I',m somewhere in between, I try to be correct to the point where my pieces really capture the feel of that period in colour combos, textures, weight, etc... and i worry much less about things like fabric content because where I shop, that's not even really possible to find out. I try to keep it within the realm of fibers used, if the print or weave is special I dont worry about it because the pieces are for me to enjoy only and foremost is how attractive they are without looking silly or entirely out of context. What are some good resources by the way, for researching period fabrics/fiber contents, dyes, weaves, prints, etc? I know elastic was available in the 1870s now, so i am going to use it as prescribed. -Justine. -Original Message- From: Maggie maggi...@gmail.com To: Historical Costume h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Sun, Aug 30, 2009 11:56 am Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier Get on MJ's mailing list
Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
Get on MJ's mailing list. They frequently have very good sales. And yes, the home dec department at any fabric store is frequently the place to find the right fabric. Just be sure to train your eye for what period brocade or tapestry patterns look like for the period you're working in. I hate seeing Elizabethans done up in Edwardian cabbage roses, just for example. MaggiRos Maggie Secara ~A Compendium of Common Knowledge 1558-1603 Available at your favorite online bookseller See our gallery at http://www.zazzle.com/popinjaypress On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 10:15 AM, ladybeanofbun...@aol.com wrote: Good afternoon! Here is an update, so far so good (holding breath) using the grid method is working well. I went with that initial idea to translate each of the 1/4 inch squares from the paper where I traced the 1/8 scale pieces in the book onto and into a block of 4 of the 1 squares on my drafting board instead of square by square as did with the 1/4 pieces. They look good, they look like they are nearly my size, maybe a little long... which is the easiest alteration to make! Now today once I finished redrawing the the back skirt piece (big) and the polonaise side piece I can get an idea of how much fabric I'll need, but will then be able to first make a mock up and really see how everything will fit. I've been making absolute use of my library on this project so I know what will really work on this dress. We have a few places I like to hit for fabric hunting but it's hit or miss and usually I only find great that stuff that I am not looking for, and never what I need. Where is a good place to find trimmings and fabrics for period costuming? MJ Trim (I think that's what it's called) out of NY has a lovely selection, if one can afford their prices. I could be wrong but it seems like some of the prettiest fabrics for period looking ensembles are decorator/home fabrics! They just have that oomph with colouring and pattern that most modern dress fabric lack. In the future I might try using the photocopier technique however. I already made the effort with the grid and have the roll of plain paper. Take care and happy Saturday! It's my last two days of freedom before classes start again :( -Justine. -Original Message- From: bphal...@aol.com To: h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 10:58 pm Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier Also some copy places, Office Depot is one, have what are called blueprint printers that can enlarge pieces up to 36 inches wide.? The trick is to know what percentage to tell the copy operator.? The advantage of this is that you are not taping many letter sized sheets of paper together for a pattern. Britta/Vasilisa -Original Message- From: Viv Watkins viv.watk...@virgin.net To: Historical Costume h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 2:34 am Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier My other goal for today that didn't happen was to try just the photocopying method. Is there any particular number of times that anyone knows of that I should enlarge each scaled down peice? If the pieces are 1/4 scale, would that mean I'd enlarge them 75%? Oy, math definitely isn't my cup of tea, I'm just wishing now the author was more clear on how to scale up. It sort of leaves no purpose to have patterns if one has to pretty much redraw each peice!?? ? I have used a photocopier to enlarge lettering for a banner but not for pattern pieces. Unfortunately you can't just enlarge, say one inch to four inches, by using 400% - the photocopier enlarges by area not length. I just experimented until I got the right size - most photocopiers let you set a 'custom' %. You will probably have to enlarge your first size and then enlarge your enlargements! You just need time and to be ready for 'millions' of sheets of paper. But once you have it worked out you can get your pieces and sellotape them together!? ? Good luck? Viv ? ___? h-costume mailing list? h-cost...@mail.indra.com? http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume? ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
Good afternoon! Here is an update, so far so good (holding breath) using the grid method is working well. I went with that initial idea to translate each of the 1/4 inch squares from the paper where I traced the 1/8 scale pieces in the book onto and into a block of 4 of the 1 squares on my drafting board instead of square by square as did with the 1/4 pieces. They look good, they look like they are nearly my size, maybe a little long... which is the easiest alteration to make! Now today once I finished redrawing the the back skirt piece (big) and the polonaise side piece I can get an idea of how much fabric I'll need, but will then be able to first make a mock up and really see how everything will fit. I've been making absolute use of my library on this project so I know what will really work on this dress. We have a few places I like to hit for fabric hunting but it's hit or miss and usually I only find great that stuff that I am not looking for, and never what I need. Where is a good place to find trimmings and fabrics for period costuming? MJ Trim (I think that's what it's called) out of NY has a lovely selection, if one can afford their prices. I could be wrong but it seems like some of the prettiest fabrics for period looking ensembles are decorator/home fabrics! They just have that oomph with colouring and pattern that most modern dress fabric lack. In the future I might try using the photocopier technique however. I already made the effort with the grid and have the roll of plain paper. Take care and happy Saturday! It's my last two days of freedom before classes start again :( -Justine. -Original Message- From: bphal...@aol.com To: h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 10:58 pm Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier Also some copy places, Office Depot is one, have what are called blueprint printers that can enlarge pieces up to 36 inches wide.? The trick is to know what percentage to tell the copy operator.? The advantage of this is that you are not taping many letter sized sheets of paper together for a pattern. Britta/Vasilisa -Original Message- From: Viv Watkins viv.watk...@virgin.net To: Historical Costume h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 2:34 am Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier My other goal for today that didn't happen was to try just the photocopying method. Is there any particular number of times that anyone knows of that I should enlarge each scaled down peice? If the pieces are 1/4 scale, would that mean I'd enlarge them 75%? Oy, math definitely isn't my cup of tea, I'm just wishing now the author was more clear on how to scale up. It sort of leaves no purpose to have patterns if one has to pretty much redraw each peice!?? ? I have used a photocopier to enlarge lettering for a banner but not for pattern pieces. Unfortunately you can't just enlarge, say one inch to four inches, by using 400% - the photocopier enlarges by area not length. I just experimented until I got the right size - most photocopiers let you set a 'custom' %. You will probably have to enlarge your first size and then enlarge your enlargements! You just need time and to be ready for 'millions' of sheets of paper. But once you have it worked out you can get your pieces and sellotape them together!? ? Good luck? Viv ? ___? h-costume mailing list? h-cost...@mail.indra.com? http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume? ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
My other goal for today that didn't happen was to try just the photocopying method. Is there any particular number of times that anyone knows of that I should enlarge each scaled down peice? If the pieces are 1/4 scale, would that mean I'd enlarge them 75%? Oy, math definitely isn't my cup of tea, I'm just wishing now the author was more clear on how to scale up. It sort of leaves no purpose to have patterns if one has to pretty much redraw each peice!? I have used a photocopier to enlarge lettering for a banner but not for pattern pieces. Unfortunately you can't just enlarge, say one inch to four inches, by using 400% - the photocopier enlarges by area not length. I just experimented until I got the right size - most photocopiers let you set a 'custom' %. You will probably have to enlarge your first size and then enlarge your enlargements! You just need time and to be ready for 'millions' of sheets of paper. But once you have it worked out you can get your pieces and sellotape them together! Good luck Viv ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
Also some copy places, Office Depot is one, have what are called blueprint printers that can enlarge pieces up to 36 inches wide.? The trick is to know what percentage to tell the copy operator.? The advantage of this is that you are not taping many letter sized sheets of paper together for a pattern. Britta/Vasilisa -Original Message- From: Viv Watkins viv.watk...@virgin.net To: Historical Costume h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 2:34 am Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier My other goal for today that didn't happen was to try just the photocopying method. Is there any particular number of times that anyone knows of that I should enlarge each scaled down peice? If the pieces are 1/4 scale, would that mean I'd enlarge them 75%? Oy, math definitely isn't my cup of tea, I'm just wishing now the author was more clear on how to scale up. It sort of leaves no purpose to have patterns if one has to pretty much redraw each peice!?? ? I have used a photocopier to enlarge lettering for a banner but not for pattern pieces. Unfortunately you can't just enlarge, say one inch to four inches, by using 400% - the photocopier enlarges by area not length. I just experimented until I got the right size - most photocopiers let you set a 'custom' %. You will probably have to enlarge your first size and then enlarge your enlargements! You just need time and to be ready for 'millions' of sheets of paper. But once you have it worked out you can get your pieces and sellotape them together!? ? Good luck? Viv ? ___? h-costume mailing list? h-cost...@mail.indra.com? http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume? ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
