Friday, January 22, 2010

Tissue-Fitting Vlog, Part Three!



Here's third and final part in my tissue-fitting vlog mini-series! Now, guys, I have a favor to ask of you.

I would really love to get your feedback on these videos. Maybe I'm being overly self-critical, but I don't know that I'm entirely happy with them. Basically, I worry that they're not completely clear. (Correct me if I'm wrong though!) The biggest change that I want to make is adding pictures of the pattern alterations so that you can see better what I'm doing. Obviously, that means more time and planning from me, so I need to be realistic about what I can do.

In any case, I would love to hear your feedback, dear readers! Are you satisfied customers? Or do you have some complaints to lodge?

Thank you for helping me make the blog better!

32 comments:

  1. I think your vlogs are great. The only change I'd like to see is more close ups. Sometimes it's a little hard to see the details. Otherwise, I think they are very clear.

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  2. Hi Gertie: Your vlogs are excellent and really helpful. A couple of suggestions: maybe more closeups - so we can see the details and increase volume (for some reason the sound is very low). However, your instruction is terrific and very clear. Thanks so much for taking the time to put them together.

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  3. I'm a huge fan of the vlogs and really caution against polishing them up too much. A large part of the appeal is that you are so approachable and viewers get the sense that are right there in the room with you - cats bumping into things, husbands coming home etc - it's charming.

    I haven't watched part three yet so forgive me if you've already done this:

    You might try inserting a couple of slides in at natural places for a pause to summarize key points and recap briefly on the difference between what we had at the start and what we have at this stage. It reinforces new concepts we might be learning and allows the viewer to check that we are both still on the same page.

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  4. I'm pretty satisfied with them as is, but in one of the first two on tissue-fitting, you had little pop-up dialog balloons that explained what was happening: something like "measuring flat pattern at the waist," I believe. Somthing like that helps when we can't always see the details.

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  5. I love the vlogs. Yes, more closeups like everyone else has said would be perfect. You could zoom in quite a bit on these and still have everything in the foreground. Maybe some bullet points in the accompanying text of the post would be helpful?

    I also wanted to say to use extreme caution when ironing your patterns after adding tape. The second your iron touches the tape it will shrivel like a grape. Not good. : )

    Can't wait to see the finished dress!

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  6. I think your vlogs are very clear. I tried tissue fitting following your vlog on a shirt I'm making, and found I needed to adjust the shoulder seam the way that you did - I never would have thought of that! I'm also ordering the book. Thanks so much for doing these - I had really wondered if tissue fitting would work. I can't wait to see your finished dress (I have that pattern too!)

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  7. I LOVE your vlogs! I would have to agree with the others that closeups would be a wonderful addition, but overall I think you're off to a great start!

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  8. These are so helpful. I have been sewing for several years and I didn't know how to fit patterns properly. Please do more. I learn so much from them.

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  9. I guess I'm not really helping, because I have no idea what you could do to improve your videos. But let me tell you this: After watching them I don't only know what tissue fitting is, but I actually could do it myself. So I am a very satisfied "customer". And I love them for the fact that you come across so likeable! To be a litte useful at least: The pop-ups were very helpful.

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  10. Don't be too hard on yourself because your vlogs are great. Yes, more close-ups might be helpful, but as is, they are incredibly clear and useful. You could spend ages improving production values and they might end up looking a bit slicker on the back of it, but would it really make them that much more informative?

    Your modification to the shoulder hem was a revelation for instance (I would have automatically removed the same from front and back, and never thought to reposition the hem as you did). I have various books about the perfect fit, but watching you do it makes it so much more understandable.

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  11. As a former television producer and reporter, I agree with the specific suggestions already made concerning improving the sound and providing close ups and bullet points for reinforcing ideas.

    One thing that I would like to add, however, is that I think that you are very well suited for the vlog format. While your organization of ideas, concern for quality and desire to share knowledge come through your blog, your appeal really comes through in your vlogs. You appear very genuine and helpful. I think that you should consider adding more video components including packaged products for sale. IMHO, I think that by sharing more of your personality in your videos you could develop quite a following.

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  12. I also like the vlogs as they are, with it's homey appeal and approach. I do agree that more details could be good, but if you're filming on your own I see that it could be difficult. Maybe freeze-frames of details with bullet points to summarize at the end? That way you won't require more than one shoot?

    I know that you didn't need that extra seam allowance in the end, but did you wait to cut the sleeves, or did you add extra seam allowance in the sleeve seam as well?

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  13. I've learned so much from this little vlog series of yours (from your entire blog, really)! Thanks for putting in the time and effort on these.

    I totally feel like I could pull off a tissue fitting after viewing these, so they're plenty clear. But if I had to suggest anything, I'd go along with the previous posters and ask for more close-ups.

    Well done, Gertie!

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  14. Super informative - thanks so much!! I will put this into practice tomorrow. I can't thank you enough!!

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  15. The bone is the clavicle :)

    I LOVE this series! I have sewn accessories and blankets and 2 skirts, but I really want to start sewing clothes, but I am afraid to make a whole bunch of mistakes with all my lovely fabric! This helps so much! Thank you :)

    One tip. maybe when you have to draw with pencil on something use a sharpie instead, the dark black line can be seen on the camera versus a thin gray pencil line :)

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  16. Oh! One other question. With moving the shoulder seam forward, do you need to add 5/8" on the back bodice piece too or just the front one?

    If you ever do another tissue fitting video can you do the different kinds of sleeves? :D Thanks so much again!!!

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  17. I agree with the others, I have two things to suggest as improvements - maybe they are more suggestions to you than to the videos.

    Use pattern paper and not regular paper. You cannot try on the tissue again to check that the corrections are correct if you use regular paper and you will need to chack many times in the beginning and people new to tissue fitting should know that. Also, I think you should measure the shoulder seam on the front and the back after repositioning it. When you move it forward by enlonging along the cutting lines on the armscye and the neckline on the back piece, the actual sewing line will be shorter and on the front piece, the actual sewing line will be longer.

    It is so lovely to see live tissue fitting - so, so wonderful. If you want to take it further with this wonderful idea, do tissuefitting on a friend with another bone structure. Backs, for instance, are an issue that is not too well covered in the FFRP book - FBAs are well covered.

    Keep up the good work!

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  18. Hello
    I have just watched that video which you have given.Your your vlogs are really good.I think its easy to understand from this video.
    Thank you very much for showing us this video

    buy r4

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  19. As a seasoned but rusty sewist, I appreciate your friendly approach and just seeing you make these videos with confidence. It makes me want to dive back in.

    Although it would be impossible for you to create the same type of instructional video that a professional crew could make, I feel your appeal is greater because you don't have ads and promos for future shows interupting the video, and because you could be my neighbor, so that means it's all very accessible. Even though I know how to do these things already, it's encouraging to see a younger person plunging in and sharing with others.

    Your mention of the book "Fit for Real People" goes a long way in making the video helpful because of course everyone will have different types of changes to make to pattern. Another way to enhance the usefulness of the video would be to provide links to and short commentaries on online tutorials for other types of pattern adjustments. For example, Debbie Cook, an active member of patternreview.com, has some wonderful online tutorials for things such as full bust adjustments and taking out fullness in the upper back thigh with fisheye darts.

    Having said all that, I don't think you have any obligation to cover the topic of tissue fitting fully as whole books have been written on the topic. You could also refer the viewer to the Fitting section of patternreview.com or related websites or to other books. But, your reference to FFRP is comprehensive enough to cover most related issues anyway.

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  20. I finally got a chance to watch the rest of the tissue fitting vlog, and I wanted to let you know that I have really enjoyed it and I think it will be very helpful. It can be hard to see details, so either accompanying them with photos or inserting them like slides as per Katherine's suggestion when you want to show details would be helpful. I do like the switch to YouTube because I can watch them in Full Screen mode. :)g

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  21. Thank you so much Gertie. I am a beginner sewer and just starting the colette sencha - after following your instructions I worked out I needed to add 2 inches to the waist (urgh) and where to add it (side seems not by leaving out the darts). Anyway, this vlog saved my project, normally I wouldn't have bothered with a tissue fitting.

    I am really enjoying your blog. One suggestion I have for a vlog is a beginner skill - tracing the pattern onto the fabric - darts etc. There seem to be many different methods and I would be very interested to see what you use.

    Thanks so much again, you are making a big difference to my sewing. Clare

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  22. Loved the tissue fitting Vlogs. I would suggest taking close up pictures with your digital camera and then clipping your video and inserting them into the appropriate segments along with full screen shots of your help bubbles. Might be better to just insert a text box for the purposes of it being more easily read. The only draw back to adding these aspects...takes more time to produce your video.

    You are doing a wonderful job I wouldn't change how you perform in the videos...your personality shines through and it is fun to see you interact with your every changing environment...love the kitty and Jeff. ;-)

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  23. Gertie Thank you so much for your tissue fitting vlogs - I started making a dress on the weekend and your vlog was a god send!!! I was dreading cutting out a sample dress and then making the real deal (especially in 40 odd degree heat - well 104 for you)- it saved so much time and the dress i made now fits like a glove!
    I agree with the others here just a few cllose ups would be helpful when we need to see the details...

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  24. Gertie,

    I love watching your tutorials and think they are tremendously helpful - as a beginner they introduce me to concepts I hadn't really thought about - like fitting a tissue instead of cut pieces.

    I think that more details like closeup or drawings of the exact going ons would be helpful to me but I'm not sure how much of this is just the fact that I'm at such a low skill level yet and only beginning to dive into the world sewing. I love that you get he information across so clearly and in such a friendly manner - for some reason it makes me think that I can do it, too. Great teaching!

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  25. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed watching your vlogs and reading your blog.
    I loved the truly genuine smile that you had when your "Jeff" came in during your taping. I have felt exactly the same way when my significant other walks in. Sewing takes so much time, I am glad that he can amuse himself via video games/work stuff on the computer.
    Keep up the good work. And don't cover up your tattoos, they are beautiful.

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  26. Hi Gertie,
    Loving all your Vlogs, as usual.
    Quick question... when adjusting the back pattern to move the shoulder seam... rather than using the new piece of paper and drawing on the new section, couldn't you just tape the piece you cut off the front piece onto the back piece...? Or am I missing something really basic and that wouldn't work? :0)

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  27. I really liked these vlogs you made. I've been looking into dressmaking and seeing someone explain you all the things you need to know before starting out, is definitely helpful. The vlogs had all the right information for me, but I would have like some close-ups for examples of the lines you drew to change the shoulder seam or even the ruler you used, since I've never seen one of those up close either. :D

    Anyway, I really appreciate what you've done here and it has certainly helped me a lot. So thanks!

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  28. Ok! I must tell you, I have used all 3 of these Vlogs and have officially started on my first article of clothing! I am a little nervous and excited too!

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  29. This is a very late comment, but I really enjoyed these little videos. I haven't seen tissue-fitting done before and I can see how it will help me, especially for the things I can't easily see with my dummy.

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  30. You are super awesome! I am so glad to have ran into your blog and find a vlog on tissue fitting. I am new to sewing. Thus far I have only sewn two dresses from patterns which weren't form fitting and failed miserably at one which was designed to be more fitted. You have helped give me that "Ah-ha" moment and I can't wait to try the failed pattern over again!

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, didn't mean to be rude. Odd it didn't show me the request to not post Anonymously. Anyway, Thank you!

      ~ Jessica

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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