tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post9075680650562655039..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: Patterns for DudesGertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-84469162925844837472012-07-27T13:15:36.268-04:002012-07-27T13:15:36.268-04:00Hello. I am PABLo. Would like to tell you how I st...Hello. I am PABLo. Would like to tell you how I started. <br />In my profession Image is Decisive !! , so when I wanted italian cut trousers and suits with waistcoat , and vintage suspenders. and nobody made it in town , I decided to star doing the things my self. <br />In my opinion. a REL MAN, a real man that do not depend on a woman, got to be able of sew , wash , iron clothe, and clean his own sh.... at the toilet. !! And keep his masculinity at the same time . ! <br />I am looking for patterns now, in pdf, in English or Spanish, and I can't found patterns in pdf anywhere. <br />Can you help me with that? <br />Utterly appreciated. 1 <br />PABLO pablo.garay@aol.comPABLO GARAYhttp://www.pablogaray.com.arnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-23119131931454671542012-07-27T13:14:20.149-04:002012-07-27T13:14:20.149-04:00Hello. I am PABLo. Would like to tell you how I s...Hello. I am PABLo. Would like to tell you how I started. <br />In my profession Image is Decisive !! , so when I wanted italian cut trousers and suits with waistcoat , and vintage suspenders. and nobody made it in town , I decided to star doing the things my self. <br />In my opinion. a REL MAN, a real man that do not depend on a woman, got to be able of sew , wash , iron clothe, and clean his own sh.... at the toilet. !! And keep his masculinity at the same time . ! <br />I am looking for patterns now, in pdf, in English or Spanish, and I can't found patterns in pdf anywhere. <br />Can you help me with that? <br />Utterly appreciated. 1 <br />PABLO pablo.garay@aol.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-85346720968712121892011-02-12T15:30:20.088-05:002011-02-12T15:30:20.088-05:00(Gregg)I'm one of the guys who sews and I comp...(Gregg)I'm one of the guys who sews and I completely agree with this post. I started by sewing pillows, bedding and draperies but wanted to sew some of my own clothes. I've had a terrible time finding interesting patterns to sew. In the end, it looks like I'll just have to make the boring ones a little more interesting with unusual fabric combinations and unusual plackets or pleats. I've read the other comments about men's clothes being easier to fit and I must disagree. Fit is important for guys too, but most don't care as much about fit as women do (IMHO). I have 2 tailored shirts and they feel SO wonderfully different than my other RTW shirts. But as men, we grow up wearing RTW and really don't know anything else. The only things we ever get fitted are suits (some guys don't even do that!). That said, I'm ready about to cut out and sew my first long-sleeved shirt. I'm looking forward to it and to perhaps seeing an improvement in the patterns that are out there for men's clothes.Gregghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02818370123756630014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-60305572950082496982010-11-01T23:09:09.910-04:002010-11-01T23:09:09.910-04:00I'm a mother of two boys, so I can tell you th...I'm a mother of two boys, so I can tell you that sewing male's clothes is often discouraging. At first,it is frustrating just to try to find a great pattern (I only like the marvelous Ottobre magazine and some Burda for the kids). The pattern's companies do not seem to realize that some women would like to sew for their husband and sons too. Why can't we find men's patterns as interesting as Ottobre does for boys? There are plenty of designers who designed great RTW clothes for men, why can't they collaborate to publish great patterns? I agree that sewing for a man implicate a lot of shirts and pants, but I would like that my husband may have good quality clothes too, not the crap from China.Annie V.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13396487319830442046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-38476195796555246132009-11-18T17:44:39.799-05:002009-11-18T17:44:39.799-05:00ROFL, Gertie! Everytime I go to list a man's s...ROFL, Gertie! Everytime I go to list a man's shirt pattern in my shop, I think, "Yup, it's a guy's shirt!". The differences from decade to decade are so subtle (with the exception of the 70s, perhaps! lol!), I found myself a tad over the top when I got to write up a man's shirt pattern from the 20s - wowee! - very long length and detachable collar, ohmigosh! Such excitement! LOL! What a hoot!Linscottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04076826830708811495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-13700074693255146832009-11-07T17:24:02.808-05:002009-11-07T17:24:02.808-05:00Yes. After telling my husband I went to Mood yest...Yes. After telling my husband I went to Mood yesterday he said "Why don't you make something for me?" My response, "Like WHAT?!?" Patterns are so boring out there. AND he doesn't fit into store bought clothing much, unless he finds the mysterious 'athletic' cut. <br /><br />My lawyer husband has decided he wants to look like Mad Men just as much as me, so gave me a list of things he wanted me to make, which included the words "french cuffs," "knit v-neck," and "a cool blazer." Enough to send me running. Not only quite the sewing challenge, but I would have to make my own freaking patterns to satisfy his fashion sense. <br /><br />I think there is an untapped market here, to be sure!victoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00154234676639187138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-67023710277204161002009-11-07T10:18:35.770-05:002009-11-07T10:18:35.770-05:00I soooo agree with you. Even little boys fashion ...I soooo agree with you. Even little boys fashion is awful. Well, not awful, but very boring. I found that out when my son was born 35 years ago and there were about three different patterns to sew for him. He is now a fashionista, but how that happened I don't know.Peace Thymehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361079101751470855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-81532357406973565952009-11-06T21:13:53.820-05:002009-11-06T21:13:53.820-05:00@janelle: kwiksew 2777 is a pretty good pattern. ...@janelle: kwiksew 2777 is a pretty good pattern. It's got neck sizing that's separate from the body sizing (so you can wear a tie with it), and it's got provision to adjust the sleeve length, and the length of the body (so it can fit tall skinny people, or shortish fatish ones). It's also got reasonably clear instructions. I think the band that carries the button holes is too narrow as written, but that's easy to change if you want. Other than that, if it's put together carefully it looks good. It's in print. <br /><br />@gertie: Burda appears to have some decent men's patterns, but I can't get them locally. (the store that's alleged to sell them has no more than a dozen patterns at a time, and never any mens.)davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07372217173540212251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-60963548099238347122009-11-06T12:42:01.241-05:002009-11-06T12:42:01.241-05:00Having grown up with a father who was a sewing mac...Having grown up with a father who was a sewing machine operator and then repairman at Ford Motor Company, and then started his own trim business after being laid off in 1979, which he still runs to this day, my mind does not draw gender lines when it comes to sewing. Most of the staff at his shop are males who all sew. Now, some would argue that it is different, since they are sewing in an industrial context, but to me, the act of sewing is sewing. One of his best employees is a guy who is just as capable of sewing a convertible top or creating a custom interior for a classic car as he is of sewing himself an outfit for Ren Faire, which he has done in the past. The skill is transferable. <br /><br />In the past, men sewed clothing as tailors and they still exist today, albeit in lower numbers, I'm sure. <br /><br />When I took a sewing lesson at a local shop a couple of months back, my own husband accompanied me and participated. We each made a potholder. He has hand-sewn in the past and is interested in machine sewing. I help him work on cars, so I guess we just cross the stereotypical gender lines in terms of hobbies/activities. ;) <br /><br />But there is absolute truth in there being a shortage of good men's patterns out there. Perhaps that is a market niche that we need to fill!Trasehttp://www.kitschicat.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-60900437507308527992009-11-06T10:43:03.828-05:002009-11-06T10:43:03.828-05:00Folkwear Patterns has a fair few interesting patte...Folkwear Patterns has a fair few interesting patterns for men, based on historic or ethnic clothing. On their Photo Gallery, they also highlight a few male sewists. Closer to home, my husband will mend and sew on buttons, but while he's interested in having handmade items (made by me: wool robe, Japanese hapi, Hawaiian shirts), he's not keen on learning to make them himself.1912 Suffragettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05400228383660911132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-92074439260178731462009-11-06T08:17:10.395-05:002009-11-06T08:17:10.395-05:00@ Zipzapkat: APRON CHAPS??!!!!!!!
AMAZING.
Guys,...@ Zipzapkat: APRON CHAPS??!!!!!!!<br /><br />AMAZING.<br /><br />Guys, I wouldn't totally dismiss Burda patterns . . . Underneath their crazy Euro-gay styling (not that there's anything wrong with that!), I suspect you might be able to get some decent basic patterns out of them if you use your imagination.Gertiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-77128335587794176872009-11-06T05:10:36.087-05:002009-11-06T05:10:36.087-05:00YES. Mainstream men's fashion is boring, I do ...YES. Mainstream men's fashion is boring, I do agree, and sewing patterns are even worse. (the vests are hilarious!) I know plenty of guys who are very creative with their dress, stepping out those nonsensical gender binaries that society has imposed upon us all. But I do think that, for mainstream guys, fashion is pretty backward. I mean, women left the whole skirts only stuff behind so long ago. The 'rule' that we should only wear skirts now seems so ridiculously outdated. So why is it still unacceptable for men to reverse the role too and wear a skirt for example? Marc Jacobs does it! I mean, considering the bits between their legs, men are probably more suited to skirts than we are! But even outside of skirts and pants, most of men's fashion seems to centre around boring suits and shirts, and I think its a crying shame, because I'm sure plenty of guys out there would like to be creative with their clothing and get dressed up too, without feeling like it is a reflection on their sexuality or threat to their masculinity!Josephine Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15467403316039394846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-87897539432187064182009-11-06T02:55:27.570-05:002009-11-06T02:55:27.570-05:00My brother has the same problem as Katy's husb...My brother has the same problem as Katy's husband-- tall and super skinny. I told him I would be happy to try and make him some dress shirts to fit, but I need pattern advice! From the discussion here, it sounds like there really are no good patterns available.<br /><br />D, or someone else, can you recommend a basic dress shirt pattern for a guy in his twenties? Bonus points if it's still in print :)<br /><br />Thanks!Janellenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-44875360209656752632009-11-05T23:28:44.898-05:002009-11-05T23:28:44.898-05:00I think you hit the nail on the head when you said...I think you hit the nail on the head when you said there isn't a lot of interesting men's clothes out there. I feel sorry for dudes who want to wear something a little different (especially where I live) because I don't know where they'd find it. The internet, I suppose.<br />-Andi xAndi B. Goodehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332787961396491990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-40420939418556829372009-11-05T23:20:30.554-05:002009-11-05T23:20:30.554-05:00that apron nearly killed me. And those plaid pant...that apron nearly killed me. And those plaid pants he's hiding behind it. Oh my.davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07372217173540212251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-37634572182972396242009-11-05T22:48:14.938-05:002009-11-05T22:48:14.938-05:00Men's patterns are so samey because men's ...Men's patterns are so samey because men's fashion is so samey. For the last seventy years: shirt, jacket, pants. <br /><br />That said, a men's pattern does have the dubious honor of having my favorite unintentionally hilarious envelope art ever:<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/zipzapkap/3329770160/in/set-72157611691108597/<br /><br />And lest we forget, truly terrible things can happen when men take a walk on the sartorial wildside:<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/zipzapkap/3372115460/in/set-72157611691143611/ZipZapKaphttp://zipzapkap.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-80254772832901395982009-11-05T22:38:04.285-05:002009-11-05T22:38:04.285-05:00I sew for men and women, mostly for the men, Hawai...I sew for men and women, mostly for the men, Hawaiian styled Aloha shirts and lava lavas. And where men may not have the same fitting issues, or as many, they still are concerned about fit. Quite often, I get 'I like a large in the shoulders but need it smaller in the waist' but not always in those terms. Non sewing men have a hard time expressing fit descriptions. I am about to start my first attempt at a sport coat, which I will test on my husband. If it works then I will make them in Hawaiian fabrics for my customers. Needless to say, I am anxious about all the pockets and lining. Ack.fashiontramphttp://www.fashiontramp.etsy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-65544211128628238702009-11-05T19:24:08.452-05:002009-11-05T19:24:08.452-05:00I too have just encountered the dearth of men'...I too have just encountered the dearth of men's patterns. I can find 15 tuxedo style shirt patterns for myself, but what, maybe one or two for men?<br /><br />I would love to sew my guy some shirts, 'cause I know I can make them nicer (maybe not cheaper, but nicer, darn it!) than the ones we buy for him...<br /><br />I offered to make him a coat, but he was more interested in instant gratification, and was worried I'd hurt myself with corduroy an flannel (I had wrist/arm surgery not too long ago, and it still hurts from time to time)<br /><br />I remember my mom making us parkas when I was a child and we lived in Alaska, so I *KNOW* patterns exist(ed)...I did some searching, and I did find some reasonably decent men's (and women's) outerwear here: http://www.thegreenpepper.com/adults.html?id=KQkrQrPh - I especially liked the Polar Lodge and Frenchglen Barn Jackets<br /><br />from the looks of the logo, these may have been the same patterns my mom used 30 years ago! Those back pack patterns took awfully familiar....!Binkydollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03114235723389534329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-78304878781901052222009-11-05T19:02:54.215-05:002009-11-05T19:02:54.215-05:00A man I used to work with made his wife's wedd...A man I used to work with made his wife's wedding dress. It was a beautiful vintage pattern in Emerald silk, bias-cut. He made himself a matching vest. Maybe he would have appreciated something more interesting to make for himself! After the wedding they cut up the clothes and sewed a quilt out of them together.EmilyKatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202548680341378684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-82436304665903815622009-11-05T16:29:13.700-05:002009-11-05T16:29:13.700-05:00Most men can walk into a store and buy clothes tha...Most men can walk into a store and buy clothes that sort of fit. A pair of trousers with the right waist, and of the right length, say. But men's clothing fits like flour sacks. Trousers wretchedly baggy at the knees, shirts that huge, coats with monstrously huge armscyes. It's pretty pitiful, but it's what men are told they want. And if you're a shape stores don't cater to, it's even worse. I have long arms (36 inches from the center of my neck to the wrist), a giant neck, and I'm not overly tall (I'm 6') nor fat. I can find dress shirts and the like that fit, though it's not guaranteed except by mail-order. But sports shirts, sweaters, and so on are either to short in the sleeves (and often don't fit my neck) or the sleeves fit, and I can hide a small horse under them. <br /><br />As for what I'd like to see? A decent pattern for blue jeans. (Kwiksew has one that's not awful. It's just bad. ) Some trouser patterns that are for humans, and not whatever it is the ones available are drafted for (all the commercial trouser patterns I'v looked at had straight tubes as legs; none of the RTW I've examined is made that way except for sweats.) Shirts that are more than just variations on dress shirts (Kwiksew 2777 is a decent men's dress shirt pattern. And it's easy to modify to vary the collar style, the pockets, the band, and to fix the sleeve length.) and which aren't western things. Outerwear. <br />(I've got these things in my closet, they exist, why can't I buy patterns for them. I suspect the answer is "they don't sell") <br /><br />Gertie isn't exaggerating when she says simplicity has 12 men's patterns. And three of them are for pajamas or boxer shorts. Vogue has 6. McCalls has very few. Kwik sew has about 20.davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07372217173540212251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-65513750493051714282009-11-05T15:30:53.061-05:002009-11-05T15:30:53.061-05:00This is interesting! I know I've heard my dad ...This is interesting! I know I've heard my dad complain about shopping for shirts, because so many include room for a pot belly he does not have.<br /><br />I'm curious though, what are the patterns that doesn't exist that men want to see? It seems like, since there are so many garment options for women, style for men is more about how they make the most out of a bottom and a top, with possible accessories like a vest, or for less formal wear, a jacket.reillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776283905130149324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-35173948178985394262009-11-05T15:12:13.927-05:002009-11-05T15:12:13.927-05:00Completely agree that patterns for men are not int...Completely agree that patterns for men are not interesting. I have however found patterns for toddles / children / early teenagers, that are very nice, in the Ottobre Design magazine.Sadehttp://sade.sadevil.org/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-46749687753905052592009-11-05T13:41:04.481-05:002009-11-05T13:41:04.481-05:00I agree mens patterns aren'r very interesting,...I agree mens patterns aren'r very interesting, but lets be real what do they wear other than just a few items? I for one appreciate that my pattern library for my guy is small and has little variation. 3 piece suit, shirt, and pants/shorts combo. I can make his entire wardrobe out of those few patterns. And he's not compaining.Bootzeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01664655090937726673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-44588545061237707912009-11-05T13:35:50.378-05:002009-11-05T13:35:50.378-05:00d - Where do you live? If you want to shop in a m...d - Where do you live? If you want to shop in a male-friendly environment, come to L.A. About half the staff at the places I shop (F&S, Michael Levine, Mood, etc..) are male. And, the ration is usually about 60/40 female to male as far a shoppers go. But, I admit, I live in la-la land which is far from normal for everyone else. :-)<br /><br />In my sewing classes, we always had one guy (not the same guy, but there was always one guy) and the complaint was always that there wasn't enough fashion-forward patterns. They'd make the basics we'd learn in class but wanted to learn advanced tailoring so that they could take their sewing to the next level. I think that's the difference.<br /><br />One of the guys from my SnB group makes fabulous shirts for him, his husband & his son. (He makes all sorts of clothes for his son, but the shirts really stand out to me.) So, it is possible. He seems to have a real knack at not only finding patterns but finding the right fabrics to really make those clothes special.jenna!https://www.blogger.com/profile/16754411566357685542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-24759443784729932312009-11-05T11:58:07.119-05:002009-11-05T11:58:07.119-05:00Interesting about men allegedly getting treated ba...Interesting about men allegedly getting treated badly while fabric shopping. I suggest these fabric-discriminated dudes plan a shopping trip to Los Angeles.<br /><br />There are plenty of men in the garment district in Los Angeles. Both sale people and shop owners, as well as customers. I've never seen a guy get dissed while shopping. <br /><br />I never assume that just because someone (male or female) is shopping for fabric, that it means they can sew. Shopping for fabric does not reflect their level of skill. They're simply shopping for fabric. <br />Who knows what they'll use it for? I don't think sales people care here. They're just pushing product (and believe, at the garment district they PUSH IT--I've had people chase after me down the street offering a lower price after I walked out of the shop).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com