#is it still punk when you do your patches on an embroidery machine?

[felitidae]

Made a Mimikyuu patch a while ago and finally added it to my jacket.

That day I had lots of free time. We were staying at a friend's place but had to leave his home when he heads to work. So I strolled around the city that day, bought a pack of sewing needles and thread, sat down in the mall and started sewing my patches on.

Bonus on my bag:

(my makerspace has an embroidery machine now and that was our first stitched design)

[artmiscarchive]

@spocksautismdiagnosis ahhhh thank you so much for the kind words!! (also what a stellar url omg💕)

these were by hand (though im quite honored that they look neat enough to maybe even be machined 🥺💕), mostly it just takes a lot of wrangling, patience, and practice! my first few were not anywhere near this level of neatness lmaoo. you can even see in the top pic how the border around the silver is much more uniform and bold than the one around the gold, there were quite a few patches made in between those two

and disclaimer also that at the time it was literally the main thing i was doing all day for months (shoutout to the person i was doing all the embroidery with 🔥) so hyperfixating on learning it really helped, we were both so deep in the sauce and basically embroidered while watching shows for agesss. audiobooks or youtube videos also work great for me for this

its the perfect kind of craft for if you just Gotta do something with your hands but dont have the space to start knitting projects, and its pretty cheap to get into! if youre not sure on what kind of thread to buy, the dmc brand ones youll find sold by the mini skein at most US craft stores are totally worth it. you can get kits online too, and while pretty much any thread works great, the dmc stuff is silkier and palpably a higher quality while still being affordable, and also much better texture-wise

in terms of specific techniques, id recommend using denim for sure. its stiffer and easier to work with while freehanding than classic embroidery fabric you might put in a hoop. you can also still see the grain of the fabric clearly, similar to hoop fabric, but also then the patch comes out a lot thicker since the body of the patch isnt all just embroidery thread!

when using denim, youll get that fray around the edges as you work, though, so id also recommend doing the border in bits of maybe an inch at a time, snipping juuust before you start to work on that section. id also definitely fill in the center and do the edges last, that way you have a feel for how the patch will most smoothly close up

practicing works best on long straight stretches or on larger circles, since then you arent having to wrangle the corners while youre just starting out. a circle patch about the size of your palm would make a great first few patches, since just going in a straight line wouldnt really let you make anything enclosed. seriously corners are a bitch, dont start with a trek delta! the three standalone deltas were all for a giveaway and after about two years of consistent work, the shiny one enclosed in the circle was one i made earlier on (though disclaimer the metallic thread was a lot thicker and more difficult to work with)

for stitchwork it helps if you do each one in a row as closely together as you can, but you can always go back over it later too. if you get any flyaway denim bits sneaking out you can lightly pull them or snip them too without too much problem. (i also found that doing white borders, like in my umbrella academy one, is a great hack to make them automatically look neater since then it blends in.)

this might be overly obvious but i literally took so long to process it was allowed to embroidery without tying it onto the needle, as long as you fold it back with about two spare inches itll mostly stay put. i spent three months desperately trying to work the tied thread through the fabric, it hurt my fingers and it punched too-big holes in spots constantly

lastly, if you ever decide doing the borders isnt for you - screw it! embroider gorgeous art or fun fan stuff and stick it right on the denim jacket, you can always do a little fabric paint to color match, or use fabric glue to seal or fold the edges behind so it doesnt fray! ive seen a lot of cool patches on jackets like that, it comes out looking very punk and absolutely rules!

happy embroidering and hmu anytime if you have questions or want to chat!! <3 <3 my trek main is @loudfederationscreeching and thats where i follow from <3

embroidery backlog, post 1/5

the ncc-1031 placard, rainbow tos delta, bajoran symbol (red/blue), wrath of khan era captains rank pip (purple), ds9/voy era delta, were all gifted!

the two call number placards use fabric paint with the embroidery, the rest are fully embroidery, all on denim

[poepoe-thebunny]

SEWING SPIDERS Spiderverse headcanon: All of the spidefam are, on varying levels, (somewhat) competent at sewing and other needle arts for multiple reasons.

Peter B, Gwen and Noir are the best in terms of actual skill.

Peter B and Noir learned from their respective Aunt May's as a way to stretch out the wear and tear of their clothes, since they didn't always have money for new ones. Between that and the time they spent sewing their costumes back together, they became pretty good at it.

Noir uses it as a reflective, relaxing activity when he can't sleep or the nightmares keep him awake. Because of this, he has the most patience when it comes to hand sewing even if it's larger projects or when dealing with an endless amount of small stitches. He is also surprisingly good at embroidery, and has made many patches for the Fam to stick to their jackets and bags. They all come out gorgeously detailed and monochromatic, but once the Fam gives him other colors and he has them all labelled and sorted (they know better than to mess with the labels) Noir occasionally asks them for help on color theory and what colors look good together.

Peter B is decently competent at sewing and fixing hem lines, waist lines, and holes. His aunt May was also a master knitter, so he has borderline medium level skill there, and can make a mean scarf or blanket if he really gets going. He has tried to use a loom before, but finds it too bulky and his rows often have large gaps because the struggles with yarn tension.

Gwen is by far, the best out of them. Not just because she can fix things, but because she can make them. Gwen has dipped her interests into many aesthetics ranging from punk, rock, vintage, pastel, or the softer looks based off of ballet and lyrical dance. She has made, and worn, a corset a time or two. She also isn't afraid to rip her clothes up and patchwork them together to see what she gets if she likes it enough, and has a good eye for diy stuff. She can make pretty rockin' circle skirts and blouses, and is the only other one besides Noir and Ham who knows how to take measurements and what they mean. She also legitimately sketches out her ideas and has a mannequin bust for her projects, and can use a sewing machine even on thinner slippier fabrics. She has a lot of talent for sewing and clothes making, on the flip side she has very LITTLE talent for things like knitting and embroidery and has rage quit them more than once.

Ham is exactly in the middle of them all in terms of skill. He can do the basics pretty well, knows how to keep his stitches lined up and even, can take measurements, and is better at short bits of hand stitching. His own skill is more for fixing holes and hemlines more than anything else, although he occasionally struggles with the learning curve of human bodies when it comes to the Fams' clothes because he is, in fact, a pig. And humans and pigs don't share a lot in terms of physical features. The Fam sometimes wonders WHY Ham needs to know how to sew, but since they're not sure about Zany Cartoon Logic when it comes to clothing they decide not to ask.

Miles is not necessarily GOOD at sewing, but he IS learning and getting better with practice. Apparently sewing your own costume is par for the course when you have a secret spider identity. He learned sewing from his mother, but the Aunt May of his dimension is also willing to help and a very tired miles is grateful. He still wants to do it on his own thought cause he feels guilty, which leads to several poked fingertips and sore hands and somehow getting wrapped up in the measuring tape while his mother laughs and scolds him for his lack of patience. His stitches are a little large and not spaced very well but he's getting there.

And while Miles can't sew very well, him and Gwen get along fabulously because Miles can diy pattern layouts in his head, dye/dip dye/acid wash/paint fabric pretty well. He actually learned it initially from both his father and uncle Aaron. He can use fabric glue and sealant pretty well, and can use acrylics and tea and coffee for cosplay style costume aging. While he's better at drawing, his dad taught him pastel dying with stuff like kool-aid, and how to properly iron patches onto his jackets and backpack. His uncle Aaron would always help little Miles out around Halloween time, and Miles learned things like placement, making texture, and making shadows and highlights with things like fabric paint and hairspray for costumes.

Peni is generally the worst of them in terms of sewing. Partially because she has no interest in it, and partially because her interests in science and technology tends to bleed into her other interests. As in, she's the kind of person who would rather make a Lazer scanner to get your measurements because it's more accurate and time effective versus doing it by hand. She CAN hand sew, kinda, but finds doing it on clothes time-consuming and frustrating. Being from the future, when she does feel like doing cosplay or fixing things, prefers to use her tech because she loves to see how accurately she can recreate things. She introduced the other spiders to characters she cosplays, that have futuristic designs or weapons, that Peni likes to recreate just to challenge herself. If she has to get something done to her clothes beyond her own skill, she prefers to be an informed consumer and look up local businesses to support that can fix her clothes, or where she can buy bolts of fabric that are no longer being mass used (deadstock) so they won't go to waste for Gwen and miles.

That being said, she CAN sew. Kinda. She often goes to Noir for help learning how to do it by hand since he is surprisingly patient with her, compared to an amused Gwen smacking Miles in the head when he doesn't listen. and Peni believes in being fashionable AND functional. She doesn't always have the time or interest for full length projects like Gwen or Miles, but her hand stitching is getting better with practice. Her interests lies more with accessories and decorative designs. She has begun practice on stitching ribbons and bows made of silk, or hair pins, belts, and patches made of fabric flowers/leaves and faux gems and pearls. She has even made the odd plush toy and doll. Noir has been teaching her basic embroidery, and she sometimes helps Gwen and Miles pick accent colors and textures for whatever they're making.

All in all, it's another weird little thing they all have vaguely in common. Ham snickers and jokes that they're Spiders, of course they can stitch stuff together cause that's what they do. But it is nice, having something they can all bond over like this. On good days when they can all hop over to someone's dimension and just need to relax and get things done, every inch of the room will be covered in needles, threads and fabrics of various colors.

Sometimes it's a Learning Day. Noir, Gwen, and Peter B help teach hand stitching, while Peni and Gwen drag Ham along with them to learn. Ham wants Gwen to teach him how to cut, measure, and drape fabric, because just like in the human world, in Ham's world there is a struggle to find clothes that fit certain looks and body types and he would like clothes that FIT please and thank you. He will also help Miles with his hand stitching when the others are busy, and is surprisingly good at distracting Miles long enough that he doesn't get bored when sewing. Noir teaches Peni ladder stitching to fix her plushies, and how to bind and cut fabric edges so she can stitch her silk belts and ribbons in clean lines. Peni shows Noir pictures of different tree and leaf designs, and helps describe the colors to Noir while he copies the unfamiliar shapes onto fabric with markers so he can practice the designs. Peter B teaches Gwen to find the rhythm of her knitting, and how to count time and stitches and rows with songs under her breath. Miles Shows Peni and Noir how to stick patches/ribbons/cloth to bags and clothes, what fabrics work with certain fabric glue, and whether something should be ironed on or sewn on (in which they turn to Noir for help).

Other times it is a Work Day, fun and relaxed but full of concentration. Gwen and Miles will be hunched over her sketchbook, bickering about draping and texture, what colors and patterns work best with what fabrics and what pieces should be layered together, occasionally asking for Peni's thoughts about what spots need something eye catching. Peni will be sitting next to Noir, hunched over with her tongue sticking out of her mouth, small quick hands working stitches into a plush toy or doll dress, or if the kids are working on something together, occasionally silk ribbons or belts with colorful glass beads, or a fabric flower hair piece. Noir is almost always next to her, half-watching her lines and guiding her softly when she gets frustrated, his own fabric pulled tight in his embroidery hoop and thread looping into something beautiful. Ham sits across from Gwen, grumbling as he fixes the holes in his work shirts and pants, and occasionally having Gwen help him redesign something that just doesn't fit right because he is working on a reporters salary and can't afford to waste it on clothes that aren't built for him. Peter B winces in empathy because he has BEEN there, and hums as he counts rows for the scarves and blankets that will help the others survive a New York Christmas. Occasionally, if Gwen is busy, Miles asks for Peter B to help him stitch his costume together, and amid bickering and exaggerated groans of death by boredom Miles feels a little proud of his stitches, neater and more precise than anything he has done so far.

[putthison]

The Death of Social Club Clothing

A lot has been written about how clothes have become disassociated from our social identities. A generation ago, you could read someone’s social standing on their sleeve. Mods wore slim fitting suits with short jackets and narrow lapels; counterculture hippies repurposed military service jackets to serve their anti-war aims, treating clothes as political commentary. Even as recent as the 1990s, punks, skaters and goths had very defined ways of dressing -- ways that you couldn’t easily adopt without being “authentically” part of the tribe. 

A few years ago, The Guardian had an article about how youth subcultures are losing their distinct uniforms, as everyone is just dressing in the same vaguely hip ways. Whatever your musical interest, you probably wear slim jeans with a t-shirt or button-down. The Guardian posits one possible reason: “we now live in a world where teenagers are more interested in constructing an identity online than they are in making an outward show of their allegiances and interests.” Who knows if that’s true, but you don’t see social tribes on the street nowadays in the same ways you did in the 1960s through ‘90s. It’s hard to tell someone’s musical tastes or political leanings just through their clothes. 

When it comes to tribal clothing, no area of American life has used it more directly than social clubs. Meaning, the kind of matching jackets or shirts that members of the same club used to wear to social gatherings. And at one point, social clubs formed the backbone of American civic life. The World Almanac lists over 2,300 groups with some kind of national visibility -- from the Aaron Burr Society to Boy Scouts, Elvis Presley Burning Love Fan Club to Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association. To be sure, not all of these groups have club clothes -- and some of them are little more than organizational equivalents of vanity press publications -- but member jackets were often an important part of what it meant to belong to such things, whether they centered on religion, sports, politics, or other interests. 

Take a look at the car club jackets above, for example. In the immediate post war years, young men and women wore these intricate, handmade jackets with chainstitching, embroideries, and patches on their backs and arms. An average patch might take about three or four hours to produce; the surrounding text maybe the same amount of time. The front was usually decorated with the member’s name and sometimes a title. Owners would proudly wear these, along with Levi’s 501s and clean white tees, when attending club meetings and social events. At one point, some American cities had hundreds of these clubs, with each one centered around a different type of car. 

In his book Bowling Alone, Harvard professor Robert Putnam details the collapse of American community life. In one of his chapters, he goes through some of the statistics behind civic participation changes throughout the 20th century -- everything from active organizational involvement to club meeting attendance. By any measure, things are the lowest they’ve been in decades. The average membership rate for thirty-two associations in 1997 was about half that of the 1960s, putting the '90s rates on par with those during the Great Depression. 

To the degree that Americans still participate in civic life, they tend to be through big organizations -- ones where they have to do little more than read monthly newsletters and donate money. Putnam writes:

Few ever attend any meetings of such organizations -- many never have meetings at all -- and most members are unlikely ever knowingly to encounter any other member. The bond between any two members of the National Wildlife Federation or the National Rifle Association is less like the bond between two members of a gardening club or prayer group and more like the bond between two Yankees fans on opposite coasts (or perhaps two devoted L.L. Bean catalog users): they share the same interests, but they are unaware of each other’s existence. Their ties are to common symbols, common leaders, and perhaps common ideals, but not to each other.

In that sense, the death of regional social clubs has also meant the death of the kind of clothing that came with their events. People still wear things to be part of social groups (at sporting events, most notably), but the idea of club clothing, as part of American life in any major way, feels alien. The concept of looking exactly like someone next to you, or at least wearing the same club jacket, almost seems like the sort of thing that could only be forced upon you at boarding school -- a suppression of your individuality, rather than a way to feel connected to other people. 

You can still find club clothing today on sites such as eBay and Etsy -- old, discarded bowling shirts, sporting jackets, motorcycle jackets, etc. For the purposes of looking good as a non-member, retired varsity jackets and car club jackets probably make the most sense. Those will have been made the old-fashioned way, with chainstitching, handsewn embroidery, and handmade patches. Modern club jackets pale in comparison, partly because the designs are pushed out using automated and digital machines. 

You can also check out Chain Gang, a small Los Angeles outfit that specializes in traditional chainstitching and handmade details, just as club clothing was produced in the mid-century. Some of their work today is for low rider car clubs, although much of what they do is for streetwear purposes (albeit in the old-school, social club aesthetic). You can catch them on Instagram (note some of the images there are slightly NSFW). Charlotte Willingale, who’s based in the UK, also chainstitches by hand (i.e. with nothing more than a needle and some thread). Her services might be good for a one-off project. I’ve been thinking about getting something inspired by the jacket below, which Jesse found on eBay. It was supposedly worn by a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the mid-1930s. 

Lastly, for those interested in the death and revival of American community life, Bowling Alone is a great read. Putnam presents things in a way that’s both academically rigorous and easy-to-digest. It’s not about clothing per se, but rather social capital and alienation, which hits on topics that almost anyone will find interesting. You can pick it up for a few bucks through DealOz.