Machine sewing: The Beginnings

Let's be honest. Sewing to the inexperienced can be scary, I know this because I am one and I am a little terrified. And what's more is that there is this machine that is supposed to make every sewer's life easier but It looks and feels like you need a technical degree just to operate it.
While I can tell you that a sewing machine is not that scary nor is it as hard to operate as it would seem, there are a few things that you need to know in order to operate them.
For example you'll need to know what a bobbin is.
This is a bobbin:

A bobbin is a small thread spool that comes from below the needle to complete the stitch on the underside. The bobbin needs to be threaded so let's start there. Place your spool of thread onto the spool pin located at the top of the machine. Take the thread and take it around a metal bit that is used to keep the threat tight while the bobbin the spun. The wrap the thread around the bobbin a few times and place the bobbin in the bobbin winder and make sure it is secured. Making sure that your needle us up and the foot is locked push down on the foot pedal to spin your bobbin allowing it to gain thread.

Once you have enough thread on your bobbin cut the thread that is still connected to the spool and take the bobbin off the winder. In the lower portion of the machine under the needle is the case for the bobbin. Open the bobbin case and place the bobbin inside making sure to leave the tail out and place in the right position so it can be threaded through the needle.

Your bobbin is set but now you need to thread your top thread into your needle. Take the tail of your thread from your spool having never left the spool pin and take your thread over and down to your thread guide. Then take your thread over and up to the thread take-up and then down to be placed in the eye of the needle.

See, not as scary.

Now thread your bottom thread and you are ready to sew.

Two easy stitches are the straight stitch and the zig-zag stitch. These stitches can be achieved by switching your Stitch Width regulator and your stitch length regulator.

After making sure your needle and presser foot is down over the fabric and unlock press the foot pedal to control the speed of the stitch.

To lock in the stitch, reverse the stitch for a few stitches at the beginning and end of your work.

Industrial Iron

Let's talk iron. Or rather ironing. It is something we all do or at least have done at some point. There has been that one wrinkle that one crease that will just not stay down, on stage this could be problematic. You see, on stage a character's clothing is an extension of who they are a more visual representation of what a character is like on the inside and out. So an extremely noticeable crease could send the wrong message (or mixed messages) as well as not looking the best. Thankfully, there is hope. Yes, there is a light that shines bright in the dark world of frumpy clothing! A Gravity Feed Iron ...
Even the name seems to have weight when you hear or say it

But what exactly is this marvelous device, you ask? Well I will tell you; even you "guy in the back" who is unsuccessfully masking his joy with disregard. A gravity feed iron is an industrial strength iron that is used in most if not all costume shops and studios because of it's dependability and extended longevity.
The iron gets its name from having it's water supply in a hanging reservoir and having gravity direct the flow.

The iron itself, being heavy-duty industrial quality, weighs in at an average of four pounds. This leaves the user to apply less pressure on the garment and using the weight of the iron itself.

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The hanging reservoir holds four liters and has a bag filled with resin, a demineralizer, so to further extend the life of the iron an minimize calcium buildup. The handle of the iron has a steam twitch that allows the valve to open and the hose to fill with water allowing the iron to superheat with the water and create the steam.

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How do I use this spectacular machine? Well, it that is simple.

1. Hang bottle approximately forty inches above the ironing surface
2. Connect the silicon hose to the iron and the bottle
3. Empty demineralizer package into the bottle and fill it with tap water
4. Plug the iron cord into a grounded electrical socket
5. Set the temperature dial
6. Open the bottle valve and allow the hose to fill with water by pressing the steam switch. The iron is now ready to use!
7. When not pressing, place iron on a silicon pad.

You can purchase many number of Gravity feed systems however the price is a little high, however, when dealing with an extensive costume reserve and the demand to quick complete fixes this iron is a sound investment.

Fastenings ...

Unless you are in a unitard or a one piece, 

or in an obnoxiously colored spandex suite

the chances that your costume is going to have some sort of fasten is pretty high. Whether they are the snaps on contemporary blue-jeans or clamping apparatus's from the nineteenth century it is easy to forget just how much we depend on them to keep others from seeing our pink spotted underwear.

On stage we depend on these types of safeguards just as much as anyone else does in society, so in the costume studio it is important to understand how one would secure these small accessories to our outerwear.

1. Hook and Bar

These types of fastenings are generally used at single points like near the waistband thought they can also be used to to close entire openings.

When deciding where to place these items on your fabric or clothing item it is important to remember not place them too close to the edges as this may  result in leaving a space or gap between your fabrics. Similarly you would not want to place them too far away from the edge of the fabric as this could lead to an uncomfortable actor in, now, too tight pants.

Once you are ready to begin sewing remember that you will want to double thread your needle, giving  the stitch more strength against the forces acting against the fasten.

TIP: Make sure you place a knot at the end of your now double threaded thread. It took me nearly a whole minute to figure out as to why my own thread was not making to proper stitch like everyone else...save yourself the embarrassment.

You will want to first sew the loops (or eyes) on the ends of both the hook and bar. Begin threading from the opposite side of the fabric from your hook or bar and loop with your thread around the curvature at the ends. Repeat five or six times (possibly more if you feel the hook or bar in not fastened tight enough) and then knot off the end of your thread once it has been cut.

Secured bar.
(Don't mind the little extra bit of thread, a bit of a mishap.)

For the hook you will want to loop an extra few times around the long end of the small piece of metal, this is so it can be better secured.

Secured Hook.

Once this is complete you or your actor can then fasten and unfasten your pants just as much as you like. Though preferably in private.

2. Snap Set

I quite enjoy snaps. Though this may possibly have nothing to do with sewing than as it does with the sound your voice makes when you say it. 

In any case.

Snaps are used, generally, on clothing such as jackets and the like and are rarely visible once fastened. The set has two items a ball and a socket, or if you prefer a male and a female. Because the male (Ball) has an extension that  resembles...well, you know; and the female (socket) has an resembles...you know, the other thing.

When you are ready to secure these pieces into the fabric you will once again double thread your needle (be sure to knot it, we know where that can lead us). As with the eyes of the hook and bar you will want to loop the open spaced and the outer rim of the item as well as repeat five to six times. When moving from space to space that needs to be looped make sure you begin from the underside of your item and not going over it.

Ball

Socket