corsetmakersmod ([info]corsetmakersmod) wrote in [info]corsetmakers,
@ 2007-08-14 19:06:00
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Entry tags:mod post

Yet Another Mod Post
It's getting to be a bit of a habit, sorry about that!

For various reasons, including ease of identification to the membership, the mods have decided to create a shiny new skin for us in our maintainer/moderator capacity, and here it is: [info]corsetmakersmod

Any comments to posts made in this guise will go to our equally shiny new email address - corsetmakers(at)gmail.com

Alas, not all the reasons for creating this ID were shiny.

New Policy

There's been a recent outbreak of users leaving comments, and then deleting them after the conversation is concluded/the damage has been done. This will not be tolerated.

It's one thing to delete a comment and immediately repostit for clarity, with a note explaining such (heaven knows, I've left a few key verbs out of a post at times), but doing the equivalent of a bungee-jump (complete with a hand-grenade) into a thread is not. Members caught doing this will be banned. There will not be a first warning for this.

Please believe us, we can identify you, no matter how quick you are with the delete button. Settings have been adjusted, etc, etc. Furthermore, if the recipient of your deleted comment has received an email copy of same (as many of us tend to have things set on our posts) then there's an excellent chance they'll have the sense to email it to the mods, letting us know about it even more emphatically. So don't do it. It'll make all our lives easier and nicer.

For logistical reasons, this policy will NOT be applied retroactively as it's not fair to punish members for a policy that didn't exist at the time of the transgression. But from this point forward, the policy is active.

We're sorry to have to be making so many Achtung!-type posts, lately, but it seems we're having a bad fit of growing pains at the moment.

Back to the corsetry, everyone!



(Post a new comment)


[info]sor_eye_ah
2007-08-15 07:45 am UTC (link)
I may be a new member, but I am finding that a lot of the posts here are very basic things which I believe, given a bit of digging, trial and error could actually be solved by the person, or they could get advice from the archives.

I've been biting my tongue to create a post to the effect of 'corsetry is expensive, it's not DIY on a weekend and it's HARD! The cheapest option IS probably to buy one'.

I understand that there are many different ways to lower the cost of corset making but it's driving me a bit batty that every second post is 'and then I saw the cost of the fabric' or 'yea but that costs like $40'.

Anyway, it's not polite, so I've not put it on the main board. Just wanted to let you know the frustration -is- there.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]kudarizaka
2007-08-15 08:26 am UTC (link)
"I may be a new member, but I am finding that a lot of the posts here are very basic things which I believe, given a bit of digging, trial and error could actually be solved by the person, or they could get advice from the archives."

Not everyone has a knack of figuring things out like you said, not everybody is a natural at this kind of thing. also lot of people don't have the money to make loads of trail by error mistakes. As you stated it is expensive.

Even though I regulary read the memories for new info. sometimes they miss out the basic stuff that you so proclaim people can't be bothered to read.

This community is about moral support also, and people make the posts when they feel they are struggling or frustrated. it's not just about how obvious the help that is being given.

My last post I put up a month ago, you practically told me (in no uncertain terms) that I wasn't going to get anywhere if I don't like industrial sewing machines, assuming that I was below you in experience and talent (I bit my tongue). Now this message you put up now just makes me concure that I don't like your arrogant and elitest manner.

not everyone is as good as you.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]miss_tori_jones
2007-08-15 12:22 pm UTC (link)
I sew all my corsets on machines that are 50-100 years old and none are industrial, you will do fine. Just some of the newer plastic machines don't do as well as some of the older cast iron machines.

Never let someone tell you that you "can't" or you won't. you ask, we will answer. I will even answer the same question multiple times in one week. I don't mind, as I like to share what I know.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]kudarizaka
2007-08-15 12:34 pm UTC (link)
hey yeah I know a few people who use older machines. mine's pretty good for a modern plastic machine.

you see I agree with you, I don't mind people asking the same questions over and over again also. sometimes people prefer one to one than reading older memories :P

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]thebatsmeow, 2007-08-15 01:16 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pandaemonaeum, 2007-08-15 06:44 pm UTC

[info]d_gold
2007-08-15 02:41 pm UTC (link)
Silly question - what machines do you use?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]thebatsmeow, 2007-08-15 03:29 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]miss_tori_jones, 2007-08-15 05:40 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]corsetmakersmod, 2007-08-16 05:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]miss_tori_jones, 2007-08-16 06:12 pm UTC

[info]jennyjennyx3
2007-08-16 04:20 am UTC (link)
you have patiently answered many of my questions that I have posted. Thank you for that.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]miss_tori_jones, 2007-08-16 06:17 pm UTC
Look before you leap
[info]sor_eye_ah
2007-08-15 03:37 pm UTC (link)
My posts were never meant to imply that I was any better than any other member of this community. It's not something I believe, on any level.

I apologise if my comments were worded in such a way which meant you were forced into thinking you had to buy a particular type of machine and only that. My post had been an intended 'speaking from experience' of somebody who spent $3000AUD on a domestic machine, when a second hand industrial was a) more suited to what I needed and b) would have cost a lot less.

In regards to a knack of figuring things out; it can be annoying to battle away at things on your own. I know this because I spent -years- being told what I was doing was wrong, not going to work etc etc. If you must be informed, I spent my graduating year being told by my tutor that my project was going to fail miserably and that I wouldn't pass. At the end of the day, I did pass, it didn't fail, I did learn a lot but I sadly had no assistance or support from anybody at all. I was almost asked to leave my previous university for wanting to make corsets.

I kick hard because I've always had to stand on my own two feet. A failing of my own makeup, perhaps I should admit to jump on a defensive stance.

Perhaps because LJ and other txt based mediums lack empathy, facial expressions, tone of voice, etc, it is easy to 'read into' what people are actually meaning to say.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Look before you leap
[info]kudarizaka
2007-08-15 03:59 pm UTC (link)
"Perhaps because LJ and other txt based mediums lack empathy, facial expressions, tone of voice, etc, it is easy to 'read into' what people are actually meaning to say."

yes this is true, it gets rather annoying sometimes :S

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Look before you leap - [info]corsetmakersmod, 2007-08-15 04:21 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap
[info]thebatsmeow
2007-08-15 04:41 pm UTC (link)
"I kick hard because I've always had to stand on my own two feet. "

Well, I have learned everything on my own. Absolutely everything - from sewing, to pattern drafting. I don't kick hard. I prefer to share whatever I have learned to anyone who asks. I too started at ground zero.

As far as your comment regarding industrial machines: You should realise that many people felt somewhat alienated by your posting in which you asked whether a particular machine was "good for corsets, or better off sewing curtains". Many of us professionals use domestic machines. And it was quite discouraging to budding corsetmakers who cannot afford industrials. To dismiss corsetmakers as "amateurs" based on their machine is not a good thing. Perhaps a bit of humility might suit well in this particular situation.

Ok. Done. Said. It is now water under the bridge. Let's move on, yes?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Look before you leap - [info]sor_eye_ah, 2007-08-15 05:08 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]miss_tori_jones, 2007-08-15 05:45 pm UTC
ot - [info]ainos2, 2007-08-15 09:26 pm UTC
Re: ot - [info]thebatsmeow, 2007-08-16 08:51 am UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]delirium71, 2007-08-15 10:53 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]thebatsmeow, 2007-08-15 06:02 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]pandaemonaeum, 2007-08-15 06:48 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]thebatsmeow, 2007-08-15 07:26 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]pandaemonaeum, 2007-08-15 07:44 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]thebatsmeow, 2007-08-15 07:49 pm UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]britgeekgrrl, 2007-08-16 05:55 am UTC
Re: Look before you leap - [info]miss_tori_jones, 2007-08-16 04:34 am UTC

[info]auroraceleste
2007-08-15 12:24 pm UTC (link)
I may be a new member, but I am finding that a lot of the posts here are very basic things which I believe, given a bit of digging, trial and error could actually be solved by the person, or they could get advice from the archives.

We do let a lot of things go, but we've also gotten to the point where so much is in the memories and archives that if we cracked down and allowed only new questions the traffic on the community would go way down. We're trying to maintain a happy medium where we still direct people to the archives but let them post new information as well.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]sor_eye_ah
2007-08-15 03:27 pm UTC (link)
Point fairly made. Perhaps it will also have the bonus of the more experience people casting their minds back to hard far they did have to work to get where they are today?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]thebatsmeow
2007-08-15 06:29 pm UTC (link)
" Perhaps it will also have the bonus of the more experience people casting their minds back to hard far they did have to work to get where they are today?"

Sure it will! Maybe you will learn a thing or two from us!

(Reply to this)(Parent)

Finding information
[info]tightlacer
2007-08-15 12:26 pm UTC (link)
I would like to comment on the idea of people getting advice from the archives. I have been a member of this community for some time.
I have still not figured out how to search LJ
I did find a website through Google that allows searching LJ, but when I did searches they came up empty even when I knew posts had been made about the searched topic.

Further, the format of LJ (no fault of the moderators) makes it unintuitive for new people to find archived information. What about "memories" would tell someone new that there is useful information about busk insertion there? I would guess that Memories was a place where people waxed nostalgic about corsets they have loved (smile). Many other communities might not even use the Memories feature.

Finally, I think that often people might want to hear new input on things in "Memories". For example, recently someone posted a wonderful post on the modified sandwich method in which the corset was pieced with the sandwich method except on the curvy pieces where this might be too bulky. If that person hadn't posted that information and someone like me were to resist asking about methods of construction, knowing the discussion was already in the archived the memories, that someone wouldn't get that information.

Yes, corsetry is expensive. However, I don't agree that the cheapest option is to buy one. I am certain I can make one CHEAPER than $300- $400 for a custom corset. However, I also know I can't make one as good as professional can. So, I will continue to buy one a year from a professional and in the meantime try to enjoy the process of learning to sew ones for myself. I have no illusions that my own will be good enough for my tightlacing, but I do know they will be cheaper--maybe not if I figured in my time as having a dollar value (or maybe even if I did--- I don't work, just volunteer, so my hourly rate is $0 per hour) Furthermore, I hope to enjoy learning something new. Sure I'll probably post some gripes about how expensive it is to have to buy that bolt cutter and ask a questions to try to avoid excessive trial and error, but my assumption is that this is "community" where we are allowed to vent and ask a questions of experienced people that might save us excessive "trial and error"





(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Finding information
[info]miss_tori_jones
2007-08-15 12:32 pm UTC (link)
nice to see you here.....I guess for you that modified method would be good since you have some very curvy bits.

Hope to see you guys in Oct.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

Re: Finding information
[info]delirium71
2007-08-15 03:57 pm UTC (link)
Go to the user info page and click the magnifying glass. It's not the most intuitive search function admittedly, but it does the job.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Finding information
[info]mariepavey
2007-08-15 06:54 pm UTC (link)
The magnifying glass? I tried it twice. Once it returned nothing, I was looking for a phrase that was used on this community and probably didn't quote it exactly. The second time I searched for the topic "velvet corset" and got exactly the one I was looking for. Then I PRINTED IT OUT AND PUT IT IN MY HARD COPY BOOK OF CORSET MAKING. Yes, that was one I was looking for forever and thanks to you now I have it. I really heartily recommend printing out the ones you think are gems. You will never look at them again because....you fought so hard to regain the information that you memorize it!

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Finding information - [info]delirium71, 2007-08-15 10:41 pm UTC
Re: Finding information
[info]tightlacer
2007-08-16 02:26 am UTC (link)
Damn, that's where it is?

Even after reading your post, I clicked on corsetmakers and expected to see the darn magnifying glass at the top of the page. Then I went back, reread, and saw that I had to click on UserInfo first. How unintuitive.

However, I did try a search and after a LOOOOOOONG wait, got some results. LJSeek turns out to be the engine I had tried from an external site to search LJournal entries. I had no luck. This time, when searching through corsetmakers, I did have better luck.

Thanks for the tip.

It is hard to wrap my mind around how a Journal Community works differently from a regular Forum.

But now at least I know how search.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

Re: Finding information
[info]sor_eye_ah
2007-08-15 05:10 pm UTC (link)
http://community.livejournal.com/corsetmakers on the right of here you'll find "community tags" there is a lot of information there, helpfully linked under subject headings.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

Re: Finding information
[info]standgale
2007-08-15 10:52 pm UTC (link)
I've never got the searching to work either. It's weird, but I can search for a phrase I KNOW is in there, because I wrote it or whatever, and it doesn't find it.
I actually find LJ really hard to use and non-intuitive. There is stuff all over the place. It's not the best design.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]miss_tori_jones
2007-08-15 12:27 pm UTC (link)
If a user is new to LiveJournal they may not have figured out how to get to the memories. Maybe a note some where telling them would be nice. Also I know that *I* have lots of corset making stuff in my memory section that is set to public, so I am guessing others can see them too.

don't be so hard on the new "guys", do you remember the first time YOU started working on a corset? Do you remember what you didn't know then? I find patients and tolerance a great thing to have when you are in an environment of communicating with others.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]delirium71
2007-08-15 01:45 pm UTC (link)
I totally agree with patience and tolerance. However, I' m relatively new to this and relatively new to LiveJournal, but before I posted a word I read through everything in the memories and surfed every archive page reading anything that might be helpful or inspirational. I did a massive amount of research on the internet and voraciously read everything I could find. Maybe it's just me, but I think when you have a problem you should do your best to resolve it and learn as much as you can on your own before going for help. I feel it's a bit lazy, and perhaps a bit arrogant to think people should automatically pass on their hard-earned knowledge without the questioner making any effort of their own first. If you need led by the hand from the outset then you probably aren't going to get very far.

Of course, if someone is genuinely stuck then help should be given generously and patiently wherever possible.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]miss_tori_jones
2007-08-15 05:48 pm UTC (link)
I see your point too...I think we do have the "fly by night just wanting for someone to tell me how because I am too lazy to research" people who come in, but with the few questions they ask, they will never get all they need to be a success. And they are the ones missing out.

Now I have been known to give the answer of:
go to google.com
type xyz in the search box and click the button
the first 5 will give your answer


so I am not "all giving" all the time. I do point some to the more OBVIOUS solutions they should attempt first.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]delirium71, 2007-08-15 10:39 pm UTC

[info]standgale
2007-08-15 11:03 pm UTC (link)
Some people expect all handouts, true, but there are a lot of people on here and they all understand different things. One person misunderstanding one simple thing looks ok, but when ten people all misunderstand a different one thing, it starts to look like there are idiots everywhere, when really all these people could have done a tonne of research and just have one question.
I also know that when starting off one can get caught up on insignificant rubbish that just seems stupid to people who have done it. When starting out, you don't even know what's important to know, so you ask silly things. It's also a bit scary and some people are too timid to just do it, or maybe they don't have much cash and don't want to screw up. But eventually you just have to go for it. This is my personal experience over the last year, and most recently this week :)

I don't mind anyone asking me questions, so long as it is a good question.
Bad question - how do I make a corset?
Good question - I am reading instruction xyz and I don't understand wxy. Can you please explain how to do wxy with a 3-layer corset?

:)
Good on you though for your assiduous research.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]miss_tori_jones, 2007-08-16 04:40 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]standgale, 2007-08-16 04:54 am UTC

[info]standgale
2007-08-15 10:43 pm UTC (link)
I would also like to point out, with respect to the costs of supplies, that in some places they are a lot more expensive than in Europe and the USA. For the price of 2 busks plus shipping I could just buy an economy corset off Electra. Weird but true. Coutil must be shipped across an entire hemisphere. I absolutely died when people were saying some particular eyelets were much more expensive than the ones they commonly get - when they're already way cheaper than they are here. My point being that the cost is not the same for everyone.
I don't know if my corsets are going to work out, so I can't spend $100 on them. When I get better I'll buy better supplies for them. (May I mention also that my wedding dress plus stays and veil cost less than $100 in supplies, so it seems wrong to spend so much on an experimental corset! ;) )
Although in my case it would be cheaper to buy a corset than buy those same supplies and make it, it doesn't really make sense for that to be the case - these aren't mass-produced so costs aren't cut that way. They're made like I would make them - by one person in their house.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]miss_tori_jones
2007-08-16 04:43 am UTC (link)
have you thought about getting someone as a "buddy" who can get and ship supplies to you? Would that actually be cheaper?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]standgale, 2007-08-16 04:53 am UTC

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