I think I mentioned that I have begun working on a sewing project and I've been working steadily all week although I don't have anything I am ready to show you yet. This is because I have spent most of my time on tracing the pattern, marking the seam lines, and making a muslin and am not yet ready for the actual garment, although the further along I get in the muslin process the more excited I am about the project and sewing again.
To my mind the results of the slow start bode well. I had forgotten how much I enjoy all the steps to making a lovely garment: the tracing, the marking, the cutting, the pattern alteration, even the muslin process as well as the sewing. And it is good that I am enjoying all these things because we all know I have only sewn simple simple things in the recent past and I want to make and wear much more interesting things, but since I have no TNT patterns that fit me now it will be a slow process.
It struck me today that I have spent more time "sewing" or at least working on a garment, in the last week than in the entire past year. And the more time I spend the more determined I am not to lose this again.
It feels good. Damn Good.
I am terribly slow. And I have lost much in terms of skills. I forget things. Sometimes I have to do things over and over before I get it right. Already I see improvement though. I do better if I am not sewing late at night, but that can't always be helped. I also remind myself that not only did I sew more often before, I was also less distracted when I was sewing. But distraction is a part of my life now, a part of life for anyone who is living with and caring for a partner with some form of dementia; the trick is finding ways to keep working on things you love, and learning to just let things be.
This is what I'm working on: The Plain and Simple Princess Shirt from Hot Patterns. There was no particular rhyme or reason to my choice, other than wanting to make a fitted shirt and that the pattern just arrived in the mail.
I am going to be going to a "sit and sew" with Susan Khalje and Kenneth King next week, where I will also meet Marji, and Robin and I am very excited even though I am also very nervous because I am just out of practice.
To tell the truth I was a little panicky when I started. Because I was panicky I just decided to take it slowly and work through things one thing at a time. To that end I didn't do much in terms of flat pattern adjustments, just tracing the pattern according to a comparison of my measurements versus the sizes on the pattern. I did not do a FBA, even though I knew intellectually that I needed one, because the bust point wasn't marked and, although I can figure it out on a princess seamed shirt, I was a little confused about how the alterations for the bust relate to the alterations for the upper chest and armscye and sleeve cap. So I decided to start from the top down, realizing full well that I would have to take the muslin apart and probably add a piece of fabric in to the muslin as I went along.
So as I said, I decided to plunge ahead. I cut a 16 through the neckline which sounds big but makes sense since generally men's shirts fit me better through the neckline than most women's blouses. Then I cut a 12 at the shoulder seam, cutting an 8 at the front armscye seam tapering to a 12 at the back. Of course I had to adjust the sleeve cap accordingly and this was the part that worried me a bit. And it seems to have worked well. I can see how I needed less fabric at the underarms than I would have from cutting a bigger pattern and yet I need much more fabric near the center front, over the bust seams. Somehow, by not doing all the alterations the first time I can see more clearly what needs to be done and why, which is good because there is a lot more to do.
But I'm not working on it now. I've decided to save the rest of the muslin for class. Hopefully I will get the muslin done and get the shirt made. Today I did a little work on the muslin, but then put it aside and selected and pretreated fabric and started getting stuff together to pack. I also started rooting about for a pants pattern and prepped a piece of wool crepe to take with me, assuming that I get the pants muslin made before I go.
Monday and Tuesday are busy days but I think I can still get a pants muslin pulled together, perhaps not as nicely as the blouse muslin I worked on with the stitching lines all basted in black thread, but functional. Besides I've made pants before but I've never made a fitted blouse that actually fit.
Comments
20 responses to “There is activity in the Sewing Room”
Must feel really good to be back at that, despite the challenges.
I’m curious, do you always make a muslin first? I’m planning to get back to a little sewing sometime over the next year perhaps — I used to sew quite a bit, and have made pants with zippers, pockets, and waistbands, dresses with darts and shaped yokes and collars and side pockets, long-sleeved blouses with cuffs, etc., — but I’ve never been careful enough to use a muslin. I used to fit the standard patterns fairly well at my size (despite being short-waisted) or at least it used to seem good enough. I’m not sure I’m patient or methodical enough to do the muslin step, yet I have your taste for fine fabrics and I certainly wouldn’t want to waste/ruin anyway. So I’m curious about your practice . . .
Must feel really good to be back at that, despite the challenges.
I’m curious, do you always make a muslin first? I’m planning to get back to a little sewing sometime over the next year perhaps — I used to sew quite a bit, and have made pants with zippers, pockets, and waistbands, dresses with darts and shaped yokes and collars and side pockets, long-sleeved blouses with cuffs, etc., — but I’ve never been careful enough to use a muslin. I used to fit the standard patterns fairly well at my size (despite being short-waisted) or at least it used to seem good enough. I’m not sure I’m patient or methodical enough to do the muslin step, yet I have your taste for fine fabrics and I certainly wouldn’t want to waste/ruin anyway. So I’m curious about your practice . . .
I’m excited! And thinking that the muslin as it stands looks good.
I’m excited! And thinking that the muslin as it stands looks good.
I’m so glad that you got back into the sewing room…and small steps are a good thing!
I’m so glad that you got back into the sewing room…and small steps are a good thing!
Must feel really good to be back at that, despite the challenges.
I’m curious, do you always make a muslin first? I’m planning to get back to a little sewing sometime over the next year perhaps — I used to sew quite a bit, and have made pants with zippers, pockets, and waistbands, dresses with darts and shaped yokes and collars and side pockets, long-sleeved blouses with cuffs, etc., — but I’ve never been careful enough to use a muslin. I used to fit the standard patterns fairly well at my size (despite being short-waisted) or at least it used to seem good enough. I’m not sure I’m patient or methodical enough to do the muslin step, yet I have your taste for fine fabrics and I certainly wouldn’t want to waste/ruin anyway. So I’m curious about your practice . . .
Must feel really good to be back at that, despite the challenges.
I’m curious, do you always make a muslin first? I’m planning to get back to a little sewing sometime over the next year perhaps — I used to sew quite a bit, and have made pants with zippers, pockets, and waistbands, dresses with darts and shaped yokes and collars and side pockets, long-sleeved blouses with cuffs, etc., — but I’ve never been careful enough to use a muslin. I used to fit the standard patterns fairly well at my size (despite being short-waisted) or at least it used to seem good enough. I’m not sure I’m patient or methodical enough to do the muslin step, yet I have your taste for fine fabrics and I certainly wouldn’t want to waste/ruin anyway. So I’m curious about your practice . . .
I’m excited! And thinking that the muslin as it stands looks good.
I’m excited! And thinking that the muslin as it stands looks good.
Oh, this is so exciting and great! Thanks to you I will be getting some Hot Patterns for xmas. And I think I’m going to get some muslin to practice on a circle or bias skirt (still looking for both patterns). Have you seen this:http://www.vintagesewing.info/index.html. It’s quite amazing – if very advanced.
Oh, this is so exciting and great! Thanks to you I will be getting some Hot Patterns for xmas. And I think I’m going to get some muslin to practice on a circle or bias skirt (still looking for both patterns). Have you seen this:http://www.vintagesewing.info/index.html. It’s quite amazing – if very advanced.
Oh, and I second mater’s question. Want to know more about the muslin and fitting…
Oh, and I second mater’s question. Want to know more about the muslin and fitting…
I’m so glad that you got back into the sewing room…and small steps are a good thing!
I’m so glad that you got back into the sewing room…and small steps are a good thing!
Oh, this is so exciting and great! Thanks to you I will be getting some Hot Patterns for xmas. And I think I’m going to get some muslin to practice on a circle or bias skirt (still looking for both patterns). Have you seen this:http://www.vintagesewing.info/index.html. It’s quite amazing – if very advanced.
Oh, this is so exciting and great! Thanks to you I will be getting some Hot Patterns for xmas. And I think I’m going to get some muslin to practice on a circle or bias skirt (still looking for both patterns). Have you seen this:http://www.vintagesewing.info/index.html. It’s quite amazing – if very advanced.
Oh, and I second mater’s question. Want to know more about the muslin and fitting…
Oh, and I second mater’s question. Want to know more about the muslin and fitting…