Summer Sewing: T Shirts

As summer is fast coming to a close for me, I figured it would be appropriated for  me to share some of the goodies I have been working on this summer.  Earlier this summer I started the process of creating my own patterns from pieces of my existing wardrobe.  I have created 3 shirts: one short sleeve (from with interlock), one tank top, and a long sleeve shirt (both from ribbing). 

 (Please don't ask me what I was doing with my hands...like I really want to draw the attention to my hips. Humph! I also really dislike the bulge my belt makes...sigh, I guess you can't have everything look perfect. *smile*)

The entire process was fun and worked my mind like a good puzzle or riddle. Some adjustments still need to be made on the patterns I created before I make more tops with them (notice that I did not post a picture of the tank top. Let me just say it was a little snug at one part of the side seam. Hmmm, must have messed up on the seam allowance?). Although I did my best to choose fabrics similar in texture to the ones I was copying, the little nuances in the fabrics highlighted some of the problem areas I had not noticed before. For example, the teal, long sleeved top featured above needs to be 1inch shorter in the chest area (to keep the wrinkles around the pits) and 2 inches shorter in the upper back. These issues did not manifest themselves as clearly with the thinner, lighter fabric that the original top was made from and only came to my attention when replicating it with a slightly heavier ribbing.




This was the first T Shirt that I replicated...

It came from this brown T shirt (not the best picture since it is lying down; however, you get the idea right?)...

Soon, I will be posting about how to copy and recreate your own pattern from a whole  T Shirt  without riping it all to pieces.  Stay Tuned!

Summer Sewing: Sewing Journal

I never would have thought about creating a sewing journal had it not been for my Foods class in college that required me to make a lab notebook in addition to my homeschooled background of nature notebooks. Late last year I decided to chronicle my sewing adventures (though few and far between) in a way that met with my particular tastes. I took a less-than-a- dollar composition notebook from Walmart and covered it with fabric. I determined that if I wanted to get more use out if my journal in the long run I should keep is somewhat organized… thus I put in a table of contents. I then decided that my Sewing Journal (more like a sewing Lab notebook!) would have two parts: one for tips, tricks and techniques and a second part for specific sewing projects. So far I have chronicled the making of my Easter dress as well as my most recent experiment of pattern reproduction (more posts to come on that!).

I also have a quite a few hand outs and pamphlets (the latter of which I have had to make little pockets for!) which I included so I could go back to them later.

I would encourage those of you who have certain project (whether it be sewing, cooking, gardening, or card-making etc) that you keep some sort of record of your work and journey. Not only is it a fantastic way to remember what method you used ( so you don’t have to spent 15 minutes wondering now did I cut the Steam N Seam ¼ or ½ inch?), but is will be fun to look back on in time to come.

Make this sort of book your own and no one else’s. Make it as sloppy or as orderly as you would like. I would suggest that you make it an absolute potluck of your ideas rather than a perfectly planned 10 course meal. Often the process of making things perfect distracts us from the real process of discovering. If it is perfect it means you weren’t creating. Such things should never be perfect.) Just give it enough order so that you can find what you want later.

Above all, learn and have fun. I sure have.

I appologize for the wonky picture. For some reason I cannot get it to load the right way up.  Oh well, just tweek your head to one side and you will get an idea of my notebook style.  :)