Wednesday 29 May 2019

What I Am Learning About Sewing My Own Clothes

It is so hard!!


Let's be realistic for a minute. I am no seamstress. My favourite type of stitching is in a straight line and the simpler the instructions the better as I find I just can't cope. Sure this idea that making your own clothes is brilliant but me, trying to fit "seamstress" into my list of abilities is proving quite hard. The thing is, I have the drive, I have the energy, I have the vision, I just do not have the understanding and I am really having to work at it to even have a go. 
I think it is mainly because I am a free sewer, I just love going for it with little fuss, but with clothes you really need to follow the instructions. That is pretty much where I get lost. But even though it seems the hardest thing to do I just keep at it and actually, this time, the results have turned out great.





The Struggle is real!

To start, what I want to tell you is that I am a total beginner with clothes sewing and at this point I am looking to make stuff with no difficult fastening so if you want to try that then maybe read on!
I have been really lucky to work with a few people who have taught me some amazing skills about sewing clothes. The number one tip being take your time and read through the instructions multiple times. I cannot stress how important this is and this is where I seem to be struggling the most. The dress making jargon can be mind boggling and it's where I am definitely a bit behind in the understanding of reading dress patterns.

Last year, with the help of some talented ladies I made my KIMONO. We followed this SEW OVER IT PATTERN but their knowledge really carried me through the whole experience. I had just over a metre of fabric left and have been working up the courage to use it on another, but smaller kimono. I knew I didn't have enough to make one like mine so I found a PINTEREST LINK with a simple pattern on that I could recreate. Easy. Well I thought it would be but I very nearly threw in the towel as I just got myself so confused. Really I created a problem for myself as I resized it for a child. In reality I should have just taken it down 10 inches on the length and width and it would have been fine. Anyhow, my overthinking in me trying to read the instructions actually hindered me. Reality is I think I needed to just embrace it as a simple sewing project and be on with it. 


The Basic look of Etta's Kimono




The basic look of My Kimono {The main difference is mine has more formal sleeves}




This particular project tested my perseverance. It was hard, but I kept at it and actually at the end was so proud that I hadn't given up. More than ever actually, as I thought it was gonna be the easiest thing ever and I came out with a few more frown lines, but sometimes it is OK to struggle and to learn more with each struggle. 





Sewing your own clothes is not easy but boy it is really eye opening to appreciate the amount of work that goes into the items you can pick off the shelf. 

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2 comments

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  2. Sometimes the sewing channels make it sound as if sewing is really easy and all you have to do is follow a few simple instructions and you will have a fashion piece whipped up in no time. Whether you see a tee-shirt at Target or Nordstrom's the whole thing is highly engineered. The first thing I always notice is the fabric. Not talking about the quality of the fabric but the color or the cute print. This is usually not something one finds at their local fabric shop unless you are going to buy the fabric at a shop that carries high end designer fabric which is going to be expensive and then, of course, who wants to mess that up. Yes, I cut one part of my Liberty of London designer shirt fabric, pink and white pin strips with tiny embroidered skull and cross bones up side down. Whatever, I am just saying that sewing, particularly if one is trying to get a shirt to fit correctly and the pattern has to be altered is much more complex than some folks would have you believe. There are plenty of good videos out there and websites for whatever you want to make and for whatever detail you want to use but that has been one of my complaints forever. It is fun and I have been hooked for years but it is just not that easy. I do not know why they try to pretend it is. Trudy, of Hot Patterns has some very good vids and she explains things very well and the reason behind it. If you see a cute tee-shirt with a cute contrasting binding that whole thing has been well thought out as what looks good together, what is in style, how does the fabric drape, it the fabric appropriate for the tee shirt, etc. Love your kimonos!

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