I decided to get a domain for this blog, since I already have one for my professional presence/writing blog. (I changed my name when I got married, so I needed to establish my voice online with my new name.) You can find me at http://www.freshlysewn.net now. This way, I can upload videos, too!
I wrote a new post also: New Look 6217.
Yesterday, I decided that I was going to tackle my pile of unfinished items. When I get to the end of a project, I make a mistake, and I get really frustrated right away. So, it goes in the drawer. I moved across the country with this one, unfinished. I made Simplicity 1716, view D, starting in 2012 I think. The problem here was that I sewed the armbands on the wrong way and then I doubled down on that decision. My solution last night was to cut off the armbands, since it would be really really hard to unpick the stitching, and to sew on new armbands. I left the hem unfinished, as the slinky jersey and my sewing machine were having a fight, even with the walking foot on.
Looking at these pictures, I have some serious posture issues. My shoulders are uneven, and my high left hip has become even higher after having physical therapy for my right knee. This means that every skirt or dress I make gets caught up on my left hip, and hangs lower on my right hip. I need to learn the adjustment for that. I also have forward head and forward shoulders from using a computer all day for…years, plus a nerve impingement in my left shoulder that the posture probably doesn’t help. You don’t realize the toll time takes on your body until you look at pictures of yourself.
On a brighter note, I took these pictures with a camera and tripod that my kind and generous mother-in-law has lent me. The camera doesn’t use a remote, so I have to use the self timer. I need to learn how to use the setup better.
One thing I like about this pattern is the pleat detail that helps to make the cowl neck. One thing I don’t like is the lack of waist shaping. I also think that the shoulders should be narrower, although that might be a personal issue and not a pattern issue.
Have you made Simplicity 1716? If so, how do you like it?
I’ve been working on figuring out what my ideal measurements are to produce a garment that I would like and that would fit me the way that I would like using Bootstrap’s software.
The first time I put in my measurements, I got this wacky picture that looks nothing at all like a human. I don’t think I know of any humans you have a pointy stomach that points upwards. Here is my 3-D model:
I sewed their three seams skirt pattern from it. It was actually too large for me; I had to take it in an inch on either side. Also, the hips on the pattern were an exaggerated womanly shape; my hips are actually relatively straight, but my bottom is the part that takes up most of the circumference of my hips measurement. Then I realized that the waistband was too short, as I cut off part of it to accommodate the revised skirt. However, I hadn’t really changed the waistline of the skirt, so now it doesn’t fit.
Yesterday, I remeasured myself. For the under cost measurement, I put the same as my waist measurement. I figured having a dramatically different under bust measurement from the waist measurement the first time around is what produced the exaggerated stomach shape. I also included a full bust adjustment, since I felt that the dress that I made the first time around was too tight in the back and smooshed my boobs. Now, the avatar looks more like me:
I’m going to reprint the pattern and make the skirt and the dress again with these new measurements. We’ll see how they turn out.
I’ve noticed that people seem to get annoyed when bloggers insert affiliate links in their posts, or when they write entirely sponsored posts. Readers don’t like to have their reading interrupted by these verbal commercials.
I can definitely understand this dislike. I have read some sponsored posts that were just fawning over a product unrelated to the focus of the blog–that’s annoying. Don’t tell me about a food mill when I’m interested in garment construction! There’s no real content there, either! That’s more “marketing” than “content.” I get bored with blogs that have a lot of blatant content marketing posts.
I don’t find posts with throwaway references to products annoying. Those posts, where people casually refer to something they use anyway with a subtle link and a brief note about the affiliate link, are much less annoying. It’s as if the writer is someone you know telling you about one product they found that worked better than other products.
I also don’t care about sidebar ads. My (free) web email has sidebar ads; my (free) streaming music service has banner ads; the blogs I read (for free) have ads (for the most part). Those ads allow me to have these things without paying money for them. Win-win for all of us! If I hate your ads/sponsored posts more than I like your content or service, I won’t go to your site.
I understand that people have to pay for bandwidth and all the other stuff that goes into hosting and supporting a website with its own domain and large amount of storage. Bloggers can either pay out of pocket for their hosting costs, or they can run ads or include affiliate links to help pay for the hosting costs.
How do you feel about advertising on blogs and websites?
My experience with the free Bootstrap A-line dress pattern will not discourage me from trying again! I really like the idea of a pattern more closely aligning with my measurements.
I re-measured myself and made a few adjustments to my measurements on the website. I included the belly + hip measurement as well–this measurement takes the belly protuberance into account, in relation to the full hip measurement.
I’m going to try this vintage-inspired sheath dress, which has a keyhole in the back and a collar, along with a waist inset. I have not done any of those things before (I am not counting the collar on the New Look shift because it is in knit and isn’t a “traditional” collar). I am excited for the challenge and the skill development. I need to buy some “suiting with spandex” (their words) for this pattern. I saw that Fashion Fabrics Club is having a crazy cheap sale right now, including suitings, so I think I’ll nab some there for my practice run.
I’m also going to try the free three-seam skirt pattern. I have seen this skirt recommended to sewists new to Lekala/Bootstrap’s patterns. Earlier this year, I spent a weekend trying to fit a straight skirt pattern (a McCall’s) that had worked fine for me several pounds ago. I made what I thought was a successful skirt, having tried it on throughout the process and having made an adjusted pattern. When I put it on, it wouldn’t stay up at the waist/stomach! I’m hoping this customized skirt pattern will do the trick.
I printed those patterns out yesterday and they are waiting for my attention. Right now, I’m working on another iteration of Simplicity 1609 in a light cotton that I need to line because it is see-through. This is my first time lining this pattern, but I think it should be fairly straightforward! I will use The Slapdash Sewist’s method. (I miss her posts!!) Also, I will be sure to use Kathleen Fasanella’s method of sewing in a zipper. For whatever reason, when I am in the throes of zipper sewing, I forget about all her methods and end up with it looking crappy at the top, where the facing is.
I’m looking forward to the weekend, when I can do some marathon sewing!
I’m obsessed with dolman tees. I have made Cation Designs‘ Dolman Tee four times! I decided to try a different pattern to see how it would turn out. Simplicity 1062 caught my eye during one of those JoAnn’s 5 for $1 pattern sales (I love those).
After making the tunic last week, I had some fabric left over, so I decided to make this shirt straightaway. I don’t want to hoard scraps; in fact, I went through my scraps and got rid of a bunch last weekend, saving only pieces large enough to make a garment or cuffs. I think if I make something out of the fabric leftovers right after finishing a garment, it won’t have the opportunity to become save-able scraps.
Here it is on me:
The back, so awkward, caught up on my bottom:
Arms down:
Here it is, modeled by my cutting table:
It really looks gigantic in this photo! I haven’t done the hem yet, hence the little serger tails there. I’ve been into wearing oversized soft tops lately. I think they make me look more graceful, and also like a hip young art teacher. I do think I could go down to a medium without an issue, though. I cut a large for this one. There is about 12″ of ease in this top for me: my full bust is 40″ and the finished bust is 52″. Crazy ease!!! I could fit a cat in there.
This top will be loungewear only. I think I will either make another tunic or make a woven shift dress next. I bought a delightful red dot fabric on impulse from JoAnn’s–the fabric reminds me of the woven cotton fabric made in India. It will serve me well in the hot Southern summer!
I tried googling NL 6323 (corrected number) and noticed that no one else has written about it! I made view D, the tunic with an even hem, on Thursday evening.
I chose size L, which was the closest to my full bust measurement of 40 and waist of 33. Why did I not remember what happened the last time I made a New Look pattern? It was too big. The sleeves were a couple inches too long, covering my hands, and the shoulders hung out somewhere at the top of my bicep. I wore it to work anyway. I liked the fabric, a rayon jersey from FashionFabricsClub.
I constructed it all on the server. I liked the neckband directions and thought it made a nice finish. I used clear elastic on the shoulder seams. I ignored the sleeve sewing directions and used Crafting a Rainbow’s instructions.
I’m going to make another one this weekend in size M. This time, I’ll check to make sure the shoulders are narrow enough for me.
I’ve been wanting knit tunics to wear with leggings to work, and this pattern is perfect for that. I bought bulk leggings already, but I’m tempted to make more with the included pattern.
I’ll include photos when I get some taken! I’m blogging from the car on the road.😀
I decided to try a Bootstrap Fashion pattern because I am particularly hard to fit right now. I tried the free pattern, 8000, the short sleeved dress.
I had a bit of a mishap trying to put in a lining. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but it was a twisted mess. I cut it out just so I could see how the dress would fit.
I put in the invisible zipper so perfectly. The waist lined up in the back. The armscyes turned out to be too small and I had limited range of motion. There is also wrinkling where I sewed the armscye facings on. The curves there are extreme. I did clip the curves. That didn’t do much.
I had enough room for my stomach, my bust, and my hips, although there was extra room on the sides of the skirt and it has a strange, exaggerated hip curve. I probably put in inaccurate measurements.
I will try Bootstrap Fashion patterns again, after I remeasure myself and put in the new measurements.
That title pretty much sums up what many sewing bloggers say to explain their absence online. This is part of the reason why I have been quiet on this blog.
I have been sewing, but it’s been going slowly due to me taking a writing class online and having wicked tendinitis flare-ups. Since the last time I posted, I think I made a skirt, a dress, a shirt, an attempt at a skirt muslin, and three muslins of pants. (I did not end up with a pair of pants at the end of the pants fitting class I took because I needed, and still need to, make so many changes to the pattern so that it fits me.)
I’ve also been gaining an absurd amount of weight. Since we moved, I’ve been sad, lonely, and physically unable to exercise, so I eat things like ice cream because I am not enjoying large swaths of my life, but I enjoy ice cream. Gaining more weight has exacerbated the reason why I can’t go walking, cycling, or swimming. It’s a cycle.
I don’t want to sew for this body, the biggest body I’ve ever had. It’s frustrating. Most straight size patterns don’t fit me, and if they “fit,” they look awkward as hell.
Today is my first day of dieting (again), but this time I am really determined to lose the weight so I can be active again (and enjoy sewing for myself more again). I’m giving counting calories another go, using My Fitness Pal. I have to spend tonight planning meals and going to the store to stock up. I have to say no to junk.
I also want to focus on sewing flowy clothing, like what Thornberry wears, so I can be comfortable. (I love her use of color and shape in sewing! Also, I love loose waists. Rather, loose waists love me.) Right now, all my clothes are so uncomfortable for me. I think I need to adapt to where I am right now while I work on getting to where I want to be.
I made New Look 6145 in a size 18, which correlates with my measurements.
It is very loose, even under the arms, which indicates that it is too big. What a difference fabric makes! The first time I made this dress, it was in stiff wax cotton, and I could hardly move my arms, though the dress was loose. I need to take in the sides by at least a half an inch either side.
This time, I sewed the sleeves in flat. It was my first time doing so and it was way easier than in the round! I used this tutorial. I also used a zig zag stitch, 1.5 in width, to sew the sleeve hems and side seams. Everywhere else, I used a straight stitch.
I haven’t done the hem yet, as I want to take in the sides first.
The next project will be pants, for the pants fitting class.
