Sewing plans - and I (really) mean it this time!

Ok ok I admit it, I’m just plain un-motivated when it comes to sewing.  I think my enthusiasm has taken a fair few knocks thanks to my fitting woes and I have been just plain avoiding going anywhere near my sewing machine.  But I have got a fair way through making my Beignet skirt and hope to get most of it done by the end of the weekend (update: not this weekend, the weather is amazing outside so indoor activity is not happening!). 

See I've finished the shell and facings, and lining except for hemming.  Just need to finish the lining hem, sew the facing onto the lining, then onto the shell, hem the shell do the buttonholes and then sew on the buttons.  Oh and add the belt loops - ok maybe there's more to do than I realised!

Unfortunately my bank balance just wouldn’t allow me to sign up for any sewing classes in the end, which I am gutted about.  But I am exploring getting a private lesson or two with someone in the hope they can help me a bit with fitting a couple of bodice patterns, to kinda kick-start me in the right direction there.

In the meantime I have decided to steer clear of dresses and tops for a little while and make a couple more skirts.  Just so I can get a few successful makes under my belt before trying to fit my top half again.

Luckily my bank balance would stretch to a couple of new patterns, so I decided on Colette’s Ginger skirt, and also because it is so darn cute (again I went for a Colette) the Jasmine top.

Yes I realise I said I wasn’t making any tops for a while, but this purchase is totally justified.  Firstly it’s a semi-fitted style so doesn’t need to fit perfectly, second it’s cut on the bias so is designed to stretch and fit round you more easily, lastly I repeat my earlier statement, it’s just so darn cute.

So after I have finished Beignet, I will be making up a Ginger.  I have some black cotton drill so will be making a wearable muslin in that.  I'm also thinking of making one in corduroy, but am unsure if this will work.


images from Croft Mill

What do you think?  Will corduroy work? I like the Navy best, but I always go for blues.

Fun fabric flowers

The lovely ladies who ran the beginners sewing classes I went to way back when, have recently opened a new sewing studio called The Sewing Lounge.  To promote their new classes and workshops they were hosting free workshops this weekend.

I popped along to a fabric flower making workshop and managed to make a cute felt flower

Plus this one (my personal favourite) made from organza.

We were discussing in the group that you could make two of the organza flowers and sew them together back-to-back, with a loop of ribbon in between and it'd make a very cool christmas decoration.

What do you think?

Courses follow-up

Right chaps, many thanks for all your insightful comments on my last post.  I've had a good long think I do agree with you all, a dressmaking course at this stage in my sewing journey seems like the better option. 
I did do a beginners sewing class last year, and made a dress in it (see exhibit A in this post), but we didn't cover fitting at all so I am a bit cautious about not getting support in that area again.  So I am going to investigate the course a bit more before I sign up, as it is a big commitment, and isn't exactly cheap.

I also think I'll give drafting my own bodice and skirt blocks a go.  A few of you mentioned Miss P's bodice draft along, which I most certainly will follow.  However I also fancy picking myself up a book on pattern drafting for further reference.  Do any of you have any recommendations? 

The newest edition of Cloth magazine had this in it's books round-up section:

It's only just been published, but looks pretty comprehensive, and at nearly £35 it sure better be!

I've seen this one around a lot:

But having a nosey inside with the "look inside" feature at Amazon has made me uncertain.  It feels like it rushes through everything, and I want baby steps.  Does anyone have this book, and if you do what do you think of it?

And what bout this beastie:

This looks the most serious, and thus scares me a bit.

What I want is a gentle easy entry into this stuff, something with diagrams that don't look too scary, and that I can follow fairly easily.  But I do want some depth as well, something that covers all adjustments etc that might be needed.  But is that asking too much?

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Advice which course (if either) to take????

Now my accounting technician course is coming to and end, I have more free time (yay!).  However I am a learning addict, I need to be studying something, academic, creative, practical whatever really as long as I’m using my brain in some way.  So because I’m finishing off this qualification there now is a hole in the self improvement / studying / learning part of my life.  I want to fill this whole, but my question is with what?

Sewing of course is the answer :o)

My local college is running evening classes from September in both dressmaking and pattern cutting.  The courses run for 30 weeks (so a full academic year), and aren’t cheap so I can only do one.

DRESSMAKING

Now my sewing productivity level is pretty low at the moment, and I am hoping that I will be able to improve this anyway thanks to my soon-to-be-completed sewing space and my lack of other studying commitments now.  But I am still fairly inexperienced on anything beyond the basic sewing techniques, so I think a sewing course where I could make an item of clothing over a few weeks with my instructors help would be great.  However, if the course doesn’t include help with fitting I’m not so keen.  This is something I will need to find out as the blurb doesn’t say, but fitting is a major bug bear for me, and if I have to sort that bit myself at home (i.e. we just sew in class and nothing else) then I’m less keen.

PATTERN CUTTING

Source

Next option is pattern cutting.  It says you start with a skirt block in the first term.  I am guessing you move on to a bodice block after that.  Again details are sketchy, this is all the info on the website at the moment:

"Each term we will look at how to create patterns for a different garment, beginning in the autumn term with skirts. Learn how to draft a basic pattern from your own measurements and how this can be adapted to different styles".

I think having a block pattern could be really handy, especially after seeing Rachel's post on how she uses hers to compare against commercial patterns, to work out adjustments needed.  However I don’t really want to “self-draft” anything at the moment as I just don’t have those skills.  But then again will this course teach me these skills?  Is it really worthwhile having a block pattern of yourself?  I just don’t know!!!

What do you guys think??

The mysterious case of the disappearing 9, or Laura learns to Patchwork

So amongst other things I spent my weekend tidying my fabric stash:

Stash box!!

I also went to my first patchworking workshop.

Recognise 2 of these fabrics??

Inspired by the Narcoleptic in a Cupboard, who makes amazing quilts, I thought I'd have a go at this jolly pursuit myself.

The class I went to was a bit of mix, with some people bringing along an ongoing project to get advice and guidance, and there were a couple of beginners like me who just wanted to have a go at a bit of patchwork.  I picked out the disappearing 9 pattern for my quilt which looks quite complex but is actually quite easy.  The trickiest thing is cutting all those darn squares out to begin with (mine needed 36 squares!!).

You sew up the squares in rows of 3.  Then sew 3 rows of 3 together to form a block of 9 squares.  Then (and here's the clever bit) you cut down the middle of each block vertically then horizontally:

My high-tech diagram

That's as far as I managed to get in the 4 hour class, but after that you lay them out and sew them up again into rows of 4, then into the square of 16 (4x4).  I'm going to add a border and then get some batting and backing fabric together and go along another Sunday to quilt it all together.

After I got home I laid them out on the floor and played around with them to get them into a pattern I (just about) liked, so now I am numbering them and stacking them up to sew together another day.

This was the hardest bit, making sure no bits of the same fabric were touching!  If you are a serious perfectionist this will take you a looooong time!!!!