stitches

For my first post in a very, very long time, I'm going to talk about my new hobby, sewing. Or hopefully will be a hobby. I'll do a "year in review" photo catchup post soon (possibly divided into "stuff I knit" and "other stuff"), but I wanted to get this posted because I'm kind of excited about it :)

One of my problems with ready-to-wear clothing is that I don't feel like I fit into much of it, and what I do fit into, I don't always like. I don't like the current fashions much at all (tight pants, loose/blousy shirt, weird colors). This is compounded by the fact that I have moved to France, and in most stores, I'm lucky if the store has one item that is two sizes too small for me... never mind actually finding something I can get on.

I decided recently that I want to try to fix the fact that I don't really love any of my clothes (other than my hand knit socks!) by trying to make some for myself. I don't have a sewing machine right now; I'll probably get one at some point. I'm thinking about taking actual sewing lessons to learn how to fit and alter and draft patterns, but I'm going to start out simple: using the internet, and hand sewing.

I learned to sew - the basics, at least - in high school or before; I've made a handful of things over the years, but never really pursued it. Here goes actually learning more and hopefully getting reasonably good at it :)

My first project was a pin cushion. Because I didn't have one - my pins were rattling around in a tupperware.

It's too thick and too soft, but it works for now. I'll probably try to make another one at some point. The fabric is one I bought years ago - I don't remember what for now - that I've been carrying around for quite a while. I thought it was appropriate.

I also turned a pair of scrub pants I had into shorts - they had a tear in the back of one leg, so I chopped off the legs and hemmed them. One leg has been made into a bag for my yoga mat; I don't know yet what I'll do with the other.

My first *real* project was a Sorbetto tank top. There was a lot of printing, then a lot of cutting, then taping, then cutting, and finally sewing. I think it turned out rather well. I actually have enough fabric to make another (it's quite wide - haven't measured, but I was able to get both pattern pieces side-by-side on a single width, and the shop I bought it at was a little generous in the yardage they cut). I'm debating doing that versus making something else entirely out of the leftover fabric. I've put it aside for now and I'll decide later :)

Because it is an online pattern, first you print it out. Then you cut out the actual pattern pages.

Next, you tape the pattern together, which can then be used like a normal bought pattern. Cut out the appropriate size, lay it out on the fabric, trace or pin to fabric, cut. I traced; the paper is too thick to pin, I think.

The finished top, front. It's possible I bled on it at least once; sewing needles are much sharper than knitting needles!

One of the better sections of stopstitching - stitches mostly even, and mostly straight :) I went weith the white thread, partly because I didn't have any blue (didn't think to buy any), and partly because I kind of like the contrast of that white line on the blue.

I decided to try French seams on this. One thing I never liked about home-sewing projects I've done before is the raw edges and untidy look of the seams. This is much nicer, though it does mean twice as much sewing. Seams were done using a running stitch, and thread lengths kept at around 40-50cm.

The back of the shirt - nothing too exciting :)

The bias tape was a learning experience. The spot where it joins back together I didn't really stitch tight enough; future projects I'll have to work on that. Here you can see how much smaller my stitches started out than where they end. The topstitching for the bias tape was done using a backstitch.

And there were some crooked bits.

The stitch I used for the hem is a little unconventional - I intended something else, but what my needle actually did wasn't quite what I was trying to get it to do (it probably didn't help that I didn't review the instructions right before starting in on the hem). Since it was working I decided to go with it.

Overall, the fit isn't too bad. I like that it doesn't make me look more overweight than I am. There's a little too much fabric in front of the underarm; I'm not sure how best to address that. I'm also not sure the bust darts are in the best place - I'll have to do some research. I'd like the shoulder straps to come a little closer to the center - they're pretty wide out on my shoulders. There's excess fabric at the small of my back - I've noticed this in the couple of sweaters I've knit as well. I'm not sure if I need to look into a "sway back" adjustment - I'll have to read about that too. The length is pretty good, though, and it goes on just fine, so I call it a win.

Pattern: Colette Sorbetto
Fabric: "Cui Cui" by Fifi Mandirac, 100% cotton poplin, bought at Arrow Workshop
Size: 14
Alterations: None