My Sewing Story

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 01:11:00 +0000

I have been busy making shirts, skirts and whatever for other people.

The stripe is a Blouse Back T by Hotpatterns. It worked out pretty well. The two skirts are from New Look and are just a basic skirt pattern. The camo shirt is from Kwik Sew and the pattern is now OOP.

I continue to wonder what 'type' I am in terms of style of clothing and what that means for the style of clothing I make. Despite my continuing efforts at making a well-fitting T-shirt, I actually prefer buttonup woven shirts.

One thing that occurred to me over the weekend is that I really need to take my clothing style from my footware. I mean wearing Teva sandals, short boots and Danskos really should be giving me hints, ya know? Retro Hippy? Sporty? LOL!

I have two more shirts to finish for 'other' people and then it is back to sewing for myself. I do have a pattern for a button up that fits, so I think I will make that next. Just have to figure out what fabric to use. I have plenty! :)

Later, gators!

Patti

T-Shirt Fitting

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sun, 31 May 2015 19:36:00 +0000

I spent four months fitting a T-shirt pattern. Like many people, my body is many different sizes. I have size Small shoulders, size XXL torso and then size medium legs. To get anything to fit I have alter any pattern I use.

I didn't realize until this journey started how narrow my shoulders are. For a variety of reasons I thought I am big all over. I'm not. This has created a bit of a fitting nightmare.

There are two ways to approach fitting and I have not yet settled on either one. It is still a work in progress.

Method 1: Fit the shoulders and do massive FBA (full bust adjustment).

Method 2: Fit the bust and do a narrow shoulder adjustment.

These changes are along with a rounded back adjustment, sloped shoulder adjustment and others that pop up for each pattern.

I started with Vogue 8793 without the zipper collar.

The first shirt I did was an XXL.

There is lots of fabric right above the bust and the shoulders fall off me.

Next was a L.

This is not quite so bad. A little less fabric, but shoulders are still falling off.

Shirt no. 3 was a medium.

Shirt no. 4 was a small with a massive FBA. This is the pattern that I eventually adjusted to get patterns to fit.

It is not yet perfect, but it is better and least as presentable as RTW.

I am pleased with the progress so far. There are minor tweaks that I have done to the pattern, but I am calling this one good enough ... for now. :)

Patti

My Current Sewing Room

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 18:09:00 +0000

I used to have my sewing room in the basement. The basement is very large and plenty big enough for my sewing and fabric racks and cutting table and and and ... It is also very dark. It has two of those underground window well windows and the walls are painted dark tan. Since we are renting, I can't change anything. Eventually, I had had enough. So, I moved upstairs. I am currently in what should be the master bedroom. Top floor, large windows on two sides. Heaven! :) My fabric is still downstairs in what I call the dungeon, which should tell you how I feel about that room.

It is not usually this messy, but I have a couple of projects I am working on set out on the cutting table. Here are pictures of my sewing room:


Serger and Coverstitch machines

Main sewing machine


Laptop and table


Dressforms


Ironing board and closet with storage


Cutting table - 3x6


Embroidery Machine


Reference Library

I love my sewing room. It makes me very happy to be able to see out, watch the squirrels and sunsets, snowstorms and windstorms. I do not ever want to return downstairs again! :)

Patti

My Ruler Rack

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 22:06:00 +0000

I am lucky to have a very handy spouse. I recently decided I wanted all my rulers in one place, so I asked hom to make me a ruler rack. Here it is:

There is a slot in the middle for my large rulers and slots on both front and back for other rulers. I love my new ruler rack!

Patti

Fitting is not for the faint hearted

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 21:40:00 +0000

I have been working on fitting for the last two months. I am not doing anything fancy ... just trying to get my shape figured out.

I have been fitting a simple t-shirt, but ya see I am not all of one size. I am also what is termed "plus sized". Along the way I have learned a lot about me, as in, how I am shaped. Sounds kinda silly to say it, but I have spent years not really knowing anything about me. I just took what RTW retailers said and even though I think I am reasonably intelligent, it took the fitting process to really bring home to me why RTW doesn't ever fit.

I started out with trying to refine the fit in my shoulders and chest area. I have always known that I do not fit in Plus sizes in my shoulders. Now I really know. I have narrow shoulders. There, I have said it. I would never have thought I had narrow shoulders. After all, I am a plus sized middle-aged female. :)

My journey of discovery started out this way. I started with an XL and ended up with gobs of extra fabric in the shoulder/armhole area. Next I tried a large, still gobs of fabric. So I tried a medium. Better, but still hangs off shoulder a bit. So, I tried a small. I mean really ... a small? Well, the shoulders finally fit! I had done an FBA, round back adjustment, etc. for my rather round body, so it was not a problem to get it fit around me. It does still need work.

Now I need to figure how armholes, because, of course, even with adjustment, the armholes don't fit right. So, shoulders and across chest a small. Armholes are XL. Bodies are weird!

Fitting is so invigorating. Keeps the mind young. :). Even if it does make you want to bash your head against a wall.

Patti

My Colorado Sewing Room

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 02:25:00 +0000

I have gotten my sewing room together. It only took 9 months. 😄. I was finally able to get all my fabric out to see and touch. I am very happy.

Blogging and sewing 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 05:16:00 +0000

Well, there wasn't much of either in 2013 - blogging and sewing. Hopefully, 2014 will be much better.

Anyway, here is the last item made in 2013:

My grandson needed a new blanket, so I embroidered the blocks and made roads and voila, a blanket. He seems to like it.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:44:00 +0000

The demise of Google Reader in a few months is causing a lot of consternation for a lot of us.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

See ya' there.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:49:00 +0000

I have been sewing lately, but not for me.

The most recent item is this for my grandson:

I also made a bathrobe for his sister, but apparently failed to get a picture.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:26:00 +0000

There is a lot of discussion on Stitcher's Guild about pants fitting. I am no fitting expert, but I have given it a lot of thought.

There are many different areas to take into consideration:

Half front waist measurement
Half back waist measurement
Half front hip measurement
Half back hip measurement
Hip depth
Crotch front depth
Crotch back depth
Crotch length
Thigh circumference
Inseam

It seems to me that many times people do not take into consideration all of these areas when fitting pants. Most pants fitting books, articles, etc., do not do a good job taking all of these measurements into consideration. Nor do most articles give explanations on how to recognize the wrinkles associated with each and how to fix those wrinkles.

This is something I will be doing a lot of studying on in the near future. It is time for me to start fitting pants for myself. Wish me luck!

Til next time!

New Vintage Patterns

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 20:25:00 +0000

I went to an estate sale today. It was a private sale instead of one put on by an estate sale company.

Boy, oh, boy, did I score! I found a box of 50’s, 60’s and 70’s patterns. There were 98 patterns in the box. I also got a couple of bins of buttons. Lucky me!

One of the great things about the patterns is that they are sizes 16, 18, 20, 20 1/2, 22 1/2, with a few size 14. There were also 7 men’s patterns in the box.

I am a lucky person!

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:18:00 +0000

This is not the greatest photography on the planet, but here is a dress I finished for my daughter. It is Vogue 1250. I am no longer the last person on the planet to make this dress.

I did have to make quite a few changes. I made a size 6, but had to shorten the bodice and had to cut the bottom and insert strips in the side to widen it at the hips. I have to get this in the mail to her, so I still don't know if it is going to fit her now. Here's hoping! :)

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:46:00 +0000

So I got my Christmas present today:

Found this in the classifieds in our local paper - for $150.00. It came complete with case, manual, cord, accessories. It runs great and looks terrific.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 02:06:00 +0000

So I am going to try to do the SWAP on Stitcher's Guild this year. I have never done one before, so this will be interesting to see if I can do it.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:26:00 +0000

I am selling some patterns. I have some 60's patterns, some vintage and some costumes that I am selling. They are many different sizes. Here are pictures of a couple of them :

In all there are 72 patterns that I have up for sale.

Here is a link to the whole group:

Flickr group of patterns for sale

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:31:00 +0000

I finally finished the curtains I have been making for my DGS. My DD requested them a few months ago and so the planning began. The first problem I encountered was finding Thomas the Train fabric. I had trouble finding enough, so I improvised. I found two different prints and used all of the stripe and bits and pieces of the other. I am actually quite happy how they turned out.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:26:00 +0000

My DGD chose this fabric and elastic when she visited this summer. I did not use a pattern for this. I did line it because the fabric is so sheer - didn't want see through.

I didn't have a chance to finish it while she was still here, but I have it done now and will ship it to her soon.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Some days you get really lucky! My DH and I go to estate sales on most Fridays. Today I was able to get all the books you see below. Total cost for all the books is around $28.00. I was also able to get about 10 yards of wool for about $10.00. A couple of these books have been on my wish list for a while, so to be able to get them for just a little money, is terrific.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:32:00 +0000

I think the Memorial Day sales tempted a lot of us. These are the patterns that I decided I couldn't live without. A few for myself and a few for my daughter.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:55:00 +0000

These are the three latest patterns I have purchased. I plan on making leggings for my DD and my DGD. I read someone's blog that said it took them about an hour to make a pair. We'll see.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:52:00 +0000

Here are more fabrics that called to me from Fabric.com.

The red/black is a red rayon with black spots. Then there is the football fabric. The others are a heavier blue cotton that is pantweight and two fabrics that are shirting fabrics - bright blue spots and the kelly green stripes. There were some of the fabrics on their recent $1.98 sale.

Fabric.com got me again

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:03:00 +0000

Ya, know, I am much better at reading blogs than writing on my blog, but I just had to talk about this.
Fabric anyone? Okay, so I had to get some of these when Fabric.com had them. And, of course, you have to get at $35.00 worth, right? So you don't have to pay shipping, right? I mean the price of the shipping would pay for at least one yard of fabric. So here is what I had to get.

I am adding to my knit stash because I was lacking blue knits, so I have cured that. Mmmm..

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:07:00 +0000

These are some patterns that I recently purchased. I got them when Hancock's was having a sale and I was looking for a cheap way to get a fix.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:07:00 +0000

This is the Hotpatterns Weekender Sunshine top I recently made. At first I wasn't sure I liked it. I have worn it several times and it is quite comfortable.

noreply@blogger.com (Sewing Geek) — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:48:00 +0000

These are recently got some new fabric. Woohoo!

This is some fabric that I got to make pajamas for a special little girl in my life. These four are flannel.

Most of these are lycra. I decided that I am going to try my hand at making some new bras. Now I just have to get a pattern.

This whole pile of fabric is shirtings. I love shirtings. I got all of these Ressy's coop Fabrics and Notions. They are all made of Pima Cotton.

This last piece I got for mother's day from my wonderful daughter. It is Italian cotton denim that is going to become a shirt for myself sometime.

I also purchased the Consew CES 300 gravity feed iron. Now all I have to do is learn to use it.