Ever have this thought? I do -- increasingly often. Usually, it's the result of extreme optimism paired with lack of experience. But sometimes, just sometimes, it's true. Today I sewed my very first item of clothing for myself. It helps that I have no perfectionist tendencies when it comes to sewing, but I'm feeling happy with the results.
I remember a quote from Amy Karol's "Bend the Rules With Sewing" that goes (and I'm totally paraphrasing here) "You have to be good enough to know when you can bend the rules." I must say, this quote doesn't apply to me at all. It's more like, "If you don't know any of the rules, you just make up your own (and make a lot of mistakes along the way.)" I am a beginner's beginner when it comes to sewing -- I'm not one of those crafty ladies that learned to sew perched atop my great-grandmother's knee. In fact, it took me about a year after buying my machine to even learn how to thread it properly. I'm not sure I should admit that publicly, but there you have it.....
I've been lurking for a while -- admiring others' handiwork, reading crafty blogs and books, and buying handmade clothing when possible. I've been warming up with smaller projects -- quilts, bibs, pot holders; our resident doll, "baby" has a stunning wardrobe selection. Finally, this blog inspired me to take the plunge. The blog is a photo journal of a woman in Canada who has pledged to wear only what she makes herself (including shoes, underwear and the like) for a year. Believe me, I didn't think "Hey, I could do that...." But I did think that maybe I could begin to make some of my clothes....
I began with a soft cotton jersey fabric that's been lingering in my stash; I found it incredibly forgiving, with just the right amount of stretch. I just cut the shape I envisioned (no patterns yet for this no rules-er), sewed along the inner seams, and added a gather in the middle. I didn't finish any of the edges, which was fine by my standards.
SO satisfying. The skirt? Another no-rules experiment (without sewing involved this time....) I began with a secondhand top, the stripey-ness of which I love, but with an unflattering neckline....
A little work with a rotary cutter (much smoother than scissors) right under the armpits, and a sporty little number perfect for autumn layering was revealed.
Next: learn how to take self-portraits without angles that make the viewer dizzy. I'm sure it's doable.
4 comments:
These look amazing. I envy your ability to just jump in there and give it a go. Look forward to seeing what else you come up with!
love the skirt, love the top! love love love it all!
Thank you and thank you! It was a really enjoyable project and gave me more confidence for forging ahead. I've worn this top for, oh, three days now -- must be time to make something new!
Cool! Now I'm trying to think of ways I could turn some of my less desirable wardrobe garments into wearable ones!
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