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My tailoring course started this week. First impressions were promising: a very like-minded and enthusiastic group of other learners, and the tutor is an experienced tailor and passionate about the craft. As always with adult education, I have Opinions on how classes are (usually poorly) structured and learning takes place (haphazardly and by being insistent) but I keep them to myself and go with the flow. We spent the first session on introductions, talking about the trade, and doing some basic handstitching. Handsewing is not my best skill and it will take a while to get up to speed, especially with middle-aged eyesight.
Meanwhile in my own home sewing adventures! I've finally found a decent fabric & haberdashery store (Mark Pickles in Bath; the worst website, as is par for the course for any art or craft site). Bought a fabulous abstract print for a summer dress, and an Arts&Crafts-style floral on black to make into a Western shirt. I am eyeing this vintage Vogue pattern for the shirt to make up in the floral (plus I love the trousers), does anyone have any experience with it - or with other Western-style shirts??
I have three projects on the go at the moment:
(1) A Zero Waste blouse that I'm making in a lovely royal purple viscose remnant. You can see the chalking out of the pieces from the rectangle below.
I tried getting clever and bias-binding the armholes, which looked beautiful, but added too much stiffness to the shape to be flattering: I am broad shouldered in proportion and don't need more!. So I've taken it off and just zigzagged the armholes for neatness, but there's still quite a bit of seam stiffness that I'm hoping will go away when the thread is washed. We'll see!
I don't love this pattern. I love the idea, but the ZW concept means using up small pieces in patchwork-like ways that aren't my thing, so I am doing it a bit differently.
(2) An asymmetric skirt (Simplicity 9648) in this (excuse the dreadful hotel room lighting) sort-of madras lime-pink-red wool-blend check that I found in a costume shop in Durham for a fiver a metre. At that price I can't complain that it's a blend. I bought squeakingly just enough fabric--in fact, ten cm too little, but if I use the selvedge I can make it work. I'm tempted to try and line it but I should also just make something according to the pattern, lol. I can always wear a slip*.
(3) Remodelling a pair of 100% wool flannel Pierre Cardin men's trousers, dug out of a bargain bin at a charity shop for literally one british pound. I couldn't believe my luck. The fabric is gorgeous, lined, and I managed to unpick the waistband and fly-front completely, leaving enough intact fabric for a proper remodelling.
It's challenging, though, and because I wasn't paying attention properly today I cut at the wrong place and won't be able to have side pockets. Things I learned in this process? Men's zippers go a lot further down to enable wang extraction. You can know a thing, and then you can unpick a zipper to know a thing.
* Slips. Why. WHY are these so hard to find in plain and simple yet nice styles that don't cost the earth but also aren't from fabric that is highly flammable and/or give me eternal static? M&S make very boring acceptable ones but I'd dearly love something a bit more glamorous without it being A Thing To Have Sex In and full of scratchy lace.
Meanwhile in my own home sewing adventures! I've finally found a decent fabric & haberdashery store (Mark Pickles in Bath; the worst website, as is par for the course for any art or craft site). Bought a fabulous abstract print for a summer dress, and an Arts&Crafts-style floral on black to make into a Western shirt. I am eyeing this vintage Vogue pattern for the shirt to make up in the floral (plus I love the trousers), does anyone have any experience with it - or with other Western-style shirts??
I have three projects on the go at the moment:
(1) A Zero Waste blouse that I'm making in a lovely royal purple viscose remnant. You can see the chalking out of the pieces from the rectangle below.
I tried getting clever and bias-binding the armholes, which looked beautiful, but added too much stiffness to the shape to be flattering: I am broad shouldered in proportion and don't need more!. So I've taken it off and just zigzagged the armholes for neatness, but there's still quite a bit of seam stiffness that I'm hoping will go away when the thread is washed. We'll see!
I don't love this pattern. I love the idea, but the ZW concept means using up small pieces in patchwork-like ways that aren't my thing, so I am doing it a bit differently.
(2) An asymmetric skirt (Simplicity 9648) in this (excuse the dreadful hotel room lighting) sort-of madras lime-pink-red wool-blend check that I found in a costume shop in Durham for a fiver a metre. At that price I can't complain that it's a blend. I bought squeakingly just enough fabric--in fact, ten cm too little, but if I use the selvedge I can make it work. I'm tempted to try and line it but I should also just make something according to the pattern, lol. I can always wear a slip*.
(3) Remodelling a pair of 100% wool flannel Pierre Cardin men's trousers, dug out of a bargain bin at a charity shop for literally one british pound. I couldn't believe my luck. The fabric is gorgeous, lined, and I managed to unpick the waistband and fly-front completely, leaving enough intact fabric for a proper remodelling.
It's challenging, though, and because I wasn't paying attention properly today I cut at the wrong place and won't be able to have side pockets. Things I learned in this process? Men's zippers go a lot further down to enable wang extraction. You can know a thing, and then you can unpick a zipper to know a thing.
* Slips. Why. WHY are these so hard to find in plain and simple yet nice styles that don't cost the earth but also aren't from fabric that is highly flammable and/or give me eternal static? M&S make very boring acceptable ones but I'd dearly love something a bit more glamorous without it being A Thing To Have Sex In and full of scratchy lace.
