The thing about sewing that makes it so hard compared to other things I do is that I’m always prone to make absentminded mistakes. Even after I’ve learned all these great techniques it’s all thrown out the window the second I get too confident and decide to listen to music while I sew. The problem is that sewing is just boring enough to make it impossible to focus on entirely. I haven’t posted anything in a few days now, and it’s making me very tense. I’ve done a huge amount of sewing and have nothing to show.
Yesterday I worked on a jumper to wear over a blouse I’ve almost finished. The jumper was coming along great. My fabric choice was surprisingly good. I basted the whole thing together to try it on. After making the usual adjustments for fit I went over all the seams with a tighter stitch and serged them. Then I realized I had forgotten to put the pockets on, which needed to be sewn into the side seams. No problem – I threw the pockets out. The jumper has a lined bodice. I didn’t think about how I was going to put the lining in until I looked at the directions and realized I had already made it impossible by assembling the whole outside. I have made things with linings before, so I know that if you do it in the wrong order you can never turn the garment right-side out. I decided to cut the lining into separate pieces for the neck and armholes (now I just had three facings instead of a lining) which worked but looked crappy on the inside and took much too long.
Now for the zipper. I have always loved clothes with zippers and hoods. Those are the two things that I fall for every time. I haven’t made anything with a hood yet, but the zipper territory has been a nightmare. I ordered 170 assorted zippers on eBay, but of course none of them are long invisible zippers so I had to buy a special one at the fabric store for $2.40. I had a special lesson at Vogue on how to put in invisible zippers. The first thing my teacher told me was to iron the zipper with a very hot, steamy iron. Then apply interfacing to the seam allowances. This is exactly the kind of step that is verrry tempting to skip, but I never will because I know that it makes all the difference. Alright, so I got the zipper in, but it was really hard to zip up. The fabric wasn’t in the teeth, so I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. Once zipped, the jumper looked very good. It was late afternoon and even though the lining had created such a problem, it was worth working through because this jumper was definitely in the top ten things I’ve sewn. So I unzipped the zipper, which was equally tough to do, and in the process it shredded the fabric on both sides. Which completely destroyed my jumper. And my worldview.
Fifteen minutes later I was ready to cope with the problem. I examined the zipper and it appears that I melted the teeth a little when I ironed it. I checked the zipper instructions and it calls for a medium iron (not hot & steamy!). As I sat there looking at the jumper I started to wonder why there was a zipper at all. The waist isn’t fitted at all, so it should just fit over your head. I zipped it up again and tried it and I was right. Why would a pattern call for one then? You can’t trust anybody.
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2 comments:
I haven't opened my sewing machine in several months, but I have been wanting to make a summer bag with some fabric my mother gave me. I guess trying to figure out how to line it has been preventing me from starting the project. I think your frustration has actually motivated me to try. I have been enjoying reading your blog since I learned how to sew with you (if you call asking my mom to fix the bobin and change the broken needles every 10 minutes sewing).
You were the one that taught me that you can sew right over the pins instead of removing them as you go. Maybe that has something to do with the broken needles.
I wish my mom were still in the next room for my sewing disasters. I remember one night in particular when I was working late (it was probably 7:00) on a cabbage patch doll dress and I sewed the sleeve on inside-out. I was so frustrated I broke into tears. My sweet mother patiently ripped out the seam so I could sew it in correctly. I sewed it on inside-out again. I should have taken that as a sign.
In regard to your summer bag - I'm picturing a tote bag or a drawstring bag. I used to line all my tote bags until I got my serger up & running. Here's how I do it. I sew the lining pieces together at the sides. You may also have to sew the bottom, unless you've just used one long rectangle. Then I sew the outside pieces together at the sides. With both parts turned inside-out, stick one into the other and sew the top edge, but leave it open about 5 inches so you can turn the whole thing right-side out. If it's a tote bag, you should have inserted the handles into the seam before sewing the top edges. Otherwise, just make a casing by topstitiching along the top after you've gotten it right-side out and have slipstitched that 5 inch hole.
If it is a tote bag, the other thing that you can do at the end is turn the bag inside out and pinch a triangle of fabric at each corner and sew a straight seam that runs perpendicular to the side and bottom seams. This allows the bag to sit like a grocery bag instead of being flat.
OK - now you know why I don't write instructions for projects.
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