FIRST GARMENT OF 2014!

Yippee fellow sewists, I have successfully completed a shirt with the help of Pam Howard's Tailored Shirt Class on Craftsy!  I am really pleased with the result.  It has been an interesting experience from the perspective of someone who has been a sewer for many years.  I had given up on garment sewing many years ago as nothing ever fit.  At that time, I would buy a pattern, pick a size that was closest to my measurements and start cutting and sewing.  Needless to say most often, there were so many fitting issues, that the garment usually ended up in the Goodwill bag and I was left feeling frustrated and inadequate.  In those days, I had never heard of creating a muslin and I suspect if I had I would have thought "that takes way to much time!".  Through this process of taking classes, I realize how valuable a tool a muslin becomes.  Through the muslin, I was able to make adjustments and end up with a pattern I can use over and over to make a classic shirt, not to mention a garment I can actually wear with pride.  

I want to add an unsolicited plug for the Craftsy classes!  I think they are fantastic because once you buy the class you can watch them over and over again and follow along as you sew.  Pam Howard's Tailored Shirt class was really fantastic.  Not only do I have a shirt that looks rtw, but I learned so many valuable sewing tips.  My next project is Angela Wolf's Designer Jeans--again I will follow along with her Craftsy class.  I can't wait to see what I am able to do next!   

Manic Muslin Monday!

I know, today is Thursday, but I actually took the picture on Monday and am just getting around to blogging about it today.  I decided to reconsider the Vogue shirt pattern I had originally showed you as all the princess seams would be difficult to match using a plaid.  Instead I decided on Kwik Sew"s #3555 shirt pattern which I think will be a better choice with the fabric. I did have to make some adjustments to the muslin which gave me a few fits (no pun intended), I needed smaller in the shoulders and larger in the hip area--hmmmm, sewing may be trying to tell me something!  Regardless, I feel a sense of accomplishment just getting this finished and I hope by next week I will have close to a finished garment to share with you.  See you then! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014!

It's not without a bit of trepidation that I have decided to challenge myself to create a wardrobe without the benefit of running to the store when I need something to wear!  In fact, it will take some advance planning, something that in general does not come naturally to me.  That being said I am excited about taking the plunge and as of this moment I am sitting in front of piles of Vogue, Threads and Burda magazines as well as a stack of patterns trying to decide what I am going to create first. 

Here is what I am thinking so far--
January: 
I have signed up for Angela Wolfe's Designer Jeans class on Craftsy.  The pattern should arrive the end of this week, I have the denim purchased, washed and dried, so I am excited to start!  I am a little worried as it has been literally years since I have made a pair of pants, so nothing like jumping in with all fours eh?

Next will be a shirt from the Vogue pattern #8689 that I plan to sew from a Pendleton cotton that I purchased recently.  Here in Portland we are lucky to have a Pendleton outlet store that has beautiful fabrics.  I have already created the muslin so I should be ready to go on that one. 

If I get both of those garments done in January I will be doing backflips. Just keep a mental image of that! 

Here are my fabrics and patterns--Ready, set sew!!

I can't wait to start sewing and to learn from this shared challenge with the rest of you.  The one thing I know, there is always so much to learn.  Happy New Year and Happy Sewing to you all.