Today I started on my first pair of pants. The pattern I am working with is McCall's 5894 and I am doing view B, which has a slightly flared leg. I did several things today that I have never done before because I am normally a I-want-to-get-to-the-fun-part-of-sewing kind of girl. I ironed my fabric, cut out all of the pieces (This is the part I hate about sewing) in tissue, and ironed my tissue. One thing that I noticed that this McCall's pattern has that none of my Simplicity have so far is that McCall's has a sort of plasticy layer that makes the tissue tear less easy and they don't just give you whole squares of paper with lots and lots of pattern pieces on each square. There were 6 sections of tissue, each containing only a few pieces. Whether they do this for their own benefit or that of the sewer, I do not know but I appreciate it. I hate working with huge sections of tissue paper. They are generally too big to lay flat on my table so they get all tangled and torn and uggh.
I also did my first tissue try-on ever, enlightening! I chose the pattern size based on the end result for this patter as they didn't list the measurements with the pattern sizes like Simplicity does. Well, the waist was too high, no surprise there as I am rather petite, and the thighs too thin. I have shortened the top at the waist by about 1". I am going to add a slight curve to the thigh to account for my naturally inherited, I've always had them I swear, thunder thighs. I am did this by using the large tailoring ruler that I have and going from the original size I picked at the waist and making a gradual curve to the next size up on the patter using the long edge. Then, lower in the thigh, where my legs begin to taper again, I will curve back to the original size. hopefully this curve is gradual enough no hug my thighs not add to them. I did this on both the front and back so that the jeans fit the curve of my legs. I will definitely be doing a basted try-on to make sure this comes out right.
Side Note: By the way I went all over creation looking for tailoring rulers over the last year and guess where I found them of all places, Staples! I never would have guessed but apparently that is the place to get them.
1/24/11
1/23/11
A Brief Glimpse
I am dedicating this blog to the trials and joys associated with sewing. When teaching yourself how to sew there are many things that you quite simply do not know because no one has ever told you. I once sewed a few projects for my Home-ec class and for fair projects but it has been 10+ years since either of those events. I started sewing again a year ago when I spent 6 months looking for a purse that would work for me without success, so I got the idea to make one that would fit my criteria. A year later, purses are still my favorite item to make but I have also ventured into shirts, dresses, costumes, and accessories.
Today, I started on a new project that I have been too intimidated to try, pants. I don't mean simple things like pajama pants; I am making a pair of corduroy jeans. For the first time I am really noticing differences between McCall's and Simplicity pattern instructions. I have a pattern for jeans by McCalls, M5894, and it literally explains how to do the tissue try-on without ruining the tissue, how to make the alterations to make the jeans fit well, and even explains the different types of seams used in jeans. I am learning way more about good sewing than any of my simplicity patterns to date. Okay, so if you know all the ins and outs of sewing many of these are pointless explanations but for someone like me who is learning to sew through my own imagination and patterns, it is priceless. Now I am curious about the other two big pattern companies. I hear that Butterick has great patterns but also that their explanations are for people who already know how to sew and honestly I know next to nothing about Vogue.
I am going to be a good girl and not make unprecedented changes to the pattern this time as I want to have a really well constructed pair when I am finished. I have already washed the corduroy so the next step is to do the tissue try on. I am actually excited about this part as the pattern does a wonderful job explaining what alterations to make depending on the fit in certain areas.
Today, I started on a new project that I have been too intimidated to try, pants. I don't mean simple things like pajama pants; I am making a pair of corduroy jeans. For the first time I am really noticing differences between McCall's and Simplicity pattern instructions. I have a pattern for jeans by McCalls, M5894, and it literally explains how to do the tissue try-on without ruining the tissue, how to make the alterations to make the jeans fit well, and even explains the different types of seams used in jeans. I am learning way more about good sewing than any of my simplicity patterns to date. Okay, so if you know all the ins and outs of sewing many of these are pointless explanations but for someone like me who is learning to sew through my own imagination and patterns, it is priceless. Now I am curious about the other two big pattern companies. I hear that Butterick has great patterns but also that their explanations are for people who already know how to sew and honestly I know next to nothing about Vogue.
I am going to be a good girl and not make unprecedented changes to the pattern this time as I want to have a really well constructed pair when I am finished. I have already washed the corduroy so the next step is to do the tissue try on. I am actually excited about this part as the pattern does a wonderful job explaining what alterations to make depending on the fit in certain areas.
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