- Traced the pattern with extra hip width (good call, I suspect, as my fabric has 20 per cent stretch and the pattern calls for fabric that has 30 per cent stretch).
- Altered the traced pattern per my denim leggings "sloper".
- Prepped the fabric. Washed and dried in machine. Then steamed to ensure no more vertical shrinkage.
- Cut the fabric.
- Marked the fabric.
- Threaded the serger. Tested the fabric with the serger.
- Threaded the machine. Tested the fabric with the machine.
- Read up on all the posts I could find about the Claudia pants (not much).
- Read up on crotch curves.
- Wrote 4 posts considering things (and thinking as I wrote).
I mean, if I think about it as prep, it seems so precursory and irritating. But if I think of it as sewing, then I sewed a lot! Bring out the wine!
This means I can simply get down to construction next weekend. And I do use the word "simply" with a wink. After all, we have no idea if this test run will be a perfect fit or a disaster. Looking at that curve, I'm leaning to the latter perspective - but, on the plus side, I've added so much extra fabric to the original curve that I should be able to baste everything, determine issues, and still be able to hack at the crotch without sacrificing the fabric. It's scary when this counts as a cautious success :-)
Amazingly, I only used @1 yard of my 2 yards of fabric, so this pattern is not a fabric hog. I may actually be able to get a second pair from my current yardage, minus the facings, should the need arise. (Oh, and I've bought another 2 yards of the fabric, so I can relax. Not to mention, I've got other denim stashed - albeit other denim with even less stretch than this denim.)
Well, that's my weekend. No knitting so far though I do want to finish the sweater. Just made a Bolognese sauce that's simmering on the stove and it smells fine.
What have you been up to?
Posts
I have to view prep time as sewing too. It takes a whole lot of time.
ReplyDeleteIt's the way to go!
DeleteBring out the wine! Yeah, whenever anyone says how long it took to sew something I always wonder if they included prep in their calculation. It's important, but time consuming work.
ReplyDeleteI think some people are just SUPER fast. Maybe it's genetic :-)
DeleteWow, only one yard? That's pretty good for pants, no? Bolognese sauce... yum!
ReplyDeleteI know - prob 39 inches length (which may be just too much to get another pair out of - unless I refine these and can chop some length off on my next go round. Seems very likely.
DeleteDon't rush! Trust me, sewing is SO MUCH EASIER when you take the time to prep. I didn't realize how I was sabotaging myself until I read on the Fashion Incubator blog about how home sewers rush the very important pattern and cutting process in an effort to get to the "fun" sewing process, and then they end up having to do all sorts of workarounds to make up for their sloppy prep work. I have started doing single layer layouts, being more accurate when cutting, carefully measuring my pattern and adjusting as needed, taking the time to apply more interfacing, etc and now I have better and more predictable results than when I rushed those steps. Things just seem to go together easier.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this reminder Anne! You are so right. It's hard for me to keep this straight sometimes when I just want to finish and have the fun, afterglow of sewing. But it's not fun when the project isn't as good as it could have been.
DeleteAll of that *is* sewing! Not as in making a seam, but as in the process of sewing a garment. And yes to what Anne said.
ReplyDeleteOk, I agree! :-)
DeleteI know I'm a bit behind with this (and can't wait to catch up) but Anne put this so very eloquently. I should print that and stick it on the wall!
ReplyDeleteI know - we should all print that out and hang it on a wall...
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