I have been making a Gentleman's Victorian Waistcoat pattern from a Folkwear pattern for my husband for our wedding anniversary present. I have made such a disaster out of it so far.
In the end I put the fraying and unpicked original Chinese satin material pieces aside of rampant snarling back threaded dragons and started again. I had to buy more Chinese satin, different lining and iron on interfacing. I had used too thick lining, overstretched the satin when pressing it with too hot an iron, and cut the pattern in the wrong size even though I had carefully checked and measured it out.
So the following week, with husband in tow, we went to get more of the material he had specially picked out . Of course they had sold out and no they weren't expected any more. So we picked different pattern bright red with black cherry blossoms.
Sigh. Patience of a saint- and the new larger waistcoat version 2 that I had pinned, tacked and muslined first, still didn't fit right on him but did on the second duct tape manikin we made that weekend. Pooh. Its the neck fitting that is all wrong. So I have unpicked it across the back and collar to rethink about what went wrong. The muslin had sat right when I checked it out.
I get my newly overhauled sewing machine back to inspire me to try again next Tuesday. Third time lucky. I am determined to get it right sitting well and looking professional on him!
Then I will share the finished photos with you. All I have to show for many hours of work is a pile of unpicked, frayed material and a half finished waistcoat divided into two also unpicked.
I need a new unpicker now as my one has gone blunt from overuse!
Friday 22 June 2012
Other sewing projects
Its been quite a while since I sewed a 1912 Project pattern. I have though, been very busy sewing and learning about how to get more use out of my sewing machine and reading sewing technique books. And developing a manic determination to get things right.
Sewing Books
The latest books I have are The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible by Wendy Gardiner and Lorna Knight. This book prompted me tocontact my friend that I have given my old Bernina to that had odd sewing feet attachments I never did learn what they were for. She said she would never use them so I asked for them back. I also invested in an invisible zip attachment.
Then my sewing machine lost its setting for automatic buttonholes and I took it to the shop for a service. So I haven't had time to practice with the new toys:tailors tacking foot, embroidery foot, invisible zipper foot, pin tuck foot and hemmer foot.
The Complete Photo Guide to Fitting by Sarah Veblen is a book I like a lot because it has 650 photos of how clothes don't fit then shows you the adjustments to make to make it fit better.
I was then inspired to make my own duct tape manikin form of my husband so I can stick pins into it without it complaining. I stuffed it with newspaper, stiffened it with gap filling foam and he put it on a frame with lockable wheels. I followed the instructions via a u-tube video. The foam over expanded and changed his shape humpback with one side of his chest bigger than the other.
I had to disassemble it, cover him in recycled duct tape and try again. Not before I had to clean off the sticky adhesive from around the edges of my kitchen bench that I had attached the end of the recycled strips of duct tape on to, so I could use then again.
How to make Sewing Patterns by Donald McCunn- I haven't got into this one much yet but I hope that it will help me understand the patterns better when I adjust them and they don't sit right.
4 Greek Robes for 'Immacculate' a prodcuton by BackYard Theatre
I finished these in a long weekend for the cast of four. I make up my own standard pattern using their measurements and they went together well. The material was from the Fabric Warehouse a black stretch material with a wide satin band stripe, it had to be full length and quite thick to cover their actors own costumes.
The feedback I got from rehearsals was 'Awesome!'. Another person has made the masks to go with them and the opeing night is in July. Hopefuly I will get photos then too.
Sewing Books
The latest books I have are The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible by Wendy Gardiner and Lorna Knight. This book prompted me tocontact my friend that I have given my old Bernina to that had odd sewing feet attachments I never did learn what they were for. She said she would never use them so I asked for them back. I also invested in an invisible zip attachment.
Then my sewing machine lost its setting for automatic buttonholes and I took it to the shop for a service. So I haven't had time to practice with the new toys:tailors tacking foot, embroidery foot, invisible zipper foot, pin tuck foot and hemmer foot.
The Complete Photo Guide to Fitting by Sarah Veblen is a book I like a lot because it has 650 photos of how clothes don't fit then shows you the adjustments to make to make it fit better.
I was then inspired to make my own duct tape manikin form of my husband so I can stick pins into it without it complaining. I stuffed it with newspaper, stiffened it with gap filling foam and he put it on a frame with lockable wheels. I followed the instructions via a u-tube video. The foam over expanded and changed his shape humpback with one side of his chest bigger than the other.
I had to disassemble it, cover him in recycled duct tape and try again. Not before I had to clean off the sticky adhesive from around the edges of my kitchen bench that I had attached the end of the recycled strips of duct tape on to, so I could use then again.
How to make Sewing Patterns by Donald McCunn- I haven't got into this one much yet but I hope that it will help me understand the patterns better when I adjust them and they don't sit right.
4 Greek Robes for 'Immacculate' a prodcuton by BackYard Theatre
I finished these in a long weekend for the cast of four. I make up my own standard pattern using their measurements and they went together well. The material was from the Fabric Warehouse a black stretch material with a wide satin band stripe, it had to be full length and quite thick to cover their actors own costumes.
The feedback I got from rehearsals was 'Awesome!'. Another person has made the masks to go with them and the opeing night is in July. Hopefuly I will get photos then too.
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