Fun with T-shirts

Following directions in my Generation T book, I made this reusable bag from a T-shirt. I hand-sewed it just because I wanted to, and it looks cool.



Here it is, filled. With...dare I say it?? ...bargain fabrics. I fear I am becoming hopelessly addicted. And yet I think it's good. It's a good kind of addiction.

Watch me grow

Bags o' Fabric

Sewing equipment

The above two pix show the whole of my sewing equipment and materials, except for a smallish pile of patterns. I have yet to figure out a classy way to store these things that is out of the way yet easily usable. But when I do come up with a way I need to allow for expansion. I need room for more fabric, probably in clear boxes, perhaps for larger cutting boards, even, eventually, another sewing machine? I think it will be a while before I am looking for that, fortunately, but I am thinking about the serious sew-people I know (I don't like the term "seamstresses", which implies they are all women). Well, what is everything up there?

* A folding table. Six feet long, about 2-1/2 feet wide.
* Sewing machine
* Portable notions carrier (the purple thing) that has two plastic trays with thread and notions in them, plus pockets for scissors and other miscellaneous stuff
* Plastic boxes of fabric and additional notions
* Green cutting mat and clear straight-edge cutting edge
* Two soft bags of fabric

The investment is growing. So also is my enjoyment. I doubt I will save money in this enterprise but I'll be able to make what I want.

The fleece finish

Once I had the pattern pieces cut out I charged forward, anxious to get the fleece jacket done. And I did it. In spurts throughout the day and into the night last Friday I got it done. I made some mistakes and I hope I learned from them.

* The zipper placement isn't perfect. The instructions called for basting both front and back, through the zipper, which should have made it possible to get it right. The difficulty was that I had not ironed the fleece first, but rather finger-pressed it. This because what I have read about fleece scared me away from ironing it. It melts easily and pressing is not recommended. But if one must press it it can be done using a presser cloth or steaming from above. I could have done it for this and I should have.

* Similarly the bottom hem is not even. It would have been if I had used a damp press cloth and pressed it first.

* The pocket isn't square. There just isn't a good reason for this...I can't make a good even seam? I think it too may be a victim of my non-pressing.

It looks good overall, though, and it feels toasty warm and it's big enough for me to settle into comfortably. I am pleased with this step on the road to sewing expertise.

On my own again: first "real" project

I came home from my last class with a bunch of patterns and a load of enthusiasm for sewing. I decided to go ahead and make something on my own. I chose a fleece top with collar and zipper and front pocket. It is marked "easy" but it's a step up from what I have done so far with this machine.

Already I am learning some things. I worried about sewing fleece because I didn't know anything about it. I wondered if I should overcast all seam edges. I wondered if I needed a special needle or presser foot. What I have learned so far:

About fleece:
* Fleece doesn't ravel. I guess I should have figured that out just from looking at it. But hey! So I do not need to overcast edges. I can if I want, though, for a nice appearance and to reduce a bit of the bulk.
* I can use a universal needle.
* It's best to reduce the pressure of the presser foot for thick fabrics like fleece. My machine has a dial I can turn to reduce or increase pressure. For thin fabrics it's best to up the pressure. I have learned from webpages that if you do not have a machine that allows changes in pressure it is no big deal, however.
* There is a right side and a wrong side. Honestly, I did not know that and did not do what I should have when I laid out the patterns to determine which side was which. I am flying blind here, but next time I'll know to check.
* Fleece is susceptible to heat. Pressing is not recommended. If needed, one can use a damp press cloth or steam from above.

So far I have the pieces cut out and have sewn several seams. It is going well so far.

Sixth - last - class

Last night was the last beginner's sewing class. Because I finished my pajama pants at home I brought in something else to work on. My friend Paul had obtained four pairs of slacks that were too short and he asked if I could let down the hems (including some cuffs). I said sure! I wasn't sure if I'd run into something unexpected so I brought them to class.

Others worked on different projects. Linda passed out cute little measuring tapes as last-class gifts. She also brought out patterns we could buy and some we could just take if we wanted. The free ones were elderly - "vintage", as she called them. I took a couple of those and bought 11 of the others at $1 each. I also bought a lovely pair of sewing shears - see below.

After diddling around with patterns and so on I set to work on the slacks. Most of my time was spent taking out stitching and ironing the new hem up. I decided to use the blind hem stitch, which is pretty much the same as the one I had on my last sewing machine, years ago. Except that on this machine I got to use a special presser foot that made it easier to do the hem well. Even with this help I missed bits of each hem and had to go over them again. No biggie, though. By the end of the class I had finished two pairs of slacks and they both looked good. I felt good. I think that being in a separate place gave me more of an inclination to do this work, to take the time, too, as opposed to sitting at home, susceptible to interruption and distraction.

One of the young girls was making more mistakes and had to rip out a lot of what she'd done. Somebody asked why she kept doing this and she said she did not know. I said, to the class in general, that in junior high I had done just terribly. I hadn't even finished the apron, and my seams were horrifying. Another woman in the class said her junior high sewing experience was so traumatic she went through years of therapy because of it and she is just now, with Linda's help, coming out of it (of course there was a hint of exaggeration here). The girls' mother said this is why she wanted her children in this class, so they wouldn't have to go through that. And Linda told the story of some young girls in another class of hers where the moms were the problem. It was a kick, having that conversation.

Today I finished off the other two pairs of slacks. This is good experience. On one pair I needed to do a new overcast stitch on the raw edge, which was also good experience.

All of these positive experiences have given me confidence. I went through the patterns and chose one I decided to make. It's a fleece pullover with zipper and pocket and collar. More than I have been doing up to this point. But I read through the instructions and I feel I can do it. So I went out to get material and notions and I am ready to start.

Fifth class: pajama pants

In today's class I cut out and started sewing and almost finished the pajama pants. This pattern can indeed be made in two hours, more or less.

I knew going in that the pattern was not quite large enough for super-sized me. So when I was inserting the elastic in the waistband I realized the material was stretched to the size of the elastic - that is, not much gathering going on there. I also discovered that I twisted the elastic in the process of inserting it. But the class was almost over when I saw this, so I took it home and am fixing it here. I figure I may as well hem the legs and call it good right here at home! Which will free up next week for mending tips and stuff like that.

I also picked up two more patterns, which I ordered the first week. One is a set of vests. The other includes a couple of blouses and a pair of slacks. I am excited about making these, after I finish this class.

Some of the people in this class are like me - been away for a while but have a basic grasp of sewing. Others are really lost, including the woman in front of me. She can make no sense of pattern directions, can't work out how putting together fabric works. I sympathize. It does take a little time to work through this pattern recognition thing.

What I have gained, I think, more than anything else, is a real interest and excitement about sewing. I can do this.

***This just in: the finished product***



A couple of notes: the pants don't fit perfectly. My waist and hips are larger than the pattern allows for. I could have enlarged the pattern - I actually know how - but I decided to let it be smaller with the intent that I will shrink into it. That's not entirely a pipedream because I actually am losing weight.