Do you remember this pattern? I bought it at the Cardiff Vintage Fashion Fair.
Style Print 1421 was the pattern I thought I'd start my sewing career with. At least my sewing-without-any-help-from-Mum career anyway.
Ha! Was I wrong.
I spent all day today, some of yesterday and a few hours from earlier in the month cutting and making this shirt.
I have successfully (ish) sewn the collar to the front and back pieces, added the interfacing and facing and stitched the shoulder seams closed.
But I can not for the life of me figure out what the hell the pattern's talking about when it comes to the sleeves and cuffs. Not a sodding clue! Okay that's a lie, I have an idea but given that I've had to recut the collar already (more on that later, but shame on you David Tennant) I don't have enough fabric to recut anything else that I screw up and I'm at the stage now where I'm losing patience, the will to live, and the ability not to throw it in the bin/ ignore it/ mess it all up by doing it myself (delete as applicable).
This is where I'm currently at. The deformed left side is actually the left sleeve where I've attempted to follow Mum's advice; sew the sleeve to the bodice when flat and before side seams of bodice are sewn closed because it's easier and then you can sew one long seam from cuff to bodice hem (it's pinned and not stitched so there's hope yet).
A good idea in principle I feel, particularly given the trouble I usually have easing in sleeves as directed by patterns (i.e. with all seams sewn). And you may think this is what's causing me the trouble this time. Unfortunately, that brief hope was extinguished once I realised just how much ease had to be stuffed in to a hole a good two inches too small. This is not a sleeve that's going to go quietly into the breach, but rather put up a long and frustrating fight as it kicks and screams it's way either into a wadder or a shirt I'll never make again. Time, and Mum's help, will tell!
Thanks for stopping by,
Ah, I feel your sewing woes. I had the same sleeve ease problem with a shirt I was making for the boy and a gathered sleeve (my attempt to deal with all that ease) was definitely a no-no on a man's shirt :( I've been avoiding sleeves since. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that many home sewing patterns were designed with way too much ease at the top of the sleeve. So it may not be your fault.
ReplyDeleteEasing in sleeves can be a real booger, but you will get it. It's a great pattern. I think you are doing a lovely job.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to welcome you to Sew Retro. It's nice to have you. I'll look forward to seeing you grow.
You may visit me at www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com
Trudy
I know the feeling - I hate it when a project just won't come quietly!! Saw you on Sew Retro and had to come check your blog out, also being a Welsh girl :)
ReplyDeleteYay! Not my fault! I like those words.
ReplyDeleteMum and I fixed the problem by just gathering the sleeve top ever so slightly before sewing it down. Weirdly, you can't really see the gathers in the finished product and I'll be posting pictures of that and my first button hole evah once I've finished the shirt.
Thanks for stopping by all of you and thanks, Trudy, for the welcome :) And yay! Len! Another Welsh person, whoop!