I'm still not sure what posessed me. It may have been recent exposure to really nice shirts, or my habit of exploring different processes of creation, or even a latent feeling that the pillow we were required to make in Home Ec. was a horrible representation of what a skill had to offer. In any case, I recently got the urge to make a shirt.
Luckily, I married someone with the patience to answer my never-ending stream of "why", while also knowing when to just let me veer off course and follow a hunch. Amanda escorted me to the nearest Jo-Ann Fabrics, guided me through the pattern books, dug through fabric, and helped me round up all of the other bits & bobbinss necessary. Once home, I got an introduction to the sewing machine, and was then turned loose.
In all, I think the project ran for about sixteen hours. I think a second round could run as short as twelve hours, since I could cut out the copious amounts of time staring at directions wondering what they could possibly mean. I'd be surprised if I ever got the process below eight hours, though. There was a lot of pinning, ironing, cutting, sewing, repinning, re-ironing, recutting, resewing, ...
But, the project ended successfully. I write this post while wearing the shirt, after it survived a full day of wear and coworker compliments. I don't know how soon I'll pick up the needle and thread again, but I'm more comfortable with the price tag attached to fine clothing now.
I've put up pictures of the process here. Enjoy!
Monday, March 23, 2009
8 comments:
1. Click in the white box below and write your comment.
2. Immediately below that box see "Comment as" and to the right of that a scroll down box that says "Select Profile".
3. Scroll down to "Name/URL".
4. Type in your first name, leave the URL blank. Click "Continue".
5. Click "Post Comment" and you are done!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Bryan, I'm very proud of you! What an accomplishment! And with a collar & cuffs - and the buttonholes look like they came out just great! I think you've found your second career - too bad one can't live on "sweat shop" wages. It looks like it fits you very nicely, too, which is the real test. I bet your co-workers were very impressed. Your mother-in-law is! Can't wait to see your next attempt in needlecraft!
ReplyDeleteBryan, You shirt looks AMAZING! When I was teaching years ago and even now with our 4-H club I have seen many "first attempts", and your shirt doesn't even look home sewn. Straight stitches and buttonholes, nice fit and all those complicated little accents that are hard for a new sewer look perfect. I still hate sewing those little sleeve plackets and stress out making sure all my buttonholes are in a row. What a wonderful job you did teaching Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI think you and Amanda should pick up more fabric. There might be another winter storm- when staying inside to sew is welcome. You could make a light blue short sleeve shirt for summer? No cuffs or that placket! I wish I could enter you in our 4-H Fashion Revue.
OH, I just remembered. In my college tailoring class were two young men who wanted to be clothing designers. They had never sewn before. As we all struggled making tailored wool coats, they had to make button-down shirts and pants. (I never understood the teacher's logic of this but that is another story-one girl had never sewn before either and she also had to make a wool coat)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, they spent 9 weeks with a 3 hour lab per week sewing their shirts! The next 9 weeks they sewed on the pants. So, your completed project in 16 hours was very speedy.
Reread your post. No ripping?
@Jackie: Thanks. The buttonholes weren't that bad, once I figured out how to emulate what the buttonhole settings would have done: zigzag forward with a narrow, short stitch; zigzag in place with a wide stitch; turn the shirt around and do the same to steps back the other way. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDelete@Darleen: Also thanks. I can see where others could have trouble - the directions are sometimes obtuse, and it does take patience to perform each step. On the other hand, I really did just follow the directions. *shrug* And yes, there was some ripping - a hidden fold sewn into a seam, or a scrap picked up off the table getting stuck in the feed dogs - but with the "finished product" in hand, the minor trouble those caused kind of vanished from memory. :)
Bryan,how in the world did you start making shirts? the only thing i do now is play sheephead,bowl and play golf. guess I'm to old to try sewing. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteBryan, You made me recall so many sewing stories. I'm sure you have many also Jackie. I remember one high school girl who lost one piece of the collar. So, she just sewed the one thickness of the collar to the shirt neckline seam, 3 raw edges all exposed. The odd this is she took time to add the interfacing. Actually some of the clothing today is kind of like that. I had a difficult time grading the project.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I became anonymous?
ReplyDeleteClick before I think I guess.
I think you are all insane!
ReplyDeleteI have never sewn a piece of clothing in my life. I hemmed a pair of rummage sale pants for Joe and had to do it at least 3 times before it was right.
I cannot even really sew the straight line for quilting.
I am so impressed with you Bryan that I cannot even begin to tell you! How in the world do you read those patterns? May favorite Candid Camera had an episode where a girl was standing on a street corner asking directions holding a map that was actualy a dress pattern. Course, I don't read maps well either.
You go guy!!!!