Sewing

Called this one sewing because it’s about both quilting and garment making. 
Here is a finish.  This is the quilt I quilted for my last FMQ class as a sample.  Now, it’s bound and soon as I get a sleeve made, it will go on the wall…oh, and a label.  Gotta keep up that habit.

I really like how this little quilt came out.  It hung in the closet for years as a pieced top and I just did not know what to do with it.  I’m glad I didn’t over quilt it, which is what I had in mind when I made it.  I like the simplicity of the quilting to go with the complexity of the star.

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to learn to make shirts.  I made several.  And, they all had their problems.  But, one of the biggest problems was that I couldn’t get good shirt weight fabric and didn’t really know where to look.  So, I kind of gave up because I was using quilt weight fabric and that is a heavier fabric and never felt as comfortable as a good, cotton, store bought shirt. 

I’m cheap.  I don’t make any bones about it.  Part of why I couldn’t find good fabrics is I wouldn’t pay the price.  As I shopped the clearance racks, which is where my clothes come from…unless they come from goodwill…if you’ve never shopped for men’s clothes in a goodwill, then you’re missing out because down here, several of the chain stores donate their brand new, end of line merchandise to goodwill…and I’m easy to please with a good plaid.  I kept finding shirts that were really cool looking shirts for about $5, but the size was double or triple extra large.  I would have looked like a 5 year old in a basketball players jersey.  But, I bought one that was really cool.  And, then another one.  And, another.

And, one day, when I was in JoAnn’s, with a 50% off coupon burning a hole in my hand, I found this book.

And, while there is not a picture of a man in the book…not even one, it is very informative about how to start with a pattern and make that commercial pattern fit the volume and shape of the body. 

So, I got brave and I dug out one of my Simplicity patterns for a very basic shirt, and cut one of those size 3XL shirts apart.  I’m making a muslin of the pattern from an old cotton sheet

I haven’t gotten real far.  I know I need to adjust the arm holes, so I’ve drawn a new line.

And, I’ve had to redraw the yoke…BTW, this may be the first shirt I ever owned where the yoke hung straight across my shoulders and shoulderblades.

And, I’ve adjusted the back to take out some length so that the add/reduce line from the paper pattern is horizontal all the way around me. 

okay, that was a bad picture, so no need to share.  Profile is not a good thing.

Anyway, once I finish, I hope to use my modified pattern and the fabric I harvested from that humongous five dollar shirt and turn it into a fantastic shirt for me.


We will see.  If I can figure this out, I can stop having that  fabric roll thing in the shoulders of the shirts I make for Rob.  He doesn’t say anything and he wears them.  But, I know it’s there and it bothers me.

Sydney didn’t make the volleyball team.  I was so proud of her last night when she found out.  She worked through all the emotions of that disappointment in a very mature and appropriate way.  There were a few tears and there was a family hug and neither one of us mentioned that the summer practices that were available might have made a difference.  At that point, there was no point to say that again.  We both said it when she could have done something about it. 

I had planned to work from home today, but have decided to go to the office and give her the day here, by herself.  She’s growing up so fast. 

Rob, who’d’a thought it, huh?  From where we were, to where we are?   

Today’s thought, “the best days are not always good days.”  Lane