Selfish Sewing Spring 2015/Le Challenge
Hello Everyone, I am so excited to participate in Selfish Sewing Week Spring 2015. Today I am sharing with you my new shirt made by me out of quilting cotton! You see I have never made myself any garments and have been intimidated by the thought. For 2 years I have listed one as a goal to complete a garment for myself, goal met! Hoot hoot! Years ago, I tried to make a shirt and ended up throwing it away half cutout. All the little markings confused me then.
But with a wee bit of help I actually sewed it up pretty easily
(patting myself on the back)!
Pattern: Bess Top
Designer: Imagine Gnats (Rachael Gander)
Get it Bess Top Printed Pattern (here) and Digital (here)
Fabric: Botanics design #14258, Carolyn Friedlander, Robert Kaufman (Quilting Cotton)
Aurifil Thread: #4093 (perfect match)
I love how Aurifil colors always match the designers fabrics.
They have a color for everything!
Cutting the pattern out, taping, and pinning it together, was quite simple. (Shock on my face)
This week was such a positive learning experience.
I enjoyed learning each step especially about making pockets!
Even with the excellent directions included with the pattern the Y seams were intimidating until I made the first one. I was surprised by the "ah ha moment" that came when the sleeve was done!
The hardest part for me was sewing my recycled (strips from Randy's old t-shirt) knits to the collar, armholes, and to hem the bottom of the shirt. It may not be the greatest job but it does work very well!
Especially when I was marathon pinning it all on and was almost through when I realized "oh crap", I had pinned it all to the wrong side. I was a little discouraged at that point and posted to Instagram to find out - it happens to other people too!
Just that made me feel so much better to know I wasn't the only one!
It is amazing what a little encouragement can do for all of us!
So here is me, at 50 years old (51 on the 29th) with a new "Passion" - Garment Sewing! Hey, that is the topic for Le Challenge #20 - Passion I will link up with those lovely ladies and tell them about my new passion in life! You are never to old to learn new tricks and garment sewing is really rewarding. Have you tried something new lately? Tell us about it!
My how I love pockets in my shirt! I will be sewing up a few more shirts for Summer and I am putting pockets in them all!
I think my stash might be in trouble!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Create and be unique,
Lisa
Come see the posts at Le Challenge - the topic is Passion
Your top is gorgeous! I adore the fabric you chose and it looks so great :) I'm terrified of sewing clothes but maybe one day?! Thanks for linking to Le Challenge!
ReplyDeleteWow, I really want to try to make a top but am intimidated. You encouraged me to go for it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! I started out garment sewing what I was young and always thought quilt was so hard! I need to get back to it, I need to do more selfish sewing
ReplyDeleteOh yeah!!!! It looks like you did an awesome job on it too.
ReplyDeleteLooks super fab, go you! And really, is your birthday coming up this month??
ReplyDeleteVery cute top and you look great in it. I've been sewing garments since I was 8 years old. Loved it but got out of the habit when I married the King 20 years ago. Every once in a while I get the yearning to make a garment and do and then I'm satisfied for a while again. Don'e be discouraged by your mistakes. Everyone makes them. I've made some whopper mistakes myself. However, I love quilting much more!
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa, Loving the top you made Clever you!!! I like dressmaking too and have a housecoat in the pipeline (using quilting Fabric), its been on the back burner with all the family hicups but soon (no really I will do it soon!)
ReplyDeleteKeep it up and you will go far my girl LOL
Happy birthday for the 29th mine's a month later but same date and I'm a tad older !! who am i kidding here - a lot older!
L
what a great top - gorgeous fabric choice (one of my favourites!) and a lovely smile :)
ReplyDeleteIt suits you really well! Thanks for linking up to le challenge.
ReplyDeleteThis top looks lovely and how nice to see a new picture of you! You look great! I would love to try garment sewing too but still have to pluck up the courage!
ReplyDeleteLooking good! Great fabric choice and I love those pockets!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!! Garment sewing is awesome! Like any new skill, you have to learn the vocabulary and basic methods, but I agree, the support and information available on the internet makes it SO MUCH MORE FUN! Your Bess tunic looks great, I love that pattern. The little details like the Y-seam are what makes it special and believe-you-me, I have pinned my bindings to the wrong side of the fabric and then been like *headscratch wtf* so many times. Stuff like that happens, no problemo, you hope to catch it early, but that's what seamrippers are for.
ReplyDelete