Now for a sew report after a weekend where both faithful Pfaff & Babylocker were plugged in & pedals pressed. I spent the afternoon on Saturday cutting out the mossy green linen, referred to in my previous post. It’s actually more of a mottled tobacco colour, & was just too interesting to ignore amongst some of the more boring fabrics in the fabric shop. I thought it looked aged & would suit some of the tops I have been making. I have only one pair of summer trousers for work, in black linen, & try not to wear them whilst it’s warm so that my skirts get as much daylight as possible. However, there will come a time when the weather changes & my legs will need protecting again, so I decided on a mid weight linen as being pretty useful.
I used New Look 6190 (seems to be discontinued). Anyway, luckily for me there was enough fabric left over to make a skirt, so I cut out the pattern from this month’s Sewmag & will be able to report on that once I have zip & more thread to enable me to complete it. So, I have used this trouser pattern before, & it was quite a nice fit. That was years ago though (must be if the pattern is no longer available!). I thought with the advancing years I should remeasure myself instead of launching in with scissors to cut away at my usual sizing lines. Scared myself that despite all the running & cutting down on those pesky calorific beers I still am carrying a few more inches than I would like – still – that’s the way it is – running is not yet an established long term partner of mine (that’s a different post though). In a roundabout way I’m recording the fact that I ended up cutting a larger size (don’t need extra length he he!) in accordance with the pattern guidelines.
Now here’s my gripe – I didn’t need to cut a larger size, as the trousers turned out too big… & I ended up having to take them in at least by one size. I am sure I am not alone & share in common with many other sewers the displeasure in having to alter & fiddle around unpicking. I like it right first time. I know that this is something that is usually unachievable as patterns, like clothes, all carry little idiosyncrasies in sizing, as does my body shape have its lumps & bumps, but when the garment sizes are published on the envelope I wish it was accurate.
What else do I want to say about this sew experience? The linen was lovely to sew & I wasn’t overly speedy & actually took pleasure in pressing seams as I went along (in the old days I wouldn’t bother with this – speed, speed, speed was all I was concerned with. I am a dab “finger presser”). I took supreme pleasure & fell in love some more with my Pfaff as it blind hemmed the trousers so beautifully. I eliminated hand-sewing save for tucking in the inside facing over the zip & the top hook & eye.
Time to fess up though, as I may have committed a cardinal sin. On some spare linen, I practised my two options for finishing the edges: normal zig zag, or overlocking. I cannot get enough of a beautifully finished overlocked edge, & cannot yet believe that I now have the power to do this for myself. Trouble is, I only have white thread on my Baby. I stared long & hard at the two different types of finished edges before very unprofessionally (yet professionally if you look at it another way) opting for overlocked edges. Now the seams are pressed out & look so beautifully finished – in white- they actually look as if they are in a photo shoot to show off what an overlocker can do. And I am still so besotted with serged edges that I really don’t care, because I get to see them more too & can gaze in awe – they are a thing of beauty. So, perhaps I will live to regret it? They are inside out of sight though. Hopefully I won’t snag my heel in the hem & bring it down whilst wearing them! On the whole, apart from the sizing, trousers worked out OK, but definitely need heels as they are so wide. Not sure if I’d make them again, or if I did, I’d probably shape the legs more.
[One week in: note: It was no good - they were too big & I had to fiddle around taking them in at the side seams (resetting zip, facings *yawn*). At least they fit now, time will tell if they need shortening. They are not perfect & I know where all their faults are ....]
Now for a completion tale about the top I am wearing. This is the linen top that I started in this post here. It’s using New Look 6808. I used white linen that I had originally bought for something else, but in the end went for the version here with the capped sleeves & the bow neck. I wasn’t sure about it when I made it because it felt a bit like an overall – possibly because it’s plain white. Wearing it tucked in works too, but being linen, once you decide to tuck it in, you have to keep to that look, otherwise you need to run for the iron. Personally, I feel it needs some kind of belt to be worn outside. Making the actual pattern was OK – although the way the sleeves were constructed was not your usual method & needed seam allowances to be got spot right, otherwise bits would show that you didn’t want showing. I also think I would revisit the neck facings to see if there was a way to make them with binding (my preference). Working out the neck & bow took a little concentration – not something I had done before to know how much of a tried & tested technique it was. It looks pretty though & was clever.
