Remember this post? Unfortunately (or fortunately, maybe, depending which way you look at it) the little boy pattern was 3 sizes too small and there was no way there was enough time for me to try to enlarge it in time to make it for the wedding which is in around two weeks... so that pattern and fabric have been sent back to the lovely Marina in the hope she can find a seamstress far more talented than I with a lot more time than I. I did however, get started quickly on the frock for my wee girl.
It was been a frustrating at times, yet enjoyable experience and has reminded me how much I really do enjoy being creative with a sewing machine. The entire exercise was not without its lessons though. Here are a few things I learned along the way...
It was been a frustrating at times, yet enjoyable experience and has reminded me how much I really do enjoy being creative with a sewing machine. The entire exercise was not without its lessons though. Here are a few things I learned along the way...
1. If you are asked to sew a flower girl dress for your four year old from silk using a 1950-something pattern, then RUN. Run as hard and as fast as you can. If the asker likes to run marathons in her spare time for "fun" and/or really is genuinely an all round gorgeous lady so that you feel you really shouldn't say no, then see points 2 through 10.
2. If you ask your mum (who is beyond clever with a sewing machine) for help with said project and confirm she will be around until the end of the month, then be aware that the end of the month really means the 18th of the month, so don't count on her being around... get her to cut out the fabric and create the missing pieces of the skirt pattern before she leaves though. Then set up her sewing machine in her empty house so you have an entire house as a sewing room. Remember to protect your car interior from rogue pissing cats by closing the hatch door while you're there.
3. If a vintage pattern asks you to baste, you baste.
4. Smile while you baste, it helps.
5. Learn to trim threads as you go. With all that basting it gets messy in there. Trimming as you go saves you a tantrum (bordering on a psychotic episode) later on.
6. If you don't like ironing, don't volunteer to create your own bias tape and matching piping. Especially when the bias tape is an extra you have invented because it "might look cute" but isn't included in the pattern.
7. If you really don't like ironing, don't make the attached petticoat too long so that it sticks out the bottom of the dress, thus being visible. Because then you have to make more bias tape to attach to the dress bottom to lengthen it. Or unpick and shorten the petticoat.
8. If the above happens, go with the extra bias tape. Really. Even if you hate ironing.
9. No matter how you approach them, zippers suck.
10. Remember, you can do it. Really you can. Even if you have to take a small hand gun to the wedding to hide in your purse in case you need to dissuade anyone who feels so inclined as to lift your daughters skirt hem and inspect your handy work...
2. If you ask your mum (who is beyond clever with a sewing machine) for help with said project and confirm she will be around until the end of the month, then be aware that the end of the month really means the 18th of the month, so don't count on her being around... get her to cut out the fabric and create the missing pieces of the skirt pattern before she leaves though. Then set up her sewing machine in her empty house so you have an entire house as a sewing room. Remember to protect your car interior from rogue pissing cats by closing the hatch door while you're there.
3. If a vintage pattern asks you to baste, you baste.
4. Smile while you baste, it helps.
5. Learn to trim threads as you go. With all that basting it gets messy in there. Trimming as you go saves you a tantrum (bordering on a psychotic episode) later on.
6. If you don't like ironing, don't volunteer to create your own bias tape and matching piping. Especially when the bias tape is an extra you have invented because it "might look cute" but isn't included in the pattern.
7. If you really don't like ironing, don't make the attached petticoat too long so that it sticks out the bottom of the dress, thus being visible. Because then you have to make more bias tape to attach to the dress bottom to lengthen it. Or unpick and shorten the petticoat.
8. If the above happens, go with the extra bias tape. Really. Even if you hate ironing.
9. No matter how you approach them, zippers suck.
10. Remember, you can do it. Really you can. Even if you have to take a small hand gun to the wedding to hide in your purse in case you need to dissuade anyone who feels so inclined as to lift your daughters skirt hem and inspect your handy work...
Hmmm I hate ironing, not a fan of zippers, refuse to baste (what the hell are pins for?) and i think that I once possibly made something almost as lovely from silk for a wee girl flowergirling at a wedding about 6 years ago...you and me babe, we rock! x
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