dianec42

I made the prototype skirt. Made some notes. Generally a good result. This pattern is a go!

I need to learn that it's okay to race through prototypes. It doesn't need to be perfect; heck, it doesn't even need to be good. It just needs to prove the fit.

Now I have a brand new Nerd World Problem: I know what pattern I want to use to make the top. It is an older pattern so it's available only as paper, not PDF, which honestly is fine by me, except for a slight distribution problem. With Jo-Ann out of business, where to buy paper patterns?

The answer is, apparently, buy the pattern online and pay the same amount again for shipping. SIGH.

Time to spend some time researching equally interesting patterns that come as PDFs, and see which terrible fate is slightly less terrible.

Progress on art nouveau autumn:


I found my crafting table! The sewing machine still works and so do I. Of course, then I found the quilt scraps and got distracted:


The aforementioned Cutest Crochet Book:

I started AND FINISHED a sewing project in just over 2 weeks!

Granted it wasn't the project I intended to finish, I'm still fairly pleased with myself. Usually it takes me forever to finish anything.

I finished a pair of fuzzy flannel pajama pants. If anyone wants to give this a go, it was pretty easy. I used the "Margo" pattern from Tilly & the Buttons (included with the book Love at First Stitch, but can also be purchased separately). I've had success with this pattern before so I felt pretty confident. The major addition this time was CARGO POCKETS. I found a video by Professor Pincushion on YouTube on how to design and sew cargo pockets which was very useful.

This is my second pair of flannel PJ pants. Now I can be warm even when it's laundry day, and have some idea where my pocket knife is, and have one less excuse for leaving my phone in random locations!

Someone on Reddit was complaining about PDF patterns, specifically what a pain it is to print them out and tape them together. One of the commenters made the mistake of saying "I don't get the devotion to online downloading patterns" and I went off into full 'splaining mode. :D

The comment that set me off:

I buy patterns at JoAnns when they are on sale, usually for $1.99, sometimes $3.99. Vogue is more but I don't usually buy them. I've taped patterns together, and I find it to be a real pain. I don't get the devotion to online downloading patterns. Sure, if it's a unique design, something special. But usually I can find something I like from the big pattern companies.

Someone else called them out on their Jo-Ann privilege, so I didn't even touch that part.

Here's my reply:

> I don't get the devotion to online downloading patterns

I find there's more to it than getting a unique design. Honestly sometimes I don't even want a unique design, I just want a basic t-shirt with no weird "unique" stuff added, and do the Big 4 even have that right now?! But I digress....

There's also inclusive sizing, and supporting a smaller business. Most of all though, I'm paying for the instructions. The PDF patterns I've downloaded have all had very thorough instructions. Some have blog posts or videos or sew-alongs to help.

Having seen all that, I've started noticing how utterly terrible the instructions are on a lot of the paper patterns I already own. Some are okay, they just assume I know a lot more than I do. Others are flat-out wrong.

If it makes a difference (however small) where I spend my dollars - and I have to believe it does - then the companies I want to reward are the ones that actually care enough about the people sewing and wearing their stuff to be supportive and set us up for success.

So umm apparently I'm pretty passionate about this? Who knew...

I've been sewing off and on (mostly off) for lo unto 40+ years now. I was taught by my mom and a little bit by my grandmothers, but I definitely have ADHD and I'm pretty sure my mom does too so the process was a bit hit or miss.

I want to sew my own clothes for lots of reasons. I'd love things to be the right length, to have lots of pockets, to be purple, to be what I want rather than what happens to be in stores at the moment.

It's a bit frustrating though because despite having worn clothes for over half a century, I don't have a good understanding of how clothes *work*.

There are so many mysteries! Most of these are inspired by clothes I've bought, but I have the same questions about things I want to make. because I want to make them work well and there are some things I want to optimize for.

A few examples off the top of my head:

• What's the purpose of all these seams on my cargo pants? Which ones are functional and which ones are just there because REI feel the need to change things up every 6 months?
  
• Why does some terrycloth survive the dryer just fine, while other terrycloth gets snags and loose threads if I just look at it funny?
  
• How come I can carry a smartphone in the pocket of my fishing shirts just fine, but the same smartphone in my bathrobe pocket makes the whole bathrobe slouch and migrate southwest?
  
• What would happen if I put cargo pockets on jeans? What would be the best placement and optimal construction?
  
• Why do shirt patterns call for the yoke to be cut at 90 degrees to the rest of the garment? My whimsical cats will be sideways!
  
• Why do hoodies all have drawstrings? Do fashion designers not have cats?
  

I'm sure I have others. And yes, I could google any or all of these. But what about the questions I don't even know to ask?

I wonder if there's like a "fashion engineering" course I could take...

I'm thinking of getting a serger. Anyone know what's the best one to get? What features to look for?

Edited to add: I have my eye on the Juki MO-2000. Talk me out of it, I dare you.

I phoned (or attempted to phone) 11 sewing machine purveyors in the local area today. I am in search of the Quantum Futura cheap-ass embroidery machine.

The first three numbers I called, I didn't even get an answer.

I found a place that carries Berninas, a place that carries Vikings and Janomes, a place that carries a single White (where's my barge pole?), and a place that carries an industrial model the size of a refrigerator. There is a guy in Westchester who seems to really know his stuff, but he's a total snob about the machines. (Good for him; I'd like to be a snob about the machines too, but I simply can't afford that at the moment.) There was a lady in Torrance who didn't have any embroidery machines at all but suggested I should call the other lady in Torrance -- yes, I just called her and I can't afford her Berninas, kthxbye.

I would really like the CE-200, which comes with the design-your-own-designs software included and has more stitches. Singer's own web site cannot tell me where to purchase that machine. For the CE-100, I am about to do the unthinkable and drop by the local Wal-Mart after work. Yes, I am that desperate.

Sigh. This machine seems to fit a niche that the retailers won't admit exists. Places like Target and Jo-Ann won't carry anything this high-end, and the "real" sewing shops won't carry anything this low-end. But... but... the whole concept is SO COOL!

Sigh. If Wal-Mart fails me, only another 20 or so places to call tomorrow. At least it should go fairly quickly.