Confession

[Lady Kett]

My trusty Sidekick of a husband is working late tonight and I'm feeling antsy. I have had the most God-awful month at work and keep fantasizing about liquidating our assets, buying and RV and becoming Ren Faire Gypsies. However, to make that work, I need some sort of skill to either earn money, or at least to save money. My day job skills are not transferrable in this case. Neither are Sidekick's, but he's a little more handy than I am.

Sidekick wants to make a doublet of his very own because he can't find one that suits him just so. I have this pair of bloomers that suffered a horrible accident with Rit dye. That was Sidekick's doing - I KNOW better than to go anywhere near dye. We've been discussing and plotting and planning how the two of us non-sewers are going to make a pair of bloomers and then move into making a doublet, for weeks. We both read these forums and if I haven't quite figured out what a serger or a princess seam are, I have learned that you need to pre-wash fabric, iron it, and make a mock up for something like a doublet!

I have not touched a sewing machine since a really bad experience in 7th grade Home Ec which involved a really horrible vest. I haven't touched an iron in 23 years after I melted Sidekick's US Navy dress whites when we were first married. Hey, I may have issues but not touching an iron in 23 years is NOT one of them!! I have been known to sew on buttons backwards when hand sewing; cannot tie a knot to save my soul; have butchered those yarn and grid thingies; and if it involves glue, I need to be in the next room so that things don't get glued to the wrong parts.

Well, the bolt of muslin is sitting on the table mocking me. I had a beer and worked up the gumption to measure off a chunk, cut it and start the bloomer project. It took me 10 minutes to not only figure out how to thread the bobbin, but to get it back in it's little home with the thread coming out in the right direction. It took me another 20 minutes to figure out how to thread the machine with it's REALLY REALLY tiny diagrams and instructions which might as well have been in Greek. Honestly, the term "automatic threader" should be a little more automatic!

I have achieved zig-zag stitches on the raw edges of the fabric! Wheeee! I've tossed it in the washing machine for it's prewash. And I didn't break the sewing machine, or sew myself or the cat to the fabric.

I think I'll let Sidekick read this later tonight instead of telling him what I've done. The look on his face should be priceless.

If my fabric survives it's prewash without falling to pieces, we'll provide work in progress pics, but for now, I thought you all would appreciate these first steps!

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

In our house, "iron" is a four letter word.  I harass (in a joking way) our friend Richard for ironing his shirt before faire.  I was actually devastated when Lady Rosalind said in a clothing demonstration at the Dubuque Renaissance Faire that they actually did iron clothing back in the day.  The only person who knows where my iron is, is my cousin, who borrows it.

I have just taken 4 yards of blue broadcloth out of the dryer to begin to make an Italian style gown  - definitely not H/A - for when it's 90 degrees and I will pass out from the heat if I wear a bodice. 

And I don't sew, except for bloomers that I had to have my sewing friend rescue me (photo on another thread, it's really bad!).  So I feel your pain - and your misgivings.  I will enjoy reading about your efforts and seeing the finished product, which I'm sure will be lovely.

And guess what?  I had such a bad experience in 7th grade sewing, my mother ended up calling the school principle and chewing off his ear about the witch of a sewing teacher who was so mean to me.

[LadyShadow]

I am so glad I talked my way out of Home Ec in school and got to take a different class instead 

But I am sure you can do it Lady Kett.  And I wish you the best of luck.  And I do agree about how annoying it is to thread the bobbin and the machine.  It took me almost a year to figure out that I was taking too many steps to change out the bobbins on my machine.

[Rani Zemirah]

Ummm, Lady Kett... did anyone mention at some point that you should wash the fabric before you cut it?  You know... in case it shrinks...?  

Just, y'know... asking.  

[Baroness de Vale]

I've loved sewing forever and my home ec teacher almost turned me off from sewing too! Don't let that stop you. It takes time and patience and a certain amount of swearing and threatening to throw projects out the window, but it's so great when it all turns out right in the end. And although I do love to sew it does not always come easily. Sometimes instructions seem impossible- like they are disobeying the laws od physics. And because I am a walking calamity I often cause a lot of my own problems. I know that if I can get through this you can too! Good luck and have fun!

[Tink]

What's an iron? 

Lady Kett, all sewers (seamstresses) had to start somewhere.  Just go ahead and jump in, and if you mess up?  Who cares, the world won't end, you just gather up some more fabric and start over!  Eventually, you'll produce something wonderful!

[Kate XXXXXX]

Ummm, Lady Kett... did anyone mention at some point that you should wash the fabric before you cut it?  You know... in case it shrinks...?  

Just, y'know... asking.  

If you have just cut a chunk off the toile fabric to make a mock-up, or enough to make bloomers, it'll be fine.  If the bloomers run a little short, add some nice broiderie anglaise on the bottom to lengthen them.

Lady Kett, you have started well.  A little tip for those teeny weeny pix: scan them into the pooter and enlarge them!

And eventually, with practice, you can get threading the machine down to seconds rather than minutes.

[Rosamundi]

Rit dye . . . evil in a bottle . . . last month I thought I'd get crafty and over-dye a plus-size ladies' linen poet shirt to make a peasant top for my DH. I diligently followed all instructions, but the shirt ended up splotchy brown and the thread stayed *bright pink.* Eh, I'll probably make him wear it anyway.

Bobbins . . . evil in a shuttle . . . threading and changing a bobbin is a two-vodka project for me. Maybe you were just short by one beer. Hang in there, lady! :-)

[Anna Iram]

This area of the forum is , to my mind, the very best part of RF. So many wonderful projects in the works and so many wonderful seamstress's willing to help out those of us who don't quite know what we are doing. I love to read along even if I don't plan to make anything myself. I especially appreciate those that take the time to document their progress. I never really did and I often think my mistakes would have been just as helpful as my succesess.

Good luck with your projects Lady Kett! Bloomers are, I think, the perfect first project. If they dont come out exactly perfect on the first try they can still be tweaked, as Kate suggested, and put to use. Add some frills, or pass along to a friend if they dont fit well at all. A good way to learn what your machine can do.

Best advice I can give....Go slow when reading your pattern instructions, and think twice before cutting. I've done some really dumb stuff (like laying patterns backwards...). Have fun.

[PrincessSara]

Wait a minute - you mean that you guys, who sew all those amazing costumes, have just as much trouble with it as I do?  I thought I just sucked at sewing!  I mean, I can thread my machine, but I can't pin two pieces of fabric together evenly to save my life.  And I can never seem to cut anything properly, it rarely ends up the shape I want it.  I don't actually really like sewing, I just do it to get the costumes I want.

[Rani Zemirah]

I have no problems pinning most things... well, if both pieces are the same shape, anyway.    What I have huge problems with is sewing something that's been pinned!  I have more luck sewing things evenly that I'm just holding together with my fingers than something with pins in it, and I can't figure out why!  Oh, and I'm terrified of anything with sleeves!!!  How on earth they moved from sleeves that tie on to those that are sewn on I'll never figure out...  

[gem]

Wait a minute - you mean that you guys, who sew all those amazing costumes, have just as much trouble with it as I do?  I thought I just sucked at sewing!  I mean, I can thread my machine, but I can't pin two pieces of fabric together evenly to save my life.  And I can never seem to cut anything properly, it rarely ends up the shape I want it.  I don't actually really like sewing, I just do it to get the costumes I want.

Well, I can't speak for THEM, but yup! To this day, I am AMAZED if something I make turns out properly!  For a while I hung out at the PatternReview boards (mundane sewing), and discovered that EVERYONE has trouble with fitting.  Unfortunately, hanging out over there made me feel like it was impossible and if they were having trouble, I'd *never* figure it out... so I quit visiting. 

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Oh yes!!!  We have our troubles when something does not fit quite right!!! Which it is why it so important to make sure when a pattern piece is cut on the STRAIGHT, the verticle arrow on the pattern piece must be exact top, middle, and bottom. Make little snips where the notches are, so that all pieces fit and lay nicely when sewn.

Mockups for Bodices are a must before cutting out the main fabric.

Also, buying more fabric for a gown than is needed is not a bad thing!! Having extra comes in handy when a boo boo does happen!! And they do!!!

[Lady Rosalind]

Just a few key items that have helped me immensely (if you are unfamiliar with any of the terms or processes, a quick google search usually brings up lots of help):

1. Follow the grain marking on your patterns as precisely as possible, even if it means taking off your glasses, and getting up close and personal to the fabric. This will help things stay the right shape.

2. Cut out your pattern pieces at the right size prior to pinning them to the fabric. This will help you get the most use out of your yardage, plus make it easier to see where you have to cut.

3. Iron the pattern paper before cutting out your pattern pieces to size! This will help make sure that you are cutting on the right line for the size, and that there are no folds or wrinkles that can mess with the size of the cut piece.

4. When you get ready to start sewing a seam, pull the upper thread and the bottom thread to the back, and hold them while you sew the first few stitches. This will help you avoid snarling the thread.

5. Use the right needle for the fabric. The packages will tell you which ones work for what type of fabric.

6. Change your needles frequently! KateXXXXX suggested long ago to use a new needle for every project. After awhile, you start to get a good idea of when you should change the needle.

7. Prewash, straighten, and iron your fabric before you begin pinning or cutting.

8. Make mock-ups while fitting things like bodices or corsets. It is far better make fitting adjustments on cheap fabric rather than your more expensive fabric.

9. Linings are good! You can make cheaper, lighter fabric look sturdier with a good lining. I like to use cotton drill for lining items that need boning, and quilters cotton or linen for linings that will show (for doublets, for example).

10. When the directions say to cut on the fold, I don't, especially for bulky, or patterned, or velvet fabrics. Instead, since I trace all of my pattern pieces, I make sure to flip and copy the pattern so that I have a full pattern piece, rather than just half. This helps me keep things on grain or on pattern.

11. Basting is good! If you baste curved seams rather than pin them, things work more smoothly.

12. Go slow! Machine sewing doesn't mean you have to sew fast. Mistakes are easier to avoid when sewing at a slow, steady pace rather than putting the pedal to the metal...  

And most importantly of all - don't give up! The finished product doesn't have to be perfect! I got so discouraged when I was younger, and my mom was teaching me to sew, as she insisted that every seam be perfect. It killed a lot of my enthusiasm for sewing. Even now, there are problem areas in some of my seams, but I've taught myself that as long as it doesn't show, and it doesn't cause problems with the fit, I can let it go.

Just enjoy yourself, and sew often!

[LadyShadow]

I learned how to overcome my errors of pieces not matching up before or after sewing    I think it is becoming a special talent of mine.

I am also very notorious for having to take out stitches because I sewed the right side of this to the wrong side of that, or accidentally pinning another piece from some where else in the seam.