I started off with the aim to make myself a little bag to put my sewing bits and bobs in. I am notoriously untidy in a lot of ways, and my sewing room is a complete tip, meaning i can never find anything. Therefore i am endeavouring to be more organised! I decided to make another little zip up bag, which i have made before as a gift for a friend. Since this was the second time i had made this pattern, i foolishly expected it to be simple. I altered the pattern slightly to make it large enough to accommodate my fabric scissors, chose some lovely fabric from my stash, and began to cut out. The problems started when i attempted to iron on the interfacing. For some reason it just would not lie flat and kept bunching up. I have never had this problem before, and have no idea what caused it. Eventually i managed to get it pretty much unwrinkled, but still not perfect.
Next i began sewing the bag together, and managed to completely fail to get the zip in straight. I then broke a needle on my sewing machine trying to sew over the plasticy bit at the end of the zip (opps!). Although i was cross at the time, in a strange way i kind of feel that breaking my first needle is almost a rite of passage. And i figured out how to change the needle without resorting to the manual, which i was secretly very proud of myself for!
Ultimately my little bag turned out ok, wonky zips aside. I think that if it had been a gift i would have unpicked the zip stitching and done it again, but i must admit that since it was for myself i just couldn't be bothered! The finished product is pretty enough....(even if the zip will possibly always offend me slightly!!)
I really like the fabric i used here...yet again i have used the beautiful "sewing themed" lining, which you can just about see peeping out. I love it!
This week i also began my first foray into dressmaking by cutting out my Butterick B5209 pattern. However, i was slightly overwhelmed by the task! I cannot believe how thin the pattern paper is. I must admit to taking a bit of a slap-dash approach....i have a big sheet i am using for the muslin, and i sort of looked at it and assumed it would be enough. After wrestling with the cutting instructions for a while (there are just too many options for laying out!) i decided to just get on with it. However about halfway through i realised that i did not have enough fabric. Opps. I am currently contemplating sewing some of the remaining fabric together to make enough, since it's only the muslin....has anyone ever done this before? Do you reckon i can get away with it??
In other news my New Look 6557 pattern has also arrived....exciting stuff! I hope you have all been having a more successful week than me :)
K x
Oh no not you too! I hope it's not catching. The bag looks great though.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the pattern, i'd recommend not bothering with the skirt part for the muslin (well i wouldn't do it) just do a bodice muslin. Mainly because it's gathered skirt and not fitted at all. But if you do want to do a full muslin, do the bodice in one fabric and the skirt in another I reckon. The different layouts are usually for the different sizes and also for different widths of fabric (selvedge to selvedge). Good luck!
Sewing is full of ups and downs for me, so you're certainly not alone! I love your sewing bag though, looks perfect from here ;o)
ReplyDeleteIt's so exciting that you've cut your dress pattern out..have you chosen your fashion fabric yet? I agree with Law's comments above re the muslin by the way.
Law, thank you so much for the tips, i had not thought of doing a bodice muslin only but it's a great idea and overcomes the problem of my lack of fabric!
ReplyDeleteMarie, i have not chosen my fashion fabric yet, i need to get on this! I need to get some for my crescent skirt too. I'm not really sure what i'm looking for yet, but i live in hope that when i see it i'll know...!