my creative space…
When I haven’t been making I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. Actually I really need to do some more thinking: I need to slow down and let ideas percolate a little and then coalesce into something with substance rather than rushing around and tossing everything into one big bowl and mixing it furiously.
I catch up with a group of other school mums at a local cafe each week after school drop off. Last week the owner was wearing a lovely top with sleeves that draped from front and back princess seams. It looked beautiful. I’ve been trying to work out how to recreate it ever since. I know I can use a shell top pattern with princess seams – but how to do the sleeves/drapes?
I’ve always done a lot of reading about sewing and more recently about patternmaking. Actually, I reckon that I have a pretty good handle on the theory, but for some reason I’ve never completely put it into practice. I’m going to do some sketching and more reading and go through my sizeable pattern stash and try to pull together some basics that I can create some basic slopers from. While I’ve always mixed and matched design elements from the one commercial pattern (and sometimes across patterns by the same company) I think it’s time that I stretched my wings a little more and experimented. That might be my new year’s sewing resolution.
Although I’ve been sewing garments for over 30 years, I think that my skills stagnated for a fair portion of them. I was fairly adventurous in my sewing in my early twenties – I remember making a hot pink raw silk suit from a Burda pattern (I bet it’s still in stash) with a notched collar without thinking twice about whether it would be difficult or not. I sewed with velvet, with lame, with silk, with satin, with cotton, with cord, with denim, with stretch fabrics. I made dresses with boning, I made collars and stands, plackets, inserted zips willy-nilly, made buttonholes. No worries.
But once I had that technical skill base in garment construction, I don’t think that I really developed much further for a long time. Now I’m more concerned about fit, and I’m interested in developing slopers that work for me. I need to learn more about fabrics and their properties and get even better at selecting the right fabric for the job. I want to use better construction methods.
There’s always so much to learn, isn’t there! Do you look at what other people are wearing and try to figure out how it is constructed? How you could replicate certain elements? I certainly do! Visit Kirsty to find out what’s going on in other creative spaces.
Sounds like a great goal. You’re very multi-talented with your yarn crafting too. My problem is I can never stay focused on one craft long enough to get to the master stage, too busy exploring other fields. Do you think you do the same?
If anyone can pattern draft for clothing – you can! You have SO much garment making experience I think the next logical step is to dip your toes into creating your own patterns.
Personally, I don’t enjoy making clothes as much as quilting or the hook. I think it is because I am only a newbie, stuff never fits, looks crap and I can’t be assed to spend the time or money on making something. Especially, when I can go up the road to the old faithful set of shops and purchase something that fits well (even though a thousand others probably have the same top!)
Looking forward to seeing some Thornberry patterns!
If it’s ok with you, I’ll tag along for the ride (and see if I can soak up some basic knowledge along the way!).
I like the sound of that resolution.
Sounds like you have so much experience but also a love of sewing & experimenting so I’m sure you will nut this one out. It’s interesting to think about the different ways we create over time isn’t it? And yep, always so much to learn! xo
Great post Lara, I was fascinated with the discussion going on in your head. I think it’s a fabulous idea to learn more and spread your wings. I think you are so clever with garment sewing and it’s a natural progression.
I look forward to seeing how you put your goal into practice. I love your comment about fearlessness in your 20s. I was the same too. I would just make something and not think about it whether it was too hard or it would suit. Now I think too much about things.
My Creative Space
Have you looked at the Japanese Drape-Drape books – they have fantastic ideas for draped patterns.
I think you know a couple of patternmakers who could help you out…. 🙂 Come play with us over the hols….
I totally, totally, 100% want to encourage you to make your own patterns. It’s just as i was looking at blogs the other night, I noticed this, and thought of you …
http://sewaholic.net/announcing-sewaholic-patterns/
Hi Lara, I’m sure you’ve seen Cal Patch’s book. I’m working through it at the moment and really think it’s great – a real advance on some of the “make your own” titles out there…. I’m working (slowly) on making some of my own slopers as well….
I am fascinated by how things are made. I love to look inside garments at seams, facings, lining etc & try & work out how things are made.
I look forward to seeing how you go with drafting your own patterns, I think your knowledge is pretty extensive Lara.