sew
i learned to sew as a teenager, and was given the gift of a sewing machine by my grandmother around the same time. that is still my sewing machine. i have rarely, in the years since, done much other than hem curtains or shorten pants or reattach buttons. at some point i inherited my other grandmother's sewing basket (she was really into upholstery, it would seem. my dad has confirmed.) in 2023 i got interested in mending, and found my way to some indie pattern makers who are doing magnificent things. i want to make things slowly and often by hand, and use the things i make. there is a fabric thrift shop in my town which i love. i have too many clothes, and i want to wear out what i have and replace it with things i've made, scaling down all the time. /manifesto
sewing patterns i'm finishing
[currently traveling so nothing]
sewing patterns i've made
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sew liberated forager vest
i loved making this, it was fast and satisfying. i wear it. in the garden even. i feel i will make another one day. black linen.
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hubba ding penelope dress/top
i made the dress, without the ruffle, and shortened. i hand-sewed it, mostly just to get my fingers used to such things. yellow gauzy rayon and brown bias tape.
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hubba ding sophie dress/top
i hand-sewed almost all of this, and it was great. i taught myself shirtsleeve cuffs (which are not part of the pattern)! machine-made buttonholes are my waterloo. unbleached muslin.
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twig and tale pathfinder vest
it's a saga. i should have bought the straight fit. bust darts make me dysphoric. i learned about ease with this pattern, and ripped out all of my brown velvet to remake it in a smaller size. and it worked! it's a good pattern, i'm just a mess.
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bloomers [no link because the pattern i got has some probs]
i made bloomers! i've made pajama pants before, so this was fine though i wish the pattern was better. made a second pair though, and they are very perfect sleepwear and i feel like a madwoman wandering my messy garden in them first thing in the morning
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a cravat!
hand sewing. top stitching. pleats. and free! i am going to make so many cravats out of beautiful scraps.
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lillypilly dress zero waste
sleeveless/a-line/cowl/pockets are all things i love | the zero waste of this was delightful, and it's a fairly wearable muslin though i know it will be better in better fabric. also funny story one of my dearest friends has several of this exact dress made by some etsy seller so i wierdly feel like them when i wear it confusing
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orchard top/dress
been finding some very excellent free patterns to get a feel for what i want to be making and what designers are winners for me. this is a good dress though i didn't focus when cutting the fabric and ended up with a kind of patchwork. later i cut the muslin down to make a shirt. i really like the sleeve binding/strap making process
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blomma tank
another great free pattern. fun practice with knits. made it in red with matching leggings (which quickly popped a stitch and also need waist elastic so that's a work in progress). i imagine i'll make more it's a useful item of clothing
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studio tunic
when i saw this through the haze of internet, it made me want to sew clothes again. | in the time between site updates ive made two count em two of these. just finished one in midweight black canvas, shortened by about an inch, mostly machine sewn but with some hand topstitching. it's a dream garment. french seams, big pockets, and room for my broad shoulders.
sewing patterns i'm thinking of
resources i love
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