I started to sew my first wearable project! I’ve been told the easiest thing to sew is a nice, flowy, simple skirt. The Linda skirt seemed to meet all the requirements so I set to work. As easy as the project was, I managed to make it a very, very difficult.
Now, all of you who sew and know what you are doing are going to think of me as absolutely nuts when I tell you this next bit. I decided on using gingham with all those little ¼ inch contrasting boxes; and as if that weren’t enough, it wasn’t the right width so I had to finagle it and add some seams in the front and back.
Between the little boxes and the new seems, I was hunched over the pattern table pinning everything together for over an hour.
I managed to sew up both the front and back pieces and have them look semi decent, it wasn’t till I reached the side seams that I realized some thing was amiss. One of my two halves was about an inch and a half longer than the other. I double-checked each piece to the pattern, I had definitely cut them correctly, what I hadn’t done is read the pattern pieces. I now have a skirt of which half is the length of the skirt and half is the length of the lining. Eh, I can hem it up a bit, right?
Now, my seams aren’t the straightest, I know this takes practice but, boy, gingham is not forgiving. My side seams may be all kindsa crazy looking, but I persevered and have a somewhat functional (too big) skirt!
I’m sure everyone has had this kind of project where everything just seems to be working against you, did they turn out well or did they end up in the scrap heap? How do you handle the stress of it?
Next week I’m working on the lining and fixing my seams. This skirt will not get the best of me!
Aug 28, 2009, 04.50 AMby oscarthegrouch108
no one is going to notice that your gingham doesn’t match perfectly. and if they do, they’re looking too closely!
just take a deep breath, and remember it’s just fabric, you can always buy more!
Aug 28, 2009, 01.43 PMby pinksalamander
One of the first things I ever tried to make was a plaid/tartan jumper dress. It was a gorgeous piece of remnant fabric and I wish I’d kept it for a project when I was more advanced, I could have made a brilliant garment! Not only did the plaids not match at all, the zip up the back didn’t match at all either! It now resides in my chest of drawers, about 3 sizes too big with no straps and un-hemmed… I still love it though!
Aug 28, 2009, 02.09 PMby SewBissy
I think it looks great. Since the front seam is on an angle, it definitely doesn’t matter if the gingham meets up. And it shouldn’t be too hard to make it smaller—just sew each seam over again with a (much) wider seam allowance, then trim down.
To me, the intimidating part about making a full skirt is the hemming. If, when you get to that part, you find the same, you can always add a band (maybe in a fabric that matches the darker color in the gingham) at the bottom instead of pressing up the skirt into a normal hem. Hmm, I don’t know if I explained that well enough, but I hope I did!
Keep on sewing! We all felt confused at the beginning. It gets better!
Aug 28, 2009, 03.25 PMby vergissmeinnicht
good to see I’m not the only person fighting with the so called ‘easy’ skirts! :)
Aug 28, 2009, 10.08 PMby gedwoods
I think you deserve kudos for being adventurous (even if you didn’t quite mean to be)! If we always did safe things, we’d never learn. For my first project, I did a blouse with eyelets and had a similar problem matching up the patterns, but it worked out. After a year and a half sewing, my seams are still wonky (although they are beginning to get better!). And most of my clothes still have some asymmetries in them, for reasons that still escape me! But even my earlier projects, despite their problems, look great when worn, as I’m sure your skirt will!
Aug 29, 2009, 12.37 AMby Spontique
Welcome, you’re one of us now
Aug 29, 2009, 06.44 AMby sewella
I love this post – simply because I find myself in it. But believe me, practice is all it takes and nothing more. Oh, no wait – and being persistant too, and listen to your elders and more experienced in the job. During the years of sewing I have done a lot of mistakes (thinking of some I am blushing behind the computer right now) but I have learned from each and every one of them – and now I find sewing pretty relaxing and fulfilling. Keep sewing and everything will come at its place. But consider yourself warned – sewing is highly addictive ;)
I think your skirt is and would be lovely when finished. It’s no hard business getting it smaller, and the fabric is beautiful although difficult to match – must agreee on that. I will be waiting to see it when you finish it! Happy sewing!Aug 29, 2009, 07.54 AMby loretty
i totally see myself and my first project in this post, it wasnt skirt but a simple 2 peace dress for my 2 year old daughter, what can be easier then to put two fabric peaces together? well, it turned out to be hard, lol dress turned out somewhat very assimetric and the reason escapes me still, but i agree with all the comments – practice makes perfect, now after all the projects ive made for my girl and my hubby and myself, the first project makes me laugh at myself, but we all learn from mistakes, and learning to sew is pretty much through trial and error. so head up and fight that skirt back and ull see, ull have a nice result in no time. cheers :)
Aug 29, 2009, 10.37 AMby sweet-saboo
I remember hearing from somewhere, that the combination of the regular presser foot and the movement of the feed dogs, stretches the lower layer of fabric slightly as it goes through the machine (if i remember correctly, it adds about 1/4 inch of ease per yard of linear sewing), and sewing on the bias would increase the amount that the lower layer of fabric would ‘grow’ in length when sewn. The other members’
suggestions are very good! Another thing that might useful to condsider, is a walking foot, which will move both layers of fabric through your machine at the same pace, which effectively eliminates the issue of the bottom layer of fabric growing an additional 1/4" of ease (or more if sewing on the bias) as it moves through the machine. This is also makes the walking foot great for matching plaids, or prints on seams,
closures, etc. Hope this is helpful, and good luck with your project!
Aug 29, 2009, 11.58 PMby Spiderlily
That’s just how it goes in the beginning but with each project, you remember the previous mistakes and it gets easier.
If you wanted to brave the waistband again, I was thinking that you could gather the top of the skirt to match a new waistband that actually fits you. Just cut a new waistband to your size and gather the top to fit it. That would require ripping out the current waistband which is a task I personally loathe so I would just cut it off, it will only take a little bit off the length of the skirt.
Aug 30, 2009, 12.03 AMby Spiderlily
Now that I look again, that pic isn’t of the waistband is it? If you haven’t stitched it on yet, you could make it in black or in white, that way you don’t have to worry about the gingham squares being all wobbly and not matching up.
Aug 30, 2009, 12.53 AMby Balduffington
step by step and you are not the only one fighting simple skirts! ambitious use of pattern gives you extra points… the next skirt will be awesome…
Aug 30, 2009, 02.43 AMby motozulli
beautiful matching on that seam! I am impressed.
Aug 31, 2009, 03.56 AMby Kiraph
Everyone has sewing projects that don’t quite end up going to plan. It is all part of the process when you are learning to sew – especially if you are pretty much teaching yourself.
I have a tub full of stuff that hasn’t quite worked out and I gave up on it in a huff. One day maybe I will get around to fixing it. Lately though I have been perservering with things and finishing them, no matter how much they are frustrating me!
Good luckinf finishing it off!
Aug 31, 2009, 09.02 AMby juditab
Thank you so much for this post, I feel much better knowing that I’m not the only person fighting with the ‘easy’ patterns. :)
Sep 1, 2009, 09.29 AMby miekekolkman
Ouch.. how very regognizeable.. For my first project I got one of my pants, layed it out and drew it on pattern paper. It was a very baggy pair of ribbed pants. I pinned it on the thick, blue ribbed fabric, added seam allowance (first mistake). Only the waistband didn’t fit so I put it on the fabric a little diagonal (on a ribbed fabric, I know, second mistake) I stayed up all night, finishing it but never trying it on (yup…) And then, morning came, pants were finished, fitting started and, it was way, way, way to big. And the waistband looked very odd. I tried all sorts of things but nothing worked, and I decided to give the pants to my sister because they fittet her perfectly. And she didn’t mind the waistband problem. Everything seemed ok!
Ouch.. how very regognizeable.. For my first project I got one of my pants, layed it out and drew it on pattern paper. It was a very baggy pair of ribbed pants. I pinned it on the thick, blue ribbed fabric, added seam allowance (first mistake). Only the waistband didn’t fit so I put it on the fabric a little diagonal (on a ribbed fabric, I know, second mistake) I stayed up all night, finishing it but never trying it on (yup…) And then, morning came, pants were finished, fitting started and, it was way, way, way to big. And the waistband looked very odd. I tried all sorts of things but nothing worked, and I decided to give the pants to my sister because they fittet her perfectly. And she didn’t mind the waistband problem. Everything seemed ok!And then she washed it. Well, shrunk it. Because I didn’t pre-wash the fabric. Ouch.
Ouch.. how very regognizeable.. For my first project I got one of my pants, layed it out and drew it on pattern paper. It was a very baggy pair of ribbed pants. I pinned it on the thick, blue ribbed fabric, added seam allowance (first mistake). Only the waistband didn’t fit so I put it on the fabric a little diagonal (on a ribbed fabric, I know, second mistake) I stayed up all night, finishing it but never trying it on (yup…) And then, morning came, pants were finished, fitting started and, it was way, way, way to big. And the waistband looked very odd. I tried all sorts of things but nothing worked, and I decided to give the pants to my sister because they fittet her perfectly. And she didn’t mind the waistband problem. Everything seemed ok!And then she washed it. Well, shrunk it. Because I didn’t pre-wash the fabric. Ouch.(so maybe washing it helps? haha)
Sep 1, 2009, 03.07 PMby will.james
so like the kilt i made at college did not go that well its about a size or 2 too big.
Sep 6, 2009, 01.53 PMby sneakery
Yay for this blog! I don’t feel like the only learner out there :-)
Keep us updated!
Sep 7, 2009, 01.34 AMby amarie
You are brave Alden to try gingham for a first project and like everyone else is saying you’ll be amazed at how differently you’ll feel when the project is finished. With me, half the battle on starting a project is deciding how I feel about fabric. I started out with throw-away fabric
-bedsheets and curtains. Some of them were really nice -fits very nicely and wish I had invested in better fabric at the time. On the other hand, there were also projects where I used fabric that was nicer and I made a complete mess of it and the I see a better sewn similar item at H&M or Forever21 or the Gap and then I feel silly trying to think I can do better or if it is even worth really learning to make your own clothes when a comparable item can be had. But I know that the things I make even those that become complete mess is more special to me and I would find occasion to wear them even as a house dress and it means more to me than any other thing I could have found at those stores.