You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'patterns' category.
The new serger is working- I am up and running! I practiced a few stitches and made a few small items…the first thing I made was a simple pair of jammie bottoms for Flo. And then I made matching pairs for the boys. It’s definitely something to get used to – a machine with knives right next to my finger tips (!) as well as having to use two separate machines to make something (I need my regular machine for hems). But it is So. Much. Fun!
Making the kimono top takes much less time, because I don’t have to treat every seam twice. And the finished product is nice and flat without any bulky intersections.
Incidentally – a great pick-me-up when I’m down: A visit from my Mom and Sister! It started with the afternoon off work, a beautiful day, and Neko Case blaring with the windows down & sunroof open on my way to the airport. Wheee! It was a perfect weekend to celebrate my Mom’s birthday. I also managed to get a few more clothing requests out of my sister, one of which is this little long-sleeved version of the kimono top. I doubled the length of the short sleeves in the pattern, and added another 1/2″ for the elastic cuff. The fabric is Deer Valley by Joel Dewberry from Westminster Fibers, and both the fabric pattern and colors are 100% Flo.
Thank you all for your comments and thoughts. So many ideas to help me dig deep. I feel the same way that many of you have described, and I can’t seem to get my momentum up off the ground. I find myself going through the motions of life, but at the end of each day I go to bed feeling empty of accomplishments and full of anxiety. I think much of this is due to the general climate of things right now.
But I can’t dwell on the negative. Otherwise it’s a slippery slope to a deep, dark place. I need to write out everything that’s in my mind, flush it out, to see it all in one place. I have so many ideas for new designs, new patterns, even new formatting for patterns…..and yet the Kimono Wrap Dress pattern is still not written. Just in time to turn this attitude around, my Mom and Julie are visiting tomorrow- can’t wait! Maybe it will help to talk about all the ideas, maybe that’s part of it. Christina hit on something poignant, about isolating oneself. I do this. As a classic introvert, I might even take this to a whole new level. Now that the heat of summer has passed, it might be a good time to make a point of walking in to town in the evenings, and just look around….. so I remember there’s an entire world around me.
The pattern is already under revision thanks to a helpful reader and fellow sewist! The dimensions needed a little modification on the lengths, and possibly some more. Soon, soon….
Thank you for your replies…. in full disclosure, believe it or not, it is not my preference to sell the patterns. It’s more complicated for me (I’d have to research the technical side (ick!) and then pay attention to an etsy shop), and personally I think it takes me and this blog in a direction I am not exactly thrilled about. I started this little blog to keep better track of all the things I make, to work on my photography and to better document the process of making. I work full time. I’m not a seamstress- I’m an Architect working in a very irritating economy so adding ’small business’ to my plate right now is not exactly appealing. When I initially put the patterns out there, I never really thought anyone would be interested, I was just sharing as a preemptive strike on the “is there a pattern for that” questions. But it snowballed and spread into something I didn’t foresee. A learning curve for me, certainly, and a wonderful journey to meeting new people virtually and for that I am very grateful.
I do this out of fun, but 100% of the people in my life think I am NUTS for not charging some type of small fee for the patterns, and it seems nowadays everyone is happy to offer their opinion without understanding the context. I’ve been hearing it since the day I uploaded the kimono, and it hasn’t let up. In fact, if I had a nickel for everyone who called me stupid for not selling the patterns, I’d be rich and wouldn’t have to consider selling the patterns, lol! So I apologize for continually bringing up this subject. I guess I tend towards naive, and I just do not have that killer-business spirit. My interest lies with inspiring people to sew for themselves with the most simple/distilled designs I can create. It is a fun process for me, figuring out how to extremely-simplify conventional techniques. I want people to make their own patterns, their own designs, not take mine for profit.
Enough has happened in this last 18 months to make me realize people will take advantage of you, regardless . I’ve seen everything from “look at this great pattern I made” (when it is MY pattern on someone else’s blog) to a full-on shop selling items made from my patterns (and it is painfully clear that they are my patterns- I know, I designed it!). It’s distressing on one hand and makes me want to shut it all down and start over, but then I get an email from someone telling me they’ve been intimidated by sewing their whole life and one of my patterns was their first try and they are so proud of the result. Those emails inspire me to keep going, and keep sharing. However, it strikes me that someone is always ready to profit from someone else’s hard work, intentional or not. I question what I can do to make the person profiting from my efforts ME, but keep the open spirit of sharing and free tutorials. It makes me feel like I need to push this idea into another place, perhaps one that straddles some patterns for sale and some for free, to keep from feeling used. With each pattern (and I have 4 sitting here to share) this keeps coming up and I need to make a decision and stick with it instead of agonizing over it. I need to celebrate it and share it.
Incidentally… Lottie does stuff like this all the time. Funny little things to make me laugh, especially if she senses I’m sad or stressed. She’s outstanding. Ps…. it’s summer! I just want to be outside with her running around!
I’ve charted the sizes for the little wrap dress. It will be available in sizes 12months – 5years. Now I need to make some test sizes in the range, and make sure the extrapolated sizes work. I was considering another option for this pattern and would love some input: I want to make three sleeve options – short, 3/4 and flutter- but that will take some additional time to sort out. If the pattern were for sale (in lieu of free) with three sleeve options, would you buy it (for a very nominal fee)? Or is part of the allure that the patterns are free?I won’t be offended, I’m just curious.
Third mock-up; I think I have it. Distilled to dimensions I can explain in a diagram and instructions I can convey. Now the hard part…. writing the pattern. I currently only have the size 3 figured out. The next step is the scale it up and down into a manageable size range. Then I may make the largest and smallest sizes in the range to make sure I’m on the right track, adjust the pattern again as required, and then give it a final proof.
I’m going to do a little giveaway of some bias binding! It’s the binding pictured here, I had enough of the fabric left to make (2) 60″ pieces and I’m giving one away (plus two small pieces to make the ties of a kimono). The fabric is 100% cotton, a dark red background with dark pink polka dots. Leave a comment here by, oh let’s say Tuesday afternoon- and I will do the random number thing!
Another mock-up of the wrap dress. This time I tried a narrow bias binding on the sleeve edge. It looks lovley, but it’s a bit fussy.
I went a little nuts when I found this linen in the store. I was crazy about the color (so nuts I left the selvage on the hem because it was the perfect embellishment), but disappointed that there was less than 3/4 yard left on the bolt. I bought it anyway, never sure what I could make for myself with 3/4 yard. Turns out you can easily make a size 3 kimono sundress and have plenty leftover for some bias binding (for future projects).
This version lead to yet another idea for the sleeves, one that simplifies the pattern even more. So stay tuned….
ETA:
The dotty fabric is available here (note: I’ve never purchased from from that shop). It’s called Windham Fabric “Harmony”, then the rest of the selvage is cut off. The linen fabric is very similar to this one.
I’ve received numerous requests since I released the kimono pattern for a sleeveless or sundress modification. I haven’t really mocked up a version I liked until Jules requested one for Floria (that’s the power she has…) during their visit last month. I played with the pattern a bit, lengthening it and changing the proportions to suit the form of a dress, and came up with this. I like the tiny cap sleeves in lieu of a sleeveless version, and the cut is slightly A-line, which I think will look cute with little sandals or leggings if it’s a bit cooler outside. I still need to refine how the sleeves attach, perhaps simplifying the idea and adding a new download…
