Lessons from the sewing room

I like sewing because I am constantly learning. Even if I think I have solved a problem, I usually create another problem in the meantime. I do try to do my research, but somehow I can never predict my results. Recently I washed a pencil skirt that I made last year. The lining is fully enclosed so I assumed I would be okay with not finishing the seams. It came out of the machine all weird and would not lay flat. I discovered a hole at the seam where the seam had shredded and when I felt inside the lining, it seemed the frayed lining seams had tangled and  were distorting the skirt. Obviously I need to wash my lined clothes more gently but I vowed to finish all the seams of my clothes, lined or not and try using other materials to line with.

 

My next project was my blue pinafore, so I used a cotton sateen for lining and overlocked all the seams. I am sure it will hold up well with the wash, but the sateen catches on my tights and lifts my dress over so slightly (still annoying). So with my next lined project, I thought I would go back to using lining fabric for Winter garments but I will overlock the seams. What I did not anticipate with my overlocker would gather the fabric ever so slightly and make it a little shorter that it was supposed to be. Next time, I will pink the seams and hope for the best (oh, and use a gentle wash too).

 

 

Anyway, on to the sewing. I used my go-to pencil skirt pattern (Burda magazinne 1/08 #127 without the waistband and with added vent) and the leftover dark blue wool crepe. I  really pushed myself to fit as I go but have trouble trying on garments full of pins. I constantly get the sharp ends of pins scraping down my leg and they leave sores.

 

I am a huge list maker already, but I have started writing comprehensive lists for construction order, when to baste, adding in all the tips from tutorials and so on to get the best possible outcomes. For this skirt, I used a fashionable stitch's drafting and sewing a vent lining , Eugenia's tips for achieving a nice finish at the top of invisible zippers and creating ease in the skirt lining , Sherry's tute for mitring hems on vents (Sherry's is for jacket sleeve vents, but it is the same principle)

 

My overlocker dilemma chewed the ease above the vent but I am confident that my seams are not going to shred. And the skirt does not catch on my tights. You can't tell that I used read lining from the outside, can you.

 

I have many projects to document from this term, including some grey wool pants, a petrol coloured knit top and a tiered skirt for my daughter.

Another bite at a pencil skirt

 

After the disaster of my last project, I was determined that the next one would be more successful. I had already cut the lining for another pencil skirt so just went along with it. Luckily it went a lot more smoothly. The pattern, by the way, is Burda #127 from 1/2008. There are princess seams front and back as well as a slit at the back.



 

This version I changed the slit to a vent, which only required a small adjustment to angle the vent seam on the pattern. I think the vent makes the lower back sit a lot nicer than a slit. I did not do a lot of research into vent linings, having found a nice tute at a Fashionable Stitch but after further research (after the fact), I should have added some vertical ease above the vent. Live and learn etc.

I again ended up omitting the waistband due to fabric shortage. I found this wool tweed at an op shop and it only measure just  over 65cm long.

 

Here is the back vent and lining. The overlap is mitred in the corner. As I bagged the hem, it looks ugly in the corner where the pleat forms. I did read today that bagging a skirt hem is not necessary, but I like it.

 

I used the machine to attach the lining to the zipper tape. It was a little tricky having bagged the hem, but not impossible. To finish the waist, I used a strip of black bengaline cut along the non stretch grain. It was sewn doubled over and then I handstitched it to the lining on the inside.

 

It feels good to finish this skirt. This is a silhouette I have always avoided sewing prior to this year because I never thought a pegged skirt was flattering to my lower body. I think I need to experiment a little more.

Pencil skirt

Don’t they say pride comes before a fall?

This was going to be a great little project. I was going to use a couple a Sandra Betzina’s techniques (underlining and mitring corners) to lift my humble pencil skirt project to something a little special.

 As I was sewing, I realised that the underlining technique Sandra describes is little different to the faux Hong Kong finish and is not really suitable for bulky fabrics (whereas the faux Hong Kong finish is). The seams joining the centre front and sides together stuck out like speed bumps from the bulk. It was at this point that I was going to throw it away. But sometimes I get a little stubborn and I decided I had nothing to lose. My solution was to topstitch the seams down.

Little did I know that by pressing ahead I was starting a chain reaction of thick seams and dodgy fixes. For example, the hem. It is machine sew because I did not think my hand stitches would hold.

The waistband was chucked because I thought it would be too bulky. Good thing too since it ended up being too small. I finished the edge with a strip of black cotton.

I wanted this to be a post of triumph, a story of little ol’ me battling the fabric giant and winning. Instead, I am stuck with a slightly bruised ego. Care to share your garments of woe with me so that I can feel better.