Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Style - knowing one's own (but barging ahead anyway)

Thanks for sympathizing, and offering constructive comments - so many suggested I delete the belt.  So obvious, why didn't I think of that?  It is better, although still not my favorite garment.

This experience does cause me to stop and think - and wonder why I didn't trust my instincts?  While I liked the look of the jacket on the envelope, I'm not that model!  I probably wouldn't have bought it for myself if I had tried it on in a store.  I'm not a frilly-frou-frou person, but this pattern has some of that (albeit with collar and lapels).  I don't care for raw-edge embellishment; this jacket had tons of it.  I am usually cautious around things that tie in the middle.  I threw caution to the winds.

I should have read the PR review of the jacket, which would have warned me it was too-long and kind of bathrobey.  I should have made a muslin; I would have learned lots from it.

I should have made a cleaner style - more like a blazer.  

I should have trusted my instincts.

In the Jalie jeans department, I'm not quite throwing caution to the winds.  I traced the size per my hip measurement, and after comparing the result to a tried & true jeans pattern I've made many times, I'm adding 1.5cm insurance to the side seams and inseams.  My fabric is stretchy, but I don't want the jeans to be skin tight!


8 comments:

  1. Hi Kay!!
    I change "should have's" to "next time I'll ;)"
    Good save on your jacket.
    Warm hug,
    Rhonda

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  2. Glad you saved the jacket. Your comments about knowing your style resonated strongly with me. When I was buying my clothing, I knew instinctively what would suit me and I worked with a very limited palette of colours. As a sewer, I sometimes find myself making things because I've seen another sewer do it or because I happened upon a piece of fabric. I'm trying to be more disciplined about what I sew and only to buy fabric/patterns that I would be attracted to try on if it were a store bought garment.

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  3. It's better without the belt, but yeah I can understand why it won't be your favorite though it is beautifully made as always. It's in my stash too and there it will remain. At least I only paid $3.99 on sale. Sometimes I think we are in some fantasy when we do this. You are certainly an accomplished sewist as am I but we still make these mistakes. I feel ahead of the game when it doesn't get past my pattern drawer.

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  4. making wadders is the pay off for taking risks - taking risks enables you to experiment with different ways of dressing and presenting yourself and maybe just maybe stumbling across something that looks great. Is it instinct or safety that makes us choose things that we are sure will suit us?
    Good on you for giving it a try - I say three cheers for exploring a possibility.

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  5. I barged ahead on my last project, and then I unpicked everything and totally resewed it - my punishment!
    Sometimes we know inside that things aren't quite right - we just need reminding occasionally!

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  6. It looks very nice now....I like it better!

    Thank you so much for your advice on my blog, re the dart. Putting a piece of fabric with the dart is something I've never seen. Thank you.

    But I have another question for you. The skirt part of the dress I'm making right now has 5 pieces. When I press the seams, the serger stitching shows through, because the fabric is so thin. How would you do that differently?

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  7. Yes, much improved. Question: are the pocket flaps functional (ie, with pockets underneath) or merely decorative? If the latter, might you consider moving them down - away from your waistline....?

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  8. I pulled this jacket pattern out of my stash to sew this summer. I was intrigued by the unique edge finsh and it has almost identical style lines to OOP Vogue 2390, which I absolutely love and still wear. Now I am undecided about making it. The color of your jacket is beautiful and IMHO look much better without the belt.

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