What I learned from My Very First Shirt (tm)

[amethyst73]

General sewing:

When you’re about to start a new sewing project, fill a bobbin 100% full.  I don’t care if you’re doing “just a shirt” and think you only need half a bobbin.  Chances are you’ll have to redo portions of it and will use more thread than you need.  If you underfill your bobbin, you’ll probably run out in the middle of something, possibly something complicated like sewing in a sleeve.

Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest any and all instructions and markings on the pattern, as well as in the directions.  Is there a mark?  Is there text?  Is there drawings?  Take a close look at all of it.  The pattern drafter didn’t put it in because they had nothing better to do with their time.  (In particular, if you’re making a top, there’s probably different amounts of ease at the bust and at the waist, and you need to pay attention to the differences.  Otherwise you’ll end up plonking in side panels partway through construction again.)

Seams should be finished somehow, whether that’s by pinking, zigzag, fray-block, making a flat felled seam, or similar.  Otherwise, hello fray time and shorter garment life.

Patterns and fit:

The people who said that both waist and bust size were important in considering pattern size in a top were right.  I bought the pattern based on my bust size, and the waist was so far off that I had to add side panels to get the 11 inches of ease that the pattern called for.  Most everything except the bust feels small: the ends of the sleeves need more ease, and the back across the shoulders is narrower than it should be.   Also, the shoulder seam should come forward on both sides. Looking at MVFS(tm) compared to some shirts that fit well, it also looks like the shoulders on MVFS are short as well.  I have several things that I’m thinking about trying:

- buy the pattern size appropriate for my waist and try to do a small breast adjustment, and see how the rest of the pattern fits me

- modify the current pattern for:

     bigger waist

     wider shoulders

     wider back overall

     wider sleeve ends

Sleeves:

Gathered set-in sleeves are something of a PITA.  Try messing around with pattern slashing to make the sleeve cap the same length as the armscye, and widen the sleeve end to make up for the shorter cap.  Also try adding material to the back and taking away from the front.

If you must do gathered sleeves, for heaven’s sake do three rows of stitching rather than two, as the resultant seam will be considerably cleaner (lower chance of accidental tucks).

Take. Your. Time. Avoid accidental tucks, sewing the sleeve to parts of the bodice that you don't want them attached to, etc. If need be, pin the heck out of the sleeve just to force yourself to stop every 5-8 stitches and make sure things are straight.

Cats:

Sewing in the same space as five cats is, surprisingly, mostly doable.  The one thing that they will all try to play with if they see it is the tomato-shaped pincushion, which is the same size and shape as many true cat toys. Also, they'll come up on the table and watch politely, and while they're not interested in the sewing machine, they may place themselves in inconvenient spots.

Try to avoid periods when they’re up and about, as they’ll want to sit in your lap, play with cords, etc.  3:30 PM is a great time to sew, as they’re almost always napping.

Comments

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

So true about making yourself take your time, and filling the bobbin even if you think it's "just a shirt," and cats playing with the tomato pincushion. And I don't even do things from paper patterns, go you for following complex instructions!

[amethyst73.livejournal.com]

I know you knit; I didn't know you did regular sewing too! What kinds of things do you make?

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

Waay belatedly: I sew fairly sloppily, but I learned on my mother's machine as a kid and now have as similar of a machine as I could find on ebay, it's a Kenmore from the early 70s and it's a workhorse. I haven't made much: sewed a monster costume for a Quest game, made a couple of skirts, made a few pillow covers, made some monk cowls for Quest, mostly silly stuff and I don't have a place properly set up for my sewing. too many hobbies, not enough time!