Cropped Linden, and City Gym Shorts

Hi all!

I'm 'almost' done with the first year of clinical rotations, "only" two exams left! Hopefully I'll pass and then have some time to relax. This year has been something... else. I think I reached my physical limits and I'm paying a price for ignoring health-related issues. In order to remedy this and hopefully get back to my former healthier self I'm slowing things down and trying to rest as much as possible (while hopefully still passing the exams!).

during the past few months I didn't have the energy, both physical energy and mental energy, to sew complicated (or even easy-but-long) projects, but I did manage to finish a couple of much needed tshirts to wear on weekends, a much needed addition to my wardrobe as I lack casual and comfortable clothes to wear during my free time, and often find myself wearing very inappropriate sweatpants paired with one of D's tshirts around the house. There's nothing wrongs with it of course, and I probably will keep this habit sometimes but I rather have more options.

I made two tops, combining dark blue and black fabric with a lot of drape (I don't know the fiber contents).

For the tshirts I used the the short-sleeved version of the Linden sweatshirt from Grainline, this version features elbow length sleeves, a length I find flattering, with a cropped hem. While the hem is too short for some of my pants it is the perfect length to wear with my Moss skirts, and with the newest addition to my wardrobe - a pair of City Gym Shorts by Purl Soho in purple denim.

To make the shorts more appropriate to wear outside I lengthened the inseam (4 cm more of less), straightened the side seams, and drafted pockets that are big enough to hold my phone and keys when I go out on a walk. I also reduced the length (circumference) of the waistline to make them less sporty and more like regular shorts. On the next version I'll try to add darts, and hopefully draft my way to the perfect-yet-comfortable shorts I want so much. I used to go out on walks pretty often to clear my mind and motivate me to study, a hobby I neglected recently because I felt to lousy and week to exercise. Now that I'm getting my strength back I started walking again and this shorts are almost perfect. My only complaint is that the stretch denim feels a bit plastic-y against the skin.

Despite the minor complaints I enjoyed these two garments so much that I finally was motivated enough to tape and cut the Aster shirt from Colette! I'm halfway through my muslin using a really crazy fabric, and I think I would like to find a way to hack this shirt into a jumpsuit. Everybody lookS so comfortable wearing a jumpsuit, I want one as well to test if this jumpsuit party really is worth it ;)

Till next time,

Be well and enjoy sewing!

Sewing "Chocolate"

Well, this post could have also been named as "I have super powers!" but we'll get to that in a a few lines...

Last night I came home "a bit" frustrated from consecutive tough days at work. If you follow Erin's series on graduate students around the sewing community you are probably familiar with the fact graduate students are frustrated A LOT. I guess if you're human, and have a day job, you may also experience this frustration from time to time. Despite how much I love my job and how important I think it is, I can't avoid frustration when things just don't work.

Anyway, I came home and wasn't feeling like doing anything fun (or anything at all). I had about an hour before bed time and I felt like I didn't have the mental energy to start with the pants I've already cut, or cut another project. Looking around me my eyes fell on a scrap of knit fabric, left over from a long sleeve t-shirt I made over the weekend. Instead of shoving it into the (overflowing) scrap drawer I took out my undies pattern and made myself new undies from the scrap. 

It made me feel better.

It took about an hour, during which I could clearly think about anything and everything. My first thought was it felt like I was sewing chocolate. You know, when in doubt - eat chocolate? So I did something else that made me feel better, took longer to complete than what it takes to eat some chocolate, and at the end I have a new pair of undies!

Then I thought that if I can just make myself a new pair of undies in under one hour, I must have super powers. It was not the first pair I made (though I changed a few things, detailed below), and I should make some more as my wardrobe still hasn't recovered from the lost luggage in Sicily a few months back. Yet the idea I can use some scraps and elastic and make myself a new pair of undies is not trivial. The fact we can sew our own clothes isn't trivial. It takes dedication and perseverance, and the strength to deal with frustration when things don't work. Just like in real like, only on a smaller scale. 

Specifically, undies are important to me as I'm very particular about what I like to wear. I feel liberated that I can make it myself and I'm no longer depended on retailers, trends, and whatnot. 

As for the actual sewing: Up until last night I always used fold-over elastic. I wanted to try something else, as the fold-over feels a bit to thick and stiff. This time I used decorative elastic for the waist and self fabric for the leg bands. The pattern is something I drafted from a favorite pair a while back. I used the overlocker for the 3(!) seams, and regular zigzag stitching to attach the elastic with a stretch needle. I prefer the result over the fold-over with 3-step zigzag. 

Today is a new day, and I hope it'll be less frustrating. At least I now have new underwear to help me conquer the day!

The Blank Canvas Syndrome

                There was a time in the not so distant past, during my first years of med-school, when I always worried about money. It's true that with today's fast fashion one doesn't need to spend a lot of money to dress reasonably well,  but my passion was never for clothes but rather for sewing my own and enjoying the process. Since I was so worried about not spending much I felt like I couldn’t justify any purchase, fabric included, and not having "enough" material to create from made me miserable. A couple of years later and my financial situation is stable enough to afford spending money on my hobby; I decide on a specific amount I can spend on fabric every month based on other expenses I have and my priorities. Having a budget means I can purchase fabric without guilt as I know I only buy what I can afford and I know each piece of material will end up as a garment I can wear, or as something I tried and learned from. 

                Undoubtedly I spend more on fabric than I spent on clothes prior to my sewing days. However, having "enough" material to work with means I have the freedom to create whatever I want. Usually I alternate between difficult and easy projects but of course also choose a project based on my mood, needs, and the free time I have on my hands.

                "Enough" is a tough word to define, though. Currently I have about 20 pieces of fabric in my stash to make garments from, but I also have two drawers full of scraps to use for pockets, binding or craft projects. 

Two recent additions to my stash. The bottom one will hopefully end up as an Alder dress while the top one (which I purchased because my boyfriend really liked it...) will be an Alder tank hack.

Having 20 pieces of fabric in my stash means that fabric is not the "rate limiting step" in the process of sewing and designing my wardrobe. So what's stopping me from sewing through this fabric and creating the wardrobe of my dreams?

My art teacher in high-school called it the "Blank Canvas Syndrome", when student will stare at a blank canvas in-front of them fearing from ruining the canvas by potentially not creating a "worthy" painting. Sometimes I feel the same thing trying to bring myself to cut into the fabric. I'm afraid I'll end up with something I won't wear and therefore my efforts will only waste good fabric. Hesitation is another stumbling block. In my mind's eye each piece of fabric can be multiple garments, while in reality once I decide on a pattern and cut the fabric, I can't be anything else. How do I know which pattern is the "best" for each fabric? The black and gold polka-dot fabric that ended up as my victory slacks was purchased to become a dress. Only later I realized the weight and stretch are perfect for slacks for fall, rather than a dress I won't wear that much.

Stretch cotton for pants. I never wear colorful pants, but I want to try and see how it works.

         

I don't want to let my fears prevent me from experimenting with new silhouettes and patterns. I know that trying something and failing it is better than having a closet full of fabric (rather than clothes). I also know that by sewing the same thing over and over I will never improve my skills and have interesting wardrobe, but I find it difficult to just let go and have fun with the fabric.

What about you? Are you reluctant to cut into good fabric because you don't want to "ruin" it? Do you feel it prevents you from trying new things?