The Bettine

Pattern: The Bettine – Tilly and the Buttons.

Fabric: 2 metres of ‘Dog Print’ Cotton Sateen (Ivory/Black).

Supplier: The Textile Centre.

It’s official: 2 weeks ago I made my first ever dress – The Bettine!! I could not be more thrilled! It took me 2 solid days (9am – 5pm) of sewing to produce the finished article. It was SO much fun and less complicated than I anticipated. My main aim was to make it through the project without losing the will to sew again. For this reason, I took minimal photos, however I will document my next dressmaking endeavour with much more photos, in order to show the progression from fabric to finished article.

I ensured that I pre-washed and pressed the fabric prior to cutting out the pattern. This meant that I could ascertain how much the fabric might shrink before I made the dress. I used a cotton sateen fabric which was very easy to work with and gave just the right amount of drape for the style of dress. I found the most time consuming aspect of constructing the dress (the pattern cutting) to be the most therapeutic. Carefully placing the pattern pieces onto the fabric in a particular order and cutting out the fabric pieces using my rotary cutter was very relaxing and surprisingly enjoyable.

The one part I did struggle with was the threading of the elastic waist band into the body of the dress. I started from one hole, got all the way around to the other side of the dress (with great difficulty and effort) only for it to not come out of the designated hole! I rectified the issue by creating another discreet hole and doing some repair work, which was really simple and did not ruin the dress. I prefer my dresses to be above the knees, however the design leaves ample material for a much more modest hemline should you prefer it.

Unfortunately, due to my self-imposed Wedding Diet (3 months to go!!), the dress was too big for me (my hands are strategically placed during the photos in order to hide this fact). In hindsight, I should have re-measured myself beforehand but the dress has now gone to a lovely home. It became an Easter present for my mum and it fits her perfectly. She absolutely loves it and I am so happy to see something that I made being worn and enjoyed by one of my favourite people in the world.

My thoughts on the pattern were that it was simple, the instructions were clear and there were some elements of challenge for the new sewist should they wish to give them a try i.e. pockets and shoulder tabs. A word of warning: although the pattern states that it is for beginners, there is an element of expectation that the sewist will be able to understand and execute some of the basic sewing skills. I am extremely grateful to myself for being patient and consolidating my skills by starting off with non-garment related sewing projects. This enabled me to get to grips with the basic sewing skills. Had I simply picked up a beginner pattern with no prior knowledge or practice, I would definitely have struggled and the process would have been tiresome and tedious.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable time was had and I intend to make another ‘Bettine’ in the coming weeks. This time, in my size so that I can have my very own ‘Bettine’ to wear. For now, I want to try my hand at a different type of garment and have decided that my next project will be a simple, sleeveless top. I have shortlisted a few patterns and will decide which best suits my choice of fabric. ‘The Bettine’ was a rip-roaring success and I highly recommend this pattern to all sewists, from novice through to expert.

Material Girl

Fabric, fabric fabric….I can’t get enough of it! I am a material girl, through and through!! Recently, I have been working with lots of different types of fabric, mostly because I will be setting up an Etsy shop by the end of April 2017. I have quite a few items lined up to eventually sell, however I have decided to start off with zipper pouches. They are very easy to make and I have decided that I would like mine to come in a variety of colours.

My fabric of choice for the zipper pouches is PVC coated cotton, as I really like the finished look that is achieved. I have also decided to start making garments, my first of which will be a dress. ‘The Bettine’ dress, to be exact, from Tilly and the Button’s pattern collection for beginners. I then have a simple, sleeveless summer top in mind for my second garment project.

One of my fabric choices for a zipper pouch

Fabric for ‘The Bettine’ dress (white) and sleeveless top (blue)

With each project, more fabric is required and I have thoroughly enjoyed looking at different fabrics, both online and in store. It’s really quite addictive (and expensive)! I get the distinct feeling that my love for fabric is only just beginning. If it’s wrong, I don’t ever want to be right!

Light Reading: Every Little Helps

So far in my sewing journey, I have learned basic sewing skills and consolidated them by completing projects of varying difficulty. My next step is to start making garments and my first pattern of choice is ‘The Bettine’ from Tilly and the Buttons. I was so excited to receive the pattern two weeks ago. I couldn’t wait to find the right fabric and get started as soon as possible. I opened the pack, took out the instructions and the pattern, then immediately froze.

The pattern looked so confusing that despite the clearly written instructions, I could not make head nor tail of what I was expected to do. I felt a sense of panic and the fact that I am a complete novice really hit home. I have never attended a dressmaking class and I had no interest in learning these skills when I was younger. My mother is a fine dressmaker and has the ability to create wonderful garments without ever using a pattern. This meant that she would be of minimal assistance if I required further support with understanding the pattern I had purchased. In short, I had no idea where to start and I felt a barrier to sewing evolving.

My first ever purchased dress pattern

In order to ensure that my fear and inexperience did not get the better of me, I decided that it was time to read, read, read. I would carry out research and teach myself the skills I required to start making simple garments, using a pattern. To do this, I required books to guide and aid my progress in dressmaking. I set about researching the sewing books available for beginners. There are a plethora of books available for the novice sewist, so there is something that suits every personality and learning style.

After a comprehensive search, I ordered 3 books that covered multiple bases in the gaping chasm that is currently my dressmaking knowledge. They are: ‘Learn to Sew with Lauren: From first stitches to perfect projects’ by Lauren Guthrie (finalist in BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee), ‘Sewing Machine Basics: A step-by-step course for the first-time stitchers’ by Jane Bolsover and ‘Sew U: The Built By Wendy guide to making your own wardrobe’ by Wendy Mullin. These 3 books were exactly what I needed and contained information that I thought would be beneficial to my particular sewing journey.

My sewing library

Each book has their individual strengths and combined, they provide me with comprehensive information on basic dressmaking and sewing skills. I will not be providing a detailed review of all 3 books, simply a general overview, as I believe that the usefulness of a book is determined by the requirements of the reader. I think that overall, for absolute beginners, any of these books could be used in isolation. The first few chapters of all 3 books go over the very basics – basic sewing kit, how to use your sewing machine, types of fabric, their composition and their uses, hand sewing and the stitches that you may need to use (back stitching, basting, etc.).

All 3 books are written in a clear and concise manner, providing adequate detail to ensure that the novice sewist understands how and why different techniques are performed/items are used. ‘Sew U’ concentrates solely on dressmaking projects, which is particularly helpful to me, as this is now my area of interest. The other 2 books have a mixture of garment and home decor projects, e.g. cushion covers. I will now give a brief overview of my thoughts regarding each book.

Sewing Machine Basics

This book really focuses on how to achieve each project by using your sewing machine effectively. It also includes patterns for you to make the garments included in the book. The step by step instructions are comprehensive and supported with pictures, in order to further aid your progress in each project. There are comprehensive measurement charts provided for the garment projects, which I absolutely love. There is a good variety of projects for the complete novice, to the improving beginner. I really like the detail provided in this book, because I like to know as much as possible about whatever a subject may be.

Learn to Sew with Lauren

The layout of this book is extremely well organised with projects categorised into the following sections: ‘Beginners easy peasy,’ ‘Improvers next steps,’ and ‘Improvers more tricky.’ The projects in each category reflect the level of difficulty. There are a variety of projects to choose from and each project builds upon the skills previously learned. A lot of thought has been put into this book, which is aesthetically pleasing (the photographs in this book are wonderful) and extremely informative, without giving information overload. Patterns are included for the garment projects.

Sew U

My favourite chapter

This book is precisely what I need in terms of my dressmaking journey. It provides comprehensive, clear, well-written information and advice on all things dressmaking-related. It even has a section that explains how to express your creative vision if you want a tailor or seamstress to create clothes for you! Patterns are included for you to make the garments illustrated in the book.

My favourite chapter is completely devoted to patterns and it makes sense out of what appears to me to be nonsense. This book immediately puts me at ease when I think about making ‘The Bettine’ dress, because I can use it as a constant companion. In fact, this book makes me extremely excited about starting to make my own clothes and demystifies an aspect of sewing that initially appears to be so daunting and complicated.

General thoughts

I dip in an out of all 3 books, referring to one or the other, depending on the level of detail and explanation I require. There are some projects in these books that I may not attempt, simply because they are of little or no interest to me, e.g. making curtains and making roman blinds. What I like about all 3 books is that they can all be referred back to further down the line in my sewing adventure, when I am no longer a novice. This makes them, in my opinion, a good investment and money well spent.

I definitely recommend having at least one sewing book that you can use as a guide when you first start sewing. It can always be on hand during those moments of panic and they really help to build up your basic, traditional, sewing skills. I bought ‘Learn to Sew with Lauren’ from brand new, but I managed to source the other two second-hand at under £3 for each. Due to this fact, I invested in all 3 books, however one book would have sufficed. I must say that the quality of the second-hand books were brilliant, just like new, but in order to ensure this was the case I did my research prior to purchase.

This is how I spent last week; reading through the chapters of these 3 books, consolidating my theoretical knowledge and understanding of basic sewing techniques. It turns out that it was time well spent, because once I finally returned to the sewing machine, theory met with practical and everything slotted into place. I achieved another ‘EUREKA’ moment and had the best time sewing. Here’s to sewing books: the handy companions that will remain by my side throughout my sewing journey.

Consolidation

This week, my aim was to consolidate all of the basic sewing skills I have very recently acquired in my sewing adventure. This is particularly important, as I want to make my first attempt at sewing a dress next week. In order to adequately consolidate my skills, I set myself the task of making more of the items that I had made during my previous 3 weeks of sewing. I have been helped along by the fact that Mothers’ Day is fast approaching (26th March for us UK folk).

From my previously completed projects, I would be giving my mum and my fiancé’s nanny a few of my previously completed projects. All I had left to make were 2 cushion covers for my mother-in-law (to be). I have also made the decision to start an Etsy shop, in order to sell some of the accessories I have started to make.

I have various items that I would like to eventually start to sell, however zipper pouches are the first items on which I want to concentrate. This meant making more zipper pouches in order to practice improving upon their quality. I particularly like working with the PVC coated cotton but wanted to practise working with this material much more. Keeping my sewing goals at the forefront of my mind, my list of chosen projects was: 2 cushion covers and 5 zipper pouches.

Zipper pouch collection

With my consolidation plan decided, I anticipated that I would complete an item a day, spanning across the entire week. This did not happen (many are the plans of a person’s heart) but I’ll save the reason why for my next post. What actually happened is that I took a break from the sewing machine for 4 days, then had the bright idea of challenging myself to complete all 7 items over the space of one evening/night.

I currently suffer from insomnia, a side effect from the work-related stress I sustained in my previous job, and thought it best to turn this weakness into a creative strength. I started my first zipper pouch at 17:30 on Friday evening (GMT) and finished my last cushion at 02:00 on Saturday morning (GMT). Every single item was completed within this time. In hindsight, this was a very ambitious task for a newbie sewist, however it was during this time sewing that I had my ‘EUREKA’ moment.

I cannot explain exactly what happened, except to say that everything suddenly clicked. I knew which steps to undertake next without the aid of a video tutorial, having continuously stumbled on this particular skill in previous projects. I finally began to understand why things had to be completed in a particular order or in a particular way. I noticed that my understanding of the fabrics I was using had greatly improved. I was cutting the fabric much better and working more efficiently, which meant that I was working much quicker. It felt amazing! I only used the seam ripper three times, a feat I still cannot quite believe that I achieved.

I encountered a few problems along the way, but they were minor and I was able to change my technique in order to accommodate for these issues, yet achieve the overall effect for the particular item. In the 4 days that I spent away from the sewing machine, I must have given my brain the time to properly process the new skills that I have been learning, therefore enabling me to effectively put them into practice when they were next called upon. Not only am I absolutely thrilled that the very basic sewing skills are no longer incredibly difficult for me to achieve, this situation has taught me a very important lesson: to take my time, because everything happens in good time.

All in a night’s work

Cushion close-up

Up until this week, I had been sewing practically every single day, eager to ensure that I rapidly improved upon my skills, pushing myself to learn a new skill with each new project. While this has been beneficial to my learning, in hindsight, there were a few key moments when I really should have taken at least a few days break from the sewing machine to give myself the time and space to fully take in what I had learned so far. Thankfully, this week I realised the need to take a break and ensured that I stayed away from the sewing machine. Instead, I read chapters in my sewing books that provided more in-depth knowledge of the basic sewing skills that I have been practising. I also rested.

Resting is equally as important as being busy and I never appreciated just how involved with sewing I have been, until I stepped away from it. The short break has done me the world of good and led to the creation of 7 items of a far superior quality than I have previously been able to achieve. I am absolutely elated and I cannot wait to see where my sewing will lead me. I now have the much needed confidence boost to continue with sewing and also to believe that I can become an excellent sewist.

I have also received sincere and genuine feedback from the gifts that I have recently made. The feedback has been very positive, particularly regarding the professional look of these items, despite me being at the start of my sewing journey. Today, I am very proud of what I have achieved so far with my sewing and I will continue to enjoy this moment while it lasts.

Sewing: I think I might just have cracked it. From now on it’s onwards and upwards!

Zipper pouches galore

Happy Anniver-SEW-ry!!!

Today is my one month anniver-SEW-ry!!! 4 weeks ago to the day, I went to my first ever sewing class and fell in love with sewing. I have barely stopped sewing ever since and I am loving every minute of it! I posted a quick message on Instagram to mark the occasion. Here’s to many more weeks, months and years of sewing to come. The sewing journey is well and truly underway and long may it continue.

Zip it!

I finally completed the project I recently set myself: a zipper pouch. I opted to use some PVC coated cotton I recently purchased. It looks and feels as though it is relatively durable, which is exactly what is required from a zipper pouch. In order to make the zipper pouch, I followed a tutorial from ‘MADE Everyday’. This is the third tutorial from this vlogger that I have used, simply because they are really easy to follow and she has a range of projects that I am particularly interested in creating, which are suitable for beginners like myself.

This project enabled me to see that my sewing skills have really improved in a short space of time. I think this is predominantly because I am currently sewing almost every day (I have a lot of time on my hands at the moment). Plus, I make sure that each new project builds on a skill that I have previously learned, as well as teaching me a new skill.

The most challenging part of the project was working with PVC coated cotton. Sewing on the wrong side of the fabric did not pose any problems and I was able to install the zip without any issues. In hindsight, this was because the right side of the fabric was sandwiched between the silky cotton fabric I used for the lining, when I was sewing the wrong side. Had the right side of the PVC coated cotton been exposed to the feed dogs, I would have discovered the impending problem much sooner. Next, it was time to topstitch on the right side of the fabric.

I used the standard presser foot for this and immediately noticed that something was not right. The fabric would slowly go through the feed dogs then grind to an unexpected halt. I unpicked the stitches and started again but the same thing kept happening repeatedly. When I looked at the threads in the fabric I was attempting to sew, I could see that the stitches on the wrong side of the fabric were pulled up really tightly, compared to the stitches on the right side of the fabric, which were as normal. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that the tension needed adjusting. *Note to self – always check on the simplest of potential errors before rushing to fix presumed larger ones.* Thankfully, this thought came to mind before I started playing around with the tension of my sewing machine!

I tried increasing the length of the stitch, to no avail. I re-threaded the sewing machine and re-wound the bobbin but there was still no change. By this time, I was fed up and decided to pack away my project for the rest of the day. Overnight, I kept wracking my brain to try and work out where I was going wrong. The two changes I had made with this project compared to all of my previous projects was to use a different type of needle (I was sure that this was definitely not where the problem lay) and a different type of fabric.

The next morning, I woke up determined to find the solution to my sewing conundrum. I decided to Google “Working with PVC coated cotton,” to find out if anyone else had encountered similar problems to me when working with this particular type of fabric. If I could rule out the fabric as an issue, then the solution would most likely be to readjust the tension of the sewing machine, something that for me needed to be the very last resort. Lo and behold, there were blog posts galore about the difficulties of working with PVC coated cotton.

The most common suggestion was to purchase a Teflon presser foot, which would easily glide over the surface of the material without sticking to it. I went on to order one via ebay, but there would be a significant wait for it to arrive and I wanted to complete the project as soon as possible. The second suggestion was to cover a standard presser foot with scotch tape, in order to get a similar effect to the Teflon presser foot – I tried it but this technique did not consistently work for me.

Front of zipper pouch

Unsatisfied after another unsuccessful attempt at completing the project and with frustration quickly setting in, I stepped away from the sewing machine and gave myself the rest of the day to mull things over. I set about finding my own solution to the problem. After much thought and careful consideration (to document my thought processes would require another post, so I’ll spare you…this time) the next day, I set about my mission: to successfully complete a zipper pouch!

I thought it might be a good idea to cover the right side of the material in baking paper. YES, BAKING PAPER! I sewed my topstitch to the right side of the garment and through the baking paper. The fabric went over the feed dogs with ease and the stitches on both sides were even. Once I had finished the topstitch, I carefully ripped the baking paper away from the stitches.

This method worked perfectly every single time. The baking paper was strong enough to provide a barrier between the presser foot and the sticky PVC coated cotton, yet fragile enough to enable me to tear it away, leaving the stitches intact. Using this method enabled me to finish not one, but two zipper pouches within a few hours. SEWING TIP ALERT: having issues sewing oilcloth/PVC coated fabrics and you don’t have a Teflon presser foot or scotch tape? Using baking paper works like a dream.

Inside zipper pouch

Another con of working with PVC coated cotton is the fact that the remaining holes from unpicked stitches can be quite noticeable. I did make sure to press the wrong side of the fabric with a warm iron after unpicking seams, in order to help minimise the holes. However, this fabric can be unforgiving if constant mistakes are made. Of the 2 zipper pouches that I made, I kept one and gifted another to a relative in order to obtain some much needed feedback about the pouch’s usability and durability. My plan is to eventually start selling handmade items on Etsy – zipper pouches being a favourite of mine to make – so the more feedback I can get on my handmade items, the better.

Back of zipper pouch

I really enjoyed completing this project, particularly independently overcoming the difficulties with using my choice of fabric. I stretched and challenged myself just enough to learn some new skills without getting too disheartened when I reached a stumbling block. Over this next week, I plan to consolidate what I have learnt so far by making more of the same items that I have completed over the past 3 weeks. My next challenge is to sew my first ever garment, so I will need to practice the basics as much as possible beforehand. For now, I will leave you with some photos of my finished zipper pouch. Until next time, happy sewing!

You Are Not Alone: Advice From One Newbie to Another

I’m very new to the sewing community and to say that I’m a very keen sewist is an understatement. The most frustrating thing for me at present is this: my skills do not match my creativity. Sound familiar? This can make me feel downhearted, particularly as there are so many wonderful projects I would love to attempt. Even the simplest projects get me flustered and take much longer than I anticipate. I am happy to report that I am making progress and in each project I am challenging myself in a variety of ways, whether it’s learning a new skill, or using a more challenging type of fabric. As I come to the end of my third week of sewing, I want to share some of the most significant things that I have learnt on my sewing journey thus far.

1) There’s a lot of getting it wrong before you get it right:

Make friends with your seam ripper. Seriously!! Be prepared to feel frustrated, mildly annoyed, and even to shed tears and want to give up. Not wanting to finish a project for a few days (or even longer) because you’re struggling with hemming/interfacing and you can’t face unpicking ANOTHER seam is completely normal. Having lots of these moments when you first start out is a given. The quicker that you embrace the fact that making mistakes are inevitable, the better that you will get at rectifying them and independently finding solutions to your problems. This helps to improve your sewing skills.

2) A sewing room is the dream. The dining room table is the reality:

My fiance and I live in a 2 bedroom, mezzanine flat. The small living room where our dining table lives is now bursting at the seams with sewing-related items, as well as everything else we’ve managed to fit into it (musical instruments, coffee table, bookcases, sofas etc). The dining table, which often turns into an office desk, or a place to collect regularly used items that never get put away, has most recently turned into a sewing table. It’s where my sewing machine, overlocker, material and various sewing tools live. Navigating the living room is a challenge at the best of times, but its a space that helps with my creativity. When you first start out sewing there’s not always an ideal space. What matters is that you find any space you can in order to get going with your sewing. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to work for you.

NB: Try to keep your sewing space as tidy as possible, especially if it’s not very spacious. After every sewing session, I tidy up all of my off-cuttings, scraps, etc and leave the space presentable for the next time. There’s nothing more depressing/off-putting than returning to a project and there’s mess everywhere.

3) You are NOT alone:

It seems as though everyone else in the sewing community is an experienced dressmaker/sewist and you are the only one struggling to improve. This just isn’t true and even the most experienced dressmaker/sewist will have times when they feel as though they just can’t seem to get it right. There is no project that is perfect the first time around – there are always things that you wish you could have executed much better, additions/alterations you want to make in the future, lessons to be learned, unpicking to be done!

I must admit that I have struggled to find established blogs of sewists that have just started out, but there are a few out there and when I read about their experiences I immediately feel a sense of relief and camaraderie. I then start to have much more positive thoughts about my sewing journey, such as: “That happens to them too!” “So it’s normal to feel this way.” “I’m not the only one who thinks a project will take 2 days and it lasts 2 weeks.”

Starting from scratch is never easy, but it’s important to remember that you are not alone with those feelings. That’s exactly why I started blogging. If one person in a similar position reads just one of my posts and feels encouraged to continue their own sewing journey, despite the trials and pitfalls encountered at first, then all of my efforts have been worth it.

4) Things do get better:

After 3 weeks of sewing I am amazed at how much of the terminology I now understand. I know the basics of a sewing machine, having never owned or used a sewing machine previously. I can make 5 different items reasonably well. I know the basics of using an overlocker. I even created a pattern for a tie because I wanted to make one but did not have a pattern to use. Most importantly, I have the desire to continue pushing myself and  improving my skills – next up, making garments. Definitely not what I expected myself to be thinking of sewing after only 3 weeks. All of these mini victories are proof that things do get better and much easier with time. Just keep at it.

5) There’s an entire community out there:

There is an established sewing community that is welcoming, supportive and extremely helpful. Find ‘sewcial’ events that you can get involved in, or join the online community. There is help and advice available from a variety of sources. Make sure that you use them. I am just starting to get more involved in the sewing community. It’s a bit daunting and I really need to give myself a push but I’m willing to step outside of my comfort zone, in order to improve my skills and make some new friends along the way.

I really hope that this post gives encouragement to another newbie. I intend to read it back to myself whenever I feel discouraged or disheartened by my sewing abilities. I hope that one day I can look back at this post and appreciate how far I have progressed. For now, it’s back to re-starting my latest project – zipper pouches. Now THAT experience is a story and a half. I’ll save that for my next post. Until then, happy sewing!