Featured pledger: Denise of Dottie Doodle

It’s been a while since we had a featured pledger, hasn’t it? Dottie’s post has been stuck in my inbox for a while now as I continue the work and life juggling. Her pledge came to an end last month, but here are some of her thoughts on not buying new…

Name: Denise (Dottie Doodle)

Website: http://dottiedoodle.wordpress.com

Pledging until the end of January 2013

Why did you take the Seamless Pledge?

I have always loved the feeling of being on holiday with just a suitcase full of possessions, making up outfits for unexpected occasions or weather. Like the time we went to Spain for a sunny autumn break and it snowed!

But in my everyday life I surrounded myself with things, my wardrobe was stuffed with clothes I didn’t wear and our lovely house looked cluttered. I stopped buying clothes for a year (with a few slip ups) before hearing about the pledge, but didn’t tell anyone.

Making it public was scary – I’d have to stick to it! I decided to take the Pledge a step further and give away or sell clothes and other things I didn’t use. I had a lot of stuff, and stopping shopping wasn’t going to be enough on its own.

What impact has the pledge had on your day-to-day life? 

I rarely go shopping now, and if I go into a clothes shop I’m more interested in garment construction and wondering if I can make the things I like than I am in buying something.

A famous department store has just opened a new branch near me, and pre-pledge I would have had to buy a few things. Surely rude not to, after they’d gone to all that trouble?! Instead, I spent a happy hour choosing two things for my Christmas list. I’ve sold and given away plenty of things.

If it doesn’t fit, doesn’t flatter me or I don’t have the occasion to wear it, it goes. I have kept a few things for ‘posh dos’ and weddings, but I don’t need lots of options so only my favorites stay.

Any tips for someone wanting to give up mass-made clothing? 

For me, it is learning to sew. I still get the fun of having something new to wear, but making something is obviously a much longer process than just handing over some cash. So I make less than I used to buy ready-made, and I enjoy wearing my new clothes more.

I felt like I was going backwards at first, as it took time for me to work out which patterns would suit me and the best fabrics to use. That seems wasteful, but I think it is part of the process. Reading sewing blogs has helped me enormously – shared experience is a wonderful thing. Also having my own blog has been very motivating.

There have been a few times when I’ve hit problems and wanted to stuff the offending item in a drawer and forget about it. But thinking ‘this will make a good post’ has kept me going!

Make sure you check out Dottie’s blog – she’s recently posted a tutorial for a really cute book cover as part of Sew Grateful week. 

GUEST POST: Thread Carefully’s 10 Sewing Commandments

Part 2

Earlier this week, Tabatha and Julia of Thread Carefully shared Sewing Commandment one to five. Now, as promised, here are commandments six to ten. Enjoy!

Tabatha's rendition of New Look 6000

6. Thou shalt always mark your fabric

Sure, it’s tempting to skip over those markings – they can be a right pain in the backside. We all know, deep down if nothing else, that they are there to help us make something beautiful, and correctly lined up in all the right places. Even the smallest deviation may mean a misplaced buttonhole, a wonky seam or pockets that don’t match it. It’s always worth taking your time to do it properly: you’ll appreciate it in the end, trust us!

7. Thou shalt not sew whilst drinking

Over to Julia for this one…Thankfully, I learned this lesson for both of us, and possibly all of us.  Yes, I confess I once had a few glasses of vino tinto whilst sewing (I should point out that I don’t drink very often.  It’s for the best) and I may have tried to see what happens if I just removed the blades from my overlocker and I may then have then been unable to get it to work.  Our friend Carys’s husband even had a look at it for me to see if he could fix it.  I couldn’t have done something THAT bad, right?  Wrong.  Unfixable.  Hello new overlocker!  (At this point, I will refer you back to our very first commandment).

8. Thou shalt finish your garments nicely every time.

We both know that we haven’t always done this.  We both know that we should.  The reason?  Every time we don’t, we regret not doing it.  There’s something really nice about knowing that the inside of your outfit is finished properly and that you won’t be embarrassed if someone sees the inside seams.  It also means that the item you have slaved and probably sworn over isn’t going to let you down in a spectacular way if, say, you’re out and about and the seam bursts.  The beauty of it is that you don’t have to have an overlocker to do it – the zig-zag stitch on your machine or pinking shears are perfectly adequate.  In addition, there are loads of other ways to finish seams or edges.  Pick the one that matches you and you’re off!

Julia's tattoo print Vogue 2958 Dress

9. Thou shalt continue to learn new techniques.

Sarai over at Colette Patterns puts this very well in her book and it is something that we both not only agree with but try and do regularly. She said:

There’s only one trait I think every sewer should possess: curiosity. Learning to sew is an ongoing process; in fact, the learning never really stops. Each project has the potential to teach you something new. Even seamstresses who have been sewing for thirty years or more will tell you that they learn new things all the time.

10. Thou shalt enjoy creating your own garments.

If something is irritating you or making you angry – put it down and have a brew.  Remember, you are (probably) sewing because you enjoy it and you love to have something nice at the end of it that you are proud of.  Yes, you may get it done tomorrow instead of next week if you plough on through, but if you rush and cut corners you will regret it later on.  I, certainly, can attest to this.  Sure, I got wearable garments even whilst being majorly annoyed throughout the process but there are things that I know about the construction of that garment that I can’t forget when wearing it.

Take, for example, my Peony dress.  I was in such a hurry to finish I didn’t obey commandment 7 for the shoulder seams and attempted to do them at the end, chopping out a chunk of the shoulder.  Now, the dress is amazing to wear (I love that it has rows and rows of Elvi all over – yes, Elvi is the plural) but I am always aware of the patch job I had to do on the shoulder which isn’t noticeable to everyone else.  The thing is, I know it’s there and I’m conscious of it and every time I see it I think “If only I’d taken my time… “. Remember, sewing is a hobby, not a race.

Thanks again to Tabatha and Julia for the guest posts! If you want to check out their blog then head over to Thread Carefully pronto! You can also follow Tabatha and Julia on Twitter. Interested in guest blogging on Seamless? Get in touch. 

GUEST POST: Thread Carefully’s 10 Sewing Commandments

Part 1

With almost 100 people taking the pledge now, I thought it was about time I got some guest posts here on Seamless! Today, the lovely Tabatha and Julia of Thread Carefully have thoughtfully put together their 10 Sewing Commandments with plenty of helpful hints and tips for beginners and experts alike. Without further ado, here are Commandments one to five…

Tabatha's Chantilly dress

1. Thou shalt only buy sewing equipment from reputable retailers.

This doesn’t include second hand or thrifted machines necessarily – those usually can’t be bought from retailers – here we mean new equipment.  It really is worth your while doing a bit of research before buying – not only into the brand and model number of the machine you’re interested in, but also into the retailer themselves.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! A good retailer will be there even after you buy your machine to service it, fix it and even show you how to use it if you need them to! If you are in the UK The Sewing Directory can help you to find your nearest retailer. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, do a quick search online, but make sure you actually go to the shop.

2. Thou shalt not buy fabric simply because it is cheap.

How many times have I fallen for this (Tabatha’s good on this: she is way more restrained than I am) only to kick myself afterwards.  “Wow, that fabric that looks like it’s been stepped on is a bargain! I MUST HAVE IT. ”  No, just leave it.  It’s not worth it.  It’ll remain in your stash unused for you to feel guilty about forevermore.  By all means, if the fabric is cheap and you know you will definitely use it then there’s no reason not to buy it.  However, think carefully before snapping up a bargain piece of fabric, especially if you have no specific pattern in mind.

Julia's Tetris Macaron

3. Thou shalt not attempt to exactly replicate others’ creations.

This is one that’s close to both our hearts.  Like many people, the reason we started sewing was to have pieces that were unique to us.  We were both sick of constantly seeing other people in the same outfits or having people buy clothes because they liked how they looked on someone else.  Sometimes – dare we say it – we were even guilty of it ourselves.  When you start sewing you suddenly become appreciative of exactly what goes into making that piece.  You can deliberate over a pattern for hours, choosing the perfect style of fabric for it and the ideal trim.  At the end, you have something to be proud of.  It’s wonderful to admire other people’s creations and to garner inspiration from them, but if you love it so much you try to replicate it exactly, you are taking away the unique quality the other person has striven for. You should embrace the individuality that sewing permits, and create your own wonderful, inspired pieces, rather than copy  other people’s ideas.

4. Thou shalt always pre-wash or pre-shrink fabric.

I bet you, like us, have learned this the hard way.  Does much else need said on this, apart from that you will be devastated if your brand new, barely worn, [insert garment type here] shrinks the first time you wash it.  It has happened to us, and, although there may be a few commandments here we break from time to time, this is one we never, ever , EVER break.

Photo by Steven Depolo

5. Thou shalt always cut the correct size according to your measurements

Never guess what size you are based on your usual dress size (UK, US or otherwise).  Each pattern comes with measurements to help you identify your size , and that size will vary from company to company. Measure yourself each time and use that number.  It is only a number.  A number which no one need ever know, if you so wish.  The pattern may as well state sizes A, B, C, D, E for all the difference it makes.  An ill-fitting garment not only looks bad, but must surely feel bad.

Watch out later this week for the next five commandments, courtesy of Tabatha and Julia! In the meantime, check out their blog. If you’d like to write a guest blog for Seamless, get in touch!