My Recent Sewing Slump

My recent sewing slump involved fitting and sewing a pattern chosen by the Lansing Clippers for all the members to make to encourage them to sew clothing.  We used a couple of our monthly meetings to work with them on fitting issues.  This was a huge undertaking for those who had never made clothing for themselves.  It should not have been a problem for me because I have made my own clothing for many years.  However, it caused me to experience a slump similar to one that baseball players experience when they cannot get a hit. 

The pattern was the Moss Jacket by Helen’s Closet as shown below.

The sewing level listed with the pattern was “Advanced Beginner”.  The instructions were clearly written and had two views to choose from.  This should have been a one or two day project at the most for me.  Instead, I got stuck in a slump that lasted for weeks.   I got stuck because I did not want the dropped shoulders that both views had.  I finally decided I would make the short version of the jacket and maybe I could find a way to make regular inset sleeves. 

I decided to make a muslin and knew I would probably need to make more than one.  I did not expect the first one to fit like I wanted.  I traced the pattern and found some ugly fabric in my stash and began the project.  I located a pattern that was actually very similar to the Moss Jacket except it had inset sleeves.  I copied the sleeve pattern in the size I thought would fit me.  I also traced the outline of the front and back armscye.  Then I measured the width of my shoulders and marked that on the front and back pieces of the Moss Jacket.  I used that mark to trace the armscye for both pieces.  I did have to change the slope of shoulders and I just guessed at that. 

After sewing the first muslin, I put it on and reviewed the fit.  I noticed the shoulder seams fell back off my shoulders.  I could rectify that by making the forward shoulders alterations.  Also, the back armscyes extended beyond the crease of the arm.  I put the muslin away and decided to think about it for a while.  And that is just what I did.  I thought about it!  I could not get that jacket out of my mind.  It was the last thing I thought about before going to sleep at night and when I woke up during the night, I was still thinking about it!

I took out the shoulder seams of the muslin and made the forward shoulders adjustment.  Then I cut some of the excess back fabric from the armscye and put the sleeves back in.  I was happy the sleeves still fit into the armscyes.   Then I tried on the muslin to review the fit again.  I was not happy with it.  I thought the front need to be a little larger in the bust and the back still extended too far over the crease line of the arm.  I decided to take a little more off the back and some off the bottom of the armscye and a little off the lower part of the front of the armscye.  Of course, that enlarged the armhole to the point that the sleeve no longer fit.  Again, I decided to think about it for a while.  And think I did! 

One morning I awoke after thinking about that jacket sleeve all night.  I knew what I had do.  I would draft a sleeve for that jacket.  So, I got out my books and read how to draft a sleeve and I went online to see what advice I could find there.  I made three attempts at drafting the sleeve.  They were all close, but not exactly what I wanted.  Again I thought about it and suddenly, I had an idea.  If the sleeve from the other pattern fit my first muslin, why wouldn’t a larger size of that sleeve fit into my pattern after I enlarged the armscye.   I decided to try that and to also increase the bust a little before making a new muslin. 

I searched my stash and found some fabric that I wasn’t sure if it was ugly or if I kind of liked it.  I decided this muslin might just fit this time, so I would finish the seams as I sewed.  If the muslin fit, I could decide then if it was a third muslin or my completed jacket.  When I finished, I decided this was it.  The jacket was done!  It cost me a lot of time and sleep, but very little money for the fabric.   I remember buying the fabric at an online auction with several other bolts of decorator fabric and the price per yard was very minimal.  My finished jacket is shown below.

I am not sure what lesson I learned from this experience, but I think it may be this:  Sew more, sleep well, and think less!

I suspect some of the members of our group have not started their jacket yet.  It may be, they are in a slump like mine.  There is one thing I know, if you don’t sew something, you won’t know what your fitting issues are or how to correct them.  Just start and tackle one problem at a time.  I know you can do it!

Happy sewing,

Judy