So. I’ve been sewing for a long, long time. I learned to use a sewing machine when I was 11, and was sewing most of my own clothes by the time I was in middle school. Thanks to my HomeEc teacher, Miss Marcy Helzer, I got my technique down. I could topstitch like a pro or throw in a zipper – any kind of zipper – like nobody’s business. Miss Helzer taught me that “shortcuts always look homemade.” (Yeah. She’s also the one with the classroom motto “So shall you sew, so shall you rip” that I quote to this day every time I need to rip anything out.) Between Miss Helzer and my time in 4-H, I’ve got Sewing Chops. (Although I don’t use them all that much these days.)
The one thing that gets me – still – whenever I sew (but never when I knit) is using fabric that I have deemed . . . “precious.”
What does that mean, exactly? Well . . . usually it means that it was quite expensive or is unusually delicate. Or maybe both. And if you sew, you know that once you CUT the fabric, there’s not a lot you can do about it if you make a mistake or it doesn’t fit like you hoped or . . . you just don’t like the way it turns out. (You can rip out knitting and preserve the yarn, but you can’t very easily “repurpose” fabric that’s already cut – and maybe even sewn up, y’know?)
So despite having years and years of sewing experience – and having learned how to navigate pattern/fabric choices (because I’ve made my share of poor pattern/fabric choices over the years) – I still get the heebie-jeebies when I decide to cut into a piece of really nice or quite expensive fabric.
It’s just another Making Barrier for me.
So several years ago (5? 6? I can’t even remember now. . . ) when I finally had the chance to buy a 2 yard piece of Japanese Hokkoh Linen Poppies fabric (which is hard to get and stupid expensive), I got it. And then stressed for at least 2 years over what I would make with it. And then decided what to make . . . but couldn’t quite make myself cut the pattern out for at least another year. And then I started sewing, but couldn’t decide if I’d made a poor judgment in matching the pattern to the fabric. So I put it away for awhile. And let it eat at me for . . . oh, at least 2 or 3 more years. And then, of course, we re-painted the basement and I could bury it deep under the auspices of the “reorganization” of my craft/sewing space.
(Oh, the barriers we create for ourselves.) (You can be really good at something and still place barriers.)
It’s finished now, though. And I even like the way it turned out. (Except I’m not loving the buttons. But I had them in my stash already, so I avoided the Need-To-Find-Perfect-Buttons barrier.) It’s a nice (well, Very Nice actually) lightweight linen in a pattern you don’t see every day. The pattern is a kind of “floaty” tunic that is flattering and looks good with jeans or leggings. (I was going to have Tom do a photo shoot, but we lost the light early last night and today it’s raining . . . )
And the most important thing?
It’s finished.
Barrier toppled! Achievement unlocked!
(And this was item #5 in my unfinished project inventory from last month.)
What a lovely top and such a nice transitional piece for this time of year!
You are really knocking that list out of the ball park.
It’s quite lovely. Having all that angst is exhausting, Kym. I have learned to stop this kind of thing by saying, “what’s the worst thing that can happen?” It puts things into perspective for me, but everyone must find their own epiphanies
This looks lovely Kym. I have some fine corduroy languishing in my fabric closet. Maybe I will get to making something with it for this season?
What a beautiful and versatile addition to your wardrobe! Achievement unlocked, indeed!
The fabric looks like it would float right over the skin and be so comfortable on very hot days. The top is perfect to dress up or down. Do you think it possible to find a small pearlescent button? The top is lovely as it is. Good work on finishing up the pile of projects. Whatever will you do when they are all fini!
I am applauding, Kym! That is gorgeous fabric and the perfect pattern! Here is to many years of wearing that really cute shirt!! XO
That’s beautiful, Kym! Congrats!!
I love it!
I think it’s beautiful! I can see it with poppy style buttons on it… Maybe some you make yourself?
I’m glad that you hurdled those barriers and sewed that really lovely tunic! The print is beautiful to look at, and I can almost imagine how floaty and delightful it would feel to wear. Well done, and keep going on that list!
So pretty! I have been getting back to sewing…slowly. Mostly I have been reworking some of my favorites that no longer fit me (too big). I’ve turned 2 linen dresses into skirts. And took in several blouses. Easy things. I have a stash of fabric that I also have been putting off cutting into. Maybe this will be my push. Also, when did patterns get to be so expensive??? And so many are digital. Do you have a source you like?
What a beautiful shirt – you are so talented!
I think the pattern is perfect for the fabric and also a great style that can be worn for a long time which you want for all that expense and angst and work. I used to sew for about ten years and was kind of self-taught. Everything was wearable but not necessarily worthy of close inspection in the seam area which wasn’t always finished professionally. But I took the direction to always cut on-grain seriously which is the main thing to avoid that homemade look, in my opinion, so I often got away with murder. I did my sewing in the 70’s and 80’s when Jo-Ann would promote its fabrics by selling the patterns for $2.00 or thereabouts. I’m horrified by today’s prices for the most simple thing. And to mitigate the angst of cutting into nice fabric, I always set aside that job for the entire day. Even if it only took an hour or two. So no pressure to hurry up and get on with that next step. Congratulations on a job really well done that you are obviously well-qualified to execute. Probably even an heirloom given the fabric.
It’s beautiful. But I understand the barriers with cutting fabric. Worse than ever now that decent garment fabric stores are mostly gone. Mail order or a trip somewhere, sadly
P.S. ….wish I’d had Miss Helzer to teach me about zippers, Kym. Mine were “okay” but a bit amateurish. Don’t sew anymore but if there were an in-person zipper class nearby I’d like to take it!
It looks amazing — and well done on finally getting over all those barriers! I wish I’d had a home ec class in high school, but at an all-girls school, it was all about more math and science instead of domestic arts.
Wow! Great perserverance! I hope wearing it makes you feel good and that you get lots of compliments. I get it on holding back with special fabric. I started a dress in early 2020, made with Liberty lawn. After “working on it” (feeling guilty about not working on it because of what I told myself were good reasons), I finally finished it this spring! It doesn’t fit quite how I’d hoped, but it is still wearable, and I love it! My mom had been a home ec teacher, and I’d spent many years in 4-H sewing projects… that in itself is enough to paralyze a sewist in the middle of a project!
What a great finish. I imagine that floaty top will be fun to wear.
Really, really pretty!
How beautiful, Kym!
I’ve always loved the Hokkoh poppies fabrics (but never actually owned/used any.)
And, you’ve made a great pattern/fabric match here!
Well done!
That fabric is gorgeous! And hooray for a finished top that you can wear. It’s very YOU! I do hope we’ll see some modeled shots eventually. I remember years ago, a good friend of mine visited France and she bought me back a whole bunch of fabric. I never could bring myself to use it, though. I would just gesture to it and say, “oh, that’s my fabric from France.”
It’s lovely! I’m glad you finally finished it and can now just enjoy it going forward.
But yeah, barriers. We all have them. I have a plan to work on some sewing this fall and winter, and have even signed up for a basics class online to reorient myself. So fingers crossed that will be a motivation!