How Many Times Do You Practice Before Making Real Project?

 #WIP #stillpractising

 

I’m making a project which design belongs to my favourite illustrator. The drawing is so cute and lots of details yet, few things are not clear enough. I couldn’t see what kind of collar she was intended to be. It was easy to assume it was just flat collar but I was not sure either, besides, i also added another consideration into my thought

There were kind of collars that i had to choose and some were fail. For each collar pattern, i practiced 2-3 times to sew the ribbon, then do fitting to see how the collar look on torso; if the look looked awkward, i put it on doll body. I wasn’t satisfied at all after some trials and decided to use another pattern, the one i was quite ‘pessimistic’ of how it would look. Apparently, it looked the best among other pattern I use. Yet, i was still not satisfied, so I modified the pattern a little bit. Each time, as i mentioned before, I practiced minimum 2 times to sew the ribbon on the collar.

Sewing the ribbon with that curve is not easy. There is techniques to try and of course need a concentration more than before to do it. Quality of ribbon affects, too. So, yess, I also tried some ‘different’ ribbons.

I practiced more than 15 times, trying about 5 patterns. Before making real project, i will make a prototype first using cheaper fabric. Last time, i was so sure to make on expensive fabric, the result wasn’t as expected. In a glance, it looks good but i’m not sure to represent it as ‘sell-able’ clothes (though I won’t sell my real project either…haha).

 

So, again, how many times did you practice before making a real project?

Or may be before that, Do you practice? Or sell right away to get money (even if the result is well not good? Or may be you believe it’s extraordinary work as someone still buys it?). I know some people who have extraordinary sewing skill that still do practice before selling and even they don’t, they still do a great job. I also know some people who have a not too good sewing skill and sell their messy handmade to get some quick money (no need to get offended. It’s reality. My friends have experience with that kind of people. So, i’m not talking bullshit here)

I’m not a professional seamstress, yet. Only selling a few. Yet, my soul is professional. My best friends who sew, too, AND not selling their handmade also have that professional soul. Even for ourselves, we want to do it correctly, well, properly, and decently. 

Not So Simple Backpack

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this was supposed to be quite simple backpack. But somehow, since i wanted to sew the zipper differently than i usually did, I didnt set up a step by step sewing procedure properly. I just sew as usual. Apparently, I sew in a wrong order so the result was not precise and the difficulty increased.

i also made a pattern mistake which i wanted to make side pockets flatter a bit but ended up with sewing difficulty due to thickness. 😰😰. I added a strap to make it thicker or fatter. So you can see there’s kind of ‘additional strap’ on the pockets. Yet, since it’s emergency correction, the precision of the stripe, the position of the pockets (the mark was quite disappeared and i was too lazy to do it again bcs the pieces were half assembled already when i fixed the pockets) and the sewing are not good. 😞. aaaaaand so does the zipper part. it wasnt precise too.
the lining inside should be modified too. separate pattern should be made. I didnt do it bcs i didnt think it would be necessary. I made the pattern very simple that actually it caused me difficulty in sewing. It was same to the lining. I should make separate different lining pattern but I used main fabric pattern
I want to write abt the zipper sewing later. I plan to make one more later. I hope i wont forget to take a picture. haha.
Also want to write abt lining pattern too. I dont plan to write a whole tutorial though. But if i have time, may be.

Few things to note (again) when making new project (though it looks like not new):

  1. set up a step-by-step sewing procedure.
  2. don’t just use main pattern as lining pattern.
  3. with that kind of pockets, it’s better to give more sewing allowance rather than 0.5cm or less. It’s even better to give at around 1.7-2cm.
  4. Better no interfacing used on pocket strap to be sewn on the main body. Interfacing will add thickness. Or even if it’s used, make it smaller than pattern, so the side to be sewn is still interfacing-less.