Shapes And Shades

One of the things I love about the comments section is what each opinion adds to the ongoing narrative. While I don't appreciate harsh or negative comments, I do appreciate hearing other perspectives. It's like sitting down for coffee with a friend and having her say yes, but what about this...? and the conversation evolves and flows.

Yesterday, I read through some of the comments in my older postings and it was interesting how many of those names that commented frequently have now disappeared. I know it is - in part - because my work has moved away from textile art into clothing and - in part - because of the way I approach clothing and - in part - because when you've blogged for years you start to repeat yourself and - in part - that lives move in different directions BUT... it made me a bit sad to have lost those connections. I truly appreciate the people I meet and the conversations continued in the comments.

When I pieced the back and side back together on my latest t-shirt, the angle of the curve didn't look quite right. I doubt that's a thought that would occur to most people, that they might not even recognize the curve, but when I laid the pattern over top it was indeed too wide and was sloping too far downward. You could say it's a minor adjustment. It's actually 5/8" of an inch too low and 3/8" of an inch too wide. That's significant in terms of good fit.

I'm the kind of person who finds it a challenge to get that curve just right. When I sewed in my twenties, I would make a skirt or a pair of pants and they either fit or they didn't and that was it. I'm not twenty anymore. If I were to do that now, I may as well give up sewing. I'd be bored out of my mind. It's far too paint-by-numberish for me and my mind is too active to make it through that. I know it's not how everyone thinks. It's how I think.

The purpose of the last black t-shirt was to test out the coverstitch machine. I bought it in June as part of my 50th birthday present and hadn't had time to decide what I thought yet. I stitched the hems. I stitched the neckband. I decorated the seams. I'm returning it. Yes, it does a better job of hems than a twin needle but a twin needle does a good enough job for me and my studio is too small and the storage and counter space is too limited to own what - for me - would basically be a one purpose machine. I just know if there was clutter everywhere or if I was in any kind of hurry to be done that I wouldn't get it out of the cupboard. I'd pull out a twin needle, do the job, and move on. So there's no point keeping it.

When I called yesterday to find out what my options were, they said typically people trade it in for something else. Having recently survived a weekend without my sewing machine, I've decided to look at buying a spare which would also be available for studio visitors. That would be helpful to two friends in particular who travel long distances.

The black t-shirt is in the wadder pile. It's the second one recently which is a little frustrating but the reason is almost identical which gives me something to work with. For this latest one, I used the coverstitch machine to stitch the neckband - as topstitching - not sewn on with the binder - and it put a different kind of pressure on the trim at the V that caused distortion. I imagine that would have disappeared with more experience.

For the armholes, I serged and they stretched out so I basted first and then serged and they stretched out. I sent an email to Carolyn with my thoughts and we agreed that the solution was lightweight interfacing around the armhole to stabilize the knit only by that time I had tried the t-shirt on and the back did indeed have the lovely graceful curve I'd hoped to transfer from Katherine's V8691 pattern only the fabric was the kind that clings to every lump and bump and it wasn't doing me any favours in the front. Moving on now.

Instead, I started piecing together the bleached bits from July. They started with a pile of faded black t-shirts that I sprayed and blotted with a bleach and water combination and then rinsed and washed and left in waiting. Bleach on black can pull any number of colors so it was a lucky coincidence that all but one of the t-shirts pulled a beautiful raspberry color.

I started piecing together the back sections yesterday afternoon and the project kept pulling me back into the studio. That's when I know that I'm working on a project that challenges and engages me - when sewing is the only thing I want to do. With this project, I'm curious whether I can make something out of nothing - as in a wearable t-shirt from unwearable t-shirts - and I'm curious about the design aspect of fitting all the shapes and shades together and I'm testing the armhole and interfacing thought and I'll need to come up with some kind of solution for the bottom of the center front piece, the neckline, and the hem. My mind is engaged.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - options for returning the coverstitch