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Friday 26 March 2021

The Stop, Clean Up, And Get Reorganized Point

Thursday was one of those delightfully productive days when every time you look at the clock you're surprised at how early it still is. I got a lot done except this post. It wasn't until I was heading for bed that I realized I hadn't written it yet. 

This morning, a friend from out of town dropped by for coffee while her husband was here on business and then I went shopping (45 minutes away) for t-shirt fabric that wasn't black. I was only partially successful. I got a bright navy, a gorgeous fuchsia, and a yellow/pink/blue/black mix with an eastern overtone to the motif as well as three different black and white prints. Does it count if they are not all black? 





Marcy Tilton's Vogue 9057 is my basic t-shirt pattern only the number has been changed to Vogue 1733. I'm not sure why but it's the same pattern. This t-shirt is my last test of the t-shirt armhole template I've been working on and it's fabulous, working every time, ready to be copied t-shirt to t-shirt. Fitting journeys like this can seem tedious and drawn out but I find they are worth the work every time. My results get better and better and sewing is more and more fun. 






This is stable knit and I've realized that's absolutely critical going forward. Not only is it more flattering on my figure, the results are more guaranteed than when using a less stable knit like...




... the dark grey in this trio of fabrics. It's hard to see in the shoulder detail but even though I used the exact same armhole template and sleeve, both are stretched out and the armhole is too low. I know it's not the pattern because I've used it successfully three times. It's the fabric factor. In the detail at left, you can see how stretchy and droopy it is. It was so bad, I threw the t-shirt away and while I was shopping, you can bet I paid close attention to the degree of stretch and recovery. I'm not sure what really stretchy knits are used for - panties perhaps. 





Whenever I am working on a sewing question that involves numerous garments, multiple fabrics, and different patterns, I think I'm taking good notes and I think I'm keeping things organized but almost always, it's not true. And then, I reach the point of overload and typically it's a messy point at which I can no longer think straight. 





The biggest indicator is when not only is every surface covered but I'm starting to drop things on the floor. That's the stop, clean up, and get reorganized point. 






When I'm working on one garment at a time, I have what I call clutter control points like... find all the pattern pieces and put the unnecessary ones back in the envelope and put the envelope on the dresser... or... pin and cut out the pattern pieces and put the cut pieces and any needed remnants on the dresser and the rest of the remnants into the remnant basket. Clutter control points keep me from going crazy. I work best in a clean environment.





It's become an unconscious rhythm that I don't really think about until it's missing. While one friend was here sewing, she commented on how I would use something and then put it back right away. It's not how she works so she found it strange and at the same time could see how it kept the working area clear and was less frustrating. Things could be found because they were where they were supposed to be. 




Although it may not seem like it after all these messy pictures, the new dresser is working great and providing that missing surface I needed so much. I'm really glad I moved the turquoise cabinet downstairs and put the dresser in its place although I'm still looking for storage units for above. 






Developing my armhole templates was based on fitting work I've done before and information gathered from Peggy Sagers of Silhouette Patterns. I was curious how well the pattern I had developed from measurements and drafting might match up to one of the eight she has in her patterns so I ordered a simple t-shirt pattern. When I compared the two, my template was near to identical to the 5W sizing and what really surprised me was that the shoulder width was narrow like mine and the bicep was wide enough. 

The patterns in the white envelope are different versions of my basic t-shirt that I've developed since 2010 when I returned to fashion sewing. I'm now re-testing each one with the armhole templates I've developed. This tweaking is going to allow me to focus even more on creativity and less on fit and still with complete confidence that the garments will look great. YES YES! My next fitting journey will be the armhole templates for blouses. 

How do you work best?

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - great fabric stores

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