Mood is: SEWING THOUGHTS
THIS WEEK’S MOOD IS LESS OF A LISTICLE AND MORE OF A THOUGHT-BY-THOUGHT PROCESS OF SEWING A PAIR OF PAJAMAS FROM AN OLD SHEET I BOUGHT AT ELMER’S. TO ANYONE ANTICIPATING STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS, HOPEFULLY MY INNER MONOLOGUE AND ACCOMPANYING PICTURES CAN BE YOUR GUIDE. AS FOR THE HOW-TO, I MADE THIS UP, AND YOU PROBABLY CAN TOO.
DAY 1
Feeling the urge to do a PROJECT. Ah! There’s that sewing book. I wonder if there’s a project in there… flipping, flipping… but why do all of these require vintage tea towels? I do have those sheets I bought to make curtains out of. Sheets, like pillowcase pants… Oooo pajamas!
Okay, how does one make pajamas? Search for a pattern online. This one looks good. Hmm, don’t want to pay for or wait for shipping. Urge to do a project. Switch to basing the pattern off of tracing clothes I own.
Roll out the *kraft paper. Identify each panel of fabric and trace. Better leave a big seam allowance in case I mess up. 1” seems good. Glad I got this ruler. Cut out the pattern pieces and then we’ll really be grooving.
*Reny’s is usually reliable for buying kraft paper in the wrapping paper section. It also makes good wrapping paper.
DAY 2
Back to it. Start with the outside straight edges. That seems right. Sew the collar and sleeves separately. Now I have a vest. Fuck, how do you do sleeves?! (Figured out by much turning of the sleeves inside-out and pinning, re-pinning, and turning outside-in.) OK GOT IT. Let’s get the collar and button strip on then you can go to bed.
DAY 3
Not doing well capturing the process but gotta finish today. Personal deadline. “Going to Goodwill to find a sweater for the buttons and I’ll be back!”
Final stitch around the hem and sew the buttons on and it’s a shirt!
NOW THE PANTS.
Sew up the sides of each leg.
Whoops that doesn’t look right. Oh, you can’t sew up the gutter, you have to sew each leg individually and then the crotch (is there no better word?) to the opposite leg. Okay, seam rip while I watch RHONY.
Now re-pin, re-sew. Hem. Drawstring! Glad I’ve been carrying around this velvet ribbon (similar) for years.
Wow, am I done?
I think I’m done. Phew.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Sewing is hard.
Clothes should cost a lot.
I love Goodwill.
I’m inspired by Eva Joan.
I think I’ll make a pillowcase next.
MOOD IS: IS AN INDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER CONCEPTED AND WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH MCAVOY. EACH EDITION FEATURES A NEW MOOD.