Blogging the Beginning

Hello Angels!

Ok let’s get right down to it.  Bloggin’ ain’t easy!  This is only my second day and I’m trying to figure out how to properly set up my account.  It’s a little tricky needless to say, but I’m determined so bear with me please.

Where do I begin and what shall I talk about and why?  I’ll start at the beginning.  I took up sewing because I realized I needed a hobby and I needed to keep my mind sharp!  I also thought that being able to make my own clothes would be a great investment for me as well.  Only thing is I had no real sewing experience.  Back in Junior High School, wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back in the 70’s I took a home economics course in sewing, as most of us did.  Outside of practicing making straight stitches, sewing round circles on templates and learning the very basics, we finally made a wearable garment; a Dashiki and that was it. 

 

Fast forward to the early 1990’s, while home on bed rest when I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, I pleaded with my husband to purchase a sewing machine for me.  I told him that I was going to make clothes for the baby and my oldest daughter and that I knew how to sew.  For some reason my husband was a bit apprehensive about buying the machine, maybe it was because he knew that I wouldn’t be committed (he would eventually turn out to be right!).  Needless to say, he gave in and purchased a beautiful Singer sewing machine for me.  I ran out and picked out a pattern and some fabric immediately. I soon after rolled up my sleeves and dug right on in.  Boy oh boy, I under estimated how little I knew about sewing!  In all reality I had no idea on how to choose a pattern size, how to layout the pattern pieces, match the notches, read a pattern, etc.  Frustration quickly sunk in and that brand new sewing machine went directly into the closet.  It would remain there for the next 20 or so years just collecting dust.  Not realizing the value of the machine, I eventually gave it to my local Goodwill.

 

A few years ago, while perusing through the social media highway of Facebook, I kept seeing a young lady who was posting the garments she made.  I was in awe every time I saw one of her new garments.  The more I saw them, the more I kept saying to myself “girl you can make that!”  I didn’t talk myself out of it either, but I did become more and more curious on how to sew the right and proper way.  I wanted to learn how to sew for real this time!  The young lady posting all of these fabulous garments turned out to be Mimi G.  After visiting her website, she provided viewers with a link on how to sew, it was the basics but it was far more advanced than the days of Junior High School.  I pulled my advice from Mimi G., right down to the best inexpensive sewing machines to buy for a newbie; let’s face it, I was a newbie.  Eventually I purchased a nice little Brother XR9500PRW sewing machine and it was on an poppin’!.   I also made sure to do a lot of research and reading about sewing.  From reading the patterns and it’s markings right on down to matching the notches.  There was some much to learn, but I was determined.

 

Here we are today and I am amazed at my progress.  I still have a ways to go with learning various techniques, but I’ve got enough under my belt to make a dress and even a basic coat!  The biggest challenge that I’ve come across is the fitting methods for self-fitting.   Let’s face it, a home sewn garment needs to look at least 94% perfect in my eyes and that includes the fit.

 

As I go deeper in to my blogging, I plan to journal my fitting journey too.  I want to learn everything that there is to know when it comes to achieving a great fitting garment.  To date, I’ve learned how to do FBA’s (Full Bust Adjustments) and how to lengthen my patterns.  I’ve even made jeans.  So, I am well on my way to achieving fit.

 

Anyway, I hope that you all will take this journey with me and encourage me as I move to the next levels of sewing.

 

Sincerely…
Sew Sensationally Tonya!