TIME FOR SUMMER
Jan. 12th, 2022 09:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
totchipandaThe cold snap has broken! After 3.5 weeks of -25 or colder, it has warmed up to just above freezing. What I don't like about that much warmth is that drivers seem to have forgotten that its still winter and sloppy roads covered in slurpee-textured snow are not *clear* roads, and that the snow has lost all structural integrity. The city still has not plowed our street and the condo board never clears the drive paths (in fact they cleared one of the sidewalks by pushing all the snow into the drive path, in front of the city-owned garbage bins), so all the vehicles on it just destructure it more, and then it will refreeze and turn into the consistency of oatmeal.
On the plus side, that did allow some of the homeowners on the street the opportunity to break up the packed snow on the sidewalks. I really need to get them some gift cards, I appreciate them so much!
Also on the plus side, my car started! I was able to go get groceries the other night. We are making a Costco run soon to get household supplies.
I decided that I was going to work on some of the sweater sleeves I have outstanding, so I have picked up one sweater in which I can do the sleeves together at the same time. I felt like I worked on them forever, but they were only 4.5" out of 18". I've put maybe another inch on them since haha.
I also got my butt down to the sewing room. First I sewed all of the buttons onto my suit project. The shirt required 12, the combos 7, and the pants 2. Then I tried my vest mock up again, and made a third one (which ended up almost exactly the second one) and cut out my fabric. GASP SHOCK OMG SCARY. I have enough fabric that I can make another one if necessary, it's just so hard to know if this is going to be *right* without making up like... most of it.
I don't even want to think about the jacket yet. That's going to require even MORE layers and MORE tailoring and have less room for error. That one I might make a full mockup of in a different fabric.
I want to continue my pants journey this year. I probably talked about this already, but I've come to the conclusion that sewing patterns are just not well-known about in terms of fit. Like I was on a review site that listed patterns for "curvy" folks and so many of the brands, in particular the Big Three, were listed as being curvy-friendly when they only go up to a 20 or 24. The problem with that is that those sizes, as listed, are still straight sizes. They're still built on a 9-inch rise and 9-inch waist to hip ratio. They are not specifically drafted for plus sized bodies, just large ones, and even then they do not account for all the various ways people carry their muscle and fat distribution.
Muna and Broad does plus size patterns for bodies that carry more weight in their tummies, and they posted on instagram some months back about how to find and measure anatomical locations for the various measurements. How to find the iliac crest on your hip to find and measure your waist, how to find the hip joint where your leg moves to measure the hip measurement. I was reasonably confident about my waist area, but less so about the hip. Most places say "measure the widest or fullest part". Anatomically, that's too low for me. Pressing into that spot and moving my leg (as the IG post suggested) just moves my hand too. It's a little above that where the joint is, so in theory I should be using patterns for that measurement, and then adjusting for a full, low seat (i gots da booty yo) and full thighs and calves.
Yes it's a pain in the ass (ha!). Drafting my own pattern is just as frustrating because the measurements and drafting methods don't change. I will still need to make adjustments for The Perfect Fit. Starting with a pre-drafted pattern is just one less headache and task I need to do. (I tried this out with the trousers for the suit. My self-drafted pattern was decent, but it needed a lot of work, and the predrafted one by Laughing Moon only needed small adjustments.
Most of that is Projects for Later. Just taking everything one day at a time for now.
On the plus side, that did allow some of the homeowners on the street the opportunity to break up the packed snow on the sidewalks. I really need to get them some gift cards, I appreciate them so much!
Also on the plus side, my car started! I was able to go get groceries the other night. We are making a Costco run soon to get household supplies.
I decided that I was going to work on some of the sweater sleeves I have outstanding, so I have picked up one sweater in which I can do the sleeves together at the same time. I felt like I worked on them forever, but they were only 4.5" out of 18". I've put maybe another inch on them since haha.
I also got my butt down to the sewing room. First I sewed all of the buttons onto my suit project. The shirt required 12, the combos 7, and the pants 2. Then I tried my vest mock up again, and made a third one (which ended up almost exactly the second one) and cut out my fabric. GASP SHOCK OMG SCARY. I have enough fabric that I can make another one if necessary, it's just so hard to know if this is going to be *right* without making up like... most of it.
I don't even want to think about the jacket yet. That's going to require even MORE layers and MORE tailoring and have less room for error. That one I might make a full mockup of in a different fabric.
I want to continue my pants journey this year. I probably talked about this already, but I've come to the conclusion that sewing patterns are just not well-known about in terms of fit. Like I was on a review site that listed patterns for "curvy" folks and so many of the brands, in particular the Big Three, were listed as being curvy-friendly when they only go up to a 20 or 24. The problem with that is that those sizes, as listed, are still straight sizes. They're still built on a 9-inch rise and 9-inch waist to hip ratio. They are not specifically drafted for plus sized bodies, just large ones, and even then they do not account for all the various ways people carry their muscle and fat distribution.
Muna and Broad does plus size patterns for bodies that carry more weight in their tummies, and they posted on instagram some months back about how to find and measure anatomical locations for the various measurements. How to find the iliac crest on your hip to find and measure your waist, how to find the hip joint where your leg moves to measure the hip measurement. I was reasonably confident about my waist area, but less so about the hip. Most places say "measure the widest or fullest part". Anatomically, that's too low for me. Pressing into that spot and moving my leg (as the IG post suggested) just moves my hand too. It's a little above that where the joint is, so in theory I should be using patterns for that measurement, and then adjusting for a full, low seat (i gots da booty yo) and full thighs and calves.
Yes it's a pain in the ass (ha!). Drafting my own pattern is just as frustrating because the measurements and drafting methods don't change. I will still need to make adjustments for The Perfect Fit. Starting with a pre-drafted pattern is just one less headache and task I need to do. (I tried this out with the trousers for the suit. My self-drafted pattern was decent, but it needed a lot of work, and the predrafted one by Laughing Moon only needed small adjustments.
Most of that is Projects for Later. Just taking everything one day at a time for now.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-12 05:57 pm (UTC)You are totally spot on for fit adjustments. Like big bust adjustment with flat seat is different than big tummy or big booty. And that 9" from waist to hip may totally change with more mass.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-14 08:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-01-13 05:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-01-14 08:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-01-14 01:17 am (UTC)Pants are just... SO confusing! Like what the hell are crotches and how to flat pieces of fabric curve around them?! And how do you know if you have a flat seat or a low seat or whatever? It's all mystery and hocus pocus.
I got 2 tailoring books for Christmas and may perhaps join you on the tailoring journey this year. :)
no subject
Date: 2022-01-14 08:26 pm (UTC)Pants ARE like, the biggest mystery of the universe. I only learned about seats (low and full, personally) after reading SEVERAL pants adjustment guides, and seeing someone walk through the issues visually on Instagram. Like this stuff needs to be taught more. It's not enough to just measure, you need to consider the whole body's proportions. Hoping I can make a little headway with that sooner rather than later.
YESSSS JOIN ME!!! It's a big challenge and its mostly fun! :D
no subject
Date: 2022-01-16 12:19 am (UTC)