I am working on the pinafore I impulsively bought the other day and so far, it is going well. I put pockets on it and did a set of front plackets for buttons and button holes. On me, having that vertical element is important f I want it to look right. I also sewed the shoulder seams and the side seams.
If you look carefully, you can see the neckline above the first pin acting as a button. As I look at it here, it has shades of ye olden school uniform to it, particularly in this navy blue. Oh well. It is just a muslin for the eventual pinafore that I hope I can wear regularly. And if this one works out well enough, it will be pressed into summer service too.
The pattern has deep armscyes and ought to have a deep neckline. And because this is a new pattern and this sew is acting as a muslin, there are going to be some adjustments.
The York pinafore has a fairly deep neckline but because I have shortened the upper part of the bodice, shortening the neckline, I am planning of cutting the neckline a bit lower to get the right look. It is just a little bit high at the moment and if I had not shortened the shoulders, the armscyes would have been too low. The other adjustment that needs to happen is to fit the hip area properly. I cut wider than I needed so that I could get the right look and fit to make the skirt hang properly. I also wanted to be sure that there was enough ease to the skirt so that it still stayed properly in place when I am sitting.
Once the fit issues are resolved, I will go back to the pattern and mark it so that the next time I cut it out on my nicer fabric, I can simply sew and know that I have it right each and every time. Once that is done, this muslin will be finished with bias tape and buttons and hems. There probably won't be button holes. I doubt that I would ever unbutton it. They really are just to get a look that works on me.
It is a kind of exciting process, this first sew of a radically different new pattern. It is radically different because it is a straight sort of skirt. It is different because it is essentially, what we used to call a jumper. They have not really been a thing since 1964. But I loved the jumpers my mom sewed for me. I still remember many of the clothes she made for my sisters and I.
I will never forget the feeling of the very first pair of pants that I sewed a few years ago and how liberating and thrilling it was to have a garment that fit me in every way. I will never forget my first dress. Oh the freedom of it. I think this is going to be just that same sort of feeling. It is just such a different garment. It needs a blouse or light weight sweater under it. It is perfect for leggings or my pencil style pants worn under it. It's an extra layer of clothing that will work in lots of ways and in lots of seasons. It will be different than just pants and shirts and gathered skirts and I find I am craving that difference.
I am also wondering if this could make my perfectly fitting overalls. I am always looking for an overall pattern that would work for me. It mostly needs to be easy to get into and out of. I already have two overall patterns and I am leary of making them just because they are so fussy feeling This would be so simple to adapt with my best fitting pants pattern. Plus I saw someone else do it on the great wide internet.
Sewing used to be buy a pattern, sew it and hate it. Now it is buy a pattern and change it till it fits right. That is such a wonderful thing to do that it never fails to make me feel good.
And in even better news, my hand is doing really well. I hope to be back to knitting late next week. I could be tempted to start this week, but I would rather take a few more days than risk reinjury.
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