Fittings

Sewing is such a highly rewarding and downright frustrating hobby. After numerous set backs, my current project was approaching the final stage. All that was left was the side seams, the zip, facing and hemming. I mentally discount hemming. It's hand sewing and it's the last thing to be done. Side seams are easy. Facing is easy. The zip, well, zips are always a crap shoot.

What was making me the most nervous was the side seams. The literal sewing was going to be easy. However, the pattern had no darts and the only way in which I could adjust the fit was via the side seam. I knew that the waist was going to be too big. I'd had to go up a size to account for my hips. This had annoyed me to no end. I don't look like I have hips, yet in the magic ratios of patterns, my hips are too big for my waist.

Sure enough, the waist was too big and as I don't have hips, the line of the skirt looked funny. It was shaped for someone with hips. Then, I realised that I didn't know if the skirt was supposed to sit on my hips or at my waist. It would make a difference. I started jabbing pins into the seams to try and get it right. I decided that I needed to take five eights off each side. This discovery annoyed me even further. I'm pretty sure that's at least one pattern size down.

I should have done a mock. I know this. But when you've had to trace out each pattern piece, it seems easier to adjust the garment once it's constructed rather than trace out the pattern twice, make two mocks and then the final garment. It takes me long enough to make one garment, let alone making it three times. Apparently, this is where the concept of a wearable mock comes in. My feeling is that it all depends on the expense of the final fabric you intend to use.

I now have a garment that I need fitted. It's going to take a bit to get it fitted. This is why sewing is such a long process. Sitting at the machine and zipping the fabric through is easy. Ironing all the seams and fitting the garment make it so much more difficult.