Week 4 of the 2019 Sunday Lately series is the best because it is my birthday week! If you are new to Sunday Lately, it is a weekly series for the Blogger Tribe featuring three prompts to get us writing and sharing our stories from the past week. Each blogger can interpret these topics however they choose in their post. Then we all link back to Katy to share with each other. This week we are talking about sharing, thinking, and redoing.
Sharing:
I am happy to share that I made to round 2 of the Pattern Review Sewing Bee. The round 2 challenge is all about zippers, functionally and creatively. We are to make a garment that features at least one functional zipper by Thursday the 31st. Like the last time, I farted around for two days trying to decide what I wanted to do. The very first thought was a moto jacket, but then I figured that would be too obvious. Then I was going to make another take on the Grainline Cascade, but decided since I have already made and reviewed one on PR it wouldn’t be anything new and then Friday happened (see below) so it was definitely out the window. In the end, I decided on using OOP Butterick B5994 from kAthRine Tilton. It will be my first time using one from the Kathrine Tilton line. Typically, I do not share the same aesthetic she designs for, but I really like this take on a moto jacket. It is intended for medium to heavy knits but I am actually using a lighter weight dark denim with a little bit of iridescent white shimmer that I have been stashing since 2004-2005ish, so it was time I used it. I ordered a few gray zippers from Wawak that should hopefully arrive in time. I wanted contrasting zippers so they really stand out. In addition to the front closure zipper, I plan on adding zippers to the inseam pockets that will also stand out against the dark denim. I hope that it all comes together and looks good enough to advance to round 3.
Thinking:
On Friday, I shared my thoughts on the recent discussions on sewing plus size inclusivity. A few months ago there was a lot of great discussion about the representation of BIPOC in the sewing community. Not just on patterns, but fabric companies, sewing magazines, and sewing machine brands. It has me thinking a lot about my pattern line and how I can give everyone a voice. I already knew I was going to include plus sizes that would feature all sorts of different real women of different shapes, sizes, and colors, but I have been thinking more about how to represent the LBGTQ community and those with disabilities.
I have a local woman who I met because she needed a 36″ zipper added to the outside seam of her jeans. She is an above knee amputee (AKA) and the zipper made it easier to adjust her socket. She went to several alterations shops in town and was told they could not do that. I absolutely did it for her. Her disability wasn’t one she ever saw coming a few years ago. She had a knee replacement that went septic and had to be amputated. She has an amazing attitude towards her disability. In just over a year of being an amputee; she has become an advocate for amputee awareness, made her presence known at the yearly amp conference, and she has created an annual amputee retreat. She has taught me so much that I want to recognize her for all that she is and will do for her community. I would like her to be one of the first women I feature in my designs.
Redoing:
This weekend I am redoing my Make Nine for 2019. Three of the patterns in it were Closet Case and as I am choosing not to support those who do not make the curvy sewing niche a priority, I needed to pick some new things to make. I have replaced those with a couple of Laele Jeyne patterns for her Dani Joggers (top left corner) and Scarlett Jeans (bottom right corner). I bought the Dani’s this weekend and now am dying over the moto jeans view for the Scarlett’s. I also added the Cashmerette Chilton Trench (middle row right) because I still want to make a spring jacket. Those Dani’s are first up, but I won’t be sharing the finished project until March for the Breaking Ground blog tour.
Check out the FB Blogger Tribe group for a list of future Sunday Lately topics. I hope you will join us! What are you sharing, thinking, and redoing this week?
Happy birthday, and congratulations on making it to round 2! I’ve mostly been lurking on Instagram lately, but since you did mention Grainline in your last post, I did see an update post from her yesterday where she said that they’re in the process of working on a second block and hoping to have their first pattern in the new size range out by the end of the year, since her parents take about a year to develop. So hopefully that’s some good news for you, too.
Thank you! 🙂 Late last night I did see the IG Grainline post. Thanks for the reminder, I was going to add an update to my previous post about it!
Congrats on making it to round 2!! That’s so awesome.
Your story about the amputee is so lovely. Thank you for sharing that. I look forward to seeing her in your designs.
Thank you. I look forward to sharing more about her too.
I’m really surprised no one would do that alteration. I’m glad that there are people in the world like you who area aware of needs and addressing them to help make people feel like they matter.
And make9… well. I agree with your decisions. I happen to not be in your niche as far as body type, and I LOVE it when people point these kinds of things out to people like me. Thank you for speaking up and spreading word!
Right?!? It wasn’t a hard alteration at all. Thank you for your support.
Good on you for that alteration! I can’t believe there’s no one who could do that, and I’m glad you were there!
I can’t do a Make Nine (I always end up doing everything BUT my grid, lol!) but I’m liking yours! I can’t wait to see your Kathrine Tilton jacket, that denim sounds amazing. I’ll be watching for your Chilton trench, too – I have been waffling on the pattern since I have the Jalie Stretch City Coat that I need to make first. Then I’ll decide if I need the trench, too. 😉
Thanks! I am kinda afraid that is how my make nine will go. So far I haven’t pulled anything out for it but I have managed to make 6 other projects so far this month with 2 more, including the denim jacket, cut and ready to sew.
Oh, the zippers… I finally managed to sew a zipper in my dress yesterday! Of course I had to read a few instructions on the internet and redo it once but now it’s there and it’s beautiful and working.
I still haven’t made up my mind on the Make Nine challenge. I think I might have to skip it.
Yay, that’s awesome! Zippers will just get easier from here on out. I think I need to do an Insta story for how I insert zippers. It is so much easier than the instructions that usually come in the packaging.