Sewing Boldly!

Hello Everyone! My name is Julian Collins and I am the person behind Julian Creates. For Tribute Month, I thought it was a perfect time to honor the first major sewing blogger I followed, Peter Lappin of Male Pattern Boldness.

Before discussing the project I made I wanted to give a bit of background.  

I remember always loving to rummage through the basement at my grandma’s house, especially in the corner where all the sewing stuff was.  I remember that was my favorite place as I was fascinated by sewing even asking for my grandmother’s sewing machines when she passed (a singer 99 from 1937 and an crinkle finish singer 66). Along with the machines I got scraps of old fabric most of which had dry rotted and this old comic like book called Home Sewing is Easy.  

I loved reading as Sally Stitch taught housewives how to sew and make their own clothes that would rival ready to wear.  It would be be about another 17 years before I actually got into sewing but I never forget looking at the different stitches darts and choosing fabric color based on eye and hair color.  

Now, a few years before I sat behind a sewing machine, I started actively researching how and if there were any men who sew. One of the first blogs I found was Male Pattern Boldness by Peter Lappin.  I remember always making time to check out his site to read about new projects and his latest vintage sewing machine finds (which convinced me that would be a good machine to start with as my grandmother’s was stored my my mother’s home).  One post that I vividly remember he had made a shirt out of the sewing comic I remembered from my childhood! I was in love and I wanted it one for myself.  

 

When I found the fabric recently on ebay I figured this would be the perfect time to make me a shirt dedicated to sewing, one of my favorite bloggers and a fond childhood memory.  

For this project I decided to try V8759 in view A so as to make a casual short sleeved shirt to wear whenever.  This pattern was a lovely make.  I am learning that I really enjoy Vogue patterns because they are so detailed, with an eye toward the final finished look of the shirt.  Most of the seams in this shirt are french seamed then edgestitched, adding to its durability so I know I will enjoy it for years to come.  Instead of doing a standard rolled hem I opted for a bias bound hem allowing for a little extra length as well as a little surprise pop of color when the hem is exposed around the bottom or sleeves.  For the pictures today I decided to pair the shirt with the V8940 trousers to make a summery casual look with my red sperrys. 

 

A smile comes across my face every time I look at this fabric as it reminds me of being a young boy wanting to be a fashion designer. I thank Peter Lappin for giving me the courage to push forward with something that has always interested me and I must say has become a major highlight of my life.  I love creating!