Sew Brave: Round Up!

May was an amazing theme month. We have really enjoyed your makes for #SewBraveSewcialists and wanted to share them in a round up post.

This month, you have been brave in so many ways! Sewing precious fabric, trying new techniques and silhouettes, and getting out of your comfort zone. But most of all, you’ve been brave sharing the ups and downs of the journey with the Sewcialists community! It’s good for all of us to hear that other people struggle or stress too, that we sometimes make mistakes, and that new skills are worth the effort to learn. That you for sharing your #SewBraveSewcialists journey with us!

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For the second year, I had the privilege of taking part in a work place sewing challenge to celebrate Me Made May. Our pattern is the lovely Stasia Dress by @sewliberated using any of the @spoonflower knits. I brainstormed on how I could make mine unique and interesting to sew. I decided to use a stunning print by @rebecca.reck.art and planned to use Sport Lycra, Chiffon, and Performance Pique. I love the weight and drape of sport lycra. It feels luxurious while also being moisture wicking. The colors are very vibrant and colorfast since it’s a polyester fabric. I added the chiffon for the sleeves because who doesn’t love a floaty, filmy accent sleeve? It also provided the challenge of adding a woven sleeve to a knit bodice – I’ve been following #sewbravesewcialists on IG and it’s inspiring! The performance pique only has 2-way stretch so it acted as a great lining for my bodice, providing support needed due to the weight of the skirt. Notes in my modifications are in the comments section. I love how this turned out and I can't wait to wear it again. You can see the 16 other versions on the @spoonflower blog. I've got some talented co-workers! 😍 If you scroll through the images, I've got an outtake that shows how little I've changed in 33 years. 😂 #sewist #sewing #sew #sewcialists #memadeeveryday #memademay2019 #jeportecequejecouds #curvysewing #cscmakes #spoonflower #spoonflowerapparel #spoonflowerstasia #maker #makersgonnamake #sewistsofinstagram 📷 @flame_wolf

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Finally, done with the challenges sewing of May. It is already 1st Jun over here in the far east, but is still May at 0+ GMT right? 😆 . . #SewFreshSewClean13 challenge because this is definitely a selfish #memade with nursing access . . #sewbravesewcialists because: This is the first time I'm leaving a lot of raw edges, which usually bug me to no end. Would I do it again in future garments? I'm not so sure. The control freak side of me would want to finish all my seams and edges. This is the first time I use a sheer interlocking knit fabrics that is super stretchy which I've been putting off for fear of its slippery strechy unpredictable behaviour. Biggest hurdle of all: making a garment without drafting a paper pattern first. This is cut by placing only basic blocks onto fabrics (that sounds scary even in retrospect 😳) . . #sewingmonochromemay because it is a monochromatic make 😁 . . May Mashup of #magamsewalong because it is a mash of 3 types of fabrics including cotton gauze lining . . #makeyourstash because the skirt fabric was a left over from a previous project. The lining is from my stash from time immemorial. The cropped bodice fabric is newly purchased for another bigger project. . . Since this garment is not what I would usually sew, decided to try #editorial styled #selfies For a change. . . #sewbravesewcialists @sewcialists #sewingpatternsandprints @voiceofacreative @purplesewingcloud @sewn_on_tyne @seweu @sew_allainia #fashiondiaries #fashionphotography @sewing_in_spain @suestoney @hportemanteau #sewingsansfrontieres #sewcialists #sewmystyle #sewmyownclothes #fashionsewing #SelfDrafted #breastfeedingfashion #sewyourstash2019 #stashbusting @timetosew @pilar_bear @thatwendyward @halfmmonatelier @mariekeeyskoot @selkiepatterns @papercutpatterns @inthefolds #prototypebysarapurple #creationfash

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Long post ahead, but it has a happy ending. The last two months have been really rough on me. I've been on crutches for the past nine weeks and am seeing the doctor today to learn what's next. During those nine weeks, I got really sick and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which has been the exact opposite of fun (you try running to the bathroom on crutches and see how you like it…) It's been a major life change, and really hard for me to deal with. I went from being healthy and doing a 5k in February to being partially immobile and taking a plethora of drugs to try to control my symptoms, with varying degrees of success. I try to stay positive, but it can be really, really hard sometimes. I was forced to take a break from sewing during the worst of it, but the worst has passed and now I'm making up for lost time! Sewing keeps me centered, focused, and grounded while giving me something productive to do. I've found that taking just a few minutes every day to do something creative for me has done wonders for my mental health. (And my wardrobe…) I've surprised myself with how much I can accomplish in just a few minutes a day, and I feel like I'm becoming a better person for it. One project at a time… Currently working on: @simplicity_creative_group #S1592 tunic in this fabulous stripe from my stash. I have like 6 yards of it or something crazy like that, so plenty to work with if I manage to goober it up, and plenty leftover to make even more striped shirts if I don't. #sewing #lovetosew #sewingismytherapy #seamstress #memadeeveryday #imakemyownclothes #inspiration #positivity #ithasahappyending #sewcialists #sewbravesewcialists #simplicitypatterns #ulcerativecolitis

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Day 19: It’s not raining! Let’s go take pictures of my raincoat! 😂☔️ Hi, #kellyanorak I meant to make you almost two years ago! 🤭 But, I was afraid of zippers and then I bought this luscious Merchant & Mills Dry Oilskin. It was a splurge. And my fear increased. So it all stayed in my fabric drawer. Initially I was going to line the jacket, but then I remembered I live in the Bay Area, and I like to wear handknit sweaters, so, uh, maybe not. This past week, we’ve had a weirdo storm system moving through (continuing this next week, too!), so that, combined with Me Made May initiative, meant I finally made my Kelly. I bound all the seams with scraps from Ashwin’s shirt, and spent my time with each and every seam. And still made plenty of mistakes. This fabric does not have great recovery from errant seams. I wish I had graded out a bit for the hips, but otherwise I am extremely happy with my new rain coat. ☔️ 😃 Lets make it a full @closetcase.patterns day—Kalle Shirt made with remnants, and Jenny Trousers, too. Also, it started to rain again. . . . Jacket: Kelly Anorak from @closetcase.patterns in @merchantandmills Dry Oil Skin from @avfkw , fabric for bias bound seams and hardware from @stonemountainfabric Trousers: Jenny Trousers in Deadstock Elizabeth Suzann twill from @stonemountainfabric Shirt: Kalle Shirt, cropped, made out of Ikat remnants from @stonemountainfabric . . . #memademay #memademay2019 #handmadewardrobe #slowfashion #imademyclohes #memademayplus #memadeeveryday #mmmayplus #mmmayplus2019 #sewist #sewcialists #closetcasepatterns #dryoilskin #merchantandmillsdryoilskin #verbalong #stonemountainfabric #jennytrousers #kalleshirt #sewbravesewcialists

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This jacket was a labor of love for so many reasons… In February my partner, shown here, slipped and fell on ice, shattering his elbow. His beloved hoodie I made him for Christmas was cut into shreds by medics, which seems minor after a 5 hour reconstructive surgery. And he's undergone several months of gruelling physical therapy, loss of motion and sometimes uncomfortable dependence on me as well as others in his life. Through it all he worked and studied hard, getting 3 As this semester and almost having full flexion in his joint. He's got a long way to go still for full recovery but I made this jacket as a labor of love inspired by the Queer Eye host Karamo. During my partner's rehab we watched season two of QE and we're always drooling over those bomber jackets…. So as promised I made him one… … I consider bravery in sewing to not only include getting over new challenges in my practice, like 🤬 welt pockets, but sewing for the brave people in my life. It's only slightly selfish that I get to learn and share the joy of #handmadeclothing At the same time right? … Deets: The Pattern is adapted from a #japanesepattern #mensclothesforallseasons book but I swapped the snap front for a zip front. And made another #patternhack for deeper pockets. And the welt pocket construction images were super confusing so I did a mash up of Google translated Japanese instructions and @namedclothing Harriet jacket pattern instructions. I also changed the construction methods so I could add a lining. I drafted the lining with a tutorial from @seamworkmag Sept 2016 issue. Fabrics: Exterior #brocade is from @blackbirdfabrics and interior lining is a cupro cotton blend from @atelierbmtl deadstock sale. I love the combo and tried so hard not to snag the brocade, which is harder than it sounds when you've got 4 feed dogs. Zip and ribbing from my neighbourhood shop Plazatex. … Wearer's remarks:"It's so shiny it's like shine shine shine, in your eyeballs!" – Direct quote @mylovemhz He's also chosen to style it and wear around town to Yoko Ono exhibit with his mended 👖 and @floordoorrecords tee #montrealsews #makemenswear #sewbravesewcialists #sewcialists #bomberjacket

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After managing a few major fuckups on patterns I've sewn 20 times before, I decided to embrace the #sewbravesewcialists prompt for the month and just make a bunch of things I'm weirdly scared of for no good reason. At the end of last week, I made suit pants out of a thin wool for the first time. For finishing them, I learned how to blind hem today and oh my I do suck at it. That's like 5 different new things conquered in one project! (More or less) While finishing the pants, I noticed that they require a warm colored summery top. With that in mind, and since brown, orange, gold, and sparkles are all way out of my comfort zone, of course I had to buy a jersey remnant combining all of them when I dropped into the fabric store on friday. I am always weirdly intimidated by the whole idea of sewing tops (anything that's not a plain, round-neck T-shirt really), so this simple top is a culmination of everything I don't do. Ha. I think it turned out alright, even though the jersey is a bit on the heavy side. Surprisingly, the neck binding is very pretty and adds all the stability it was supposed to. It hasn't been bright or warm enough to get a reasonable picture of me wearing this today, but I'll try to get one tomorrow an I'm very pleased with myself for sewing a whole outfit! #MeMadeEveryday #MeMadeMay2019 #mmm19 #MeMadeMay #sewcialists #sewqueer #sewnonbinary #MakersGonnaMake #Maker #nähen #tanktop #NoPattern #summerwardrobe #millenialsewing #ootd #sewing #sewingproject

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Me-Made-May, day 12. New make: Sallie Jumpsuit by Closet Case Patterns. Muslin and final garment completed in my “daily sewing time” as part of my personal pledge. I've been looking at all of the gorgeous jumpsuits on Instagram and in my real life, and I wanted to join in. I am not a jumpsuit person, but I wanted to be. Heck, maybe the only thing keeping me from being a jumpsuit person was that I don't own/wear a jumpsuit! So I did some research and decided that if any jumpsuit was going to work for me, it would be the Sallie Jumpsuit. I love the dropped shoulders, the deep v with tie at the back, the flowy wide leg pant legs. I found the perfect light/midweight viscose jersey from Stof and Stil. At the time of my decision to “just make a damn jumpsuit already”, I saw that jumpsuits had been selected as the Sew Together for Summer Project. I even got a discount code for the pattern as part of the sewing challenge. Too perfect. Shortly afterwards, I saw the #sewbravesewcialists challenge in May to sew something that scares me. I decided that this would be the perfect entry for me because going outside of my fashion comfort zone intimidates me much more than making something challenging. So I've officially made a jumpsuit. As you can see, I've even worn it out in public. And holy banana-pants, this is quite possibly the most comfortable item of clothing that I have ever worn. Wow. The Sallie Jumpsuit is also just a seriously cool pattern. The front and back bodice are the same pattern piece. That blew. my. mind. And I looove the big roomy pockets. I had to go for a little contrasting fabric in the pocket to add some fun for me when I wear it. But I still don't know if I feel like myself in it. And I know that it “looks good”, but I can't decide if I want to keep wearing it. I'll give a spin at work—that will probably push me one way or another. But even if I decide that I'm really not a jumpsuit person, I’m happy to have made it, even just to know. #sewersgonnasew #sewistsofinstagram #makersgonnamake #londonsews #memademay2019 @closetcase.patterns @stoffstil #salliejumpsuit #sewtogetherforsummer @sewsarahsmith @sewing_in_spain @rocco.sienna

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Day 8 of #memademay2019 and I’m wearing a few of the new pieces I made during my weekend sewing extravaganza. I’ve been eyeing a silk bias cut RTW leopard skirt that I have seen all over IG and Pinterest. I found this beautiful Rag and Bone silk charmeuse at @moodfabrics and used the #evieskirt pattern from @tessutifabrics (I am going to have to make a few more of these – I like the style and I don’t have any skirts). I added a bit of width to the #nikkotop from @truebias for a bit of a boxier version. (Shout out to @annewhalley – I finally tried her foldover elastic for the top of the skirt and it worked great). The fabric is an awesome piece of Rib Knit Tencel that I ordered from @indie_sew the day I saw Tori @thedoingthingsblog make a similar one and recommend the fabric (I think of it as the top that brought us together since we’ve been friends ever since) 💞 I’m excited about this skirt – I’ve seen it styled with tennis shoes, combat boots (my favorite), strappy sandals, graphic tees, button up blouses, moto jackets and today I wore it with a peachy/tan colored long trench. . . . . #moodmademay19 #madewithmood #sewingwithsilk #sewbravesewcialists #sewersofinstagram #sewistsofinstagram #memadewardrobe #wearalltheleopard #iloveleopardprint #memadeeveryday #makersgottamake #sewingtall #ilovetosew #sewover50 #fashionover60 #sewersgonnasew #sewingismytherapy #yourmotherwearscombatboots

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