Mama Gone Green is a blog dedicated to raising happy children and reducing our impact on the Earth. My name is Taryn and I am the mother of 2 young kids and an environmental studies instructor at a community college in Portland, Oregon. Please join me as I journey through life as a mama, teacher, knitter, photographer, gardener, and environmentalist!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Thoughts on Aprons and a Finished Sweater Too (Sort of Yarning-Along)

Since my week in reading and knitting has been fairly uneventful (aside from getting the finishing touches on Phoebe's sweater finished-- she does look pretty darn cute, doesn't she?) I thought I would spare you the details and instead ponder my most recent sewing disaster experience.
So, back in November, I special ordered some fabric... some Titans NFL fabric and a really cute Amy Butler print. Last summer, I had bought an apron pattern (which I never got around to using) but thought that making aprons for my sister and one of my sisters-in-law for Christmas would be a great idea. Well, Christmas came and went and I still hadn't even attempted to start the aprons. I think I was mostly intimidated by the commercial pattern. I had sewn from a commercial pattern once before, but they are scary, hard to decipher, and just sort of a big pain.
Anyways, I decided that since the aprons didn't happen, I would make them birthday gifts. March and May birthdays.. I had plenty of time for that. Well, my sister-in-law's birthday came and went and as my sister;s birthday approached, I had one of those moments of decisiveness. I knew that I was taking charge, and making 2 aprons, with at least 1 of them being on time.
I decided to make my sister-in-law's first, since it was already almost 2 months late. And I painstakingly followed the instructions to the tee.... and it came out looking like an NFL little house on the prairie dress. I mean, it may have partly been that the football pattern just didn't really fit the style, but seriously, the apron I ended up with looks NOTHING like the apron drawn on the pattern envelope. Like, not even close. The one on the envelope was cute and dainty. Not poofy. At all. And the only was I can describe this is POOFY. In a bad way.

I decided that I couldn't give her this apron, unless it was for some sort of weird joke or Halloween costume. Luckily I had enough fabric left over to make another one.. and this time I decided to just wing it (like I have done most of my sewing in the past). I did check out a couple website tutorials, for tips on measurements, etc. but I mostly just sewed what was in my head, which was an apron that was very far from poofy. And, I think it came out pretty good. Good enough that I made the second (well, third actually) almost identically.
I ended up sending my sister-in-law both aprons, as I had no idea what to do with the poofy one. And bless her dear heart she called and said that she loved both. I am pretty sure she was lying about one (or maybe even both) but she is too sweet to ever bad mouth a handmade present.
So, I guess my apron experience has basically just solidified what I already knew-- don't use commercial patterns. They are annoying and can be expensive, and the finished product didn't look a thing like the picture suggested. The other aprons I made looked way better (in my opinion at least), were quicker, less daunting, and more fun since I was designing it as well. Even though I have been sewing since high school, I never sewed with a commercial pattern until last fall, and I can say that I probably never will again. OK, the pattern wasn't totally useless. I did learn some good techniques that I ended up using in the subsequent aprons, but couldn't I have learned that from an online tutorial just as easily?
Every mama-made pattern or blog tutorial I have followed has been easy to understand, written in english (aka non-weird-sewing-terms) and has come out great. Maybe if I bought a nicer brand pattern (instead of the budget simplicity that I used) it would have a better end product? Anyone else have any thoughts, trial and tribulations, or advice on the world of sewing from patterns? Pin It Now!

14 comments:

  1. Love the sweater so much! Phoebe looks adorable in it. Good job finishing the aprons. Now you can start a new sewing project without feeling guilty.

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  2. I like your aprons. The poofiness is retro chic, no?
    The sweater is absolutly beautiful.
    happy yarn along.

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  3. The sweater looks so sweet on your little one.
    I attempted apron sewing at Christmas time and I must say that your aprons look amazing compared to how mine turned out. Seamstress I am not!
    Have a happy day!

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  4. First of all, I love the sweater! Second, I have had good luck with commercial patterns, and bad luck with commercial patterns. My oldest (when he was little) was very very skinny, to the point that I had to make all of his pants because nothing ever fit. Once I found a pattern I liked, I just re-used it over and over, and just made a few changes myself. For clothes for my own self, no matter how much I measure and double and triple check, nothing ever comes out the right size (I'm talking at least a good 6" too big around the waist) and I always have to add length to the arms and legs...so now, I'm with you...I mostly wing it. Thanks for sharing your story because I was really starting to think that I was just completely disproportional (which might still be true because store bought clothes rarely fits me either ha ha)

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  5. Your daughter looks wonderful and cute in that sweater! Good going. As for the apron, yes, I agree that the 1st one looks...well...unusual? I like what you did to the 2nd one, but the third one is better even. I think for me it's just the lack of interest in sport-themed fabrics (maybe that's because we're not a sports family?) I had to laugh at your NFL meets Little House comment! Too funny!

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  6. i think the aprons are cute! the poofy one reminds me of movies playing maybe 200 years ago or so (i mean this in a good way), it looks romantic and cozy. nice contrast to the fabric print ;)
    and that sweater is absolutely adorable, and so is phoebe wearing it!!

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  7. The sweater looks phenomenal! Sorry that the pattern was so frustrating...I have zero experience with such things. I like to sew, but the whole pattern thing intimidates me.

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  8. The golden sweater is perfection :) I like the way it fastens on the side so chic!

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  9. That sweater and your little Phoebe are gorgeous. I have to say I like the aprons, even the poofy one :) I especially like the Amy Butler fabric, very nice.

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  10. That sweater is beautiful! I'd love one in grown up size just for me. :)

    As for sewing with simplicity patterns, I've only used one - the dress I just tried to make that turned into a shirt. (Not sure if you saw it: http://mommyrepeat.blogspot.com/2012/05/dress-for-me.html#comment-form) I am thinking, though I have very little experience as well, that you have to know how to alter the pattern to fit your exact body size. I'm going to try it again with another pattern...a shirt this time, I think...so you'll be hearing at some point how it goes. Maybe it will be better this time?

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    1. I did see it and I thought it came out great. I think you may be right about the alterations, which for me, it is just easier to start from the beginning on my own. I think I will probably give patterns another try (although maybe not anytime too soon) and see how it goes. I am excited to follow you and your attempts!

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  11. I think your aprons look great, and they have great stories behind them. I am happy to know I am not the only late maker of handmade gifts. I have yet to try a pattern on anything. Phoebe is absolutely gorgeous and so is that sweater. I love the color!
    xo,
    Ang (peach coglo)

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