3
Apr
2015

a case for waiting and watching – The Self-Made Wardrobe Week 35

The Self-Made Wardrobe is a project where I only wear garments I’ve made.
It’s a year long experiment in getting dressed without clothing labels –
it’s a year about noticing patterns, trying things, and observing what happens.


Day-239

Day 239 – Friday, March 27th
black sweater // black tank top // graphic silk circle skirt
black tights // black shoes // pocket watch necklace // bead crochet bracelet

Day-240

Day 240 – Saturday, March 28th
purple sweater // black tank top // jeans
black scarf // sneakers // various rings

Day-241

Day 241 – Sunday, March 29
handknit sweater dress // black tank top
black leggings // black scarf // various rings

Day-242

Day 242 – Monday, March 30th
black sweater // black tank top // jeans
black scarf // black flats // bead crochet bracelets // various rings

Day-243

Day 243 – Tuesday, March 31st
purple sweater // black tank top // black maxi skirt
black tights // brown boots // black scarf
bead crochet bracelet // various rings

Day-244

Day 244 – Wednesday, April 1st
Versio sweater // black tank top // jeans
black flats // robot necklace // various rings

Day-245

Day 245 – Thursday, April 2nd
black sweater // black tank top // jeans
black flats // bead crochet bracelet // various rings

Sometimes, when I finish a garment and wear it for the first time, I suddenly see everything that isn’t quite right, all the things that could be better – and it’s tempting to rush in with a long list of complicated alterations.

Like with my jeans.

The minute they were done, I wanted to:
-Take in the waist.
-Take in this hips.
-Futz with the crotch curve.
-Redo the waistband, trying a different method.
– Try a new button.
-And add a 5th pocket (or a faux 5th pocket).

That was, two weeks ago.

And with two weeks of wear, now I want to:
– Take in the waist.
– Try a new button.

I’ll still need to redo the waistband to take in the waist, but I think taking in the waist will fix the issues I’m having with the waistband.

I originally wanted take in the jeans all the way through the hip, but they’re low rise enough that I think taking in the waist & making that alteration a long shallow taper will effectively do the same thing.

I have a hunch that taking in the waist (and therefore making the jeans sit where they’re supposed to sit) will eliminate or greatly diminish the futzing that needs to be done at the crotch curve.

And the 5th pocket can just wait for the 2nd version.

I probably wouldn’t have noticed much of this, without two weeks of wearing them as they are, and probably would have gone ahead with lots of fussy alterations.

It’s kind of like knitting with really messy balls of yarn – some tangles resolve themselves, some tangles you need to resolve – the tricky bit is figuring out which type of tangle you’re dealing with.

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2 Responses

  1. Keren Duchan

    I spent a long time trying to sew the perfect pair of pants… In the end I don’t think when I put more care into it I got better results! I have sewn dresses that took hours and hours which I wore no more than once, and I have sewn other things (dresses or little zip cases or pillowcases) that have gotten a decent amount of use, and took very little time to make. One of the things that I thought I loved about sewing was couture techniques – but that actually made me lose interest, because everything had to be meticulous and time consuming, or else it “wasn’t properly made”. I hope to go back and sew clothes – but simple ones that I can wear every day.

    I think your striped colorful sweater is really brave – such a bold selection and the colors work perfectly.

    1. Holly

      Yea, I love “everyday” sewing, and I love couture sewing, but both for very different reasons. With a true couture garment, time almost isn’t a factor – the work takes as long as it takes and it can’t be rushed – that works for a very particular lifestyle. While with non-couture garments you have the opportunity to create clothes that fit your lifestyle, you don’t need to make your lifestyle fit your clothing.

      Thanks for the lovely comment about the sweater – it’s certainly a bold sweater, and a little tricky to style (though jeans make styling it A LOT easier.)

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