So-So Sewing | Apparently I Sew Clothes Now

Last updated on 11 November 2019

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Welcome to So-So Sewing!

So-So: adjective | Indifferent; neither very good nor very bad.

Aka: An accurate description of my sewing endeavours.

It started with a skirt.

It was a lovely skirt, one I’d worn many times in the three years since I bought it in Japan, one that was the perfect length, the perfect style. It had black and white vertical stripes, buttons down the front, and pockets. It was my dream skirt.

Don’t misunderstand me; the skirt is still alive and well and I wear it often. But what I wanted to do was replicate that exact skirt so I had more versions of it. That’s where it really all began.

I messaged my good friend and sewing extraordinaire, and asked her what the best way was to replicate the skirt. Being the gem that she is, she drew out some ideas for me and gave me instructions. But then she said ‘Actually, I know of a free pattern that is pretty much exactly the same as that skirt. I’ll send you the link.’

A little bit of background is needed at this stage. I’ve been sewing on and off since I was about 10, and I took Fabrics class at school just until Year 9 (age 13). But after those classes, I mostly took old clothes or thrifted garments and upcycled them into something that was more wearable. I’d turn full length skirts into short versions, I’d chop dresses in half to make skirt and top separately etc. But working with a pattern wasn’t something I was familiar with.

When it came to this freebie pattern for a way to replicate my skirt, I was nervous. Patterns sort of freaked me out. But I downloaded the pattern any way (it’s the Justine Skirt by Ready to Sew), and had a go at it. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t that hard! No I wasn’t really happy with the outcome (the fabric I used was a little see-through, the buttons were too big, and I haven’t actually worn it out yet), but that was the confidence booster I needed to start sewing my own clothes.

Since that day back in July, I’ve made five jackets, two jumpsuits, one pair of overalls, one pinafore, three dresses, and one pair of trousers. Needless to say, I have caught the bug.

While I’m learning as I go (with constant help from my friend), I thought it would be fun to share my experience on the blog, both what I’m learning, what patterns I’ve used, what I’m struggling with etc etc. I’m never going to be a pro, but I can already see that my sewing gets better with every stitch.

I have some more posts planned in the coming months, but if there’s anything in particular that you’d like me to share, please do let me know! In the meantime, be sure to follow along on Instagram, where I share most of my progress and the complete makes in my stories, with the occasional share on the feed.

Do you sew your own clothes? Which patterns are your favourite?