In the colder months, I usually knit rather than sew. In 2022, I recorded 32 finished knitted items. A couple of scarves and wristwarmers for me, but the others were gifts for friends or donations to people in need. About half were newborn hats, donated to K's maternity ward. The bonus was that they were nice portable handbag-sized projects. (I'm saying little about the still unfinished Finchdale jumper, except that it's much better in the upper body than my 2021 jumper. Thanks to Mrs Mole.)
Because of weather conditions - a late cold snap and a mild early summer - Me Made 'May' stretched on for weeks. I succeeded in assessing all the summer clothes and the formal wear. I got rid of some wardrobe orphans and badly fitting stuff, then reluctantly parted with some worn out favourites. It was also surprising how many small repairs happened during these weeks :) Some charity shop finds were adapted during an unusually hot spell in late summer, some of DH's clothes were mended too, a temporary chair cover fitted, and a whole load of things around the flat fixed, painted...
With new garment sewing, my search for well fitting basics continued. All of the following have been much tweaked for my unique shape. Elasticated trousers - Simply Sewing 8 - now good enough. PJ top and derived summer cardigan - traced ancient Rtw - good enough. Cycle shorts as an extra layer - Patterns 4 Pirates Peg Legs - improved. Camisole as an extra layer - So Zo vest - improved. Fitted tee - Tilly and the Buttons Freya - hugely better than Rtw, but needs more work as there's still some friction at the armscye. Loose fitting tee - OOP Laela Jayne Mica - very comfy though I need more practice on the V-neck binding.
However, the big sewing project was working on a woven shirt/top pattern, semi-fitted but enough movement ease, with set in long sleeves. I'd spent a long time using Pattern Maker 7 software, trying to get suitable measurements and customising the macros to generate a 'fitting shell' with a bit of ease. I felt I'd made good progress and made a comfy summer top with some inherited fabric. Not my colours, but a real step forward.
Then a great opportunity. Mrs Mole of 'Fit for a Queen' blog, launched a series of tutorials on fitting by reading the lines in a gingham trial garment. Not only that, when I'd asked a specific question, she took the trouble to teach some better ways of measuring, and to recommend some really appropriate pattern adaptations. It's also reassuring that someone experienced knows how to adapt for my own spine curve, rather than expecting 'perfect' posture. It was well worth the number of test-shots to achieve the best fit I've ever had! I shall be using what I learned even more in 2023.
Top things I learned.
Fitting: I need a bigger back wedge, placed at the yoke line, plus a smaller wedge at front yoke, as well as one above my tum.
Measuring skills: Use the metre stick to establish a side line. If I'm going to wear an underlayer, I need to measure when actually wearing it.
Drag lines: Point to the problem. How much adjustment will take practice.
Fabric choices: 2022 favourite was a low contrast print (the duck tee) which reads as plain-ish from a distance but the texture hides the odd water splash etc.
Knitting: After trialling different crowns on all the newborn hats, I'm now happy to choose an appropriate one for different size people and personalities.
Reasons for redoing.
Apart from brain-slips, size and ease were the main stumbling blocks.
I can help myself by doing a tension piece in each new yarn. And unless playing fabric Tetris, bigger seam allowances.
Remember the hip/abdomen area doesn't just need to look good in the fitting mirror, it needs to recover well after reaching up, down or out. More ease or more weight tends to help.
Techniques
Cutting , marking and stitching are all getting better.
I'm ready to use nicer fabrics for the improved patterns - and I have more enough things to refashion for early trials of other basics when I'm ready. I've learned magic loop knitting which gives me more options.
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