Well, I love Sandra Betzina! She shook my hand, asked me what I was going to make, and promptly lifted my shirt to measure my waist. (GET to know me...and my stretch marks!) I do love a woman that can squeeze 2 inches off my usual waist measurement. She recommended I do a pre-test of the jeans, though, so luckily the shop owner had a bolt of what another lady said looked like "grandma pillow fabric" for me to use since I just brought my stretch denim. I stitched up a muslin, which was a little confusing what with pockets, side panels, and upper side panels all included in the pants front, and then of course I had to add the waistband and yoke when I went to try the muslin on and the back came halfway down my butt - doh!
And this pattern was different from my other pants because you put a waistband or back yoke section on 4 separate pieces, instead of sewing one big long waistband on the final pair of pants. Anyway, I came out and she promptly drew on my crotch and thighs with a marker (well, you know, the muslin, not my actual crotch and thighs). And that wrinkle on the back leg that goes to the knee means you need another 1/2 inch or inch of fabric on the inner leg. She just sketched up adjustments real quick on the pattern pieces without measuring a thing - stunning! I'll try to get a picture of it before I cut it out - didn't get to that because she showed us some of the new garments of hers coming out this year. There is an awesome jacket that reminded me of Amanda's coat with the asymmetrical collar, except this one has zippers.
Anyway, I left at 7 PM and the other 6 ladies were still going (because all of their children are adults, thus no guilt about not being home in time for dinner), but I hoped to cut the pants out tonight at home. Alas, dinner needed eating (thanks Jim for babysitting!), dishes needed loading, clothes needed washing, Idol needed watching (why, America, can we not send Tim and Katie home?), children needed tucking in, wine needed drinking, and a post needed writing. And here we are...do I really feel like laying out the most pattern pieces of anything I've ever made in my life? I think not....more wine!
8 comments:
Wow, that sounds amazing. You're very lucky! She would be welcome to draw on my actual crotch and thighs if that's what she wanted.
Awesome!! I second Amanda. She can draw on me wherever she'd like if she'll make my jeans fit. I'm glad to know what that hip to knee line is about!! I always have it, but never know what to do about it. Bless you, Sandra!
My word verification is "valium". Sweet.
What fun! I know you're enjoying the workshop. Not everyone gets the chance for Sandra to draw on their crotch and thighs! Lucky you!
Wow...you met Sandra Betzina...she's a sewing guru! When I first started getting into sewing and wasn't familiar with different types of fabrics (charmeuse, boiled wool, etc.), I took out her book "More Fabric Savvy" from the library. It was full of very useful information and the photos were hilarious: very dated clothes from the 80's! I definitely empathize with you on the challenge of taking workshops/classes when you have young kids. That's why I'm considering the Sewing University at Smartflix - but I may just rent individual DVDs since I'm not too interested in the quilting ones at this point in time.
Sounds super fun! I hope you are enjoying it as much as it sounds like you are.
I'm glad to be getting back into sewing now that I'm older and just a wee bit more patient. Because I would never have made a muslin in my 20s.
Haha - I didn't want to make a muslin either, Lynn, and I'm 42! And Sony, I've got her Power Sewing book and things are kind of dated, but she's so funny with her new patterns - a lot of stuff is cool and modern, then Vogue changes it a little. There was a cute tunic she designed that Vogue enlarged to look like a muu-muu! She's putting out a new book in October and it'll have a DVD with tips she said - sounded good. Katie, your verification words are cracking me up!
I have a young daughter right now but I look forward to attending sewing seminars when she is older. I admire Betzina. Sometimes I check her "Power Sewing" books out of the library and browse them for fun.
Yes, Sewista, kids are not conducive to intensive sewing. I could only do the San Francisco retreat thing when my kids are much older, and I had to really finagle things with childcare this week to sew with Sandra.
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