Hello #needlework! 🧵
I decided to make a trouser and shirt set for my sister. She bought the fabrics some time ago and gave them to my wife to sew for her for the upcoming festive season. But recently, my wife has been so busy with her best friend's wedding dress and wedding preparations. Since this is my first time making clothing like this (I'm not a professional fashion designer yet, I'm still on the journey to becoming one maybe), I decided to help and learn at the same time.
Over the years, I've learnt some tailoring skills from different sources
From my mom: Hand stitching, pedaling, basic sewing and using manual sewing machines
From my wife: Pattern drafting and cutting skills (still learning)
And online sometimes.
My wife drafted the trouser pattern first using my sister's measurements, and I transferred it to fabric with some little alterations mainly increasing the length.
I cut out the front and the back panels
Joined the fronts panel at the crotch
Joined the back panels too at the crotch
I cut out the side pocket for the trouser
Here, I've attached it to what I thought was the front panel. The Big Mistake! 😅
I joined both front pieces and back pieces together, hoping the panel with the side pocket would line up properly.
But NO! I realized I had attached the pocket to the back piece instead of the front! 😭
So, what's next?
My options are:
- Rip out the entire trouser and start over with the pocket on the correct side and cut new fabric for the back piece.
- Sew a small piece over the pocket on the back and call it a design feature (which is definitely not my style!)
So, I'm going to have to rip the whole thing apart. I know it would be easier to just sew something over the pocket on the back, but I want a neat, if not perfect, then almost perfect result. I want to be able to proudly say I sew these clothes without feeling bad about the quality. If I take shortcuts, every time she wears them, I'll remember this struggle and feel disappointed. That's no way to create something meant to bring joy.
Rip out isn't easy, it can be frustrating and time consuming depending on the fabric and circumstances. But sometimes, there's no way around doing the work properly.
This experience reminds me that in life, sometimes you have to be willing to undo your work to achieve excellence. Quality takes time, patience, and the courage to start over when needed.
