Tuesday 22 October 2013

Why am I ...

... such a shocker when it comes to completing a garment? For the first 90% of making something I am dedicated, enthusiastic, committed, to the stage you could call me fanatical towards sewing. It's always full steam ahead planning, cutting and sewing. I am totally engaged in what I am doing. But then the nonchalant fairy waves her cool laid back wand over the room and before I know it, the next garment is being planned cut and 90% sewn. All this whilst the first one is removed from my mind, lazily hung up on a hanger awaiting the last few stitches to make it wearable ...

Left: Butterick 5917     Right: Vogue 8904

First up, I started (and nearly finished) Butterick 5917 - its a brilliant pattern! I love it! I'll be making more of this dress for summer. WOW! It was an absolute pleasure to fit and sew .... 

This is the one for my son's Valedictory in a few weeks - look at those beautifully finished front ruffles .....
Just look at this invisible zipper, fully inserted and working ...

But wait, is that the hemline not finished??? Oh, well! I guess this dress isn't needed to be worn just yet ...

And since it isn't needed, lets just pop it on the hanger and move on ... to Vogue 8904 - another WOW dress in my books! Not for me, but for my daughter who would like a new dress for this Friday night. 
Just look at those lovely layers, yes, a bit hard to see in this fabric, but in real life this dress is just beautiful.  And it's a no-hem dress - unlike the poor dress hanging in the background, there is hope for this dress actually being finished before the next garment gets a look in ...

Oh, dear! Is that just a quick neckline that needs to be finished? Too easy, will get to that tomorrow night. Because ... I started to make a new shirt on the weekend ...
A quick sleeveless version of McCall's 6436 for work. An easy to wear shirt that I regularly turn to. But is that pins in the hemline I see! Guess that is an omen for this poor shirt now. That, and the buttons haven't been sewn on yet. 
Please tell me I am not the only one that has commitment issues. There is just way too many great things to get my pins and scissors into, and not enough time in the day ...

26 comments:

  1. You are my twin! I share your commitment issues!

    Brenda

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  2. You are definitely not alone! I've done that so many times... actually there's a dress hanging on my sewing room door that just needs a hook & eye attached at the top of the zipper at the back... oh and there's also my hubby's shirt that just needs the collar attached and the button holes sewn. But they can wait as I'm making something else now. I did finish a casual quick and easy pair of pants this morning and am now making a top. It's nearly finished so might have to start something else now lol

    Loving the neckline on B5917 and the fabric too! Also the fabric for your daughters dress looks great and how good is that... no hem needed!

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    1. A no-hem dress! Can you believe it!!! Guess you would pay a fortune for that feature in the shops ...

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  3. Oh no... you are definitely not alone. I have just finished some sleep shorts for my son... cut out 6 months ago but took 30 mins to sew up, and I have a top that just needs facings and a hem, another top ... oh I could go on. Both dresses look fantastic Judith and I'm sure you'll finish them in no time.

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    1. 6 months! You are winning the award now! Yes, the dresses will probably get finished just minutes before heading out the door- nothing more motivating than an immediate deadline. But I just can't help myself in wanting to move onto the next thing ...

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  4. The first thing I thought was that you might have a fear of finishing? But it doesn't seem to slow your sewing output as you move on to the next thing and the next and the next... :)
    Or maybe it's just that hems are really boring...I find them to be!

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  5. Let's see, two french inspired jackets in various stages and have just committed to making a third, a skirt to match partly sewn, a top cut out and hems well I keep waiting for the hemming fairy to appear!

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  6. I have this same problem. There's something about hems and buttonholes that I don't like doing. I've tried to figure out what it is, maybe I worry that if I goof those up, it'll ruin the whole garment. Or maybe they are too time consuming or too detail orientated or just too boring, and instead of diving in, I just put it off.

    I've had to resort to making a rule for myself to force myself to finish something before starting a new project. I also have a rule that I can't sew if there are dishes that need to be done. :)

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  7. I despise those finishing touchings! LOL!

    Today I am wearing a sleeveless knit top whose armbands never got finished under a knit blazer whose facings didn't get slipstitched in place. I have worn trousers several times that have no hook & eye. I really need to take a day and COMPLETE these projects!!!!

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  8. Two very Beautiful dresses..[I can't wait to see them finished!]..
    I think we all have that---"not quiet getting finished ,before starting
    up the next project.". I get so mad at myself for doing this..ha...
    Happy sewing.

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  9. Ahaha oh how I enjoyed your post! I've had very similar sewing adventures. My advice is to have a day put aside for just finishing - finish those hems, do that neckline, sew on all the buttons, and before you know it you'll have THREE finished projects in JUST ONE DAY! :D

    That is, if that pretty skirt pattern you've been eyeing up doesn't seduce you first...

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  10. you did good! I ahve a dress that I'm not happy with & will be cutting & turning it into something else & if that doesn't work it'll become a scarf lol!
    Helen

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  11. You are not alone. I have pinned and taped things together so I could wear them. True confessions!!!

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  12. First - those dresses look lovely. I am going to try bringing the zoom in so that I can have a closer look. And yes - I have always said I have the attention span of a goldfish and I have a couple of dresses hanging in the wardrobe waiting arm banding and hemming.

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  13. Sadly I can totally relate! Who on earth relishes the hemming/finishing off stage? Not me!

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  14. Judith I am not perfect in this area by any means, but I enforced a RULE in sewing - finish the current project before I start a new one. I have to boss myself around in the sewing room.

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  15. OMGosh Judith. Have I ever introduced you to Area 51? I have a jacket that I've worn more than once that has buttonholes and no buttons. I have another jacket that just needs topstitching. I have a knit top that I've worn for two years with unhemmed sleeves. Girlfriend, you are in good company!

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  16. I just love both of your dresses. You'll finish each as the occasion arises. Just think, you will not have much to do to complete them.

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  17. That Hawaiian print dress looks spectacular!
    I have a few pieces that need a zip/hem/button that are hanging around. But sometimes new things are so tempting...

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  18. I love that rose-print dress, Judith, and the idea of commitment issues. Yes, I have them too - I put aside what needs hand-sewing, and go cut out something else. There is usually quite the queue in the sewing room of items in various stages. It is the excitement of new patterns and fabric just waiting to be off at the starting blocks! Every so often I have to go round finishing stuff, just to make a bit of room in the sewing cave. Really enjoyed all the comments, it seems there are lots of us out there...

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  19. Ha ha, no you are not the only one, I used to be like that too - buttonholes made but buttons not sewn on, trousers finished apart from the hems etc. But now what I do is plan one evening a month, or a weekend afternoon and dedicate that time to completing the projects. I usually watch a movie while I'm completing the tasks. Then after each item is finish, I reward myself with a small slice of cake and a large cup of tea.

    I adore your dresses and shirt, they look great already! :)

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  20. Hilarious! And me to a tee. UFO club much? ;)

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  21. This post described me perfectly haha :-) It makes me feel better knowing that you experience the same feeling.

    Beautiful dresses!!

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  22. I find the closer I get to the end of a projet the longer it takes. I think you could work a mathematical thereom on it. :) However lately I distract myself with knitting or looking for new projects... my shirt is waiting for its buttons and I am thinking I need to check my fabric stash for a suitable fabric for a dress pattern that has caught my eye... Oh and the two dresses are gorgeous - you need to finish them!! :)

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  23. When I saw the photo of the Australian sewing magazine at the top of this post, I said a quick prayer that you were in the US and maybe knew of a place where I could find this fabulous magazine. I have so many issues but cannot find it anymore and have heard the name changes every other issue, for a reason I cannot quite understand. Oh well.

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