Maybe you don’t have a dedicated sewing space and don’t want to haul out everything at once. Perhaps you took a trip to Jupiter and brought everything but your machine. For all I know, you are just looking to streamline your creative process. Or it could be, you’re like me…
I have a problem. My baby doesn’t love the sound of my serger. For that reason, sometimes I just have to concentrate on doing what I can while baby wearing, while my baby is playing nearby or while she is sleeping, so my serger doesn’t scare the baby poop out of her.
Given that you’re a busy sewist, I’m going to share some small tasks you can do here and there to prepare for actually sewing, without getting out or firing up your machine.
Perhaps you took a trip to jupiter and brought everything but your machine.
1. Print everything you need
My personal favourite pattern format is a print at home pattern. Therefore, I print out my pattern and my instructions if they are more involved than a t-shirt. Oftentimes, I print everything while baby wearing and I talk to her about the cool stuff we are going to make. When my printer is working properly, this only takes a few minutes.
2. Read the instructions
To say I have been sewing a long time is an understatement (20+ years!). Notwithstanding, I still read the instructions because I want to have an idea of constructions methods and seam allowances and think over which steps I will follow and which I will modify. I want to have it bopping around my head working in the background and pull it out to contemplate while I nurse, cook dinner or eat my lunch.
3. prepare your pattern
Whenever your cutting surface (aka dining table) is free, it is time to glue or tape your pattern, cut it out and make fit adjustments. With this in mind, if you are a projector sewist, you could take the time to set that up. If you are using a tissue pattern, prepare that. Not only will you get your pattern ready, but you can also put a fun twist on mealtime when you don’t clean off your table in time for dinner. Did someone say indoor picnic on the floor???
4. Prepare your fabric: wash, dry, iron
Fabric is usually dirty and dusty even if you can’t see that. It has been through a lot before it came to you for love. With this in mind, give it a spa day!
Unless it is a specialty fabric, I always wash my fabric. Furthermore, I usually wash it the meanest way I can think of for that particular fabric. Remember to respect your fabric type and content when deciding this. However, my logic is : if I accidentally wash or dry my fabric on to high of a setting, it won’t shrink anymore than it already has.
As for ironing, I iron wovens and I usually don’t need to iron knits. If there are creases preventing your fabric from lying flat, it is especially important to smooth those out so your pattern pieces are cut accurately and your finished garment fits properly. It does make a huge difference.
5. Cut out and transfer markings
Now that everything is ready, set up your cutting area and get down to business. Make sure you pay attention to your layout and grainlines! Get your fabric and interfacing cut out and transfer any markings.
Congratulations, you will be ready to sit at your machine and sew a few seams next time you get a chance! I’ll be sharing my tips to that end that soon!
BONUS TIP!
Just ignore everything else going on. It really helps. Here, you can see cats on the cutting table. What you can’t see is the renovation chaos and drywall dust everywhere. Word to the wise, I promise you’ll get a lot more done if you just don’t clean.
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I love this list! I do have another one to add, which is a favorite of mine!! Deciding on a patterns lineup of what you want to sew in the immediate future and online fabric shopping for the fabrics you don’t have in your stash!! That way you are ready to get-going when you eventually decide to make the pattern. Plus, online fabric shopping is sooo fun, even if it’s just “window shopping”!
I am a serial “window” shopper for online fabric. In the cart, out of the cart, in the cart, out of the cart. lol I agree with you about making sure you have the fabrics you need to keep that momentum of an exciting sewing idea going.
I recently read about someone who said they were giving themselves permission to buy a lot of the same fabric so they could make their pants muslin and final pants out of the same fabric. They said this would eliminate the fear of “wasting” good fabric and help them get to their goal of better fitting pants faster. I think that’s a revolutionary idea and I’d love to try it!