FAQs

When and how did you learn how to sew?

I taught myself how to sew on a whim during the summer of 2018. I’m fortunate enough to live in the Bay Area which has long been a hub of the maker community. Within 24 hours of thinking “hmmm I should learn how to make my own sundresses”, I was in a class at a local sewing studio learning how to use a sewing machine. And I was in love!

I practiced my skills making some simple tote bags for friends and family, and then jumped right into making my own skirts. I followed Gertie’s gathered skirt tutorial on YouTube, which was so simple and such a confidence booster! And then it was off to the races – my first dress was the Sew Over It Betty Dress, which is still one of my favorite patterns!

I devoured everything I could find about dressmaking – I bought all the books, read all the blogs, listened to all the podcasts, read all the pattern reviews and followed all the influencers on Instagram – and then kept experimenting.

There are definitely a few projects that went straight into the bin (and some of them still do…), but what’s the worst that can happen? It’s only fabric!

Why start a blog? Isn’t everyone on Instagram?

I’m so not the type of person who would start a blog – I’m a pretty private person and splashing photos of myself all over the internet is definitely not something I ever thought I would do. But I’ve relied so heavily on other people’s blogs to help me on my sewing journey that I want to do my small part to give back to the community that’s been so helpful to me!

I find it so helpful to look at pictures of other people’s finished garments and hear about what worked and what didn’t. Taking on a sewing project is such a big time investment (and can be a big financial investment too!), so the more photos, explanations and tips and tricks the better!

What kind of sewing machine and serger do you use?

I use a Janome 8077, which is a great entry-level machine. It has a few more bells-and-whistles than the base models, but won’t break the bank. I would highly recommend it for someone who wants to try their hand at sewing, but isn’t sure whether they’ll stick with it. I have nightmares about its buttonhole capabilities, so I’m hoping to upgrade. Recommendations welcome!

My serger is a dream! It’s the Juki MO654DE. It’s so easy to thread (seriously, I can thread it in under 2 minutes) and makes nice even stitches. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

What are your usual pattern adjustments?

Ha! I wish there was such as thing as “usual” pattern adjustments – it totally depends on the pattern! I find I have the best results choosing my pattern size based on some combination of my high bust and the finished garment measurements – it’s definitely an art and not a science!

When I’m working with a casual garment with lots of ease, I tend to do minimal flat pattern adjustments the first time I make it, opting instead to do a mix of tissue fitting, comparing measurements to the pattern and on-the-fly alterations. Then I transfer those to my flat pattern for next time.

When I’m making a fitted garment, however, I’ll make a few muslins to get the fit just right. 9 times out of 10 I need to shorten the length of the bodice and move the bust darts. Usually moving the bust darts fixes any bust fitting issues, but every once in a while I need to do a SBA. I typically grade in or out at the waist (totally depends on the pattern and the amount of ease), and if it’s a dress fitted through the hips, I definitely need to grade out a size or two at the hips. For a sleeveless dress, I typically shorten the straps and do a forward shoulder adjustment, and for a dress with sleeves, I sometimes need to do a full bicep adjustment. Every so often, I also do a narrow back adjustment.

For reference, I’m 5’1” and HB 34 – FB 35 – W27 – H38.

How often do you sew?

I sew most days, but since it’s a hobby, I want it to be fun and don’t want to burn myself out! If I’m not feeling it on a particular day, then I don’t sew and I don’t feel bad about it.

What kind of camera do you use for photos?

Even though I work for a tech company, I’m definitely not a tech person! I take photos with my iPhone XS and do some color adjustments with the Photoshop PS Express app. I recently got a tripod with a bluetooth remote – it’s been life changing for my husband!