I was deciding to make a project, taking a day to print and stick and cut it back out, and then cutting the next day. It was EXHAUSTING and all the paper waste!!
Now, if I want to make something, I can have (most) patterns up within 5 minutes, although I usually take the time to pattern Tetris the most fabric savvy way to do it.
It means I can get an idea, put it into a document during the week and itās ready to cut out, when I have the time!!
Team Projector, here! I sew for two growing kiddos and it only took one growth spurt to realize paper patterns werenāt sustainable for me.
My serger was similarly revolutionary. So fast! So clean! So stretchy!!!
But honestly, going back to the beginning of my sewing hobby really taking off, it was PDF patterns from indie designers that opened a whole new world for me. Everything since then has just built on that awesome branch of the sewing community.
Projector, for sure (especially once Pattern Projector started to add more features), but I still print out things that I know are larger than my projection area, like some skirts and trousers.
Otherwise, finally upgrading from a very basic Brother overlocker that I had been using for more than four years to a baby lock Enlighten last summer. I realised I was avoiding sewing because my overlocker was never quite working the way it should anymore, and the upgrade made me fall in love with sewing again.
This is the same reason I updated my sewing machine. It just wasnāt 100%, and the stretch stitch was justā¦ awful. I got my new machine and i was like āoh, itās that easy.ā
Also, yes to this! one of my first makes was a pattern Iād picked up from a charity shop, with an old duvet iād picked up from a charity shop and it was awful!! PDF patterns are fantastic, in all honesty!
1. Learning what an FBA is and how to do one. My G/H cups and much smaller shoulders mean ready to wear never fits right, and when Iād choose pattern sizes based on my bust measurement the shoulders were gigantic. Once I found out about full bust adjustments, I bought a class from Craftsy by Jenny Rushmore and it completely changed my relationship with my body, my clothes, and my approach to sewing.
And at the same time,
2. Learning how to sew with knits. Iād avoided them for 20+ years because when my mom taught me to sew, she said to always work with wovens because knits were ātoo hardā. Analyzing my past makes as well as my closet, I realized I wasnāt wearing what I sewed because they didnāt fit well and were uncomfortable, and 85% of the clothing I bought was made from knit fabric. So in 2018 I decided I was going to learn to sew with knits, and I began falling in love with the clothing I made.
Runner-up has to be learning what a muslin or toile is and starting make them all the time, for every pattern. It feels like it costs too much in time and money to make a rough draft of a garment, but most of the time, itās the difference between a final garment that fits me and I wear or one that doesnāt and I donāt.
Also a projector but along with pattern drafting software. So now I draft my own patterns, layout the pieces how I want them and project onto the fabric. I can cut out a shirt in an hour.
My biggest game changer was investing in a budget friendly overlocker (Brother M343D on a Prime deal). Having tried sewing woven fabric just once, I very quickly learnt that itās not for me. Iām all about stretchy, comfortable and non-iron.
Iāve recently started using a projector, but I adjust pretty much every pattern I sew, so it probably takes me longer doing that than it would for me to print, cut out and adjust! I will get quicker and more efficient Iām sure, itās still new and Iāve always enjoyed learning new software.
Honestly, a lot of the time when I use the projector, I still project onto paper (like either Swedish tracing paper or a roll of brown paper that you use to wrap parcels in) instead of cutting out my fabric directly. I like that then I can make any tweaks I want easily, and if I want to sew up something Iāve already traced, I donāt have to use the computer to do it. Itās still an extra step, but itās much easier than printing and taping.
Finding the late nancy zieman fitting with finese video on youtube was a game changer for fitting. Im only 5ft and need to do bust adjusments, length and sway back. The pivot and slide method has made that so much quicker.
Getting an overlocker a few years back really changed my sewing. Iāve sewed for many years, but was always a bit disappointed with the zig zag finish (and not sure I could always be bothered with French Seams). The clean finishes you get with the overlocker just gave my me-makes that extra lift. And then I found sewing with knit fabrics! Definitely not a necessary piece of kit, but I found it opened up my sewing world!
Iād love to do projector sewing. I have a projector but itās a small basic one and Iām not sure what kind of stand I need to project vertically instead of horizontally, do you have any advice?
Using patterns instead of drafting everything by myself.
I always wanted to draft my own patterns because I always thouhgt a āme madeā garment HAS to be me made from the beginning. Using a pattern from a company felt like cheating to me. But than I discovered all the sewing chanels on YT and everyone was buying and using patterns from companies and make wonderful āme madeā garments and are ok with it. That was where I realised it is ok and waaay easier to create a garment that fits me, has the right porportions, a good finish ā¦
With my own drafted patterns I always had problems with the fit and it was so frustrating (I was not that experienced but motivatedš ).
For me it was learning how to make adjustments to a pattern starting with an FBA. When I began sewing I was repeatedly frustrated because things didnāt fit well.
What changed things for me was making my first dress (TATB Skye Sundress). It worked and I loved. It make me realise that I really could make my own clothes. That was 4-years ago and itās currently packed in my suitcase for my holiday in Tenerife on Friday because I still love it!
and all the paper waste!!