A tip for handling wool like this: press it with a steam cloth. Take a piece of calico/muslin (the unbleached cheap stuff) that is about 50 x 50 cm square and wet it. Wring it out so that it is still damp, but not dripping and set your iron to cotton setting. Lay down your wool to be pressed and put that cloth on top, arrange the wool to your liking under the cloth and press down with the iron. Do not move it back and forth, just press for a few seconds and lift. Re-wet the cloth as necessary. Be careful not to press too much, or you'll make the creases too sharp.
I think this is a VERY cute set! The mitered corners look so good! To pass on some knowledge concerning wool: Wet the wool in order to get it to cooperate with the covered button kit. Press the wool with a vinegar/water mixture (1:3 ratio) to make the seams more crisp. This one is just a theory: Steam the skirt lightly while it's hanging in order to get it to set into drapier folds.
Ahhhhh I love this so much!!! A wool tip if you're open to it: in school we used a thing called a "clapper" which is just a heavy piece of wood that we would SMACK down on the wool after lifting the iron to press the seams. The iron alone often wasn't enough to press it down... and it's fun haha.
That bit about one little thing not going as planned and putting the whole project on hiatus for a while is so familiar... I'm gad that you ended up liking the end result, it can be so hard to fall into the trap of comparing every stitch to the inspiration, especially if the garment naturally fits you differently
If you want a resource for adjusting your pattern, I highly suggest The Closet Historian here on RU-vid. She modifies a basic block a lot and is really good at explaining it
I've been watching (binging) her channel recently, and I want to use more block patterns. this was my first shot at it, but the block needs a lot more work.
For shifting and curling fabrics, I have been recommended spray-on starch. You spray the edges of what is misbehaving, then you put a ironing cloth down and then you iron it, with no steam. Ps. I don't know if I've said this before, so here goes. For those skirts that tend to catch the wind, I have discovered that those small beads the size of peppercorns work great for weighing the hem down. You can sew on as few or many as you need for the weight of your fabric.
Tailors have this smooth piece of wood that they use for weighing down things they iron. You can leave broadcloth seems raw, and if you're uncomfortable with that, try distressing the edge and see how well it holds together. Broadcloth is tightly woven and heavily felted. Your pocket probably would have been easier if you put a small piece of canvas or ticking in, to stiffen it. You can make pockets with any sturdy fabric, you don't have to use wool in your wool skirt you don't have to use silk in your silk skirts, you can use a sturdy cotton or if you're fussy Beetled Linen.
Our hens have nthe most cozy nest box, but one time they decided to lay their eggs int our boxwood. It was quite a surpise to pull out 26 eggs out of that bush but explained perfectly why we got no eggs for weeks and why they sometimes disappeared :D
I love the finished piece! That colour is beautiful on you. I recently made a skirt with pockets in a similar way to yours, but I did it all with french seams, which I highly recommend!
I think this would be a good project to revisit down the road, when the pain and suffering of the project starts to fade. Maybe do it in another color, with a lighter weight base fabric, incorporating all of the changes you identified while making this one. These pieces turned out well, but I think the work better as separates than they do as a suit. I really like the jacket worn open over a modern shirt, it makes it look like a thrifted vintage piece being worn mixed with modern clothing.
A sewn mitred corner. Haven't made one of those in a long time. (Best thing to do is take your time and tack stitch and check your drape before sewing and trimming.) "Bagging out" I think that the term you were looking for. So enjoying both channels feel more like you are finding your stride. 👍🙂👍
Your manual backtacks always remind me of the first time I used a sewing machine when I was a kid. I was making a present for my mom so my dad helped me, and he hadn't used my mom's machine much, but he had made a couple big projects for himself on his mom's machine as a teen in the 70's so he remembered the basics--however he didn't know about the backtack button since his mom didn't have one so I was manually tacking unnecessarily! (The project was a clothespin bag which we made by folding a rectangle and sewing a couple straight seams and hems, nothing complicated.)
That was my first project as well. A folded rectangle with two hems and two seams. But my mom sure did love it (more than it deserved), and still has it.
The baby chicks are so cute! I personally love the sound of a rooster. I love the outfit. It turned out so lovely, and the different ways you styled it are great. On a side note, I'm a professional pet sitter and I've looked after other people's chickens before. If you really want to take a trip, check out pet sitters in your area.
A tip - put the needles with the point inward towards the work instead. It makes it much easier to handle! And since you are left-handed, you can steer the fabric in the machine with you good hand and pick out needles with your right hand!
i just finished sewing a winter coat out of approximately the same weight of wool, and i did end up hand-felling down the seam allowances too, but for ironing it helped a lot to use a steam cloth plus one of those wooden tools to press down on the seam after taking away the iron and let it cool down half a minute under the wood. took the shape way better than just ironing alone that way. just as a tip, and those wooden tools are called clappers i think.
I found your channel because of your Worldbuilding videos (I LOVE Worldbuilding and writing and creating characters) and I didn't realise it was a sewing channel at first. I'd never watched sewing videos before, and I didn't think that it would interest me, but once I watched a couple, I absolutely LOVE them! Even though I don't create clothes (I don't even know how to sew) I love watching other people create clothes. There's just something so satisfying about it. I love any content you produce, on either of your channels. I actually have a character that I've created who's really into sewing and fashion. I created her before I found your channel, but I've found that watching your videos helps me to flesh her out, and make her seem smarter when she talks about fashion and sewing and clothing. Her name is Autumn, so when I saw this video, I initially thought of her. Basically, I'm so glad I found your channel. It's really amazing and creative. I didn't know that clothing interested me, but now I found it fascinating. I love seeing your Worldbuilding videos too, and your chickens are adorable. You seem like a really nice person, and I hope that you have a wonderful autumn.
Wow the outfit looks amazing!!! It’s so versatile and looks lovely with everything is great. The jacket is really stunning makes me want to run out and get some wool!!! I’ve also gotten so annoyed with a project that it’s taken a time out!!! I do actually have a finished project that spent more collective time in the corner than I worked on it!!! If it had been for me it would still be in the corner! But it was for my mother and she was looking forward to getting it! I really can’t think of one thing I’ve made over the years that didn’t have at least one if I were making this again comment!
Like others probably already said, for pressing resistant fiber, I use a piece of wood after pressing my seam, letting it cool down (and absorb moisture from the steam) in place for a bit to set perfectly flat. It work the same way as letting your hair cool down when curled with a flat/curling iron to keep its shape (natural fibers and hair react in a lots of ways similarly). Don't know if it will help but I learned it from a tailor and it works wonders for me! Edit: almost forgot to congratulate you for this completed project, I was waiting for it since the wonderful blouse!
Good job wrangling such a dense wool! A clapper would have helped with the pressing and may have sorted it out completely. You can buy a fancy one or just use a piece of smooth wood. Press with steam over a press cloth (don't move the iron back and forth) and then immediately press down with the wood for 10 seconds or so. It's magic! Your fabric almost looks like a melton weight wool which is traditionally used for undercollars as you stitch it on by hand without turning it so I'm not surprised you had some wrangling difficulties! Perfect autumnal colour 🧡
For pressing thicker wool I use a spray bottle full of a water/white vinegar mix. And keep things in position and under something heavy until it's cooled.
Got to the chicken segment, and suddenly realized that dream I had about chickens last night was definitely about *your* chickens! Huh... dreams really do work in mysterious ways...
Yayy autumn!! I have been waiting so long for this. ^^ Edit: I just finished the video and the project turned out so nice! I'm planning on making a skirt soon, though I don't think it's going to be very similar to this one haha.
Wow!! All the autumn vibes!! I can totally feel your lack finesse frustrations lol😅 Looking at the waistband footage I was thinking that interfacing something there might’ve had a good effect. Just an idea.
It's a lovely colour on you! I think a worsted wool suiting might have given you more of the look that you were aiming for, but it's still a very nice suit. It's so hard to learn about fabrics without making some less than perfect garments. Ask me how I know lol. Also, cutting out v shaped notches instead of just snipping the curves can help with thick fabric.
For the skirt pockets you have take the fabric to the outside and do a French seam, since this is a lightweight fabric, this way it would have save you a lot of time and stress, but overall great job.
This winter I made a jacket in the same kind of material: 100 % felted, thick wool and ironing it was impossible. Making gathered sleeves was also really hard. I learned that thick fabrics are not meant for tailored things. Thinner, non-felted wools are much easier to work with, as I have noticed after my mistake.
Actually thicker wool works quite well for tailored garments and irons well . You do have to use more historical tailoring methods vs modern dressmaking and have to learn how to iron with a clapper, higher heat and lots of steam.
Wondering if you were to put the wood block on the seams right after ironing them with a little force wondering if that would help ironing wool? Maybe. Idk I’m a beginner at sewing but heard that helps a little.
Gorgeous project, Mariah! Out of curiosity, did you change your mind about learning to knit or did you happen to have a rogue knitting needle in the house?
The set is lovely. You might want to try jackets on before choosing a pattern again. It seems like malls just carry a couple of styles for each season. A second hand might have more variety if you're particular. Since you are taking the time to sew it I suppose you would be. If it's cheap enough you might even cut it for the pattern.
I think you have a fuller bust than the model in the original photo. I wonder if using two darts (the existing darts you have, as well as adding a diagonal one from the side) would have made the fit more similar to the original, despite that only having the one dart? (just speculating here, I've been learning about full bust adjustments and suddenly I'm seeing possibilities everywhere lol)
@@MariahPattie ooooh okay. I still love your take on it! The color is so lovely and I think the two pieces are versatile enough to get a lot of use out of them. Truly lovely!
It may just be the video, but it looks like you weren’t steaming the wool as you ironed. I was always taught that for thick wools you should steam it, so that may have/ in the future may help with similar wool-ironing.
So, in terms of how you'd do the pocket differently, would you sew the pocket pieces together first with a french seam finish, or finish the raw edge with bias binding instead?
I wish it felt like Autumn. I mean technically it's still Summer for 11 more days so maybe it will cool down in those 11 days.... *wishful thinking* Wait are you left handed?? I'm ambidextrous and my brother is left handed.
@@Saxinful The Autumn Equinox and first day of Autumn in the Northern hemisphere is September 22. So yes its technically still Summer and it still feels like it too.
