College sewing projects: what they taught me 

This is a very poor reflection on the lack of teaching you received. I think in light of it, you did amazingly well and should be very proud of yourself. You definitely had tenacity. I love the way you dreamed up your collections and how you were inspired, I love the colours. I don’t wonder you were put off sewing for a long time but it’s so good to see your enthusiasm returned and you are such a lovely sewer today. Well done you.

As you know, I never overcame or triumphed over darts. But first, I must say that Minky is 100% adorable. I am bowled over knowing that your grandmother (happy 99th birthday) rushed 3 hours from Houston to Austin to render sewing aid. No wonder she is so beloved. Have a great week. Leigh

I taught myself to sew so I understand ,but I have created some unusual clothing items that give me joy.

I've only just discovered your channel and I've worked my way through a couple of your playlists and I have to say: it seems like you've become the instructor that college Toni really needed. May we all look back on our learning journeys with kindness and grace for our younger selves, as you have done here.

I am a beginner sewist. My strategy is to sew EASY pattern pants and tops based on what I usually wear. My goal is to sew the same basic patterns of top and stretchy wasteband pants out of different fabrics until I master those, then move on. My first garments have been challenging for sure. There’s one ill-fitting skirt that I wear, (I love the fabric) the other garments are in a bag in the back of my closet. I intend to revisit those and rip out seams to fix later. I’ve been watching tons of sewing tutorials on RU-vid. I’ve joined a couple of FB sewing groups, which are very supportive of my efforts. I have 3 projects (I love the fabric). I refuse to buy myself any off the rack tops or pants until I tackle those 3 projects. Recently found your channel. I appreciate your encouragement videos ❤❤❤ keeping on, sewing on ❤❤❤ thankyou from 🇨🇦

Today I cut my leight weight jersey fabric and went straight to the sewing machine to close the top and side seams. Setting a very long stich length as I just wanted to see how it fits... Ha... I did not check which needle was in the machine and did not iron on a facing. A desaster. The needle was not for jersey and very thick 100! The machine ate the fabric and after unplugging the stiches I had holes in my fabric.😢 After ironing the facing over it and choosing the right needle everything worked.😊 I just have to remember to put a little sticker on the machine every time I change the needle that tells me what it is. Thank you for sharing.

I rip things all the time 😅. You did amazingly well given how poor your teachers were. Imagine, grading someone on something that you never taught them how to do!! I’ve had a similar experience in some art courses. The fact that you had to take private lessons, says everything. I agree, don’t work when you’re tired or in a rush.

If you don't have much money discounted fabric is your savior. This will let you get the experience you need and you do not feel obligated to keep the project when done.

This video was a big eye opener for me ,thanks for sharing. It’s nice to know I wasn’t the only one who had this type of experience but I will say that we had much better instruction than you did. I also went to fashion college and finished in 2014- I knew nothing going in and learned a lot but felt like I was so messy and incapable of actually making the kinds of clothes I loved and wanted. I also mostly made Bs with a few As and a C or two. It took me like 7 years to start sewing again even though I worked in the industry in a different capacity for years. I picked up sewing again via domestic patterns and drafted a bunch of stuff last year. It’s only now that I’m feeling a lot more comfortable with designing and making clothes and having left the industry, I feel a lot less pressure to be perfect. I’m actually enjoying making clothes for myself! Looking forward to watching more of your channel!

My mom taught me that ripping out mistakes was a part of the quest of perfection 😄. She REALLY wanted perfection, and looked up "how to" just about everything. She was a college librarian 😅

Yes we all make mistakes, and we learn from them. However I can’t imagine going to Sewing College and not learning how to fit garments and sew different techniques, do you feel you wasted your money? I love the designs you had in mind and thank goodness for your Grandmother helping. 😊💐

This really made me smile-it’s all so relatable! I am very impatient, so I usually just want to finish a project and at at some point I’ll just say f-- it, I am doing X (whatever crappy thing I need to do to be done). I will say that a couple years ago I bought three yards of Tana lawn and made a dress without making a muslin first and it was a mess. In a fit of pique I tossed it in the attic and slammed the door. But two years later and with more knowledge under my belt, I retrieved it and i resuscitated it and it’s now one of my favorite dresses. Sometimes you just need to set stuff aside. In any case, I love your eye for color and that you were willing to try all these things without really having the instruction. That’s brave and that’s how you learn. Thanks for sharing!

I love your outfits and would go back and correct them. Your college should have taught the basics before they did draping etc. But I love your outfits!

Thanks for sharing Toni.

I had problems making my first (knit) shirt. I did a practice run at attaching a thin, synthetic rib knit neckband to a cotton jersey shirt with scrap fabric from the materials I would be using. Seemed to work just fine. But when I tried to sew with the actual garment pieces, the rib knit neckline stretched way more than with the practice piece, and there were several skipped stitches. I tried tissue paper to prevent stretching & adjusted the tension on my machine, but I just couldn't get that rib knit to cooperate. After a few attempts, I switched out the thin, stretchy, synthetic rib knit neckband with a slightly thicker, less stretchy cotton rib knit, and my neckband went in with only minor, easily fixable issues.

Thanks so much Sew Sew Lounge… So encouraging and motivating… 👍☺️💕

Great message!!!! I’ve ripped out so much stuff!!!!

Finally finished a jeans skirt with a multi piece fly zipper. As long as I've been sewing zippers for some reason that kicked my butt. I bet I took that in and out at least 3 times. Finally got it done and that's when I found a youtube video on how to easily insert a multi piece fly zipper. Go figure.

I learned to sew at a Singer sewing store as a young teenager - I ripped out my project so many times it's a wonder there was any fabric left to work with where the zipper went in! Funny to me that lining something was easier for you than a seam finish, because it's the complete opposite for me - the few times I've tried to line something I've had mixed success, especially with bagging at the inside of the hem - I have to try it again!!! Fun walking down your memory lane with you! I have my first project, a handsewn backless halter dress that was kind of like an apron dress (and it was in a kind of tablecloth fabric, too!) - can't believe my parents let me wear it outside the house!

I wish it was still a requirement to teach sewing in home ec. I feel left out having to learn it all by my self. RU-vid has offered many teaching lessons over the years. In the 90's youtube was still young and didn't have these vids left and right. I feel left out not knowing how to sew my own cloths until my late 30's. My mom was a master seamstress but hated it so much and belittled me each time I tried to sew my own garments. After I moved into my own place for the third time i finally dived deep into sewing. It's cheaper and you can make cloths that actually fit. I have a hard time finding clothing that fits now because of how chunky society is getting. Or because everyone is buying more online there is less in the stores than there use to be and they often just never have my size in the stores. Or the designers have an odd idea of what should fit for people my weight/build and they can never get it right so shirts are often too baggy.

In my HS sewing class my teacher didn't help me because I had been sewing most my life..... But that didn't mean I knew how to do things. I made a lined jacket that had exposed raw edges which she was going to fail me on = so my solution was encased seams. I guess sometimes we learn best on our own but as another viewer stated it doesn't say much about the "teachers".

Bust darts! I can not seem to make them 1 fit me appropriately, or 2 where they look nice. I keep telling myself it's because I am oddly shaped, but isn't that why most home sewists began to sew? I hope one day I figure it out because I'm ready to stop sewing tents to "make it fit.

Hi kitty!

Thanks for this! I was just wondering today if seam rippers can get dull! The first video of yours I watched was when you made Simplicity 8133. I was starting to sew again after 30 years and that waist band was doing me in. I started over with new fabric and your vid and success! My latest challenge is a straight skirt and pleated top, hence the seam ripper question. Thankfully I have two!

Is the drive from Austin to Huston 2 hours? Gramdma must really ❤❤❤❤you😊

I have been tempted to line everything due to imperfect seam finishes. However, I do not know how to line garments lol. Do you have a tutorial on lining Jackets and/or coats? If not, would you consider making one? Thanks! I love your channel and notice that you are picking up on followers---Yay!

😂I’m on my third session of ripping apart a Japanese Knot bag! It’s a reversible bag and trying to get the four layers of fabric coordinated so it shows correctly is driving me nuts. Plus, there’s no written instructions to go with - just a video so I’m having to write all my mistakes down so I don’t repeat them again!

What fashion school did you attend?