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Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Making a Shirt

Sometimes, when you can't find things to buy that are just the way you want them, it is better to make it yourself. I find that to be true with most shirts and dresses. I haven't been sewing much over the last few years, but I have plenty of patterns, material, thread, zippers and buttons. They are all part of my storage, along with a sewing machine that can be used with electricity or with a treadle. I have everything I need to make most garments without going to the store. All I need is the motivation, and time. I have two store bought shirts that I like to wear that are comfortable, fit well, and are long enough for my taste. I am tall. After a while, you get tired of wearing the same thing over and over, right? So, it was finally time to make a few shirts, my way.


I started this shirt a couple of months ago, but set it aside, a couple of times. When I got back to sewing, it only took a few hours to complete the shirt, all except the button holes. One reason I put off finishing the shirt was that I had not made button holes on this new machine. It doesn't have the button hole attachment that pretty much makes them for you, so I hadn't sat down long enough to practice and learn how to make them. It's easy to put some things off that require a little more time and effort, isn't it?

Sewing is something I watched at my mother's knee as a young girl. I would sit beside her and watch as she made my clothes. What a blessing this has been my whole life. Not only did I benefit from the clothes she made, and the time I got to spend with her, I learned that it's easy to make things for yourself. Little did she know that she was teaching me a very important aspect of being self-reliant. Then, when I was about 12, she took me to a Singer sewing store during the summer for sewing lessons. When we were sewing in our Home Economics class in high school, the teacher threatened to give me a speeding ticket for sewing too fast. Most of the girls were just learning to sew, but by then, I had already been sewing for three or four years and had made a number of outfits.


After sewing for so many years, and having a machine with a buttonhole attachment, I figured this machine would be like the old Montgomery Ward I originally had, that my mother gave me, that she made my clothes on. You had to manually create the buttonholes and it was a little difficult. Boy, was I wrong about this Necchi. These were the simplest buttonholes I have made in 40 years. And to think I kept procrastinating because I thought it would be difficult. You have heard of paint by number, right? Well, this is buttonhole by number. You start at number 1 on the knob and when you get to number 4, your buttonhole is finished. It takes less than 30 seconds. Amazing.

We invested in this machine a number of years ago because it can be used with electricity or with a treadle. So far, I have only used it in the electric mode. It is a very sturdy, commercial grade machine. It mends jeans with a breeze, much easier than my Kenmore. I have been very pleased with the ease at which it tackles the tasks I have given it. Originally, I wasn't even going to mention it in this post until I made a buttonhole. Even if you have never made a buttonhole in your life, you can with this machine. It's that easy.

 
So, now I have a new shirt and the motivation to make a few more. I have everything I need in my 'sewing room', which also doubles and triples for a few other things. Sewing, mending, knitting and quilting supplies are part of our everyday storage. Over time, I have collected quite a few buttons. Some were on sale, some are old and have been passed on to me from relatives, like my mom. Any time I want
to sew a new project that has buttons, Frank and I get out the canister (yes, I have some sewing supplies like buttons and zippers in a canister set that I don't use in the kitchen), and we pour out the buttons and find the ones we like the best.
You see, Frank and I do everything together. For example. Even though he is our radio communications man, he still talks to me about it all the time. Through those conversations, I learn a lot. Even though I don't use the HF radio to listen to stations around the country and in different parts of the world, when he does, I am usually sitting about 15 feet away, listening.


The more you can demonstrate to your family, the essence of being self-reliant, regardless of the task, the more they will internalize the endless possibilities of independence. Children are never too young to learn, even if they are just sitting by your side watching. Just knowing that someone else, someone important, can do things on their own, brings on a self-confidence that cannot be taught by words or writings. Share with your family and friends those things that you know how to do that will foster their self-reliance and self-confidence. You never know, it may just change their life.

Until next time - Fern


9 comments:

  1. Who made the beautiful quilt on your bed ?

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    1. I did, Grace. I call it my memory quilt, because the pieces are all from the scraps leftover from making my clothes. I have only made a few quilts, but each has been made by hand, from piecing to quilting. It's a very satisfying project, it just takes a while. I think I made this one in a little over a year and it was the quickest one. Thank you for asking.

      Fern

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  2. Which Necchi machine model do you have? I went to their website and wasn't sure which model could also be used as a treadle.

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    1. After I posted this last night, Frank went online to try to find it and couldn't. It is a model 6010 from Allyn International, but we think the treadle conversion was an after market addition. We purchased in from Lehman's. Now they carry a similar machine, but it is a different brand and is treadle only. I think we have had this machine for about four years. It doesn't appear that they make it anymore, which is too bad. It could come in handy for a lot of folks. Good luck in your search and thank you for the question.

      Fern

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    2. Thank you anyways. I have seen the Janome (I think that is the spelling) new treadles. I have considered one of them. After reading your article I was hoping to find a machine that would go birth ways.

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  3. Great that you are able to have both the electric and treadle in one machine. I have an electric machine and then a separate treadle machine. It would be nice to have them both in one machine and save space as well. My mother was a seamstress and I too learned at her knee at a young age. I think it has been one of the most useful skills that she taught me and came in handy many times through the decades. Especially when I was raising kids.

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    1. Watching my mother sew as a child has been a blessing in my life. I'm happy to hear it is in yours also. Besides that, they're are choice memories that I will always cherish.

      I feel very fortunate to have this machine. Frank did a lot of research to find it. Thank you for sharing, CQ.

      Fern

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    2. Daughter and husband are at the State Fair today, manning the Missouri Beekeepers booth, so I've had the entire day to sew. In the last ten days, I've made my daughter 3 vests, 1 blouse and 2 fleece pajama bottoms. She is thrilled. It feels so good to make things your family really wants and will use. I'm so glad my mother saw to it that I learned to sew at a young age. I was 12 years old wen I made my first dress. I can still remember it.

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    3. I remember how your daughter feels. It was always a special treat when my mom finished making another piece of clothing for me. Your daughter is a fortunate young lady. I hope she continues the tradition.

      I have pictures of the first thing I made in the sewing class when I learned to sew. We had a small fashion show at the end of the class and modeled the clothes we made. I will always remember that.

      Thank you for sharing Katzcradul.

      Fern

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