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Sewing time
I'm currently setting up for some serious sewing over the next couple of weeks. I have a Very Important Wedding to go to in October, and I want to look fantastic (although, of course, not overshadowing the bride).
So I've been getting my hand back in with some simple outfits for a certain Velociraptor, and while flipping through pattern books, I've been reminded of the phenomenon known as "The 2 hour skirt pattern". Here's one for your edification, although this one's a 1-hour one. You'll notice that they now say that the one hour is sewing machine time only, so you might be wondering how long it really is to make.
Let's assume that you were at the shops anyway, so the slight detour to choose some fabric, elastic and thread took only 20 minutes. Of course you colour-matched your thread perfectly.
Once home, you threw the fabric in the washing machine, to pre-shrink it and to make sure it could take the treatment it will get while it's in use. I was looking at some fabric yesterday - admittedly exquisite printed silk from Italy - and not only is it "Dry Clean Only", it's "using only Green Earth (liquid silicone) solution". Lovely as it was, it won't be in my sewing basket any time soon. (That, and $150/m is a little past my budget).
Hang out your fabric to dry. While I won't count the time it's taken in the machine, nor yet the time drying, the tasks take a little time. Let me add another 10 minutes.
At the same time, you check your size against the pattern pieces, ironing them out to make sure they're flat and cutting them out of the big sheets. You double-check those waist measurements, because you do not want to put in all that time and effort for something that doesn't fit. If it all went well, that's 20 minutes. Also, you clean your sewing machine ready for the task ahead (10 minutes) (putting in a new needle at the same time), and assemble all the pins, scissors, markers, etc (5 minutes).
So you haven't even cut your fabric yet, but it's already been over an hour...
Time to do the deed. You've already got your pattern pieces roughly trimmed, so you put your fabric down first, making sure it's nice and straight (I love using the side of my table for that). I'm guessing that for this one, it's probably barely shaped - possibly even just a pair of rectangles sewn together, then you slip elastic around the waist, and turn up the hem. This would make the cutting out, and even the pinning together, probably take no more than 10 minutes. (I've taken up to an hour to cut some patterns...)
Sewing up the side seams? Another 10 minutes at most. And that's part of the machine time. Remember to leave a 1.5 cm gap at the top for the elastic. Say 5 minutes to press the seams. (You always press your seams, don't you? Of course you do!)
The top of the skirt then needs to be folded over and pinned, and the same with the hem. (I'm assuming just a turned-and-sewn hem, nothing fancy and no hand-sewing that hemline). However, that still takes time - it'll be about 3.5m around the base, and as it's an elastic top, probably 2m around the waistline. (Guessing here, but that's what I'd do). So I'd allow a good 45 minutes to make sure you're doing it properly. Of course, you'd probably sew the waistline first, then pin the hem, to make sure your hemline is straight, but let's just put the turning and pinning time here.
Time to sew those seams. They're straight, so nice and easy - probably another 20 minutes sewing time, and a 5 minute quick iron because you kept the iron nice and hot.
Slipping in the elastic should take no more than 10 minutes. And then zig-zagging the raw parts of the side seams to make sure they don't fray would be another 30 minutes, as you have 4 of them (unless you double them over). 30 seconds to sew the ends of the elastic together, which I won't even bother counting.
Let's add that up:
Preparation/pinning/ironing/etc
20 + 10 + 20 + 10 + 5 + 10 + 5 + 45 + 5 = 130 minutes or 2 hours 10 minutes
Sewing time
10 + 20 + 30 = 60 minutes = 1 hour
So the whole thing, if you're taking it carefully, may take you up to 3 hours to make the skirt. Some people, especially if they've made it before, might be able to drop that down to 2 hours.
Is it worth it? Oh yes. You'll have a lovely new skirt that you made to fit you, from fabric you trust, and doesn't it feel good every time someone says how good it looks on you! But it will always take a lot longer than you expect to make.
So I've been getting my hand back in with some simple outfits for a certain Velociraptor, and while flipping through pattern books, I've been reminded of the phenomenon known as "The 2 hour skirt pattern". Here's one for your edification, although this one's a 1-hour one. You'll notice that they now say that the one hour is sewing machine time only, so you might be wondering how long it really is to make.
Let's assume that you were at the shops anyway, so the slight detour to choose some fabric, elastic and thread took only 20 minutes. Of course you colour-matched your thread perfectly.
Once home, you threw the fabric in the washing machine, to pre-shrink it and to make sure it could take the treatment it will get while it's in use. I was looking at some fabric yesterday - admittedly exquisite printed silk from Italy - and not only is it "Dry Clean Only", it's "using only Green Earth (liquid silicone) solution". Lovely as it was, it won't be in my sewing basket any time soon. (That, and $150/m is a little past my budget).
Hang out your fabric to dry. While I won't count the time it's taken in the machine, nor yet the time drying, the tasks take a little time. Let me add another 10 minutes.
At the same time, you check your size against the pattern pieces, ironing them out to make sure they're flat and cutting them out of the big sheets. You double-check those waist measurements, because you do not want to put in all that time and effort for something that doesn't fit. If it all went well, that's 20 minutes. Also, you clean your sewing machine ready for the task ahead (10 minutes) (putting in a new needle at the same time), and assemble all the pins, scissors, markers, etc (5 minutes).
So you haven't even cut your fabric yet, but it's already been over an hour...
Time to do the deed. You've already got your pattern pieces roughly trimmed, so you put your fabric down first, making sure it's nice and straight (I love using the side of my table for that). I'm guessing that for this one, it's probably barely shaped - possibly even just a pair of rectangles sewn together, then you slip elastic around the waist, and turn up the hem. This would make the cutting out, and even the pinning together, probably take no more than 10 minutes. (I've taken up to an hour to cut some patterns...)
Sewing up the side seams? Another 10 minutes at most. And that's part of the machine time. Remember to leave a 1.5 cm gap at the top for the elastic. Say 5 minutes to press the seams. (You always press your seams, don't you? Of course you do!)
The top of the skirt then needs to be folded over and pinned, and the same with the hem. (I'm assuming just a turned-and-sewn hem, nothing fancy and no hand-sewing that hemline). However, that still takes time - it'll be about 3.5m around the base, and as it's an elastic top, probably 2m around the waistline. (Guessing here, but that's what I'd do). So I'd allow a good 45 minutes to make sure you're doing it properly. Of course, you'd probably sew the waistline first, then pin the hem, to make sure your hemline is straight, but let's just put the turning and pinning time here.
Time to sew those seams. They're straight, so nice and easy - probably another 20 minutes sewing time, and a 5 minute quick iron because you kept the iron nice and hot.
Slipping in the elastic should take no more than 10 minutes. And then zig-zagging the raw parts of the side seams to make sure they don't fray would be another 30 minutes, as you have 4 of them (unless you double them over). 30 seconds to sew the ends of the elastic together, which I won't even bother counting.
Let's add that up:
Preparation/pinning/ironing/etc
20 + 10 + 20 + 10 + 5 + 10 + 5 + 45 + 5 = 130 minutes or 2 hours 10 minutes
Sewing time
10 + 20 + 30 = 60 minutes = 1 hour
So the whole thing, if you're taking it carefully, may take you up to 3 hours to make the skirt. Some people, especially if they've made it before, might be able to drop that down to 2 hours.
Is it worth it? Oh yes. You'll have a lovely new skirt that you made to fit you, from fabric you trust, and doesn't it feel good every time someone says how good it looks on you! But it will always take a lot longer than you expect to make.
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I was lucky enough that my Mum taught me the basics (she's an excellent seamstress, having learnt through bitter necessity in her youth) and I've taken quite a few risks and created rather nice things over the years.
I take it you saw the Theoden tunic I made my husband for a friend's Lord of the Rings wedding? I have a bolt of this dark blue raw silk, and have also made myself a muumuu with a Hawaiian theme, complete with volcanoes. I'll be using the same fabric for the trousers and top for the wedding.
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I have 2 sisters who sew, quilts mostly, so I do appreciate your skill! I think I'll stick to drawing porn though, lol. :D (somebody's gotta do it...)
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Dad's still holding out hope to sell it all off as one lot, but I don't think it will happen. There's too much and no one around here has that kind of cash, even at the cut rate of just under a buck a yard/meter. There's two rooms in their house packed full. He conservatively estimates somewhere around 7 or 8,000 yards all cut in 1 to 3 yard lengths.
A few of the area scout troops hold craft/gift fairs in the fall/pre-Christmas. I may find myself buying a table at these to help sell off some of the horde. Even $2 a yard is a give-away compared to what she paid for these fabric pieces originally.
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But. Hours and backaches and fiddly fiddly stuff and you can never ever fix a mistake. (sigh) I remember I had some lovely blue-green synthetic which I made into a pants and top set... and both patterns looked horrible on me. I had utterly wasted that nice cloth. Yes, yes, if I had been doing it properly, I would have made a test-piece... but that basically means one has to make everything twice, which is even more time...
Look, it really is not for me.
But I at least have a smattering of understanding of what it is like, so I am very admiring that you have the patience and persistence to do it.
And speaking of which... has there been any use of the cloth that you relieved me of?
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