Challenge 6: Try Me!
Recently they had decent quality sewing machines for a really good price at the local ALDI, and since I always wanted to be able to alter my clothes myself (I have the eternal problem of too long trouser legs), I figured now was the time.
Since I had nothing to go on but a few YouTube Videos and the sewing machine manual, I signed up for a one-time class at a local fabric store in order to learn how to actually use the sewing machine. For this class, everyone picks a little project and then sews that project during class with the help of the two ladies who run it.
I had a little think about what I'd be able to do in a couple of hours and what I might actually use, and I eventually settled on a washable, reusable pad. The pattern was straightforward and seemed really easy.
Link to instructions/recipe: This is the page with instructions and a link to the pattern in pdf format that I used. It's in German, but it includes a bunch of pictures, so you'll hopefully get the gist. Plus, the pattern is available in English at the bottom of the page. I picked this pattern specifically because it doesn't include any buttons or similar since I didn't feel up to it.
Okay, as specified in the instructions, I cut out the fabric once for the filling (I used an old towel) and twice for the outer layer (I used an old t-shirt). Once done, I laid all layers over each other and used pins to pin them into place. At the suggestion of one of the ladies at the sewing class, I altered the pattern: instead of going base layer - filling - top layer and sewing once around, I went filling - top layer - base layer (inverted) and left an opening when I sewed the layers together so I could turn the hole thing right and have it be more pretty.
I only remembered to take pictures while I was working on my second one... :p
Photos: (click on any pic to see it bigger)
You can see the finished first pad in the upper left corner, and the cut out pieces in blue-green and white (that's the towel filling):
Pinning all the layers together:
After sewing around once (there is a gap in the black thread on the left side - that's what I used to turn the pad to the right side:
Same as above, but from the other side:
Opening to turn the pad:
After turning it right side out:
The finished product (with the gap sewn shut):
The black thread obviously stands out a lot and it looks pretty ugly, but I didn't have any matching thread. I imagine it looks nicer in a matching colour. Ultimately, though, this isn't a t-shirt and it's not like many people besides me (and you guys, I guess) are going to see it.
Bonus pic of the first one I made:
My Experience: Now, this project was relatively easy to accomplish. It doesn't look super neat, but I guess that requires practice - the rounded corners gave me some trouble, and so did keeping an equal distance at every side. But on the whole I think I managed okay and I gained the knowledge on how to operate my sewing machine, which was what I wanted from the class. I consider the 20 € for the class money well-spent, and I got two not very pretty but at least functional pads out of it.
Since I had nothing to go on but a few YouTube Videos and the sewing machine manual, I signed up for a one-time class at a local fabric store in order to learn how to actually use the sewing machine. For this class, everyone picks a little project and then sews that project during class with the help of the two ladies who run it.
I had a little think about what I'd be able to do in a couple of hours and what I might actually use, and I eventually settled on a washable, reusable pad. The pattern was straightforward and seemed really easy.
Link to instructions/recipe: This is the page with instructions and a link to the pattern in pdf format that I used. It's in German, but it includes a bunch of pictures, so you'll hopefully get the gist. Plus, the pattern is available in English at the bottom of the page. I picked this pattern specifically because it doesn't include any buttons or similar since I didn't feel up to it.
Okay, as specified in the instructions, I cut out the fabric once for the filling (I used an old towel) and twice for the outer layer (I used an old t-shirt). Once done, I laid all layers over each other and used pins to pin them into place. At the suggestion of one of the ladies at the sewing class, I altered the pattern: instead of going base layer - filling - top layer and sewing once around, I went filling - top layer - base layer (inverted) and left an opening when I sewed the layers together so I could turn the hole thing right and have it be more pretty.
I only remembered to take pictures while I was working on my second one... :p
Photos: (click on any pic to see it bigger)
You can see the finished first pad in the upper left corner, and the cut out pieces in blue-green and white (that's the towel filling):
Pinning all the layers together:
After sewing around once (there is a gap in the black thread on the left side - that's what I used to turn the pad to the right side:
Same as above, but from the other side:
Opening to turn the pad:
After turning it right side out:
The finished product (with the gap sewn shut):
The black thread obviously stands out a lot and it looks pretty ugly, but I didn't have any matching thread. I imagine it looks nicer in a matching colour. Ultimately, though, this isn't a t-shirt and it's not like many people besides me (and you guys, I guess) are going to see it.
Bonus pic of the first one I made:
My Experience: Now, this project was relatively easy to accomplish. It doesn't look super neat, but I guess that requires practice - the rounded corners gave me some trouble, and so did keeping an equal distance at every side. But on the whole I think I managed okay and I gained the knowledge on how to operate my sewing machine, which was what I wanted from the class. I consider the 20 € for the class money well-spent, and I got two not very pretty but at least functional pads out of it.