Friday, 13 April 2012

Thinking Outloud

I`ve been thinking quite a bit about my quilting recently and it dawned on me what a crazy hobbie it really is for a climate such as Morocco and particularly Marrakech. I`m sure it`s a thought that has crossed many a visitor to this blog. You see, in the winter it`s way too cold for a quilt and in the summer, a sheet is way too hot let alone a quilt. They are good for the `demie seasons` but sometimes the cooler weather only lasts a short few weeks.

Add into the mix the cost of importing fabric, notions and so forth, it`s expensive too.

My first sewing love was dressmaking, which I did quite a bit of as a teenager...knocking up eighties style skirts over night and wearing them to college the next day. I even made ball gowns for `dos` at university - think hot pink, big shoulders, sweetheart neckline and leg o` mutton sleeves and a big full skirt. It was the `80s.

Claire Hummel, Ariel

I really want to try my hand again at making some clothes..I want to be able to take accurate measurements, make adjustments and perhaps...just perhaps make my own patterns. The secret apparently is that you have basic blocks and then adapt each one to change a style. It`s just a question of knowing how.

So recently I found the most fabulous one on one tailoring and pattern cutting course with an amazing woman in London but fabulous courses come at fabulous prices, and for the moment this has to go on the back burner.

I`ve always thought of myself as a lifelong learner and have ~~often~~ usually had to rely on the self-taught method and now is no exception. So today I ordered two books, which have great reviews on amazon.

This one (which has the longest title known to man) - How to Use, Adapt and Design Sewing Patterns: From Shop-bought Patterns to Drafting Your Own: A Complete Guide to Fashion Sewing with Confidence by Lee Hollahan available here