Madhu Knits and Cooks: Sewing

I've been slowly learning how to use a sewing machine since purchasing my first in 2014 (a Brother). I was initially convinced that I would be self-taught through the internet, books, and online Craftsy classes, but as years past, I realized that a pure DIY approach wasn't going to work.

So I signed up for my first sewing class at the New York Sewing Center in 2016, a skirt-making class at the Brooklyn Craft Company in 2017, and then an alterations workshop back at the New York Sewing Center in 2019. In between, I made pillow covers, altered some clothes, and tried to experiment with similar small scale projects.

But remaining elusive was a full commercial sewing pattern. The great New York Sewing Center team recommended I take a longer class with them that would cover commercial sewing patterns, but I couldn't find a date that worked with my schedule. And so I recently turned back to my DIY attempts, this time successfully using Diana Rupp's fantastic Sew Everything Workshop book and accompanying online class I bought years ago on Craftsy (now Bluprint) to complete my first commercial pattern!

I will caveat that this wrap skirt pattern is from Rupp's book, so it had more guidance than a standard commercial pattern. But I still had to cut out pattern pieces, figure out darts and other shaping, and put together multiple pieces of fabric. Eek!

The project took several days, especially because I watched and rewatched Rupp's videos to master each step. The most laborious effort was figuring out how to cut the fabric and then transcribe the markings without dressmakers pins and a good sewing chalk. By contrast, sewing, including my first darts (pictured below), was a breeze.

I couldn't be happier with the final result - with the adjustable tie, I can wear this skirt a few different ways. I look forward to premiering it outside of my home mirror, and to taking on my next professional pattern!

I'll skip over the perfunctory introduction of my inspiration for this project, and just get to the topic - face masks. I've started making them. Lots of them. On my sewing machine. And I've declared sewing a permanent hobby, so I've created a new MadhuKnitsandCooks.com category - sewing (!).

My first face mask pattern was Bluprint's, which was linked in an email I received. The pattern seemed easy enough, but you really needed bias tape or a bias tape maker. I didn't have either and wasn't inclined to order either, so modified the pattern to use t-shirt cut ties instead.

That worked fairly well because of the density of t-shift material, but the sides still felt weak and I didn't have confidence that this mask would survive multiple wears. While I think that is largely a material issue - the t-shirt material is too dense and flexible (not rigid enough) - I think the pattern flaw is more fundamental. The side ties not only secure the mask to your head, but they are also hold the pleats of the mask together, which I think is too much for these thin ties to do.

Ok, so on to another pattern. I am not sure how I found the Sarah Maker pleated face masks pattern, but I have really enjoyed it so far. The construction of the mask is more complex than the Bluprint version, but it has far more reinforcements across the tension points of the mask. You can also easily make the fabric ties from strips of fabric without a bias tape maker. I haven't tried this pattern with elastic ties yet, but I have some elastic coming so will be giving that a try too.