How's your patience?

Mine is awful especially when it comes to garments that take time and concentration.

I've started on the McCalls 5815 Jacket and good golly miss molly it has taken me the best part of two days to cut the shell fabric let alone the lining!

I have been carefully trying to use up the Teal linen look from my Joan dress and I've managed Version A by the skin of my teeth. This is hopefully a wearable muslin. But it is ironically similar to the fabric used on the Pattern front. I had a quick look on pattern review and most people are saying they had a linen look polyester which is exactly what Joan's fabric was. In an identical colour so go figure.

I also have 3 meters of minty green lining in my stash that will look fab even if it is a bit staticky. So if this works it will be a hypothetically "Free" garment if its wearable. The only thing that could interfere is that people suggested adding 3inches or so to the hem so it wasn't so short. But I couldn't spare the extra fabric on this version.

Here's the fabric and lining together:

I've got myself stressed over trying to fit the pattern to very little fabric in the shell so

I think i'm done with cutting for one (two) days. I've pinned the countless pieces into "Need Interfacing" "Bodice" and "other" piles. So I won't get overloaded.

The last time I made a tailored jacket was when I was 16. First thing I'd made was an A line skirt no fastening, shortly followed by a disastrous corset. Thats A level Textiles with a Poncy teacher for you. I subsequently got a big fat U for my efforts and ended up in college doing a fashion course which resulted in a merit for making. No thanks to said teacher.

However "The Fear" has stopped me from going back to making jackets. So i'm trying not to freak out. I think the trick with sewing is taking your time and the bit that needed to click with me then was:

"It is OK to go wrong. If it's a disaster who cares? You have to laugh and try again."

If I could give any new budding seamstresses any advice it would be exactly that.

"Don't beat yourself up if it goes wrong. You will learn, maybe not the first time, maybe not the second, but you will get it!" Sewing is for fun and individuality. It's not a test if your doing it for ENJOYMENT. So why stress?

I also want a say a quick Thankyou to Elle for my beautiful little bird purse that I received yesterday in the post. It was wrapped so nicely and as soon as I saw it I immediately swapped from my old boring purse!