FRIDAY ARCHIVES // GRAINLINE ARCHER

Whew! What a week! Work has been insane, and the weekend cannot come fast enough. It's been so busy, that I haven't really sewn in the evenings (too worn down) - which is usually a stress reliever for me. But I do have another pair of Ginger Jeans almost finished (waiting now on rivets of the silver variety - the jeans are gray), and I'm planning a Darling Ranges for this weekend with rotated darts as a test for a spring dress.

My goal with (randomly occurring) Friday Archive posts such as this one is to display old/well loved/pre-blog/or otherwise special makes in more of an archival way - and to maybe tell a short story about them :D

Pattern: Grainline Studio Archer
Size: 14
Alterations: None
Fabric: Red chambray from Denver Fabrics (similar to this)

Not long after I began sewing clothing in earnest (the beginning of 2013) - Jen at Grainline released her Archer pattern, and being the head-strong/stubborn person I am - I just went for it. The pattern was soooooo over my head and I didn't even care. I bought the red chambray (similar to this) - waited eagerly for sewalong posts, and bumbled my way through it.

This shirt was a struggle for sure (it didn't help that I was using my old, old shit sewing machine that was in serious need of maintenance) - and while I was happy to finish it, I was very disappointed that it didn't fit. It also has really crappy top stitching and the fabric is oddly stretchy and weird.


Something I've learned over the last few years (and rectified on my second Archer) is that Grainline's sizing doesn't really fit me well right out of the envelope. This might have something to do with the fact that I match her size 12/14, but really need more of an 8 with an FBA. By the time I made a second Archer, I still didn't know about FBAs so I frankensteined my pattern to be a 10 (bust) / 8 (waist) / 12 (hip). This has worked pretty well for me over the course of 8 or so more Archers, but I'd really like to go back to the base pattern, add an FBA and make a new version of this TNT pattern.


Looking back on this make recently, I realize that it actually isn't that bad. I also feel really proud of myself for giving this a go, and for doing pretty well despite having basically no experience. Unfortunately this is about the only light of day it will ever see - it just sits in the back of my closet... but it serves as a reminder of how far I've come!

FRIDAY ARCHIVES // GRAINLINE SCOUT TEE

It was a Merry Christmas for me because I got a dress form!!

I've been sewing pretty much non stop since the spring of 2013, and I've only had this blog for a few months. Because of that, I have a lot of makes that may never see the light of day here for one reason or another. A lot of my early makes are still (well) worn, and some have never been out of the house (fitting issues, bad fabric choices, etc.). I wanted to be able to archive my older makes - and so Friday Archives is born!

Plus I get to play more with my dress form!

Pattern: Grainline Scout Tee
Size: 12 (I think)
Fabric: Light green Swiss dot cotton from Mood

This is the first (successful) article of clothing I've made as an adult. I started it in February of 2013, and I remember trying to suss out the bias neckline while watching the Oscars. No joke - every time I watch an award show now, I have flashbacks to working on this shirt. 

The fabric is Swiss dot cotton from Mood - and was my first (non-Joann's) fabric purchase. I remember going to the store here in LA, finding this fabric, and then being totally confused as to what to do next. At Joann's there's an obvious cutting area, and Mood had several big cutting tables - but there were no people at them. So I finally asked someone to cut my fabric - to which they were, obviously like - "of course." So funny to remember being scared to buy fabric... I have no such problems wrangling people now.

I French seamed the whole thing - something I don't like to do now!

This shirt was very well worn, until it's demise... Some ash fell on the shirt and burned a hole right in the middle front. I tried to patch it... and the patch job is so ugly that I can never wear it again. Oh well! Now it can just live on here... and hang in the closet that holds my fabric.