Pattern Test!

For those that are new here - I like to sew. ALOT. It's a hobby I never knew I'd come to love so much. It first started as a way to make little shirts for my kids out of my shirts. 

I like that it's a hobby that anyone can take up and also that in the future I could potentially make a little bit of money either doing basic alterations or even just making something to sell for my shop. I've made pouches, scrunchies, wristlets and other basic things. I've upcycled fabrics from other projects to make my kids clothes and even altered their clothing so that they can wear them longer. I've only ever made two things for myself and this pattern test is the third.  

This would be the first time I've ever tested a pattern and I was a little nervous to say the least. Would I finish in time? Would it be too difficult? Do I have enough of a following to even be selected? The pattern I tested was for Mech's first pattern release - the Boxcar shirt. It's an oversized button-up shirt that's pretty perfect for pretty much any occasion. I'm planning on wearing it to go out for errands with my kiddos this spring and summer. It sort of reminds me of farmer's markets. 

The start went great, after all it's just printing and cutting the pattern and then cutting out the pattern from the fabric. In my head I thought it would be completed pretty quickly. But I did run into a couple of issues with the construction...

First, I had trouble with the flat felled seams as I'd never done them before. The pattern is great for someone that doesn't have a serger since it has seam finishes that hide the raw edges. Shoulders and sleeves are attached in this way. The hardest part for me was putting the sleeves on. I just couldn't get them to sit the way they should initially. I had to go through a few youtube tutorials to get it right and in the end I was successful in attaching the sleeves. By the time I got them on though I had already seam ripped and even cut the sleeve seam allowances so the inside is a bit sloppy.

The second issue I had was with the bottom hem. Again an issue with sewing on a curve. I think I might have to practice more curves to get fluent with them. It was tough for me to get the hem to sit nice and flat so that I could confidently sew. I also watched a couple of tutorials for this and the method I used was to sew a basting stitch at the seam allowance and basically pull the strings to help the fabric curve the way its supposed to. I don't know the exact name for the technique. Although it helped, I still need practice. 

The pattern, techniques , and instructions were pretty straight forward. I learned new seam finishes. I did NOT finish on time. I finished a day late. I feel like my kids go wild when they see my at the sewing machine. My shirt does look pretty on the outside but the inside is a little bit scary. Overall it was a really great challenge and I know what things I need to work on to up my sewing skills. I am pleased with the way the shirt came out and in the future, I hope to make it again with prettier seams.