I started to write this on Sunday night, but then there was a bang outside at the electricity substation and the electric went off immediately after. It may have been a sign that this shouldn’t be shown to the world, but suck it up, you’re getting it anyway ;o)
A while ago I was talking to my Sew Brit Bag Camp partner in crime about pattern writing. We both have completely different approaches to it, in that having calculated what we need to cut, she writes out the whole pattern and then makes it, while I write it as I go.
There are pros and cons to both approaches, but I was wondering about my approach when I found myself sitting there twice on Saturday thinking ‘Oh shit, I should have sewn that on earlier’, firstly when I noticed the roll of strapping sitting there and realised I’d forgotten to sew the ends of my adjustable strap onto the sides of the bag before I sewed the sides, front and back together, and secondly when I realised that because of the method I was using to close the bag, I should have sewn the flap onto the back before sewing the sides, front and back together. It wasn’t impossible to fix, but was just a bit awkward.
There may have been cursing, sulking and stomping off in a huff, leaving it in time out, but I can neither confirm nor deny that fact.
So anyway, I did have 1 thing going in my favour, for the first time ever I was making two identical bags side by side, so since I’d only screwed one of them up by sewing the sides on already, I could still get the pattern photos taken properly with the 2nd bag. And all was right with the world…
Here’s the aftermath of the weekend’s sewing, you can decide whether this is an indication of success or just that I need a thread bin hanging by my machine ;o)
Always look on the bright side. I hope you got things figured out.
As long as the instructions work, I don't suppose it matters whether they are written before or during, it's the ones that make great leaps of logic that wind me up!
Here's how I go about with my pattern writing. I sketch and do all the layouts on paper. I then make a sample in my head then I write it up. Sow,times it goes as I planned in my head and sometimes it doesn't but it's all fun.
I usually take photos and a few notes while I make the item, then go back and fill in the text. But it's not a piece of cake…always more time consuming than I think it'll be…
As long as it works out in the end I don't suppose it matters how the pattern writing happens. Sometimes though I wonder if the pattern writer has actually followed their own steps as that leap of logic that Benta mentions has me confounded! Glad to know that even substations giving up doesn't put you off your stride 🙂
As a really novice sewer I think the main thing is to assume no knowledge at all in the person reading the pattern and mention even the tiniest, most obvious step. I have abandoned trying to make bags from a book by a well known bag author for that reason! I can't fill in the gaps yet, I need everything mentioned, preferably in the right order!
I think I would scratch the steps roughly first and than work as u do – but not two bags at the same time! That would never ever work for me .. I think (maybe I should try). and what bag are u making?
I have a jar next to the machine for the threads and one next to the cutting mat. That works best for me as I already hate the thought taking the threads off from fabric.