Sewing stories II
Thanks everyone for the opinions on the Sidelines vs. FLS. I love the swingy look of the FLS, but yes, I confess I too am not sure if it will flatter me. Some of the comments reinforced that doubt, so I finally opted for the Sidelines Top, but with some mods and a different yarn – which is still in the mail. If swatching goes well, I’ll blog about it soon. I decided to temporarily shelve the Mas Acero (Safeena, will definitely email you first if I do decide I have too many things in that shade!), and switch to working in some other colours for now.
In the meantime, I joined a Sewing 101 class here, and wanted to put down some first impressions about it.
First off, my jaw hurts from dropping to the floor at the prices of the pattern, the fabric, and the supplies. Yes, I am a mighty fool for not bringing some general fabric, or all my supplies with me. I guess it’s not so much the actual price as the difference because of the exchange rate, and my annoyance at having to basically reequip myself all over again. The pattern – apparently an easy one for beginners according to the saleswoman who sold it to me – is for a basic straight-lines robe, which I thought would be a good way to learn about such important things as sleeves, belts and bands. And it promises to be quite an education, given that I spent the entire five hours of the first class cutting the tracing paper, and pinning and cutting the fabric. Ten more hours and I will, no doubt, feel like I should have not just a robe, but a square hat and tassel, and a degree as well.
I saw one of those shiny electronic machines for the first time ever, and learnt where the bobbin goes and how to select speed and stitch and all of that. But the class is eye-opening in many other ways too – learning about the “grain of fabric”, which is a new and intriguing, if altogether proper concept, and about reading and using commercially published patterns. As always it set me thinking about how things are done so differently in different parts of the world. My teacher in Pune did not mention grain at all. Some fabric for salwar kameezes has a pannaa (width) of 54 inches, and even when it is 45 inches, it is not always cut lengthwise along the grain – certainly many of mine have been cross-grain. You would just need a lot more fabric to cut along the grain – in the case of my robe, I was surprised that I needed nearly 4.5 metres, when a full-sleeved A-line knee-length kameez, roughly similar dimensions as the robe, usually takes no more than 2.5.
I tried gently to suggest that I try the robe too along the cross-grain since it would allow me to use the remaining fabric for another kurti, maybe, but the teacher was quite adamant that I cut it according to the layout in the pattern. So I need to pick her brains about the hows and whys and what-happens-ifs of all this, and also pay closer attention to grains and things the next time I buy fabric from a taagaa (bale), rather than a pre-cut piece set, in India. I wonder if the need to economize over the fabric impacts the sewing practice, even at the expense of the fabric’s integrity, since garments along the grain are sturdier, perhaps? Even as I type this I imagine the internets and sewing fora to be abuzz with these debates – battlelines drawn sharply between the along-the-grain walas and the cross-grain walas, like English or Continental knitters, or like toe-up and cuff-down socknitters, or those who knit exclusively with natural fibers and those who use acrylic…
But I confess I was unprepared for two other things. The first was the actual pattern, which I had no idea would be pre-traced on paper! In my Pune class I measured myself, drafted the pattern and cut it on old newspaper, then held it by hand over the fabric as I outlined it with tailor chalk, then moved it away and cut the fabric. Here, I chose the L size, cut along the paper that already came in the pattern, ironed both the paper and the fabric, and then painstakingly pinned the traced pattern to the fabric. Oh my god the pinning! She made me repin it thrice, because I didn’t have enough, and she was worried the fabric would move. I was heartily sick of it, but deeply impressed with the attention to precision. I finally got the sides together in a fourth round of pinning, all prepped for sewing next week. All I could think of was – wow, is this how everyone sews every single pattern they make here? It’s a lot more labour intensive than the general eyeballing method of Mrs. Rajput back in Pune. It set me thinking about how much of this was her individual teaching style, and how generalized these sewing practices are.
A deeper discourse on handicrafts vs. the industrial revolution, individual product vs. mass production etc is fighting to burst forth here, but I am quelling the urge for now, because I am suspicious of simple binaries of “it’s like this in India” vs. “it’s like that in the West” and I really don’t know anything yet about the world of sewing to generalize beyond these two individual experiences. But it’s certainly worth exploring these themes further in my sewing adventures, as potential differences in crafting philosophy, or as pedagogical or epistemological approaches in different parts of the world to handicrafts that live in an industrial age. Maybe it will all emerge as individual quirks and accidents of history rather than broad patterns (!) of cultural practice; for now, does anyone know of interesting books or website that discuss stuff like this? I’d love to read more about it. (Actually, Abena, if you’re reading this, it would be great if you could weigh in on this, would love to get your take on it!) I’ve written in the past about the differences in knitting methods – in terms of the attention to gauge, yarn amounts, measurements and blocking vs. a general let’s-see-what-happens attitude among knitters like my mum. And yet, sewing demands an attention to fit that knitting does not, both because sweaters aren’t used as much in a warm country like India, and tend to stretch and fit loosely anyway, so it might well not be a good comparison. We all know a tailor has to be far more careful about his garments fitting his customers than an auntie has to be about her sweater fitting her nephew…
Although I don’t sew regularly now, I did for many, many years. It all falls in to the “measure twice, cut once” school of construction, I think
Yes, the straight grain of the fabric was drilled in to me back in the day of my Home Economics classes – cutting on the bias (cross-grain) generally gives an entirely different drape to whatever you are making – perhaps not so noticeable on some fabrics as others – but important. The fabric will also stretch along the bias – which is generally not something you want.
Also, if you are not cutting consistently on the grain as shown by the arrows on the pattern pieces, your fabric will not match up as it should (i.e., if there is a pattern, it will not be consistent throughout the garment).
Maybe that’s how quilting got started – all the bits left over from having to cut on the grain
I usually iron the pattern before pinning, and I don’t cut away to the lines until the pattern is pinned to the fabric – then you cut away.
Best of luck with your robe and sorry this is so long
I cut using a rotary cutter and a special mat underneath. I don’t bother with pins. I weigh things down with “pattern weights”. They were expensive and I found that odd bits of metal from the recycle bin at the machine shop in the university physics dept work just as well. Some people use tuna cans or giant washers from the hardware store. Is there a physics or engineering dept with a machine shop at your uni?
I eyeball seam allowances all the time.
http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2009/07/black.html
Cross-wise grain vs length-wise grain is a personal preference. Most clothing are cut along the length-wise grain. But some things, notably things made w/ border prints, are cut along the cross-wise grain.
The most important thing is NOT to mix the grains. Why? Because they shrink at different rates. If you sew a piece cut along one grain to another piece cut on the other grain, you will have a puckered mess after you wash the garment.
See this fabric shrinks 7% in one direction and 3% in the other.
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3479-AA.shtml?lnav=fabric_cotton.html
Have fun on your sewing journey. Drop me a line if you have any more Q.
I just started learning to sew. It is quite a journey right? You are going to love it!
I like the soft look of this fabric, it’s going to turn out lovely!
I think it’s based entirely on personality. In academia (at least in my field) it’s the same division, pedantic vs. laid back. I could use stronger words for pedantic, but today I won’t. I’ve found it is possible to find cheaper fabric online and luckily there’s a discount shop near my house. Do you have a fabric district in the Bay area? Also are you going to Sock Summit?
Yup even i faced the grain talk when i attended sewing classes. But it really makes a lot of difference to the final product; how it hangs on and drapes over the body.
And God! How many times you have to do ironing pre/during/post sewing
No wonder over 50 tailors in 6 different cities in India never got my salwar top properly.
(Submitted the comment too fast)
There are also things like interfacing near the neck area, darts, clipping around the curves, serging that most tailors back home dont really care about.
I think it finally drills down to time, money and saving on fabric(they keep any extra fabric).
As far as i am paying, its about 150 for a salwar top which rouhly translates to 3-3.5USD which might be equal to the amount of time you have spend of Pinning and Cutting the fabric.
So if the tailor have to make some money with all the competition, he has to churn out as many clothing as he can in less time, which can only be done if he compromises on quality which is very evident in the fitting of the dress.
My MIL who used sew a lot also tries to fit in the peices to save on fabric.
My mom sews sari blouses and frocks and later started stitching my salwar kamiz. She also used to say to do not mix the grains. She always taught me to cut fabric with straight grain and that too because the fabric will fit well. She showed me same pattern with same fabric with different grain and how the fitting varies. But that was about saree blouses which is a kind of tight fitting.
Then again i get bored when I have to do to much pinning. I just loose interest. I am not sure I will be ever able to follow a pattern to the dot and stitch anything. I am getting an itch to either knit or sew just looking at the stuff you have been writing about.
Yep, that’s how I make all my garments. I’m deeply envious that you can measure, figure out a pattern, and just chalk it up on the fabric. The very few times I’ve tried to do that? Disaster!
I’m not sure what you mean by cross-grain (on the bias?) – but if you mean diagonally, that will cause serious issues with your drape. Bias-cut is very stretchy, which you *want* for certain patterns, but for others, it would just cause the finished garment to pull and pucker and sag unattractively.
Just wanted to say all these stories are wonderful – thanks for taking the time to share your experiences in detail. Please keep them coming!
Any and all advice re. sewing is MOST welcome, and the bit about fall and shrink rate being determined by grain is especially useful. I am going to try and make some kameezes cut along the grain to see how they fare.
Grace says:
“The most important thing is NOT to mix the grains. Why? Because they shrink at different rates. If you sew a piece cut along one grain to another piece cut on the other grain, you will have a puckered mess after you wash the garment.”
Aaaah! This may explain many many of my Indian tailor botch ups!
I just wanted to mention that if you have a chain fabric store (like Jo-Ann, which we have here), they often put patterns on sale. They’ll put a whole brand (i.e. Vogue or Butterick) on sale for 1.99 or even .99 a pattern. It saves a lot of money to stock up at those times, rather than pay the $15 full price!
How fascinating to hear about the contrasts in your classes in India and CA. I’ve noticed similar differences with sewing in the States vs. in Ghana (kind of like using elaborate recipes vs. cooking with basic proportions). African designers draw patterns directly onto fabric with chalk and maximize smaller pieces of fabric, too.
My mom would always cut cross grain. She would say if you cut along the grain then you are cutting along the weave that would allow the weaved thread to come out. If you cut cross grain then you are cutting against the weave which would protect the cloth. She was taught like this 50years ago.
Ya…cutting the pattern on the newspaper was fun.
OK, I don’t have a clue about sewing but am finding this endlessly fascinating. It makes me think that the general attitude in India is more laissez-faire than fastidious, but then economic issues such as using the least amount of fabric also come in.
Abena’s comment in particular makes me think of how much stuff in India is just improvised, eyeballed and just generally winged (or so it would seem)- be it knitting, cooking, or sewing! My mom never used a recipe or made a gauge swatch, ever, but was a fantastic cook and knitter.
iaminchennai cracks me up too- been there, done that and now generally just go with fabindia.
Keep the posts coming!
Hey Prachi — do you want me to bring you some fabric? I won’t be leaving until the beginning of October and then will see you in Madison later in the month, yes? I can e-mail you my address in Jaipur, or I can pick out some fabric for you if you give me directions as to what you want. Or maybe Tracy and I can have a field day in Bombay picking out fabric for you… that sounds like fun.
Love that you are sewing. And for what it is worth, in America, I was taught to make my own patterns first too — I had to learn to draft a standard pattern from my own measurements that I could then manipulate to my heart’s content. Then I had to learn how to drape a pattern on a dress form to later cut and sew from. Only after all that was I allowed to use a commercial pattern.
But I learned to sew from a designer who I then later worked as a stitcher for. I would not have the patience for ironing patterns and pinning and cutting. That sounds dreadful. 
No doubt it is totally worth it though on some technical level. Keep having fun!
Have fun! And let me know if you are wanting me to bring fabric!
I so enjoy your blog, especially the knitting and travel entries (I knit, but don’t sew, although my great-grandfather was the proverbial Jewish tailor in New York). I might travel to India (for only 10 days) in January. Could you suggest a survey book about Indian history and / or culture for an American who works with loads of Indians, but who is as spiritual as a doornail and who knows nothing of Hinduism? Thanks!
Hi,
I am looking for a good institute or teacher in Pune from whom I can learn cutting and sewing. Any one has any details?
Dimple