My life has changed a bit since the year 2020. The triplets just started pre-school this January. It is wonderful news. I really felt like the trips needed to socialize with people that did not look exactly like them and I do mean exactly like themselves. Since then, my schedule has changed dramatically. The only thing I do now is drive. I drive the girls to and from school, in the morning, noon-ish for pre school and 3:30 pm for the big girls. I have always disliked driving and I am realising that it will be one of my m
ain jobs for at least the next 16 years of my life. Psyched!
Life is still a wonderful mix of rainbows and butterfly but time in the sewing studio has gotten much more difficult. If I get to hide away downstairs with my machine for a couple hours on Sundays, it’s a good week. With that being said Triplets & Co needs to ” PIVOT !” Since time is an issue, making these slightly bigger items and using original, vintage and mass produced patterns has been a liberating experience. I am a creator at heart but designing a garment from start to finish can eat up a lot of hours. For example, a coat pattern can easily take up to 20 hours. The pattern will be good forever but with life with 5 children makes it impossible to do it all. I have been spending lots of time researching vintage patterns and techniques. It is fascinating to realise how much mass produced patterns have changed in the last few decades. Sizes have changed but the instructions and techniques have also transformed to connect to a broader demographic of sewers. For example, little things like seam allowances. Patterns didn’t always include them and now most have them —very rarely do they not. Vintage patterns also use different vocabulary. I had to use google approximately 25 times with one 1950s pattern.
One of my favourite finds has been a sewing magazine from Europe called FiberMood. It comes out 4 times a year and contains up to 24 variations of patterns for women and children. Patterns for men are in another edition. Their patterns are fresh and original. Unfortunately, I tried to find the same types o
f publications here in North America and couldn’t find anything. Europe has so much more in terms of sewing than we do … I am bit jealous not going to lie. It has become some of my light reading that I like to bring in the car while waiting for the girls to finish school.
All of this brings me to this: I have been making coats for women and children. I love the children’s vintage Canadian winter parka inspired by Macpherson patterns. I also created a spring version of it with a rising sun and polar bears appliqués on the back panel. I made a couple of wool wrap coats, with one of them having a front and back panel in quilt. Used a kwik sewing pattern to make a vintage 60s wool belted cardigan. Lastly, I just finished a quilted spring coat. I am in love with all these projects.
I enjoy sharing my creativity with people on the street and social media. What should be my next step? Would you be interested in seeing the method I use to finish a garment? Should I make videos of my next sewing projects?