Have you ever lost your “sewjo”? You know, where you have all the fabrics, all the patterns, even the time but nothing is feeling right and the harder you try to push forward to feel like you’ve accomplished even a simple, single task the harder the universe sits you flat on your ass and laughs? I’ve recently had some health issues and life/family/work continued to happen. I know, you totally want this to read like How Stella Got Her Groove back and maybe it does but without the First-Class vacay to Jamaica, way less sex and plenty of reminders about life/family/work responsibilities
I’ve had my eyes set on the Trish Newbery Beach Comber Tee for a while now and after feeling all of the Rayon Spandex I’ve had hoarded from Phee it all came together that these two needed to become one. So I went to order the pattern … the Universe laughed and for whatever reason my PayPal won’t let me purchase the pattern after multiple tries so I contact the designer. After contacting PP she has no answers but with the New Year holiday coming (and me wanting to make this shirt while I had the time) she send me the file and says to catch up with her after the holiday. (Awesome customer service and fast response!!!)
You would think at this point with my fabric carefully prepped and my pattern printed (large format even!) things would just happen. Nope – Universe laughs again. I have to have surgery to remove my Gallbladder. Afterwards I couldn’t even sit up in bed so cutting fabric on the floor or sitting at a sewing table was out of the question! And my serger was starting to show blade dulling! And my local shop was 2 weeks plus for a service! The disappointment and frustration had really built at this point. Tired and sore, I take my machine in and try not to feel complete defeat.
As I continued to heal I kept looking at my table, my pattern, my fabric and thinking, “Maybe if I clean and declutter here a bit I will feel better”. It worked! I was able to stand and cut my pattern and fabric before the mom and work duties called requiring me to set it all aside. I didn’t even have my machine back yet so I was fine walking away; it was kind of an aimless project at this point.
I think this was when Melissa asked for some vinyl application ideas for her fabrics and I stalked Pinterest for pocket embellishment. Since this was a tee with a pocket I couldn’t help but think how cute a pocket critter would be? Then I came across the most majestic cat I had ever seen. Well, you can see why; he might as well be my spirit animal! After all that had happened up to this moment, I feel he had the right attitude.
I FINISHED IT!!! But there’s even more to the story of this shirt. Yep, all sewn, hemmed, threads snipped, vinyl applied … and I feared I had scorched my fabric due to using my heat press with inexperience. I waited 48 hours and said a little prayer that the Universe wouldn’t laugh again. It did. After washing on gentle and tumble drying low, inside out, playing by all the rules, I pulled my shirt out of the dryer and with excitement the shine I was terrified was scorch was gone! Aaand my vinyl had peeled. After dialing both my temperature and time back on the press instead of following the vinyl guidelines I didn’t get a good stick. In case you ever need to know – you can REPRESS vinyl that peeled due to not enough heat or pressure and it will re-stick. You’re welcome! Things had finally come together and I felt confident enough to share this make with you.
I recently had a quote cross my feed and I really believe in this one: “The best way to get things done is to begin”. This shirt was a struggle from the get go and it was all in my head. I felt like everything was against me and once I stepped back, bit off smaller bites of what seemed like a daunting project, and let things flow together, it all worked out. I had come to a crafters’ block and letting this shirt guide me through such a hard time relaxed me and I feel like tackling a new project. It even challenged me to try my heat press! I know I like control (and a lot of it) but sometimes, it not what we need. Happy sewing!
Pattern: https://www.trishnewbery.com/pattern-1834-beachcomber-tee-and-dress-xxs-2xl.html
Fabric: https://pheefabrics.com/rayon-spandex/
Vinyl: https://anteupgraphicsupply.com/siser-easyweed-htv/
Boots (Local Boutique): https://classictrendz.com/
pheefabrics.blog 