DIARY OF A NOVICE SEWIST: The Paola Workwear Jacket in Midweight Linen
Paola Workwear Jacket, analog photography by Sophie Nawratil
Do you know that feeling when you want to make something (whether it’s sewing, knitting, etc.) and you have the pattern and fabric and everything ready to go – but somehow you’re afraid to start…?
I’m not sure if it’s the fear of struggling, of messing up – I don’t even know exactly what I’m afraid of, but sometimes I just can’t start.
One of the best examples of this problem was when I worked with the Scarf no1 from My Favourite Things Knitwear. The scarf resembles a bandana and it has a cute pattern with rows and holes. Supercute. Looks super complicated and is actually the easiest pattern. So what we have here is kind of a “don’t judge a book by its cover” situation. Because who was even too afraid to read the pattern and notice that it was actually easy? Right. Moi.
Fancy on the outside, basic on the inside.
A friend told me this and when she did I was mindblown by how easy the pattern is and by how extremely unnecessarily afraid of it I was.
You really don’t need a degree in knitting and there is 100% no magic involved. Juuuuuuuust good old basic stitches.
And why am I telling you this? Because I had (/have) exactly the same problem with collars. I don’t know why, but whenever there is a collar to sew, I’m out. Sophie has left the building. Did I ever have a bad experience with collars? No. Childhood trauma? Maybe. But I swear I love collars. The bigger, the better.
Paola Workwear Jacket, analog photography by Sophie Nawratil
And as we know I love to push myself (and by pushing myself I mean waiting until there’s no more time left and I have to grudgingly force myself to do something because I said I would), and I wanted to make a jacket. With a collar. So I got my fabric, found the cutest pattern (the FS Paoloa Workwear Jacket – AND IT’S FREE!!!) and first of all waited for a few weeks (months). And you know what pushed me to start? Sophie, my photographer, set a date for our next shooting where I wanted to shoot the jacket… Sooooo I needed the jacket to be done. ASAP. Preferably yesterday. I had no choice but to finally cut the cuts and stitch the stitches and guess what – nobody died or got hurt! And I know it’s probably not the most difficult jacket with a collar, but it’s a JACKET WITH A COLLAR. And I did it.
Paola Workwear Jacket, analog photography by Sophie Nawratil
One thing that is very important to me is – just because I say something is easy or hard, doesn’t mean that everybody else has to feel the same way. Just because I have a thing with collars, doesn’t mean they are difficult. Others may say they are the easiest thing to do. But you will only find out what works for you when you start.
You got this. Nobody can stop you. Not even a collar.
Bussis
Sophie
PS: All photos are taken analog by my lovely friend Sophie Nawratil
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Sophie Frank
Sophie is a self-taught sewist living in Vienna, Austria. If she's not sewing or taking analog photos, she's probably running after her son. Instagram: @bitte.mach.dasLeave a comment
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6 Comments
Rita C
Yes, indeed, I’m afraid I’ll mess it up even after reading it five times. I just ordered some fabric and I’m making something.
Lyn Cosby
The Paolo jacket wasn’t on my radar until your post. Now I’ve made one & love it! Thanks for the inspiration.
Vicki Lang
Your creativity is great. You only learn by doing. The more you do the more skills you over come. Keep up the great work. One day you may be designing your own patterns.
Patricia Dudley
YOU HAVE TOLD MY STORY AND LIGHTENED MY BURDEN! I ENJOY YOUR COMPANY. PATRICIA
Nancy Lucas
I.AM..THERE.
For me, it’s not the collar…it’s the buttonholes!
Jacket/coat sewn?
Collar ?
Sleeves ?
Button holes…. ? and so it stays, beautiful and lonely on the dress form. Perhaps this was the nudge I desperately needed to return to the work this weekend and finish. Stay tuned??
Nancy Solla
Oh my goodness, I thought I was the ONLY ONE. I’ve experienced this multiple times, with different sewing and knitting techniques, and I have to talk myself through it every time:
“What’s the worst that can happen?”
“I’ll totally screw up and waste that expensive fabric. I don’t know enough tricks to rescue things.”
“What could you do to minimize the chances of irretrievable disaster?”
“Make a toile. But it takes extra time and fabric and…..”
“But it would be worth it, wouldn’t it? You could test out the ease and be sure of the size. Or maybe just make the part you’re unsure of, not the whole garment, with muslin.”
“Ok, you’re right, I guess.”
And so it goes.
I find it’s easier for me with knitting.
(Begin inner dialog, see above.)
“I can just rip it back if I’m having a problem.”
“Oh, but that was SO MANY ROWS, SO MUCH WORK….” (Continue inner dialog.)
Or I find fifty million tutorials on the technique and go down a long procrastinating rabbit hole before I end up back at point A: I can just rip it back if I’m having a problem. And maybe call one of my knitting friends.
Your Paola looks great and it’s making me think I need to add it to my list. Congrats on making a thing with a collar!
Cheers!
Nancy