Simple Sewing Friday

Current Mood : Bright, but sleepy

After yesterday’s hurry-scurry, be everywhere kind of day, it was great to have a quieter one today. Only problem was, I was so tired, I really couldn’t manage anything complicated. Just wanted to keep things simple.

But I made so many changes to the NG Creations Boy T-Shirt, I had to print out a whole new one to make the regular version – then cut into it to narrow and shorten the sleeves. Printed the original instead of the scanned alteration. Need to start labeling things better.

Poor Holt. He went from wearing a pair of ‘Made In China’ khaki-colored UltraSuede pants with a bright Hawaiian-style shirt to wearing khaki-colored corduroy pants with a bright t-shirt. Like Gil, his new outfit wasn’t a great deal different from what he’d already been wearing. Ah, well. Now that I know I can make a full outfit, shirt and pants, in a little over an hour, I know I’ll keep sewing more. I have bunches of ideas…

One thing – corduroy is easy to sew, but this piece sheds like a vengeful cat. I keep finding tiny bits of it on his shirt, on the table, on KJ’s cover…long after I put the scissors away. Wonder if it’s just this recycled piece or if all corduroy is like that. I have a dark blue piece I want to use later, but I was too lazy to de-lint. I figure ‘cords aren’t cool yet – they weren’t when I was in high school, mostly for that ‘shoop, shoop’ sound the walking wearer inevitably made – but they do look good on the guys. Wasn’t sure about giving him a short-sleeved shirt, since heaver-weight cords are normally cooler-weather wear, but I think it’s fine. He probably has a jacket in his locker.

And…that dresses all my dudes. ‘Boyfiends Week’ is over, almost two weeks from when it started, but I learned much, have piles of fresh ideas, got over a slight fear of sewing for guys, and created quite a bit, so I’m very happy. Considering I only used four patterns – and altered them into five more – I did pretty well. Now I won’t be so timid about making new fashions for all my dolls !

Y’know, I originally got into doll clothes sewing ‘cause I hated what was sold as Ken clothes. Pants were always too short, or he was perpetually stuck in stuff no real guy I knew would ever wear, like shorts and a crop-top in fuchsia, or he got maybe one new outfit for every 30 Barbie got – and it always suffered from one or more of the previous complaints ! After I got great patterns and fantastic material for *my* Ken fashion revolution…I chickened out. It was just so easy to make another strapless fluffy dress for Babs and co. – and I convinced m’self that after a doll has black pants and a semi-acceptable t-shirt, that’s all he’d need, and I didn’t know anything about male couture.

Well, I still don’t.  Most of the ‘good’ fabrics are long gone, donated or lost in various moves, and 90% of the patterns won’t fit what I have now. But this month, I did what I meant to, years ago – got comfortable ( and even a little creative ) sewing for my male dolls. Sheesh, if I thought Mattel shafted Ken with clothes…the guys of MH really get it. Most fans complain that there’s been few ghoul fashion sets, and they’re all hard to find  – what, there’s been *one* for the guys ?

I feel like I respect m’self and my hobby a bit more, because I did what I needed to. Even if it was as silly as sewing doll clothes. Now, where can I find a pattern to mutate into a sports jacket, or a suit…?