My name is Carrie and I've been designing and sewing clothes ever since I can remember. I learned a lot from commercial patterns, but many of them are quite expensive for my budget (I'd rather buy fabric!) and being short, I always have to alter everything, so many years ago I made a sloper and started experimenting with flat pattern drafting. Now a lot of the patterns I use are home-drafted or taken from commercial garments I like. I have a long-standing interest in historical dress and textiles of all kinds. Sewing is my "instant" gratification outlet--my other fiber efforts include weaving, spinning and knitting. By comparison, sewing yields almost immediate results!
By choice I wear a lot of skirts since I find them comfortable, and I'd like to have more dresses in my wardrobe. I love the look of frocks from the 1950's and before, but like so many of us I have practical considerations too since I'm a bike commuter and student. My everyday clothes have to stand up to hard wear and they must be comfortable. My challenge will be how to get some retro style while honoring these requirements. In most cases I aim more for the sense of an era rather than an exact reproduction, but I do have a stack of Folkwear Patterns from long ago and I'm sure I'll find some inspiration there.
I may miss out on the first challenge, since I'll be out of town the month of July, but I'm here for the long term so I'll try to make up for it in August.
Carrie