the Beginning

This is my first blog post and I'm really not sure what I am supposed to be doing.    My goal is just to make it a place where I can record my sewing, maybe a bit of life and some of my thoughts.  I'm not much of a photographer and I'm not the fastest writer or typist in the world, (That would be my friend Joy Joy.) and I live a very busy life.  I work 40 hours a week, then I come home and five days a week I watch my grandchildren, ages 2 1/2, 6, and an almost 8 going on 17. I have them all day Saturday and Sunday.  I sew when I can, which isn't nearly often enough.  I do as little house cleaning as I can get away with, mainly because my choice is cleaning or sewing and I'm afraid cleaning is almost always going to lose out.

I've become interested in Marfy patterns recently.  I tried a free one out of the catalog that I ordered from Vogue and liked it.  I ordered three patterns; two jackets and a pair of pants.  All three patterns came in a 6"x8" envelope.  Each pattern was folded into a little packet just a little longer than a playing card.  (I know, this is where I should insert a picture, but I don't know how. I need you, Joy Joy?)  Anyway, I decided to try out the pants pattern.

It is Marfy 3110 in a size 48, straight leg pants.  It has pockets, a fly front zipper and a narrow waistband.

Woo Hoo!  There is some wasted space, but I managed to copy a picture over here.

The really nice thing about the Marfy pattern is that the pattern is already cut out in your size.  I compared it to my wonderful Louise Cutting "My Swing Set" pants pattern and the crotch shape was almost exactly the same.  The MSS pants have an elastic waist, but I really prefer.a zipper in pants instead of elastic.  Elastic always seems to pinch.  Believe me, I don't get the elastic too tight.  I do not like discomfort!  But there always seems to be a pinching sensation.  I realized after I traced off the Marfy pattern (I"m not cutting into a pattern all the way from Italy!) that what I had done was morph the waist from the Marfy pattern onto my MSS pants.  The Marfy legs were too wide for me so I narrowed them to the MSS width.   I had to take almost two inches off of the area above the crotch.  Marfy's length from the waist to the full hip is 8", mine is 6".  The crotch was almost the same, which is what I really like about the MSS pattern because it actually fits me there.  Marfy does not have seam allowances, but that is not a problem for me.  The first time I make the pattern up it will have 1 inch seam allowances.  After that, I will use 5/8" seam allowances.  I'm not sure what I will make it up in yet.  I have to check my stash.

Well, this is the beginning and I don't know how long I will do this, or how often.
Happy Sewing,
Phylly