Hello Seamly2D’rs!!!
I am happy to be joining you all, after finding mention of the Seamly2D Software several times while searching for pattern drafting programs.
My hope is to learn some things and hopefully share some things as well. My experinece comes from a lifetime of sewing everything starting with doll clothes and my own pattern making and sewing in my childhood, then as I grew up, furniture upholstery, curtain making, commercial embroidery and now auto upholstery. I’ve been thankful that my family always made clothing at home, I think it is a good thing to teach others this skill and try to share with anyone I meet who has an interest.
My first experience with patterning comes from my childhood as mentioned, with my Grandmother who was a very accomplished seamstress. She allowed me to fish through her patterns and find different pieces I liked such as a sleeve from one pattern, a bodice from another and so on. She taught me how to take all the pieces and combine them into a single garment, adjusting it to fit my shape and tracing it out on fabric of my choice (usually from her large pile of scraps) and flat fold pieces. We used whatever she had on hand. That was so fun and it provided a life long passion in me to create my own garments from anything I found. She also showed me how to alter a hand-me-down garment to fit my own shape. Luckily, I was a skinny kid! I wish that was still the case, but these days I’m a little fluffier and a little older. Still lovi’n my sewing stuff though!