-Lemonade Couture Club - Tip 3: Use your pattern

Getting started in sewing requires a bit of organization, especially when you're just starting out, and even if you want to go fast to finish your project (we understand), don't fall into the trap of scrupulously following the steps for taking measurements and preparing the fabric before you start working on your garment, and remember to allow for an extra day of sewing to get a perfect result and finishes that will make you proud.

Taking measurements :
This is an essential step. Don't hesitate to keep a notebook with your measurements, which you'll take a few times a year to keep track of your body's fluctuations. Take your measurements undressed, in your underwear. If you're used to having a beloved bra, put it on! Remember to breathe before each measurement and don't cheat. Yes, sometimes it's not the waist or hip measurement you're looking for, but be indulgent with your body - it's alive and kicking, and your clothes need to be comfortable!
Chest circumference, waist circumference and hip circumference are the ABC measurements, and over time you'll be able to complete your measurements with lengths (e.g. bust and leg) or other circumferences (e.g. thighs, arms) and fit your clothes better and better.
We advise you to take a fairly sturdy tape measure, avoiding those made entirely of plastic, and if you like to vary the pattern marks, you can find some with one side marked in centimetres and the other in inches, very practical!
A final word of advice: tape measure materials are sensitive to heat, so don't leave them lying around near your iron, as they may warp and distort.

Choosing the right cut and fabric:
With experience, sewing your own clothes allows you to really tailor them, but don't forget to anticipate how your body reacts and how the fabric moves. Likewise, you'll find that some cuts suit you better than others. You have to know how to combine all these elements to get an impeccable cut, and even so, there are bound to be a few failures when you're just starting out (the fabric is puffier than anticipated, or it's very soft and starts to poach, or it reacts badly to washing or ironing...). ) . Don't hesitate to keep notes on the fabrics you like to work with and how they react to you.
A few tips: for high-waisted pants in a fabric that's a bit stiff and thick, and if you tend to have a bit of a swollen belly after a meal, remember to add a little margin between the waist and hip circumferences. For skirts and dresses, even if you like them close to the body, don't forget to be comfortable in the thighs and hips, especially when sitting down, to avoid cracking the seams. Allow for a centimetre of comfort, or shift the button on your shirts slightly at chest level, so that the button placket doesn't spread when you breathe. If you know that your body often changes morphology according to stress or the seasons, make seam allowances of 2cm or 2.5cm instead of 1cm, so you can easily shrink or expand. And don't forget: overlock open seams rather than lying ones, to make disassembly easier! 

Take your time and organize your schedule:
Sometimes you have to accept going a little slower to take the time to get things right. For a simple project, allow at least two days. One day to anticipate your finishing touches, check your supplies, prepare your fabric and cut it.
Then a day dedicated to sewing machine assembly and any hand finishing. 
To this, you must also add the hours spent assembling the pattern if you download it as a pdf, as well as copying it onto kraft paper. This copying step is not compulsory, but it allows you to keep your basic pattern intact and reuse it later, which is very useful if you need to sew for yourself in a different size or for another person. Likewise, your pattern will be easier to read if you need to modify it (to lengthen the legs or add a little margin).

Materials:
Good equipment will save you a lot of time, but we understand that sewing requires space and a budget.
From the outset, think about what you want to sew: garments, accessories, household linen? What are your favorite materials? If you're mainly working on simple cotton pieces, a good pair of scissors and erasable pens or pencils will be more than enough. Would you like to try your hand at delicate materials? Maybe it's time to invest in a rotary cutter, fine pins and a serger. Do you work with soft or fluffy materials? Weights and chalk are a must. Don't hesitate to ask for advice from friends and family who sew, or in the store. Lend your materials to others to test before you buy, to avoid cluttering up your sewing box unnecessarily. And even if it requires a small investment, some items are worth the price tag for fewer hassles: a good sewing machine, pins, needles and scissors are the most common examples.

Lexicon and techniques :
Depending on the pattern brand, the lexicon may differ slightly, but remains essentially the same. The Internet is full of information if you're in doubt, and you'll easily find synonyms and translations. We've included a mini-lexicon at the end of the pattern booklet for the most basic terms, but you can also find specialized books if you need them.
As for techniques, they are very personal and depend on your sewing projects. You've probably seen family members using this or that way of knotting a thread, pointing a marking, sewing a button or cutting fabric, and that's fine! Everyone has their own way of doing things, and it's important to pass on this knowledge to others, so that you too can develop the habits that suit you best.
However, we can only encourage you to hunt out books at flea markets and garage sales, as they provide a wealth of know-how on hand-sewing techniques and finishing touches that are sometimes forgotten, yet can give you a result that's close to haute couture. Don't hesitate to try them out outside a sewing session, on scraps of fabric, to see what difficulties might arise, learn to repeat gestures and imagine adaptations to be made according to patterns and fabrics.
And our final piece of advice for the road: although we call them "finishing touches", they are the guarantee of a fine piece of work and should be anticipated as far in advance as possible. So take time to think about them before you cut your pattern and fabric!

You'll find the full video here and see you soon for the Bao dress tuto.