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kenzie

@sewkenzie

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queer fat liberationist from the midwest. rarely sewing, frequently talking about sewing.
b: 61” w: 54” h: 67”

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I really love the gathered back on this #CriswoodSewsCasita (hacked into shirt). It takes what is a totally comfortable silhouette for me (a boxy top) and makes it a little special and a little different from the same old. I made a little mistake when I was sewing it up (snipped a piece with my serger) but I don’t really care. It’s still a win.

(Image description: two photos of a shirt with a gathered back. The fabric it’s sewn out of is cognac colored with brightly colored abstract geometric shapes like houses. The first photo shows it on a fat white person. The second photo shows a small mistake in the sewing.)

#FatSew #ChronicallySewn #FatSewist #FatSewingClub by @sewkenzie

I took a much needed vacation from work this week. I spent a lot of it in bed or on the couch with a hypermobile SI joint (thanks, hEDS #SewDisabled) but I did still really want to sew something. So I broke the process into chunks and worked on it here and there and today I have a finished #CrisWoodSewsCasita hacked into a shirt. I tested the @criswoodsews pattern and I gotta say, it is so, so fast, and easy. It was just what I needed this week. To hack it into a top, I literally just measured the bodice length of another boxy shirt I like, subtracted the length of the Casita yoke, and went with that. I’ll probably be making more just like this, although I think I want another inch or two in length for the next one. Still, a much needed win. And a cute ass shirt too.

(Image description: a close up of gathered fabric sewn to a flat panel of fabric. The fabric is cinnamon colored and features abstract boxy and triangle shapes, reminiscent of buildings, in a variety of colors.)

#FatSewing #FatSewist #FatSewingClub #FatSew #ChronicallySewn by @sewkenzie

“#MeMadeMayFat: just do something” is going well so far. The other day, I whipped up this shirt in a couple hours. I love it.

The fabric was a gift from @needlesnbeetles, and I used all but a scrap of it. The pattern is @criswoodsews #criswoodsewsdaydream, sorta. I lengthened the bodice instead of adding the ruffle and I did just a little sleeve cuff instead of a full sleeve. Part of that is that I had a small bit of fabric to use, part of it was to make an easy, loose summer shirt. I’ve worn it four times since I finished it and I’m probably gonna make another just like it in a different fabric, and I’ll make some Daydream tops truer to the pattern towards the end of summer.

Image descriptions: the first is a photo of a fat white woman with brown hair standing in front of a house. She’s wearing skinny jeans, sandals, and a boxy shirt with a square neckline. The fabric of the shirt is black with a white grid, and then many abstract, vaguely tropical shapes in bright colors. The second photo is the same person in the same shirt, this time with black shorts, seated inside the house in a pink chair, with one leg tucked under the other.

#MeMadeMay2022 #MeMadeMay #MeMadeMayFat2022 #FatSews #FatSewingClub #WhatFatPeopleActuallyWear #MeMadeWardrobe by @sewkenzie

Sometimes, finding and adding a little thing that brings me joy is enough to motivate me to actually do things. I’m not saying is a flawless, 100% proven hack, but I am saying that using neon pink serger thread in my serger has made me much more likely to use it, which has in turn made sewing easier, because I’m not worrying about doing any more complicated seam finishes. So I’ll take the win.

(Still going strong with “just do anything” #MeMadeMay2022. It’s not quite every day but I try. Could be as little at ten minutes, but sometimes it becomes more. It feels really nice to do it though.)

Image descriptions: two close up photos of black fabric with white windowpane grid and a variety of brightly colored shapes. The first photo features a square neckline that reveals a hot pink tag that says “fuck sizes” and has visible hot pink serger thread. The second photo highlights the serger thread.

#MeMadeMay #MeMadeMayFat #MeMadeMayFat2022 #CriswoodSewsDaydream by @sewkenzie

I asked Jessi to help me take #StyledSeated pictures of my new shirt (and my big #MeMadeMay victory) and my face looks like this in all of them. Wouldn’t have it any other way. ❤️

Made a Gilbert top by Helen’s Closet in the largest size, graded out about an inch from a little below the dart to the hem. (I’m not tagging them because the sizing is limited— max bust and hip are 58”; I bought this before I stopped buying patterns that don’t accommodate my measurements.) Even though it may pull a little tight when I’m sitting, I love it. Not sure whether I’ll make adjustments to this pattern (give myself more room in the belly, make it about an inch longer in the torso) or just move on to one drafted to include me before I spend the energy making fit adjustments. Regardless, I am really, really proud of this and of the things I did for the first time with this make (collar, buttons, buttonholes). I think I’ll be in this a lot this summer.

(Image descriptions: three photos of a fat white woman with brown hair and glasses in blue jeans, black sandals, and a black collared camp shirt with colorful blocks printed on it. The first two show her seated in a pink chair, in front of stained glass and plants, smiling and scrunching her face. The third shows her standing in front of a door outside.) by @sewkenzie

For #MeMadeMay2022 I decided the only thing I had to do was something. As in I could do anything, as long as it was related to making clothes for myself, and as long as I tried to do it for 15 minutes every day. And now, y’all? Now I have a whole shirt. I didn’t love this fabric, as it pulled and was prone to showing white thread pretty much no matter what I did (used two fresh microtex needles, used ultra fine pins, etc.). But I love the finished result.

Some things I did for the first time with this shirt:
- a collar
- buttonholes
- used my projector set-up to cut the fabric

Is it perfect? No. Did I immediately wear it to go to the grocery store? Sure did.

(Image description: three photo closeups of a shirt that is black with bright block shapes on it. One photo shows buttonholes, the next shows more of the front, and the third shows the shirt rolled and pinned for the burrito method.) by @sewkenzie

I made this @cashmerette @cashmerette_12to32 Concord tee a year ago???? Like, I don’t even live in the house pictured here anymore. Yikes! Anyway, I received the pattern for free in exchange for submitting pictures for a blog post. I wear it on the regular, though. Like. A lot. Between the comfort of the fit and the softness of the bamboo jersey I made it in and the fact that it layers under anything, it’s hard to go wrong. Poorly lit work bathroom selfie is from a few days ago to prove that I really do wear it still, a year later.

Details are that I made a 28 E/F graded to a 32 at the hip, but totally don’t need all the space at the hip— could’ve easily stuck with the pattern as drafted or graded just out to a 30. I redid the neckline three times so it looks a little different than the pattern intends. 😅 Still, this is a solid layering shirt or basic knit shirt, it sews up easily, and I plan to make more.

(Image description: three photos of a fat white woman in jeans and a burgundy long sleeved t-shirt. The shirt is shown on its own, with a plaid shirt over it, and with a jean jacket over it.)

#FatSewingClub #FatSewist #ConcordTshirt #ConcordTee #FatSew #FatSewing #OhioSews #SewQueer by @sewkenzie

New space, old space. Both beautiful, both full of light. Let’s see what cool shit I can make here. by @sewkenzie

My wife and I got an embroidery machine as a gift and now no garment in our house is safe. We are even starting an Etsy store so we have an excuse to embroider more things. This is why I haven’t been sewing. 😂 by @sewkenzie

This took me the better part of a Sunday morning to sew, and help from my wife to cut out before that, but it is done and I love it. When @sitkafabrics asked if anyone wanted to sew up their super bright bamboo and cotton blend stretch fleece, I jumped on the opportunity to make the color-blocked sweatshirt of my dreams. (Side note, I still feel so lucky to even sporadically get sent fabric. I don’t have a ton of disposable income so it feels extra special to get to take a chance on fabrics or colors I would normally be hesitant to order without touching/sewing in person.) It’s oversized, cozy, so so so soft, and cheerful. Exactly what I needed in 2020.

Size, adjustments, and notes for next time: This is the @sewdiypatterns Ali Sweatshirt. I made it in the largest size, which worked overall, but I want to shorten the drop shoulder a bit next time and correspondingly take in the sides around the bust a bit also. This is so comfy and I love it, but it’s definitely way roomier around the bust than I thought it was going to be, given that my hips are technically out of the size chart measurements. For my starting place next time, I think I’ll keep the neck but make a size or two down in the rest of the upper body and sleeves, and then grade back out at the waist. I’m actually super excited to make another one of these.

(Image Descriptions: Image one is a full length length photo of a fat white woman with curly brown hair and glasses standing in front of a brick wall. She is wearing jeans and a self-made sweatshirt, which is color blocked in red and pink.

Image two is the same woman in the same outfit, turned with her back to the camera to show topstitching and additional red and pink color-blocking.) by @sewkenzie

Best mail day, or best mail day? First up is my order of patterns printed by @patterntopaper, which is a game changer in that handling huge plotter paper patterns is difficult and unwieldy for me, and printing and taping isn’t always possible due to pain and shakiness in my hands from hEDS-related nerve problems. Preparing patterns and cutting those patterns are my least favorite parts of sewing, and @patterntopaper is solving that. Plus, an actual person reached out and has even offered a little extra help prepping the patterns for use (cutting them out) next time, so I can avoid as many of the bits that hurt the most about sewing as possible. This isn’t an ad, and the cost isn’t feasible for everyone, but for me, this is a potential game changer.

Next is some leftover yarn from @threadpanda. I was so appreciative of offers to send materials that were sitting around so that I could practice knitting before investing, just in case I don’t take to it or it hurts my hands too much. Between this and some spare needles from @needlesnbeetles, I get to try a new hobby in a very low risk way, which is also important for me when it comes to activities where I need to use my hands.

(Image description: A flat lay of six folded packets of paper, three balls of yarn, and a note card. The yarn is in shades of maybe, mustard, and navy. The paper has writing on it and contains sewing patterns.) by @sewkenzie