Strategy for procrastination banishment // The Minimalist Kaftan Dress Pattern by The Assembly Line
When I started this website I intended to post about two different yet connected subjects. First being historical recipes and culinary history. Second - historical and vintage sewing practices and their use in modern and historical garments. Hence the name - Bonnie (what I named my sewing machine) and Wine (a common ingredient in historical recipes as well as just a lovely drink to have). I have done a slightly better job in one topic than the other. So it is finally time to change that.
I probably have started and deleted this blog post half a dozen times by now. The reason being that in 2020 I lost my sewing motivation (technical term being sewjo) and I have been trying to find it again. Not that I haven’t been sewing, I have made a few thing for myself and others over these last two and half years. It‘s just that I wasn’t going to my sewing machine regularly. In late 2019 / early 2020 I had found a nice sewing routine and motivation that let me do even just a little bit of sewing on most days and then I lost it. The reason was, as much as I love my darling grumpy man, when I am sewing, I like to be alone and my home to be quiet. Our spare bedroom is half study and half sewing room. I know a lot of people like to make sewing a social activity or even listen to music, podcasts or videos but for me it is the other way around. I am engaged a lot more in the process when I can listen to my treadle rhythmically clicking, like a soft purr. Or the steam hissing from my iron when I let it out. I pay attention to my stitched lines and fabric and learn about the little oddities about Bonnie. It makes my sewing better and in turn I want to wear the finish garment more. Hand sewing however is a different matter.
Having recently moved to a new place and my new sewing space is both slightly bigger and lighter, I have slowly have been working on a strategy to find a new routine for my creative outlet. It also helps that now I have not only early mornings to sew but also evenings, since I can see better what I am doing.
I have a few UFOs and a work in progress in the procrastination basket that are a bit too ambitious for now, so I decided to start with an easy win. As it will be warming up again soon here in Perth, I resolved to start working on my summer wardrobe and one thing that is on top of my to do list is a very loose kaftan for the annual hot weather whining season. You can take the girl out of North but not the North out of the girl. While browsing for options, I came across two kaftan patterns that caught my eye. One of them was a Minimalist Kaftan Dress by The Assembly Line. I was drawn to it because of the bias style lines for the front and the pleat detail at the back. I wanted to practice to cut and sew bias seams on a light fabric and this pattern hit the spot. The floor length back pleats reminded be just a little bit (if you squint your eyes) of robe a la francaise. And I mean just a little bit, which for a person who is always drawn to the 18th century, is all the encouragement needed.
At first I wanted to find a stripy linen fabric to play with the pattern for the shoulder pattern piece placement. However after visiting my local fabric & yarn shop Calico & Ivy, I fell in love with the drape and texture of a 100% wrinkled linen fabric. The colour is made up from white and rust coloured threads, which makes the final fabric appear a light mauve-ish colour. It would not have been my first choice but the rest of the colours were a bit too pastel and girly and the mauve have since grown on me. My cunning plan was to make a very baggy linen kaftan so that I would be able to generate my very own breeze power while walking and any excess sweat would be wicked away by the linen. As it is not yet summer, time will tell if I succeed in this endeavour.
Since my Bonnie only knows how to make straight stitch and I don’t own a overlocker, I always have to finish my seams properly. The front seams with pockets and the back shoulder seams were made with french seams. That is mostly because I don’t know how else to finish the pocket seam without leaving one of the edges raw. For this fabric pinking the edge wasn’t an option because the fabric is prone to shredding and wouldn’t stand up to frequent washing. I also didn’t put any interfacing for the pocket opening because I had already pinned everything and was too lazy to undo that. To be fair I hardly use pockets in garments, preferring a purse if I need to carry anything. Will see if the fabric stretches out at the pocket seams. The side seams were however pressed open and hand felled on each side thus seamlessly continuing the finish for the armscye as well.
I had a bit of a trouble with the neckline facing. I had to recut it twice or three times and I kept making silly mistakes. In the end the back doesn’t have a nice sharp V and it came out too thin. The facing edge was finished by sewing the right sides together (fabric and interfacing) then turning them out and pressing and gluing the interfacing to the facing. I linked the video I referenced below. Lastly the hem was finished with a catch stitch because I like the look of it and I wanted to practice it.
I didn’t do any alterations but I wish I would have made the kaftan just a little bit longer. The one negative that I have about this kaftan is that it keeps sliding back. The front neckline keeps riding up and the the back lower. A little annoying but not enough for me to donate it.
The pattern itself was easy to follow and make and instructions clear. I am rather slow at sewing so it took me a few days to finish, but that also included a hand finished seams. I think it was a good choice to ease myself into sewing again. Overall it is a good pattern for both new stitchlings and seasoned seam rippers.
A few notes for avoiding the procrastination monkey in the future.
If unsure about something. Test! Here I tested the french seamed pockets to see whether the fabric wasn’t too tick and what kind of interfacing (for the neck facing) would work better.
Leave the garment pinned and ready to be stitched or cut and marked ready to be pinned. It is easier to pick to the project up.
Have a good drink on hand.
Don’t even try to listen to music to podcasts because you won’t be able to hear half of the conversation. Save it for the hand sewing.
Have a list of easy win project on hand for that serotonin boost. Everyone needs a easy win.
Enrol yourself in a course so you are forced to sew just a little bit at a time. Otherwise you would have wasted money. More on that a little later…
Pattern: Minimalist Kaftan Dress by The Assembly Line
Size: Smallest (the pattern has two sizes)
My measurements: 96 cm bust
Fabric: 100% wrinkle linen from Calico & Ivy, weight unknown
Skills level: Easy, just take care and time with the bias cut lines when cutting and sewing
Recommend: Yes
Accompanying drink: French Earl Grey tea
