A (failed) foray into last minute sewing

I've been sewing my own clothes for nearly a decade and, whilst my approach has certainly changed over the years, I've always been a planner. Therefore, I don't know what possessed me on Friday when I decided I needed a new top to wear to an out of town event on Saturday. It was a casual event, and I already had plenty of options, I just felt the urge to sew and to sew quickly.

A short story short, as it did only spend about four hours on it, I picked a pattern that should have been simple and still did not finish. It was the usual suspects that hindered my speed, the lining and the armholes, two things I always seem to end up unpicking whenever I'm rushing.

Whilst I'm always glad to have a bit of dedicated sewing time, I realised that taking this approach meant that I automatically changed my expectations. I knew the final garment would be wearable, but definitely not 'good quality'. Better than the worst fast fashion? Probably. But not by much. This isn't to say that speedy sewing can't result in a great and well sewn garment, but when it is this last minute with an unfamiliar pattern, there are always going to be decisions that effectively made for you from the outset, quickly leading into a less than ideal scenario.

In this case, one example is that I had to use the fabric that I had on hand. I don't keep a big fabric stash, so I ended up choosing a fabric that needed a lining and then had time to consider about how my lining and the outer fabric would interact. I didn't have time to do a toile, or even to check the flat pattern measurements, so I had no idea about how the garment would fit until I was nearly done. And even then, I wouldn't have had time to make those alterations. I even had to settle for worse thread, as the only white thread I had on hand was what I usually keep in my overlocker.

I can see why those 'sew a summer wardrobe in a day' videos on youtube are popular. It's actually pretty cool to see how much I was able to achieve in such a small window, even with some set backs. But I also know that I could have ended up with a nicer top. Ultimately, the parts where I chose to go above and beyond are definitely going to be the same parts that stand the test of time and wear.