I started on the sleeves for my husband’s Viking tunic for SCA rapier fighting this morning when I realized something–I think I’m just shy of having enough fabric for sleeves that are long enough. At least, sleeves in one piece. I can kind of “make it work” (gotta love Tim Gunn) if they are too short, but I’ll need to get creative.
Partly my fault for not measuring, but to be fair I suck at doing the necessary math to figure out how much fabric I’ll need. If I have a pattern (which I really don’t here, not like a commercial pattern anyway), the package states how much fabric you’ll need for which parts. The vague “patterns” I’ve been able to find on the Internet, however, do not have such useful information. Sure, they tell you how to make the garment by putting the pieces together, but they don’t tell you “for someone of X inch chest or Y inch waist use Z yards of fabric.” No, no, it’s not that easy.
So far though, given the lack of knowledge I have (not to mention lack of patterning or design experience), I think I’m doing okay. I know how I’m making the basic sleeve, and if they’re too short I know of a way to make them longer without it being too weird looking. (Yay for decorative trim!) Hubby’s awake now, so I can try out the first sleeve and see how it turned out as far as length goes. I pray that the width of the sleeves are okay–if not I’m f*cked. That is something I can’t fix without it being too weird looking.
I only have until Saturday morning to finish, but I think I can do it. Having made one tunic the hard way, I know of easier ways to cut/pin/sew now that won’t take as long. I just need to keep at it. I have to force myself to back down on watching TV shows in the evenings and plug away. I even set a daily alarm for myself to remind me to get up early to work on it.
Another reason I’m pushing myself on this is that it is one month and one week (more or less) until Phoenix Comicon–and I haven’t even started on my cosplay. I’ve got one pair of pants mostly done, and a full skirt/corset/top to make, along with a coat to go with the pants.
I need to just breathe. If I start to panic, it’s only going to make things worse. Just breathe. Just breathe. Just breathe….
…..He just woke up. I had him try on the sleeve. Guess it’s going to be slightly weird-looking.
FML.
AJ Mullican, Author 