I recently acquired a seam allowance guide, which magnetically attaches to your scissors and serves as a reference point for how far away the scissor blades are from the pattern pieces, ideally eliminating the need to mark seam allowances on patterns that don't include them. The key word is "ideally". After a short trial, I decided that my own visual estimation of a 5/8", 3/8", 7/8", etc. seam allowance was more accurate and more quickly cut. The protruding magnetic guide seemed to be getting in my way more than anything.
I'm disappointed that I spent money on a tool that I won't get much use out of, but its role in my life did one amazing thing: it gave me the confidence to trust my skills and eyeball it!
I feel like I've graduated (from the sewing version of about Kindergarten), or taken one step up the ladder of mastery of my craft. It reminds me of an article I read years ago about a furniture maker, who explained that through repetition, he'd developed the ability to measure with his eyes, and that rulers actually hindered his craft and he didn't trust them as much as his eyes! I found that amazing and yet somewhat unbelievable....until now! :)
I am so happy that you have created this blog. I can't wait to watch your company grow.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the tools, I had a very similar experience when I was learning to steambend wood for my banjo pots.
My binding teacher teaches us to train our eyes to see and be able to cut in millimeters - a 2mm measurement is very common in book binding for the square of a book (the bit of the boards that extend beyond the textblock). We also have to be able to see and cut 45 degree angles. We learn initially using tools or jigs in order to train the eye and then it is time for the eyeball to do its work. :)
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see your craft and business taking off! Congrats Liz!
Thank you Amy and Randy! You have both been a huge inspiration to me!
ReplyDelete