I am Majella Vandeputte, mum of 2 teenagers and teacher of 32 first-year students whom, together with my colleague, I teach reading, writing and arithmetic. Feel like following me? Feel free to do so on Instagram (@majellavdp).
How long have you been sewing?
I have been sewing for about 11 years now and have been taking classes at the Creo in Roeselare for 10 years. There I learned to fine-tune my sewing technique, because you can never know enough! When my son was one year old, I wanted a hobby I could do at home. I was fed up with always looking for a babysitter or adapting my diary to my husband's. I just wanted to be creative whenever and wherever I wanted. That was it!
Where do you get inspiration for pattern hacks?
I think window shopping is so cool! You get a lot of input that way and I then photograph it or store it in my mind. And then suddenly the moment comes when that information comes in handy!
Do you make pattern hacks regularly?
I don't make many hacks, but I usually make small adjustments here and there, such as shortening sleeves, less gathering, finishing with bias instead of facing, etc.
What do you like best about making pattern hacks?
Stimulating your creative brain! We need to do that more. Very often, I see fellow sewists making the same pattern and fabric combination as the samples. Of course that looks great because Fibre Mood makes fantastic pieces, but being truly creative is in a different order in my opinion. This is my personal opinion, of course. That's why I think someone who applies a hack to an existing pattern is really cool.
What exactly did you hack about the Leah pattern?
First of all, I eliminated the sleeves. I made a slight adjustment to the armhole because the pattern is drafted for sleeves and thus has a slightly different shape. I removed about 1.5cm from the armhole from the back, grading to nothing. This makes the arm cut a bit more fitted. Then I wanted to leave the armhole raw so I stitched 2 parallel stitch lines next to the edge so the fabric can fray in a controlled manner. I narrowed the trouser legs from the knee down. I also narrowed 0.5 cm at the top of the centre back seam grading to nothing at the crotch. I folded and stitched the hem allowance in place so no overlock thread is visible when I roll up my pant legs.
Are there any sewing or hacking projects planned?
A lot just rolled out from under my sewing machine, but the energy to photograph it all is sometimes lacking. I actually need a kick in the butt! Now I'm working on a Poppy for my daughter and there I made the skirt part less wide, because she liked it that way.
Did you also have the urge to get started with the Leah pattern? You buy it here. Or just feel like sharing other creations? You can do so via the website or Instagram with the hashtag #Fibremood.
