Tuesday, July 22, 2014

McCall Pattern Co. and Mini Wardrobe Update

If you're way into social media, you'll notice that McCall Co. has amped up (started?) their social media presence via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Sewing blogs, Pattern Review (perhaps other streams like Kollabra too??)

I was pretty giddy about this development because I think it's awesome that they are getting more vested in what the home sewer likes/dislikes/wants/needs/opines on...etc. Yet I was surprised that NO ONE was talking about the fact that McCall Co. is talking! Eep!

So when the new Vogue's were released, of course Lauren of Lladybird (Vogue pattern release review here) unleashed a torrent. And then McCall replied and a little dialogue kicked up. In the link above, Lauren talks a little about their participation on the blog.

After some super-sleuth Googling (I am the world's worst Googler), I found this post by While She Naps and was again giddy that someone was directly talking about it!Yay!

WSN mentioned that she'd asked for a headshot of "Meg" (BMVKS social media person) to include with the article and they basically said no. Commenters thought this unfair; that McCall should include a face for us to follow.

I HIGHLY disagree.

I think it would be kind of crazy to have the social media person officially be the 'face' of McCall in the sewing community. And not solely because "what if she leaves the company" but because...it just isn't that way. There is a difference and that's okay! I'm not an "Indie pattern sewer". I don't have anything against them...I just don't go out of my way to acquire and sew from Indies. I will sew what I want and if what I want comes in a $3.99 New Look envelope or $1.40 McCall's envelope...yay me!

Besides...we don't have to live in a limited world, choosing between Indie -or- Big4 et al. We can have them both all!

Have you noticed McCall's new presence on social media? What do you think?? Like/dislike/indifferent??

Do you think McCall needs to give Meg a face?

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In other news...WHY DO CASUAL PANTS PATTERNS HAVE SO MUCH EXCESS LEG ROOM?!?!

whyyyyyyyyyyy?

Sorry for being so whiny lately. :) Last night I cut and sewed together the NL6130 pants. I swear I removed like 3/4" from the front rise and they still cover my belly button. Also, There's like 13 inches of excess fabric through the leg.  They look horrific in the legs and an insanely funny turn of events; the BEST view of these pants are the back! I took selfies so I don't have any...you'll just have to trust me.

So now I get to unpick the seams and try to salvage them. I like this dark, dark fabric so I don't want to chuck them but good grief...

Saggy, droopy legs

Pinching out the excess in the back leg...and as you can see, I'm not pulling them taut against my body!

The back fits well even though the front is about an inch too high

Excess fabric at the knee. Again, I'm not pulling them super tight or anything.

UGH! 

I am ready to be done with my mini-wardrobe but it is just not happening.

The other leg looks slim because I tried pinning out and resewing but that doesn't really produce good results because there is still a crap-ton of fabric through the knee and at the back of the leg. Plus I made the leg opening way too small! LOL!