Samford Set

Part of the “While I Was Away” series.

Some sewing patterns quietly become favourites.

After making the Loungewear Set from Peppermint Magazine Issue 46 several times, I knew I wanted to try another one of their designs. The Samford Set from Issue 57 quickly found its way onto my sewing table, and I already had the perfect fabric waiting for it.

Nothing fancy, just three metres of sturdy terracotta cotton canvas that had been sitting in my fabric stash. I have always had a soft spot for structured cotton fabrics. They hold their shape beautifully, age well, and are the kind of fabrics I reach for when I want to make everyday clothes that are meant to be worn for years.

Before sewing the full set, I had already made the Samford blouse once in a black broderie anglaise. Although I really liked it, the blouse came out a little larger than I had hoped. Naturally, I thought I had found the solution.

I sized down.
As it turned out, I sized down just a little too much.

The trousers came together exactly as I had imagined, but the blouse never quite felt right. Around the same time, my body began to change, and instead of becoming one of those garments I reached for every week, it quietly stayed on its hanger. I wore it for a few photos, convinced myself a few times that I would eventually start wearing it, but more than a year passed without it ever leaving the wardrobe.

Eventually, I stopped trying to convince myself.

When I rented a stand at Kirppu to sell clothes that no longer fit my wardrobe or my style, the blouse went with them. It wasn’t because there was anything wrong with it. Quite the opposite. It was well made, comfortable, and someone else could probably enjoy it far more than I ever would.

I think that’s one of the things sewing has taught me over the years.

Making something yourself doesn’t mean you have to keep it forever.

Sometimes a garment teaches you exactly what you like, what fits your body, and what makes you feel comfortable. Once it has taught you that lesson, it’s perfectly okay to let it find a new home.

The trousers, however, are still very much part of my wardrobe, and every time I wear them, they remind me that building a handmade wardrobe isn’t about getting every project right the first time.

It’s about getting to know yourself, one garment at a time.

Love,
A.