Mickey's T-SQL Ponderings

I’m very excited about attending my first SQL Pass Summit in Seattle in a few weeks. I haven’t even attended yet and I’m so impressed with the schedule, extracurricular events, and the mentors they assign first-timers like myself.

One of the events they have schedule is on Wednesday. They want everyone to wear their SQL Saturday t-shirts. There is only one problem…..mine makes me look like a house. I absolutely refuse to where a men’s t-shirt that makes me look like that. So I tapped into the right side of my brain and pimped my t-shirt out. Now not only do I look like a girl, but a stylish one.

Not looking too great.

Look out how happy I look.	Now I look like a SQL girl.

Growing up my grandmothers taught me crocheting and sewing. (My maternal grandmother taught me in Spanish. ) Now a days, I just go to Google or You-Tube and search for the technique I want to learn. I found out how to alter a neckline and how to add a hoodie. Here are the steps I went through.

Step 1. I researched all the techniques I needed to learn in order to feel comfortable making the changes to my precious SQL Saturday t-shirt. I answered questions like…

• What kind of needle should I use?
• Do I need special thread?
• Do I need any special notions like binding? (Notions are all the little extras you use for sewing, like grommets for the hoodie, clasps, binding,… The stores have whole walls for notions.)
• How do you sew a hoodie?

Here are the sites I found most helpful based on the sewing skills I already posses. If you have never sewn, I would suggest looking for some YouTube videos on the subject as well.

• Laura’s Sewing Studio
• Matching Pegs
• Dixie DIY
• How-to Make a Hoodie, Hollywood Renegade, Threadbanger

Step 2. I figured out what aspects of my SQL Saturday t-shirt I wanted to alter

• Neckline – I prefer a scoop neck or v neck. (Next time I will make a v neck.)
• Shoulders – The shoulder seams needed to be moved up to my shoulders. I think this, out of all the issues with my t-shirt, made me look the boxiest. By moving the seams up to the edge of my shoulder where they belonged, I improved the look of my t-shirt immensely.
• Sleeves – I’m only 5’6, so my sleeves needed to be shorter. Since I had an extra t-shirt that was in a contrasting color, I used it to change the color of my sleeves.
• Length – I shortened the t-shirt so that it sat on my hips properly
• Hoodie – Because I just needed it.

Step 3. I marked up my t-shirt so that I knew where I needed to cut it. While the video tutorials talked about using scissors to cut the t-shirt up, I found using my rotary cutter much easier. I folded my t-shirt in half, making sure there were no wrinkles, then I cut the sides, arms, and neckline out. Since I folded the t-shirt in half, I knew my t-shirt would remain symmetric.

Clocks and plates make great templates for cutting circles.

Step 4. I created a pattern for the hoodie based on my favorite hoodie in my closet. I did buy some red t-shirt material for the hoodie, but I could have used another t-shirt. Since Red Gate is my absolute favorite toolset, I cut their logo out of a second t-shirt I had and put it in my hood. I used that same t-shirt for my sleeves and the rest of the hoodie.

Step 5. I sewed the hoodie together.

Step 6. I sewed the sides and the sleeves.

Step 7. I attached the hoodie to the neckline. I did this by finding the center line of the back of the t-shirt, and the center line of the hoodie. I started sewing from there so that I knew my t-shirt would be symmetric. since the hood will be down more than up, I have the seam facing out.

Step 8. I used my twin needle and a contrasting color thread to sew the neckline. I used the same twin needle to sew the hem as well.