I Tried the Sew With Sero Box (My Thoughts!)

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I’ve mentioned before that I have an autoimmune disease that makes working with my hands more difficult than I’d like. Specifically, one aspect of sewing that really gets my joints going is cutting fabric–one of the main reasons I have so many fabric cutters!

So, when I learned that there were garment sewing boxes that came with fabric precut and could accommodate my almost 5’9″ body’s inseam, I was so excited to try one.

I received and sewed the Camilla wide-leg pants from Sew With Sero in solid black, and they turned out so well. Here’s a quick overview of my experiences and thoughts on this box!

Initial Thoughts on the Sew With Sero Box

Presentation and Contents

I love how professional the box looks. Everything was custom and branded down to the ribbon on the outside. 

The box itself contained the pattern pieces (they’re precut with high-ply cutting, so they are pretty darn perfect!), the instruction booklet, an elastic waistband, clothing tags, and matching thread. I used my own needle and sewing clips. 

There was also a tiny piece of sample fabric. I put that sucker in the washer immediately so I could measure how much shrinkage it got so I’d be able to determine how much I’d expect the pants to shrink up before I put in my hem. 

Sizing Accuracy

I requested a size small, as my hips are 37″ and my waist is 29″. The fit was PERFECT, although I added an additional 3/4″ to my waistband elastic before sewing it in because I like my clothes looser around my waist. Thanks, C-section!

The inseam on the pants was also long enough that I could create a 1/2″ hem and have them still brush the floor. (This length is impossible to find in this type of store-bought clothes, by the way—believe me, I’ve tried!) 

The sizing was way more accurate than some store-bought patterns, too; for example, I made a Simplicity evening dress that recommended a size 12-14; by the time I’d adjusted my muslin to fit how I thought it should, I was between an 8 and 10. 

A Nod to Sustainability 

I’m also a big fan of natural fabrics, and I keep my life as “clean” and embarrassingly crunchy as possible due to my health. Thus, I loved that the fabric was 100% cotton and sourced from deadstock fabric. 

I also like the 3/8″ seam allowance more than the typical US clothing seam allowance of 5/8″, which is just so wasteful if you don’t need to alter the fit that much along the way. 

How the Actual Sewing Went

Following The Instructions

I’ve sewed a lot of pants, so I could probably sew these in my sleep without instructions. However, I still loosely read through the instructions to give an accurate review.

I found them detailed enough for beginner sewists to follow, although I think this project is more ideal for a confident beginner rather than a true beginner. 

Furthermore, it’s really helpful that fabric pieces are labeled with numbers that stay stuck throughout the sewing. 

I also love how a video was NOT required, which is a huge pet peeve of mine when pattern designers’ instructions are too vague to follow without turning on a ridiculously long video. I do think adding a video option would be helpful for beginner sewists wanting to tackle this intermediate box or for people who don’t like reading directions, though. (I’d rather read directions for hours and try to figure something myself out instead of turning on YouTube!)

Time Required

I completed this project within an hour. The stall for me when it comes to sewing projects is cutting fabric, which is already done for me here. Yay!

Things I’d Change

1. Include tips for alterations. For sewists who have bigger hips, smaller waists, etc., it might be nice to have instructions for alterations for beginners who aren’t used to altering for their body types. Or, have an option to put in measurements when ordering and have the pattern pieces cut to your size. (I’ve used Bootstrap Patterns in the past for paper patterns created custom to my body size; it’s also where I got my custom dress form pattern.)
2. After a few steps, I remembered there were notches I could have matched up on the pattern pieces; the instructions never mentioned when there were notches to match, so I didn’t look for them and randomly came upon them when sewing. The instructions were super, super in depth and covered every nuance, so I just kind of expected they would mention this too. 
3. There were a few errors in the instruction booklet; for example, serge was spelled surge, and the waistband piece was referred to as piece 23 in the manual when it was really 24. These didn’t affect my ability to complete the task, though. 

 

Overall, this was a fun, satisfying project I completed in an evening. And hey, if you like the fit and want to make more, you can order a paper pattern from her website in addition to another sewing box!