Monday, December 03, 2012

Purged

As previously mentioned, last Sunday night I went through my closet and ruthlessly purged items.  Okay maybe not so ruthlessly because as I looked through my Flickr album, I realized there were a few more pieces that could have gone.  But do you know how that feeling you have when you've got piles of clothes around you and you realize that 80% of what's in those bags was made by you?  Well that's how I started to feel Sunday evening, so I slowed down realizing that I could purge more later.

Anyway, I ended up getting rid of two large trash bags worth of clothing.  It was primarily dresses, skirts and a few RTW tops with a pair of pants or two thrown in.  I made a lot of room in my closet which was out of control! Seriously, I couldn't pull anything out without it needing to be ironed, that's how tightly packed it was.

Since there was so much eliminated, I made a special Flickr album called "Purged" to showcase most of what went away.  There were a few pieces that I'd never blogged (pre-blog) and I was still holding on to.  There were also a few RTW WTF pieces that were sent packing. 

But since I own plenty of inspiration and I have the time to sew as much as I want, I'm sure I will more than replace what has been donated.  Finally, I'm sharing a few of those abandoned pieces that will surely shock you...so here goes:


This dress always had problems!


I only wore the jacket once
and the dress is now too tight.


Made for a challenge and only worn twice!

Dress made for the SWAP 
and never worn - because it was just uncomfortable!

These just didn't fit well or I was no longer comfortable wearing them.  What surprised me was how many pieces I'd made 6 or 7 years ago that I'm still wearing today.  It was a very enlightening process and some of the things I realized will be reflected in future garments.  I'm glad to have these pieces gone.  Hopefully someone else will love them now.

...as always more later!

29 comments:

  1. I really need to purge and reorganize my closet too - it just makes no sense right now - everything is out of order.

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  2. Oh my. I think I've been hesitating.My closet needs a purge but I'm so attached.
    Time to cut the strings!
    At least your clothes will be well worn because they're so well made.

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  3. Problems or no, the border print on that first dress is lovely!

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  4. I can just imagine the glee of the charity shop workers when they open those bags!

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  5. Good girl! Now you will have room for your sew vacay pieces. (And I really liked that border print dress, too).

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  6. Doesn't it feel great to purge? I go through my closet two times a year - when the seasons change. I never have trouble purging what I buy but oh-my-goodness I hang onto items I've sewn waaaaay too long. Guess I'm more emotionally attached to those garments.

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  7. okay. you know i'm crying over those polka dots.

    my closet needs a good clean out too. unfortunately, whenever i do it, i just shove the bag in the back, "just in case." then, if i can't find something to wear, out comes the bag...

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  8. Too bad about that polka dot dress as it looks so cute! But I am most impressed. I need to purge myself but it's been more fun to sew. ;)

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  9. I should follow your example and do a big clear out.

    The clothes you have let go of look nice in the pictures, but I completely understand that sometimes, things just don't feel right.

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  10. That bubble dress was so nice looking, it's a shame it didn't work out. I hope someone gives it a good home.

    When you purge, do you remove entire SWAP collections at the same time? Or just the pieces that didn't quite hit the mark and go back and fill in the gaps with new pieces? I'd guess from seeing photos of your fabrics that you'd have an easier time of filling in gaps than I would. I do too much "oohh pretty!" and not "what would this go with?" buying

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  11. wow - some beautiful clothing in that purge - where do you send your clothing? I would LOVE to own a few of those pieces.

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  12. I took a bunch of items to the Goodwill on Saturday as well. I think it's that time of year! Here's to making room for many more beautiful garments.

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  13. Your a better man than I am Gunga Din.

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  14. feels good to purge, more space for new stuff. I am a little sad to see the dot border print dress go, I think that is when I started reading your blog, love that fabric and the dress is so cute! It would make a great skirt. Save it for a spring re-fashion!

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  15. Isn't it funny how a good purge can help you zone in on exactly what does or doesn't work for your style/lifestyle/comfort? Too bad about the polka dot dress, though. It really is a happy fabric.

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  16. Oh my, there are some lovely garments there - but if they don't work, well, they just don't work! but it does leave lots of space for some new items!

    I meant to ask you a while back - when you sew do you tend to batch sew? In other words do you thread your machines with the same color and make a number of black or white (or whatever color) clothes so that you do not have to change thread, or are you a 'one garment at a time' kinda gal?

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  17. I purge regularly. Sometimes I'm pleased to let go of a garment from earlier sewing days that wasn't made so well or doesn't fit as well. I quite like seeing how far I've come over the years. Like you, I am still wearing garments from several years ago and that's a nice feeling. Sometimes, though, I come across a garment I wish I could remake, or fabric that I wish I had again.

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  18. My closet is totally out of control. It looks like a history of learning to sew. It's so hard to purge garments that I made. It's on the list for this weekend. Thank you for writing this post.It has given me a push to get a bunch of things to Red Cross or Goodwill.






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  19. I purged too...my driveway. My 13-year old clunker called it quits in May and had been sitting there ever since. On Saturday, I finally called the scrap yard to come and pick it up. It was so hard to see it being hauled away, but freeing at the same time. Now it's on to the garage...

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  20. The polka dot dress! I so loved it! Looking at your Purge flickr album I was going WHAATT she getting rid of that outfit!!!!! There are going to be some happy plus size women out there. You can not find what you have created in rtw.

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  21. I definitely need to do this with my closet. Thanks for the inspiration, and I'm looking forward to seeing all the garments you make to fill up your newfound closet space!

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  22. Oh you would never find that level of luscious quality at our Goodwill- you have just given some shoppers a very merry early Christmas!

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  23. I'm in purge mode myself, but it has nothing to do with sewing or clothing. i'm trying to get rid of all the stuff in my basement. I'm hope I'm as successful as you were.

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  24. What you are getting rid of the polka dot dress....so love that...Too bad I don't live near you...and your size....I LOVE THAT DRESS.

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  25. Girl, we've all got those in our wardrobes and some of us need to purge more often!

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  26. The POLKA DOTS!!!! I remember when you first blogged it, I fell in love with it!! The fabric is so, so Wonderfully Lovely! It's such a pity it doesn't work.

    Now, my wardrobe is at the other end of the spectrum. I have not bought/made hardly anything (count on 1 hand) since leaving the work world 5+ years ago to be a SAHM. sigh! And it shows, oh so horribly! I have a SWAP in mind, but it's the execution of it that almost paralyzes me!

    Thank you so much for commenting on my blog, it really means a lot to me.

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  27. Great pieces! The person that gets those will be very happy.

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  28. Oh, thanks for posting about this. Since I've started to sew more in the last couple of years than I have since high school, and my life is not really conducive to anything other than yoga pants and tees, I find myself doubting some of the lovely pieces I've made, even recently, because they don't get worn very often. Not because I don't like them, but because I'm not interested in being all dressed up with nowhere to go, or perennially overdressed. I'm off to look at your Purged Flickr set for encouragement!

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  29. I do this twice a year. Sometimes it is so hard to let go of those garments that I didn't wear or were time consuming. My hat is off to you.

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