I love it when I pull the next piece of fabric from the pile or the fabric closet and place it on the cutting table. As I unroll it and spread it out, the possibilities and the prospective adventures invade my creative soul. It's like smelling a favorite flower, or a favorite dish cooking on the stove...it just makes you crave it.
As the fabric lays before me in all its glory, waiting to become whatever I'm imagining...my creative soul sighs...it exhales...it exults in the journey I'm about to take. I love the start, the beginning of a new project.
How about you? Does your heart tug and your imagination soar when you lay that piece of fabric out? Talk to me and let me know - cause this is the Question of the Day!
I want to get to that point someday! Now, I start with the pattern and then find the fabric. I guess the closest I've to your nirvana was yesterday's stroll through Hancock. I purposely walked each aisle to see if any of the fabric would inspire me and one piece did! It was a $4.95 value fashion fabric perfect for a festive holiday party. I didn’t buy it, but I came home and searched for the perfect pattern to make it come to life. Now that I’ve found one, I can go back and get the pattern.
ReplyDeleteI get apprehensive. I'm new to sewing and mostly sew things for my 3-year-old daughter and I'm afraid I'm going to screw something up. :) Right now I am working on a Christmas dress for her. I am hoping it turns out well.
ReplyDeleteMy problem is that once I pull out the fabric I keep thinking of all the different things I want to do with it. I usually wish I had more. If not then its not a great piece of fabric.
ReplyDeleteI pet my fabrics and think about what they might be great as, and what would make them even greater - via contrast & coordinating others in my stash. I leave my fabrics lying around, and even use them as the occasional couch blanket, so they stay in the forefront of my mind and give me a better sense of how they behave; I browse style.com and places like Nordstrom's for designer outfits to knock off with my stuff.
ReplyDeleteI love fabric! The texture, the colors, everything.
ReplyDeleteI love looking for fabric in all my bins (which are organized and labeled)
I love discovering a piece of fabric - and then readying it to sew into something beautiful.
I love fabric...
It is so satisfying to see a flat piece of fabric come to life as a garment. Handling fabric always makes my heart sing.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what you say. It's a little like communing in some ways. The whole cutting out process is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I never do it in a rush. I usually cut out early Sunday mornings when it's quiet and cool. I have these little flat plastic boxes that each garment goes into. If I ever feel uneasy about cutting into a fabric, I don't. I put it aside and do something else. The rare times I've ignored this instinct, it's invariably been a disaster.
ReplyDeleteHow eloquently put! It doesn't seem to happen that way for me, I pull out fabric, decide I want to make something from it, go through all my patterns, change my mind and pull out more fabric and so on and so on until my fabric closet is an utter mess! But when the stars align and I know what I am going to do it is a great feeling.
ReplyDeleteOh, you have described my feelings exactly. There is something so utterly sensual about an uncut piece of fabric on the cutting table. I love to touch it, to look at the textures, to see how different light bounces off the threads. I love the anticipation of this time...waiting for the first pattern piece to be laid down, the second arranged just so...the third edged in and so on. I am so very quiet inside during this time.
ReplyDeleteNormally the fabric dictates the pattern I will use. Like someone else posted I like cutting out fabric in the AM, particularly Saturday or Sunday. I am not usually rushed when I cut out fabric at that time. When I am at that stage, I normally have decided on zipper, trim etc.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful question! I completely agree with your sentiments. Uncut fabric calls to me to be made into something beautiful. Last night I even dreamed about laying out fabric!
ReplyDeleteYes.. my heart pitter patter as I lay out my fabric. Sometimes I have to take a deep breath just to slow down my racing heart.
ReplyDeleteI love the excitement of starting new project especially laying the fabric out on the table!
ReplyDeleteFunny Katie, so did I! (Think about a potential project/cutting out). Funny, I usually cut out during the day when only the baby is here, on the kitchen table that has been cleaned and windexed (I have 4 kids who eat at it!) so I can sew during her naps and/or when she goes to mothers day out.
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to answer the question correctly (the kids were on their way out the door for the bus), and fabric does inspire me, but the opposite way (matching pattern to fabric) does too!
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this entry my eyes filled with tears. I can remember those exact feelings and how much joy I got from everything I made, usually for my daughter or a special occasion for myself. It has been years now since I have had the luxury of sewing for myself. I still have the stash, bins of it in storage, but, life, and my new livlihood have taken over any time for my first passion. I think that this has inspired me to take the time and open the bins and close my eyes and enjoy sewing again, just for the sheer joy of it. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your blogs for a couple of months now, and I can always expect to get a "chuckle" from you!!! You are truly "in love" with sewing! Once upon a time, maybe 30 lbs. ago, I also felt a "tug at the heartstrings!" :) I feel a little closer each time I read your blogs, you do inspire! I have to get over my FEAR and make the appropriate adjustments to my patterns... I do have great ideas, but become Stumped, when I have to make that first cut for the adjustment, but I'm getting there thanks to you and your followers!!
Keep up the good work!!! Thank You!
For me, cutting the fabric is not my favourite part of sewing. And that's putting it mildly. So when the fabric is layed out to be cut I don't feel that happy. The moment I am in loooove with my fabric is when I come home and lay everything out on the couch. There it hangs for a few days so I can look at it when I want. And dream about the things I'm gonna make with them. But no, not when it's on the cutting table.
ReplyDeleteGood of you though that you enjoy even that part so much.
I really enjoy how your love of fabric and the sewing process comes through to us on your blog. I, too, love that 'start of project feeling' and feel excited when I have finally made a decision to match a pattern to a piece of fabric. I'm not so keen on the actual cutting out and marking up process - I think what I like is the moment that the garment is starting to come together and I get that 'ooh I think this is going to work out feeling' (though not every project gives me that feeling!!!).
ReplyDeleteWell, yes, normally I feel this way too (excited), but I'm in Sewing Slumpland now and the thought of beginning a new sewing project only fills me with dread. It's a temporary feeling...just not sure how long it will last.
ReplyDeleteI love when I find a perfect piece of fabric, and hunt for the perfect pattern to go with it. And I really enjoy getting the fabric, and just staring at it for a while before I put it in the line of "what to make"!
ReplyDeleteI love fabric, love looking at it, touching it, buying it and finding things to coordinate with it but do find that when I come to make a garment I procrastinate because of all my fitting issues. I'm sure it will get easier but at the moment buying fabric is easier than actually making something! That said, I do have a skirt cut out and partially sewed .... partly sewed because I'm putting off the time of trying it on and having to deal with any fitting issues. It's a really, really pretty jacaranda-coloured silk georgette .... lol
ReplyDeleteOh my! You are a poet after my own heart. That's exactly how I feel. I love being creative. It feel good taking that fabric from just a piece of cloth to a beautiful garment that I can be proud of.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have finally decided what project is next, I do get very excited! I bring the fabric from the sewing room into the front room (where I cut on the dining table). Tracing/cutting the pattern first is boring, but then you finally get to start the creativity with the cutting layout. I don't particularly care for cutting, but it is the first step to your new clothes!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn... you are soooo right. Fabric will call me sometimes... (not crazy... just excentric...! I mean I see fabric that I just have to purchase even though I may not really have a for sure plan for it... but then I can go nuts planning and trying to decide what to make out of it! There are times when I see something that someone has on that I just kind of think hmmm, if I had that material I might make ..... out of it! If I'm waiting in line and a piece of someone's wardrobe calls to me... I have a good time imagineing what I could/would do with it. Cheaper than buying stuff I don't need!
ReplyDelete. Now that I’ve found one, I can go back and get the pattern.
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ReplyDeleteI keep thinking of all the different things I want to do with it. I usually wish I had more. If not then its not a great piece of fabric
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