- Do you touch fabric or a completed garment and it's whole history flashes through your mind? Do you remember who you were with when you bought the fabric? If you had to hunt the fabric down and where you got it from? That happened to me recently and it was such a walk down memory lane...
- I just donated three large garbage bags of clothing and my closet is still tight...*sigh*
- I don't do the yearly purge anymore...you know the if you haven't worn it in a year it has to go. Why? Because I've now sewn some pieces for the extreme hot and cold weather that I only wear when the temperatures are really, really hot or really, really cold - since I don't wear them every year - because of temperatures - why would I donate them?
- Do you wear your new makes right away? I use to all the time. Could barely get them off my sewing machine fast enough to get them on my body. Now, they can sit for weeks before I wear them.
- Which means that I just wore the Vogue 8895 dress two weeks ago although the Optical Illusion dress made at the same time got worn right away...I think it's just the #epicsews that need a time out.
- On this timetable, it will be the end of September before I wear The Smugglers Daughter dress.
- Pinterest is where I learned that my pattern alterations are too simple! Case in point:
- One of my all time popular posts is "Using my Janome 8900 QCP - 10 Months Later". It's interesting because now - 18 months later - I realize that I still don't KNOW it all that well. I'm still learning all of its functions and capabilities.
- I want to sew fall. Yes, it's the middle of August and I want to sew fall. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want summer to end just yet especially since this has been a wonderful summer weather wise. But I only have one or two more summer things that I want to sew...so I'm moving on after that.
- This is the first time in five or six years that I won't have a September sewcation. Things at work changed my vacation schedule so no September sewcation. Don't now how I feel about not having nine straight days to sew yet. I usually sew a large part of my fall wardrobe then - well at least get a good start...
- I already have a few pieces I want to make for fall...with inspiration from Talbots and Lafayette 148...as well as remaking a few patterns that I've recently used.
- I love pretty sewing rooms. Love, love, love them...especially the ones on Pinterest. Recently I saw this one at Bunny's blog and I was enthralled. Her m'amm cave is so her! You can see it in this post.
- Ann of Gorgeous Things recently left a message on my Linings post. Then she wrote a post of her own linking to two of her previous posts on the same subject. You can check them out here.
Finally...
"An artist knows how good he or she is but can still appreciate the talents of their peers"
That's how I'm feeling lately about my sewing peers. Thank you for challenging me, encouraging me, and leading the way. I have such wonderful footsteps to follow in because you all lead the way so well.
Thanks so much to everyone who has left a comment on my last couple of garments. I appreciate them all so much ~ especially that you take the time to leave them. Thanks for continuing to talk with me...I truly treasure these conversations...
...as always more later!
Thank you for sharing your FBA ideas.. I have been attempting to learn the best way to do this..[sewed for years for my daughter and grandkids, but only lately started sewing for me..big difference.ha]. my question-- The photo looks so simple, when you cut the dart open to enlarge it, Do you redraw a dart in the same location? thank you in advance for your help.
ReplyDeleteLove all your beautiful clothes. .You are very talented.
I used to follow the one year rule but discovered that I would end up giving away things that I then wished I hadn't given away. I may not use something in a year but maybe I will the following year! So I don't follow that rule anymore.
ReplyDeleteI don't follow the one year rule, I follow the "how does it make me feel" rule.
ReplyDeleteIf I pull something out of the closet to wear and realize it makes me feel dowdy, fat, ugly, sloppy, old, like mutton dressed as lamb, sallow, pathetic, depressed, like I'm worth more than that, it goes. Regardless of age, price, etc.
And every so often, usually at season change, I try to consider most things in the closet in that light. Too baggy, too tight, hate the color upon consideration, gone.
I am hopeless at throwing things out and take inspiration from an elderly but extremely well-dressed relative who made most of her own clothes and was still rocking pieces from the 40's and 50's in the 80's and 90's. She was a prolific and extremely skilled seamstress with a "thin" wardrobe and a "fat" wardrobe of exquisite tailored pieces in classic styles and beautiful fabrics. She always declared that everything comes round again and was always bang on trend fashion wise. I don't have the same classic wardrobe, most of my stuff is mid-priced RTW, but I do hang on to stuff for ages and definitely have things that have "come into fashion" again in quite a range of sizes too. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, Carolyn. Thanks for the props on my sewing space. I did interior design for years and like my personal space "pretty". Oddly, I like the rest of my home VERY simple and "undecorated" looking. That mix is comfortable to me.
ReplyDeleteI do feel the history of my fabric purchases and stash. Some things I may never sew but they have memories for me that I seem to want to cling to.
Great post.
I've been thinking about Fall sewing as well, even with temps still reaching the 100's I know it'll be worth it when Fall arrives
ReplyDeleteHelen
Nice Miscellany!
ReplyDeleteNice list Carolyn, and your 4th point is where I am recently. I am sewing to fill gaps in my "town" wardrobe and so my new clothes are waiting their turn. I have three choices for the Lila Downs concert at the end of the month.
ReplyDeleteI wear things almost as soon as I'm finished hemming! Usually I'm just too excited to wait, which means that I'm usually sewing for the current season instead of sewing ahead.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's an alteration I need too! And my technique could use some serious refining!
I always love your posts and especially enjoyed the link to the M'aam Cave since I have spent the weekend clearing off my sewing projects (summer) to make room for the fall ones. I am trying to set up a new sewing space so there were lots of good ideas there.
ReplyDeleteI have very few clothes and even fewer clothes I have sewn (just getting back into this journey). This is intentional as I like a minimalist wardrobe. You sew more in a season than I have to wear all year so it must be hard to weed out anything. I am trying so very hard not to overdo but I am afraid just the amount of fabric I have purchased this year has been incredible. I am definitely going to have to rein in my tendency to visit those fabric websites so often. LOL
On another note, I just read The Pink Suit (a historical fiction of the seamstress who sewed the Pink Suit Jackie Kennedy wore the day President Kennedy was assassinated). It was so good. It came recommended on another sewing site and I think everyone here would love to read it.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18295838-the-pink-suit
Enjoy the rest of the summer!
I enjoy your posts! Bunny does have a lovely room to create in. I do have lots of fabric that has memories attached. One day they might actually turn into garments! And if they do I will wear them straight away :)
ReplyDeleteMy fabric stash is loaded with many memories and inspiration. As soon as I finish my big project (75 dresses for my women's chorus) I plan to fondle fabric and create!
ReplyDeleteYes, Bunny has a wondrous sewing cave, but YOURS is also very nice! I am sorry you won't have your 9-day sewcation this year! I'm sure you will still get a block of time off, even if not in September, yes?
ReplyDeleteTwo things. I remember almost all my fabric purchases, especially those from special places. 2nd, whenever I come here I always admire your pic of the first family. I love that photo.
ReplyDeleteMy fabrics have a lot of memories and thank you for the pin about the alternations, off to check this out more.
ReplyDeleteI definitely love the memories fabric or finished projects have weaved into them. This is one of the reasons I love buying fabric when I'm on vacation, the best kind of souvenir! I've been wanting to sew something up from one of my Paris fabrics so I can call it my Paris dress. -Amanda
ReplyDeleteLovely post - it resonates with me so much. I don't have many me made garments and don't really wear those that I have as I see their flaws too easily. I'm currently trying to modify a couple of them. My technical prowess and fitting ability will improve with practice. At least I hope so!
ReplyDelete