Working out new ideas

The realization that I've come to in the last few weeks ~ something you all tried to tell me at the beginning of this new journey ~ was that I can wear whatever I feel like wearing that day.  This is new and liberating for me.  It's been a decade of having to adher to a strict dress code and like any prisoner walking out of jail, it's taken me a minute to lose the shackles.

However, once free, what do you do? Who do you become? How do you show yourself to the world? I think my recent makes are me finally finding my way to that new person. Notice that there isn't a skirt or a dress amongst them!

I have to tell you though that when I started this journey ~ making Butterick 5678 my own ~ I was influenced by ThatBlackChic and the amazing Dashiki Shirtdress she made.  It made me realize that I needed to think outside of the box using even casual patterns.  The pattern didn't need to be perceived as a "typical" shirt dress but somewhere I could let my flights of fancy take me.

So Butterick 5678 is one of the patterns I'm using to make this journey. As with any pattern, my first version is made simply to get my fitting issues worked out, cause as we all know, no pattern fits you right out of the envelope! Now that they are worked out, I'm getting a little creative with the pattern and honestly I'm in sewing heaven!

I know that there are a lot of technique driven blog posts being written lately for both the beginner and intermediate/advanced sewist. Also there's quite a few sewalongs going on in the sewing blogosphere, but what really thrills me and gets my creative juices going into overdrive are the blog posts and Instagram pics that feature an inventive take on a pattern.  Where the sewist uses embellishment, fabric or puts a spin on a pattern that I just didn't think of...that's what stimulates me right now!

Now that I realize that separates work best for this new lifestyle I also need to tame the creative beast that roars inside me.  Separates and basics are the building blocks in a wardrobe but they aren't what causes me to run to my sewing machine. Honestly I'm not a jeans and t-shirt type of woman and I've finally worked out how to "style" myself for my job that doesn't involve me trying to look like a 20 or 30 year old.

That styling began with Butterick 5678 and the variations I've thought up for it. Of course the original (made), then the dress/topper (made), after that the Yazz shirt (to be made) and finally a bow-tie version (to be made)...all to be worn with tights, leggings or ponte pants (also working on).

I've moved onto McCalls 7095 making two versions of this loose-fitting yoked top that are easy & comfortable to wear. I've even made another Lisette B6183 because right now tops over leggings or straight leg pants is a look that's working for me. I've even separated the top from the pants, from this look made last May, to wear so I'm finding my way.

Let me tell you though, it was a challenge and I felt very lost most of the time. However, now that I'm on a path and have a destination in mind, this life change has been great for me creatively.  I spent a lot of time looking at websites, catalogs and some in-store research to figure out what look I wanted. I've walked away from quite a few things that I loved, not so many dresses, more separates, and more RTW looks less fashion forward styling.

I'm learning to incorporate "me" into the looks that work for this stage of my life. I've also looked around and realized that there are more people living life in casual clothing than the professional gear I use to wear.

The most significant challenge has been to work primarily from the goods in my Sewing Cave.  I'm having a lot of fun fabric diving in the shelves and pulling out pieces that I've owned for years to sew a garment...using buttons and notions that have also been collected over the years. It's wonderful because this is the time and place that those items have been collected for!

Now that I know where I'm going and what I want to make, I will be using and reviewing a lot more new patterns on the blog. Hey there are very few TNTs yet for this journey...I'm thinking that's years away!  Also, and I'm apologizing up front since I'm fabric diving, there's going to be a lot of fabric that I use that you won't be able to purchase. If I happen to see something on one of the online sites similar, I will point you there because yes, I'm still cruising the fabric sites!

Finally, my daughter needed a few new dresses for work so we fabric dived together and I've sewn a couple of McCalls 6886 for her. Well actually I've gone down the rabbit hole and made quite a few variations for her.  This one is up on Instagram and a follow up post will show up here soon.

...as always more later!