My sewjo has been screaming and since I have no where to go I've been going with the flow and sewing. Of course this means that my thoughts run to different places while I'm sewing.
Here are a few of them ~
o I'm sewing much slower than I use to. Prior to the pandemic, I was always in a rush so I could wear my newest creation to work or out with friends. There's no need to rush anymore since lately I go nowhere...not to the grocery store...delivery. Even the drugstore offers delivery or curbside pick up now.
o In the last month I've purchased 44 yards of fabric. That fabric fast is OVER! I found that as I started to sew new fabric fueled my sewjo. So I bought a little bit.
o I bought an inexpensive clothing rack to hold my makes. Why not just put them in the closet, you ask? Well I've decided that I want to sew a bunch of blue garments. As I complete each one I will add it to my rack...making my own blue collection.
o It's a wardrobe BUT not one where all the pieces have to work together. The thing that binds them together is that they will all be in the blue color family. I got the idea from the JJill ad above.
o I've pulled some blue fabrics from the collection and I've bought a few yards. There will be shirts, dresses, a pair of pants, the jumpsuit and my denim jacket. Like I said some will work together but not all. The driving force will be that they're all blue.
o It's given my sewing some direction which I've needed. I've also let go of the notion that I have to be able to wear it now to sew it. I have hope that I will be able to work in our office by fall. So the days I go in I will have new clothes to wear!
o Here's my rack so far...
o My blog is becoming more of a documentation of what I've sewn rather than a techniques driven/chatty blog like in the past. I've been blogging for 15 years...January was my 15th anniversary...so I'm trying to link to techniques or information from my older blog posts now. No need to reinvent the wheel.
o Sewing is becoming my refuge again. Weird to type that almost a year into the pandemic. I'm trying to learn to dress every day. I'm not always successful but cheer the days that I am.
o And even in the middle of a pandemic, I have not learned to sew casual clothes. I'm beginning to think I'm either a slob or a fancy dresser...there's no middle ground. LOL!
o On that note, I've decided to sew all the things. Before I was waiting...for the pandemic to end...to be able to go outside again...for a reason to wear them. That's not bringing me joy and actually at one point was stifling my creativity. Now, if I dream about it, I'm going to make it.
o I want to share the Janome 100th Anniversary video which I was thrilled to be able to participate in. I love my Janome machines and I love being a Janome Maker!
o One last thought...when I was digging through some bins upstairs I noticed that I have two bins and a garbage bag full of scraps. I use to donate these and now I'm in a quandary. I know I want to make a pouf with some of them but the rest I don't know if I should hold onto them (waiting for things to open back up) or dump them. BTW, I'm not looking for suggestions, just musing upon the situation.
I've been sewing and have new things to share. They will be up soon.
...as always more later!
As always I enjoy seeing your makes. Glad your sewjo is in full blast so I can see more. I am starting two new projects with fabric and pattern in place. Next pattern adjustments and fabric cutting. Stay well!
ReplyDeleteSo glad the sewjo is back and love the idea of the blue wardrobe. I’ve heard that you need an awful lot of scraps for the pouf!
ReplyDeleteYes you do !! I made three at Christmas - I used all my scraps and some old clothes and the insides of some old (clean) bed pillows. I topped up with some purchased filling that is offcuts from duvet manufacturing here in the UK. i found they need some more structured filling - too soft and they collapse but they are fun to make.
Delete"I'm either a slob or a fancy dresser...there's no middle ground"
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh this is me. I told a former coworker this and she didn't believe me but I swear, I'm either 100% put together or DONE. LOL! I don't know how to do in-between. Still.
I've been sewing this whole time but have been limited myself. Now, I'm like, eh. I'm just oging to sew whatever I fee like sewing. Life is too short.
Glad your mojo is back!
I love that you want to link back to previous posts where you’ve shown techniques!
ReplyDeleteMe, too! This is a great idea not only for the best use of your time, but also as a reference for your readers. Thanks!
DeleteLooking forward to seeing all your makes :)
ReplyDeleteWhat is a poof? I'm making a denim circle rag quilt with 5 inch squares.
ReplyDeleteYoga with Gaileee - Closet Core Patterns has a foot rest that you make and stuff it with scraps. She calls it a pouf so I called it that too.
DeleteBlue is an all season color, reliable, and comforting. Good choice for a pandemic!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a blue wardrobe, organised in the way you describe. It will be fun to watch as you assemble it. Times sure have changed for us all. I too have come to the conclusion that I will sew what I wish too, without a particular need, reason, or excuse! If it hangs there for a month or a year, so be it. Its day will come. Off to cut out some nice linen I recently bought :)
ReplyDeleteI fully appreciate your plan to sew a blue module! I am currently sewing a pale pink wool coat, and I see I have considering a Spring module based on that color. I found I have quite a few pink fabrics that will coordinate......nice to have some direction!
ReplyDeletePatty - I just need to do things a little differently than I've been doing this year. I need to bring some joy back to my sewing and I hope this will help me find it!
DeleteI loved this post hearing how you've adjusted to sewing in the pandemic. I'm a jacket sewist as they are my favorite item to sew. For many months I just couldn't get inspired to jacket sew so I made quilts for my family. Like you I used to be filled with excitement to zip up a garment so I could wear it the next day then covid it and no parties or gatherings to show off what I'd made, Now I too sew slow and have actually sewn a few jackets even though they sit in my closet. I like your idea of the clothing rack to display your latest! I live in Austin, TX so we've had a very hard time of dealing with the big winter storm. Luckily we now have power now and water restored so I can get back to creating. Karen
ReplyDeleteI love seeing what you make, and enjoy all of your makes! I like the concept of a wardrobe... I never have a sewing strategy, or a fabric buying strategy either. I am glad you are well and back to sewing... and I have enjoyed your blog for years, I love your style! I look forward to pictures here or Instagram. And I learned about Wawak from you too!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see that your mojo is back. Like you, sewing is my refuge. I've sewn a lot last year and used up a bunch of fabric from the shelves. Last year, I made up a blue collection and then sewed a few white garments. At the beginning of this year, I started a black collection because it seems like I have a million pieces of black fabric I was tired of seeing it sitting on the shelves, lol.
ReplyDeleteI set up a second sewing machine and serger and threaded them with white thread. I was worried that I would get tired of sewing black fabric. I'll starting switching between black and white garments this week. At the end of March, I'll stop the black collection and start a red collection. Summer sewing will focus on using up printed fabric in the stash. My main focus will be moving fabric from the shelves to finished garments. I will buy fabric when I see something that I need to finish the collection or I just like the fabric.
Having a color based collection has made getting dressed much easier in the morning. Sewing with one thread color makes life easier because I can just sit down and sew. I'm not constantly changing thread especially the serger. This morning I uncovered the machine and sewed for 10 minutes before leaving for work.
Have fun with your collection. Looking forward to seeing what you make.
I have never been one to do SWAP sewing but sewing around a color - now that speaks to me! To me that is a far more creative approach and I am anxious to see all your choices. I, too, get the slob or dressed up lifestyle but am seriously working on changing that. I have invested in several great patterns to alleviate that but the fabric is my dilemma. With only the big chain for fabric choice I see nothing that I would make up to mimic high end active wear I see in the stores. I need to see the fabric in person too. It is a dilemma as there is no way I can buy this type of fabric with confidence online. So I remain wardrobe-less when it comes to nice homebound garments. I have intent and patterns but no fabric, sigh.......One of the first things my sis and I plan to do once we are both double vaxed is to hit the huge Fabric Place Basement near Boston and take care of this issue. I think many of us have been living the slob or refined lifestyle. (previous comment deleted for grammar.)
ReplyDeleteI love the all blue unifying concept
ReplyDeleteOf course, one of my first thoughts was...Gee, I wouldn't have to worry about rethreading between items....
I made one of those poufs. I really want to make another. That way I could have one and the dog can have the other.
I put two pockets on the sides
I should have put a handle on it for lugging it around. It is heavy.
I am not sure where I got the idea but I just found it here
https://handmadeshelby.wordpress.com/2020/01/24/scrap-buster-closet-case-pouf/
I think a Blue collection sounds wonderful! I like seeing it all displayed on the rack like that. I imagine even walking by the rack would bring you joy!
ReplyDeleteI love your thoughts! I love sewing in colour batches, if only because it saves me time changing my thread. I also love your idea of a rack to showcase the collection as you build it! I’m so glad you’re having fun with sewing again.
ReplyDelete