Midway though March

I've been sewing. A LOT! I'm turning things out faster than I can take pictures of them because the sewing/creating is the most important thing to me. Yeah I've got a groove going. The days are getting longer...it's starting to feel like spring...and my sewjo is hopping! 

A picture of my sewing rack as it appears now.

So a few things...

o I've been using a lot of new patterns.

I made a promise to myself that I would try harder to sew some of the many patterns I've purchased over the years. I've reverted to my TNT patterns so much that the other patterns have been pushed aside. New patterns take time and since I'm home every day with no wearing deadlines, I've decided to take the time and enjoy these new journeys.  So there will be more new patterns used and shared.

o Using fabric and notions stash

While I did feed the sewjo beast last month with new fabric purchases, this month I've been pulling fabrics from the collection to sew. All buttons and bindings have come from stash. I have an amazing collection of buttons and I've been trying to use something from it for every button project.

o Learning new places to take pictures

My picture taking had become rote because my last place had a perfect white wall and was lushly landscaped outside. Somehow I've managed to put furniture or stuff on all the walls here! LOL! It may be because it's a smaller space or it may be I was thinking more design than photography. Anyway, learning what's the best time to shoot inside and where has been challenging. It has also added to my back up of sewn garments making it to the blog. Once spring arrives and the trees bloom, there are loads of places in my new complex that will work and I hope to use.

o Learning new techniques

Due to my partnership with Janome, I feel like I should use the new features that Instagram offers, as well as learning to videotape some of the things I do at the sewing machine. I've purchased a ring light and I'm still working on making videos but sooner or later links will show up to online video shorts. No I'm not starting a YouTube channel. Maintaining a blog and an Instagram feed are about all I can handle and still sew.

o Burda Pattern Magazine Inspiration 

Along with using more of my fabric, notions and pattern stash, I took the time to review some of the Burda Pattern Magazines I have stored. I found so much inspiration in those magazines, that I've added a few patterns to my spring/summer sewing. Because at this point what's the difference between tracing a pattern and altering it to downloading, printing, taping, tracing and then altering a pattern. Especially since I'm not finding much inspiration in the Big4 patterns.

Here is some of the Burda goodness...

o Repurposing my sewing loft

I really like sewing in the winter sewing room probably because I just cut and sew there. The way the room is set up you can't see a lot of the sewing paraphernalia when you enter my space. So I have plans to put some shelves on the walls and lift everything off the floor. Add some pretty baskets to use on the shelving, curtains and putting the Mixtiles I purchased on the main wall.

The Sewing Loft will become a resource center. All of my fabric, patterns and sewing extras like buttons, zippers, bindings etc. will continue to be stored there. It allows the winter sewing room to be used for sewing and cutting and the loft to be a center for everything else. Nothing will be cramped or overcrowded and both spaces will allow me to breathe creatively.

Now I have a plan I need to execute it. When its done I will share pictures of it here.

That's my mid-March update! There are more garments to come since I have been sewing.

...as always more later!