Final Closet Cull

I have to admit that it's weird waking up and putting on more RTW than me-made every morning.  I know that in time, I will get back to primarily me-made but it's definitely a shift.  To add to that shift, I did the last closet cull...and I was ruthless this time because one day last week...I realized that I NEVAH opened the closet doors anymore.

Why? Because 90% of what was in the closet was either too big or unsuitable for my new life. So I decided enough was enough and I cleared the closet out. The result ~ almost all of my RTW cardigans that I purchased to go over me-made dresses are still around but the dresses have been donated.  Picked up last Monday and vanquished from the house forever.

I think I was finally ready to let go because I saw no point in holding on.  Think of any dress I made from 2011-2014 and it probably will be worn by some other person now.  Skirts and pants too were donated, though this morning I located a few more pieces that were probably ignored during the scourge last week, that will also be given away. I was ready to be done.  I had no regrets, shed no tears, just realized that this is a new life event and I need to meet it head on.

However, a few pieces remained ~

This dress (McCalls 6395) which I'd only worn once or twice because it really was a little too funky for my old job...

...became a new top worn over jeans!

I cut the skirt portion off the dress right under the faux leather band and tossed it.  The top needed nothing ~ no other repairs/alterations because the faux leather trim finished it off nicely.  It wore well over jeans and under a black cardigan to work. 

This outfit which I absolutely loved ~ a cardigan from Butterick 6002 in faux leather and ponte and my TNT dress in faux leather and ponte...

...was shortened to tunic length and will be worn over leggings.

I was happy to save this one by cutting off 17 inches and hemming the lining and ponte fabric.  This is one of my ponte outfits where the ponte is piling but that's because the perforated faux leather works against the ponte.  I shaved the piling off and probably won't wear this outfit often but at least this one made it through the closet cull.

Other than the outfits I made this year and a couple from the end of last year, everything is gone.  The good thing is that I have loads of pictures here on the blog, as well as details, on how garments were constructed if I decide to remake anything in the future.

I also donated a dozen pair of brand new heels that were barely worn and that I wouldn't wear now anyway.  The only things that I didn't give away were handbags and my extensive jewelry collection.  I will figure out a new way to wear the jewelry and well the handbags can always be used.

So with a much lighter closet, I'm pressing on and working out new pieces to be added to the wardrobe.

...as always more later!

Closet Cull - Summer Edition

After spending most of the weekend working on painting the skirt, I still had no sewing mojo.  So after cooking dinner, I decided to try a few things on for work this week. Now to be perfectly honest, I've been dreading this...heading into my closet and looking closely at what's residing there. I've definitely been putting it off because of the weight loss and the job change.

However, it wasn't as bad as I thought.  Yes, I did end up with a huge carpenter size garbage bag full of things to be donated, but I also found my old business casual wardrobe stuffed way in the back of the closet.  Things I shared here years ago!

Things like this:

This skirt was blogged about here.

This skirt was in the same post above.

...and this skirt was in this blog post.

All of these skirts were made in 2006, back when I worked in a large financial institution and the dress code was business casual. I wore a skirt and a twinset or a skirt, tank top and cardigan in the summertime...occasionally I wore a dress but not often. My picture taking skills left much to be desired...hahahaha!

After finding these pieces and adding some cardigans from the collection to them, I felt like I'd found myself again. First off they all fit again, thank goodness! Why I held onto them so long I have no idea, since I'm usually cleaning things out with a quickness, but I'm glad I did! 

Second, they will work in my new environment without making me stand out. Even though I received great advice that it's okay to stand out...I'd rather look like I'm part of the team.  As it is I'm still going to be a little more "dressed" than some of my fellow employees, but I won't be "overdressed."

The title of this post is "Closet Cull" so to keep it on track, I tried on every summer dress that was left in the closet.  Then I set up three piles ~ keep, donate, will be fixed. I ended up with about 25 more dresses being added to the donate pile. A few have been designated fixable...some lay on my cutting table and some are in the closet waiting their turn.

Originally I thought I would list all of the dresses that are going away but it's just too much!  Suffice it to say that almost every summer dress that I've made in the last 3-4 years, no longer resides in my closet. I've also decided that the yellow dress featured in my last Closet Cull post is not worth saving. It was donated as was this one ~ which is one of my favorite makes:

Vogue 8995

As I fix dresses, I will share them with you since this is a much smaller list. 

It was interesting that as I touched each one of the dresses to be given away, I could remember the inspiration, buying the fabric, and the hours spent constructing each garment. To say that this is a milestone in my life both creatively and professionally is an understatement.

I wrote this blog post in May 2013 about my wardrobe. I stumbled upon it when I was looking for pics for this post. So much of what I wrote is still true regarding my feelings on my wardrobe...so much so that I wonder how interesting my blog posts are going to be now.  I guess we'll see...

...as always more later!

Closet Cull - Part One

The weather is changing here on the East Coast and it's getting warmer. I've been wearing some of my newer dresses along with some of the dresses I made last winter. So with the warmer weather approaching, I'm forced to look at the summer clothing that no longer fits.

Mentally and emotionally I can only do about 10-20 garments at a time. There are too many memories associated with each piece. As happy as I am for the weight loss, the amount of time invested in creating each garment slaps me up side the head as I add it to the pile. Even though the donation pile is getting larger and I know that someone else will get some joy from these pieces, it still hurts as each one is placed in that pile.

Now I just knew that my Vogue 1250 dresses would still fit. I've made 9 of them from some very pretty knit fabrics. They have all hit the donation pile and this was a huge blow. I loved those dresses. I'd managed to make them fit my bodacious body and they kept me on trend. 

Now they are all too big, seriously swimming on me from the waist down. The curved centerback seam is halfway down my backside. To make them work, I'd have to take them apart and resew them...but here's the rip.  When I pull them closer on me, it's just not an attractive look. I now understand why this dress didn't work on some of my fellow sewists.

Here are a few of the Vogue 1250 dresses, all made in 2012-2013, that hit the donation pile ~

This dress also hit the pile ~

Again too big! I thought about trying to save it but fat lifts things up...when it's gone everything just flops. So that beautiful waistband falls in a very unappealing place. Hopefully someone else will appreciate it's beauty.

I removed the embellishment from this dress last year and now it will be donated. Just not worth fixing. I was much puffier last summer ~ 30 lbs puffier ~ and I was actually happy wearing this looser fitting dress but donation is its best fate now.

There were a few more pieces that went into the pile but not worth mentioning. I'm slowly but surely making my way through the closet, determining what I can save, what needs to go and what I may try to make again.

I've found some interesting pieces in the closet that I will keep...some need some simple alterations ~ an hour's worth of corrections at most ~ some fit right off the hanger. Two of the better finds are below ~

I loved this dress and haven't been able to wear it in years. YEARS! It just had such a sentimental attachment that I was unable to give it away. It was made in 2007 from a piece of fabric that I loved. It's a silhouette that I've used often for a dress but the sleeves on the topper got tight and I moved on. To say that I was thrilled to have it fit again is an understatement. Though I'm now 10 lbs lighter than I was in the picture above.

There were two dresses that encouraged me to continue on in my TNT dress journey ~ the first one is a pink silk dress and this one ~

It doesn't fit perfectly now. I will have to remove the zipper and pull in some of the center back seam to give the dress a closer fit. But it's worth the time it will take to keep it in the closet and make it wearable.

There will be more closet cull posts. I want to give some of these pieces the proper goodbye that they deserve. I've spent loads of hours thinking about & plotting how to make them, as well as, sewing them so there is much sorrow at parting with them. I know that I will make more. I know that styles change and everything wouldn't have remained in my closet forever...but they will be missed! 

I have noticed something from this exercise though, everything that I've made in the last six years is now too big. I've been my most prolific in the last six years so quite a bit is being donated. Loads of techniques, hours of thoughts, designer interpretations, etc. are now being given away...*sigh* I know that this is part of my creative journey but it makes me very sad...

...as always more later!