Musing about next year's goals

I feel as though I've been fairly productive this year. I've certainly sewn a lot of projects, but I'm still drowning in fabric. Part of the problem is that I can't throw anything away, and the other (main) part is that I keep buying more fabric. I really should learn. Anyway, the bottom line is that the amount of fabric I have is starting to stress me out so my goals for next year will involve sewing down my stash.

My First Goal: Targeted Fabrics

I've picked out a few fabrics and set them aside. I'm going to sew things from those fabrics (I can add other fabrics according to the project) until they are all gone. The fabrics (and tentative plans) are:

1. Lime green organza with gold foil stars (Christmas Skirt for Iyla, Pretty Ditty Christmas Apron?)
2. White stretch cotton sateen (capri pants for DD)
3. White voile with gold stars and diagonal lines (peasant blouse for DD)
4. Pink glitter organza (Fairy Skirt for DN)
5. Aqua Blue with cute dogs satin-y fabric (PJs for DD, Boxers for DH)
6. Pink Paisley satin-y fabric (Boxers for DH)
7. Blue/Green/Yellow/White stretch cotton sateen (Ruffle back Otto skirt for DD)
8. Green Fairy Drill (Art Caddy for DN)
9. Blue Bubble Drill (Art Caddy for DD)
10. Chocolate Brown with multi-coloured birds/geo design (Pretty Ditty Apron for Mum)

My Second Goal: Lingerie Fabric Stash Reduction

I need to sew down my lingerie fabric stash until it fits in one box. It's mainly for underpants for me so I'll need to get cracking on perfecting that TNT. THEN I'll be able to whip those babies out.

My Third Goal: Swimwear Fabric Stash Reduction

I want to sew down my swimwear fabric stash until it fits into 2 boxes. I've got a whole bunch of printed lycras that need to be used up. I also need some new swimsuits - so there's a match! Of course, sewing swimsuits for my DD is quite addictive. There's no fit issues and she always looks cute. However, I need to bite this bullet. I also want to order some sun protection lycra and I can't justify doing that until I at least get the current lycra stash under control.

My Fourth (and last for now) Goal: Dancing Fabric Stash Reduction

Finally, I want to sew up most of the dancing fabric stash. I'm not sure how much longer DD will be dancing so I need to get this stuff sewn up now while it's still useful. I also have a whole bunch of the pink sequin fabric - I know I'll be making more of those circle skirts so I may just get a head start over the Christmas school holidays.

Phew, it seems like a lot but I know I need direction in my sewing otherwise I flounder and fritter my time away. I may never achieve all these goals, but I like the way they keep me somewhat focused.

Christmas Sewing List

I know I've only got another couple of weeks to go, but I've made a fair dint in the list already. I'm only listing what I've got to go...

• Boxers for DH
• Bag for DSIL
• Pretty Ditty Apron for Mum
• Christmas Skirt for DD
• Fairy Skirt for DN

Hard to Believe

I know! I've just sewn up a muslin for the Burda Plus pants (Spring/Summer 2007 E952 #402) and this is what they looked like straight 'out off the tracing paper!'

I think they look pretty good already - no major funny things happening. I'm so excited. I have a feeling this is going to be my first proper TNT pants pattern!

Issues that I needed to address in the above pants:

• side seams are pulling forward towards my belly
• the waistband is a little too tight
• the back is sitting out slightly at the top of CB and
• the crease lines (which are on the grain) are not sitting perfectly straight.

So, I let the side seams out by 1/2". This has stopped any of the pulling and allows the side seams to sit at my side instead of towards the front. I also took a wedge out of the CB seam, angling it in towards the top of the WB. This makes the WB sit in nicely against my back. However, I still have the problem with the crease lines pulling in towards the inner leg.

I think there is my problem. I've got a little bit of pulling on my front thigh. I also find that if I push the WB down a fraction at the CF (or pull up the WB at the side seams) the crease lines hang straight.

UP:
DOWN:

I'm going to have one last look in my fit books to see about the thigh issue, otherwise, I think this pattern is good to go! I'd planned to use this pattern in my mini-wardrobe #1, so I've got two fabrics ready and waiting to go. Hopefully, by next week, I'll have a couple of pairs of new pants!

Direction with Simplicity 3768 Shorts

I've gotten some great advice and I now need to try a few things.

One poster said that I need to make sure the front and back are level - that perhaps I've pulled the front up too high. I need to try the muslin on again, keeping everything level and take some photos from front, back AND sides.

Another poster has given me the idea of using the WB the way it is and using elastic as a kind of interfacing. If I don't attach it - just enclose it in the WB, then I can shorten it as I lose size. Great idea - and I think I'll do this, but so I need to get the pants fitting first? Maybe I need to cut out a WB, recut the top of these shorts according to the pattern and sew it together as it's meant to be in the pattern.

Yet another poster mentioned crotch length...apparently, the pattern should measure my crotch length plus an extra 1" for ease. I've measured my CL - it's 29.5". Next step is to measure the pattern and see if that works out.

Finally, I'm also going to try molding my crotch line with tinfoil and getting a template happening. There are a few threads on PR about doing this and it sounds interesting, so I'm going to give it a go.

Progress - Warning some TMI shots included

I have finally fallen to the dreaded bugs that have been so prevalent around here. I don't have anything really bad, but I have a sore throat and I totally lack any energy.

Having said that, I have done a few sewing related things this week. I tried on my shorts muslin and fiddled around with it for a while. It fits fine in the front and is plenty big enough, but I am getting some bizarre folds/creases and I don't know what to do about them. I'm going to post over at PR to see if I can get some ideas about what to do next.

I've also finally traced out the Burda Plus pants I plan to use in my mini-wardrobe. I've cut them out in muslin fabric and will stitch them together either tonight or tomorrow (probably tomorrow if I'm being realistic). I may also need to ask for help on PR for those too. I really want to get those ones right as I'd love to have a TNT pants pattern.

Mini-Wardrobe #1 and TNTs

I've decided that I need to get organised with some TNT patterns. I am going to start with pants. I wear far more pants than I do skirts. However, I don't want to fall into the trap of filling up my wardrobe with pants and have nothing to wear with them, so I'm planning to sew some simple tops at the same time to create a mini-wardrobe.

There has been much discussion of this mini-wardrobe concept on Artisan Square and Pattern Review so I figure I'm just going to jump on the bandwagon. Sherril Miller showed some beautiful combinations last week and I love the way she had photographed her fabric and presented her plans - so I'm shamelessly copying.

The ADHD in me is struggling to keep this to 2 tops and 2 bottoms - I'm already at 3 tops, but I keep reminding myself that if I keep it simple until I get some TNTs, I'll have a better chance of succeeding.

The other thing that is in the back of my mind is that I'm trying to lose weight. I joined a gym the other week and have plans for slowly and steadily losing 30 kgs. That will make all my work on TNTs completely redundant, but I figure I'm going to sew for the body I have now. At the very least it will give me stacks of practice in fitting and sewing techniques!

Anyway, here are the plans for my first mini-wardrobe.

Completed Projects for 2009

• 37 hot pink sequinned circle skirts
• 11 aqua sequinned circle skirts
• Aqua/white sparkly tulle ruffly dance skirt
• Navy pants (Burda)
• Green print Kwiksew shirt
• 1 sequinned Redondo for DD
• 2 x black knit skirts for me (McCalls 5434 and Kwiksew 3412)
• Blue/green/brown T-shirt for me (but too small)
• Jade and black print knit dress for me
• Jade/black mesh and black knit t-shirt for me
• Black skirt with Jade/black mesh overlay for me
• 1 x doll's quilt (first quilt for me - ever!)
• Peasant Blouse
• Baby jumper (knitting)
• Black maternity dress for Rachel
• Black knit pants (McCalls 5434)
• Navy knit pants (McCalls 5434)
• Green jungly knit mesh tunic top (Simplicity 3624)
• Cream knit tunic top (Simplicity 3624)
• Kharki Skirt (Simplicity 4701)
• Ottobre straight skirt multi coloured stretch linen
• Denim skirt (Simplicity 4701)
• Puppy print nightie for DD
• Chocolate brown wrap skirt (Ottobre)
• Aqua slub knit tank top (Ottobre)
• Ottobre gathered neck t-shirts x 5
• Undies x 3
• Cupcake pants for DD
• Ladybug and Polka Dot pants for DD
• Strapless navy top (McCalls 5434)
• Spindle sundress (Ottobre) - wadder/nightie
• Blue Tracksuit pants for DD - school uniform x 3

So far (8/8/2009) I'm up to 87 garments/projects completed this year. Granted most of them are fairly simple, but I need to fill up my wardrobe with enough clothes to get me through the basics, then I can spend some time on more involved and intricate projects.

ETA (14/8/2009):

Have finished a few more items - mainly UFOs - it feels good to get them out of the room!

• Baby Quilt for Rachel
• Doll's quilt #1
• Black/Jade Print T-shirt
• Green knit top
• Brown jumper

ETA (18/8/2009)

• Pink tracksuit pants for DD
• Cupcake tracksuit pants for DD
• Jade Knit Top (KwikSew 3658)

ETA (30/8/2009)

• Black Burda Plus Pants

ETA (9/12/09)

• Pink/White Bikini for DD
• Orange Hawaiian Bikini for DD
• Blue Hawaiian Bikini for DD
• Bright floral one-piece swimsuit for DD
• Black/Red Bikini bottoms for DD
• Yellow/Pink Leotard for DD
• Yellow/Pink Dancing Skirt for DD
• Pink Leotard for DN
• Pretty Ditty Apron for MIL
• Watermelon linen shorts for Me
• Striped Linen shorts for Me
• White Shorts for Me
• Pink Cupcake Hoodie for DD
• MORE sequin circle skirts (about 30) for Dancing
• White panties for Me
• Doll's quilt #2 for DN

Now up to 141 projects for the year :-) And I've still got some Christmas sewing to finish.