Before I write anything... we have had sunshine - as in no fog - and no overcast skies - just blue plus sun with the odd fluffy object - for five days in a row. This is amazing. I love the way a little vitamin D perks up the party.
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If you have the Clover brand pink magnetic pin cushion, it is almost exactly the same color as the top I was working on yesterday. Very intense. Definitely in my range.
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Since my assignment with the grey knit top didn't go so well, I decided to repeat it only this time put the tucks in at the beginning before sewing the side seams. I turned up the hem and then used a chalk marker to measure parallel lines and then...
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... used a double needle to stitch the tuck with the one row of thread right at the fold. I liked the extra body this created plus the tuck pressed down neat and flat toward the hemline and was accented by the two parallel rows of stitching that mimicked the angle of the hemline. All good and...
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... an oops. When I was trimming away the excess fabric from the neckband, I accidentally cut into the body of the garment. There's certainly room to widen the neckline although it would have been nice if I'd noticed sooner, before I'd sewn up the other shoulder seam. It may not matter because...
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... I'm not that thrilled with the top on me. The color may suit my features but it certainly doesn't suit my emotional mood. It's way too intense at a time when calm, quiet, and peaceful are far more appealing. It's interesting how our emotional environment can affect our clothing choices. VBG - or at least I find it interesting. What's also interesting is that when I wore my grey version of this top with the same jeans in this picture, there was less contrast between the asymmetrical hemline and the denim that was far more flattering than this higher contrast version. It seems like the only high contrast combinations I am comfortable with are black and white or navy and white.
Lately, it's been wadderville. I've had some wadders from buying the wrong piece of RTW or from choosing the wrong pattern to sew and I've had some wadders from choosing the wrong fabric or from choosing the wrong color and I've had some wadders where the pattern and the fabric and the color were all good only the plan didn't execute as well as expected. I would be wondering what the wadder is going on only I know. I've been here before.
Does this happen to you? Whenever I need a change or I'm learning (or re-learning) new information, I start pushing the edges and trying this and that just to see what would happen and I continue to enjoy that experimental state until the number of wadders starts draining my energy and makes me think I have absolutely no idea how to sew, who do I think I am, it's time to get a new hobby. As soon as I start feeling that way - which is about now - it's the pull back from the edge of the cliff point where it's best if I return to the safe and the familiar, say something like a black t-shirt. Hmm... that sounds good - LOL.
Yesterday, while driving around running errands, I was processing this run of wadders and thinking about the things that I know about myself and conveniently forget during one of these box stretching events until I get bonked over the head with them again . It seemed to me that a checklist would be helpful and I was contemplating what I'd write on it when I came home to Stephanie's comment that a check list might be helpful. And it would be BUT...
... the wild card component of sewing that isn't so easily put on a checklist is the emotional element. Then again, maybe you can get at that with a question. Something like... what mood am I in and what fabric matches that mood, did I check my checklist, do I remember all the lessons, and am I about to sew a wadder because I'm ignoring my own good advice? I think that question just might cover all the bases and work to prevent me from self sabotaging my sewing BUT...
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...the thing I recognize is that the styles, lines, colors, and patterns that look best on me are low contrast with simple details and require strong technical skills to execute well. This is good only sometimes I want out of that "safe" box and somewhere a little more free form creatively speaking. Bottom line - I look far better in the pink skirt and it'd be way more fun to sew the brown. When I put the pink skirt on, I feel feminine, flirty, and fun and when I wear something like the brown skirt, it feels like I'm playing dress-up in someone else's clothing. At the store I'd oh and ah over the brown skirt and I'd most likely be wearing the pink one. More interesting info.
On Monday, when I sent the answers to my recent coaching assignment to Diane, I talked about this disconnect and how to resolve it. One of the answers to avoid mindless boredom and increase the enjoyment of sewing the simpler lines that I'll actually wear is to up my technical abilities by learning how to do sew some of clean architectural details I admire. Another might be to accept that sewing my clothes is more in the core essentials with fabulous fit department then on the "wild" side and to find another way to push the creative edge. The answer that comes to mind is accessories. This is not a new crossroad. I've been here before and the great thing about spiraling around and around through the same thoughts is that eventually you mine the truth out of them.
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I predominately wear simple clothing with low contrast and architectural details in a medium to dark value range along with statement accessories that add power and punch to my outfit. Just maybe... and how crazy is this... I should sew simple clothing with low contrast and architectural details in a medium to dark value range and look at learning how to create statement accessories that would add power and punch to my outfits. It's a thought ! ! ! ! !
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - learning, re-learning, applied learning
If you have the Clover brand pink magnetic pin cushion, it is almost exactly the same color as the top I was working on yesterday. Very intense. Definitely in my range.
Since my assignment with the grey knit top didn't go so well, I decided to repeat it only this time put the tucks in at the beginning before sewing the side seams. I turned up the hem and then used a chalk marker to measure parallel lines and then...
... used a double needle to stitch the tuck with the one row of thread right at the fold. I liked the extra body this created plus the tuck pressed down neat and flat toward the hemline and was accented by the two parallel rows of stitching that mimicked the angle of the hemline. All good and...
... an oops. When I was trimming away the excess fabric from the neckband, I accidentally cut into the body of the garment. There's certainly room to widen the neckline although it would have been nice if I'd noticed sooner, before I'd sewn up the other shoulder seam. It may not matter because...
... I'm not that thrilled with the top on me. The color may suit my features but it certainly doesn't suit my emotional mood. It's way too intense at a time when calm, quiet, and peaceful are far more appealing. It's interesting how our emotional environment can affect our clothing choices. VBG - or at least I find it interesting. What's also interesting is that when I wore my grey version of this top with the same jeans in this picture, there was less contrast between the asymmetrical hemline and the denim that was far more flattering than this higher contrast version. It seems like the only high contrast combinations I am comfortable with are black and white or navy and white.
Lately, it's been wadderville. I've had some wadders from buying the wrong piece of RTW or from choosing the wrong pattern to sew and I've had some wadders from choosing the wrong fabric or from choosing the wrong color and I've had some wadders where the pattern and the fabric and the color were all good only the plan didn't execute as well as expected. I would be wondering what the wadder is going on only I know. I've been here before.
Does this happen to you? Whenever I need a change or I'm learning (or re-learning) new information, I start pushing the edges and trying this and that just to see what would happen and I continue to enjoy that experimental state until the number of wadders starts draining my energy and makes me think I have absolutely no idea how to sew, who do I think I am, it's time to get a new hobby. As soon as I start feeling that way - which is about now - it's the pull back from the edge of the cliff point where it's best if I return to the safe and the familiar, say something like a black t-shirt. Hmm... that sounds good - LOL.
Yesterday, while driving around running errands, I was processing this run of wadders and thinking about the things that I know about myself and conveniently forget during one of these box stretching events until I get bonked over the head with them again . It seemed to me that a checklist would be helpful and I was contemplating what I'd write on it when I came home to Stephanie's comment that a check list might be helpful. And it would be BUT...
... the wild card component of sewing that isn't so easily put on a checklist is the emotional element. Then again, maybe you can get at that with a question. Something like... what mood am I in and what fabric matches that mood, did I check my checklist, do I remember all the lessons, and am I about to sew a wadder because I'm ignoring my own good advice? I think that question just might cover all the bases and work to prevent me from self sabotaging my sewing BUT...
...the thing I recognize is that the styles, lines, colors, and patterns that look best on me are low contrast with simple details and require strong technical skills to execute well. This is good only sometimes I want out of that "safe" box and somewhere a little more free form creatively speaking. Bottom line - I look far better in the pink skirt and it'd be way more fun to sew the brown. When I put the pink skirt on, I feel feminine, flirty, and fun and when I wear something like the brown skirt, it feels like I'm playing dress-up in someone else's clothing. At the store I'd oh and ah over the brown skirt and I'd most likely be wearing the pink one. More interesting info.
On Monday, when I sent the answers to my recent coaching assignment to Diane, I talked about this disconnect and how to resolve it. One of the answers to avoid mindless boredom and increase the enjoyment of sewing the simpler lines that I'll actually wear is to up my technical abilities by learning how to do sew some of clean architectural details I admire. Another might be to accept that sewing my clothes is more in the core essentials with fabulous fit department then on the "wild" side and to find another way to push the creative edge. The answer that comes to mind is accessories. This is not a new crossroad. I've been here before and the great thing about spiraling around and around through the same thoughts is that eventually you mine the truth out of them.
I predominately wear simple clothing with low contrast and architectural details in a medium to dark value range along with statement accessories that add power and punch to my outfit. Just maybe... and how crazy is this... I should sew simple clothing with low contrast and architectural details in a medium to dark value range and look at learning how to create statement accessories that would add power and punch to my outfits. It's a thought ! ! ! ! !
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - learning, re-learning, applied learning
Strategy evolves in the day-to-day topsoil of decision making.
- Henry Mintzberg