Keep Better Notes
For the last couple years, I've been keeping notes on my sewing projects mostly in my blog posts. As you can imagine, that makes it a little tedious when I need to go back and see what I did in a past project!
So I decided to make myself a notebook where I can keep track of what I did on each project. This is going to be especially important for me going forward I think, as I'll probably start to make plenty of fitting changes.
I went and got myself a cute binder and some cardstock, and thought about what kind of information I'd like to keep track of. Then I typed up a form and printed out a few copies. I'm excited to use my new notebook!
Make Projects That Work for Me
This one is more nebulous . . . As I've been reviewing my past makes and cleaning out my closet, I've realized that there are some things I never wore because they just didn't suit my style or lifestyle.
Some things I've made because I've seen them on other blogs and loved them on their makers, but didn't stop to consider whether they would work for me.
I've made lots of cotton "day dresses," but find I have nothing appropriate for the few occasions when we go to "events." But they also frequently don't work for when I go out for lunch or coffee with a girlfriend, as the weather can be pretty limiting here. I'm not saying I won't make any more day dresses, because I know I will - even when I was still buying RTW clothes, they were my favorite thing. But I'd like to start finding the holes in my wardrobe and working to fill those.
I've made plenty of items with fabric that is probably too "juvenile" for me, and thus I end up feeling self-conscious when I wear them. I've got a Big Birthday coming up soon, and I've been feeling like I'd like to start creating more classic and timeless garments which will also be more age-appropriate.
Make Some Pants
As I did my Top Fives for Hits and Misses, I realized that I didn't make a single pair of pants in 2013! Which is pretty ridiculous, because I wear pants all the time! Now that I've gained some knowledge and lost some of the fear around fitting, I'd like to work up some trousers to fill holes in my wardrobe.
Make a Tailored Blazer
I've made simple, non-tailored blazers before, but this year I'd like to delve into making a real, honest-to-goodness classic tailored blazer. I've got plenty of blazer patterns on hand, and I recently bought two tailoring books, so I'm ready to go. I love tailored blazers but have never had one that fit me well. (Now that I know how many fitting adjustments I need, I'm understanding why!) So I'm excited to learn how to do this so I can create my own.
Do 80% of My Sewing from Stash
Last but definitely not least! This one is so big, it's going to get its own blog post in a day or two! Suffice it to say, I've got a LOT of fabric, but not a lot of space in which to store it, so I need to start working from that stash.
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| No, this is not all of it! |
Last year when I wrote my list of goals for 2013, I was kind of nervous about a lot of them - I felt they would really be a stretch and wasn't sure I could accomplish them. This year, a lot of the projects I sewed helped me accomplish those goals and at the same time, boosted my sewing confidence. Some of next year's goals are just as challenging, if not moreso, but I don't feel intimidated by them - the last several months have made me feel like I can sew whatever I want. It just might take some time and a bit of research to get there. And I'm cool with that. So come on, 2014! I'm ready!
**UPDATE** Lots of you seem to like my Project Notes page, so I've made it into a google doc to share. If you'd like to download it for your own use, use this link: Project Notes PDF
That binder is just so brilliant ~ what a great idea! With all this information at your fingertips, 2014 will be a great sewing year for you ... J
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping so, Judith! I'm really looking forward to getting 2013 over and starting on 2014!
Deletegreat minds think alike--i've been thinking of creating my own binder for notes! i think you accomplished a great deal this year, your sewing has been so inspiring! and yes, you need to make more pants. i acquired that same book on pant-making and it has some really great info. and big birthday year... turning the big 3-0, eh? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI need to make some pants like those amazing coral/red slim crops you made. That's my kind of pants! Of course, I haven't even cracked that book yet - and I got it for my birthday LAST year! When I turned x9, LOL!
DeleteGreat goals. The binder note form is terrific.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stef! Used it today already!
DeleteKeeping better notes is always in the back of my mind. I need to make it a habit. I love your binder and handout. That's a nifty idea.
ReplyDeleteI also planned to make a tailored blazer in 2013 and it didn't happen. Hoping when little dude is older I can finally check that off my list.
I've really been enjoying your fitting posts and look forward to seeing new ones in the new year. You are going to do great.
Thank you, Mela!
DeleteI'm hoping the cute binder will help me remember to do it, because I've been meaning to be more organized about note-taking for a long time. But then I get involved in a project and don't stop to record what I'm doing!
Let's make 2014 The Year of the Blazer!
What a great list!! I like the binder idea very much!
ReplyDeleteI too suffer from the affliction of wanting everything I see in blog land! :)
Too much inspiration everywhere we look! But I'm so glad it's there!
DeleteI love your goals! They're all so fun! Making trousers was a goal of mine for 2013... oops! Gonna have to make that happen in 2014!
ReplyDeleteThe pretty shiny dresses just always win out, don't they?! Time to start being practical! (Me, not you - you do a much better job of it I think!)
DeleteWhen I did this series last year, I made a bunch of sewing resolutions (even though I hate resolutions) and, weirdly, I accomplished them all in 2013. Kind of makes me think I should set some more goals for 2014, but I'm really not in the mood. I can barely decide what to do now, much less plan to work hard :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm really not a "resolutions" person either. For years, my sole resolution was to remember to write the correct year on my checks. Of course, it's been a few years since I've even written a check! I don't spend a whole lot of time on self-reflection, so this was a good exercise for me. Let's see if I can live up to it!
DeleteI started off with the idea of keeping notes, but failed - because I didn't have that great binder. Good luck with the pants making this year. I'm confident you'll nail it! I love that stash diet button btw.
ReplyDeleteBuying the binder made me feel like a kid getting ready for school! Remember how fun that was, getting all the school supplies?
DeleteAnd thanks - join us on the Diet if you wish!
The binder idea is great - I think I'm going to copy that. I started keeping pattern notes in a book, then I forgot about it, then I realised it wasn't the easiest thing to keep organised. A binder with loose pages seems a much better idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you on the "making projects that work for me" . I'm certainly guilty of making things that I've seen on other blogs that don't get worn, or don't work out as I'd hoped.
I started with a little notebook too, and had the same problem. I used my new binder system for a project yesterday, and really liked it. I also stapled a piece of the fabric to the page, and realized that there's so much room in there, I could also add an envelope with the traced pattern right behind the notes!
DeleteI love your goals. Like you, my blog doubles as my notes. I've been trying to find an app for making notes on my patterns but haven't come across anything yet so may go for the binder option too.
ReplyDeleteWow, an app never occurred to me! I guess I'm still enough of a Luddite that I like these things to be hand-written!
DeleteWhat a great list of challenges! I am right there with you on the wanting to make pants (and to try and focus on the pretties *already* in my stash!). Not sure I will take it as far as resolutions, as I am just happy to be sewing at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of project tracking .. I need to do more of this since clearly I am relying too much on memory. I keep my traced-off patterns in "envelopes" I make from 8.5x11 copier paper taped on three sides, and in the past I have made notes on the envelope. You've inspired me to go back to this, and to work out a system for making it more consistent and useful!
I'm really liking the idea of keeping the pattern tracings right there with the notes. I think I might have some page protectors around somewhere . . . but however I decide to do it, I think it will be helpful. Glad this post put it back in your mind!
DeleteLove, love the notes form you've created - what a great idea! I keep an excel spreadsheet of my makes with a small ares for notes, but I'm finding that is not enough. That red blazer on the Burda magazine is super cute - I actually have a copy of that issue (I think I picked it up in London this summer, or it may be a Spanish issue that may have come from Peru, can't remember) in any case, I totally think you are ready for a blazer :) As for shopping from the stash, well, you know how I feel about that one.
ReplyDeleteI think I will try to update this post and make my pattern notes page downloadable - lots of people seem to like it!
DeleteIsn't that blazer stylish? It's not the tailoring-heavy style I had in mind, but it's certainly a shape I love - especially in the red!
I like the projects binder. For the past three years, I've used pocket-sized Moleskine notebooks for all of my ideas. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Thanks for providing the download.
ReplyDeleteOh, and here's a video on tailoring a classic lapel blazer completely by machine: Louise Cutting -- Interfacing a Classic Lapel http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/23020/industry-insider-techniques-dvd-vol-2
It's a really novel technique and lot less daunting than padstitching by hand. I'm excited to see how your blazer turns out.
Oooh, thanks for the link, Neemie!
DeleteI'm getting caught up on posts, and I have to say that your binder is brilliant! I think I might copy you. Even in blog posts I'm terrible at including this important information!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kelly! Today I started my second project in the book :-) My hope is to have all my notes consolidated in one place so they're easy to find.
DeleteThanks for sharing the project notes files! this could be very useful, I write mine in notebooks, but I tend to have many notebooks :)
ReplyDeleteHave you already used the Pants sewing book? if so, what is your opinion about it? would you recommend it?
Sadly, I have not even opened the Pants book! And I got it a year ago! I loved his shirt book though, and the Mad Housewife says the pants book is a good one.
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