Upon waking this morning and finding this thread on my Bloglovin' feed I nearly combusted with excitement! Sarai, you have read my mind, seen my heart, understood my dilemmas. And it seems you are about to hold my hand and get me through building a wardrobe that truly reflects me. Sewing dreams do come true!
I have been struggling for inspiration for my sewing lately. I think we all lose our mojos from time to time, but it's not so much been about not wanting to sew, it's more about "what next?". I know that in my 2013 Reflections and Plans post I stated that my 2014 plan was to have no plans: for me this means no list of specific items to craft or skills to learn in 2014 that becomes ultimately menacing and anxiety provoking (yes, I'm a drama queen like that). But, I still need to have a good understanding of what's in my wardrobe, what items might be missing or may be completely out of step with who I am, and how I might approach my handcrafting to best fill the gaps and satisfy my creative urges.
This year it's going to be tougher than ever to find time to sew or knit. M is threatening to drop her day nap (I know, I know, I'm lucky she is still napping at the age of 3.5) and she is not a kid that has any capacity to amuse herself, I work, I'm going to start studying again (I know, what the hell am I thinking?) and I'm utterly useless after the sun goes down (no late night crafting sessions for me!). But my hands will still itch to create and so I need to make sure that every make is meaningful and will find a core place in my wardrobe. Importantly, I don't want to create just to have something to post about. My time is too limited and valuable for that!
I also don't have a limitless budget (or even a nice little plump one). Dudes, in most cases my items are made from fabrics I've picked up for the bargain basement price of under $10 a metre on the local Spotlight store (think Joanns in the USA) clearance table. Did I make you cringe? Alas, Tessuti will probably never see my dollar even though I am known to drool over their offerings. That being said, I don't want to get sucked in by the bargain fabric at the expense of sewing something that will truly reflect me and survive for longer than a season.
I also need to better see how items can be styled in more than one way to create entirely different, but true to style, looks. Seriously, the outfits you see posted on this here blog generally are the only way I wear those made items. Borrrrrrrrring.
So friends, do you have similar wardrobe dilemmas? Will you join me and what appears to be countless others in achitecting your own wardrobe? Or alternatively, have you already nailed this for yourself, you clever crafter, you?