Plans and Best Intentions for Seasonal Sew Wardrobe Deep Stash

How are you planning your Seasonal Sew Wardrobe for our Deep Stash Edition? 

As of this posting there are already 44 member albums in the Sew Alongs & Sewing Contests group containing hundreds of great patterns! Some sewers are using their group albums to plan and track ideas, some are showing snap shots of hand written, or typed lists... at least one had fabric swatches attached! Others are typing up their lists in a post and talking it out on the group page before deciding. It's so much fun to watch!

While poking through my stash, trying to work out a sewing plan, I discovered I had a (nearly) blank copy of 110 Creations: A Sewist's Notebook. Based on what I found written inside, I had filled out a few pages in January of 2015 but never followed through on anything.

What a waste! 

My Plans For SSW: Deep Stash

Fortunately, I'd written in my notebook using a Frixon Pen (thermal ink) and so I happily erased those pages the other day and started over using my plans for Seasonal Sew Wardrobe: Deep Stash. Here are some of the garments I intend to make:

The more I sew, the more I feel like an artist when creating garments...but when it comes to pencil and paper...utter failure! Out of the dozen items that are currently filling my book, I think I was only able to sketch two. One of them being the robe shown above. I plan to use the Purl Soho Woman's Robe pattern, which I downloaded for free last summer. I had intended to make it for the SSW:Sleepwear Edition, but never go around to it. I have a lovely soft black waffle weave silk suiting with a great drape set aside for this long robe with pockets.

So, what's a sewist to do when she can't draw accurately to record her plans? Trace? Perhaps, but the paper in this notebook isn't thin enough to see through. 

I know! Print off the line drawings from your selected patterns and tape them into place! My notebook, my way!

Above, you can see the line drawings for Closet Case Files Morgan Jeans. I attempted them this fall, and had a terrible time trying to get the back crotch curve just right. Finally, when I transferred my adjustments to the pattern and stitched up a real denim version....I had made a terrible mistake and ended up with a denim vagina. (ie, way too much fabric down there creating all sorts of folds and pockets where there should be none). In a fit of disgust, I threw it all in the trash. I think I might be ready to start over from scratch and try again. 

One of my garments will be the Mila Shirt by Itch-To-Stich . This top is one I have intended to make for a year, after the perfect fabric was gifted to me. (A cotton gauze plaid in blues and purples with yellow and white). I finally bought the pattern 6 months ago, but I continued putting it off because I really struggle fitting woven sleeves. In fact, in the time I've been sitting on this project, Itch-To-Stitch released the Bonn Shirt, and her sample uses the same fabric I intend for my Mila!!

My last garment that I'm going to share here is the one I am most excited about: The Quart Coat by Pauline Alice. I know, I know, I just finished a wool coat in December....but I've been dreaming and planning a wool pea coat for years, and I've been drooling over the Quart Coat pattern ever since I saw it's feminine side pleats. I have to admit that this is my newest pattern, purchased at Christmas this year for myself. The pea coat pattern I had originally wanted to use is too small for me. I decided to indulge myself one last time in 2016 and pick up the coat pattern I REALLY wanted. This coat will be made with stashed fabric for both the outside and the lining. I have an amazing winter white wool that I purchased from Toronto's The Wool House several years ago at my local ASE. The lining will be from a roll of pastel vintage kimono silk that I bought at least 4 years ago from a Japanese flea market website. The buttons are a vintage mother of pearl found at another ASE vendor the same year I bought the wool.

Resources For Planning Notebooks

If you'd like to try using 110 Creations: A Sewist's Notebook to keep your Seasonal Sew Wardrobe plans organized, you can order a copy HERE.

I've also seen Colette Patterns has a Sewing Planner that goes a little more in-depth with wardrobe planning pages. The link to check it out is HERE.

If you are looking for something a little more....FREE....There's always grabbing a notebook you've got on hand and getting started.. but I've got a couple of printable options for you too!

If you want to work through a "process" to determine what kind of wardrobe you need to make, you can check out this free printable wardrobe planner from Unfancy HERE. 

or

The Blank Slate Wardrobe Planner can be found HERE. It also has blank plan pages by month you can fill out.

If you would prefer something with a little more customization? Something you can fill out on your computer and then save/print? Something that is FREE? I found a great option for you! This one is actually my favorite because I can type in it using MS Word or Google Docs and it has places for things like overlocker settings and needle types! Check out the Sewing Journal Pages from Escapades in Sewing HERE.

We've got no excuses not to be organized now! 

Miss a post? Catch up on all the SSW:DS posts HERE, then join us in the Sew Alongs & Sewing Contests Facebook Group to join the conversation and fun!