Sewingplums

(A saying from BMV UK magazine ‘Sew Today’ in early 2010.)

This week Imogen Lamport at Inside-Out Style has a Thought of the Day :
“Understanding your style is about discovering your identity. The more your know about who you are the better you can express it through your image.”

I think this applies to how and what we sew as well.
And it also works the other way round – by noticing how and what we like to sew, we learn about ourselves 😀

Here’s another post by Imogen with links to her comments on identifying your clothing style.

And what about identifying your personal sewing style !
What aspects of sewing make you feel you’re having a special treat ?
Here are a few ruminations on personal differences in how and what we sew.

What do you enjoy sewing ? how do you like to improve fit ? do you like detailed plans ? what supports your learning ? As often happens I had so much to say on this I’ve made several posts, this on what you like to sew, posts to come on fitting and learning. (I’ve written before about planning/ not planning, see Index on personal style.)

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Why, how, what do you sew ?

Do you sew to sew, or sew to wear ?
There are good responses on this here at Stitchers Guild.

– Do you sew as a hobby, and get a feeling of pleasure/ relaxation/ interest/ creativity/ skill/ accomplishment from the processes of sewing ? If so, what do you most enjoy/ find most rewarding ?
If you sew to sew, it doesn’t really matter if you make wadders which get thrown away or handed on. Making them is what you enjoy – the final product is less important.

– Or do you sew to wear flattering co-ordinated quality clothes which show your personal style ?
Then you might find it helpful to do a wardrobe and style review as a starting point. And find what alterations you need for a good fit.

When I was a child, most women had to sew their own clothes to get anything at reasonable price, and certainly to be able to afford fashion and high quality.

These days most of us sew for hobby rather than necessity.
We may (like me) need to sew to get clothes that fit, in styles we like and flattering colours.
But mainly we sew for the pleasure of it.

So do you sew mainly to make clothes that you wear, that fit in with your wardrobe ?
Or do you lovingly construct dazzling special occasion clothes from fabulous fabrics, or impeccably tailored jackets, or beautifully hand stitched heirloom lace and lawn, that there is absolutely no niche in your life-style for you to wear, but making them gives you great pleasure. If so, the money spent on materials and tools is hobby money not clothing money.

Do you sew for relaxation, and prefer to make easy styles?
Or do you want your sewing to be a challenge, and enjoy learning new skills ?

Or perhaps it’s the creativity which gives you a surge of “hey, wow” – adapting styles so they’re best for you, devising or altering patterns, adding embellishment, even spinning, weaving, dying, printing your own fabric. Though don’t try to force yourself to ‘be creative’. This is supposed to be fun after all. Just notice if there’s something you’re always having ideas about. Or what it is that gives you the most pleasure to make or do. Me, I’m always having ideas for ‘better’ patterns and instructions. And my brain automatically pulls together details into an overview.

Is it quality that gives you the biggest kick ? Are you unhappy to compromise, so even the hidden bits have to be ‘just right’ ? Or is that something that doesn’t worry you ? Do you slowly make few items of the highest quality ? Or do you get your biggest rewards from making clothes quickly so you have something new to wear in an hour’s time 😀

What fabrics do you love to use ?
What techniques and tools are your favourites ?

Do you love to sew for yourself, or get more happiness from sewing for other adults, for children, for pets, for dolls, for your home ?
Do you prefer to make clothes, or bags, hats, aprons, quilts, home dec, gifts ?

Personally, I sew dolls clothes and quilts for escapism and relaxation (though I do find myself ‘improving’ the patterns 😀 ). Making clothes for myself I find much more challenging.

My ‘inner child’ loves making doll clothes – a quick way of getting that ‘hey look at what I made’ glee. As a child my favourite doll was a bright blue rag doll called Belinda, but I remember a doll which came with her own range of patterns – a clever marketing ploy in the days when many girls learned to make clothes at quite a young age.

Do you love to show and tell other people what you’ve been sewing, and how ? I may express my opinions about style, but I have a no-no about displaying my sewing. I have taught quilting, but I’m not a natural ‘in front of a class’ teacher. Happily many other people are very good at it.

Do you do better when with good company, so you love to take part in live classes, and on-line sewalongs and sewing contests ?
Personally I don’t take part in timed events as I disintegrate under pressure, but some people thrive on deadlines.

Do you get a big buzz from finishing a project, or quiet contentment from slow hand sewing ?

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Or of course any combination of these on alternate days !

What we love doing doesn’t always match up with what we are good at – but sewing is a hobby so that doesn’t matter.
What are your favourite sewing treats ?
How do you experience that inner feeling of something special ?
There are so many rich possibilities for joy, rest, relaxation, reward. A hobby is leisure time not responsible time – so each of us can choose what’s right for us, without worrying about other people’s choices.

What type of sewing will make this holiday period and 2013 into happier and more rewarding times for you 😀

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Links available December 2012

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Want to increase the variety of looks you can get from your accessories ?

Or to simplify your casual-but-special wear this holiday season – just get a silk, shiny, embellished or lace scarf, wear it with your basics and tie it in an interesting way. For something unusual and striking, try Elizabeth Gillett NYC Vogue 8762 (now out of print).

Here are some links to guidance on scarf wearing.

50 + ways to tie a scarf, with individual videos.

Eileen Fisher scarf tying videos (scroll down to How To section).

YouTube video on 25 ways to wear a scarf.

Imogen Lamport video on pashmina tying in her post on winter accessories.

Maitai’s picture book tutorials on scarves with many photos – see How Tos in her right hand menu.

‘Go Chic or Go Home’ gives links to several other sites with many ways of tying scarves.

Nancy Nix-Rice lesson on scarf tying with photos of finished styles and written instructions.

YouLookFab on scarf styles that : 
– don’t shorten your neck here,
– don’t enlarge your bust here (many examples of large scarves).

Other accessories ? – a host of ideas for combining accessories in nearly every post from The Vivienne Files.

And here’s a piece from YouLookFab about brightening your outfit using accessories.

Me, I’m learning to use accessories this year, and I’ve solved my festive-wear questions with a new lace scarf and some bling – which I don’t usually wear at all !

Have fun exploring how to use accessories to increase the number of looks you can get from your clothes 😀

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Winter 2013 update :
Here’s YouLookFab on the ‘big’ scarf.

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Links and pattern available December 2012

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Do you like each of your garments to have a different style ? Or perhaps you wear mainly similar styles, but in different colours or textures ?

Janice of The Vivienne Files suggested a simple wardrobe as unnoticed background to interesting accessories. Here’s her post, and my post on patterns for it. This wardrobe has :
A very small range of colours : mainly white to black, and denim blue.
A very small range of surfaces : all smooth solids.
A very small range of fabrications : cashmere knits, broadcloth, denim.
A very small range of shapes : close fit knits, crew neck tees, shirts, slim pants.
And only one overall clothes style : very casual.

Minimum variety in the style elements of these clothes – though the general idea of this ‘creative’ style is not minimalism at all, as there is a lot of emphasis on noticeable and individual accessories.

Of course you haven’t got to use minimum style elements in your clothes for a small wardrobe. Here’s some of the usual ways of adding variety.

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Colour and surface

Janice chose white, grey, black/ tan/ chambray and denim blues for colour.
All in smooth fine textures and solid colours.

In general, use your own best dark and light neutrals to copy this idea.
Or of course use only dark or only light, if that works best for you.
Black and chambray-denim blue aren’t flattering colours for me. My basic neutrals are white, grey, tan.

No accent colours in this wardrobe, as the clothes are background ! All the accent is in the accessories. You may be the opposite, dislike neutral clothes and have a closet full of colour 😀

And what about fabrication ? Imogen Lamport at Inside-Out Style has an interesting piece on changing the level for refinement of your clothes from casual to formal by changing the quality of the fabrics.

And what about tonal variations around a main colour, or variations in print, texture, embellishment and trims ?
Even in my minimum wardrobe, I would be unhappy without cream/ oyster/ caramel. . . nubbly textures. . . low contrast prints. . . a little embroidery or lace. . . a small ruffle. . . subtle deviations from classic style elements. . .

I may wear mainly simple styles in light neutral colours, but I keep thinking of ways of adding inherent interest to these simple clothes. I’m a happy scarves and bags person, with a few brooches/ pins and bangles – but my accessory choices are not attention-grabbing.
My style comes between ‘all the interest in accessories’ and ‘all the interest in the clothes’.

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What type of minimalism ?

Perhaps you like the idea of a small unobtrusive wardrobe with few style elements – but not this particular version.
Would you like more elegant basics ? The simplest designer lines, made in quiet high quality fabrics and no denim. (This is a version of the idea that I would be happier with 😀 )

Perhaps use some of the patterns with minimum style elements from
Cutting Line Designs,
Loes Hinse,
styleARC.

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Variety of shape and style elements

Janice’s ‘common wardrobe’ has 3 very similar tees, 3 very similar shirts, 3 very similar pants. Slight differences in colour and fabric. Plus 3 knits with the same fit, colour and texture. That makes these clothes easy to interchange and co-ordinate into ‘background’ outfits.

As I’m not such an accessories person, I go along more with Judith Rasband’s idea (Wardrobe strategies for women – excellent, ignore the awful cover photo). If you only have a small number of blouses etc., then you want them to be as different as possible in colour, fabric and style (while still co-ordinating with your other wardrobe capsule items). So you can get very different looking outfits from your small number of clothes.

But that’s a different strategy for wardrobe building and getting interesting outfits than the accessories based approach.

And – if you like variety/ interest in your clothes rather than your accessories – which clothes ? Many wardrobe plans have equal numbers of tops, bottoms, and layers, but that isn’t right for me. My bottoms (pants) are ‘background’ and I have few of them. In winter I wear lots of layers. My tops can hardly be seen, so are simple basics. But I love variety in my pullover tunics, vests and loose jackets.

Looking at the key patterns I picked out before thinking about this topic, most of the variety is in the neck area, to draw attention to my face. And high necks are essential for warmth. I would be disappointed if I was only allowed one pattern for each of my layers 😀

Here is what’s currently on my desk top for inspiration and pondering :

McCall’s 6606 shirt, Sewing Workshop Hudson top
Vogue 2779 pants, Wiksten Tova top
Wiksten Tank top (worn as over-layer), Craftsy Sewing with Knits Hoodie

Vogue 8838 vest, Sewing Workshop Deja Vu wrap, Indygo Junction Origami wrap
Loes Hinse Boat neck top, Butterick 5789 View D jacket
Loes Hinse Cowl neck top, Burda 506E parka

(I focussed on easy patterns when I chose these.)

And which style elements do you vary ? The interest in my clothes is not just in the layers. It’s particularly in the neckline/ collar, which draws attention to my face. You may like style elements to draw attention to your bust, waist, rear view, hands, legs. . .

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How much variety do you like ? and what type ?

The simplest possible clothes as a background for accessories – good for a travel wardrobe, as scarves and jewellery don’t take room to pack. But perhaps minimalism in clothes is not a good everyday style for you.

Which clothes do you like to have a wide variety of ?
Or can you be happy with just a few different styles ?
And what sort of variety do you like ?
– shape,
– closeness of fit,
– style,
– colour,
– texture (inherent in fabric, or in the way fabric is used such a ruching, tucks),
– weave,
– print,
– embellishment,
– fibre,
– style elements such as collars, cuffs, added seam lines.

What are your personal favourites to add to this list ?
What would you be unhappy without, even in the smallest capsule wardrobe 😀

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Of course you haven’t got to be so analytic. Just notice what you like to wear. I think like this because it helps me understand why most wardrobe plans don’t work for me.

As ever, the aim is to enjoy your clothes and your sewing 😀

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Links available November 2012, revised April 2021.

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