Brain Dump

So what’s my first project of 2022?? We are going designer. Cynthia Rowley’s Simplicity 1873. I really like her designs and have been collecting quite a few. I am pairing this up with brocade from the fabric stash. I am excited to have a fancy new frock but am a little nervous to sew the brocade. I read that brocade frays like crazy so it will require some major TLC and serging around the edges. Both brocade and serging are two new hurdles I’ll have to jump through in order to make this dress. This week I’ve been working on the muslin and so far it’s been a laundry list of fitting adjustments. Those pesky darts again! I have yet to find a pattern that fits right out of the envelope. I’m sure it doesn’t exist… it surely doesn’t in RTW. All together now: “THIS IS WHY WE SEW!!!” 😉 Once I start cutting into the fashion fabric I will elaborate on my experience.

Speaking of fabric stash…I created my spreadsheet (nerd style!) and started tallying. I am approaching 100 yards and I still haven’t gone through it all- yikes! I’m tempted to stop counting, lol. Somehow my fabric overgrew its intended space and is overflowing into the hallway. Apparently this is normal. It’s what many sewists refer to as “SABLE”- Stash Accquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. So I’m right on track! Lol. Seriously though I probably should have been monitoring my fabric purchases from the beginning since it can be overwhelming. But I had fun thinking about all the project possibilities and once I learned about designer deadstock it was over. It probably didn’t help “Supermarket Sweeping” the G Street Fabrics $2.99 remnant room either. If Pattern Review hosts a fabric stash contest this year, I might join in just to sew it down. Nothing like a contest to get my bum into gear.

So here is the newest Brother to the family: Brother 1034DX serger. This Black Friday purchase was finally unboxed this week. I’ve been studying this too.  I often hear sewists complain that sergers are hard to use and/or thread. Because of this I purposely chose one that did NOT have an air threader. You read that right: I want to learn the manual way. I want to be part of the complainers, lol. No more zigzag stitch using Brother 1 (my sewing machine pet name). I’m ready to have more professional looking finishes. We are going to learn how to serge this year!

Another exciting thing that happened this week is that I signed up a Pattern Drafting class! It is being taught by a PR member whom I have never met and I didn’t even know was a sewing teacher. I love her style so I think it’s going to be really fun! I’ve been wanting to take more skill classes like this. We will draft a 2 dart bodice based off of measurements. I’m kinda doing this now on my own, but I could really benefit from in person instruction by someone who knows what they are doing. Yes, emphasis on someone who knows what they are doing, lol. So far I’ve just been winging it and it has worked, but I do want to learn the proper way…the way a real fashion student learns!

And lastly, Instagram. Well, I finally created one for this blog. I was holding out for the longest time since I prefer to spend my time off screen. This blog, PatternReview and Pinterest are not included obvi. But I realize social media is important- after all, it’s how I found out about that Pattern Drafting workshop. Follow me on IG: rosiesewstoo for things in progress, like the Cynthia Rowley muslin and other quick snapshots. I do love taking pictures so you may see something non-sewing related now and then. 🙂