I just had THE BEST idea yet! As long as we're talking sewing, lovely fabrics and great projects of course (I would hope I've had other good ideas in the course of my life that might not be about sewing. You know what I mean...)
I've got this huge problem of a huge fabric stash, loads of ideas for sewing projects that I would quite like to get to at some point and the harrowing realisation that in addition to all the dressmaking fabrics I've amassed (it really is an unmanageable 'mass' at this point, sneef!) I have even more quilting cottons. Absolutely LOADS of them!
So much fabric everywhere that I have no idea what to do with. It makes me feel like I won't be able to get through it in the next 20 years or so.
And the worst thing is that every time I think I've got a dressmaking project I really want to make and wear: I don't seem to have quite the right fabric to hand. It feels utterly sob-inducing to be honest.
So here's my fabulous idea: I've wanted a skirt in a nice big pattern for a while. I already sewed an A-line skirt in a patterned bright pink fabric which came out okay. I did a mini skirt in a nicely patterned tartan, I like that one too - but I still haven't made a skirt in a really BIG pattern as I wanted.
I know: I'll use patchwork to MAKE that big pattern that I am yearning for!
How's that for a brilliant idea? I know: just genius, right?
Something a bit like this.
I can use mainly solid fabrics, I can mix in a print or two, I can pick out just those kinds of colours that I want - and then make a repeating motif of something like a big square with some kind of frame in different colours around it. Dot those in regular intervals over the expanse of the skirt, and I'm sure I'll love wearing it!
Yay!
I am inspired by a blog post I came across, written by Roobeedoo. It is endearingly entitled 'Daisy Monsters in the Closet'. Love that.
She discusses knitting a garment to go with others in her wardrobe but running into the issue that those other items go to the Happy Huntingground that those clothes go to when we can't wear them anymore - long before the knit is ever finished. So frustrating.
It's not that I have a problem with the speed of my knitting (I get teased about being pretty fast, continental knitting gives you an unfair advantage in that), but I certainly don't finish projects when I could. I will just keep putting it off, and putting it off! It's damn embarrassing.
Take my turquoise jumper, look:
It's almost finished, which would be terrific, except that's exactly the problem! I get to this fardling ALMOST stage and then my mojo goes on holiday. Gah!
I sewed the sleeves in which was a total pain in the butt (one of them twice because I got it twisted. I'm miffed about that. I should know better) and most ends are even woven in! (How often do you think I manage to do that while it's still a WIP?) I mean: what else do you need to do to finish the blooming thing? Not much: just the neck.
Now most garments I have 'follow-through' problems with because I happen to enjoy the knitting process itself a lot, the wearing of said garments unfortunately not quite as much. I seem to knit for the knitting part, not for anything that comes after. Silly, right?
But here I suffer the creeping anxiety that the neck will be too tight and I won't be able to A) get it over my head, or B) feel like I'm getting strangled when I do. I must tell myself: it is not a solution to put off the inevitable outcome! It's not gonna change anything to just leave that poor WIP lying around, it's not! Until you know what it is you can't deal with it. So for flipping heck's sake woman: just get on with it!
Sorry, I had to get that off my chest there. I feel better now.
So back to the lovely blog post by Roobeedoo: I think it's genius to decide that you'll combine other things with your knitwear once the knitted garment is all finished and done! (Revolutionary, right? Just what I needed to hear) Why try and put yourself through the stress of feeling you need to finish a knit because an outfit is waiting to be completed? Much better to plan things the other way round.
I found the post inspiring for another reason as well: I would love to plan my wardrobe a lot more rather than grabbing those clothes to wear that I happen to own. I have a few single pieces that I'd love to wear more, unfortunately they only go with black or maybe grey.
I have plenty of black and grey clothes, - but I'm getting rather fed up with those. A bit of colour in my wardrobe would be so very nice! I imagine it to be really cheery and uplifting: you open your wardrobe and you feel inspired to wear a specific outfit. That sounds nice, doesn't it?
So now I'm looking at a shawl I love, this one:
...and I'm trying to come up with colours to go with this, in blouses or dresses, that I can buy or even sew. I have a feeling that a sewing project would come together much more easily when I can't wait to wear the result of my efforts! Motivation!
A rich darkish blue would be lovely, royal blue should go as well, white would look good (maybe a white and black checked skirt?), and certain purples too. It would have to be a very distinct purple though: with lots of blue in it, none of that yellow crimson that I can't stand. Maybe even a really dark sparkling green? Ooh, and petrol!
Dainty colours would probably get overwhelmed by this strong, dominant colour. I'll have to hold a light lilac or mint next to it to see.
I can't wait to see what I'll come up with!
I could perhaps wear this shawl with this colour (it is more navy or dark blue in real life though):
I also have a few pieces in petrol, like this one, which is notoriously difficult to photograph for its colour:
It should look like the colour at the centre of the second picture, and not like the blue on the right hand side of the second photo, or in the third photo.
This is a very rich, dark, even greeny petrol. But it just won't show on most photos (like the third one) - they make it look like a mid blue. You'll have to use your imagination.
I was going to show a photo of my dark purple dressing gown but when the colour looks good on the photo, it changes to a different colour once uploaded. Most frustrating.
Love grey or silver, and pink (pink is probably my most favourite colour of all)
I also love this colour, a very light blue:
And I don't seem to find a project or RTW garment in royal blue. But I reckon you know that colour.
So there you go. That's most of the colours that are strong, bright and vibrant that I love and want to wear more of.
PS: Maybe the funnel neck of the turquoise jumper stops being such an obstacle if I can find something to wear with this jumper? Maybe it works that way round when you're almost done? Gah, there's that word again! Excuse me while I go and wash my mouth out with soap and water...
Almost, pffff....
PS: Here is another interesting blog post by Coletterie entitled wardrobe architect about colour in your wardrobe.
