Even we sewers are talking about the world’s most discussed topic:  the coronavirus.  I hope you do not have it and I hope you do not get it.  But, while events are cancelled, schools are closed, non-essential businesses are shuttered, even some of our federal officials are self quarantining, and you are feeling fine, what better time to get sewing.  “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying.”

Shop that Stash

This doesn’t require a trip to the local fabric shop.  All it takes is a trip to your fabric stash. You probably purchased that material with something in mind.   Well, now’s a good time to pick out the fabric and pattern and get to it. (See the Seam Ripper article, ” What’s In Your Stash“)

Do you have all the materials you need?  I do not stash zippers, so I would have to get one if my chosen pattern called for it.  Ahhh, the beauty of ordering on-line. But, I do stash thread, buttons and some lining fabric so by the time I get my fashion fabric and lining prepared, get the pattern laid out, picked out the needed interfacing (stash that too), cut out the pattern and start on the darts, my zipper will have arrived.  If you are hesitant about picking out a color from a web site, send your supplier a snip of your fabric and have them match it for you.  I have done this before and it worked really well.  Here’s what Emma One Sock did for my needing matching lining (china silk)and interlining (silk organza) for the royal blue boucle

If you find you do not have a zipper or thread, and/or lining before you start sewing, send a sample to an on-line store so they can match the color for you
The boucle in the center is what needed to be matched and the other two is what I was sent. They match very well

Maybe, you have so many of those “rainy day” projects you can’t decide which one to do.  Make up a list and match the pattern and fabric to each one.  Don’t make your list too long, no more than 5.  Then pick the 1 you want to do first, and from there, prioritize.  Pick the one that will give you the most pleasure like something for yourself, a gift for someone who is sick or the one that comes to mind first.  I found that making a list of what I want to do and assigning specific completion dates to each project makes it much easier to choose one.  When I do not limit my possibilities, I am so overwhelmed with all that I can do that I end up doing nothing.

Spring is almost here and although you may not have a pattern for some of the Spring Ready-to-Wear fashions, what about combining a few patterns to get what you want.  I literally have so many patterns; I probably have just about every style for necklines, sleeves, bodice, skirts, etc. A piece from this pattern and one from that and bingo, you’ll look like you are right off the runway.

Pull-Out those U.F.O.’s

If you are not into starting a brand new project, why not hit that closet full of UFO’s?  I admit I have one.  I have a jacket for a friend that is only waiting for me to change the thread color on my serger.   I also have another jacket that is a little out of my league, so it scares me to work on it for fear I will screw up what I’ve done so far.  (Silly excuse isn’t it.)  Now is the perfect time to grab those unfinished objects and get them completed or throw them out.

My U.F.O. that haunts me the most --Nancy's jacket that needs to have the lapel taken off and re-surged on
All I need to do is a little seam ripping and change the color of the thread on my serger

I have a couple of single problem projects too sitting in that closet that I could tackle.   They don’t fit me anymore since I hit my mid-50’s and I don’t know what to do with them.  They are perfectly good and almost finished; they’re just too small.  Maybe this would be a good time to see how I could repurpose them or make them a little bigger.  It may be a little tough to increase the size, since I probably don’t have enough fabric left to re-do the sleeves, or add side-pieces to the jackets and skirts.  I can play with a little color blocking if matching fabric is not possible.  I could also repurpose the fabric.  One is a sand-washed silk outfit and after taking a seam ripper to it, I could probably make a nice simple top out of what fabric I do have.  Of course, there is always the third option of losing a few pounds.  (Yeah that’s gonna happen!)    It’s too big a decision to make now; I’ll hold off on them for a little while.

With these two ideas in mind, go read a couple of your favorite sewing blogs and/or listen to a few sewing podcasts for inspiration and incentive, wash your hands and then hop to it.  We will never find a time block handed to us like this again, and I hope we never do.  Stay well and have fun sewing!

Cheers,

Lucy, the Seam Ripper

P. S.  I’ve been on sabbatical for the past 7 months, but I am up and running again and I look forward to talking with you.   I’ve missed that.