Best laid plans and all that!

Do you ever walk into your sewing space and feel overwhelmed instead of inspired? I've been feeling a lot like this lately and annoyingly it's all self-inflicted. I've accumulated too many patterns and fabric and I just don't know where to start. Then there's all the awesome sew-alongs and challenges that are constantly taking place and I just feel panicked that I can't keep up. As a result...I end up doing nothing and then feeling guilty about doing nothing. 

It's a vicious circle and quite a ridiculous one at that! I actually know I'm lucky to have all these resources and in a moment of clarity, I realised that all I really needed was a manageable plan - serves me right for not setting myself any goals for 2012! A mini plan perhaps – something realistic to keep me focussed and productive in the short-term, yet flexible enough to change directions when I want to.

APRIL / MAY – I'd like to get three things sewn up by the end of the month if possible, but realistically the odd one may spill over into next month:

I'm making the view with the ruffle and it's all cut out and waiting patiently for me to get on with it!

I've also had Burda's Sleeveless Blouse cut out in a peach eyelet for a while. It was originally inspired by Ooobop's version, but seeing Karen's equally adorable take on it has convinced me that I need to sew mine up pronto!

I'm also tacking part in Karen's Pyjama Party sew-along and I couldn't help but be drawn to some cotton viscose animal print...I just love me some tacky fabric!

MAY / JUNE – I'm allowing myself plenty of time for these next two projects as they will both be challenging for me and also May's a really busy month at work:

Inspired by our Walthamstow outing, Rachel is organising a blogger picnic in June. I'd love to turn up wearing something made from our swap, so I decided to put Michelle's red wool, some polka dot lining and the yellow view of McCall 6916 to good use. I've never made a jacket before, let a lone a fully lined one, so this will really test my skills!

After seeing this and this version of Rachel Comey's Vogue 1209, I thought it would be perfect for my boyfriend's brother's wedding in July. The boyfriend's not convinced about the floral print, so this fabric isn't yet set in stone.

Now, I know this doesn't sound like that much...but I'm a truly slow stitcher...especially when new techniques are involved. Fingers crossed I can pull this lot off in time...eeek!

Either way, I do feel relieved to have regained a sense of stitching purpose again!

Do you ever feel like this, or am I just a weirdo?

39 comments:

  1. I find it so much easier to sew when I have things planned out in advance. I love the McCalls pattern you're using for the jacket, I've been wanting to sew something like that for ages, can't wait to see your finished garments! :)

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    1. Thanks Vicki. I agree that a bit of organisation goes a long way ;o)

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  2. Great start.. It's always ok to skip an item because we get excited so take it as a guideline.

    I'm so excited about the Rachel comely outfit , it's so cute.

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  3. Good for you, I'm all for sewing plans, I think a realistic one really helps and yours sounds great. I think it's all too easy to get overwhelmed with all the multitude of things you could do and then feel terrible because you do nothing!

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    1. Yeah, I was totally feeling bad about it all, so it goes to show that a bit of planning is no bad thing!

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  4. I think I may join the PJ sew-a-long too. Mine are terribly indecent these days. Looking forward to seeing your sleeveless Burda blouse. It is a lovely and very forgiving cut.

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  5. You are soooo not alone, Marie! Im quite often prone to 'head soup'! When everything seems too much. But actually it usually takes a couple of days to get over that feeling and with the help of a list or a plan the chowder becomes a light consommé! Loving the look of that vintage blouse pattern and I can completely recommend the Burda one! :-)

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    1. Hehe, I love your analogy! It definitely took me a few days to calm down and get my thoughts in check!

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  6. I've decided to take part in the pyjama party too. I've been meaning to post about it all week. Thanks for the reminder!

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  7. I have this problem all the time. I see something shiny on someone else's blog and lose track of what I had planned to make in my quest to have what they've got. It almost happened yesterday when Karen posted that blouse - I was all set to abandon my half-done blouse to make something entirely different. Luckily sense intervened and I am on track to finish the planned project this weekend. I think I need to limit my exposure to blogland - there comes a point where I spend more time on the laptop than at my sewing machine and that's no good at all!
    I love your plans! Don't listen to the boy - that fabric is perfect for a wedding!

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    1. OMG, you hit the nail on the head right there Roobeedoo! Blogland has a lot to answer for. It so often sidetracks me so I should probably limit my laptop time in order to keep on track and to be more productive!

      Thanks for the fabric advice, I really like that fabric for a wedding too!

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  8. If if is any consolation, this is a universal problem for people who sew. Be it clothing, quilts, crafts, whatever. It is a passion for what we do. Just can't get enough! Best of luck.

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  9. Hey, slow and steady wins the race!

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  10. What Linda T said! I love Ooobop's analogy also. Giving yourself plenty of time and a realistic time frame is one of the most enabling things you can do - so you're already on the right track. For a big project I give myself a three month window. Also, I don't see sewalongs as mandatory. I've only done one on the Minoru jacket. Otherwise I think, "I have enough deadlines in my life." (I appreciate the extreme irony of me saying this right now.)

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    1. Hehe, very ironic indeed, but I know what you're getting at ;o) I do love a good sewalong to be honest, but I do need to learn to draw the line (after yours of course) sometimes. Three months sounds like a long time, but when you take working days out of the equation, and accommodate for tricky patterns, multiple muslins /fittings and inevitable mishaps, then that's probably a really good timescale!

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  11. I'm in total agreement with you and Roobeedoo. Bloggers have a lot to answer for - they're always sidetracking me away from my carefully laid plans! I love the list of things you've come up with Marie, can't wait to see them , especially that McCall's blouse with the ruffle x

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    1. Thanks Jane and I'm glad to know I'm not alone ;o)

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  12. I'm terrible at making plans, also because I side track from them. I settled for having a to sew list but making it non official (it's all in my head anyway). I look forward to see what you sew!

    And yes for June picnic. Need to think what to sew for the occasion (here we go, anotehr sidetrack ;))

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    1. I'm not brilliant at plans either and I too usually hold them in my head. But I was getting so overwhelmed that I needed to take some 'official' action! I can't wait for our June picnic!

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  13. I think this is a really nice and achievable plan. And these will all be lovely! I think that Rachel Comey pattern will look lovely in the floral you've chosen!

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    1. Thanks very much, I really hope so on both accounts!

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  14. That Rachel Comey dress will look gorgeous in that print, just perfect for a wedding. I for one know that I will never be able to sew all the things I'd like to, so I just try to sit back and enjoy the ride! Like Karen said - there's enough stress elsewhere in life!

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    1. That's a very wise attitude and one I need to slowly learn to adopt as well!

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  15. I love your plans & they sound so realistic that you should be on track to feel doubly good for making such gorgeous things plus not feeling under pressure!
    I also get sidetracked by blogland & as Roo says am on my laptop more than sewing too, but am trying to get balance!
    Just been thinking my sewing plans through (as I have TOO much to do also) & compared to yours I am now feeling they are going to be more wishful thinking as opposed to proper plans!! But that's also the good thing about having a blog, it's a great way to organise how & what to sew, playing around with ideas...which I am just about to do....later on.....otherwise I'll be on this laptop all day!

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    1. Hehe, I hope you got some organising and some sewing done in the end Winnie! I have loads of other things and ideas swimming around in my head, but if I didn't prioritise I'd end up doing nothing!!!

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  16. Yes! You're not weird! Just this weekend, I got in a flap because I'm quite behind on making two tops I want to enter for Rae's Spring Top sewalong - it's like, no-one's MAKING me enter this competition! Or MMM'12. Or any other sewalong. I think I'm a good starter but a bad finisher, so the UFOs stack up and I get distracted by new projects.
    Hope your sewing plans are going well.

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    1. Yep, I think I start well and finish badly too! Hope you got your tops submitted in time though!!

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  17. I do best with fabric/pattern stacks. Put the pattern on top of the fabric and leave it on my desk... that way it's always staring at me waiting to get started. ;)

    I think the Rachel Comey dress will look great in that print! That vintage mccalls pattern with the ruffle is too cute - what number is it?

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    1. Good tip there, many thanks! The McCall's pattern in #7672...sorry for not getting round to replying sooner!

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  18. I think it's completely sensible to have a plan - and one that you can stick to at that! Like you I had so many patterns I wanted to make I didn't really know where to start, so last month I listed 2-3 things per month I was going to make so I had a relatively relaxed plan I could work too. Not overfilling the plan meant that when Karen's PJ sewalong came along I could fit that in the plan too.

    Your plans look good though and I love your chosen makes so far!

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    1. I like the idea of not making your plans too ambitious so that you can fit in the odd sewalong etc, very clever!

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  19. I feel you - I get overwhelmed too, especially when they are a million things I want to make in a million fabrics. That's why I love those long, drawn-out projects (like my coat!) because it gives me something to focus on for a few weeks haha :)

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  20. Absolutely you are not alone!
    Px

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  21. oh i totally feel like that! i have so much fabric and so many ideas and then it all comes down to actually making something. but it's soooo easy to watch project runway reruns and not sew.... the mini-project idea sounds great!

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