For The Love of Betsey...

I have a confession to make. When I was in high school, my dream was to become a fashion designer. I idolized Betsey Johnson, whose career was just starting to take off. I didn't really know much about the business end of things, but I loved to sew and work with fabric. I loved to create and add my own flair to everything I made. Now, nearly 40 years later, she's still a big name in the fashion world (though I'm not as fond of her designs as I once was....) and I have a career in finance. But I still sew and play with fabric, and many of my designs have unique and creative touches.

So as I've been giving much thought to the new wardrobe I'm in the process of planning, I've also been thinking about my old aspirations of becoming a designer. Realistically, it's a bit too late to go back to school and change careers, but surely I can still satisfy my dreams in a more personal way. That was one of Randy Pausch's absolute commandments in his "Last Lecture."

Randy talks about his many dreams and how he accomplished them in one form or another. He was lucky and had a family, and later friends, mentors and co-workers who pushed him, encouraged him. Me? I didn't have dreams, wasn't encouraged to have them. Dreams took money and energy to support, and my family had neither (though we did have love.) I'm not into blame and excuses, but I didn't receive a whole lot of personal affirmation when I was growing up. Most girls can remember wanting to be a teacher, a ballet dancer, a nurse or even a doctor. The only dream I can ever recall having was to attend FIT and become a designer. And that was about as foreign an idea to my family as moving to the moon would have been.

Well, that dream didn't happen then. And knowing what I know now, I'm O.K. with it. The New York fashion scene isn't my really my kind of place. I'm more of a back-to-nature, practical, down-to-earth kind of gal (my Capricorn showing through). I've weathered a few bumps and scrapes in my life, but I am happy with who I am and what I do today. I have the love and support of my life partner of 20 years, and he is encouraging me to fulfill my dream to design.

So while I don't expect a runway show, I will showcase my many talents as I design my SWAP wardrobe and beyond!

Stash Jacket Pattern in Crisis!

Well, here's the jacket pattern I am starting with. Having had the pattern in my stash for some time (and after all, the pattern is called the "Stash Jacket") I decided it was time to put it to use. I viewed it as a jacket, something I'd do in firmer fabrics, and line it fully in a silky lining - cotton linings just stick to the butt. So I scrounged my stash and my local fabric stores and came up with the spectacular tapestry (photo to come), some floral home dec, some textured suedecloth, some lace, and a few other possibilities. I'm aiming for a look more like the red one - mostly darks in chocolate brown with touches of red and sand - rather than a mixture of light and darks just because I couldn't find the right mix of fabrics for light and dark.

Then last week I went hiking on a gorgeous autumn day with a girlfriend to a couple of waterfalls. And of course, like magnets, we're drawn to any quilt shops we pass along the way. One very nice store just east of Syracuse had the Stash Jacket pattern on display with a couple of samples. They were made from batiks and quilting cottons and had the look more of a shirt than a jacket. Totally blew my plans out the window in a moment of panic. I questioned my choice of fabrics, the size I should make it, the drape of the fabrics.

Later, as I had time to think about it some more, I decided I would makeup a muslin of the jacket in cottons to check the fit, and decide if I needed to bump it up a size to wear it as a jacket rather than a top. And I'll even get another wearable piece out of it for my wardrobe! And if the fit is too close to wear as a jacket even in a larger size, I can use a fall back TNT jacket pattern as the base, and cut it into similar pieces.

Phhhhewwww....crisis averted!

Working On A Plan....

Lots of folk involved in the SWAP have these adorable story boards - drawings of their wardrobe pieces, fabric swatches, pattern selections, etc. I know I have all the right tools - scanner, digital camera, software - I'm just not too sure how to put them all together on my new computer yet. DH is willing to give me lessons if I can find the time, but that's in short supply while I scramble to get ready for my annual scrapbooking weekend with my sister.

I have set aside a whole selection of fabrics. More than enough to make the SWAP pieces, and then some. So I started with the jacket and selected one of my wearable art patterns - with multi pieced fronts, back and sleeves. Basically it contains all my "prints" and all my colors - dark chocolate brown, tomato red, ecru and sand. Including the most spectacular piece of tapestry that I'm just in love with :>}}} Since the rules say that all the tops must go with all the bottoms, it made me lean towards solids or tweedy types to maximize the compatibility with the prints in the jacket. Other fabrics that would match the tops or the bottoms but not the jacket will be sewn as extra compatibles, and not really part of the SWAP.

And then there's the pattern (in)decision. I know that I'll have to do some fitting since my body has been changing sizes. And since I'm still in the middle of this weight loss journey, it means that I'll be fitting a moving target. I look at the storyboards of the other participants and they are all sewing very complicated, detailed patterns with zippers and fitted waistbands. I have the skills to sew similar items, but see little advantage at this point with my body in flux. I am thinking more along the lines of less structured, full or partial elastic waists. And it almost seems so juvenile, or like I am cheating. And yet those are the clothes I need right now. I'll need to reconcile these feelings so they don't paralyze me and keep me from participating.

Only two and a half weeks until a blessed week of vacation where I'll be getting initmate with my sewing machine once again!

Seven Great Reasons to SWAP

Well, if I wait any longer for the right words to start my blog, I'll be old and grey. Not that I'm ageist, mind. I thought I'd like to use the space to track some of my creative endeavors, though they seem to be mostly in my head at the moment.

I've signed up to do the 2009 SWAP (Sewing With A Plan) going on over at the Stitcher's Guild Sewing Forum. Thought it might provide some motivation and give me a focus for my sewing.

• I need a new wardrobe desperately. After losing 40 lbs. (with quite a bit more to go) everything in my closet is too loose. Now that might not sound like a problem, but when the waistband is a bit snug, I am much more conscious of my eating habits. Loose clothes are too comfortable, and (I'm convinced) have contributed to the plateau I can't seem to move off of.
• The concept is about sewing things that can actually be worn together, and not just orphan pieces that get made because the fabric is pretty or purchased because its on sale and in my size. This versatility should increase the usage of each piece, and in turn, aligns with my goal of leaving a smaller footprint on the earth.
• While our office is business casual (which seems to have deteriorated to business sloppy), I think it benefits me to dress a bit better. As a short, older, fatter woman, I am aware how "appearance" can work against me. Although discrimination is illegal, in times of economic distress, it pays to use every available asset to ensure I keep my job. And I know that how I dress can influence people's opinions. That's reality!
• I have more than enough fabric in my stash to sew clothes for the rest of my life - it's time I started using it up.
• I've traditionally worn way too much black thinking it would minimize my fat profile. Yeah, right! Now I am ready for more color, more seasonably suitable color in my wardrobe. And some new basics to replace the black - like deep chocolate brown.
• I am short (under 5 feet), and still rather heavy. I have a more-or-less "normal" back length - which means a lot of petite tops/dress don't fit as they sit uncomfortable above my waist. Yet my bottom half is missing great gobs of inches - my high hip is practically at my waist line. And due to a spinal anomoly, one leg is 2" or so shorter than the other (though my body has compensated and its not too obvious.) Sewing is the best option for clothes to fit.
• I have the talent. I have the equipment. I may lack a bit in the time department, but if I prioritized differently, I could have the time.

So these are the major motivating factors for joining the SWAP. One jacket, 6 tops and 4 bottoms. Six months to plan and sew. Oh the possibilities are endless......