Instructions for PDF patterns; how do you read them?

I've been using quite a few PDF patterns lately and therefore I've been needing to make the decision about printing the instructions when I print the pattern. Most of the time I haven't bothered printing the instructions, because unless I know I'll be doing most of the sewing away from home (e.g. at a retreat) I don't usually print the instructions, and instead just read them from my laptop. If I happen to be sewing without my laptop and need just a few steps of the instructions (e.g. at social sewing) I'll look it up on my phone.

Thinking about it now I have had a thought that I could potentially load the PDFs onto my kindle for use when I'm not near my laptop.

And so, it's gotten me wondering if I'm the norm, or if most people print their instructions. Also, perhaps someone has a clever approach I've never thought of.

How do you usually read the instructions? 

Do you print them out along with the pattern or do you save the paper and read them digitally?

If you read them digitally, how do you do that?

How do you store your photos?

This weekend I've been doing a bit of digital spring cleaning; I've been sorting files on my laptop and it's got me pondering about something...

Sewing and blogging leads to lots of photos of our makes, it's inevitable. Sewing isn't one of the blogging genres that lends itself to mostly picture-less posts. Until now I've been storing all my photos together, folders by year, then separated by 'event' (and then sub-event folders if applicable. These folders are then named in the "yyyy mm dd - description" format to keep the folders sorted chronologically but with information of what's in them. "Normal' photos lend themselves quite well to this system, and I intend to keep it that way for those, however sewing photos don't work quite as well being sorted by date.

It seems to me that sorting them by project makes more sense. Sorting them by date is less relevant, and makes it harder to find a specific project's folder. Particularly as often on the bigger projects have photos spanning multiple dates, sometimes even months (or years).

Therefore, I'm thinking of changing my digital photo storage system to split the 'normal' photos from the sewing ones, but I'm still pondering the best way to organise the sewing photos. Should I still keep it by year? Should I name the folders by the project name, or pattern name, or garment type? And which will come first and be the primary order of the folders? Should I keep the date in there somewhere? or the pattern company? How will self-drafted designs fit in with this?

(This is my, erm, particular side coming out. I like things to be precise and to make sense).

And so, I thought I'd put the question out there - do you have a system for organising/naming your digital sewing/blogging photos? If so, I'd love to hear about it please!

My Top 5's of 2012

Around this time each year I've done a wrap-up post (2011, 2010, 2009), and since this year I added some pages to my blog listing my finished garments and my quilts, rather than doing a full summary I thought I'd join in with all the other bloggers that are taking part in the top 5 lists suggested by Gillian.

But first a quick recap: So far I have made 24 garments this year, and 7 quilts (two of which were queen/double bed sized) and two quilt tops. Less than previous years, but between a month in the UK, moving house and starting a new job, I don't think that's too bad! Besides there's still a few days left...

Now onto the lists...

Hits

     

My five favourite garments this year are shown above (click on the image for the posts about those garments):

1. Miette Cardigan. Aside from being thrilled to have knitted my first real garment of clothing, I love it. I've worn it so much since making it, it goes with so many things still in my wardrobe.
2. First Cambie - In addition to loving that I finally used this fabric, This dress is fab! The a-line skirt is just perfect and I wear it a lot to work!
3. Thurlow Shorts - I practically lived in these through the winter. They are amazing! So comfortable! I think I need to make at least one other pair for next winter, and maybe a summer pair.
4. International Bridesmaids Dresses - I partly love these dresses (that I'm counting as one creation) because they remind me of the absolutely amazing day I had at Laura's wedding, but I'm also thrilled with how they turned out, particularly how well Anna's dress fit her.
5. Portrait Blouse - Another make from fabric that had been in my stash for a while, but also my first full bust adjustment. This blouse is just so comfy to wear and goes with lots of things, a great make!

And even though it's technically breaking the rules, I can't completely ignore the quilts I've made, and of the 7 these three are my favourites:

  

Misses

  

1. Jasmine Blouse - The fit on this was completely off. It was promptly gifted to a friend who it did fit, and I believe has found a lovely home there. I still want to re-visit this pattern though, and it was only supposed to be a wearable muslin after all.
2. Thurlow Trousers - This 'fail' was completely due to fabric choice. Exactly the same size as the shorts, but the fabric had a lot more give/stretch and they were just too big. These have also found another home.
3. Rooibos Dress - Not a fail exactly, but in it's initial state the dress wasn't living up to it's potential. I have since added some thin black trim to some of the seamlines and it's fabulous now (I need to get pics so I can blog this)
4. T-shirt fails - There are a couple of t-shirts that I've made that both didn't quite work out for various reasons. Although I still wear them under dresses, I'm acutely aware of their problems and they're more ones I reach for when I need to get around to doing laundry.
5. My Wallet - Not a failure in that I didn't use it, as I've used it every day since I made it, but a disappointment in how it lasted. The iron on vinyl that I used on the outside started cracking within a week of making the wallet. It's a proper mess now, and I really need to get around to making a new one!

Reflection

I can't actually think of 5 of these, I'm evidently not in the biggest of naval gazing moods today, so here's my 4:

1. Front and centre - KNITTING! I am so happy that I decided to try knitting last Christmas. I was expecting to enjoy it as much as I have, and also it's so exciting that I've added another category of items that I can make myself.
2. Full Bust Adjustments - I've done two FBAs on patterns, and I'm very happy to have tried them, as fit on those two garments is fantastic. 
3. Pattern drafting - I took a short course on basic pattern making, and I have realy enjoyed it. It was a very basic course, but it was good to start properly at the beginning and work on the details like precise drafting. 
4. Community - I won't say too much here as that belongs in the below 'inspiration' heading, but the community aspect of my sewing really has been amazing this year in particular.

Inspirations

I've recently posted a list of bloggers that I find inspiring, so I won't list more now. However, I decided to keep this header to mention one thing that I have seriously benefited from this year - that's connecting with the Melbourne (and Australian) Sewing Blogging community. Following Rachel's meet-up in August, and then starting Social Sewing I have found it absolutely amazing to meet new people, and make some really great new friends and connect with them in person as well as online.

Goals

I don't really want to make too many specific goals for next year, I want to take it as comes, but here are 5 mostly general goals:

1. Most important is to enjoy sewing. It's my hobby, and it's important to me that I continue to enjoy it. Not to impose things on myself that make it unenjoyable.
2. Having said that, I do still want to push myself and learn new things. This year I have learnt a few things - FBAs, knitting, but there's plenty more to learn! Particularly about fitting
3. Continue to engage with the sewing community both online and in person. Inspiration, advice, friendship... and many other things, there's so much to gain by connecting with other people with a shared interest!
4. My first ever sew-along - I'm so excited for this! I can't wait!
5. And lastly a slightly more specific one; sew from a vintage pattern - I've got a few in my stash now but haven't sewn from any of them yet, so one of my goals is to make up at least one of the vintage patterns I own

Patterns: Taking Stock...

Inspired by Mel I decided to count my patterns. Unsurprisingly really, I had more than I would have guessed. There are 69 envelopes in my pattern box, of which 15 of those are 'self drafted' patterns* which I decided to exclude - leaving 54 patterns in my pattern stash.

36 of 53 patterns have been used!

Before starting I hazarded a guess on twitter that I'd used more than half of them - and I was correct! In fact I have used 36 of the 54 patterns, so a whopping 2/3 of them! Even when you factor patterns that yielded unsuccessful garments for one reason or another, I'm still doing alright, with 83% of tried patterns giving successful garments, which is over 50% of all of the patterns:

29 Patterns have yielded successful results!

I own patterns from 14 different companies/designers. The company I have by far the most of is Simplicity! 31 of my patterns are 'contemporary' (big 4 etc), 13 independent, 7 vintage and 3 from books.

Number of patterns from different companies/designers

By far the most numerous type of pattern I have is dresses, followed by tops, and then skirts. However I have only used just over half of the dress patterns, but all of the jacket, trousers/shorts and costumes patterns.

The types of patterns I own and how many have been used

Of the patterns that I've used, most of them (23) have been used once, 10 have been used twice, but two stand out as being used over and over; with 5 uses the second most used pattern is the Jenny skirt by Burdastyle. But a clear winner the most used pattern I own, with 7 uses, is the Wizard of Oz pattern (Simplicity 7808), which has been used to make a Dorothy costume, a Snow White costume and 5 Sailor Scout costumes.

How many times I've used the patterns

I could go on, but I won't bore you anymore! Have you ever taken inventory of the patterns you own and which ones you've used?


*self-drafted is in quotes as though some actually are self-drafted, some are heavy alterations of other patterns, or have been traced off dead or existing garments

Musings on dresses and skirts

I have recently noticed something strange in regards to the styles I prefer in dresses and skirts. While I love my dresses that have gathered dirndl style skirts, I don't really like the skirts that I have in those styles.

For example, I LOVE the two dresses shown below (my 1 pattern 7 bloggers dress, and my Vintage Simplity 3965 copy), even though they both have a drndl style gathered rectangle skirt:

 

However, I was so lackluster about this gathered gingham skirt that I gave it away. I've even got a pleated skirt I made near the beginning of the year (maybe even late last year) that has been sat in my wardrobe unworn (and unblogged) since then. And these are just two examples of many.

In contrast, I do love full skirts in general, I wear my red and black crescent skirt almost every week since I made it, and the spotty version frequently during summer.

  

I've also waxed lyrical about my gored skirts, of which I currently have 5, all of which are in frequent rotation in warm weather.

  

The obvious difference between the skirts I like and the ones I don't are the bulk at the waist - obviously the gored skirts have a full hem, but no fullness at the waist, and the crescent skirt pattern has a fitted yoke, with the gathers starting further down.

However, it's not as much of a 'duh' moment as you'd think, as it still doesn't explain why I like the style in a dress but not a skirt. Having thought about it, I think the difference is how much a skirt can move around in comparison to the skirt of a dress. A skirt can ride up, fall down, twist around, particularly if it's not exactly the right size (on my shape it does anyway). However the skirt on a dress is anchored where it's supposed to be - it is on the bottom of the bodice and not going anywhere!

You're probably wondering why I'm bothering to put this into a post, its partly because I wanted to actually put it down in words to try and remember to not make this style of skirt in the future, as cute as I think it's going to end up being. Also, I'm hoping to get some thoughts from you as to whether I'm onto something or just spouting rubbish.

My own 5 favourites

Ever since Tasia posted about her five favourite items from her closet I've been thinking about what mine would be. Have you tried? It's a hard one! I think it also changes from season to season, but I thought I'd have a go at assembling a list of my current 5 faves....

...and then I failed miserably. My first attempt at a list included my original crescent skirt, a flowery dress I got from esprit... and then I ran out of specific items. However I did manage to narrow down to 5 distinct "classes" of items of clothes that I could not live without (and mix and match together) that seem to fit perfectly in my lifestyle right now:

1) Skirts with prints
The vast majority of the skirts I own I have made myself, and most of them are made out of fun printed fabric. My crescent skirt is a prime example of this, and it gets thoroughly worn! But my gored summer skirts are also true to this.

2) A-line empire cut dresses
My favourite day-time dress is this dress that I bought from Esprit quite a while ago now (pictured on the right here). I absolutely love it. It's not the kind of print that I would have the guts to make a dress out of normally worrying that it would be a disaster - I have been keeping an eye out for a print that I think might make a dress in the same vein. But in the meantime, frequently when I wear the dress I get complimented on it, and often asked if I made it myself - to which i respond "I wish!". I have another dress with a very similar cut, also from Esprit, but also the two New Look 6726 dresses that I've made are similar too. The a-line skirt is comfortable to wear, easy to cycle in and a good length, meaning that the dresses work in a heap of different situations.

3) Thin jumpers
I have at least 11 thin jumpers that I use to layer things. I tend to wear them more than cardigans, I think partly because I don't find cardigans as comfortable. If you leave them open they tend to get in the way, if you do them up, you may as well be wearing a jumper!! I have them in a range of different colours, some have v-necks, some round and some higher, and they all get frequently worn. I'm always cold (damn air-conditioning everywhere!), so if my clothes can't be layered then they don't get worn!

4) T-shirts / Tanks in a range of colours
To tie all of the above items together, of course I need t-shirts (and tank tops / singlets for summer) - and these I have in abundance, again in a range of colours. I'm not adventurous enough to mix prints, so I need nice basic/solid shirts to wear with my printed skirts and dresses. I know everyone has t-shirts etc in their wardrobe, but they really are an essential and deserve to be recognised as such. And as I've discovered this year, t-shirts are pretty quick to stitch up and it's great to be able to make the style you want in the colour you want rather than having to rely on finding them in stores. Also, the cheap t-shirts I was buying I found tend to stretch out and become unwearable pretty quickly, and the more expensive ones, which last longer, cost quite a bit more money than making my own!

5) My Wedgewood necklace
This necklace is hands-down my favourite necklace. It is probably worn more than all my other necklaces put together. I absolutely love it and it goes with nearly everything! The necklace itself was a gift from my Gran - when I saw it in her collection and said I liked it she very generously gifted it to me. I have certainly made the most of that gift. Last time I went back to England it was the only necklace I took with me and served me well for my 5 week trip! The only single item in my list of 5, but has definitely earnt its place.

And so there you have it, my 5 items/classes that I just couldn't live without. Have you thought about it? Or about the original question of your five favourite items?

I'm glad I took the time to think about this list, as it's really got me thinking about the things I should be sewing - I feel really great when I wear and love something that I've made, so I want to make more things than I love. I know not everything is always going to be a success, but I'd like to help myself be more successful, and I think thinking about what I actually enjoy wearing will really help me with that.

Are you metric or imperial?

Some people seem to think in either metric or imperial measurements and can't comprehend the opposite. Other people can think interchangably in both. I'm a really messed up version in between.

I measure small things in either inches or cm depending on my mood. I know my measurements (bust, waist, hip, etc) in inches but not cm, but I buy fabric by the metre and can measure a metre of fabric out incredibly accurately on my arm. I use a 1.5cm seam allowance for garment sewing, but a 1/4 inch one for quilting. Heights are always feet and inches, metres means nothing to me.  Medium distances (for example ones I could walk or cycle) are in km, and my brain just doesn't fathom big distances.

Weights are just the same. I don't get on with "cup" measurements, and my recipes are a bizarre mixture of oz and grams, litres and pints (even within the same recipe sometimes). However, weights of people I can't comprehend unless they're in kilos.

What kind of measurements do you think in?

(this random post brought to you by my new tape measure thats 3 metres long!! and even better only $2! (from GJs))

Seasons and silver linings

I don't really like winter. I definitely prefer summer. I get cold easily and it takes me a long time to warm up again when I get cold. Maybe that's a subconscious reason why I like quilting, I don't know. Either way, no matter how many lovely Autumn days there are (like today), Autumn isn't a good time for me, as I know that winter is coming. However, I am trying to be more of a "glass half full" kind of person, so have decided to try and list some "silver linings" of winter (as silly and miniscule as they may be):

- My flanelette PJs can come back into rotation
- I can wear my amazing Hikaru jacket again once it's colder
- Winter gives me more excuses to make quilts
- Funky tights are lots of fun yet functional at the same time
- My new boots mean that I now have flat black boots again, which seriously boosts my winter wardrobe
- Hot water bottles are cosy
- The sun doesn't wake me up early in the morning
- I can cook yummy meals without worrying about heating up the house
- Roast dinners are definitely a winter meal, and I LOVE them


What about you? What's your favourite season? Can you think of any silver linings about your least favourite?

New York state of mind

I have discovered that fabric shopping in Melbourne and fabric shopping in New York require two completely different mindsets. (this is fabric shopping for garments that I'm talking about, i haven't done any quilt fabric shopping in New York)

Fabric shopping in Melbourne requires having a vague idea of what patterns are available, then going to the fabric store(s) and looking at what's there and deciding what to make once you see what fabric is available.

Fabric shopping in New York on the other hand is the exact opposite. You need to decide exactly what you want before you go and then when you get to the store you tell them exactly what you're looking for and chances are they'll have it. Or if the first store you try doesn't one of the six thousand other stores will!

The problem with my fabric shopping last week in New York was that I didn't think of this and started my day in a Melbourne fabric shopping state of mind, which I quickly discovered wasn't compatible with New York fabric stores!

Thankfully I got over that problem pretty quickly and bought some fabric and some other bits and pieces. Sadly as I'm posting this from my iPhone I can't upload pictures of what I got, but I will once I get home to Melbourne the end of next week.

How many is too many?

a.k.a: The Dilemma of a Quilting Addict...

I have discovered a huge problem in my (relatively) new found addiction to quilting... what is a patchwork/quilting addict supposed to do with all the quilts she (or he) ends up making?

It's been a little over a year since I re-discovered my passion for patchwork and quilting and am already running out of excuses for making quilts...

When I started I only made things at my Grans house when I visited her in the holidays. As I had limited time to make things, accumulating completed (and uncompleted, but that's a topic for another post entirely) projects wasn't an issue.

In the last year I have made three full sized quilts, two baby quilts, two quilted advent calendars and a wall hanging, as well as work being under way for another two quilts (my genome one and the denim picnic blanket that's been sat on the back of a chair for far too long waiting for a back).

There are so many ideas for quilts running through my brain, and even some fabric waiting to be used, but how can I justify making more without 'reasons' to make them?

The excuse I've used for making the genome quilt is that I don't really like the one I made for my bed so it will replace that, which is fair enough, but what then? What other excuses or reasons can I come up with to carry on? Or infact, do I really need one?

I really enjoy the process of making quilts. I enjoy the designing, the fabric selection, the cutting, the piecing, the quilting, and even sewing down the binding. There are no steps in the progress that I (so far) dread doing or don't enjoy. Some parts I find more enjoyable than others, and the different stages give me enjoyment in different ways. I like exercising my creativity when choosing the design of my quilt, selecting fabrics and choosing a quilting design. I find cutting, and (some kinds of) piecing, very relaxing and therapeutic. I enjoy the quilting as it is (currently) the task that is the biggest challenge for me and is therefore a skill I want to practice and hopefully someday master.

Yet despite all of this and the simple fact that it's a pastime that I enjoy I have this nagging voice at the back of my head that keeps asking me "but where is this quilt you're planning going to go???"

So, to those of you out there reading this who quilt; what's your take on this issue? How many is too many? What do you do with the quilts you finish?