Making Storage Beautiful - Part 1: The Inspiration

It's no secret I've been a neglectful blogger, with no published posts between May 2013 and January 2015.  But while my documentation and sharing has been scarce, I have moderated and replied to comments left on various past posts as well as follow my other favorite bloggers.  I've also spent time in my Sewing Room doing...stuff.  Most of my creative energies have been spent making my space organized, visually appealing and creatively inspiring.  On that note, I'd like to share with you the detailed process I follow in making my pattern storage boxes.

Don't You Wanna Put Your Name On It?

I truly enjoy garment construction and love it when a garment's interior is as beautiful as its exterior.   I often examine ready-to-wear garments to figure out the short-cuts the industry uses and try to incorporate them into my garment construction.  Additionally, I continue building my skills to include more advanced couture techniques.  In fact, my blog name, Sew Couture, identifies what I'm working towards - haute couture construction.  Incorporating high-end techniques during construction truly separates "hand made" garments from "home made" ones and differentiates professional from amateur.  That level of detail and professionalism is what I'm working towards, and has moved me to begin labeling my work.

I am actively following 70 different blogs which cover a variety of interests, but the majority of them are sewing-focused and managed by wonderfully creative women who also love sewing, sharing their knowledge and the fruits of their labor.  A number of them also label their work.

Cennetta Burwell - The Mahogany Stylist

Mimi Goodwin - Mimi G. Style

Karen Ways - Sew Many Ways

Breakfast with Omar, Donna and Jen

In May 2013, I shared with you all my "discovery" of InStyle magazine the prior year, and my appreciate for its goal of covering fashion.  I've since subscribed to the magazine but I find my normal "life" schedule doesn't always afford the opportunity to sit down and flip through each issue - whether by paper or digital.  As a result, I sometimes have to "catch up" on multiple back issues.  This was the case when February arrived last week and I realized I had not yet looked at December and January.

So, this morning while eating my Honey Nut Cheerios (nod to Omar Little), I caught up on all three, marking those pages I wanted to keep for inspiration.

Stash Additions

I have to admit my expectations regarding my post-operative activity level was extremely optimistic, to say the least.  My surgery was on Monday last week, and I expected to be home Tuesday and ready to piddle around in my Sewing Room by Thursday or Friday, at the latest.  In fact, I remember telling my friend, Denise, that I had to get in my final bid on an eBay auction I was watching which ended around 9:45pm that Monday night.  "My surgery is robotic and the hospital has WiFi, so I should be feeling well enough to go online and submit my bid."  I still remember her laughing at me.

Two weeks later, not only did I miss all of my target days and auction deadlines - and I don't even care that I did - but I've had little energy to do much more than surf the internet, watch TV, shower and make my bed (sometimes).  However, prior to surgery, I did win auctions for two separate lots of sewing patterns and I just now feel energetic enough to examine them and share with you what I received.  I'm hoping to have energy tomorrow to actually catalog them, add to my stash and outline my process for you.

Donna Karan Dead Ringer

Tomorrow will mark 14 post-op days, and this evening I am feeling a wee bit "tender" in the abdominal and pelvic area.  Clearly, I'm not ready to run any marathons.  So, this Super Bowl Sunday, I am relaxing, surfing the internet, pinning images on Pinterest and catching up on Facebook.  I'm also researching Vogue and McCall's patterns as JoAnn Fabrics is having a sale on both next weekend.

I've created an online account on McCall's website so I could utilize its Wish List feature, and one pattern I've often added and deleted from this list is Vogue 1361.

Life

One summer evening in July 1975, about 2 weeks before my 10th birthday, I was watching TV when I suddenly felt intense pain in my "stomach", and tearfully sought relief from my mother and father.  After asking questions to clarify where this mysterious pain originated, they simultaneously said, "Yep, her period is coming."  What?  My period?

At Last, My Project Table has Come Along

I used to be one for making resolutions with each coming of a new year.  However, I've found it more productive to identifying goals I'd like to meet, and then establish a timeline and plan on which to achieve them.  Sometimes the plan works as designed, sometimes not.  The good thing is I'm not holding myself to some ambiguous target and feeling less-than if it's not met.

Included in the goals I've set each year are various household projects, many of which carry over from one year to the next - and that's okay!  Transforming my Sewing Room into a space which sparks inspiration and creativity has consistently been on that list, and I've steadily been making changes to the room and furniture to make this space one in which I love being.  In 2012, I started this process by painting and customizing my self-drafted drop-leaf sewing tabletop.

 

sewing tabletop and base, before

Nobody is Perfect, but Really?

I spent time Sunday looking at designer garments from various 2015 Spring runway shows.  I know I'm a little late given most of these shows ran between September and October 2014, but better late than never, right?

I would imagine most designers try their hardest to ensure each design is flawless in its appearance before going down the runway - i.e. hanging properly on the models, no wrinkles, no missing or dangling closures, etc.  After all, the runway is where their potential customers first see their designs, and retail buyers are identifying those items they feel will sell within their stores.  So, imagine my surprise when I saw the following runway mishaps.

First, there was the hanging threads on the shoe of Donna Karan's Look #5.  From the runway itself, this would not be noticeable, but you can't help but see it when Style.com publishes a close-up picture.

 

Now, big picture, this really is not a big deal.  The shoe is cute, and at least the model's feet have been properly pedicured and toes painted.  But then, my further navigation yielded more questionable results.

DKNY Done Easy

I have a confession to make.  My name is Aisha, and I am a patternholic.  I admit that buying patterns on sale is my weakness.  I love browsing through my JoAnn sale brochures to see which patterns are on sale so I can plan my shopping trips accordingly.  Between my love for pattern sales and the time I worked for So-Fro Fabrics many, many years ago, I have built a collection in excess of 600 primarily consisting of Butterick, McCall's, Vogue and Simplicity.

Like most of the "sewists" whose blogs I follow, I like reviewing ready-to-wear runway styles and picking out those which inspire me to create my own versions.  While surfing on Style.com, I fell in love with Look no. 3 from the DKNY Fall 2013 RTW collection and proceeded to search through my pattern collection to see which one I could modify to make my version of this dress - and I think I did settle on one...

Beyond Distressed

Happy New Year!  I pray your Christmas was truly merry and your 2015 is off to a prosperous start.  It has been about 19 months since my last post and I kept telling myself "I have to publish a post! I have to publish a post!"  But, sometimes it seems there's never enough time or energy to do all the things you want.  With that said, I intend to maintain a more regular posting schedule - certainly shorter than every 18 months or so.  (wink)

Though my blogging activity has been stagnant, I have been busy in my Sewing Room and will soon share with you some of the things I've been doing while away, beginning with this project.

 

left and right legs, before