It’s already getting disorganized, but whatever, it looks so much less cluttered than it did a month ago.
Only three months between posts, not bad. I’ve been working on a lot of things, but doing these weekly check-ins somehow always slips off the to-do list. Maybe 2023 will be the year I start to enjoy blogging again.
I spent the last few weeks of 2022 and most of 2023 so far doing a deep clean and reorganization of my studio, and it feels so good. I’ve got the majority of my fabric refolded and reorganized into bins and moved into a dedicated area of our attic, and my studio feels very clean and organized and low on distractions. I don’t normally let myself take the time for projects like this, but I’m glad I was able to overcome a lot of emotional baggage and just take the time to create the workspace that I need. I’ve got more planned, but this space feels so much better than it did a month ago.
Feels surprisingly revealing to let other people see this?
I also spent some time reworking my projects database on Notion. I’ve been using Notion to organize my life for a couple years, basically since I was diagnosed with ADHD. I made some fresh new databases & a planning calendar for 2023 based on what worked (and didn’t) in 2022, and I feel more together and prepared than I… maybe ever have? Really honestly exciting stuff, after spending most of my life trying to force my brain to work how I thought it should, I feel like I’m learning how to work with my specific brain chemistry & structure (or whatever) instead of fighting it. Surprisingly, accepting myself is a lot more effective.
I’m about halfway through my first Cashmerette Concord tee, and I love this pattern so far. The past few things I’ve sewn have been very fitted blouses or dresses, so it feels so nice to be working in knits. I’m hoping to get this first version finished in the next day or two? My first attempt at the neckband did not go well, and ripping out the vertical zig zag stitch I used was… frustrating. I powered through, and now it’s repinned (re-clipped?) and ready to sew. It fit really well, so once I’ve finished this one, I want to make one or two more, maybe with different sleeves? I cut this first version with the faced hem, but I didn’t realize it was tunic length. I’m almost certainly going to cut off the bottom few inches and just do a turned hem, but I really want to try that faced hem, so I’ll probably shorten the pattern and do a midlength tee with a faced hem next.
I thought I took a photo of the tiny vertical zig zag stitches I had to rip out, but I guess not? After pinning the first time around, I finally remembered that wonder clips are much easier to use with knits.
I’m trying to do a few other things this week, probably too many things. I made four skirts in 2022 and none of the waistbands fit properly, so I want to get those fixed so I can wear them without safety pins. (Now I’ve mentioned that here and on Instagram, so I’ll have to do it.) Someone I follow on Instagram (Anna at @bloglessanna) is hosting #sewjapaneseinjanuary which is exactly what it sounds like, so I’m going to try to make a quick dress for one of my nieces from a book I’ve had for ages. And I’ve got a Chalk & Notch Wren blouse that’s nearly finished that I’d really like to be able to wear. I just need to do the buttonholes & let the sleeves out a little with the very minimal 3/8” seam allowance, and it’ll be wearable if probably tight in the shoulders. Must remember to include sleeves in the fit toile and also always increase seam allowance when doing a new pattern.
Oh that is definitely too many things to try to do this week! We’ll see which ones get done, I suppose. I hope you’re having a happy, healthy & productive 2023.