Thursday Tip // Getting ready for summer sewing!

I don’t know about you but as soon as the nicer weather hits I feel like I can tackle anything and I get really excited, often making grandiose sewing plans that rarely come to fruition Haha. It’s the thought that counts, right?

Even so, #MeMadeMay always inspires me to take stock of my wardrobe, what I’m wearing most often and what garments I need to fill a hole in my closet. We all know that Instagram scrolling can get overwhelming with so many ideas, so little time; I find making a plan really helps and then I just stop the scroll! and try to check things off the list.

If you feel like you are in a sewing rut and need a refresh, here are some tips to get you AND your sewing space ready for some summer sewing.

Let’s get organized!

#1 Go through your stash - What do you have? What do you need?

The best fabric to use is the stuff you already own. Start by looking through your stash and separating out your summer fabrics. Just like in budgeting theories where you give each dollar a job, give each fabric a job. Label with sticky notes or make a pile and a list.

Refolding your fabric can also reduce permanent wrinkles or fibre breakage (for linen especially!). Cut off any small fabric tails/smaller scraps so your yardage is easier to manage.

If there are fabrics you’ve had for a long time and just don’t see yourself using, put them aside for our first WS Fabric Swap, happening August 22! You can sign up here.

OR if your unwanted fabrics are a minimum of 1 metre, made of natural fibres, clean, and unscented then you can bring them to us and participate in the Fabric Collective, launching September 15!

#2 Check your notions - grab the essentials! Machine needles, thread, elastic etc.

These are the things that get forgotten until you really need them. Especially if you sew a lot, you probably don’t shop for notions every time you make a new pattern. You’ll likely have a bit of a stash of the regular things so now is a good time to check for the supplies that are running low.

#3 Inventory your patterns - Can you make a cropped version? Can you hack something you already own?

Take a look through your patterns, find your TNTs; maybe you need a cropped version of something or the sleeveless view for summer. Lots of patterns come with multiple views or hacks already available on the pattern company’s IG/blog. Check the pattern hashtag with the word “hack” on the end eg. #WilderGownHack and see what others have done to change up the look and get more mileage out of the same pattern.

#4 Plan out your makes - make an inspo board or swatch card with fabric and pattern pairings

There are so many ways to document sewing plans. My method is very basic and doesn’t involve any sketching. I cut a tiny swatch of the fabric, tape or staple to a piece of cardstock and write the pattern name/s underneath. I group swatches for tops and bottoms so I can see what outfits might go together and to get a general sense of my wardrobe colour scheme. 

Simple and effective and not at all permanent. I make changes all the time as ideas evolve. 

It helps me decide on fabric purchases as well because I can see if a fabric will fit in with past makes or if it’s a bit of an outlier.

I also love pinterest boards for outfit inspo. Most fabric listings can also be pinned directly from the shop’s website so you can match those with pinned patterns as well.

We love Sadie’s @spaghetti_western_sewing method for using IG stories to make an outfit inspo collage including fabrics and colours. Check out her “WIP Boards” story highlights here.

If you like to sketch or colour then you could print and cut out pattern line drawings directly from the pattern or copy and paste the graphic and then colour with pencils/watercolours.

#5 Clean your machine - get a professional service or do some quick maintenance

Every machine needs some TLC once in awhile. Clean out lint build up and give your machine a drop of oil if it needs it. Always consult your machine’s manual for best cleaning instructions or consult a professional repair service technician.

What’s on your summer sewing list?