Sewing Planning for 2022

Planning sewing projects can sometimes be almost as much fun as actually sewing the projects!  For my personal sewing this coming year, I’m trying to get myself organized a little bit in advance.  This means evaluating what I what/need, both for myself personally and for any gifts that I might want to make.  

Thinking about garment sewing for myself includes the additional layer of factoring in any knitting projects I have in my queue.  Knitting sweaters or larger items for adults can require a bigger time investment, but they definitely figure into my wardrobe planning.  Indeed, I’ve found over the years that I keep and use my knit garments a lot longer than I do my sewn garments.  So the time/money investment is worth it for me and I even tend to prioritize these projects over sewing in my free time.  Nevertheless, I intend to carve out more space for garment sewing in 2022.

One tool that I’m using to help me hone in on creating a manageable sewing list is the free sewing planner offered by Seamwork.  You can download it for free from their website and use it as a printable thereafter.  In addition to the free planner, you can listen to episodes of their free podcast, called Seamwork Radio, that are connected to planning and curating a self-made wardrobe.  Here is a non-exhaustive list of related episodes:

• Episode 52: Create a Personal Wardrobe Palette
• Episode 50: Rediscover Your Style When Life Changes 
• Episode 34: How to Prioritize Your Projects

Another sewing podcast that I love is the Love to Sew Podcast, and here are some of their past episodes also related to sewing motivation and planning:

• Episode 172: Sewing Motivation
• Episode 142: Documenting Your Makes
• Episode 126: New Years Goals
• Episode 120: The Mindful Wardrobe Project with Meg McElwee
• Episode 108: Create Your Dream Wardrobe
• Episode 105: Speedy Sewing
• Episode 58: Planning Projects
• Episode 49: Making Time to Sew with Lauren Taylor
• Episode 39: Cultivating a Stylish Wardrobe with Erica Bunker
• Episode 15: Capsule Wardrobe Challenge
• Episode 12: You Don’t Have to Sew Everything
• Episode 8: Achieving Big Goals with Kelli Ward

And yet another creative podcast that I love is Stitch Wish Radio by Christi Johnson at Mixed Color.net.  She focuses more on creativity, inspiration, spirituality, and embroidery, but I think everything can be applied to any hands-on creative process!  Here are some episodes linked to motivation and project planning, from a larger, more holistic perspective.  You can follow the above link to reach all the episodes. 

 

Episode 15: The Creative Tool We ALL Have (+Mediation)

Episode 12: Exploring the Creative Process

Episode 11: Considering the Cuts of Our Cloth

Episode 10: Inspiration or “Breathing Life” into Your Creative Process

Episode 6: Re-thinking Re-use: in the Studio, Kitchen, or Garden

Episode 1: Moving Through Fear

Anyhow, I didn’t really know where this blog post was going when I sat down to write it!  Apparently it’s become a list of podcast recommendations. :)  That works for me; they help boost me when I’m a little down, so maybe they’ll do the same for you.

In the meantime, I’m working on this Halloween cross-stitch pattern by Emma Congdon:

 

 I love this design and am happily working on it for next Halloween!

 

 Wishing everybody safe and wonderful holidays!!