Sunday 26 February 2017

Overthinking Sewing.



Sewing is my main form of relaxation and my only form of creativity ( unless you include 100+ different ways to use zucchini in Summer and pumpkin in Winter ) . Now thinking is of course very important but overthinking or rumination  is a whole different matter . I bought this small remnant piece of knit from the Clegs Remnant Xmas sale a few years ago thinking I could combine with another piece in my stash for a top  but the colours were way out . Then I tried to combine it with some other fabrics to make a pullover but the pattern was a wadder . Earlier this year after making my Burda pullover I thought I had the answer but there was not enough material . Garrghh! Enough ! There is only 70cm of this knit which is a light weight jumper ( sweater ) knit so I pulled out my trusty TNT Kwik Sew 2965 and just sewed it up before I overthought  any more .


And in another case of overthinking sewing I present my new skirt .


This red polka dot fabric is deep deep stash being left over from making a pinafore dress for my then 10 year old daughter ( 20 and a 2nd year medical student now ! ) . It must have been already quite old by the time I acquired it because it was only 90cms wide . It is a really good quality cotton with a smooth tight weave but it just positively screams Minnie Mouse so it has sat in stash all those years . I have thought and thought what to do with it from getting rid of it , to making a Minnie Mouse costume and to making something as unMinnie Mouse as possible. In the end I have made a `wearable` muslin of a knipmode skirt from May 2013.                                                                                                                                                              
   

A plain straight skirt with the front divided with a centre piece and narrower sides . I made the shorter version with cargo pockets .

One thing I don`t overthink with my blog are the pictures .I brush my hair , put on lippy and then convince someone to take pictures . The whole photo bit takes a few minutes . This time though took longer and I used several props to get photos .

Above my camera is resting on a bookshelf and magazines.
Camera propped on the back of a car with a turtle emerging from the ground .
Camera propped on the back of another car with an attractive compost bin in the background.
Up a ladder with the camera on a nappy bucket on the washing machine .
The best photos were the camera resting on the upside down old nappy bucket on the dining room table - must remember that one for future.
I have promised myself that I will wear this skirt for the remaining warm weather and if I still feel like a middle aged Minnie then the skirt will go.
Sometimes I feel a little bit crazy with how much time I think about these things but somehow if you are reading this blog then I know I am not alone .


10 comments:

  1. Agree, overthinking is part of my problem(s) too! Love the dot skirt!! Keep wearing it!

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  2. The skirt is cool especially the pocket that you added to the side. Although may I ask why you don't just buy a tripod? Or are you using your camera phone?

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  3. I'm an overthinker to paralysis at times. I'm the same with my photos except I have crazy hair so I never look done. You must keep wearing that beautiful skirt. It is so gorgeous. When I saw the first photo, the first thing I saw was the skirt. I love it with the white top and I don't believe it needs the scarf. I love the last photo.

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  4. I love the skirt and it doesn't even whisper Minnie Mouse to me :-)

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  5. Blog photos - so awkward aren't they. I hate doing them! And have done the use the bin, use the garage roller door as a back drop (complete with cobwebs), etc. So I had quite a chuckle at your post. And as for overthinking, I think many of us do that. How to get two garments out of a small piece of fabric is one of my constant, dare I say it, form of rumination sometimes! But better than the woe is me sort of rumination,so I shall stick with the sewing sort!

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  6. Thankyou all. I am wearing the skirt now and liking it more. Also I didn't think I was alone in overthinking fabric etc to the point of ridiculousness so thankyou again. Yes it would be absolute common sense to buy a tripod and I have thought about that too ! It is just not a high priority to take photos and honestly I don't know where to buy one in my rural area ! But Carolyn your comment has pushed the priority up a few notches and with some future planning I am I could get one somewhere.

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  7. Just want to chime in with a vote of confidence for the skirt. It looks good! Overthinking fabric is also something I do a lot, especially for short lengths of leftover fabric from other projects. I have a 1.5m length of linen that is obsessing me at the moment. And aargh, blog photography. If only it were possible to have a blog without it, but yeah, no.

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  8. Your skirt looks terrific and you should keep wearing it. My blog photos (whenever I do blog) are just shots of what I've made on the dress form. Trying to find a background in the backyard that's not showing a house in need of painting or a garden in need of weeding is the challenge.

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  9. I love your pretty skirt and hope you keep on wearing it and loving it a little more! It does not read Minnie Mouse at all to me. The red pops so pretty against the white top and that's the photo I like best too. Understand completely with your 'overthinking' thoughts...! :) And tripod is most helpful to me too.

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  10. I greatly appreciate the back story of your photography, very funny. I find this rather challenging myself.
    I like your skirt, its fresh, summery and fun, and your t shirt looks to me as if it would work with all sorts of outfits, a great basic.

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