How do you plan your sewing?

I use A Sewist’s Notebook, of course! :) I may not create all my ideas, but at least they’re out of my head and on paper. And if I’m not sure what I should make next, I can flip through the book and get tons of “new” ideas.

I have a 2 book approach to most of my projects. For step by step planning and monthly “sewing lists” that I try to accomplish, I use the Get To Work Book (http://gettoworkbook.com/). The blank pages at the beginning of each month are great for making a checklist of patterns and projects I want to try for the month, and then I break it down week to week, using the blank space at the bottom of the week view to break down each project into individual tasks.

In addition, I use 101 creations as a recordkeeper for pattern notes and to sketch out a picture of the project if I feel I need to. I also staple a picture of the finished project to the page if it turns out okay, so it’s sort of become my portfolio of what I’ve done. Ideally, if I were more of an artist I’d use a sketchbook and make mood boards with swatches, but, aside from my wedding dress I’ve never planned out a project to that much detail before I started sewing.

I don’t plan or organise. It’s just not what sewing is for me. I am leaning towards clothes I’ll get more wear out of than my classic seamster’s early days of heading straight for eye catching prints and thinking about party dresses. But it’s nothing to do with necessity for me. It’s all about getting something extra, a bonus, something I can’t find elsewhere. It’s a treat and a pleasure. And that’s sometimes a flighty thing, more about passion than planning. I tend to gather ideas in a notebook and on pinterest and often browse over them. I do that with my stash too. But my decisions about the next project is almost always in a moment of passion about a fabric, a garment I decide I need to exist that very evening or for a specific vision I’ve just had for an occasion or something. I enjoy being self-aware about what I really wear and love outside of my passionate moments, and that feeds into it, but there’s not ‘should’ or ‘must’ or ‘ought’ in my sewing. It’s all ‘love’ and ‘ooh’ and things like that.

I have a queue of sewing projects – some costume commissions, some costume bits for the LARP I am part of (some for my OH, some for me), some fashion clothes – but things keep being pushed backwards and forwards depending on events or time. I just keep lists and lists and lists which I cross through once I’ve completed a section, but there’s no planning really.

For commissions I do sketches with the client, look at different costumes that have inspired the idea, think about the details but work mainly in colours and “fit” for the period the person is interested in setting their character in. Luckily the people who request things from me are really relaxed and often go “just do what you think’ll look good. I’d like it in xyz colour, but just choose the cloth you think’ll work etc”. Which helps me develop my sewing but also doesn’t help me get an idea exactly what they want!

Ideally I would plan out projects, research the historic techniques, actually make proper fitted garments rather than just pattern sizes, and craft the wardrobe for the characters I make in stages. But sewing by the seat of my pants can be quite rewarding, especially when I deliver the items to the group/client and see them being worn a week or so later.

But to be able to properly plan would be amazing.

Much of the time I have either a pattern or some fabric in hand and then I go pick the other to suit and just go for it. Sometimes I need to make something very specific such as a costume piece and that is when I’m more likely to do a little planning/sketching/prototyping first.

I like to periodically write down a list of project ideas floating around but I rarely actually use it as a checklist. I would love to get much more organized about my approach and I would love to start sketching and creating mood boards.

I use Pinterest for any pattern or garment image that takes my fancy. Since one of the by hand London girls blogged about Trello I have been using that for my sewing queue. It can be a mood board that is very easily reorganised as priorities/enthusiasm changes. I have boards for different garment types and then lists on the boards of each garment I want to make that include images of the pattern and fabric/s and inspiration, and then lists of supplies/modifications/other notes. There is a phone app too so it’s easy to snap a pic of a stash fabric and add it on to a ‘list’.

I record all my sewing projects (past, present and future projects) in a notebook. I am now on my third notebook since 2007. I sketch and record ideas for future projects in my notebook and I also add comments and make notes on sizes and changes on past projects. I use Pinterest to save any patterns I plan to sew or like for inspiration. By following Wardrobe Architect I have narrowed down my colours and style which really helps. I plan my sewing following the school calendar (new shorts for the children in September and the Spring) and around any travelling (new skirt for our Christmas trip?). By attending a weekly sewing class and a monthly sewing group I make time to work on my projects. I don’t have a queue of projects as such but every so often when I have several unfinished items I make a diagram of my current projects to help me prioritise each one. I am currently well into my Christmas gift sewing which is a first but I have a mental list of garments I hope to make before the Christmas holidays too. We shall see how the Christmas sewing plans work out…

I’m not planning so much for end result as what I’d like to try/learn/experience. So I might choose something for example that calls for underlining or lining or a particular fit because it’s a very fitted garment. It’s process I plan for rather than product. But that could be because I’m still excited about learning more at this stage in my development.

I have plans, some that have been in the back of my head or waiting in a pattern/fabric bin for a few years or more, mostly for awesome basics, like great work-appropriate dresses, jackets, the occasional pant. But I always get distracted somehow and those plans get pushed to the back burner. Maybe it’s because to some degree what I’m planning is a fantasy wardrobe? I want to look sharp and put together and polished, but I can wear jeans and boots to work every day if I want to. And during a long, cold New England winter, that’s the most comfortable and warm approach. But the items that distract me tend to be more ‘fun’ garments: like instead of sewing a wool sheath or a ponte blazer, I’m embarking on a handful of knit wrap dresses. I love wrap dresses. I look good in them. And I will wear the crap out of them. I guess it comes down to: I’m a planner; I plan out as much of the garment/outfit in advance as possible; but I’m willing to set aside those great plans for something new that excites me NOW and that I want to wear NOW, rather than stick with something that I do want and will wear, and that does excite me–just not as much as the new thing does. And FWIW, wrap dresses were on my list for fall/winter sewing; they were just a little lower down (ok a lot. The list is really long.).

I usually dream up my projects. I keep a notebook next to my bed and as soon as I wake I put them down. I solve a lot of my problems while I sleep. I also like to look at your site for inspiration.

I have a cycle of planning about 4-6 projects at a time. During the planning phase, I keep a notebook for supplies and ideas for fabrics. I don’t have any local fabric stores, so by planning a number of projects at a time, I can place orders online and save on shipping. Once all the materials area assembled, I usually cut out all the projects on a weekend day, and then proceed to sew in the order of inspiration or necessity. I usually have a novel going during the planning phase, but then my nighttime reading is suspended during the sewing phase (while keeping my ears open for new book recommendations).

I use Pinterest very heavily, mostly to communicate with clients about project ideas. Currently it’s about fabric ideas for 2016 comic convention costumes. It’s an electronic mood board I can get my clients to use with ease (we’ve got pix of gravel, tires, lime green jello, Key West storm clouds, a Thom Browne suit, lots of shoes and Betty Crocker Recipe cards). Because of the pure visual mood board appeal, ease of access and timezonefree communication it offers, it’s the tool. There’s a picture, there’s a link, boom.
Me, I carry sketch/scrap books everywhere, but I”m an old art student to the end. I admit I use my phone camera more than I used to. Color grabs, sleeve details, hardware store finds. I have a private blog I put those photos on, and them pin them from there for working client boards.

Pattern Review isn’t Ravelry, no matter how much I wish it was. I participate in it, have for years, but I grumble a lot. The other sites are all agenda and ad driven. I don’t know that you can recreate Ravelry without that crazy combination of pure love of craft community AND pure coder genius. I also know I am not the person to try.

I used to find things I want to sew and just put them in a queue and sew them up one by one. Then I realized that wasn’t conducive to the seasons, my changing tastes, and new trends. Now I plan my sewing by the season. I have a Pinterest board I use to collect all the sewing patterns I like. And another board that reflects my personal style and ideal wardrobe. At the beginning of each season I first review my style board, then go through my patterns board and pick out what I want to sew. I also take into consideration what’s currently in my closet. I learned a lot of this technique by participating in Wardrobe Architect.

I created a digital swatch book on my desktop. Since I often buy fabric online, it’s pretty easy to drag and drop images from my favorite websites. Within the folder, I create groupings of things that play well together. Once I have a group of things that work well for tops, bottoms, dresses, whatever, I lay out the fabrics in my sewing room to make sure I’m happy with the grouping. Then I choose my patterns, make muslins for new patterns, and start sewing. When the group is finished, it gets moved into my closet. I find that this is really helping me to solve the “nothing to wear” problem of having random nice things that don’t play well with other random nice things. When I find lovely fabric, I jump on it. Sometimes it takes a season or two to assemble a group but I nearly always have a sewing group in progress. It’s really important for me to anchor each group with basic seasonal solids and then sprinkle in the attention getting colors and prints. Once a group is finished, I usually reward myself with a spontaneous happy project just for fun!

Great post! I love planning out my looks as much as the actual sewing! I love Pinterest: I have mood, silhouette, sewing pattern, and fabric boards. I make a board for each season and each individual look I plan to make. I sketch quite a bit and document everything on my blog. All this extra organization along has really helped make my wardrobe so much more wearable and functional.

This is a very interesting and timely question. I have been retired for a year and a half and have just now given thought to the clothes storage. There is so much that I haven’t worn since retirement and still so much more that I will not wear. Now I am concentrating on creating an interchangeable wardrobe. Separates that blend with staples. Sewing is my passion so I can be very selective of my pieces. My board contains fashions, colors , and accessories which I can enjoy at this phase of life. Dressing by a new standard, MINE

I used to keep everything in my head too! Until the time of life when my memory started to get muddled or sometimes just take a powder.

Now is the time to get yourself into some good habits. We are creatures of habit – and it is so much easier to change/refine our methods while we are young.

Here I am starting my sixth decade, I have been sewing since I started school and I am having to learn how to use these wonderful new technologies to do things that were effortless for me to do in my head a few years ago.

Ten years ago I started with my patterns – I have an extensive pattern collection that I share with several other sewers, some of whom sew for little theatre. I have photocopied all of my envelopes so that everything is in binders that have been duplicated for the theatre (some people are just better with old tech). I just add an extra page whenever I acquire a new pattern. This makes it easy to find things and I can just take a copy with me when I go to the fabric shops.

Each pattern is in a large manila envelope filed by the manufacturers number, stored in filing cabinets. When a pattern is taken out, I put in a red bristol board marker which is 1″ taller than the envelopes – this stands out so that I know a pattern is out (yes, I put one in when I have a pattern out, too!). Pasted onto the marker is an info sheet that the borrower completes so that I can retrieve it later if it doesn’t come back. At the bottom of the form is an agreement that if the pattern is lost or damaged/worn out, the borrower will pay $25 to replace it. All I ask that it be returned in the same condition that it is received. I’ve never lost a pattern yet – several patterns have been replaced by the person who wore it out, but no one has abused the privilege of using my patterns. The bonus is that now I am receiving patterns from sewers who no longer need them – this is making the selection even better for everyone!

The large envelope makes it easier to repack the patterns – especially when you have others using them. I take each pattern and iron out the sheets, cut apart the pieces and refold & iron them so that all the pattern information is on top. It is very easy to find the pieces you need when starting to lay out your pattern – you just take out what you need and put the rest away. This way if a pattern piece is accidently set aside and gets separated from the pattern envelope, it is easy to match them up again without having to open up the piece. When I was less experienced I used to mix and match patterns and pieces to get the garments I wanted, and sometimes pieces got misplaced. Opening them up to read the info when I was in a hurry resulted in damaged pieces. I changed my methods to prevent further damage.

Twenty-five years ago I started sewing specialty garments for people who were a continent away – it started with my sister and expanded to many of her friends and clients. There were no patterns available anywhere what fulfilled the design needs of my clients. All I had were their complete measurements and some photos from magazines/catalogs and notes from phone calls to let me know what was wanted. (Now I would use email.) I learned how to draft my own patterns.

I have an envelope for each pattern that I draft with photos of the garment on the front and an info sheet on the back. I have a template that I use to make sure I have all the information recorded every time – the person’s name, date, measurements, basic description of garment, anything that is out of the ordinary, amount of fabric & notions used. Inside I include samples of the fabric/interfacings used. This is because I often made several garments very similar to each other for each client.

I also have a file for each client with a duplicate of the info sheets and fabric samples. This way I have everything in one place, since I often have to make co-ordinating garments and accessories. Client’s needs change and with all the info pertinent to the specific pattern right there, it is easy to make any notes regarding changes while on the phone. Every time I’m asked make a garment, the client sends me a completed template with the current measurements and the date on it – this is critical to keeping good records – and ensures everything will fit.

When I sew for myself, I draft most of my patterns from scratch. I started to sew garments because I have never fit into the ‘normal’ pattern for any garment. RTW was a nightmare. I have a mature curvy body with short legs and an extra lumbar vertebrae. So I have been shortening my pant legs, lengthening my lower back below the waist, making my waist smaller, lowering my apex and doing Full Bust Adjustments since I was 11 years old. For me, the patterns are the jumping off point for my drafting pencil.

Now I just have figure out how to redo my spare room for fabric storage – right now it is full of boxes, fabric, fabric and more…you know…

I always plan out my sewing projects. I like to use a quad ruled notebook. I date and write what I’m working on and the pattern number or source I got the idea from. I also take photos of my completed projects and put them in my sewing scrap book with additional notes. I buy some patterns, have older but basic patterns I’ve used over and over. Ideas I see in magazine and recently started using pinterest.

I’m a Pinterest addict. I I’ve in a very casual, outdoorsy area where, as a retired woman, it would be erfectly OK to live in jeans/shorts, tees/tanks, and a fleece for cooler days. Which is fine, but it gets boring and … can get slovenly. I used WA a lot to figure out what I need and Pinterest to refine the “look”. I figure if I have pinned a hundred shots of gray/black/white, those are the colors, and that carries through to styles of clothing too.

great information, especially the ways to store and retrieve the information. I’m usually a make notes on small pieces of paper kind of person, but in reality I’m a “I had an idea once, then lost it” person. Hard to develop those ideas further. Looks as if I should try scanning and filing ideas…..really appreciate the varieties of ways to make information useable.

I haven’t gotten to the place where I plan my sewing. I’m not sure if it’s because I am a novice, or personality or a combination of both. For now, I’m just trying to master a few skills. If I find a fabric I like, I buy it and decide which pattern I am going to use. I am however enjoying this discussion topic, and am getting some great ideas for future sewing projects.

I use several methods, but for planning I use the SWAP (Sewing With A Plan) worksheets. I have a chalkboard up in my sewing room with the current patterns I want to use for my first capsule. You use 2 basic colors and then add in a complementary color. For my first capsule, my basic colors are black and cream, with bronze as a complementary color. I keep track of my fabrics in an app called Sew Awesome. I can’t draw worth a hill of beans, so I traced the pattern line drawings onto vellum paper and then put that on a 5×7 card with the pattern information. I am using Ottobre Woman for my patterns, as I used their magazines for all of my children’s clothing when I sewed for them. They are fantastic! For inspiration, I use pinterest and then go snoop shopping to try styles on that I think I want to wear. I take a picture of it on me in the dressing room so I can really review fit and style at home and focus on details. By snoop shopping, I can see how a style or garment will look on me before I ever cut the fabric out. I just went stash diving to pull out fabrics for my SWAP this morning! What fun! I have a 5×7 notebook with my SWAP worksheets that I use to keep track of my progress and to paste swatches of fabrics in. I use this to match potential prints or coordinating fabrics when I am shopping. I have the Wardrobe architect printed out to thin my wardrobe in my closet out. I have lost about 30 pounds so I need clothes that fit!

I’ve been doing capsule wardrobes since Spring, and in Fall I included sewing projects in my capsule planning. I listed everything I wanted to add and then picked out the pieces I could make. I considered the patterns I already have (thanks, Seamwork!) and only chose a few items, since I only get about one project completed every month. :)

If I’m thinking about sewing for myself, I start by looking at my closet, seeing what i may need. Then i check the patterns i have in my collection, choose a few possibilities. The next step is looking online at fabrics. I may not buy the fabric online, but if I do find something I like for a specific pattern, I order a swatch. I re-evaluate as I go, thinking about the possibility of buying a new pattern, or checking out my favorite local fabric store..Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley. Once I have decided the fabric and pattern..off I go !