Making a Sewing Storyboard

You know life has gotten super-incredibly busy when you check your blog post list only to find the following title in draft mode: "Spring is Upon Us..." That's right, I started to write a post back in the spring and never even finished it. Actually, I started 7 posts, and they are all still in draft mode. Yikes.

To make matters worse, as we head into fall/winter, I feel like I have nothing to wear. Or nothing I still like or fits me, or whatever. And then I tripped over a pile of yet-to-be-cut patterns in my sewing room, landing face-first on fabric stacked up on the floor. And then I started thinking about what I'd like to sew, started doing some pattern research, built an excel spreadsheet listing patterns and fabrics and...you get the idea. So many ideas, so much I want to try. And, what's worse, we're planning a trip to New York soon and I fully intend to ravage fabric stores in the garment district. There are so many fabrics I can't find here in Ontario - decent knits, for example, ones that won't start to fade or fuzz after the first wash. You know what I'm sayin'. I'm thinking of crossing the border with empty suitcases, just so I'll have enough room for fabric. I wonder if my husband would be willing to carry an extra suitcase on my behalf...sigh, doubt it.

Amidst all the chaos, confusion, and lustful glances at my new sewing machine (there, there, we'll be together soon, let me caress you lovingly while I add this month's BurdaStyle to the sewing magazine pile to your right) I stumbled across the following idea while cruising other sewing blogs - creating a storyboard of what you'd like to work on, kind of like a collage of ideas, patterns, techniques of your imagination's most-wanted list. 

Here's a few on craftster.org. And Pattern Review is holding a Mini-wardrobe Contest, people are using storyboards to build their wardrobes. Click on the yardage, it will take you to the contest participant's page. Check out j Renee's project photo, nice! Not sure what program they are using, I just copied images into Microsoft Word and used text boxes to write it, the colour scheme at the top is just a table, I added colour to the cells. 

And here's mine, feast your eyes...

It's a little blurry, but you get the idea. I plan to print it, carry it in my purse, look it over while on my daily commute to work, sleep with it under my pillow. The idea is the storyboard will keep me on track, hopefully help me organize myself, and be a reminder that there are lots of things I want to try this year. And that I have nothing to wear this winter.

Yeah, I know, how do I plan to get that all done? Well, you have to first conceive of it to achieve it, right? This is quite literally every sewing daydream going on in my head. On paper. At last. I feel much better now...

Actually, I'll feel even better by itemizing the list for you:
- a suit, conquer the art of a decent suit jacket
- skirts, love skirts, can never have too many skirts but pantyhose are my nemesis
- jeans, never tried denim, want to make a decent pair that fits my bum well
- drapey knit turtleneck(s)
- drapey knit cowlneck shirt(s)
- simple knit top(s)
- knit wrap sweater(s)
- tie-front tops...tie bows are the bomb
- something beaded
- blouses, try: flounces, offset placket, pintucks
- paint fabric, then sew something with it
- drapey sweater
- camisoles/tanks for under sweaters and suits
- office dresses, dresses, dresses, love dresses, want one with a peplum
- nice lounging pyjamas, cause my husband says I look like a hobo in trackpants. how many times must we have this discussion, they're yoga pants not "trackpants"
- lingerie, I want to try something girly. or naughty. not sure yet. after the hobo comment maybe my husband doesn't deserve lingerie. except that I want him to bring an extra empty suitcase to New York on my behalf so I can stuff it with fabric and notions and patterns. lingerie it is.
- bra and undies...it would be so cool to be able to make my own
- little slippers
- a beaded coin purse

And, I'm making a black cocktail dress to wear as a bridesmaid at my little sister's wedding this August...

I best get crackin'  :-)

What's on your plate this fall?