Addressing the Pattern Stash

It seems I continue to work in a rather roundabout fashion, working toward goals but not getting directly to the point.  

This past week I cataloged and organized sewing patterns.  It was admittedly something that needed to be done as they were in no particular order, which was proving difficult when searching either for a particular design or even for ideas.   The search for patterns was not what prompted this fit of organizational mania however, although perhaps it should have been, as I went out and bought a duplicate of a pattern I already owned simply because I could not find the original.  Now I have them both.  Silliness, silliness.  We must be kind to ourselves over our various sillinesses.

 

In fact, I started unpacking, sorting and cataloging patterns last weekend because I felt unsteady doing anything else.  I had been through another episode of atrial flutter and had an ablation last Friday.  On Saturday I was somewhat tired, and someone slow in terms of focus despite only having "light" anesthesia.  It seemed unwise to cut patterns, sew, or perhaps even man a hot iron -- the potential for errors was too high.  The patterns were there, completely disorganized and apparently overflowing the allotted space, waiting to be unpacked and organized.  

 

It proved to be the perfect activity, not completely mindless, but not requiring attention either.  Sorting through the pattern stash filled my mind as I imagined the things I dreamed of making, remembered sewing projects and outfits of the past, and not least also indulged my penchant for organization orderliness, lists, and organization. 

I used Pinterest to catalog the patterns, primarily because of its visual orientation, but partly also because many patterns had already been uploaded, which made it easy to add them to my own boards.  By using Pinterest, I can sort patterns into categories and I have the option of putting one pattern in as many categories as makes sense to me.  Then the actual patterns can be filed in a very straight-forward and orderly fashion.

There were of course, too many patterns.  There may be some patterns I am not fully convinced I still want to make, but I am also not convinced that I am ready to give up on them either.  For example there are two dress patterns I bought because I wanted to knock off a particular dress, and each pattern offered some of the necessary components.  I don't remember exactly what effect I was going for, only that these patterns seemed like a good starting point.  Maybe I can work with that; perhaps I am no longer interested in the outcome.  I don't know yet.

There is also this collection of patterns.  I was entranced with them when I was at JoAnn fabrics with my mom early in the spring of 2021, before I knew I had breast cancer.  I knew I needed summer clothes, and thought they would be a good starting point, giving me some good, simple, options to kick off my summer sewing.  All of these garments would be suitable for a hot humid summer, and would give me clothing options while I worked on other fitting issues.  Then my plans changed and I didn't sew.  I still have the patterns.  For the most part I still like them and see their use.  One is questionable.   But I will never really know what I think until I sew them up.

 

There is also much apparent duplication in he pattern stash, in some categories more than others.  I am OK with that, although it is something I intend to address.  There is no rush because, once organized, all the patterns fit in the space I had allotted to them.  This was something of a happy surprise, made possible because I also found a use for five baskets I had purchased for another purpose, but found they did not work as well in that application as anticipated.  Win-Win.

 

That doesn't mean I don't intend to deal with duplicates.  Although I am basically attracted to sewing clothing because of my love of wearing clothes,  there is another side of my sewing life as well.  I am also subject to a certain nerdy, process-oriented, curiosity and a tendency toward comparison.  

 

I can't just say to myself "pick this tee pattern and work from there".  If I did so, I would always feel I had potentially missed out on something. I actually look forward to the process of comparison, of taking the six or so tee patterns I have, laying them out, comparing them, figuring what works and why.  This is the same reason I occasionally buy a pattern because of a single detail that fascinates me. It is the same instinct that makes me have sets of knitting needles in different materials despite the fact that I have one favorite -- there are always instances where my favorite is not the best choice.  This is the same instinct that makes me want to take on, or at least be highly attracted to, projects where other knitters, sewers, cooks, etc had trouble making something work.  This is not because I think I can do it better, it is more a curiosity as to why something fails, what it takes to make it work, if possible, and what I can learn from the process.

 

I will need some basic tees and turtlenecks come fall.  I am not desperate, although it is possible I may be before I finish playing. I have some materials for experimentation and perhaps opportunities for learning.  I suppose life could be easier, but as I spent time the last week sorting through sewing patterns, I actually grew more excited by the possibilities for not making life easier.

 

There are some of us who just seem to be wired that way.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Carol in Denver]

Your idea of using Pinterest would be so helpful when knowing what patterns a person has. At one time I listed all my patterns in Excel, including brief descriptions and notes re designer, reviews etc. Also sorted the patterns into banker boxes, mostly by brand, and store them in a storage room. I keep current favorites in drawers in my sewing room. Usually if I'm curious about what a pattern looks like, I can Google the pattern number and see. Without some organization patterns are just burdens.