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12 
Member since 10/4/06
Posts: 434
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Posted on: 3/25/08 2:02 PM ET
I'm in a quandry. I have too many patterns and too much fabric, and as I was looking through my stash I saw some fabric that I would love to make an outfit out of...but I don't know what pattern to use Any ideas of how I can make a decision?

  
Member since 3/17/07
Posts: 419
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Posted on: 3/25/08 2:40 PM ET
In reply to PlumSugilite
sooo, you have the fabric picked out. pick out the patterns you might want to use, put them with the fabric in a place where you will see them a few times a day. each time you see them, eliminate one pattern. eventually you will be down to the one you like best.

just an idea.


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Fabric Fast 2008 - YTD Totals
Disallowed Yards Purchased: 12 1/2
Allowed Yards Purchased: 9 (to complete a garment)
3 (for having sewn 30 yards)
Yards Sewn: 43.500
Items Made: 21
  
Member since 7/13/07
Posts: 6482
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Posted on: 3/25/08 3:55 PM ET
In reply to didda
Clever!
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Paula

"In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running."
- Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder

Visit my blog at www.sewconfused.blogspot.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/paulag1955/sewing-inspiration/
  
Member since 1/22/06
Posts: 1183
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Posted on: 3/26/08 8:27 AM ET
Good idea. I usually end up doing the reverse. I find a pattern that I really want to sew and do a stash-search for the fabric. 50% of the time I have something suitable, the other 50% of the time explains the ever growing stash
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Formerly sew*itch
  
Member since 3/19/04
Posts: 2557
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Posted on: 3/26/08 10:43 AM ET
You could post a picture and description of the fabric here in the "What would you do with this fabric?" thread and get some suggestions, then go through your patterns for something similar.
  
Board Moderator
Member since 7/21/06
Posts: 3642
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Posted on: 3/26/08 11:00 AM ET
Too much fabric??

Too much fabric???



I don't understand. Is there any such thing?

[]

Seriously, though... I have a list here by my sewing machine of the projectgs I want to make and the fabric I want to use. Right now there are 17 things on it. [no wonder I always feel like an underacheiver.] Anyway, I usually just pick the one off the list that looks good to me that day and go. Otherwise, I'm stuck in the quicksand of inertia.

You might try a list of ideas. Then, getting any one of them done is a step in the right direction.

Have fun! And... there is no such thing as too much fabric.
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Cindy Lou, no more than 2
"Sew, Esmerelda! Sew like the Wind!" -Martin Short, The Three Amigos
"When inspiration calls, you don't send it to voicemail." --Will I Am.
  
Member since 6/27/06
Posts: 141
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Posted on: 3/27/08 7:05 PM ET
I can understand....It probably helps to have a wardrobe plan or a storyboard and take it from there. But there are those like me who like to sew something on a whim or based on an inspiration (i.e. a Macy's top that I like and find a pattern that closely resembles it from my stash). I am also finding a "pattern" in my sewing recently: blouse, daughter's dress, pants, jacket, daughter's dress, easy top,...? It's nice to sew "easy" pieces between time consuming and/or more challenging pieces. For instance, I just completed a jacket and a blouse, then for some variety, I would find a pattern for a dress and find a suitable fabric........ But who knows? I might be still be indecisive about what dress pattern to use?!
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Sewed ~733.25 yards since 2000, ~ 132 yards in 2009, ~ 80 yds in 2010, ~ 99 yards in 2011, ~56.5 yards in 2012, ~53.25 yards in 2013, 49.25 yds in 2014, 20.75 yds in 2015

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." Milton Berle
sewspiciousmindful.blogspot.com
  
Member since 3/3/06
Posts: 348
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Posted on: 3/27/08 8:23 PM ET
I think that finding the right pattern to go with the right fabric that actually flatters your body type is one of the hardest things to do! I easily spend more hours contemplating what I'm going to make, than I actually do sewing.

The first thing to do is to check the envelope fabric suggestions, and see if one of the suggestions is close to the fabric that you want to use. If your fabric isn't on the list, or of a similar hand as the ones listed, then it probably won't be the best choice for that pattern. If you're unsure, ask here, and some of the experienced sewists will let you know.

After you've eliminated patterns that use different types of fabrics, then you need to ask yourself if the style will work for you. I find that I have to marinate the patterns for a while in my head. If I go to a retail store that has a similar style for sale, I will try it on, just to see if it looks okay on my body type. If it doesn't, well, that just saved me the trouble of making a wadder, and that pattern goes in the "no sew" box.

If I can't find a particular style in a store, then I try to imagine it on a friend that I know is very similar to my body shape and my age. If I don't think that she could pull it off, then I don't go there either. I don't know why, but I can't imagine myself wearing the clothes, as well as I can imagine other people.

Good luck choosing!
  
Member since 5/19/06
Posts: 1771
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Posted on: 3/27/08 9:21 PM ET
In reply to PlumSugilite
Sometimes I will go (with a fabric or fabrics in mind) to a nice clothing or department store, the kind where I would not like to pay the prices on the things I like, and find some item that calls to me to make from the fabric. It may not be an outfit for me, or even clothing, sometimes. Then I'll look in my pattern stash for a similar garment, or I might go find a pattern if I don't have anything like what I've seen.

Last year, I had a floral print, a rather stiff suiting that didn't soften up with washing, and a lt. wt. microfiber poly woven with no stretch at all. I had intended to make a blouse, a jacket and pants, and a dress. Because of the way they washed up, I didn't like the hand of any of them for what I'd intended. After looking around a bit, I ended up using them to make a duvet cover and shams, got rid of 15 yards of stash, and I really like the colors on my bed.
-- Edited on 3/27/08 9:22 PM -- to fix booboos
-- Edited on 3/27/08 9:23 PM --
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Fictionfan
  
Member since 1/25/06
Posts: 527
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Posted on: 3/30/08 1:32 AM ET
The first priority for me would be visiting exclusive shops/ boutiques to determine current styles, fabrics and colors that suit me.
Then I would go thru my wardrobe and think hard what is really needed for this season/ future trip/ holidays and so on. Only then I would look at my stash and patterns and decide what to do with them.
Following this order my collection won't drag me into wrong choices.
  
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