I appreciate sharing your self-awareness journey. I think it’s good for all of us to do that now and again, whether it be sewing, technology, shopping-whatever. Sometimes I feel like life gets overwhelming with even the good things. So thank you for your honesty and transparency because it helps all of us to think about things in our lives that may need some “thinning”. I wanted to tell you how much I loved your grey jacket with the trim and lipstick lining. It was so professionally done and looked stunning on you. Also the vest that you made that you had some trouble with but found solutions to make it work. I love your videos and your relaxed way of sharing. I wish you a relaxing summer and fun on all your projects, whether sewing or otherwise. Blessings! 😊
Thank you for a mindful sewing chat. I too want to lower my consumption footprint whether it’s shopping or sewing clothes. I appreciate your candor. Happy sewing!
My vote for the #1 RUclips sewing channel goes to…… Janine Sews!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 I SO ENJOY your videos!! I sit in my favorite chair with a cup of hot coffee and feel as if I’m visiting with a friend who also enjoys my favorite hobby. THANK YOU!
Making less and having more time is a good thing. I have no idea how much garment fabric I have right now. Cataloging it sounds like a great idea as we moved last year and it is all boxed up. I had several people give me large amounts of fabrics and I already passed much of it on but I really should have another go at my stash.
I like your common sense approach to fabric accumulation. I have stopped watching those "fabric haul" videos that encourage buying fabrics we will never get around to sewing. Thanks for sharing your wise approach.
Thanks so much for saying this, Joyce. I sometimes feel like I'm a bit out of sync because I don't do fabric hauls. I'm not criticising those who do. For me personally, too much stuff creates anxiety.
Thank you Janine for sharing your thoughts today on fabric shopping and spending so much time on sewing. I find myself in the same situation when it is so beautiful outside and I could spend my time with friends and family but my project keeps me inside. A real eye opener for me. I truly enjoy your videos.
Your better half sounds like my better half, talking about our new job. There are a few things I do love about my stash. I don't have to shop for fabric, i probably have it. I can make outfits for the little girls in my life using what i have. The sad thing about those fabrics is that were supposed to be for my granddaughters but i never had time to make anything due to a full time job and a part time job. And when a friend/family member asks if i have some fabric for something they want made, i probably have it. Nect year at this time i will do another purge for a local charity. Now that i am retired, i enjoy sewing in the morning rather than the evenings. And if my husband wants to me to do something with him during my sewing times i usually say yes. I know if I could easily stay hidden in my sewing room if I didn't say yes to him. Joeysewy is amazing. I would love to spend this morning cutting out some tops, but one of our trees came down in a wind storm last night. It took out part of our fence. We have a dog who loves to wander, so it's a priority. Unfortunately our neighbours took the brunt of the damage. Great thoughtful vlog.
I also have too much fabric even after destashing following a house move! I think I can overwhelm myself and diminish my creativity if i'm not careful. Love that colour t-shirt on you
Hello Janine. I always enjoy your vlogs, although I rarely comment. You are always considered in your comments and content. And thank you so much for linking to JoeySewy. I think I'm hooked.
Janine, I have been working some of the same plans of donating and deciding what I really want to make in the next few weeks. I feel that some of the channels on You Tube have encouraged many of us sewists to mass produce sewing items that we don't really need. Lately I decided that I am supposed to be retired and enjoying my hobbies and not working them like a full time job. Glad to hear that you have the same idea. It's time to enjoy the weather gardening, taking walks, and sew on rainy days. I want to get my hands dirty! Flowers are waiting for me. Enjoyed your thoughts on this video.
Deborah, sounds like we have had many of the same thoughts! Although I hate getting my hands dirty hahahaha! I'm a gloves in the garden gal 😜 I think that the sewing and craft practice videos on RUclips are reflections of how people have sewn/knitted/crocheted over the years. There were always people who bought a lot and made a lot, and others who purchased/made less. We have a peek into those different lives now, and I'll admit that occasionally I have a twinge of, "I want to buy ALL the fabric" but my stress over too-much-stuff always stops me. 🩷
Hi Janine. I enjoy your videos and like your thoughtful approach to your Chanel. Like you, I saw the Sewy Joey video that you referenced and it has quite an effect on me. Since my (forced) retirement, I have thrown myself into many sewing projects. I do enjoy getting back to sewing after so many years of raising a family and having a career. The video made me realize what was feeding my desire to spend many hours a day in the sewing room and it shocked me to realize the reasons were deeper than just enjoying this hobby. Sewing filled a void that the last four years had left in me. It gave me a sense of being able to create something and to have some sort of control over things when I felt helpless to manage leaving a career I loved, losing friends that were dear to me and not being able to move freely. Sewing brought me joy (and frustration) and got me through that challenging time. It gave me purpose when I felt worthless. Not to be too mellow dramatic or give away why I found myself in this position, sewing and the sewing community really helped. I am still nine projects deep, but like you, I needed to reflect on this and that video hit me like a ton of bricks. Sometimes you don’t realize that you’ve just been through something difficult until you come out the other side. Thanks for sharing your perspective on this. 🥰
Julie, I'm sorry that you found yourself in a forced retirement position. ❤️ I don't know if we're ever properly prepared for it. It sounds like you are like me, we weren't dreaming of retirement and counting down the days. It just happened. No one prepared us for this. Sometimes I feel like I was pushed for decades to be better/do better/work harder/learn more ... and then it just stopped. I suspect you can relate. I'm glad you've found some satisfaction in your sewing room. And like you, I'm grateful that Jo is talking about these things. We worked hard. We deserve to enjoy these years. xx
I really appreciate your reply Janine! I guess that part of retirement is redefining who we are and finding the balance of having purpose and enjoying these precious years we have worked so hard for. Cheers!
Sewing can be fun & relaxing but can also obsess us if we let it. I really am only able to sew 2-3 hours in the mornings till about noon. My afternoons are just busy with other things. Also I like going for walks with my dog. I get out and do something at least every other week just to get away from sewing & housework. Wardrobe does get different when we retire. I like a few things for church and dressy occasions like going to a wedding but most what I sew is shorts, shifts, and tops. My tomato plants I planted from seed are about 4-6 inches. Probably will plant them around first of May here in Virginia. My muslin for Bootstrap pants form turned out pretty good so I’m taking a bit of a sewing break to do a bit of housekeeping and make list of needed supplies for real thing. Yes sew but get out & smell the roses & enjoy life.
Oh Janine - what a great video!! So uplifting to hear you talking about it being ok not to sew everything. My son is getting married in June and I was fussing about patterns and fabric. My dithering was getting ridiculous. I happened to go to the mall for the first time in about 4 years (seriously!) and walked through the Bay. I saw a dress hanging there that caught my eye, tried it on and bought it. Such a relief to know I don’t have to make everything! Also we went to Spain for a month in Feb and i took just carry on baggage. I now know how few clothes I actually need! So this summer I’m going to give myself some grace too and do some other things - gardening, reading and a bit of quilting. And just like that, I feel netter about sewing! And finally I felt like you were talking directly to me about Frocktails. I’m thinking about it😊. Thanks again for another inspiring video. 💕
Rhonda, I'm so happy that you found something wonderful for your son's wedding! Gosh, we have options! We don't need to sew everything. ❤️ I don't know when we moved from "I could sew that" to "I have to sew that". Hope you're getting ready for some time in the garden, now that winter appears to be past. Not going to hope too much but it sure would be wonderful to meet you IRL at Frocktails!!
Great video! We don't want to be sewing cause we have to get through the list, do we? One thing that helps me is to look at what I put away at the end of last summer and take stock of all the nice garments I already have and want to wear again. I am also taking notes at the end of each season on what I might want to sew next year, what worked or didn't, etc. It really narrows down the wish list! And of course taking stock of the patterns and fabrics I was going to use last season but didn't get to. I really related to the wanting to sew simple garments and maybe one harder thing per season. I definitely don't want to make sewing a "job" but keep it as an enjoyable and practical hobby.
Destashing fabric is so relatable. 😅 I donated a mountain of fabric and then went on to donate notions and sewing tools. Minimized my entire sewing regime. 😂 A few years ago, I saw a video of a Canadian writer named Elizabeth Withey who wore the same dress every day for a year. The video is "One Year One Dress" with Elizabeth Withey. I ended up doing that a few years ago and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I made a woven dress, although she used a knit dress. But that put me on the road to a capsule minimalist wardrobe, and it was pretty life changing. There are garments I also don't make, like jeans. I can fit into Old Navy or Gap jeans and they are 20$ on sale so no point in sewing them. Great video. These kinds of changes can be "cleansing" for the soul. I love the t shirt you're wearing. ❤ I also love your French jacket.
Destashing can be so freeing! Even if it's just to clear out space so you can see how many zippers you actually own. I watched Elizabeth's video a couple of years ago! It was so eye-opening! The key thing that I took away was the fact that NO ONE noticed that she was wearing the same thing every day. Congrats for taking that challenge!
I took some unloved fabric and patterns to the local St Vincent de Paul yesterday. I went through my stash and found several that will be suitable for this years dress a girl challenge. I enjoy your relaxed attitude and lovely makes. You certainly have your style figured out.
Your Concord T-shirt looks great Janine. I sewed it for one of my first projects and didn't get the V-neck quite right. I really need to dig through and find that pattern again and try it again as I love t-shirts of that design with scoop or V-neck. Thank you for sharing your heartfelt reflections on shopping and your sewing. xx Karen
Smart woman! You only took a very few months to discover that upon retirement you just switched from one job to another. That realization took me ages! I am putting Frocktails on my calendar and really hope to attend. (I live in the Okanagan so it's not a big trip...but it would be so much fun.)
What a tremendous topic -- the destashing! So true that one's favorite hobby can become an addiction. No problem for me because I won't even be able to buy a sewing machine for a year or two. It's still fun to watch the videos and this one is especially valuable.
That was a great vlog Janine, quite thought provoking really. I also have fabrics which I know I will probably never use but am reluctant to get rid of!! sounds like you have a good plan going forward x
I totally get you about the fabric and time spent sewing. Oh my goodness I am scared to unveil mine I have so much and some pieces are more than 10 years old.🙈🙈🙈
Jo has some great videos, I’ve followed her for a long time. I have to say I’m at the place where I want fewer pieces of clothing and I want to sew down my stash. I’ve gotten a lot more thoughtful and intentional with my sewing. The problem is I love to sew 🤷🏻♀️ buy I have a solution! My daughter enjoys the few things I have made for her and would like a more hand made wardrobe. This also gives me a good opportunity to improve fitting solutions.
Jan, thanks so much for sharing your perspective. Fewer pieces of clothing is my goal, too, It's so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of new patterns, new fabrics, new styles. I need to watch more Jo videos! It's lovely that your daughter enjoys what you sew. I mentioned to my sister that I could sew her a few things. Maybe it would be fun and fulfilling to prioritise those pieces.
Love your new Concord - I really want to make one with the longer short sleeves and the tabs! Your thoughts on stash fabric really made me curious about my own stash and I was so happy to discover that I’m at 102 m of fabric currently. And feel like I don’t need anything for all my spring and summer sewing. I did a whole purge of my wardrobe this past winter and wound up with what I consider to be a very ‘curatyed’ closet. And I’m not loving it 😂 I find it difficult to get dressed for things like “in office” days or family gatherings without having many options. Oh well… I guess I’ll never be a minimalist. Have a good weekend! 💞
Agree with so many comments…very thought provoking video. This “hobby” (or obsession) takes up a lot of physical space. You personally looked lighter after the fabric de-stash. Can we be minimalist sewists? I’d like to try. Loved your Calgary Tourism commercial 😂.
Yes, this hobby can eat up space! But then my husband does home improvement and that fills the garage! 🤣 I would LOVE to be a minimalist sewist! Buy what I need when I need it. Could I still have 200 patterns? So did my Visit Calgary pitch work?
Hi Zelda! I keep inviting my husband into the sewing room but he always declines 🤣. Now that we're moving into the time of year when we can enjoy the great outdoors, I know that we will both benefit if we can get outside together!
I'm enjoying all your videos - this one was thought-provoking to those of us with a fair amount of fabric. Sometimes I wonder what was I thinking?!? How could I ever hope to sew it all, and where would I wear a lot of those clothes, anyway, now that I am retired and have a very casual lifestyle, even for church? I was buying a lot of dreams and over-estimating what I could do. I do wear what I make and most of it works well for me, so that's good anyway. I try to make easy things with nice fabric so I have the fun of making something without frustration (hopefully - every now and then an easy pattern isn't!). I never seriously considered making things like jeans or bras for even a minute - I try to be reasonable about my skill level even if I wasn't reasonable about how much fabric I "needed..." I also garden and do needlepoint, do a lot of volunteer work, and I do all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. as my husband still works. Not much time for sewing when I add it all up but I would never want to give up on it, either, as it can be very satisfying in so many ways and following all the sewists on RUclips is the highlight of my day as I do not know another person who sews IRL.
Thanks so much for hanging out with me! I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts because I have so many that are exactly the same. I think we walk into a fantasy world when we go into a fabric store. That's probably especially true if we don't find what we want in RTW so we don't have choices. It's easy to gloss over everything that will go INTO the making - all of the ugh stuff like pre-washing, pressing, cutting, marking ... and just buy. Then we look at it on the cutting table and realise that it's going to be XXX hours to get something done. And it goes back on the shelf because it's too nice to get rid of. Can you tell I've thought this many times? 😁
Yes, easy to have the idea - it's another matter to carry it out! I particularly don't like cutting things out but getting that right is essential for having garments hang correctly and while I'm doing it I'm thinking about all the sewing steps to follow so it's valuable time for that. I also tell myself that just as I have a lot of flowers in my garden, I have a lot of "flowers" with my fabric collection - yup, I can rationalize almost anything! And I don't have to water my fabric garden 😁. Seriously, though, sometimes the amount of clothing, fabric, patterns and plans can feel like a burden - I wear some things most of the time and some hardly ever sees the light of day and then I feel guilty - which urges me on to clear something out so someone else can hopefully benefit from my mistakes - experience is never lost, just regretted!
Thanks Janine - I love your work, but I bet it doesn’t feel like a job to you. You have only been retired a short time and deserve to seriously play some more with sewing, now that you have the time. That is what I loved about retiring 6 years ago - no more throwing a failing project into a heap to be picked up (or not) next holiday. I love having time to fix an error, or even totally rework a garment to become something else (hopefully not reduced to napkins, but even that’s a good idea sometimes). I also find puzzling over challenging pattern instructions, and learning new skills great exercise for my aging brain. I certainly think sewing for oneself is more of a creative pursuit than a job. Keep on having fun!
Marita, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. You're right, I'm still figuring out how to spend my time (or not!). The struggle seems to be finding that balance, and it's probably exacerbated because one of us has to go to work every day, while the other does not. Sewing is definitely good for the brain! Yesterday I was telling my husband that the spatial reasoning tools in my brain were having a real workout with my current project! Thanks so much for watching! 🌷
I only buy fabric and/or pattern when I have an idea of something I want to make. I know that is not the norm. Seems everyone has fabric stash. But I don't like having a lot of stuff. I only buy what I am in love with. And I don't care if it isn't a good color for me. If I like the color I get it.
That's really sensible! It sounds like you've found a great sense of balance. Colour ... I think we often get to a point where we gravitate to colours that suit us. We like what we see in the mirror.
I really want to take one of his classes too! Which one do you think is best for a first one. I was thinking of the one day course on pattern alteration maybe?
That was the first class I took with him and it was SO helpful! You leave with a full set of measurements plus info on many adjustments. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any class taught by Ron.
I appreciate sharing your self-awareness journey. I think it’s good for all of us to do that now and again, whether it be sewing, technology, shopping-whatever. Sometimes I feel like life gets overwhelming with even the good things. So thank you for your honesty and transparency because it helps all of us to think about things in our lives that may need some “thinning”. I wanted to tell you how much I loved your grey jacket with the trim and lipstick lining. It was so professionally done and looked stunning on you. Also the vest that you made that you had some trouble with but found solutions to make it work. I love your videos and your relaxed way of sharing. I wish you a relaxing summer and fun on all your projects, whether sewing or otherwise. Blessings! 😊
Vicki, thank you so much! I truly appreciate your kind words and thoughts. ❤️
Thank you for a mindful sewing chat. I too want to lower my consumption footprint whether it’s shopping or sewing clothes. I appreciate your candor. Happy sewing!
My vote for the #1 RUclips sewing channel goes to……
Janine Sews!!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I SO ENJOY your videos!! I sit in my favorite chair with a cup of hot coffee and feel as if I’m visiting with a friend who also enjoys my favorite hobby. THANK YOU!
Aww, this is so sweet. Thank you so much!! ❤️🩷
Making less and having more time is a good thing. I have no idea how much garment fabric I have right now. Cataloging it sounds like a great idea as we moved last year and it is all boxed up. I had several people give me large amounts of fabrics and I already passed much of it on but I really should have another go at my stash.
It's a good rainy day activity. I think you have to be in the right frame of mind. A glass of wine (or whatever you prefer) helps!
I like your common sense approach to fabric accumulation. I have stopped watching those "fabric haul" videos that encourage buying fabrics we will never get around to sewing. Thanks for sharing your wise approach.
Thanks so much for saying this, Joyce. I sometimes feel like I'm a bit out of sync because I don't do fabric hauls. I'm not criticising those who do. For me personally, too much stuff creates anxiety.
Thank you Janine for sharing your thoughts today on fabric shopping and spending so much time on sewing. I find myself in the same situation when it is so beautiful outside and I could spend my time with friends and family but my project keeps me inside. A real eye opener for me. I truly enjoy your videos.
It's so nice to see spring arrive and know that we can actually get outside and enjoy! Thank you so much for watching 🌷
I’ve been loving Jo’s new videos and the reflection that they bring up. What perfect timing that you saw it while going through your stash!
It was perfect timing. And I love that Jo is giving us some important things to ponder while we work our craft.
Your better half sounds like my better half, talking about our new job. There are a few things I do love about my stash. I don't have to shop for fabric, i probably have it. I can make outfits for the little girls in my life using what i have. The sad thing about those fabrics is that were supposed to be for my granddaughters but i never had time to make anything due to a full time job and a part time job. And when a friend/family member asks if i have some fabric for something they want made, i probably have it. Nect year at this time i will do another purge for a local charity. Now that i am retired, i enjoy sewing in the morning rather than the evenings. And if my husband wants to me to do something with him during my sewing times i usually say yes. I know if I could easily stay hidden in my sewing room if I didn't say yes to him. Joeysewy is amazing. I would love to spend this morning cutting out some tops, but one of our trees came down in a wind storm last night. It took out part of our fence. We have a dog who loves to wander, so it's a priority. Unfortunately our neighbours took the brunt of the damage. Great thoughtful vlog.
I also have too much fabric even after destashing following a house move! I think I can overwhelm myself and diminish my creativity if i'm not careful. Love that colour t-shirt on you
That is so true! Sometimes just having to make the decision about what fabric to use can be exhausting.
I'm proud of you, too, Janine! Thank you for sharing some of your self-evaluation and your destashing success. You're an inspiration. - Kelly
Thank you, Kelly!
Excellent video filled with common sense. I connected! 💖🧵👍😊🇦🇺
Yay, thank you!
Hello Janine. I always enjoy your vlogs, although I rarely comment. You are always considered in your comments and content. And thank you so much for linking to JoeySewy. I think I'm hooked.
Thank you so much for watching, Fiona!
Janine, I have been working some of the same plans of donating and deciding what I really want to make in the next few weeks. I feel that some of the channels on You Tube have encouraged many of us sewists to mass produce sewing items that we don't really need. Lately I decided that I am supposed to be retired and enjoying my hobbies and not working them like a full time job. Glad to hear that you have the same idea. It's time to enjoy the weather gardening, taking walks, and sew on rainy days. I want to get my hands dirty! Flowers are waiting for me. Enjoyed your thoughts on this video.
Deborah, sounds like we have had many of the same thoughts! Although I hate getting my hands dirty hahahaha! I'm a gloves in the garden gal 😜
I think that the sewing and craft practice videos on RUclips are reflections of how people have sewn/knitted/crocheted over the years. There were always people who bought a lot and made a lot, and others who purchased/made less. We have a peek into those different lives now, and I'll admit that occasionally I have a twinge of, "I want to buy ALL the fabric" but my stress over too-much-stuff always stops me. 🩷
Hi Janine. I enjoy your videos and like your thoughtful approach to your Chanel. Like you, I saw the Sewy Joey video that you referenced and it has quite an effect on me. Since my (forced) retirement, I have thrown myself into many sewing projects. I do enjoy getting back to sewing after so many years of raising a family and having a career. The video made me realize what was feeding my desire to spend many hours a day in the sewing room and it shocked me to realize the reasons were deeper than just enjoying this hobby. Sewing filled a void that the last four years had left in me. It gave me a sense of being able to create something and to have some sort of control over things when I felt helpless to manage leaving a career I loved, losing friends that were dear to me and not being able to move freely. Sewing brought me joy (and frustration) and got me through that challenging time. It gave me purpose when I felt worthless. Not to be too mellow dramatic or give away why I found myself in this position, sewing and the sewing community really helped. I am still nine projects deep, but like you, I needed to reflect on this and that video hit me like a ton of bricks. Sometimes you don’t realize that you’ve just been through something difficult until you come out the other side. Thanks for sharing your perspective on this. 🥰
Julie, I'm sorry that you found yourself in a forced retirement position. ❤️
I don't know if we're ever properly prepared for it. It sounds like you are like me, we weren't dreaming of retirement and counting down the days. It just happened. No one prepared us for this. Sometimes I feel like I was pushed for decades to be better/do better/work harder/learn more ... and then it just stopped. I suspect you can relate.
I'm glad you've found some satisfaction in your sewing room. And like you, I'm grateful that Jo is talking about these things. We worked hard. We deserve to enjoy these years. xx
I really appreciate your reply Janine! I guess that part of retirement is redefining who we are and finding the balance of having purpose and enjoying these precious years we have worked so hard for. Cheers!
Sewing can be fun & relaxing but can also obsess us if we let it. I really am only able to sew 2-3 hours in the mornings till about noon. My afternoons are just busy with other things. Also I like going for walks with my dog. I get out and do something at least every other week just to get away from sewing & housework. Wardrobe does get different when we retire. I like a few things for church and dressy occasions like going to a wedding but most what I sew is shorts, shifts, and tops. My tomato plants I planted from seed are about 4-6 inches. Probably will plant them around first of May here in Virginia. My muslin for Bootstrap pants form turned out pretty good so I’m taking a bit of a sewing break to do a bit of housekeeping and make list of needed supplies for real thing. Yes sew but get out & smell the roses & enjoy life.
Your tomato plants probably have fruit now! Lol
I’m so excited to see how Calgary Frocktails pans out. This year’s venue looks so special.
Yes! And maybe we can entice you to come one year??
Oh Janine - what a great video!! So uplifting to hear you talking about it being ok not to sew everything. My son is getting married in June and I was fussing about patterns and fabric. My dithering was getting ridiculous. I happened to go to the mall for the first time in about 4 years (seriously!) and walked through the Bay. I saw a dress hanging there that caught my eye, tried it on and bought it. Such a relief to know I don’t have to make everything! Also we went to Spain for a month in Feb and i took just carry on baggage. I now know how few clothes I actually need! So this summer I’m going to give myself some grace too and do some other things - gardening, reading and a bit of quilting. And just like that, I feel netter about sewing! And finally I felt like you were talking directly to me about Frocktails. I’m thinking about it😊. Thanks again for another inspiring video. 💕
Rhonda, I'm so happy that you found something wonderful for your son's wedding! Gosh, we have options! We don't need to sew everything. ❤️ I don't know when we moved from "I could sew that" to "I have to sew that".
Hope you're getting ready for some time in the garden, now that winter appears to be past. Not going to hope too much but it sure would be wonderful to meet you IRL at Frocktails!!
Great video! We don't want to be sewing cause we have to get through the list, do we?
One thing that helps me is to look at what I put away at the end of last summer and take stock of all the nice garments I already have and want to wear again. I am also taking notes at the end of each season on what I might want to sew next year, what worked or didn't, etc. It really narrows down the wish list! And of course taking stock of the patterns and fabrics I was going to use last season but didn't get to.
I really related to the wanting to sew simple garments and maybe one harder thing per season.
I definitely don't want to make sewing a "job" but keep it as an enjoyable and practical hobby.
Thank you so much. You summed it up far better than I could! ❤️ You've share a lot of excellent ideas.
Destashing fabric is so relatable. 😅 I donated a mountain of fabric and then went on to donate notions and sewing tools. Minimized my entire sewing regime. 😂 A few years ago, I saw a video of a Canadian writer named Elizabeth Withey who wore the same dress every day for a year. The video is "One Year One Dress" with Elizabeth Withey. I ended up doing that a few years ago and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I made a woven dress, although she used a knit dress. But that put me on the road to a capsule minimalist wardrobe, and it was pretty life changing. There are garments I also don't make, like jeans. I can fit into Old Navy or Gap jeans and they are 20$ on sale so no point in sewing them.
Great video. These kinds of changes can be "cleansing" for the soul. I love the t shirt you're wearing. ❤ I also love your French jacket.
Destashing can be so freeing! Even if it's just to clear out space so you can see how many zippers you actually own.
I watched Elizabeth's video a couple of years ago! It was so eye-opening! The key thing that I took away was the fact that NO ONE noticed that she was wearing the same thing every day. Congrats for taking that challenge!
I took some unloved fabric and patterns to the local St Vincent de Paul yesterday. I went through my stash and found several that will be suitable for this years dress a girl challenge. I enjoy your relaxed attitude and lovely makes. You certainly have your style figured out.
Anne, I know you will enjoy sewing up those fabric as dresses. The girls will love them. x
@@JanineSews it’s fun because I don’t have to solve fit problems😊
Im so glad you show real life with style. Not sure I’ll get rid of my stash yet though - excuse is it’s for toiles.
Lucy 🤣! No need to get rid of your stash!!
Your Concord T-shirt looks great Janine. I sewed it for one of my first projects and didn't get the V-neck quite right. I really need to dig through and find that pattern again and try it again as I love t-shirts of that design with scoop or V-neck. Thank you for sharing your heartfelt reflections on shopping and your sewing. xx Karen
Thanks! Izzy from Dizzy Quilts & Sews gave me the tip to improve the neckline by dividing it into quarters. It certainly made a big difference!
@@JanineSews thank you 😊
Smart woman! You only took a very few months to discover that upon retirement you just switched from one job to another. That realization took me ages! I am putting Frocktails on my calendar and really hope to attend. (I live in the Okanagan so it's not a big trip...but it would be so much fun.)
Oh, I hope you will come! It would be wonderful to meet you.
What a tremendous topic -- the destashing! So true that one's favorite hobby can become an addiction.
No problem for me because I won't even be able to buy a sewing machine for a year or two. It's still fun to watch the videos and this one is especially valuable.
Thank you so much, Susan! I appreciate you watching, especially when you aren't actively sewing!
That was a great vlog Janine, quite thought provoking really. I also have fabrics which I know I will probably never use but am reluctant to get rid of!! sounds like you have a good plan going forward x
Thank you, Janice!
I have read/heard that our fabric and patterns represent hopes and dreams. ❤️
I totally get you about the fabric and time spent sewing. Oh my goodness I am scared to unveil mine I have so much and some pieces are more than 10 years old.🙈🙈🙈
Well, in fairness, 10 years ago was 2014, which seems like it was last year! 🤣
@@JanineSews 😂🤣😂
Jo has some great videos, I’ve followed her for a long time. I have to say I’m at the place where I want fewer pieces of clothing and I want to sew down my stash. I’ve gotten a lot more thoughtful and intentional with my sewing. The problem is I love to sew 🤷🏻♀️ buy I have a solution! My daughter enjoys the few things I have made for her and would like a more hand made wardrobe. This also gives me a good opportunity to improve fitting solutions.
Jan, thanks so much for sharing your perspective. Fewer pieces of clothing is my goal, too, It's so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of new patterns, new fabrics, new styles. I need to watch more Jo videos! It's lovely that your daughter enjoys what you sew. I mentioned to my sister that I could sew her a few things. Maybe it would be fun and fulfilling to prioritise those pieces.
Love your new Concord - I really want to make one with the longer short sleeves and the tabs! Your thoughts on stash fabric really made me curious about my own stash and I was so happy to discover that I’m at 102 m of fabric currently. And feel like I don’t need anything for all my spring and summer sewing. I did a whole purge of my wardrobe this past winter and wound up with what I consider to be a very ‘curatyed’ closet. And I’m not loving it 😂 I find it difficult to get dressed for things like “in office” days or family gatherings without having many options. Oh well… I guess I’ll never be a minimalist. Have a good weekend! 💞
Izzy, there is no way I could have a curated closet if I was working! You get to have different personas, and I'm a bit envious of that 😊
Agree with so many comments…very thought provoking video. This “hobby” (or obsession) takes up a lot of physical space. You personally looked lighter after the fabric de-stash. Can we be minimalist sewists? I’d like to try. Loved your Calgary Tourism commercial 😂.
Yes, this hobby can eat up space! But then my husband does home improvement and that fills the garage! 🤣
I would LOVE to be a minimalist sewist! Buy what I need when I need it. Could I still have 200 patterns?
So did my Visit Calgary pitch work?
Love your Vlog
Thank you!
Hi Janine! I like simple things to sew also. I don't want to stay my whole life in my sewing room away from my husband.😅
Hi Zelda! I keep inviting my husband into the sewing room but he always declines 🤣. Now that we're moving into the time of year when we can enjoy the great outdoors, I know that we will both benefit if we can get outside together!
I'm enjoying all your videos - this one was thought-provoking to those of us with a fair amount of fabric. Sometimes I wonder what was I thinking?!? How could I ever hope to sew it all, and where would I wear a lot of those clothes, anyway, now that I am retired and have a very casual lifestyle, even for church? I was buying a lot of dreams and over-estimating what I could do. I do wear what I make and most of it works well for me, so that's good anyway. I try to make easy things with nice fabric so I have the fun of making something without frustration (hopefully - every now and then an easy pattern isn't!). I never seriously considered making things like jeans or bras for even a minute - I try to be reasonable about my skill level even if I wasn't reasonable about how much fabric I "needed..." I also garden and do needlepoint, do a lot of volunteer work, and I do all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. as my husband still works. Not much time for sewing when I add it all up but I would never want to give up on it, either, as it can be very satisfying in so many ways and following all the sewists on RUclips is the highlight of my day as I do not know another person who sews IRL.
Thanks so much for hanging out with me! I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts because I have so many that are exactly the same.
I think we walk into a fantasy world when we go into a fabric store. That's probably especially true if we don't find what we want in RTW so we don't have choices. It's easy to gloss over everything that will go INTO the making - all of the ugh stuff like pre-washing, pressing, cutting, marking ... and just buy. Then we look at it on the cutting table and realise that it's going to be XXX hours to get something done. And it goes back on the shelf because it's too nice to get rid of. Can you tell I've thought this many times? 😁
Yes, easy to have the idea - it's another matter to carry it out! I particularly don't like cutting things out but getting that right is essential for having garments hang correctly and while I'm doing it I'm thinking about all the sewing steps to follow so it's valuable time for that. I also tell myself that just as I have a lot of flowers in my garden, I have a lot of "flowers" with my fabric collection - yup, I can rationalize almost anything! And I don't have to water my fabric garden 😁. Seriously, though, sometimes the amount of clothing, fabric, patterns and plans can feel like a burden - I wear some things most of the time and some hardly ever sees the light of day and then I feel guilty - which urges me on to clear something out so someone else can hopefully benefit from my mistakes - experience is never lost, just regretted!
I've been turning my dresses into shirts.
Sharon, that's a really good idea! I'll have to look at my dresses to see if any can be converted.
Thanks Janine - I love your work, but I bet it doesn’t feel like a job to you. You have only been retired a short time and deserve to seriously play some more with sewing, now that you have the time. That is what I loved about retiring 6 years ago - no more throwing a failing project into a heap to be picked up (or not) next holiday. I love having time to fix an error, or even totally rework a garment to become something else (hopefully not reduced to napkins, but even that’s a good idea sometimes). I also find puzzling over challenging pattern instructions, and learning new skills great exercise for my aging brain. I certainly think sewing for oneself is more of a creative pursuit than a job. Keep on having fun!
Marita, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. You're right, I'm still figuring out how to spend my time (or not!). The struggle seems to be finding that balance, and it's probably exacerbated because one of us has to go to work every day, while the other does not. Sewing is definitely good for the brain! Yesterday I was telling my husband that the spatial reasoning tools in my brain were having a real workout with my current project!
Thanks so much for watching! 🌷
Thank you Janine for your advice about using my phone to photograph my sloper.
Nancy, I hope it helps!
💕💕💕
I only buy fabric and/or pattern when I have an idea of something I want to make. I know that is not the norm. Seems everyone has fabric stash. But I don't like having a lot of stuff. I only buy what I am in love with. And I don't care if it isn't a good color for me. If I like the color I get it.
That's really sensible! It sounds like you've found a great sense of balance.
Colour ... I think we often get to a point where we gravitate to colours that suit us. We like what we see in the mirror.
I really want to take one of his classes too! Which one do you think is best for a first one. I was thinking of the one day course on pattern alteration maybe?
That was the first class I took with him and it was SO helpful! You leave with a full set of measurements plus info on many adjustments. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any class taught by Ron.