Whether you’ve been sewing for a while or are just getting started, it can be a bit overwhelming when choosing what to make.
There are so many great projects, patterns, and ideas out there. So, how can you be sure that your next sewing project is the right one for you?
After putting in hours or even days of work, you want the final result to be something that you’re excited to wear. I speak from experience when I say that reaching for clothing you’ve made yourself is such a great feeling.
So, if you’re ready for your sewing projects to stop gathering dust in the back of your closet, these tips will help guide you toward projects that you’ll want to wear all of the time because they flatter you, feel good when you wear them, and are pieces you can be proud of.
Know Your Personal Style
Knowing your style might seem like an obvious part of creating a wardrobe that you love, but it might be more complex than you think. There is a difference between knowing what you like and knowing what your style is.
Just because something is aesthetically appealing doesn’t mean it aligns with your style. For example, a person with a gothic style might see the beauty in fairy-light whimsical clothing or the cool effortless style of streetwear. But a cool or pretty thing will still be cool or pretty whether or not it fits your style. It’s up to you to determine if it has a lasting place in your wardrobe.
On a similar note, there is a big difference between style and trends. In simple terms, trends come and go, but style is lasting. Now that doesn’t mean that trends are a bad thing. Trends introduce new ideas and give you opportunities to expand your creative horizons. Just make sure that you aren’t filling your closet with clothes that are cool for a moment and will no longer appeal to you in a week or two.
So how do you know if something is your style? You can ask yourself a few questions to figure it out.
Does it match the rest of your vibe?
If you have a few pieces of clothing that you feel absolutely great in, it’s probably because they align with your style. Will your next sewing project match the vibe?
Do you have a history of liking this type of thing?
If a look is cool because it’s ‘in’ right now, you won’t want to wear it when it’s ‘out’ again. But if you’ve liked it for a while, even when it’s not on trend it will still appeal to you even when the next trend comes along.
What is it you like about it?
Trends are great for inspiration, but to make a piece that lasts, break down why you like something. Is it the color? The fit? Certain materials or details? Take what you love and incorporate those elements. Find or create sewing patterns that highlight what really appeals to you.
Align Your Projects With Your Lifestyle
We’ve all heard the saying: “dress for the job/life you want, not the one you have”, but if you are filling up your closet with clothes that don’t align with your life, you probably won’t wear them. One or two “aspirational” projects on your list is all well and good. (Personally, I really want to make an elaborate evening gown, but when was the last time I went to a gala or something??) But be honest, it’s not practical to wear that every day.
Instead, choose sewing projects that you will wear. To do this, first take stock of what your day-to-day life is like. Where do you go, what do you do? How often do you do these things? If you work in an office 5 days a week, then it would make sense to sew more office wear. And making projects that are in your style will mean that you’ll look and feel great while doing it!
Working out, meeting friends with coffee, giving presentations; different situations will call for different clothing items, levels of formality, styles, ect. Take some time to lay out what sewing projects you can actually get a lot of wear out of.
Dress For Your Silhouette
Just as you make clothes to fit your life, you should make clothes to fit your body. Yes, this includes making clothes that are your size and match your measurements, but clothes that you love to wear will have a shape you love as well!
How many times have you seen a super cute outfit on someone else, but when you try it for yourself it just looks…off. Well newsflash darlin, that’s probably because the silhouette didn’t work for your body. We all know that bodies come in all shapes and sizes but it seems like sometimes we forget that this means that the silhouette of everyone’s clothes should be just as varied as our body types.
There are a ton of ways to figure out what silhouettes look best on you. And I’m not just talking about trial and error. Sure, you can go down to your local mall and try on a bunch of clothes to see what you like, but that can be overwhelming, inefficient, and draining.
If you do want to go that route, I recommend pairing it with one or more “style systems”, like the fruit system, Kibbie’s 13 body types, or the 7 essences system that can help you figure out what looks best on your body.
Now, my advice is to take these systems with a grain of salt and use them more like guidelines to get direction than as hard and fast rules. There’s no need to overcomplicate this by stressing about what exact “type” you are. Does it work for you? Do you feel good in it? Yes? Then GREAT!
In addition to how your clothes look on your body, you also want to take comfort and your body’s needs into consideration. Do you deal with chafing? Does too much fabric around your neck bother you? Well, if you’re looking for a project to add to your wardrobe, you’ll want to consider those things. Also, consider your mobility needs. Do you need special access or accommodation from your clothing for your health, safety, equipment, or comfort? Instead of sewing something because it’s cute, take advantage of the benefits of making your own clothes, and design or alter patterns that perfectly fit your needs!
Choose Your Fabrics Wisely
On the topic of comfort, the fabrics you choose can have a big impact on what you regularly wear.
I’m sure most of us have encountered some itchy or scratchy piece of clothing at some point in our lives. You know the infamous itchy sweater that sits in the corner of the closet year after year.
So, the feel of a fabric is important but there are other factors to consider too. Breathability, seasonal suitability (don’t make a winter coat out of cotton vole, people) and material care and upkeep will all factor into whether you want to wear the piece or not.
Also, consider how the fabric performs. Does it hold its structure or does it have a soft drape? How much stretch does it have? How durable is it? What is the opacity? You should know the answers to these questions before you decide on the fabric for your next sewing project.
Understand Your Colors
This is one of the biggest determiners as to whether I wear any clothing I make. There are quite a few pieces I’ve made over the years that I find cute in an objective sense, but I don’t get much wear out of them because I feel that the colors don’t flatter me. It wasn’t until I realized that this was the problem that I started sewing and wearing more of my clothing.
Just like silhouette, there are a few ‘systems’, such as color seasons, to help you figure out what colors flatter you most. But any and all of these systems are based on color theory. You can use color theory in your wardrobe to help you understand why these colors work best for you and gain confidence in introducing new colors and patterns into your sewing projects.
Additionally, with a general understanding of color theory, you can be sure that the new pieces you sew fit into your existing wardrobe and can be well-matched with other pieces. My favorite method to make sure I have a cohesive wardrobe is to create a personal color pallet full of colors that I know look good on me and with each other.
There’s little use in starting a project if you never finish it and get to wear it. Keeping your time limits and skill level in mind when choosing sewing projects can help you avoid an ever-growing DNF (did not finish) pile.
Be Realistic About Time
Consider how much time you actually want to dedicate to working on one project. Maybe you want to wear your sewing project on an upcoming date. Or- if you’re anything like me- you know the amount of time before you’re distracted with your next great project idea is directly proportional to how interesting this project is.
Whatever time constraint you may have, you’ve got to be realistic about how long the project is going to take and if you can dedicate that time to it. This also means looking ahead to see how busy your other commitments will make you in the upcoming days. I can’t tell you how many times a sewing project of mine was (temporarily) abandoned because I started during a week when I knew good and well I was going to be busy. You can avoid this sewing limbo by managing your time and expectations. These tips on time management and planning projects can help.
Know Your Skill Level
Being mindful of your skill level doesn’t mean I’m discouraging you from challenging yourself. If you’re just starting out, you might not want to choose a project with couture-level finishes and details…yet! If you try to go too far ahead too fast, the finishes might be poorly executed and you’re less likely to want to wear the piece out or even finish the project.
One of the great things about sewing is that the more you do it, the more you learn. If there’s a project that’s a bit beyond what you can reasonably attempt right now, save it on a future projects list and work your way up to it.
You can also intentionally choose projects that introduce new skills and techniques. Just make sure you’re improving at a pace that won’t overwhelm you and allows you to build on the knowledge and skills you’ve already developed. This way you will create a piece that you are proud to show off.
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