transcript

Speaker 1:
[00:04] I'm Sarai, and I'm Haley, and this is Seamwork Radio. Welcome back to Seamwork Radio, where we share practical ideas for building a creative process so you can sew with intention and joy. And today, we're talking about something that I think every sewist has experienced at some point. Making something beautiful, hanging it in your closet, and then somehow never actually wearing it. So we'll cover why this happens more often than we'd like to admit, the hidden reasons behind those unworn garments, and five practical strategies to make sure every piece you sew has a real place in your wardrobe. All right, Haley, today's icebreaker. Tell me about a garment you made that surprised you, either because you ended up wearing it way more than expected or way less.

Speaker 2:
[00:55] Okay, the one that comes to mind is a pair of black rib-knit Joss pants that I made on a complete whim as an experiment. So Joss, if you're not familiar with the pattern, it's a Seamwork pattern and it's a cropped wide leg pull-on elastic waist pant. And when I designed it, I thought, I feel like this could be one of those things that you could make it knit and would totally work. And they came out right before like COVID lockdown in 2020. And so one weekend when I was bored, I had this black rib knit that I had ordered. And when it arrived, it was a heavier weight than I thought it was going to be. And so the top that I was intending to make didn't like quite work. And so this rib knit was sitting on my desk, staring at me, and I thought, I'm going to make a pair of Joss pants as like an experiment, because I don't know what else I'm going to use this fabric for. And I wore those pants until they like busted. They were threadbare and ripping apart at the rise. By the time I finally got rid of them, it was like meant to just be an experiment. But they were like the perfect like weight for a knit pant. And they looked, they were very clearly knit, but they just like looked more elevated than a sweat pant. They looked good with like a lid and button up or with a pullover sweater. I love them. I need to make another pair exactly like it. Yeah, sounds like it. But that was one that like really took me by surprise because I went into it with zero expectations.

Speaker 1:
[02:51] Yeah. I always feel that way about knit pants. You're like, oh, wear a pair of knit pants. But then once you have them in your closet, you want to wear them all the time because they're so comfortable.

Speaker 2:
[02:58] They're so good.

Speaker 1:
[03:00] They look good. They can look good.

Speaker 2:
[03:03] Sometimes they don't look so great. These ones looked good.

Speaker 1:
[03:05] Yeah. I have a lot of knit pants in my closet.

Speaker 2:
[03:09] What about you? Do you have anything that surprised you?

Speaker 1:
[03:12] Okay. I have some that go in either direction that I can talk about. I think as far as things that surprised me, kind of similar to you, are probably my Alice tees, because I've made the Alice tee four times now. I'm planning a fifth one right now. Only one of them did not come out because of the fabric. It didn't work. I have three of them that are wearable, and I wear them all the time. I wear them constantly. The next one I'm planning to make in a merino wool, so I have a nice really warm base layer. Oh, so Alice, those of you who are listening and don't know what I'm talking about, Alice is a long sleeve crew neck tee, so it's like a fitted long sleeve crew neck tee, and I just find it the perfect layering piece for me. It goes with just about everything. I can wear it under things. I could wear it as a base layer. I can wear it on its own. I just love this pattern. That's one where it seemed just like a really simple basic, and I thought I would wear it, but I didn't realize I would wear it this much and how much I would love it. I especially love it in rib nets. It's just perfect for me. And then as far as things that I wear way less than I expected, so this is probably true of a lot of my fancier things that I've made, but a few years ago I made a tailor dress, which is super cute, and it is in a Lady McElroy fabric, and it has these really cool, it's got a black background, and it's got these really cool huge flowers and snakes and bugs on it. Really cool print. I think I've worn it like two times since I made it years ago. And it's not because I don't love it, because every time I see it in my closet, I'm like, oh, it's so cute. But it feels very like, first, I think there's a few reasons. First, it feels kind of like dressed up. It feels a little bit fancy for day-to-day wear for me, at least for my lifestyle, which is my lifestyle is pretty casual these days. So I think that's a big part of it. It's because it's very much a statement dress. And then the other thing is, I think I've come to realize that I really prefer more flowing fabrics to more stiff fabrics. And it's definitely got a stiffness to it. And I just feel more comfortable in fabrics, at least for dresses that have a bit of drape. So maybe it's not exactly, I wouldn't say it's not my style, but it's just not what I love the most these days. So it just kind of sits in the back of my closet. So that's an example from both sides of the spectrum.

Speaker 2:
[06:03] Yeah.

Speaker 1:
[06:05] And I think this is probably something we'll talk about a little bit today, but I think comfort is a big part of why you may or may not wear something. All right. Well, if you have an icebreaker for us for a future episode, you can leave it as a question for us in a five-star review on Apple podcasts. Or if you want to leave it in a comment on Spotify, you can do that and we'll answer it in a future episode. All right. So like we've been talking about, I definitely have garments in my closet that I made, that I almost never wear. And the thing is they're not failed projects, just like that tailor dress I just mentioned. The seams are fine, they fit reasonably well, they're made from beautiful fabric, that dress I talked about, the fabric is gorgeous. But just for some reason, when I'm getting dressed in the morning, I just don't reach for them. And I think this is one of those things that we don't really talk about that much because it feels a little bit embarrassing. We spend all this time and money and creative energy making something and then to have it just sit there, it just feels kind of defeating. But here's what I realized. It's not really about the garment being wrong, but it's usually about a disconnect somewhere in the process, somewhere between what we think we want and what we actually feel good wearing. So when I started paying more attention to why certain pieces get worn on repeat and while others get ignored, I definitely noticed some patterns. And there are specific reasons why this happens. And once you understand them, you can start making some different choices. So that's what we're going to dig into today. Not to make anyone feel bad about those unworn projects, but to help us all sew more intentionally going forward. So Haley, do you have any really unworn handmade clothes lurking in your closet?

Speaker 2:
[07:59] I wouldn't say there's nothing unworn. I think there's a lot of things, mainly special occasion things that I've worn once or twice, that just don't get a lot of airtime. I think that's for a few reasons. I think that sometimes it's like what you described with your tailor-wrap dress where there's a couple elements of it that just aren't quite right, or it doesn't fit in day-to-day, so you get less occasion to wear it. I mean, I think it usually falls into one of those two categories. Then also sometimes, when I'm making something for an occasion, I often am sewing up against a deadline. So I find that it's easier to make those decisions that make it become something that I'm like, I wish I didn't take that shortcut or I wish I would have thought ahead and ordered my fabric online so I could have gotten the fabric that was just right instead of settling for the one that was available to me that day. So I think that there's sometimes when you're sewing on a strict timeline against the clock, you make concessions that you wouldn't otherwise make. And I think we tend to do that more in occasion sewing.

Speaker 1:
[09:30] You know, it's funny, I kind of feel like we make up our own deadlines for so many things when it comes to sewing, like, force ourselves. I feel like I'm always sewing up against a deadline. It's usually because I'm trying to make all my clothes for the wardrobe I had planned and I'm always filming videos on them, often doing tutorials. So I want to have it, you know, done. But I feel like it's so often it's not necessary to have these deadlines. It's just such a habit. Because I've heard that from other sewers too. It's like you're always you always feel like you put yourself into a rush for no reason.

Speaker 2:
[10:07] And I have to say that the things that I've sewn like on a deadline, they're not necessarily the things that I love the most.

Speaker 1:
[10:14] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[10:16] Are those two things related? I don't know. Who knows?

Speaker 1:
[10:18] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[10:19] What about you? Do you have any un-worn handmade clothes?

Speaker 1:
[10:23] Oh, so many. We talked about in a recent episode about like the purgatory basket that I have for that I try to put things in if they're getting worn. And that's helped get them out of my closet and help me think a little bit more about what I'm actually wearing. But I still have some things that oftentimes I really like. I just don't reach for them. They're just not what I actually wear in my day to day.

Speaker 2:
[10:49] Yeah. When you're getting dressed in the morning, what makes you reach for one thing over another?

Speaker 1:
[10:57] I feel like I don't really overthink getting dressed too much. I'm not somebody who, I know a lot of people struggle with agonizing over what to wear day to day. Maybe it's because most days, my husband is the only person who sees me, the only human who sees me, lots of animals see me. I don't know, I don't stress about it too much, but I definitely think about comfort a lot and more and more. I don't know if it's getting older or if it's just where I am in my life, but comfort is really important to me. So often if I feel like, oh, maybe I'll wear this today and think, oh, but that other thing is more comfortable. I'm gonna put that on. So that's a big factor for me. And then there are certain things that I just gravitate towards that I, because they're comfortable and I feel, I always feel kind of nice in them, whether it's cashmere sweaters or I really like a black lacy cotton top, like an eyelet top or something like that, just seems to go with everything. So there are just certain things that are staples. And I think when something becomes a staple for you, it makes it easier to make decisions, because you just know you're gonna feel good in it. So that's kind of how I feel about it. What about you?

Speaker 2:
[12:21] I like you don't agonize over what I wear. Most of my days, I'm either working from home or I'm in the office. And for both of those occasions, I have like, you know, three or four outfit formulas that I fall back on that really help make it easier. And then I just pick which one depending on my mood. But some of the considerations that I make are comfort. Is it a sitting day or a standing day? Because certain things are more comfortable when you're sitting and some are more comfortable when you're standing.

Speaker 1:
[12:59] Yeah, that's very true. I hadn't really thought about it that way, but you're right.

Speaker 2:
[13:04] I really think about that. And another really important thing to me, which is like comfort adjacent, is like how much head space does a particular garment take up? Is it something that I feel like I need to adjust constantly throughout the day or every time I go to the restroom, do I have to do a very specific tuck or styling thing to make it look right? I just want things that are unfussy, that I can put them on, and I don't have to think about them for the rest of the day. That's comfort related, but it's also emotional and preference related as well.

Speaker 1:
[13:52] Yeah, definitely it is. I think another thing that I think about is dirt.

Speaker 2:
[13:58] Dirt?

Speaker 1:
[14:01] Well, because of where I live, I live in the country and when I go outside, I'm walking on dirt and gravel and mud. Most of the time when I'm outside, once a week, we take our dogs to agility training. We do agility training with them. So we're in an arena, which is extremely dirty because, well, if you've ever been in an arena, it's dusty. It's very dusty. And so you just get dust all over you. So I always have to think about that and wear rubber boots and that kind of thing. So there are different circumstances in my life where I just have to be very cognizant of how cleanable the clothes are that I'm wearing.

Speaker 2:
[14:44] Yeah.

Speaker 1:
[14:45] Whether they can be wiped down.

Speaker 2:
[14:47] Totally.

Speaker 1:
[14:47] Whether they can be thrown in the washing machine afterwards, that kind of thing.

Speaker 2:
[14:50] That's my whole life with a six-year-old and an almost two-year-old.

Speaker 1:
[14:54] Yes, if you have kids.

Speaker 2:
[14:56] So everything is just so dirty all the time.

Speaker 1:
[14:59] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[15:00] And I'm a real neat freak, so it's a problem.

Speaker 1:
[15:06] All right. Well, let's get into our tips. So I think these will really help you because I know they've really helped me when thinking about how to design clothes that I'm actually going to wear. And the first tip is to distinguish between what you like on others and what you feel good in. I think this is the biggest one for me and it really took me years to truly understand it. Because there's a difference between admiring a look and actually wanting to wear it yourself. And like for example, I really love the way dramatic voluminous silhouettes look on other people, you know, like really big sculptural shapes that designers like Issey Miyake create. I mean, I just think they're so stunning. But when I put something like that on my own body, I just feel like I'm wearing a costume. Well, I just feel like overwhelmed by fabric on me when I wear anything that's really like stiff and voluminous. I just, it's really, this is a real challenge for me because I really like the way it looks on other people. And I think other people look really, really elegant in them. But what I actually feel good in is a lot more either fitted or just flowing and simple. And I think that's okay. I just have to learn to separate my aesthetic appreciation from my own actual wardrobe needs. And even like taste, my personal taste from what I admire on other people. And I think that's a hard thing to do for a lot of us. And one thing that really helped me was just paying attention to how I feel in the first five minutes when I'm wearing something new. So if I'm constantly adjusting it or if I keep looking in the mirror and feel like uncertain about it, then that's information I can use. And that might tell me that maybe this is not a silhouette that is feeling really great to me right now. What about you, Haley? How do you distinguish between what you admire on somebody else and what you actually want to wear?

Speaker 2:
[17:04] It's a really good question. I think a lot of times like very design minded or creative folks like really struggle with this because it can be hard to differentiate that like aesthetic appreciation. I think that it was something that I had to learn. It wasn't like something I learned overnight. It was something that I learned over time. And I think that it took me like having more processes around intentionally thinking about what I wear, what I enjoy, and my own personal style helped me to determine this. I also sometimes, something that I notice I can do, I think other people can do, is that are you appreciating the garment or the style? And sometimes that's the case. And sometimes you're just appreciating that that person has cool style, who's wearing it, that you see wearing it.

Speaker 1:
[18:13] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[18:14] But then when I break it apart, look at the individual garment itself, then I can determine how I feel about it for myself personally and how it would fit into my life. It's the same as when you bring the hairdresser a picture of a haircut and you're like, do I like this haircut or do I like this person's face?

Speaker 1:
[18:40] Yeah. That's a really good point. I think what gets really hard is when, let's say there's a shape that you're drawn to because it embodies certain characteristics that you also feel drawn to, or want to have, or want to express. Let's say that maxi-length, like flowing maxi-length dresses look really elegant to you, and that's something that you would love to embody. But when you put it on, you just feel really short and overwhelmed. Totally. You don't feel like you embody that characteristic, even though when you see it on this other person, you did feel like it looked that way. I think that's a hard thing because there's multiple factors involved.

Speaker 2:
[19:31] Your body is not like a two-dimensional canvas, that's like you can't copy and paste one style from another person and put it on yourself and have the same effect. We all bring our own silhouette, our own personal essence to everything, and that's like an ingredient in every single look. When I wear a long flowing skirt, I look like I belong in a cult. That's just like an, I guess, an energy that I bring.

Speaker 1:
[20:08] You've got that cultish energy.

Speaker 2:
[20:10] I just have that cultish energy to me. So you have to consider the canvas.

Speaker 1:
[20:15] Well, Haley, you'd be the leader of the cult. If that makes you feel better.

Speaker 2:
[20:18] Oh, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.

Speaker 1:
[20:23] You're no follower.

Speaker 2:
[20:26] Well, let's talk about our next tip, which is to think about comfort when you're planning, not just when you're getting dressed. To me, this is such an important one. I think that it's easy to forget when you're in the excitement of choosing a project phase, that comfort is really key for most of us. Then when we're sewing, we're often focused on how something looks, the silhouette, the detail, the fabric, and comfort feels secondary in this phase as well. But then later on, when it's like 7 AM on a Tuesday and you're standing in front of your closet and just want to feel comfortable and cute, that beautiful but slightly scratchy wool blazer, you're going to skip over it. I know that I would. I've started asking myself specific questions when I'm planning a project. Will I want to sit in this for eight hours? Can I move freely if it's a standing day? Will I be adjusting it all day long? It's almost like you have to mentally time travel to your future self, getting dressed and ask, would you actually reach for it? The thing is comfort is not just about the physical sensation on your body, it's also about the emotional feeling of it, about feeling yourself and if a garment makes you feel self-conscious, or you're dressing up as someone else, like it's a costume, then that's also a comfort issue as well. Do you have any garments where comfort was the reason you stopped wearing them?

Speaker 1:
[22:00] Oh yeah, for sure. I think the biggest thing for me are things that are tight around my waist. You can wear them a couple times and you're like, this isn't too bad, and then you just stop reaching for it because it's just such a pain. So that's a big one for me.

Speaker 2:
[22:16] It's such a fine line because you want there to be little enough ease that you get the silhouette you're looking for, but you don't want to be cut in half that way.

Speaker 1:
[22:25] Yeah. That's a big one for me. What about you? Do you have any comfort pet peeves?

Speaker 2:
[22:33] I would say I'm very conscious in addition to the waist thing, that's a thing. I'm very conscious of armhole depth. I hate an armhole, it has to be a Goldilocks armhole, right? If it's too high, then that can be irritating. But also if it's too low for the type of design it is, then you have issues with lift, mobility with your arms. Also, it can just be a weird sensory thing, like a pit on pit sensation.

Speaker 1:
[23:08] Yeah. That's true. The chafing. Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[23:13] It depends. If it's like a Dolmen or something, I feel like I'm going into it, eyes wide open. I know what I'm getting into. But a set and sleeve where I can feel too much of my own body is like an Ick moment.

Speaker 1:
[23:27] All right. Well, let's get into tip number three, which is resist the urge to sew the opposite of what you already have. This one's a little bit counterintuitive, so let me explain it. Sometimes, we just feel bored with our wardrobes, and we look at the same jeans and t-shirts, and we think, I need something different and exciting, and then we go to the complete opposite extreme. We make a floor-length sequined gown. Actually, I'm just thinking about the floor-length sequined gown that Robin.

Speaker 2:
[23:54] Which was lovely.

Speaker 1:
[23:54] It was beautiful. It was absolutely beautiful. She made it for Frog Tales in Seattle and she looked amazing in it. But we might make something like that when what you actually need might just be a nice blouse and an interesting collar. So, you know, it all depends on what you need. And I think of this as kind of a pendulum swing problem. You know, boredom pushes all the way to one side and then it's past the middle ground where actual life happens. And then you swing wildly to the other side. A few years ago, I went through a phase where I was really bored with my wardrobe and I made a bunch of dramatic pieces, you know, like long velvet skirts and blouses with really huge sleeves and things like that and I almost never wore any of them because they just didn't really fit into my daily life. And what I actually needed was to add some variety within my existing style, like maybe some new colors or an interesting detail, not just a complete departure. So the lesson for me was when you're feeling bored, take a smaller step and not a giant leap. So instead of swinging to the opposite extreme, ask yourself, what would add just a little bit more interest to what already works, what I already like to wear, instead of what's completely different from what I wear day to day? Have you ever done that? Haley made something really dramatic out of boredom and then just never really worn it.

Speaker 2:
[25:20] Oh, yeah. I love sewing like fancy things, dramatic things. I feel like that is definitely something I've done. I feel like I did this in a more gradual way. Over the course of several years, where I ended up having a lot of frosting in my wardrobe, and I made this decision, I was going to sew more practical things. Then I sewed too many practical things. I got wear out of all of them, but then it just felt like I had a closet full of things that were out of the gap website, and I needed some variety. So I think it could also be something that gradually happens over time as well, and then all of a sudden you're like, where's all the cool things?

Speaker 1:
[26:10] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[26:10] Why did I stop making cool things?

Speaker 1:
[26:12] Yeah. Yeah, totally. I think what I like is just making things that I will wear that have something interesting about them, or feel really well-made instead of everything have to be one extreme or the other.

Speaker 2:
[26:31] Totally. Yeah, that's, I think, where I ended up landing again, and I think that that's a much more, it just yields things that you have get more wear out of.

Speaker 1:
[26:44] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[26:46] Next, let's talk about colors. Our next tip is getting really clear on the colors that make you feel good. Color is one of those things that can really make or break whether you actually wear something. And what I've noticed is that the colors that we're drawn to when we're shopping for fabric isn't necessarily always the colors that we feel best wearing. Sometimes I can find myself really attracted to bold and saturated colors on the bolt, like an electric blue or coral. But when I actually put those colors on, they're very overwhelming colors on me. And what I feel best in typically tends to be a little bit more softer, a little bit more muted versions of those very same colors. And I had to learn that about myself through trial and error. Something that really helped me was to take photos of myself in different colors, not just looking in the mirror, but actually photographing it. And sometimes something about like seeing the photo helps you to evaluate it more objectively. It's not just about what like looks good according to some color theory. It's, I think, also about what makes you feel like yourself. Some people feel most themselves in neutrals, other need like a little bit more color to feel complete. And I think the key is just figuring out your own pattern. So when you're standing in front of a wall of fabric, you can make choices that you'll actually want to wear and not ones that just you think look pretty on the bolt.

Speaker 1:
[28:21] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[28:22] Sarai, how do you figure out what colors work for you?

Speaker 1:
[28:26] I think this is just one of those things that evolves with time. And I think it helps to notice what you are drawn to over a long period of time. So colors that you've liked for a really long time and that you felt good in for a really long time. I've noticed that I tend to really like either neutrals or warmer colors on me. And kind of I really like deeper jewel tones, berry colors, things like that. And so I think it's just a matter of kind of trying things out and seeing what works. You know, I think it's fun to explore some of those color theory type things. And that can be helpful as well. But to me it's just about recognizing your own patterns over time.

Speaker 2:
[29:13] Yeah, I agree. I like knowing what my best colors are. So when I want to like look and really feel like my absolute best, I can, you know, make sure I'm aligning with those colors. And then when I'm choosing a color to wear a color that's not quite like my best color, then I know I'm doing it on purpose.

Speaker 1:
[29:32] Yeah. And there are things you can do to offset that.

Speaker 2:
[29:35] Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1:
[29:36] I know some people feel really washed out when they wear black or something, and you can always add an accessory or something like that. You know, there are different ways you can counter that. If it's something that you really, a color you enjoy wearing, that's maybe not your best color.

Speaker 2:
[29:51] Yeah.

Speaker 1:
[29:53] All right, the next tip is to choose quality of decisions over quantity of projects. So this last one is really about slowing down and being more intentional with each project. I just think there's this temptation, especially when you love sewing, to just keep making things. You know, there's a new pattern, I'm going to make it. There's a beautiful fabric. I'm going to buy it and sew it immediately. But what can happen is you end up with a closet full of things that were each made kind of quickly without a lot of thought about how they actually fit into your life. I found that when I slow down and really consider each project, thinking about when I'll wear it, what I'll wear it with, whether it fills a real gap in my wardrobe, then I end up with pieces that I actually reach for. And it's almost like the difference between impulse shopping and intentional shopping, but applied to sewing. And one practice that's really helped me is one thing, we have an older episode on this that Haley Ladouceur called the Three Outfit Formula. I think that was the name of the episode, something like that. So before you commit to making something, try to think of at least three complete outfits you could wear it with using things that you already own. So if you can't come up with three, that's a sign that the piece might end up sitting unworn. I find that to be really, really helpful. It's a really easy, quick rule that you can use. It doesn't mean you can never make something just because it's beautiful or because it's exciting, but adding this little bit of friction to the decision can help you to make more intentional choices. Maybe that's the way you do it. Maybe there's another rule you can apply or another framework you can use to think about your choice before you jump in, but I think just slowing it down and having that little extra check with yourself is really, really helpful. Do you have any other strategies for slowing down and being more intentional with Project Choice with Haley besides that one?

Speaker 2:
[31:54] Yeah, the rule of three outfits is definitely my number one most used strategy. I like it because it's so simple but very impactful. I think the other thing that I think of alongside of that is context. Our designer wardrobe process is really good at helping you think through context. So like where you're wearing it, what you're going to be doing, the climate, all of those kinds of things. So when I think of the outfit formulas, then I ask myself like what life context do those fit and are those real things that happen in my life?

Speaker 1:
[32:33] Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:
[32:35] What are the frequency of those things? Sometimes that can help you too, because maybe I can think of three really cute outfits, but what I have occasion to wear those outfits, that's like a whole other piece of that puzzle.

Speaker 1:
[32:49] Yeah. I think for me thinking about like, are there certain outfit formulas that I do tend to wear over and over again, and how does this fit into them is also really, really helpful.

Speaker 2:
[33:00] Totally.

Speaker 1:
[33:01] Because I, they vary with the seasons, but I do have certain go-to's that I put on, and knowing what those are is really helpful and helps kind of narrow my decisions a little bit.

Speaker 2:
[33:12] Yeah.

Speaker 1:
[33:13] Like the Alice T. I mentioned before, and knowing that I had worn the ones I had made, gave me the confidence to make it again and again, because I knew it would fit into my wardrobe really well. Okay, let's quickly recap what we covered today. So, our first tip was to distinguish between what you like on other people and what you feel good in yourself. Our second tip was to think about comfort while you're planning and not just when you're getting dressed. Third tip is to resist the urge to sew the opposite of what you already have, and find a place where you can meet yourself in the middle. Number four is to get clear on the colors that make you feel good, that make you feel your best. And the fifth tip is to choose quality of decisions over quantity of your projects. So I think my big takeaway from this episode is that it really just comes back to what we always talk about at Seamwork, which is really sewing is just all about decisions. And every project is a series of choices, and the more intentional we can be with those choices, the more likely we are to end up with something that we actually really love wearing. So it's not about being perfect, it's more about just being thoughtful and putting your intention into whatever you're making. What's your big takeaway, Haley?

Speaker 2:
[34:39] I think that my big takeaway is, a lot of the things that we listed as tips today are ultimately like criteria that you can think of for helping you make those decisions. And my criteria is going to be different than your criteria, Sarai, or anyone who's listening to this episode today. And so it can be really helpful to sit down with a piece of paper and write down your non-negotiables. Like, what are the things you absolutely have to have in a garment? What are the things you absolutely will not tolerate? And your tolerance to certain things may be like higher or lower, depending on your personal style and your life. And I think taking some time to intentionally reflect on that can save you, me, all of us a lot of time behind the sewing machine making things that we don't wear.

Speaker 1:
[35:39] Yeah, absolutely. That's a really, that's a really good point.

Speaker 2:
[35:45] All right.

Speaker 1:
[35:45] Well, we've been talking a lot today about how to be more intentional with what you do, and so you actually wear the things that you make. And if this conversation resonated with you, if you're ready to really think through your sewing plans and design a wardrobe with intention this season, I'd love for you to join us for our upcoming season of Design Your Wardrobe. So if you're not familiar with it, it's a four-week program where you'll design projects that really fit who you are using our time-tested system for clarifying your ideas, creating a color palette, and choosing your projects with purpose. So everything that we talked about today is exactly what Design Your Wardrobe helps you work through. Plus, you'll be in the company of hundreds of other sewists as we develop our ideas together. There's something really special about going through this process alongside a community. So if you want to learn more, head to seamwork.com and look for Design Your Wardrobe. If you're a Seamwork member, you can sign up and participate and join us for that. It's going to be really, really fun. If you liked this episode, please consider leaving us a review. You can leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and it really helps other people to find the show. You can also leave a comment for us on Spotify, and if you have an icebreaker question for us, you can leave it in either of those places. You can also follow us on YouTube at Seamwork Video, and definitely head over there if you haven't checked out the channel yet. Follow us on Instagram at Seamwork. If you'd like to become part of the Seamwork community, head over to seamwork.com to learn how to join. That's it for us this week. I'm Sarai.

Speaker 2:
[37:18] And I'm Haley.

Speaker 1:
[37:19] And this is Seamwork Radio.