This week I was thinking a lot about what I want to show and share on my social media and my blog and what I want to hide. So many people in the costuming community use the internet to show only the polished and perfect things they made. They share beautiful outfits and perfect pictures and even if you don’t want to, you get a bit jealous. Do they never come across a sewing problem? Do they always finish every item within days of starting? How can they work so perfectly organised in such clean sewing spaces? I always ask myself those questions, trying to ignore my sewing mess and my box of shame which has found it’s permanent home in my room.
And for a short moment I thought I should never tell anyone about my box of shame..but why? I have this box and it’s filled with projects I put aside and now are waiting to be finished.
And this is what I want to do with this new ’series‘ on my blog. I want to tackle the box of shame projects, finish them and get things done!
I started in late september with working on a few things and I already finished four projects I can share with you now!
My first project was a linen chemise I put away because I made a mistake while cutting. It now is way too big for me in the body and I noticed it after setting in both sleeves.
I only had to finish the flat felled seams by hand which I finally did! Took me one evening skype session with friends! 😀
The chemise is, like I said, too broad and I’m still thinking about how to make this thing work or if I should try to sell it. But for now it’s finished and in my historical underwear drawer.
The next project was my fichu for the 1860s. I started it while sewing for the Sommerfrische but didn’t finish it on time because of my Demel dress I made last minute. I didn’t mind it but it found it’s home in the box of shame. The Fichu is now waiting to get starched (Selfmade spray starch is cooling right now)
Next I had to shorten my medieval fair dress which already was too long last year but I forgot. I was remembered this year when it was raining cats and dogs on the fair and my skirt dragged on the floor and got super wet. I also got very, very sick and since I don’t want to risk this again I remembered to shorten the dress which was in the box for about a month after this years fair.
The last finished project was a small coin purse I also started for the Sommerfrische but I hated how it looked halfway through sewing. I finally reshaped the purse part and finally attatched the velvet to the frame. Took me less than an hour…
I also re-organised my fabric inventory folder. There where so many fabrics that I already used up and I also wasn’t happy with how it was organised. This took me a whole evening but I’m so happy that I did it. It sparks so much joy (Marie Kondo is speaking) to look through my folder. It inspired me to start a 2020 project list which I will share in a few weeks!
And that’s it for today! Do you also have a box of shame? How many projects are in yours? I still have ten projects left and I hope to finish two to three projects until the end of november!
Good luck for your projects and may the sewing gods be in your favour 😀
