“Authenticity is energizing, economical and efficient. The better you know yourself, the clearer your choices. Self-Awareness leads to true style!”

~Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte~

Happy Thursday Sew family! Well it’s been quite a week to say the least but the good thing is the weekend is on the horizon and I for one am truly looking forward to it. It can be quite the juggling act trying to find time to sew, maintain a successful blog, build a quality brand, take care of your family and put in 40-50 hours (working full time) outside the home. My friends and colleagues are often amazed at the fact that I’m still standing most days but when you truly want something bad enough you do whatever it takes to make it happen. Do things always happen the way I’d like them too? Well of course not! As a matter of fact more often than not things rarely go as planned. No I don’t always make it to the sewing machine, sometimes take-out will have to do, yes I get writer's block and sometimes I’m just plain old’ down right tired.

Consequently I've resolved within myself that, no matter what it's OKAY!!!! I would love to be able to sew a garment or two every week but sometimes life happens and oh well you know the rest…… So when life throws me a sewing curve and things just don’t come together, I thought it would be great to share other ideas and information that I feel are pertinent to sewing and creating fashion. One thing I’m constantly asked about is my choice and use of various fabrics, colors and textures. I believe choosing the right textiles can be the difference between a nice garment and a FABULOUS one! I can’t tell you how many times

I've seen a garment that made me drool, not because the design was so intricate and over the top but nine times out of ten because the fabric was so spectacular it breathed life into an otherwise ordinary piece. While it may not be in our budget to purchase some of the higher end textiles that most well-known designers are privy too that doesn’t mean we can’t make fantastic fabric choices on a budget. For me education is key and what you do or don't know about fabric fibers, content, textures, colors and weight will eventually translate into your finished garment. With that being said here are a couple of books on textiles some I currently have in my library and others on my wish list that I would definitely recommend! Until next time I hope you have a wonderful sew filled weekend!

Hugs

The Fashion Designer's Textile Directory

by Gail Baugh