Stuff I Want

I've been enjoying my sewing so much lately. I'll post later about my two follow-up tops for my One Pattern Many Looks contest, but today I'd like to write about what sewing has been doing to my mind. It does help me relax and it is so nice to have something to show for my work at the end of the day. Parenting, cleaning and cooking don't quite have the same "look at what I did" appeal.

The dark side of sewing has been a serious case of the gimme's. I find that as I plan and prepare for future projects I am increasingly finding things that I want to buy. Crafting in general for me has this problem. People buy the materials for whatever craft/art interests them but they spend far less time actually DOING the craft. It's as if by buying a watercolor paint set and nice papers, it will magically turn you into the sort of person who paints lovely landscapes. It is the crafting fantasy. Now I've always been cautious of this tendency in me. Even craft supplies that I no longer use, at least at one point were in heavy rotation: card making supplies, I'm looking at you.

But since I know that I'll be doing some serious sewing for at least a year, its as if all my internal stop gap measures to avoid hoarding are gone. I feel entitled to web browse for things, even if I'm muddling along just fine. So in full confession mode, here's the stuff I want:

Sewing Furniture

For the most part, actual furniture made specifically for sewists is hideous, oak veneered, particleboard monstrosity. But I would love to put my sewing machine on something more stable than the card table that I'm currently using. Oh, and a cutting table like this that would get me, my self-healing mat, and rotary cutter off the floor would be a dream.

A Dress Form

While I would love to be able to splurge for a high quality form like this one from Fabulous Fit ($390):

I could be easily appeased with a standard adjustable one from a sewing outlet for about $129

Do I NEED a form. Probably not. But it would be so nice for help with fitting and with taking brag photos for the blog!

A Better Iron

My current iron was purchased by my husband at the hardware store. Need I say more? It steams and gets the job done but I'd love to have an iron with more than 12 steam holes. Say something like this:

400 steam holes!! Imagine!

Better Fabric

Ames has three fabric stores: Joann, Hobby Lobby and Quilting Connection. The first two have fabric that is fine for muslins but really substandard for durable garments. Quilting Connection has a fantastic array of fabrics...for quilting. So far I've been making do with Joann but I'm frustrated and know sooner or later I'm going to have to shop online. I've been eyeing these stores:

Gorgeous Fabrics
Emma One Sock
Elingeria (lingerie/swimming fabric)
Mood
Fabric.com

A Pantone Fandeck

If I'm going to start buying fabrics online, I'm going to need some color help. Enter the Pantone fan deck. Most of the better fabric stores list their fabrics by Pantone number.

Small House Patterns

While I can get patterns from "the big 4" companies at Joann (McCalls, Vogue, Simlicity, Butterick), I'd really like to get some of the great patterns from smaller houses like Sewaholic, StyleArc, Jalie, and Pamela's Patterns. Style Arc in particular interests me as their patterns are often knock offs of current fashions and they give hints on how to style them. Oh, but they're located in Australia--shipping charges are a bit steep. Sewaholic drafts patterns for the pear-shaped body, which obviously appeals to me as well.

Better Lighting

I really do love my small basement studio. The boys have their art table and I have my sewing space. And there is tons of storage space for fabrics, tools, supplies, etc. I just wish I had slightly better lighting around my imaginary sewing furniture. An Ottlight floor lamp would be awesome.

Okay, so that's about $2500-$3500 worth of stuff right there the range depending on the amount of fabric and patterns purchased. I'm off to scour Craig's List and Goodwill and hope for the best! I do think the better fabric and a few new patterns may be in my future though.