Deep Thoughts

Deep thoughts about creative living.

My body type analysis (aka, me in my underwear)

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I’ve been interested in body type analysis recently because of my fitting drama with the M6696 shirtdress. You can’t talk about fitting without talking about unique features of your body β€” short waistedness, sloping shoulders, swayback, etc. Body type analysis lets you identify unique figure features and sew clothes that better fit everything you’ve got going on between your chin and ankles. […]

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Why I canceled my Seamwork magazine subscription

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The Seamwork Manila leggings were the tipping point. The leggings wrapped uncomfortably around my calves. The print on the fabric, stripes and flowers, distorted comically. Worst of all, the seams threatened to tear. It was the pattern; it wasn’t anything I did as a sewist. The subpar outcome was on Seamwork, not me. I cropped the leggings and canceled my Seamwork magazine subscription. […]

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Wardrobe Architect Part 3: Sewing a capsule wardrobe

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Colorful, classic, washable, lean, and playful. These words describe my core style, and they’re my touchstone for sewing a capsule wardrobe β€” the final piece of the Wardrobe Architect process. Keep reading to discover tips for identifying favorite outfits, my plans for sewing a capsule wardrobe, and what I liked (and disliked) about Wardrobe Architect. […]

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Wardrobe Architect Part 2: My silhouettes, colors, and beauty

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In Part 1 of my Wardrobe Architect series, I explored my style story β€” personal history, values, lifestyle, and core style. Part 2 is fashion-y part of planning a wardrobe β€” exploring specific silhouettes, colors, and beauty. This is the window shopping, where I gawk at pretty things and imagine how they’d work in my life. Price is no object as I kick around reasoned hypotheticals. This is thought-exercise time for me as a wardrobe curator. […]

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Wardrobe Architect Part 1: Getting personal about wardrobe planning

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One of my sewing goals for 2017 is to complete Colette’s Wardrobe Architect.Β Too often I look in my closet and say, “Uuuuhhhh…. Question mark.” I literally say, “Question mark.” Some days picking my clothes feels like pop quiz I’mΒ not prepared for. As someone who sews many of her clothes, you’d think I’d have a consistent […]

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