I met Amy at Creative Estates in 2011 and she is such a beautiful and kind person! And her blog is just like her. So excited to have her joining in today in the Sewing for Babies series!
Hello, everyone! My name is Amy, and my blogging home is called Positively Splendid.
PS is a place where I share all about my passion for living a DIY lifestyle, and on any given day, you’ll find projects ranging from craft and sewing projects to home improvement projects, recipes and gardening tips. I would love for you to stop by to say hello!
Sewing is my true creative passion, and with four kiddos ranging in age from 6 years to 8 months, I am never in short supply of cute little models to outfit with my latest creations! The only problem? The hustle and bustle of our everyday routine limits the amount of time I get to spend at my sewing desk. Out of necessity, I have come up with a way to organize my sewing projects, which allows me to maximize my time and be as productive as possible. Today I’m going to share my little system with you!
Basically my sewing “system” contains two specific elements:
1. A project planning worksheet
Before I begin the creative process, I fill out a Sewing Project Planner (available for download below) for each project.
There are seven different fields in the planner: project description, made for, pattern, size, fabric, notions and project notes. The project notes section is particularly helpful, because as I make my way through a project, I can jot down helpful tips and adjustments I make to the pattern so I don’t have to reinvent the wheel the next time I tackle a project with the same pattern.
The beauty of this planner is that it not only keeps me organized and on top of things during the creative process, but it also doubles as a project journal that I can keep to refer to later on. Once a project is complete, I can snap a 4×6 photo to include with the project planner worksheet, so that when I want to use the same pattern or I am wanting to complete another similar project in the future, I can use that for reference. This is so incredibly helpful! The worksheet can be placed in a standard-sized 3-ring binder by punching holes along the top edge, or it can be cut in half with a paper trimmer along the designated cutting line so that the sheets can be placed in a smaller 3-ring binder. The choice is up to you!
2. A pre-planned sewing kit
Once I have filled out the project planner, I create a complete sewing kit that contains all of the different elements required to complete that project. When creating these kits, I will often sit down and cut out 3-4 different projects in one fell swoop, since the cutting portion is what I tend to find the most tedious. Once the cutting step is complete, I then gather all of the related notions, patterns and special supplies needed for that specific project.
When everything is gathered, I place the items in a gallon-sized zip-top bag to keep all of my elements consolidated, and I slip the Sewing Project Planner inside.
Now, when I get a free minute to sew, everything I need will be right at my fingertips! This has truly revolutionized my sewing life and enabled me to maximize my sewing time (read: nap time 😉 to be as productive as possible.
If you would like to give my system a try, you can download my free Sewing Project Planner printable by clicking on the arrow at the bottom right-hand side of the download box below. This jpeg file is sized at 8.5×11. I print mine out using Picasa onto heavy cardstock so it will hold up to wear and tear over time. (If you are enjoying this post in a reader or by email subscription, you’ll have to click over to the blog for the download.)
Thanks so much to Heidi for having me over today! I would love for you to stop by Positively Splendid to check out all of my project tutorials. You can also find me hanging out on Facebook,Twitter and Pinterest!
5 Comments
Thank you Ladies!! This is going to come in REAL handy!!!
This is such a great idea! I would love to make a french version for my sewing friends. Can you tell me were you took those sewing related silhouettes at the bottom of your project planner worksheet? Thanks and your blog is awsome!
This is a FANTASTIC idea! This would really help me with 18 month old twins–sometimes I can’t find the time to sew and it is my “therapy” so I need to be able to but late night after bedtime is sometimes too late for me as well 🙂
Thanks for the ideas, I’m going to try it ASAP.
Thank you Ladies!! This is going to come in REAL handy!!!
What a lovely idea. Such a good organisation tip. I’d be more inclined to fill out the card if my writing was as lovely as Amy’s!
This is such a great idea! I would love to make a french version for my sewing friends. Can you tell me were you took those sewing related silhouettes at the bottom of your project planner worksheet? Thanks and your blog is awsome!
This is a FANTASTIC idea! This would really help me with 18 month old twins–sometimes I can’t find the time to sew and it is my “therapy” so I need to be able to but late night after bedtime is sometimes too late for me as well 🙂
Thanks for the ideas, I’m going to try it ASAP.