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Transcript:

Helen: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations.

Hello, and welcome to Love To Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Caroline: Join us for today’s topic: WIP Woes.

Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m doing great. How are you?

Caroline: I’m good. I’m feeling cosy on this rainy day in Vancouver.

Helen: I know. Same. It’s pouring here, but that’s, kind of, perfect for podcasting.

Caroline: It’s also perfect for sewing.

Helen: True. For tackling some works in progress, perhaps?

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. It’s a great day for that. Will I do it? Remains to be seen.

Helen: I mean, or you could cut out a new thing. That seems way better, right?

Caroline: Okay, we’re gonna get into the WIPs of it all today, but before we dive in, we’re gonna answer a question and share a bit of fun news. So let’s get to the question first. Kristen asked, “What in the heck is brushed fabric exactly? What is it best used for?”

Helen: Ooh, great question. Brushing is a finishing technique that can be done on various fabrics. The almost-finished fabric is brushed by machine to create a soft fuzzy pile on top. Some common brushed fabrics are flannels and knit polys. You might even encounter, like, brushed denim out there. If you see a knit poly fabric described as “buttery soft,” it’s probably because it was brushed.

And brush fabrics feel great against the skin, so they’re good for comfy, cosy garments, flannel shirts, or PJ pants, knit leggings, and T-shirts. Thicker fabrics make really nice jackets, and the soft pile traps air for good insulation, so brushed fabrics are good for colder weather. They can be prone to pilling, so it’s a good idea to keep a pill shaver on hand for your brushed garments. They can also be weaker than comparable fabrics that haven’t been brushed since the brushing lifts fibres up and out of the fabric.

I hope that helps, Kristen. Thank you so much for writing in with your fabric question.

Caroline: Yeah, we love a fabric question here. We also love books.

Helen: I know. We don’t get to talk about books that often on the podcast, but let’s get into it.

Caroline: Let’s get into it. Okay. We recently got a super exciting email from Madeline at Crooked Lane Books, and here’s what she wrote.

Helen: “I’m so excited to share a very special, cosy mystery with you today – Seams Deadly!”

And that’s sewing seams, of course. S-E-A-M-S.

“The author, Maggie Blackburn, is an enthusiastic sewer and maker, and she has infused her debut with rich details that any crafter is gonna fall head over heels for her. When sewist Lydia Barnes finds a dead body soon after moving to a new town, she will need more than sheer luck to find the killer.

Rachel Copeland at Boswell Book Company said, ‘The story is peppered with names of indie pattern companies and patterns they produce, as well as descriptions of sewing techniques and supplies, which made me extremely happy as a fellow sewist. By the end of the book, I was ready to start solving murders, but only after I finished sewing a murder-solving dress.’”

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, Helen. I was so excited when Lisa, our assistant, told us about this email, and I was even more excited when I heard that Helen’s Closet was mentioned in this novel.

Helen: I know!

Caroline: Come on!

Helen: It’s in a book. My business is in a book. That’s so, so cool. I mean, I, yeah, Maggie, thank you so much, if you’re listening. That was such a treat. Um, also the Ashton Top is mentioned by name, and she even thanks Helen’s Closet in the, like, credits of the book or the acknowledgements. I mean, I was so touched. I was so excited. I cannot wait to read it. I’ve been, I like, I, I mean I searched for my name so I could find the parts where you mentioned me. I haven’t read the book yet, but I’m so pumped. Um, and Crooked Lane Book sent us an early copy, so hopefully, it will be available to y’all soon. I’ll update after I read it. It comes out on September 5th, but you can pre-order it now and you can also find the author Maggie Bailey on Instagram @MeasureTwiceMysteries and on Twitter @MeasureTwice1.

Caroline: I’m so excited to read this.

Helen: I know it sounds perfect for us. It’s, like, true crime and sewing in a book. What more could you ask for?

Caroline: Yeah, and I mean, exactly. Murder. Love it. Sewing. Love it. Both of them together. Haven’t even heard of it. I love it.

Helen: I hope it gets made into a movie, too, ‘cause I wanna watch it, also.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. How crazy would that be? Okay, but Helen, I wonder if the killer is you.

Helen: Ooh! I hope not. That would maybe not be good for business.

Caroline: In the sewing room with the seam ripper.

Helen: Ooh! I mean, that would be the tool to choose. Very sharp.

Caroline: Yeah. Or like, um, an awl.

Helen: Yeah. Ooh. Ooh, Caroline.

Caroline: We’re talking about murder here. Come on.

Helen: Well, why not just use the scissors? I mean.

Caroline: True. The scissors. The rotary cutter.

Helen: No. Okay. That’s enough. That’s enough. That’s enough. We can’t.

Caroline: This is a PG show. Oh, my gosh. Okay. I think we should get onto the episode and crack that WIP.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay, Helen, so let’s start off by just defining WIP. WIP stands for work in progress. W-I-P. These are the projects that we start and we don’t finish.

Helen: And this can happen at pretty much any stage. You can have a WIP that’s only been cut out or a WIP that has one step left, like hemming or just sewing on some buttons.

Caroline: Yeah. And some people call these UFOs, or unfinished objects, which I also love. Um, but we tend to say WIP because it’s just quicker to say out loud, and it has that WIP crack ring to it. Whoopshoo.

Helen: Yes, exactly. I know I do love the term UFO, too, but I feel like UFO makes it sound like it’s gonna be perpetually unfinished, whereas work in progress is, like, a little bit more…

Caroline: More optimistic.

Helen: Optimistic.

Caroline: Aspirational.

Helen: Aspirational. Yeah. So in this episode, we’re gonna talk about the reasons why projects become WIPs, strategies to motivate us to finish them, when to say goodbye to a WIP, how to organise your WIPs, and so much more. Plus, we have a little challenge at the end, if you wanna join us #LoveToSewWIPs.

Caroline: Love it. Okay. And we also wanna mention that having WIPs, or UFOs, is totally normal. I think nearly every crafter or maker has them. They aren’t inherently evil or anything. In fact, they represent a part of the creative process. And if you have a lot of WIPs, that’s okay. if you wanna tackle some of them, today’s episode is for you.

Helen: Definitely. I have a bit of an existential question about WIPs. When does a project become a WIP? Because I know that WIP stands for a work in progress, so it, kind of, implies that all projects you’re working on are WIPs, but I don’t really think of them that way.

I have a couple things I’m working on right now that I just started this past month, and they’re not in the, like, WIP bin yet. They’re on my work table. They’re getting love and attention every now and again, and I like to have multiple projects on the go, so I’m bouncing around between things, but I don’t really think of those as WIPs. Like, what are those called?

Caroline: That’s interesting. I feel like it must depend on your personality and tendency, which we’re gonna get into a little bit today on the show. But, like, for me, I don’t tend to work on several projects at once, generally speaking. Like, my focus tends to be on one project, and then, I like to finish it.

So as soon as I put something aside and start something new, I’m calling that a WIP ‘cause I’m probably not gonna come back to it for a little while. But you tend to have several things on the go. Probably also, ‘cause you sew for your business as well, so you’re used to, kind of, juggling different projects.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true.

Caroline: But I mean, I won’t start psychoanalysing you, but I, I think that that’s probably contributing to it. Whereas me, I, I mostly just sew for fun, so I don’t know when I, when my heart’s not in it anymore and I start a new project, that other project, she’s in the bin. She’s, she’s waiting. It’s fine.

Helen: I know. I think it really depends on your creative process, your personality, and also your organisation system. Like, for me, it’s, like, as soon as it’s in that bin where they all go.

Caroline: Yeah. The dreaded bin.

Helen: To languish in the bin or the closet or wherever you’re storing your, your WIPs. That’s when it’s a WIP for me.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: As soon as it hits that area.

Caroline: Okay. So why do we abandon sewing projects? Because my WIP pile can’t take anymore. We need to talk about this.

Helen: Yeah. I think with a long or difficult project, we might just lose steam after a while. Sometimes it’s because we’re intimidated by a new technique. Maybe we’re scared that we’ll ruin the work we’ve already done if we mess it up. I know that for a long time, this is why I never put buttons and buttonholes on things because I was just, like, scared to cut holes in my project, you know?

Caroline: Yeah. No, that’s so true. This is a good time to break out some scraps and do a practice run though ‘cause it might not be as hard or intimidating as you think. And if it is hard and you have to practise a few times, then it’s not gonna ruin the work that you’ve already done.

Helen: Oh, it’s totally true. Especially things like plackets on sleeves or zipper flies. I mean, absolutely. Just bust out some scrap fabric and give it a go. It’ll be so much easier when you go to your final project. and if the technique is something that can be reversed, you can just try it on your garment and rip it out. If you mess it up, you can always go back.

Caroline: And it, kind of, sucks having to take extra steps, but it might actually get the project done faster. If otherwise, it could sit in your closet for months. So just remember a practice run can sometimes just get you going.

Helen: Right. I like how you’re saying months. I mean, years.

Caroline: Oh, gosh.

Helen: Sometimes it’s years. Let’s be real.

Caroline: We haven’t gotten to the confession part of this show.

Helen: Okay. Sometimes a project also just feels like it’s taking forever, Caroline. I feel like this happens to you with those quilted garments we’ve talked about.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes. I think quilted anything is something that I will just abandon for days, months, years. There’s just some kind of a block for me there where I’m like, quilting is intimidating, and it just takes so long. It takes so long. And I just lose steam. I lose steam. I’m sorry.

Helen: Okay. I’d like to state for the record that it doesn’t take that long.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. Okay. But it’s a mental block for me.

Helen: No, it is.

Caroline: You’re like, quilting is great, everyone.

Helen: Quilting is great. Do not come for quilting. Um, no, it’s true. It is involved, for sure. It takes a lot longer than your average project when you have to, like, stop in the middle of sewing a garment and, like, sew a bunch of extra stitching on it. Of course, that’s gonna take a long time.

And if you’re getting tired of a project, it could be a good idea to give yourself smaller milestones to celebrate. Like, instead of spending forever on the quilting step of your quilted jacket, you could take a little break after each piece that you complete so you can quilt your sleeve piece, and then, take a break, maybe work on something else that’s an easy win. Then, you quilt the back, and then, you get take out for dinner to celebrate or something. And that way you feel like you’re moving forward instead of running in place.

And Caroline, I actually wonder if, like, part of your aversion to quilt, not aversion, but your, your reluctance to, like, finish your quilted garments, is just that you love getting a sewing project done in one session…

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: …and that just might not be doable with a quilted jacket.

Caroline: It’s not. It’s not. Yeah. And I often take a while to come back to the sewing room. Like, I don’t sew every day or even every weekend. So, you know, sometimes I’ll start a project and then when I come back to it, it’s, like, not in season anymore, or I just have something else that I’m more excited about, you know?

Another idea is to pair your project with a fun activity. Like, you might decide to only listen to your favourite podcast when you’re working on it, and then, maybe you’ll look forward to it more. I know I went through a phase where I was watching Gilmore Girls while sewing.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: And I freaking loved that show, and I would only watch it when I was sewing, and it really made me wanna go back to the sewing room. So find a show you love.

Helen: That is a perfect choice for the sewing room because you don’t really need to watch it. The dialogue is super snappy. There’s, like, cosy vibes everywhere.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. Now I wanna watch Gilmore Girls again.

Helen: Where you lead, I will follow…

Caroline: I will follow…

Helen: Okay. Sometimes WIPs happen because you just lose interest. You got a new fabric or a new pattern that you’re more excited about, and then, you abandon what you’re working on for something shinier.

Caroline: It’s the classic magpie problem. You gotta get that new shiny thing even though you have a whole pile of shiny things at home.

Helen: Yeah. Magpies should really be the mascot of WIPs or, like, the mascot of sewing in general.

Caroline: Yeah. But I do think it’s totally okay to move on to something shinier every once in a while. If it’s keeping you from finishing lots of projects, though, I think it makes sense to make some sort of policy for yourself. Like, I’m gonna quit making this top and make the bathing suit that I’m excited about right now. But then afterwards, I’ll get back to the top before I start anything else.

Helen: Right. You give yourself a little bit of grace, but then you, like, commit to returning.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah.

Helen: That can be a good strategy, and it doesn’t have to feel like homework. Part of it can be, you know, rediscovering your excitement about that original project. Like, take out the fabric and really look at it and imagine it finished. Look at your inspiration photos again. You might get your sewjo back that way, or maybe get some ideas for how you could alter the project to be excited about it again.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely. But sometimes there are bigger issues, like if the project doesn’t fit right.

Helen: Yeah, this can be such a bummer and, like, partway through a project, especially for experienced sewists, you can often tell…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You’re, like, trying it on. You’re, sort of, draping on your body or trying it on half-finished or pinning it closed. And you’re like, oh, I don’t know. This is not looking like it’s gonna turn out. Sometimes you’re wrong, but often, you know, your gut instinct is spot on, and it’s such a bummer. It’s totally understandable why those things become WIPs, and they end up in that pile. There’s a lot you can do to alter things though, especially if you’re only part way through. Like, now’s your chance.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. I, I’m thinking about a recent WIP that I finished, and I’m so happy I finished, which was my Reynolds dress. And that was in my WIP pile for almost a year because I was almost finished the dress, and then, I tried it on, and it was too large in, sort of, the bust area. And I knew that to fix it, I would’ve had to take it apart, remove the facing, fix the side seams, recut the face. Like, there was all these steps involved.

Whereas I felt like I was so close to the end, so I was like, ugh, I can’t even do this right now, and then, it just, sort of, got abandoned ‘cause I was intimidated by those few steps I needed to, kind of, backtrack on. But then, I did pull it out, a year later, admittedly, and I remember I was on a video call with you and our friend.

We were doing, like, a fun sewing day, and y’all were just like, you can do this. It’s almost finished. Like, you got this. And I did. And it only took me like, I don’t know, an hour, an hour and a half to finish it. And it was so worth it. So remember, like, a lot of these things can be fixable. Maybe you just need a breather. Maybe not a year long breather, but a little breather.

Helen: I mean, part of the instance in that case is probably that you almost finished it, you put it aside, and then, by the time, you know, you wanted to come back to it, it was, like, fall and winter and you didn’t want the dress anymore. So it’s, kind of, perfect that you finished it in March, April, right? As the timing is everything.

Caroline: Thanks, Helen.

Helen: But yeah, it’s often not as bad as we think it is, but it’s so easy to be frustrated, and it’s very relatable. And you put, try it on and you’re like, oh man, all that work, all that effort, this beautiful fabric. I was so excited. It’s not fitting at all the way I want it to. It looks like crap. You’re looking in the mirror, you’re like, I hate it. And you just wanna rip it off your body and throw it in a bin…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …and that’s fine. You can totally do that, but try to come back to it. Try to have some fresh eyes the next few days and not let it languish too long ‘cause chances are it’s very fixable. You can take things in where you need to or let them out if you have a good amount of seam allowance.

Even five-eighths of an inch of seam allowance is enough to let three quarters of an inch out at each seam total. And you’ll still have that quarter inch seam allowance left, and that can really add up across your project. and you can also add panels or gussets if you need to, if you have some extra fabric around, or maybe even a contrast panel or something. There’s always ways to fix things with sewing.

Caroline: Yes, and it can be hard to face disappointment when you realise a garment doesn’t fit. But remember that the garment is here to fit your body, not the other way around. And there are lots of ways to alter things. So if you need to feel free to take a break from the sewing project that has disappointed you and if you wanna make sure to get back to it, you can set a reminder on your phone so that you can make a plan in a week or two. I really like this reminder idea, actually…

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: …‘cause it’s so easy to forget about WIPs once you throw ’em in the box of doom.

Helen: I’m imagining the reminder’s, like, a photo of you, like, mirror selfie, wearing the thing that you made. You’re like, remember you have this work in progress.

Caroline: Yeah, totally.

Helen: Okay. I think the hardest problem to solve is maybe if you just don’t like the garment anymore, or you’re halfway through the garment, you’re like, I don’t like this.

Caroline: Yeah, this one is really hard. Like, sometimes your style or your colour palette changes. I think if you just don’t like it and you don’t want to refashion it, just let it go. We have some suggestions for what to do with the WIPs you no longer want. We’re gonna talk about later in this episode, but life is too short to be making stuff we don’t like, right?

Helen: Yeah. Like, what are we even doing here? But for most of us, sewing is our hobby, our passion, and we should be focusing on making things we like, not forcing ourselves to finish stuff that we don’t even wanna wear. It’s just not worth it.

Caroline: Another thing that can happen is realising that you chose the wrong fabric for your project. Like, maybe you’re making a top with grown-on sleeves, but the fabric has a lot of body, so the sleeves are standing out really aggressively. Or you make a fitted pant in double gauze and you realise that the crotch seam is just gonna pull apart because of stress. Maybe it’s already pulling apart when you just try it on.

Helen: And that’s a super common part of sewing. I mean, it’s maybe the hardest thing in sewing to learn how to do is to match the right pattern with the right fabric. And when this happens, you can try to refashion it or, once again, you can let it go. Sewing is such a learning process and those kind of mistakes, pairing fabric and patterns are definitely gonna happen.

So don’t be too hard on yourself. Try to internalise the lesson that you’ve learned and let it go. And it’s, it’s hard enough if the project didn’t work out. You don’t need to heap more punishment on yourself with negative self-talk or feeling like you should have known better. I mean, you are learning an art, a craft. Like, it’s gonna take some time and some experimentation.

Caroline: Absolutely. Yeah. Think of it as experimentation and learning. That’s what you’re gaining from it. It’s not all negative. It’s definitely, there are positives to making mistakes even.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay. And sometimes a sewing disaster can stop us in our tracks. Like, if you burn a hole in your fabric or if you have to unpick a long serged seam. I’ve definitely burnt a hole in a project before, and man, oh man, it is heartbreaking.

Helen: Yeah, it really is. Or, like, cutting a giant hole in a project with your serger blade by accident.

Caroline: Yeah. And it’s usually right in the middle.

Helen: Yeah. Oh, man. My cutting table has like, kind of, a sharp corner on it, and I have, like, ripped things before…

Caroline: Oh, no!

Helen: …like, moving them. Like, moving my fabric across the table. I really need to do something about that corner. I made Sam those Yanta Overalls last month, and I had all this stuff on my cutting table ‘cause I do work on a lot of things at once. And I’m very messy, so I have piles everywhere, all this stuff. And so I was, like, kind of, cutting his Yata overalls out in the corner of the table, and I accidentally cut the, like, bib facing piece while the pants piece was, like, underneath it.

Caroline: Oh, no!

Helen: And so I, like, cut a hole into the pants piece. I’d already cut out because I just like literally had stuff piled on top of each other. I should have just cleaned up before I started, but you know how it is sometimes.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And so then there was this big slash in the side of his Yantas, so I ended up putting, like, an extra fabric patch on top that ended up looking really cool. But I was, like, swearing. I was, like, slamming down my rotary cutter, being like, I’m done with this.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I gotta get out of this room. And, and then, like, 15 minutes later I came back and I was like, I’ll just put a patch on it. It’s fine.

Caroline: Yeah, but it is, it’s so natural to feel like quitting when a problem pops up that we don’t know how to fix like that. Like, how, I mean, you had your problem solving hat on, thinking of putting a patch on top there, but that’s not always possible to fix a problem like that. Or if you’ve been facing difficulty after difficulty with a certain project, like if you’ve had multiple mistakes in a row, that can be a sewjo killer.

Helen: Oh, yeah. Yeah. For long periods of time, too. It might mean you take a break from sewing for weeks or months just ‘cause of one series of things goes wrong, and you’re like, I don’t know if sewing is for me.

Caroline: Oh gosh. Yeah. But we do encourage you to take a break in these instances. Like, sometimes a little bit of space, a deep breath, a little meditation, or a walk outside, or even a few days away can really, really help give a little bit of perspective, and then, you can look into how to solve your problem when you’re ready.

Helen: Yes. Like, for example, if you burn a hole in your fabric, you totally have options. If you have enough leftover fabric to cut a new pattern piece, that’s obviously a good choice. Or you could do invisible mending with your scraps. Or maybe you put a really fun little patch appliqué or embroidery design over the burned area. Just an opportunity for creative embellishment. I love that.

Caroline: Yeah. And if I have a long, boring job to do, like unpicking a serged seam, I pair it with something fun. Like, I put on a great show, and then, I do the unpicking on the couch. I’ve definitely done this with refashioning projects.

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: I’ll always do my unpicking in front of the TV.

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: Just makes it so much easier. You just need a good light.

Helen: Right? It’s such a treat when you have to unpick something, right? ‘Cause you get to grab your seam ripper and head to the nearest couch.

Caroline: Yeah. Love is Blind, baby.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Okay. I wanna talk about our own experience with WIPs because I’m sure people are dying to know what’s the deal, Caroline. How many WIPs do you got?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Okay. I just cleaned out my WIP pile, and it was pretty tragic. It was also really cathartic at the same time because I had boxes and drawers, and I just had things in there that I have had for, truly, way longer than I care to admit. So I tried to take a really hard look at these projects and think, first of all, is it even feasible for me to finish this?

Like, I had a pair of pants that I had cut out for Shea when we lived in our first apartment together, and it was still, like, with the pattern pieces in the bag ready to be sewn, but Shea is not the same size anymore. I don’t even know what measurements he was when I cut that out. Note to self: make a note of that in the future. But, like, it wasn’t even something that I was interested in anymore.

If I had, like, finished them and given them to me, he would’ve been like, what are you doing? Like, what is this? You know? So I was like, okay, let’s take this apart, put the scraps in the scrap bin. Maybe I’ll use ’em for something else. Maybe I’ll recycle them and…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …move on. Like, let it go. I had a few projects like that. So what I was left with was seven WIPs, so I, kind, of broke it down. So I have three projects that I have cut out and not sewn. I have one wearable muslin that’s about halfway finished, from about a year ago when I was making, uh, an Elodie Dress for my cousin’s wedding, and I made a wearable muslin. And it’s great. I love the fabric. I love that dress. I really should finish it ‘cause I will wear it.

And then, I have two almost finished garments that are not for myself. They’re for other people.

Helen: Ooh!

Caroline: And, but the thing is, that they’re very old. Like, one of them is a dress that I was sewing for my mom, but she, like, didn’t really like it, but it’s almost finished. So I feel really weird about getting rid of it because it literally just needs a hem. So I kept it because I was like, I’m gonna hem it and then I’m gonna donate it.

Helen: Oh, smart.

Caroline: You know, so that at least it can be worn by somebody. Same thing with, oh my God, Helen, this is the worst confession. Can I make this confession to you?

Helen: Yes, please.

Caroline: So I, this is a safe space, right? I have a Blackwood Cardigan from our first ever workshop when we did it with all of our friends.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And my friend Cam was sewing a Blackwood Cardigan, and she was like, I’m not gonna finish this. Like, I don’t even have a sewing machine. Can you just finish it for me? How many years ago was this?

Helen: I don’t know, like, a, like, five or six, I think.

Caroline: It was a while ago. So long Cam is not the same size anymore. Like, again, it’s like, it’s so close. I think it just needs the bands on it.

Helen: Oh, man.

Caroline: So that one, too, I kept it. I was like, I’m gonna just throw, I’m gonna finish this and donate it. I’m gonna feel way better about that than, like, trying to get rid of this not finished garment, which really just ends up having to go in the garbage. And then I have one home decor item that’s about 75% finished that I am excited about. I was just working on it the other week. Okay. And then I have my quilt WIPs. One times one.

Helen: That’s good. Only one.

Caroline: Yes. And it’s so ready. It’s, like, I just have to put the backing together, and then, I’m gonna send it off to get quilted. So I’m actually really excited about this one, but I have had this quilt top in my WIP pile since, it’s gotta be eight years, seven years.

Helen: You’re coming up on a decade.

Caroline: I’m coming up on it because it was, I remember sewing it when our friend still had an office in Burnaby I would go and do sewing days there with her at her office. And it was, like, right when I started my business, so it’s gotta be seven years ago, so, yeah. Yeah, absolutely unacceptable.

Helen: Are you still excited about this quilt?

Caroline: I am, like, I, I wasn’t until I pulled it out and I threw it on a bed. I sent you a picture, too.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Uh, when I was going through, I threw it on a bed and I was like, you know what? This is really cute. It’s gonna look so good when it’s quilted, and it’s just gonna be a quilt that I’m gonna be able to have for guests, for, maybe I’ll give it away one day. But, like, it’s literally finished. Like, it’s the top is pieced. I have the backing fabric, I have the binding. I just need it to be quilted, and I need to attach the binding, and then, it will be done.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So I will finish that. And then I have a couple things in my mending pile, just two things. So it’s really not that bad right now. Like, I feel good about these, but I do think I’m gonna implement the, like, sew one WIP, sew one new project rule. So, like, I have to finish a WIP before I start a new project. And, you know, kind of, alternate in between to try to get through this ‘cause it does feel so good when that pile shrinks. Like, it’s, like, a high.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I know that you had this high recently because we were on a video call when you were finishing a bunch of WIPs at some point recently. So tell me about your WIP pile. What’s your WIP journey been? Give me all the tea.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. Yes. I went through my studio at the beginning of this year to tidy things up, and I did a big, clear out, tidy town. It was so great.

Caroline: Love it.

Helen: It felt so good. So I did pare down my WIP pile, although I will say I’m very bad at letting things go completely. Like, I want to save every project and see if I can see it through. So I made a pile of the things I was actually excited about working on, let go of a few things, and then, I decided I was just gonna, like, give ‘er, and I’m just gonna work on the WIPs, and I’m just gonna go through them, and I’m gonna get ’em all done.

And I also separate my WIPs and my refashions. And my refashioning pile includes items that are, like, the wrong size or need to be altered to fit better. Or they’re just things that, maybe I have a dress, I wanna turn it into a top or a skirt or something like that. They’re often things that I’ve made in the past that just aren’t working for me, and I just want to turn them into something else. So I, kind of, have two separate piles. I think they’re both WIPs, but I like to separate them.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Helen: So right now I have eight WIPs. I have seven refashion projects. And I have five quilt WIPs, which I don’t know in the world of quilting if that’s a lot or a little, but I, it feels reasonable to me. I will get them done

Caroline: How long have those quilt WIPs been, been sitting around for?

Helen: Not that long, like, a year or so. And some of them are, like, samples of designs that I’ve been working on that I’m not sure if I’m ever gonna finish. Like, I think sometimes it’s okay for me to, as a quilt designer, just make the top, just to make sure…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …that it works and I like it and to try different fabrics and try different techniques. And they may not ever become finished quilts. We’ll see.

Caroline: Yeah. Absolutely. Okay, well, that’s, like, not too bad. But during our sewing day, you tackled so many WIPs, like, wasn’t it, like, 10 things in one session…

Helen: I think it was eight in one session. But this is because of the reason that I abandon projects is often the very end of the project. Like, I have lots of WIPs in different stages, but most commonly, I abandon things at the finishing stage. So hems, buttonholes, bindings. I definitely think I’m more of a starter than a finisher.

And my creative drive tends to peter out a bit when I get to those last few steps. It doesn’t really make a lot of sense because you think I’d be excited to finish the thing, but I think if I’m unsure about the result or I’m feeling, like, a little bit, like, I don’t know if this is really what I wanted it to be, then I, I tend to abandon it at the last second.

Caroline: Yeah. Can you gimme some examples? Like, what, why would you abandon a project in the final, the final mile, Helen?

Helen: Well, recently I had a pair of checkerboard Brooks Jeans that are really cool, and I’m so glad I finished them, I actually wear them all the time, and I think they’re so cute, but I was just feeling very unsure about whether I was ever gonna wear these pants. They’re, they’re a lot. Like, it’s a look.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I was like, I don’t know. Where am I gonna wear these? Like, am I really gonna wear these out to the grocery store or whatever? Like, I just couldn’t picture myself in them. And so I didn’t sew the final thing, which is, like, the zipper fly. And actually, it was even just, like, a button. I think I had to put, like, one metal button on the zipper fly, and then, it would’ve been done. And so they sat in the WIP pile for so long, just waiting for that. So that’s a good example. And it turns out I love them, and I wear them all the time. So that worked out.

But I also have a Luna Dress hack that just needs a hem. I’m procrastinating on that one because the hem is really long, and it’s really curved, and it’s rayon fabric…

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: …and, I’m just like, I don’t wanna do that. Like, I never go in my sewing room and think, oh, today I wanna do a curved rayon hem. No.

Caroline: You’re like, that sounds like a great time. Yeah. That’s when you need to bribe yourself with, like, I don’t know, a dinner out afterwards or something.

Helen: Right? Where I could wear the dress.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I actually think it’s gonna be cute. Maybe I’ll finish that this afternoon. That would feel good. I have, like, a Dawson turtleneck that needs hemming, but I don’t have the right colour threads, so that one’s been sitting in there for ages, and I keep forgetting to buy the thread at the store. I need to just, like, make a shopping list and go do that. And then, I have a March Top that is, like, half done. It’s made in poly blend fabric that, I think I might hate this fabric.

Caroline: Oh, no.

Helen: I thought it’d be cute. But you know, halfway through working on it, you’re like, this fabric sucks. I can’t with this fabric. It’s so annoying. The poly makes it so hard to press. It feels weird on my body. I’m, like, 80% sure I’m not gonna like this top. But there’s part of me that’s still curious, and I have definitely been surprised before thinking I’m gonna not like a project for most of it, and then finishing it and being like, oh, it’s actually really cute.

Caroline: It is, kind of, funny though, how sometimes you’re working with a fabric and, like, you love it on the bolt, you love it on your fabric shelf, and then, you start working on it, and you’re like, I hate this. I hate this project, and I hate this fabric. And you just, like, it’s hard to get over that. It’s hard to move on.

Helen: Yeah. Exactly. Even after you finish it, it’s hanging in your closet sometimes. That’s, like, that hateful feeling can linger.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And lastly, I have a pretty big project. I have a, a cut out waxed canvas jacket.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh.

Helen: Be, like, so cool, but I’m a little worried it’s gonna be too big cause I cut it out when I was a larger size. And I’m also intimidated to sew the wax canvas, which is why I abandoned it in the first place. I was like, oh, I don’t know. Like, it’s just involves some extra care, and I wasn’t feeling it in the moment. And then it went into the WIP pile, and that’s where things go to die, we know.

Caroline: What pattern is it?

Helen: It’s the Assembly Line Hoodie Parka, I want to say.

Caroline: Oh, cool.

Helen: It’s a really cool pattern, and I, I was so excited to sew it. The pattern looks fantastic. The instructions are so cool, and I think it will be good. It would be fun. I was imagining it as, like, a dog walking jacket for the fall, so maybe I’ll work on it over the summer. We’ll see.

Caroline: Even if it’s still a little big, it could be cool, like, a jacket like that. Nice for layering.

Helen: Totally. Yeah. It won’t matter too much if it’s too big, and I can just take it in when I’m sewing it. Like, it’s not really an excuse, but you know how it is.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally.

Helen: Okay. What about you? Why, why are you abandoning your projects mostly?

Caroline: Yeah, I mean, I, I talked about some of the different projects I have already. But I think the most common point in the process that I abandon a project is in the early stages, like, when I have it cut out, but I haven’t even started sewing. Or even when I’m partway through sewing, but I, I really lose steam.

But usually, it’s just after cutting, which is, like, so annoying. Like, why did I even cut it out if I wasn’t gonna sew it? You know? And a lot of those projects that I, sort of, gave up when I was going through my WIP pile were projects like that, that were cut out. And I was either like, I don’t even know if this is gonna fit me anymore. I don’t even like this anymore.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And yeah, it’s discouraging. It feels like you wasted your time, you know?

Helen: Yeah. And materials too, right?

Caroline: Yeah. Exactly. Like, when it hasn’t even been sewn yet, it, like, hasn’t come close to fulfilling its potential as a garment, you know?

Helen: It’s garment destiny.

Caroline: Yeah, exactly. I just ruined the destiny of the garment. Obviously, I’m being very negative, but I, I do believe that WIPs are okay and that they’re very normal. So don’t let my, um, poo-pooing get you down.

Helen: No, I’m sure there are lots of listeners out there who can relate. Like, it, I think it can feel a little bit, like, almost shameful to cut something out and not go any further with it. Uh, but I think there are lots of people out there who have that problem ‘cause cutting out is, like, a big undertaking. It’s the beginning of the project, so sometimes you muster all your creative energy to do that step, and then, that’s all you got. And then, it sits for a little while and other things happen, and there you go.

Caroline: Okay. I, I wanna talk about, like, what our WIPs say about our personalities or tendencies, because I feel like we can get some, information from this.

Helen: Yes, this is true.

Caroline: What do you think, Helen?

Helen: I think I am a big ideas person. I love embarking on a new creative endeavour. That’s the easy part for me. I can really work up a lot of excitement and enthusiasm at the beginning. Given my WIP and refashion and scrap bin situation in my office, I would say I have trouble parting with things.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay.

Helen: I wanna save every project. I wanna use every scrap, and I wanna keep all the makes. I rarely get rid of things that I’ve made. And I have so many clothes in my closet, in my storage bins in my bedroom, too. So, yeah, that’s also a thing: I’m not good at parting with things. But I will also say on a more positive note, that I really like to go with the flow, and I like to work on things and do things that I’m excited about in the moment.

And I, I think I’m getting better at recognizing that this doesn’t mean that I’m, you know, moving on from things and that that thing is over. I can always come back to stuff. And I think it’s totally okay to follow your own creative process. And if you’re just not jazzed about something, then yeah, do something you are jazzed about.

Caroline: Yeah. I really love that sentiment. And I also wonder if, like, having more space since you moved into your house is contributing to your ability to keep things. Like, do you think that you were like that when you lived in a really small apartment?

Helen: I mean, we did have a lot of stuff in that apartment. My fabric stash was still huge in that apartment. I had it in, like, every nook and cranny. And even as a kid, I never wanted to part with things, especially clothes. Like, I had so much clothes as a child and, like, dress up clothes and stuff, and I never wanted to part with any of my stuffed animals. Like, I just, I tend to like anthropomorphize things and, like, I’m like, this shirt, like, has a personality. It’s, like, a living thing to me, and I can’t, like, throw it away. Like, what?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh.

Helen: I don’t know. I need to go see a therapist.

Caroline: We all need a little therapy.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Maybe I’m just a caring, empathetic person. Let’s, let’s go with that.

Caroline: Let’s put a positive spin on it. Yeah.

Helen: Okay. Caroline, what about you? What insights do you have for us?

Caroline: Yeah, like, earlier you were, you said you’re more of a starter than a finisher. I think if that’s you, then, I’m more of a dreamer than a starter.

Helen: Oh, my God. I love that.

Caroline: Like, I think I’m often optimistic about how much time something is gonna take, and I end up overextending myself with creative projects. So if I really like a pattern, I’ll cut out three more of them and be like, yeah, I’m gonna knock this out in a few weeks.

And then, you know, that, that doesn’t end up happening. And those are the things that end up sitting in my WIP pile. I also think that sometimes I take on projects because I think I should make something, or I’ve committed to it without actually wanting to do it. And this is me, like, being painfully honest, but it’s true.

Like, if my heart is not in a project, I’m not gonna want to reach for it. So, I think this has happened in the past with things that I’ve made for other people or committed to making for other people. Unless there’s, like, a clear deadline on that, where they’re like, can you make me this thing for my wedding or for this event that I need to go to? Outside of that, like, usually, I, it doesn’t end up happening. And then there’s, like, a lot of guilt associated with those WIPs, right?

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: So I, I try, I’ve tried to learn from that and, and say no more often than yes. It’s hard though, with friends and family. But yeah, I, I think that I overextend myself. I’m overly optimistic about how long things will take, and sometimes, I, I’ll do things that I don’t really want to do, you know?

Helen: Been there. Yeah, definitely can relate to that. And you know what? Being overly optimistic is not necessarily a bad trait.

Caroline: No, I mean, it, sometimes it ends up resulting in some stress, like, in all nighters.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, you do know this about yourself…

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: …that you love a deadline.

Caroline: I love a deadline.

Helen: And that is always gonna help you achieve anything you’re working on.

Caroline: Totally.

Helen: So, I mean, you can utilise that, for sure. It’s pretty easy to put a deadline on something or, you know, ask a friend or family member to put a deadline on something.

Caroline: Or to hold me accountable. Yeah. I also, I, I wanna call out too that I just, like, I love your strategy of just doing things that you’re excited about and following your creative process, and I, I have tried to be more like that in my creative process of just like, what do I really wanna sew? What do I really wanna make? Like, what is exciting to me right now? And, like, not feel guilty about maybe all of the other things that were meant to be but didn’t end up coming to fruition, you know?

Helen: Yeah, exactly.

Caroline: Yeah, We should talk about one of our favourite topics now, and that is organisation.

Helen: Yes! If you got a lot of WIPs, you gotta keep those WIPs organised.

Caroline: I love to organise. I love to organise when I don’t even need to organise. I love to reorganise.

Helen: Great procrastination technique.

Caroline: A great technique. Yes. I was just doing it yesterday. So here are some ideas for organising your WIPs that make them more easily accessible. Knowing what you have and where to find it is super helpful when you’re trying to reduce your WIP pile. So, yeah, let’s kick it off. I know this first one is something that you do, Helen, right?

Helen: Yes. I think that large Ziploc bags are a really great way to store projects. You can put your fabric pieces, notions, even the pattern and the thread in there if you want, so that you’re ready to work on it again and you have everything you need in one place. Labelling each bag with a Sharpie will really help.

Your future self will be very grateful when you’re going through that WIP pile, and you can clearly see what things are. You can write the pattern, name, size, and the fabric type and content on there. Or you could just write that all on a piece of paper and lay it against one side of the bag so that you can really clearly see it. I don’t even put that much detail. I just scrawl on it, like, Yanta Overalls. Throw a piece of paper in there just so that I can quickly leaf through them and remember what they are.

Caroline: Yeah. You don’t wanna be, like, taking out pieces and being like, what size is this? What pattern is this even?

Helen: Yeah. Exactly.

Caroline: If you have a lot of WIPs, clear stacking boxes can be really handy. Then, when you’re figuring out which WIP you wanna work on, you’ll have a really clear visual. And it’s also nice that stacking boxes never, kind of, become, like, a literal pile…

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: …which can easily happen with bags. I think shoe or boot boxes would be the right size for most WIPs. And then, you know, they look really organised in a little pile, and it looks very intentional. And you could just be like, yeah, I meant to store them like that, and they’re just gonna hang out there until I’m ready for ’em.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I have some clear stacking boxes in my workroom for things that I’m currently working on. We never did decide what to call those current WIPs in progress.

Caroline: CWIPs.

Helen: Yeah, sure. I also, recently got a large filing cabinet for my quilting projects ‘cause I thought that would be a cool way to store them. So it has these big drawers, and then, the files are organised in a horizontal format, so I can, kind of, leaf through them. And I basically put all the materials, like, all the cut pieces and stuff into the file folder. And then, I can, like, quickly leaf through and find the project that I wanna work on, which works well with quilting projects because when you’re in the middle of working on them, they’re, they’re quite small until you actually sew ’em together and they become huge.

Caroline: No, totally. That sounds like it would work really well. I think that could work for garments, too.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. I think it really could. If you’re really visual or you have a bit of extra closet space, you can hang your WIPs up. If they’re almost done, you can hang it up on a regular hanger. Otherwise, you could use, like, pants hangers with clips to hold your fabric and your pattern pieces. You can even put your notions in a little baggy that you pierce and slide over the hook of the hanger so it’s all in one place.

Caroline: Love it. And you can display a WIP you want to finish on a dress form if you have one. Out of sight, out of mind really is a thing. So if you have your WIP hanging around and haunting you, you might be more likely to pick it back up.

Helen: Haunting you. Like, literally, like, on a, like, headless dress form in the corner.

Caroline: Can you imagine? You turn around, you’re like, ah, not you again.

Helen: Finish me. Finish me!

Helen: Okay. If you do nothing else, at least make yourself a little note with all the info you would normally label your WIP with. You can even just do this in your notes app on your phone or a little notebook. I have so many of those little notebooks I’ve gotten as gifts over the years just lying around. So designate one as your WIP book and record the pattern size, fabric type, content, and where you stored it, if that’s applicable.

It might also be a good idea to write down the next step. If you have, a reason that you quit the project that you are aware of, you could write that down in the book. Might make restarting it a lot easier. I love the idea of a paper notebook, because you can cross out the entry with, like, a big X when you finish.

Caroline: Yeah. Or, like, uh, post-its, you know, that really amazing satisfaction of, like, taking a post-it and, like, crumpling it up when you’re finished with it.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: God, so good. if you’re not a physical list person, you could also keep track of these, in an online organisation tool like Notion or Evernote, Google Drive, Trello. Some of these even allow you to set reminders for yourself…

Helen: Ooh. That’s true.

Caroline: …or put things in a calendar format. So there’s lots of things you could do to try to keep yourself motivated to come back to those WIPs if you’re using, like, a digital tool.

Helen: Yeah. That’s a great idea. Side note: I do think it’s hilarious when you’re going through your WIP pile and you stumble upon something that you literally don’t remember ever working on. You’re like, what is this? Where did this come from? Did I cut this out? I don’t remember this.

Caroline: I have some of those, or had.

Helen: Right? Like, your brain has completely blocked it out.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally.

Helen: Okay. Let’s get into what are some ways that we can get back into our WIPs, work through the pile, and do that without totally losing our sewjo or feeling like we’re doing something that we don’t wanna be doing.

Caroline: Yeah. So your first step is to sort through your WIPs. You want to get all of your WIPs out at once, just so you can see what you have and figure out which ones are worth finishing and which ones you just don’t wanna finish. So organise your keep pile and make a plan for your no pile.

Helen: And if you can’t decide whether or not something is worth finishing, it can be really helpful to find someone to use as a sounding board. If you’re not sure how to fix a sewing problem, you could talk to a sewist friend or get on a sewing message board, like Pattern Review or the sewing subreddit. And if your hesitation is mostly about the style, you could talk to any friend whose style you admire. Even journaling about it can help because getting your thoughts written down instead of letting them swim around in your head makes everything just so much more clear.

Caroline: Yeah, and you should totally make your sorting day fun. Like, put on great music or your favourite movie. Set an intention to be gentle and kind to yourself and make it feel like you’re setting off on an adventure: conquering your WIP pile.

Helen: Yeah. And after you’re done, your sorting, you’ll have a better idea of what WIPs you have. You can make a plan to start working through them and start with the WIP that you like the most. I mean, having a new garment that looks and feels amazing is a great motivator. So definitely start with something that you’re excited about.

Caroline: Yeah. Or you could start with two or three quick wins. The momentum is gonna help you move on to the rest of your pile, and it can be so satisfying. I personally feel like the first thing I’m gonna work on is, like, those two garments that are almost finished that just need bands and hem. ‘Cause I’m gonna be like, yeah, this is done. Now I can donate them, and they’re gonna go to somebody who loves them, and I’m gonna feel so happy. And then I’ll have more space in my sewing room.

Helen: Yeah, that’s a great idea. I mean, the hemming is definitely a, a great one to knock out of the park. If you need supplies to finish your project, you can go on a little shopping spree and get those supplies. I mean, who doesn’t love some craft shopping?

Caroline: You can incentivize yourself by planning rewards. Like, once I finish the first WIP for my pile, I’m gonna start working on the swimsuit I’ve always wanted to make. Or if I finish this WIP, I can go get ice cream to celebrate. I love that one.

Helen: And we mentioned this already, but you could try setting a WIP ratio. This is your ratio of WIP projects to new projects. So if you set a one-to-one ratio, like Caroline was talking about, that would mean that you plan to finish a WIP for every new project that you start. Or you could go one to three if you wanna allow for more new projects or three to one if you wanna finish more WIPs. That kind of thing can work really well as a motivator.

And I’ve seen some folks do this with fabric purchasing, too, like, buying two new fabrics and then finishing two projects from the stash kind of thing. And I know that some sewists think of their fabric stash as WIPs, like the uncut fabric. If you’re one of those people that has a clear vision for what you plan to do with that fabric, it can feel like a WIP just in and of itself.

Caroline: Totally, I can’t even imagine how many WIPs I have if I started thinking about my fabric as WIPs.

Helen: That’s true. I tend to buy fabric for fabric’s sake and not with projects in mind. So I don’t think of it quite that way. But I know people out there do have, like, specific plans for things and that can be motivating, too.

Caroline: Yeah. You could also do a WIP ratio that’s based on time. Like, for every 30 minutes you work on a WIP, you work for an hour on a new project, or you could start every sewing session with 15 minutes of WIP work and then, move on to whatever other projects you’re motivated to finish.

Helen: Ooh, I really like that strategy. A little WIP work.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: If you’re in the mood for a timed challenge, you could spend a whole weekend working on your WIPs. See how many you can finish. If you do this periodically, you might be surprised how quickly things get cleaned up.

Caroline: Yeah, or you can get together with friends and all work on WIPs together.

Helen: Ooh! WIP weekend.

Caroline: And share your finished WIPs. Social media is a fun place to do this, but it can be just as fun and fulfilling to share them with friends and family who support your sewing. Make sure to let them know how long the project’s been hanging around and how excited you are to finish it. It’s super motivating to get good feedback. I know this really encourages me when I show someone a WIP, and they’re like, yeah, you should totally finish that. I’m like, yeah, I should, right?

Helen: Yeah. Right? It’s gonna be awesome. Let’s talk a little more about letting go of WIPs. I don’t know anything about this. I can’t let go. No. But when do you call it and what do you do?

Caroline: I think if you don’t like a project anymore or you think you won’t wear it, then it’s time to let it go. It’s important to be honest with yourself during the sorting process that we talked about earlier. Like, come up with the actual reason why you left the WIP unfinished. And if the reason has a fixable component, like, I need to learn how to sew a zipper fly, or I wanna get matching serger thread for this project, or I have to let it out at the seams, then it’s a good candidate for finishing.

But if you find yourself saying, I’m not ready to let it go, then you might wanna press harder to see what the real reason is. The answer might be, I don’t like it. And that’s the moment you ask yourself: do I wanna refashion this or do I wanna let it go? And if you can’t think of any good refashioning ideas, or you just don’t want to, just let it go.

Helen: Oh, okay.

Caroline: Deep breath.

Helen: I think the sunk cost fallacy can hit us really hard here, too, because you’re like, I spent all that money and time on it already, so I have to finish it. But the truth is that money and time is already spent…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …and are you going to spend even more of your precious sewing time on something that you’re not going to necessarily enjoy and maybe lose your sewjo on the way? The best thing in those cases is just try to learn whatever lesson you can and move on.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely. And we have some ideas for what you can do with the WIPs that go in your no pile. I know this is something that I struggle with because I might have a pile of things that I don’t want to finish, but I also don’t really know what to do with them, and I feel really bad just throwing them in the garbage so I have some ideas.

So you can offer them to another garment sewist, quilter, or crafter. Quilters are especially good at making use of smaller pieces. So if you have a local buy nothing group, you can make a listing. There are probably some sewists in there or people who know sewists. You can even offer your old WIPs to people in an online sewing or quilting group and ask them to pay only for the shipping cost. Just be careful with your personal information if you do that one.

Helen: And if you can use the fabric yourself, of course, that’s an option. There’s a lot of good scrap busting projects that can work well for garment fabrics, and those can make great gifts, too. And cutting up a WIP into tiny pieces can be very cathartic. It’s, like, truly, you’re letting it go. You’re cutting it up. It’s no longer that garment that you didn’t want. It’s just becoming fabric again. And then you can make whatever you want out of it.

Caroline: Yes, you can also donate them to a creative reuse centre. These are like thrift stores for sewing, crafting, and art supplies. Or you could try donating to a regular thrift store that has a great crafts section and maybe someone will discover your WIP and want to finish it.

Helen: Yeah, and search the internet for textile recycling near you. Textile recycling centres turn discarded textiles into things like insulation, paper, carpet padding, car seat cushions, etc. So we’ll links up some options in the show notes.

Caroline: Yeah. Or you can stuff it into your scrap pouf. Maybe just cut it up first so it’s not so bulky. Also, remember, uh, those poufs can get really heavy if you fill them with only fabric. I’ve definitely almost thrown out my back trying to lift scrap pouf.

Helen: I know I have one in my living room. It’s, like, rock hard. Like, it weighs, like, a hundred pounds. It’s always funny when people, like, randomly will, like, try to pull it over to sit down on it, and they’re like, what is up with this pouf? Why is it so heavy? So for those of us who have a problem with creating a lot of WIPs, how can we avoid making them in the future?

Caroline: Okay. So you can change your regular routine. Don’t print or cut things out until you’re ready to start sewing them. I really need to tell myself this. Caroline, don’t do this. If you’re having trouble mustering up the sewjo to finish your current project, go into problem solving mode, ask yourself, why haven’t I finished this? If you need to learn a new technique, read a tutorial, maybe practise it on scraps. And if you need to buy a notion, buy it right away. If you’re feeling tired of your project, create some small goals with rewards when you accomplish them.

Helen: Yes, and be realistic about how much you can handle. Maybe don’t start a lot of garments at once if you don’t have the time or energy to finish them. Going a long time without feeling that completion high is a sure way to drain your sewjo. So if you find yourself in that position, consider picking one of your projects and finishing it before getting back to all your other ones.

I am so guilty of this. I’ll, like, wanna make five t-shirts at once or, like, three pairs of leggings, especially with knits, I think. I always cut out a bunch and then I only sew one or two and then the rest languish.

Caroline: I can relate to that one. You don’t actually have to avoid making WIPs. Life happens, and some sewists actually work best if they can move back and forth between projects. But taking a break from a project you’re having difficulty with is a good way to work through a problem with it. And some people like to choose what to sew according to their mood. So that’s totally okay. And a good way to keep your sewjo up.

Helen: Yeah, and there’s one caveat we wanted to mention, which is that some projects make better WIPs than others. It’s, kind of, funny to think about, but for example, a quilt that you work on for years is pretty harmless. You can come back and finish that at any time, but if you’re someone who’s weight fluctuates or you’re working on a project that’s more form fitted, it’s possible that the garment you started a year ago is no longer gonna fit by the time you finish it. So that’s something to consider when you’re relegating things to the WIP pile and be like, how likely is it that I will succeed at this when I come back to it?

Caroline: And if you’re in a situation where you wanna put a project away for a bit or you wanna start something new, just go for it. It’s totally okay to start another project. You’re not a bad sewist or a silly person. You’re just seeking enjoyment in your hobby, and that is what it’s all about. So no guilt here.

Helen: Oh, 100%. I mean, there’s a world of difference between making a few garments that you end up deciding you don’t wanna finish and being a fast fashion production house. Like, building the skills to make quality garments is as anti-fast fashion as it gets. And I don’t think that it should be shameful or you should feel like you’re wasting materials or time if this happens to you. We all have WIPs. It’s cool.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. No, it’s so true. Okay, we have a fun challenge for all of our listeners out there. So for the month after this episode comes back, so that’s gonna be April 25th to May 25th, we wanna challenge you to work on your WIPs and share them on Instagram. So here are some ideas for posts that you can make.

Helen: Yes. We wanna see your WIP pile. Show us what’s in it. Oh, my gosh. Give us a full show. I would love to see people just, you know, pulling out one project at a time and telling us all about them. I would watch that for hours. Tell us what your WIP making tendencies are. When do you usually abandon a project? What are the usual reasons? What do you think that says about yourself personally? What do you think you need to talk to your therapist about? I mean, I wanna hear it all.

Caroline: Okay. You can also talk about your WIP pile strategy. So talk about how you’re planning to tackle your pile. What motivates you to finish your WIPs. Maybe you’re gonna help motivate some other people.

Helen: What’s your go-to television show for the WIP pile?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And, of course, we wanna see your finished WIPs, say how long they’ve been in your pile, and how you feel now that they’re done.

Caroline: Yes. And use the #LoveToSewWIPs so that we can see your progress and follow the hashtag to see what other sewists in the community are doing. This is gonna be so fun.

Helen: Ooh! It’s gonna be so fun, and I’m, kind of, hoping there will be some actual whips in the hashtag. Like, if you wanna sew an actual whip, like a wiiish whip, you can do that, too.

Caroline: Perfect. Okay. Love it.

That’s it for today’s episode of Love To Sew. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and CedarQuiltCo.com. We’re recording in beautiful, but rainy, British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: Go to LoveToSewPodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a voicemail at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. You can ask us sewing questions there, and we’ll probably play it on the show ‘cause we don’t get that many voicemails. Or you can send us an email at hello@LoveToSewPodcast.com.

Caroline: And if you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon for $5 a month. You get a full length bonus episode if you want ideas for what to listen to and watch, while you’re sewing. We love talking about our favourite shows, and you’ll also get weekly behind the scenes pics.

And for $10 a month, which is the next tier, you’ll get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques and 15% off discount codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content for y’all. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: Bye

Helen: Bye.

WIP, WIP, WIP, WIP, WIP. Now watch me WIP. Now watch me. Na na. Watch me WIP, WIP.

 

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