01 January 2009

100. The 100th Post

Wasn't it obvious from the post title starting out "100." that this is the 100th post? So much for my new year's intention to "dial down the dork". Sometimes you just gotta accept who you are.

So, Happy New Year!  Thanks for the love with your comments on my 2008 year-end post.  Ditto, babes.  :)  I'm ready for 2009 -- are you?  I'm much more of a New Year gal than a Christmas gal. There's this nice feeling of renewal, of starting fresh, of having one more chance to officially reinvent some small part of yourself. Here are a few New Year Intentions as related to sewing/ blogging:

1. Master the pant.
I'm not alone in this one, right, Becky? I intended to master the pant in the last half of 2008 but didn't get to it. I'm sick of wearing ill-fitting pants and it will be a huge relief to have a pant sloper that gives consistently good results. The BBW pants pattern (Simplicity 3850) might be a good place to start, but if you have another suggestion, I'm all ears.

2. Sew a travel work wardrobe.
Two years back I invested in a few stylish separates from Anthropologie specifically for work travel. They cost a pretty penny but they fit well, looked great, and were versatile. I've now worn them quite a bit and am ready for something new! I also have just one go-to suit in a truly anti-wrinkle but very soft fabric, from White House, Black Market. The jacket is a little on the big side and is short-sleeved, and the pants look, truly, a hot mess. And this is my go-to suit! So I'm thinking about sewing a pants suit, a la YSL's Le Smoking, 

maybe a vest and/ or skirt, a few blouses, and a dressy coat. Do you know of a machine-wash, anti-wrinkle fabric I can purchase online (swatches first, preferably) that doesn't smell like a petroleum byproduct? Do tell.

3. Add a once-weekly photoblog post.
I've seen this on other blogs as "Wordless Wednesday", and SouleMama spends a month each year blogging one photo daily, with no/ very few words. Me being wordy and all, it will do me some good to zip my lips (or ban my hands) from time to time and work on my visual communication. It makes sense to focus on things related to sewing, style, fibers, textiles, etc. but I can't make any promises. :)

4. Learn to be a better photographer and model.
I'll probably take a photography class or two, and I've already staked out some real-life Modeling Role Models whose blogs I'm reading and learning from. 

I sense that wearing makeup (I don't wear any at all in real life) would enhance the photos in a very practical way, so I'm paying fierce attention to how these ladies are dressing their faces for the best shot. I also see what a big difference staging can make, so this year I'll work on picking better situations for lighting, backdrops, etc.

5. Think sustainable.
Sustainable is all about refashioning. Gotta do more. End of story.

Hope you had fun ringing in the New Year.  Now let's get down to business!  xo

10 comments:

  1. I don't think I will EVER be able to sew a coat. Or a pantsuit. Or even a pant!
    And I also know that I'm not able to keep my mouth shut, or rather my fingers off the keyboard, so no wordless posts for me either!
    But those last two resolutions, I should definitely add them to my own list. I am seriously in the need of better picture-taking skills and some posing attitude too! And sustainability... well actually that's all I do anyway! I'm still not skilled enough to sew something from scratch, so I plan on using up all the stuff I don't wear on refashions and crafting projects.
    Your resolutions are very inspirational!
    Happy New Year, Antoinette!

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  2. What great resolutions! Do look forward to seeing your progress!

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  3. No, definitely not alone in that! Now that I've got one pair down, I still feel like I need a lot of work on that particular type of garment. And if you get some major insights on the photography/model thing, I'd love to hear them-- I'd really like to get some more pictures with me modeling what I make, instead of just leaving them on the dummy all the time, but it's hard when you have to do it on self-timer!! (Or bribe family members into taking them for me, because they are not natural-born photographers.)

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  4. Oh, I almost forgot- congrats on #100!

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  5. Yes. I have another suggestion. You can draft a pair along with me. [wicked laugh] Seriously, I'm planning to draft one. I've been studying a few pattern guides from MSB, and it doesn't appear to be difficult . . . in my head. I used to shop Anthropologie when I was in college! It was just a half-mile away behind my dorm. Can you guess where I went to unwind? But now I have four reasons why I don't. As for taking pictures, my photographer is 8-yo and asks way too many Why questions.

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  6. I'll join you on #4 - photos are really the key to good blogs and good etsy shops. and those are some great photos! you've just given me 4 more blogs to peruse. happy new year!

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  7. omg it's you!
    i used to plug "built by wendy" in flickr and i've seen your creations on flickr!
    it's nice to meet you and i can't wait to read more!
    thanks for stopping by! :)

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  8. Oh, I love that 2nd photo in the upper right corner. April has the absolute best props and blows me (and everyone, really) out of the water with her wardrobe remix & Etsy photos.

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