There are some patterns that are so good, you just sew them over and over. Imagine a top that makes you look great on your good days AND bad days. A top that is forgiving when you gain a few pounds here and there. A top that always makes you feel good about yourself. Sounds too good to be true? Nope, the Love Notions La Bella Donna or the LBD as we like to call it, truly lives up to its name. “The Beautiful Woman” is exactly who you will be when wearing this top or tunic.
You’re in luck today because this awesome pattern is the $5 Friday Feature pattern this week!! I love the La Bella Donna for so many different reasons. Why exactly do you need the La Bella Donna? Here are just a few reasons:
- Quick and easy sew
- Easy to fit
- Great for beginners or those new to sewing knits
- Great transitional piece for your wardrobe~cap sleeves are so great for layering!
- Options~ there is even a long sleeved hooded version, and a tunic length!
- Neckline~ it’s the perfect neckline, not too high and not too low
- You can hack it into a quick and simple vest!
To create my vest, I simply went up one size and traced the v-neck from the Classic Tee onto the LBS. Visit my newest blog post over on Sewmarymac.com for the simple how-to directions. You can find that post HERE.So that sounds like a great pattern that we would all want to sew, right? But what if you’ve lost your “Sew Jo”?
We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. The ending of summer, the starting of school, new routines to follow~ they can all wreak havoc on our sew jo. The sewing time that so many of us love, can get pushed aside because our minds are elsewhere.
It Happens to All of Us!
So, how do we get our Sew Jo back?!
It’s not a one answer fits all solution. What may work for me, may not work for you. Here are a few ideas to help you get back to your sewing machine.
ONE: SEW A TNT PATTERN
A TNT pattern is a “Tried and True” pattern. It’s always a great place to kick start your SewJo. Making something new can often lead to frustration. Sewing something you know you love to sew and wear may be just what you need to get you going.
Try your TNT pattern in a new fabric or something you’ve been holding on to for awhile. The combination of a TNT pattern and an amazing fabric means you can quickly sew up a shirt you LOVE! For me the La Bella Donna is a TNT pattern. I have discovered that I LOVE sewing it up in so many different fabrics.(Bamboo cotton is my favorite!)
Sometimes it’s fun to take a TNT pattern and do a simple hack! My favorite LBD hack is this loose sweater neck vest. I simply sized up one size and traced the v-neck from the Classic Tee onto it. For more details visit this blog post over on Sew Mary Mac.
TWO: START SLOW
Don’t jump into a tailored shirt or jeans. Start with something you can start and finish in a couple hours. (HINT: La Bella Donna)
THREE: BROWSE YOUR STASH
Sewing up a hidden treasure is often all you need to get your SewJo going! So many of us “collect” fabric (raising my hand here) and we often forget some of those awesome fabrics we have in our stash that we were saving for the perfect project. Just sew that precious fabric. Sometimes the combination of a TNT pattern and special fabric is all you need to get going!
FOUR: REORGANIZE YOUR STASH
As stated above, sometimes we forget what we have in our stash! Many of us lose our SewJo because we just don’t have the brain power to think~ which sometimes causes sewing mistakes. Organizing our stashes doesn’t use much brain power at all!
Organize your fabrics by types: knit or woven, fiber content, or color. As you go through your stash you may find some that you will probably never use. Give those fabrics away. I have donated a lot of fabric to my local vocation high school that has a fashion program, the Girl Scouts and charity shops.
In my sewing space I have 2 large shelving units, one for knits and one for wovens. I will admit I also have many many many totes of fabric in my basement. However, they are all organized by type and labeled. I often browse through those fabrics and use them for pattern tests.
Added bonus of an organized fabric stash~ finding a forgotten piece of fabric that you just can’t wait to sew up!
If you really want to get organized, visit this blog post on the Love Notions Blog from Ambassador Chloe. Most importantly, take your time~ a weekend or a whole week!
FIVE: GO SHOPPING & BUY THAT FABRIC!
Yes, even if you have a large fabric stash. Buy the fabric, but buy with intention. Select a Love Notions pattern you’ve been wanting to try (or your LN TNT pattern) and search for the perfect new fabric for it. Search online or go to your local fabric shop and purchase fabric for that pattern. Try not to just buy fabrics with no plans.
Confession here: My mother taught me when I was very young that buying fabric and sewing are two different hobbies. I LOVE buying fabric! It brings me joy and always helps me get my SewJo back if it’s missing. I had these 2 custom designs printed on bamboo cotton jersey awhile back from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I knew they would be a perfect palate cleanser between some of my more challenging projects.
SIX: CLEAN UP/ORGANIZE YOUR SEWING SPACE
Nothing inspires creativity like a clean and calm space!
Create a space that makes you happy. It doesn’t matter if you have a whole room or a corner in the dining room. Things in your sewing space should bring you joy. Add photos, keepsakes or your children’s artwork, anything that can boost your mood and let your SewJo come back.
I am “lucky” to be an empty nester, and as a retirement gift my husband and daughters converted one of their bedrooms into a sewing studio for me. My daughter had left behind a message board from her college days and I love finding new quotes to put on it. Here is this week’s message
Sometimes just looking at the “mess” in your sewing space is enough to keep you away.
- Sweep up
- Put away ½ finished project (and come back to them later)
- Put everything back where it belongs~ or create spaces for all your tools
- Sort and organize your patterns.
- Refold your fabric stash.
SEVEN: GET INSPIRED BY OTHERS
This is a tricky one, and may work for some or overwhelm others. I read somewhere that “Social Media can be a gift and a curse”.
Sometimes our lack of sewing comes from not knowing what to sew and we’re just not inspired to sew anything. Other times we may get overwhelmed by Instagram and Pinterest~ sometimes it’s just TOO much!
But, if you need some inspiration try some of these:
- Instagram- you don’t need to post anything on your account, simply follow others and read/see what they are doing. Search by #hashtags for exactly what you’re interested in. Eg- #peasanttop, #sewingknits
- Love Notions Facebook Group is a great place. You can simply type in the name of the pattern you’d like to sew into the search bar and you will see all the posts featuring that pattern. No need to scroll for hours!
- Find some new sewing blogs to read/follow. Simply search Google.
EIGHT: TAKE A BREAK FROM SEWING OBLIGATIONS
- Avoid sewing anything with a deadline.
- Avoid sewing gifts~ sometimes the pressure and time element can become overwhelming.
- Don’t sign up for that pattern test and/or fabric strike (IYKYK)
However, sewing for others can often get your mind off yourself (and your lost SewJo). Remember to keep it simple and have NO deadline or pressure and just enjoy. I sew most of my great niece and nephew’s wardrobes. I’m always stressed leading up to their birthdays when I haven’t managed my time very well. However, I love whipping up a new sweatshirt or T-shirt for them just for fun. They are always so excited for new Aunt Mary clothes!
NINE: SIMPLY TAKE A BREAK – YOU’RE ALLOWED!
When all else fails~simply take a break, sometimes that’s all you need. You can have other hobbies! You don’t have to sew all the time. Don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t let sewing take priority over everything else.
I just got back from a two week vacation and I needed that sewing break. I had a few sewing deadlines leading right up to when I left. (In addition I also wanted to make a few extra Timbres to take with me! I did that to myself!) I was totally burnt out when I left my home but by the time we were driving home I couldn’t wait to get back to my machines. I was thinking about all the things I saw in windows and on people that I wanted to recreate. (Yes, that was me following a woman around so I could check out this amazing color blocked linen dress she had on!)
So if you’ve been struggling with your SewJo, try out some of my tips above. One of them just might work for you! But remember, it’s okay to lose your SewJo, it happens to all of us and it WILL come back!!
If you have looked closely at my La Bella Donnas you may have noticed that I finish my neckline a little differently. You can read all the details about this neckline finish and find simple directions over on my Sew Mary Mac Blog HERE.
On that blog post you can also read about how I mash the La Bella Donna with the Classic Tee. I love the neckline and the curved hemline of the LBD combined with a classic tee shirt. I like to call this my Bella Classic. Note this blog post also includes detailed information on sizing, fabric selection and sewing tips.
If you’d like to purchase the La Bella Donna pattern, please consider using my Aff. link HERE. This costs you nothing, but does help replenish my fabric stash (and helps me test more patterns). For a special discount code be sure to visit my blog linked above.
If you have Instagram, consider following me at @sewmarymac to see all my latest makes.
Happy Sewing!!
