Friday, September 12, 2008

Friday Confession

My Pattern Stash
I may not have much of a fabric stash, but I think I do alright with patterns... Here's a shot of my main stash of patterns, carefully organized into 4 boxes that contain (respectively) some patterns, some more patterns, some other patterns and the rest of the patterns:


These boxes contain 135 patterns. While I have used many of those patterns already (and some more than once), I have 32 patterns still waiting to be cracked open and sewn. Here, Sammy keeps watch over them for me:

In addition to the standard "Big 4", you'll probably recognize the complete set of Brown Paper patterns, a Hotpattern, a Sense and Sensibility pattern and a bunch of Neue Mode patterns. (I got the Neue Mode patterns when I found them on sale on the Internet for $1 each!)

And this doesn't count my Lutterloh system, which contains (including 3 supplements) a whopping 434 patterns!


Of course, I don't particularly like ALL of those patterns - they come as a set. But there are easily another 30 or 40 patterns in here that I've marked for sewing some day...


Altogether, that adds up to 569 patterns! (Looks like I won't be running out of content for my "In the Queue Wednesday" posts anytime soon...)

So, how about you? Do you have a pattern stash to go with your fabric stash? Are your patterns mostly ones that you have used, or do you have a lot of new ones waiting for the stars (the right fabric) and the moon (some free time) to align? Do you have a favorite brand (or two) that you'll buy regularly, even without a particular plan in mind? Or do you mostly buy only for a specific purpose, fabric and timeline?

8 comments:

Christine said...

Well I'd like to just stick to only buying patterns with a specific project and timeline in mind, but that's already blown out the window since it's too hard to pass up a good sale. :) So I now have 7 patterns total and I've made 2. I see a "pattern" forming. :)

kasizzle said...

Oh, I don't even want to think about trying to count all my patterns! I hit up every sale and stalk PR regularly to find the "perfect" pattern!
I like to be prepared when inspiration strikes!

SunnyQ said...

Wow Gwen! You really go "all out" with the patterns! I thought I had too many, phew!

I'm impressed that you counted them, too - what a task!

I wish I had the will power to stick to the plan-and-buy approach, but I just buy my patterns on whims (usually) and most of them sit in the box unopened.

I have made a few of my patterns more than once, and one or two I've even re-self-drafted making 'on the fly' when I felt I needed to make something in a hurry (only simple bag patterns though).

laura said...

I've just begun reading your blog. Nice.... I just culled my pattern stash last weekend (and this is after having done a previous cull in 2006! I had over 500 then!) I now have an A&F shopping bag full of patterns that no longer fit and/or I know I don't want to make again. Ever. I think. I haven't counted them yet, but I'm sure I'm pushing 100 patterns.

Those I'm keeping include TNT's and eh-whatever patterns, new vintage patterns and big 4 that have yet been made, a few odds and ends and Burda magazines. I also have a lot of children's and stuffed toy patterns. I don't need to purchase patterns for quite a while as I'm sure I can mix and match to come up with just about any style. At least I hope so.

Summerset said...

Um, you don't want to know. I haven't really bought too many Big 4 patterns over the last few years because I sew mainly BWOF or Patrones. That said, I still have a large collection of Big 4, in women's *and* children's pattern. Don't even start me on the vintage patterns. Besides BWOF, I prefer Vogue patterns for modern clothes. If it is vintage my two favorites are Advance and Vogue, although I'll take anything. Add to that about 30 issues of BWOF and Patrones with any where between 30 and 70 models per issue and I've serious problems.

I buy discontinued Vogue designer patterns for 25 cent because I can, but if and when I buy a pattern these days it is mostly for a specific project.

I am thinking of getting rid of some of my Vogue pants patterns - their sloper does not fit me at all, so there's no use in keeping them! Maybe it is time for a blog give away in the next few weeks.

Meg said...

Me, I buy for specific projects only. I just don't have room to put it all. Plus, my Yankee sensibility does not allow me just to buy stuff without a plan.

Anonymous said...

I love your catergories, they are very intuitive ;) Where can I buy one of those black fluffy pattern protectors? That looks like an essential to every household! We should all be concerned with security these days.
-Natalie

Becky said...

I do have a bit of a pattern stash. How I buy them depends-- sometimes a pattern will strike me as really neat and I have to buy it, sometimes I have a specific type project I'm going for and will buy a pattern that has the basic silhouette I want (or a part that would be very difficult to alter) and change the design to fit what I want.