It’s been a little while since I blogged. Life has happened and done it’s thing of getting in the way. I’ve also just not felt like blogging in winter, there’s been no natural light during the week to take good photos, and the evening darkness just saps my energy and inclination to do much beyond the absolute basics. But, I’m back!
The good news is that I have still been sewing and have quite the backlog of makes to share (and to photograph). Some are even makes I photographed last summer. There’ll be a stream of makes to adorn these pages over the next few weeks – just try not to be confused about the different seasons (and continents) in the photos.
As a palette cleanser, I thought I’d do a post about my sewing plans for the next few months.
I didn’t put together a make nine this year, because I don’t stick to them, and tend to get a bit of overwhelm when I think about too many patterns. So I’ve decided to put together a collection based around a coherent theme, to see if I stick to the plan. I really need a new workwear wardrobe, and so I’ll be focusing on this over the next few months.
I work in an office, in a university. I find myself increasingly going to a lot of meetings, and so whilst my workwear doesn’t need to be super corporate, I still want to look my best. My work clothes have always been pretty nice – dresses, lots of polka dots, and smart trousers with blouses, but I’ve been wearing the same work clothes for years now. I love them to pieces, but they’re starting to fall apart, even look a little scruffy. Added to that, with little bits of weight fluctuations over the years, lots of them are way too tight (if I’d sewn them, I’d be horrified with the terrible fit). So I’m finding it more difficult to dress for work. My options are:
- pay out a small fortune for some new, likely ill-fitting ready to wear clothes. Given my fabric buying habit, there’s little money for RTW clothes in my budget…
or
- make some new clothes, in coordinating fabrics and shapes that will work for my style and my workplace. And in the process, use up some of my hefty fabric stash and some of the patterns I’ve been wanting to make up for a while…
I of course opted for the latter, and have already cleared my wardrobe of lots of gorgeous drapey blouses that no longer fit because of my ample bust and larger than average upper arms – they’ve gone off to new homes via the local Barnardo’s charity shop. So I now have no choice – my sewing plans for the next wee while are dedicated to work wear!
I’m feeling pretty inspired though, as I’m working with fabrics and patterns I’ve had in my stash for a while. So not only am I sewing from plans, I’m also sewing my stash! I have lots of plans, and have listed some of them below
I love the look of this, and it’ll be a good excuse to get more experience with drapey fabrics. I have a drapey, deep blue cupro remnant from Sew me Sunshine, which seems like an ideal fabric for a wearable toile.
This is the only pattern on the list that I don’t own already. I love this pattern. I can imagine it in so many drapey fabrics.
Maker’s Atelier Pencil Skirt (from her Workbook)
The Anderson Blouse will need to be tucked in to something, and what better than a jersey pencil skirt? Even better, it’ll be a quick make, and hopefully a wardrobe staple. I’ve earmarked some of the stone grey jersey I picked up in Walthamstow for this project.
A comfy shift dress – the Seamwork Georgia
I’ve had this printed off for so long, and now have a great fabric combination, with some navy viscose twill for the skirt and a burgundy cotton twill for the top half. I think this will look great in lots of different fabrics, I’m looking forward to seeing if I enjoy wearing it as much as I think I will.
The swing dress – Sew Over It Nancy
I started toile-ing this last year, and got so close to finishing and gave up. After lots of tinkering to do successfully complete the FBA (tutorial will follow) the sleeves were also too tight, and I got distracted. So, first port of call will be to finish toile-ing, and then to whip a few up from viscoses in my stash.
Coordinating cardigan – the Helen’s Closet Blackwood Cardigan
Spoiler alert – I have two of these cardis already (which you’ll have seen if you’ve watched my Instagram stories). It’s a great TNT pattern, and I could do with a simple cardigan in a neutral colour – there should be enough of the Walthamstow stone grey jersey to make up a cardigan too.
Another pattern I’ve had for a long time but never managed to make it. I know I’ll need to do some pattern work for this one, in particular an FBA, so it might not make it into the final collection of makes.
I think this would be great for transitioning into spring and summer. I have a few shorter remnants of cotton lawn that’d be ideal for toile-ing this, and then some lovely floaty viscoses for once I’m confident in making it up.
Trousers
OK, so the idea of making trousers fills me with dread. My body is never consistently the same size. I bloat, I put on weight, I lose it. So, I would like to say I’ll make trousers, but in all likelihood, I’ll bottle it and buy some. Potential me made pattern ideas (that I already have in my stash) are the Nina Lee Portobello Trousers, or a more casual pair in a soft viscose, like the Tilly Marigold, or the Sew Over It Carrie.
sew slow Sarah 