Sewing Plans...They Never End, Do They?

  

 

 

Yes, a new wardrobe plan! The projects that I didn't finish last winter/spring have migrated to this new grouping along with two new projects. Happily, the most practical (and boring) one is already done, the work-related button-down shirt.

Now, I will be consecutively working on the shift dress (once I get a handle on the fitting issues!) and the plaid shirtdress. I spent yesterday cutting out the plaid and I'm hoping the shirtdress can be worn in a few weeks for the holidays. The pants will be the next priority along with finishing the ponte knit dress. The duster will again be shunted to 2015 and early spring.

Received my xmas gift from my Dad early, and yes, another statement necklace and earrings, these are of resin and from Macy's Style & co. line. Funny, it's been years since I had new earrings too. I have been wearing the same moonstone pair everyday.

 

Did You Have A Happy Three-Day Holiday Last Weekend?

Or as we sewists call it, More Sewing Time?

I had a goal for Memorial Day weekend.

1. Finish up my third Grainline Moss muslin.
2. Cut and sew a Grainline Scout from a new print rayon challis.
3. Cut and sew another New Look 6977 top in a knit remnant from my stash.

Amazingly, I was ahead of myself, I already had a progress post on the Moss muslin written up and a new pattern review of New Look 6216 set to publish Monday.

By the way, behold my updated wardrobe plan:

Yes, I know! I changed it...again. I substituted in two new (quick & easy) items but I did finish a project before I did that. With the recent high summer temperatures, working on fitting a knit ponte (!) dress with sleeves and stitching up a moleskin (!) coat just didn't make any sense. I was nearly done with the dress but with nowhere to wear it anytime soon, I will leave finishing it and starting the coat for late summer/early fall.

Best of all, by finishing these two tops this week I am suddenly at a 40% completion rate!

This first fabric is a black & white rayon challis print I bought last Saturday at Jo-anns and was a finished Grainline Scout by Tuesday.

 

 

The second fabric, a remnant from my Burdastyle "Let's Twist Again..." top, was made into a New Look 6977 top by Friday. Aren't TNT patterns the best?

 

 

4.30.14 - Satorial Update

I have to substitute another wardrobe visual because I went off track, added an item, and finished said item before anything I had planned to complete from the original plan.

So this:

became this:

 
I had fabric leftover from Simplicity 5289 and when faced with frustration in the construction of that dress, I decided to move on to the much easier and faster New Look 6977 skirt. The skirt is done but photos will have to come later because it will not stop raining here!


I also ended up buying a pants pattern, New Look 6216, for a fast and simple solution to my I-have-no-casual-pants dilemma. However, I have no appropriate fabric right now, but I wanted to add it to the diagram so there would be no surprise when the pattern review does show up. I have that red stretch poplin which is thin and pliable enough for a semi-fitted shirt but don't know how it would work in gathered pants. I'm thinking of combining those last two pants patterns. Vogue 1992 is sizes too small, the front crotch looks too long, and it has no pockets but I want to use the fact that the front waistband is flat and only the back is gathered. Luckily, I picked up my IKEA MÅLA paper roll* from my sister's house so I can trace and play around with the pattern pieces.

The Simplicity 5289 dress is nearing the finish line. Numerous pattern alterations had to be done to this 42-year old pattern (!!!) some major and now I am working on changing the neckline. I was getting a very "1940s prison matron" feel from the dress; all that was needed was to add some sensible shoes.

The muslin for New Look 6145 has not worked out. It didn't look that bad straight on but my arm movement was limited while there was too much fabric around the neckline. I think I will pull out Cal Patch's Design-It-Yourself Clothes book and make myself a simple dart-free bodice, compare it the slouchier Scout pattern, and work from there.

So basically, what this post shows me is there is no such thing as easy and fast sewing when I am involved. Oh, well...

*18.5 inches by 98 feet (30 m) of paper for only $5.00!

So...I Changed My Mind...Sue Me!

I know I said, "No more wardrobe plans" but yeah, I changed my mind.

Yesterday, we had a peek at what beautiful weather could be like and I became inspired again about clothes and pretty outfits. So I made this little plan up, most are projects that I actually purchased fabric for years earlier (save two projects with free fabric!). Recently, I have been making projects from either free swap fabric or recycling old fabric but I have neglected these and the already-spent money is making me feel guilty. Therefore, my plan (subject to changes) is to finish these off before August and the upcoming fall sewing. I have mentioned most of these recently but this spells it out clearly. So there.

The great thing about this plan is I have other priorites right now and I can't spend ALL my time reading sewing blogs so if I cut that down I also cut down seeing inspiration for other projects. THIS is what I will be working on so no need to scout more fabric or lust over new patterns. Any purchases, sewing, or research will be limited to these projects.

Supplies still needed to complete:

1. New Look 6656 - two 1/2" buttons (optional)
2. New Look 6145 - nothing
3. Simplicity 5289 - 22" zipper
4. BBW Sew U jeans - 3/4" to 7/8" button
5. Vogue 1992 - nothing
6. Grainline Moss - 7" zipper, 1-5/8" button
7. Simplicity 2591 - nothing

Muslins are in the works for two of them and I will be cutting one out in the final fabric this weekend! I am not promising which one will be next or when I expect to finish it. That is the kind of plan I can work with right now.

The 2014 Wish List

Happy New Year!!

Last year, I said I wasn't going to set myself up for stress by making any definite sewing plans. But, we all know, the planning is the best part of it all! So, here's some of what I would like to attempt in the next six months or so. There will be some finishing up of earlier planned projects like that Simplicity 6656 duster coat and my turquoise Moss skirt; however, I now have more primary priorities in place (career & debt) but these things are what I would like to spend my "free" time thinking about.

Starting with a few small things:

Create a black knit turban for bad hair days using this free tutorial. Done!
Stitch up a practical corduroy clutch purse using a free Fabric.com/HotPatterns download. Done!
Make a full skirt made from Vogue 2747 using my now unneeded red poplin apartment curtains. Done!
Attempt Simplicity 5287, a vintage funnel neck dress, in free green double knit.

Projects I want to try:

Last year, I posted an inventory of the handmade wardrobe items that I still wore from my own closet. I still have quite a few RTW items in my wardrobe. Well, I don't believe in getting rid of stuff before it's been throughly used and bordering on threadbare; therefore, I got thinking...how about altering or embellishing all my RTW pieces and reclaiming them in my own style, so that any Me Made Mays or such would have an advantage?

Why not try reverse applique such as that done by Alabama Chanin. I feel like taking apart some of my RTW knit items, restitching them with raw seams, and adding simple stitched embellishments like this. You know...reclaim the handmade from RTW! It's another way to increase the handmade garment/accessory numbers in my wardrobe. Luckily, I've got lots of embroidery floss from my Wee Wonderful doll supply stash and I also have ribbon and inherited button collections from numerous "no longer with us" personages.

Start on my muslin for the Colette Clovers. I took apart these H & M stretch woven pants in order to make a pattern and will compare that with the Clovers to help mitigate any problems using the Colette pattern.

Muslin and create the Built By Wendy Sew U pants. The fact that they were referenced by Sallie as the basis for these jeans is all that I need. If these work, I won't need to go purchase that popular Jalie jeans pattern.

I would like to try out these Shelby Kaava #302 Vuokatti leggings using this free downloadable pattern or trying out this tights tutorial from Handmade By Carolyn. I find I treat my store bought tights harshly and I hate the expense.

Underwear and more underwear! I also have my eye on this DL01 balconette foam bra by Make Bra. The best thing about it besides having no underwire is that you can cover the cups with woven fabrics which will make it a stash-buster. *Bonus from moving: I discovered many discarded t-shirts that I wouldn't wear again but could use for these.

Oh! and I will also be participating in Stash Diet 2014, since all the projects above will be supplied from my existing stash. I won't be posting specific goals or fabric counts but you are free to check out my stash (with fabric content and amounts, if possible) on Flickr here.