Perhaps it's the weather or lack of daylight, but every year at this time, I seem to have angst about my sewing plans for the next year. In theory, I like a plan. In practice, I like the freedom to follow my bliss.
However, I do have a few goals this year in addition to continuing a steady diet of frosting. The first is to do more drafting - specifically a bodice and sleeve. The second is rather vague and summed up by the word "execute", which sounds rather dire. What I mean is that the sewists that I seem to admire most truly execute their projects well, using really good - and practiced - techniques combined with patient sewing. Whatever they sew, it's always well thought out and neatly accomplished with fewer "oops!" moments than is my norm.
With those goals in mind, here are a few inspirations - some are inspired by patterns or fabrics that I have in stash and others by styles I've seen. I'm sure that some will get sewn and others will fall by the wayside. But right now, this is what is occupying my sewing imagination.
Ewok Fur Cape
OK, I'm pretty sure this will be sewn next, since the fabric (here), lining and pattern are out and waiting to be cut this afternoon. I even bought a button.
Jackets
Is it me or has it been an excellent few years for all sorts of jacket and coat patterns? Here are some that are currently fighting for attention in my brain.
BurdaStyle 02/2014 - #114 and 115:
This is a somewhat "French style" jacket that I could potentially get down with. Look at all awesome deets! I would love to sew this with leather shoulders.
Alexander McQueen Kimono Jacket:
This has been on my "to sew" list for some time. I could throw this on with jeans for play or trousers or a skirt for work. What am I waiting for?
Ralph Pink Cocoon Coat:
I've been wanting to try more indies and bought this pattern in the fall. It would be a fabulous transitional coat, don't you think? Or with satin lapels could be perfect for occasions.
Lastly, Burdastyle 09/2012 - #120 Bolero
I actually wear RTW shrugs a lot and I love the pleating at the elbow. What a fun little detail.
Dresses
Some days, I want to drop everything and sew an army of sheath dresses to dominate my entire wardrobe. These two have been on my "to sew" list forever!
Other days I want an army of body con but comfy knit dresses. I really enjoyed improving my knit sewing skills this past year.
And then there are days when I think I should morph a trend into my own style. For example, Clio does the shirt dress:
Seriously, this L'Wren Scott number is exactly how I would do a shirt dress. And this Marfy pattern would be the perfect jumping off point for it, don't you think? Besides, I've been wanting to try Marfy.
Accessories
Ok, this one is going to sound kinda weird: I want to sew myself a diaper bag. No, I'm not expecting. It's just that I've sewn 6 diaper bags for friends - all of them fun and not diaper bag-ish, and each one better than the last.
So, it's about time I made myself a weekender or travel bag. And why not go with a pattern that I really like and can execute well and that really doesn't look like a diaper bag. Right?
OK, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I've also had a couture style cami on my "to sew" list for about a year now. In fact, I've muslined it and am not really sure what it is I'm waiting for. In addition, my last several projects have made me think that separates are the way to go. I could happily sew more trousers, tops and skirts.
And that is my round up at the moment. But I ask: how's a gal to choose with so much inspiration? Actually, what often happens is that I have all these patterns floating in my head until the moment I see the perfect fabric, and that becomes the next project. How do you decided on your projects?
Wishing you a happy sewing weekend!
However, I do have a few goals this year in addition to continuing a steady diet of frosting. The first is to do more drafting - specifically a bodice and sleeve. The second is rather vague and summed up by the word "execute", which sounds rather dire. What I mean is that the sewists that I seem to admire most truly execute their projects well, using really good - and practiced - techniques combined with patient sewing. Whatever they sew, it's always well thought out and neatly accomplished with fewer "oops!" moments than is my norm.
With those goals in mind, here are a few inspirations - some are inspired by patterns or fabrics that I have in stash and others by styles I've seen. I'm sure that some will get sewn and others will fall by the wayside. But right now, this is what is occupying my sewing imagination.
Ewok Fur Cape
OK, I'm pretty sure this will be sewn next, since the fabric (here), lining and pattern are out and waiting to be cut this afternoon. I even bought a button.
 |
| V8959 Very Easy Vogue |
Jackets
Is it me or has it been an excellent few years for all sorts of jacket and coat patterns? Here are some that are currently fighting for attention in my brain.
BurdaStyle 02/2014 - #114 and 115:
This is a somewhat "French style" jacket that I could potentially get down with. Look at all awesome deets! I would love to sew this with leather shoulders.
Alexander McQueen Kimono Jacket:
This has been on my "to sew" list for some time. I could throw this on with jeans for play or trousers or a skirt for work. What am I waiting for?
Ralph Pink Cocoon Coat:
Lastly, Burdastyle 09/2012 - #120 Bolero
I actually wear RTW shrugs a lot and I love the pleating at the elbow. What a fun little detail.
Dresses
Some days, I want to drop everything and sew an army of sheath dresses to dominate my entire wardrobe. These two have been on my "to sew" list forever!
 |
| I know, every single other sewist has already sewn this! |
 |
| LtoR: Temperley London, Ralph Lauren, Selena Gomez wearing??, Emilio Pucci |
 |
| L'Wren Scott |
Seriously, this L'Wren Scott number is exactly how I would do a shirt dress. And this Marfy pattern would be the perfect jumping off point for it, don't you think? Besides, I've been wanting to try Marfy.
Accessories
Ok, this one is going to sound kinda weird: I want to sew myself a diaper bag. No, I'm not expecting. It's just that I've sewn 6 diaper bags for friends - all of them fun and not diaper bag-ish, and each one better than the last.
 |
| Bag Envy! |
OK, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I've also had a couture style cami on my "to sew" list for about a year now. In fact, I've muslined it and am not really sure what it is I'm waiting for. In addition, my last several projects have made me think that separates are the way to go. I could happily sew more trousers, tops and skirts.
And that is my round up at the moment. But I ask: how's a gal to choose with so much inspiration? Actually, what often happens is that I have all these patterns floating in my head until the moment I see the perfect fabric, and that becomes the next project. How do you decided on your projects?
Wishing you a happy sewing weekend!
21 comments:
Is it snowing by you? Snowing here and accumulating on top of what we got Tuesday. I wish I could just hibernate until spring. I have plenty of fabric and notions to sew up a wonderful wardrobe while I'm waiting for warm weather!
Yep! We've already got some accumulation too. It started at 11am.
V8280 looks really similar to a frankenpattern dress I'm going to
attempt! And I would love to see how the ewok cape comes out. Talk about
taking those dresses made from Star Wars bed sheets up to the next level!
I'm hoping to have an improved pencil skirt done soon (so hard to get going lately)...
i'm hibernating through the cold this weekend. already finished a pair of papercut pleated trousers and most of an anna. (and i even left my apartment for lunch!!)
Wow! Now that's productive. I actually had to make an "emergency" run to the LYS for sock yarn (I've been languishing with nothing on my knitting needles).But since about 3 I've managed to cut and mark all the cape pieces and hem the lining of my trousers.
I always think that I should do a pinterest board for sewing patterns, but ultimately what I end up sewing are the patterns that get stuck in my head right away. I tend to fixate. Good for you with the sloper!
It's a great looking dress, isn't it? I'm planning on using my pencil skirt block for the bottom so that I only have to fit the top, so mine will be frankendressed too!
Ha! I hadn't considered that the cape is a distant relative of the sheet dresses, which I kinda love....
Same here as far as using my pencil skirt as the bottom half of the dress! I kind of want to add a pencil skirt bottom to every dress pattern I own...
ooo gurl... lemme tell ya, i tried to piece together that mcqueen kimono jacket and i almost threw a chair through a window. and i LIKE putting together pdf patterns.
please make sexy dress and ewok cape....are you going to line your ewok? the outside of mine is fine & dandy, but i've noticed the interior gets a little fuzzy.
All of these projects sound awesome! Jackets and sheath dresses - looks like my to-sew list. Usually I see a pattern I want to make, then buy stash fabric to go with it. Occasionally I find fabric I love, then sort through my patterns to find the perfect one to use. So, ummm, I guess my inspiration goes both ways, about 50/50. I have a big pile of patterns and a big pile of fabric. Just keep having too many other things get in my way time-wise. Sigh. Maybe I can get some sewing done tomorrow.
I usually have a pile of patterns queued up but it all relies on finding the right fabric so it changes all the time. I don't like to plan too far ahead because I always change my mind.
Yes! The cape will be lined with sunback. I just pinned some seams and am covered in fluff. So, yeah.
Moments after we bumped into each other this week, I found the PERFECT fabrics for the french jacket and a sheath, a stretch lace dress, and the McQueen. So, it seems like that is the direction that I'm going and maybe the order I'll try to do it in...
Me too!!!
I hope you get some sewing in today. Yeah, that sounds about how I operate too.
Same here. I plan, but then get distracted by the next wonderful fabric or pattern that I must sew now!
I love the jacket from Burda - why do I have to wait so long for Burda's to arrive here?
You are more disciplined than me! If I tried a SWAP, I'd get distracted after the first garment was hemmed. Although, if I succeed in sewing a jacket and dress that coordinate, we could call that a swap I suppose.
Yep, great minds! ;-)
Wow, that's a bummer! I didn't know it took much longer for you guys.
Me too! although I often get to the point that all the patterns in the coordinated group are cut out and marked and pinned together for the first run through the machine. Then they get put in the "sew this now" bin and end up buried under the next round of lovelies. My plan for 2014 is to sew through everything I've already cut out before starting anything new. Except for the pattern that my DD gave me for Christmas ... I've wanted to sew that blouse since 1984. (That's longer than any of the rest of my projects have lingered, unsewn.)
Seriously, I am the queen of finishing a summer project at the end of September! So, yeah, fool proof plan. ;-)
It's so funny that you say you want to be like the careful sewists you admire but you are one of the most meticulous people I know! Your projects are always top notch in construction and finishing.
I don't really know how I choose my next project, other than by the color my serger is threaded of course. I keep a running list, but it's not in any kind of order and there are probably, erm, 50 projects on it waiting to be done.
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