Make Nine Planning Lists: More Patterns!

When working on my Make Nine plans for this year, I went through many, many things that I was interested in making. I realized there were so many that I made separate lists to organize my thoughts. These are the lists I pulled my final Make Nine from. But it was fun to see all the great things that I *could* make if I had unlimited time and constant sewjo! So I thought I'd share just for fun. 

I organized them into categories: Indie, Big 4, Burda, Vintage, and my own special category, ideas for a Vyshyvanka (Ukrainian embroidered blouse). It was really delightful going through so many of my patterns and prioritizing them. 

(all patterns named L-R, top to bottom)

Indie: 

Baxter Top by Sewing & the City

Perkins Shirt by Ensemble Patterns (oop) 

Naomi Blouse by Coffee & Thread (oop)

Majorelle Blouse by Itch to Stitch

Wrap Cardigan by Pattern Division

Box Box by Merchant & Mills

Stella Dress by Studio Calicot    

Bob Pants by Style Arc

Jasika Blazer by Closet Core (carry over)

Big Four:

Simplicity 9339 (Cruella pattern)
Simplicity 1283
Butterick 5939 (See & Sew)
Vogue 9364
Vogue 8916 (jacket view)
Butterick 6706
Butterick 6333
McCalls 7084
Butterick 6871

Burda: 

118-05-2010
6371 (envelope pattern)
112-01-2020
121-11-2023
118-01-2020
106-03-2020
104-07-2023
4700 (vintage envelope pattern)
116-09-2023

Vintage/Retro: 

Butterick 6583
Vogue 8178
Butterick (flared yoke skirt)
Butterick 4831
New Look 6104
Kwik Sew 1445
Butterick 3895
Vogue 7373
McCalls 2462

Vyshyvanka Ideas: 

Simplicity 3684
Simplicity 3786
McCalls 8042
New Look 6704
McCalls 7434

Burda: 

118-01-2024 
101-12-2020
101-02-2023
107-11-2022

These are all just the top picks in each category - I have so many more things in my pattern hoard that I would love to sew up. Oh for unlimited time and a closet that's bigger on the inside!

July Sewing Plans!

 

Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash

It's July already! In June I spent most of my sewing time doing some mending and looking through patterns and fabric. I didn't make a thing! 

I had thought about making some button up blouses in June and pulled a lot of potential matches to do that, but I just wasn't feeling it. My sewjo was gone. So in July I'm just going to sew what I feel like sewing, which is (no surprise) some dresses! 

I really enjoy sewing summer dresses so why try to do something else that feels like a chore. I have some lovely fabrics to use and tons of dress patterns I want to try. My ideas so far are: 

The Xanthe by Style Arc: I like the pintuck features and would make the short sleeved version. I have a yellow fabric with a faint white print that might work, and still let the pintucks stay visible. 

Burda 115-05-2023: this is on my Make Nine List for this year, and I have a bright green linen set aside for it. Another loose summer dress with pintucks, this also has fun side panel pockets. 

Lacey Dress by Style Arc: I've already made this twice and wear both versions a lot! I have a fun stripey print rayon in my stash, turquoise with a red print, and think it would be a great fit for another Lacey. 

I'm thinking that Vogue 8811 might be a nice dress to try out, I've had the pattern forever. I like the simple lines of this one. I have a few cotton prints that might fit well with this design.

There are also a couple of vintage late 70s & mid 80s patterns in my stash that I've thrifted over the last while, both short sleeve, full skirt, elastic waistline styles that I think would be easy wearing. If I feel vintagey I might try one of those. 

Deciding to just make what I love has broken my sewing block and now I feel ready to get back to the table and sew up some more dresses for my collection! What do you love sewing?

Fall Sewing Plans

 

Well here it is, September already! I didn't quite finish all my anticipated summer sewing but it's time to get moving on Fall sewing next. 

I have a couple of summer dresses that I am currently working on -- to be shared soon -- but after that it's the big switch-over to autumnal/winter sewing. I'm not as organized this year as I've been previously, but I'm basically sticking with my winter wardrobe outline that I set in September 2021. I'm not done with bright colours and suiting influenced silhouettes yet. 

I have a couple of items on my Make Nine 2023 that I'm planning to make soon, Butterick 5938 and Butterick 6127.

I'm also planning on Burda dress 103-03-21, and a Burda skirt & waistcoat set.

And I think a Fresco blouse by Studio Calicot (from my Make Nine) will be a great addition. 

Another blouse I really want to make is the Barbara from I Am Patterns. 

I'm sure I'll come up with more ideas and get distracted from my organized plans as always! But these are the items I'm hoping to finish by the end of the year. 

Do you make big plans or queue up your projects? I don't generally go beyond a handful but doing a wardrobe planning process has helped me both whittle down ideas and focus on fabrics. 

Literary Sewing Circle: Sisters of Grass Inspiration

 

Time for a little more inspiration for your Sisters of Grass sewing project! Today we're going to be looking at some of the imagery and the themes of this book to see how we might pull them out to inspire a project. 

Starting with the opening of the book, there is a constant focus on the landscapes - in the beginning, there is a description of "grass like uncut hair" that I found striking. The golden light and grasses might suggest a prairie dress style like the Champagne Field dress by the Matchy-Matchy Sewing Club.

Or  maybe your project will take shape more literally, using this kind of print:

Landscape Medley Wild Grass cotton from
Lindley General Store

Maybe you'll find something in the flowers that Margaret names as she's wandering the woods, or even the birds she sees. When she's showing Nicholas around the countryside, she points out some Mariposa Lilies, Rose hips, mint, and more. Around home there is lavender and apple blossom mentioned a few times. You might take these elements and make one of the projects from pattern company Wildflower Design. Or you could put together some Wildflower Cargo Pants by Lauren Van Der Mast with a Rose Tee by Blank Slate Patterns for a whole floral outfit! 

Or you could just decorate an outfit with some wildflower embroidery, like these from Twig & Tale. Or of course freehand some!

When Margaret and Nicholas camp out with her father, the night scene with the firepit and the endless night sky is evocative. Perhaps you'll take the mentions of the stars and constellations and try something inspired by the night sky. The Star Struck bodice by George & Ginger perhaps?

Or for something a little bit cozier for a camp-out, try the Constellation Hoodie by Love Notions. 

Margaret's late-adopted hobby of photography also opens up some great areas of inspiration. Will you make something inspired by cameras or photographs? Or by the idea of the past in the present? 

In a nod to vintage cameras, you might choose the Brownie Dress by Waffle Patterns

Or, you could make the Hosta Hobo Camera Bag by Blue Calla to carry your field camera in!

There are also the scenes with many of the horses on the ranch, and Margaret's connections to both Thistle and Daisy. Lots of wonderful horse inspired patterns/fabrics to use here! Some examples can be found at The Sewing Shoppe -- my fave is the Multi Horse Stampede Cotton - love the colours!

There are also descriptions of clothes in the book, some that are particularly important to Margaret at various moments. When she buys some cord riding pants, utility overcomes gender expectations to allow her to continue her riding and ranch work. You could try SuitAbility to make your own women's riding breeches, or shirts, helmet covers and more. Plus many patterns for your horse to wear, as well! 

Or maybe you'll just make some casual Ranch Pants (found at Mrs. Depew) inspired by Margaret's workwear. 

It could be that you're more intrigued by the pretty dresses that the family wears to hear Emma Albani sing in Kamloops. Margaret's gown of rose muslin, Jenny's one formal gown of grey taffeta, and even Jane and Mary in their white organdy dresses accented with blue and pink sashes, may inspire you. Madame Albani herself could be your focus, with her operatic presence. 

You could try the Roseclair by Cashmerette, even though Margaret's gown would likely have used the ankle length option! 

Or maybe you'll just want to make something extravagant in grey taffeta! Check out this pretty option at The Fabric Merchant.

And don't forget about the items that Anna receives at the museum in our present day timeline. Are you inspired by the hand embroidery on the tea towels, or the sashiko stitching on the Japanese textiles that arrive for her exhibit? Does the idea of Irish linen (go to the source!) or historical samplers bring something to mind for you? 

If you like the idea of sustainable sewing, you could check out the Zero & Zen course by Kate Ward & Liz Haywood; they make a zero-waste, upcycled denim jacket and then cover it in sashiko stitching. 

Or check out this very pretty vintage tea towel shift dress made by an Australian blogger -- if she can do it, so can we! 

There are a few more ideas about what to do with old linens at this Peppermint Magazine article, too. 

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Your inspiration can come from any small moment in the book -- maybe it will even be the brief quotation from the Skye Boat Song that Margaret's father shares near the beginning, as part of their Scottish heritage. The free Crowning Glory from aptly named Waves & Wild could be just the thing for this inspo!

I hope that with all these different ideas you're starting to see the potential for a project of your own. If you have another idea, or a part of the book that has jumped out at you as your own inspiration, please feel free to share in the comments! The closer we look at the book, the more there is to work with, and your vision might add to someone else's too. 

Next week's book discussion post will be our wrap-up post for the reading part of the Literary Sewing Circle. There will be 2 more weeks to get your project done and posted, on the link up that will appear next week as well. I'm working on developing my own project ideas, from the many things I shared here and in our first inspiration post, too. Look forward to seeing all of yours. 

2023 Make Nine / Use Nine

I'm putting together a Make Nine/Use Nine grid for 2023, even though I have never completed a Make Nine yet! I do enjoy the planning so I'm at it again. 

Last year I ended making 3/9 of the patterns I'd picked: New Look 6525, New Look 6598 and Vogue 8612. 

Not too high of a ratio, but it did help to have them written out like this. Still, a fourth is cut out and ready to stitch (the Perth Top by Carolyn & Cassie) and I'm still planning on working on a couple more. I'd like to get the Bianca Shrug by Sinclair Patterns finished, and still want to complete the Talulah Knit Dress by Style Arc that I'd put on my 2021 list! 

Just like last year, these are aspirational lists; I'm not holding myself to anything! I'm really a mood sewist, just like I'm a mood reader, so these lists are fun to make but not rigid at all, or I will get sewing block pretty quickly. I know myself. This year I found it hard to decide on 9 -- I ended up picking 9 items I just want to make, not attempting to make a wardrobe out of them! They are all things that I have fabric for as well. 

This is just to keep them top of mind, not a hard and fast rule that I must make all of them.

And so, starting fresh with a new 9x9 grid, here are my hopes and plans for 2023 projects: 

1. Antonia Dress by Pattern Division 

   I really like the simple lines of this one; I'm looking for the perfect shift dress and this might be it.

2. Butterick 6326

   I like the high waisted straight skirt view & think it will be a great basic to go with all the colourful tops I am planning 

3. Afternoon Blouse by Jennifer Lauren

    I have had this pattern for AGES and it is such a sweet silhouette. I'm going to try the blouse, and maybe the dress as another shift attempt.

4. McCalls 8024

   I love the slouchy dolman style here - it feels so 80s. I've got to try this!

5. Fresco Blouse by Studio Calicot

    I love the style of this one, I had to buy this pattern from a small Montreal patternmaker as soon as it was released, so now it's time to make one! 

6. Simplicity 1284 

    I like the style of this one and think that maybe I have a fabric match, but maybe not...

7. Butterick 5938

    I have had this one on my radar for ages! I also have the perfect fabric for it.

8. Butterick 6127

    I like this style a lot -- great work wear. And I have some magenta houndstooth to use since that's apparently the hot colour now 😉

9. Butterick 6356 

    This oversize blazer pattern from 1993 is just what I'm looking for now! Will have to create a lining.

And here they are matched up with stash fabric:

Let's see if I can hit more than 3/9 this year ;)

2022 Top Five Hits & Misses

For the past few years I've been looking back at my year via the Sewing Top Five meme started by the Sewcialists way back when. I don't see it making the rounds this year, but I emjoy doing it so am going to share my Top Five sewing Hits & Misses with you again! 

2022 was a bit of an odd year but I still did a fair bit of sewing. I spent a lot of time cleaning out my stash and wardrobe (though still lots more to be done) and thinking about what I really wanted to make and wear. (Also a work in progress)

From all of that, I've chosen my top five projects. These are the ones that I liked making, was pleased with when finished, and which I've actually worn since making them! 

Burda 7169

I finished this in mid December and have already worn it three times. It's the perfect mix of 80s style and comfort for me!

Burda 04-1990- 143

I made this dress from an old Burda magazine I got from a friend - the 90s style fits me well and the stash fabric just seemed perfect. I've worn this a lot both in summer and in fall with tights & a jacket. Think this is one I might make again - the fit, and the pockets, are great. I love this one.

New Look 6525

This multicoloured knit swing dress was finished right at the start of the year, and I have worn it a lot. It goes with nearly all my coloured jackets, looks good on its own, and is very forgiving to wear. So comfy & colourful.

Burda Book Jacket (Burda 108-2-2021)

This was made thanks to one of the challenge rounds of the PatternReview 2022 Sewing Bee, and it was a fun one! I loved combining the fabrics. Once I came up with the idea for a project featuring buttonholes, this project went very quickly. I love it - but am thinking about removing the collar so it gets more wear. 

Suki Dress by Tilly & the Buttons

This is a very simple pattern, from the book Make It Simple by Tilly Walnes. It is a basic shape, but the belt feature is interesting, and it's a great pattern for a busy pattern. I made this as part of my blue and yellow sewing in the early months of the year and I really love it. Comfortable, chic and so bright.

And now for the sadder side, these are my top five sewing misses this year. Actually I couldn't really decide on five, because I didn't really make many duds this year. I did make some that I haven't worn much, but I think with some small adjustments, I'll wear them a little more. 

Simplicity 9115 - I made the top and skirt from this pattern, and have worn the skirt a little more often than the top. I need to take in the top a bit, and also remember that this set needs ironing - it's not just one to grab in the morning, it will take planning ;) That's the risk you take when you use old sheets to sew clothes with; far more pressing required. 

Liesl & Co Fira Top - I think this one is very cute, and enjoyed the scrappiness of making it. But I just don't reach for denim as my first choice very often so haven't given this the airing it deserves.

Butterick 4969 - this little jacket was made from an 80s pattern, and it's nice but I haven't worn it much. Partly because it's the same sheet fabric as the Simplicity pieces, thus needs to be pressed prior to throwing on, but also because I made it in August near the end of the summer season. Perhaps I'll wear it more this coming summer!

And that's it - my top five faves and top five less faves ;) I hope that your sewing year was weighted toward favourites and that 2023 also treats you well in the sewing room.

It's a Wrap

Sewing Challenges are always a fun thing to follow on Instagram -- I must admit I don't do all that catch my eye, as my sewing schedule is always pretty full with preplanned things. But now and again one aligns with my ideas and my stash and piques my interest.

The latest one is #SewWrapped, hosted by @cloth_edit and @dahlia_sewciety

I have come across this one at the eleventh hour: the deadline is Nov 27, NZ time. The challenge is to make an item of clothing with a wrap or surplice feature. I'm not always very fond of wrap designs so don't have a ton of patterns with that feature -- or at least I thought I didn't, until I sorted through some patterns to see what I could make. 

Here are some of the patterns I'm considering: 

These are all stash patterns and I'm hoping to find the appropriate fabric in my stash as well, as I am not buying any more fabric this year!

And I also hope that by this Saturday (deadline Canadian time!) I'll have something to share with you from this collection. The only problem now is choosing a project so I can get busy in the evenings this week and start sewing :)

Swaps & Plans!

I had two guild meetings this month that were the last of the season - one for my local Garment Guild and the other for the quilt club I belong to even though I don't really make traditional quilts ;)

Both meetings were swap meets. We were able to bring fabric, patterns or notions and take something new home instead. I was restraining myself - my goal lately is to reduce my stash, not add to it! Still, having taken 35 m. to give away, I felt okay about bringing home 4 m. from the first night and 5 from the next. 

At the Garment Guild swap, I only took two pieces:

First, this soft double sided knit. I'm thinking either a cardi or a dolman sleeve 80s tee. Depends on which pattern fits!

And then I claimed this stretch cotton sateen; I have nearly exactly the same print in a rayon! This might be destined for a slouchy blazer. 

The next night, at the quilt guild, I wasn't planning on taking anything. But I found this length of narrow cotton and was challenged to make a garment from it ;) I'm thinking this Simplicity 8014 shirt dress, in view C or D with minimal seamlines.

Pen for scale

Finally, I took one small piece of cotton because the print was perfect for backing a small space-themed wall quilt I'm currently working on. I'll have lots left for other quilt backs as needed, too. 

So I am pleased with what I brought home. I like all of the fabrics a lot and have plans for them. That's the kind of stash building I want to do.