Tag Archives: Planning Sewing

2019 Make Nine and plans for the year

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After reviewing 2018, I thought it would be natural to do a little post on planning my sewing and crafting in 2019.

I’ve decided to give Make Nine another go as it was kind of helpful for me to plan my makes for last year, though I didn’t finish everything. I have added the 4 things I didn’t make onto the list again – and I think for the 3 Closet Case Patterns this is the 3rd year they’ve been on my make nine, so this year I really have to make jeans and pyjamas!

(Clockwise from top left)
1. In The Folds Acton Dress
2. Helen’s Closet Blackwood Cardigan
3. Papercut Guise Pants
4. Closet Case Ginger Jeans
5. Close Case Morgan Jeans
6. Sugardale Evelyn Trousers (or overalls)
7. Closet Case Patterns Carolyn Pyjamas
8. Helen’s Closet Elliot Sweater
9. Tilly and the Buttons Agnes Top

I have all of these patterns and I really want to stick to the Acton being the only ‘every day’ dress I make – I’m going to the Dressmaker’s Ball in March so will probably make a dress for that.

I want to do some more tailoring next year. As I mentioned in my review of 2018, I kind of want to make another coat though I’m not sure I need one. I definitely want to make another jacket, probably using the Joe Jacket by Ready to Sew again, based on this one worn by Claire Foy:

(image source)

I also want to do some more knitting this year – I’ve rediscovered knitting this Christmas break and I’d forgotten how great it can be to do in front of the TV.  I’ve almost finished a jumper for myself which I cast on 3 or 4 years ago and then I’ve promised to make my partner a jumper from some yarn I had in my stash. I’ve also bought a couple of embroidery patterns so I can do those over the course of the year.

I also want to make a couple (or a few) more projects for my Hundred Years Wardrobe. I’m going to see the Dior exhibition at the V & A and I’m so tempted to make a Dior outfit to go in but I suspect I won’t have time.

To help me to be organised this year, I’ve signed up for Trello, as recommended by Helen on Love to Sew and by Jen from Gingerella on her Instagram recently. I’m already in love with it and have probably planned out at least a year’s worth of projects, if not 2 years!

Are you making plans for the coming year or are you more a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ kind of sewist?

December & January Makes and February Plans

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I haven’t done one of these planning posts for a couple of months, but I want to get back into the routine so I’ll be more mindful and thoughtful in my sewing. December wasn’t super productive for me, what with Christmas and everything. I think I technically finished my New Craft House Party dress in December, though made most of it in November.

I did make the only 2 presents I successfully made in December – I also made another moss skirt for my sister, but it didn’t fit her because I forgot that the last time I made it, I reduced the seam allowances. I did make 2 Mini Chestnuts for my friend’s daughter and this Harry Potter tote bag for a secret santa present. The tote bag might have actually sneaked into January – I’m sure I’m not the only one who loses track of time over Christmas and New Year!

My first make of 2018 was my Chestnut sweater, which I blogged earlier this week. I really do love it! You can read about how much and the gorgeous snuggly sweatshirting I used in the post.

I also made 2 Ebony dresses from 2 different scubas and I love them both! And they’re really quick to run up.

I made half of a linden sweatshirt, but I was using a not very stretchy ponte for the sleeves, the neckband, cuffs and hem band but it wasn’t anywhere near stretchy enough to work for the neckband so I put it to one side and started on another project. I’ll probably finish it off this weekend.

And finally last month I made most of this spotty melilot shirt, which I’ve been planning to make for a few months I think. I’ve just got the collar stand to stitch down and topstitch, and then the buttons and button holes. I really do like shirt making, it’s so satisfying when all the pieces come together and you get to do some lovely topstitching!

So onto my plans for February. I’m going to finish the melilot and linden, hopefully in a single morning. Then my main plan is to make a coat – my first proper coat. I refashioned a coat a couple of years ago but there was none of the structure you actually need in a coat, the lining is just cotton and rolls to the outside of the coat because there is no facing.

As per my #2018MakeNine the pattern I’m going to use is Marilla Walker’s Honetone Coat.

The fabric I’ve got is some lovely electric blue and black wool I bought from Barry’s fabrics at Sew Brum. I don’t have any lining fabric yet – I want it to be the electric blue colour but I haven’t found anything I like so far. I also don’t really know what kind of fabric would work well as a coat lining – I don’t want to use that cheap acetate lining fabric. Any ideas of a good coat lining, I would be greatly appreciative!

I think this is the least I’ve ever planned for one month, but I want to take my time with the coat so it’s something I can wear for a long time and in cold weather – I might try to underline it with thinsulate or fleece or something. Again any tips gratefully received!

 

 

July Makes and August Plans

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I had a week off work in July, so I’ve had quite a productive month – though some of the makes haven’t made it to the blog yet. But my main project for my week off was to rebrand my blog (and all social media), which took longer than I thought! But it was good I had a week off so I could spend a few days blitzing it – I probably wouldn’t have got around to it if I’d been trying to do it during weekday evenings!

I seem to have recently mostly made tops! First I made this pink striped In The Folds Collins Top, and I love it! I’ll go into more detail in my post about it, but I’ve already got fabric in mind to make another version!

I also made this cropped Named Inari Tee out of leftover fabric from my Marianne Dress. This was sort of a wearable muslin, but I think it turned out okay!

My last make for my week off (I seem to have not made much outside of my holiday from work!) was this Colette Aster blouse. Again I’ll go into more detail when I write it up into its own post, but I’m not totally in love with this and I’m not sure why!

Now onto my plans for August – I don’t think I’ll get much made this month because I’m home visiting family next weekend and in the middle of the month I’m going to the New Craft House Summer Party so I won’t have a huge amount of sewing time this month.

My first job for the month is to make something to wear to the New Craft House party, which will almost certainly include this shiny silver fabric I was given for Christmas:

I’m thinking another Inari Tee, though probably lengthened by an inch or two so there isn’t so much of a risk of exposing my midriff, which I don’t really like. I’ll need to also make something to wear with the top, or I may cause a sensation! I’m thinking some culottes from the Butterick pattern which was free with (I think) Love Sewing magazine. Any other ideas?

If I have any spare time in the rest of the month, I really do need to make a start on  jeans. It’s been sooooo many month of me planning to make them that it’s getting a bit ridiculous now!

I know it may not seem seasonally appropriate to make jeans in August, but with the British Summer, it will probably be the perfect time!

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