Since we cleaned out our closets last month, this month’s Wardrobe Architect goal was to find the holes in our wardrobes and plan what we are going to sew. I’m adding an additional challenge to that; to use fabric and patterns I already have. As a result, there will still be some holes in my wardrobe, but at least I can use up some fabric and make room (in the budget and my studio) for new fabric later.
I went kind of old school in my documenting and planning process and just pulled out all my patterns and all my fabric and then starting pairing things together. Some fabric I already had plans for, so that made it easier, but some stuff got changed up. I then used my Fuji Instax
Up to this point, my sewing has been kind of random. I just sew whatever I feel like at the moment. Kristen had the helpful tip of prioritizing projects by season, which makes total sense and gives a nice purposeful feeling to my sewing queue. I was going to sew the Grainline Archer Button Up next, but since it’s Spring, I should be thinking short sleeves or sleeveless right now. So I moved the Archer to Fall and decided to sew a sleeveless Moneta next.
Spring
Colette Patterns Moneta Dress
Make Version 2 (sleeveless)
Make with vintage horse and rider knit fabric (given to me by Flower)
April Rhodes Staple Dress
Make with straight hem
Make with cotton lawn from Bolt Fabrics
Sewaholic Cambie Dress
Make View B
Make with dotted black cotton from Pacific Fabrics
Colette Patterns Jasmine Blouse
Undecided on version
Make with silk from Bolt Fabrics
Summer
Sewaholic Renfrew Top
Make short sleeve version with scoop neck
Make with striped knit fabric from Pacific Fabrics
Colette Patterns Hazel Dress
Make Version 1
Make with mystery cotton fabric (I don’t remember where I got it- Joann’s maybe?) I don’t love this fabric, but feel like I should use it up. Maybe I will love it more after I make it or it will be a wearable muslin!
Fall
Colette Patterns Hawthorn Dress
Make Version 2
Make with Alexa Abegg Cotton & Steel Hatbox fabric
Grainline Studios Archer Button Up
Make View A
Make with plaid cotton shirting from Pacific Fabrics
Sewaholic Patterns Granville Shirt
Make View C
Make with floral cotton from West Seattle Fabric Co.
Colette Patterns Anise Jacket
Make Version 1 (full sleeves)
Make with gray wool and silk houndstooth lining
Inspiration- Scruffy Badger’s Anise Jacket
I liked the having the polaroids, because then I could just move them around until I had a plan I liked. I don’t usually sew as much during the Summer months, so it’s probably a good idea to only plan a couple of easy things for that season. I also didn’t do a Winter category, because I don’t really have any super wintry patterns and I’m often busy making gifts that time of year. I am lusting after the Grainline Studios Cascade Duffle Coat pattern though, so maybe that could be my Winter project. I’m not the fastest sewer, so 10 projects for the year is probably all I can realistically handle anyway. I do have a couple of knit projects in there and since I don’t do muslins for those, they should go faster.
Not pictured/Don’t have fabric for yet-
Grainline Studios Linden Sweatshirt
Closet Case Files Ginger Jeans
I pre-ordered the kit for this and am signed up for the jean-making class at Camp Workroom Social in October, so these will get made!
Inspiration- Ginger Jeans by Amber from So I Sewed This
Wishlist/Gaps-
Hey June Lane Raglan
I could imagine making this pattern a lot.
Inspiration- Lane Raglan by Amber from So I Sewed This
Imagine Gnats Alder Skirt
Seems like a good basic skirt and I like the shape of it.
Colette Clover Pants
I’d like to make a cropped, capri pant version of these.
Christina Haynes Emery Dress
Grainline Studios Cascade Duffle Coat
Inspiration- Heather from Closet Case Files’s version
Speaking of stash busting, I originally bought 3 yards of heavyweight orange linen for my Anise jacket, thinking it would look cute with my Truffle dress. Looking at it now, I fear it’s treading on “kooky middle-aged art teacher” territory. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I embrace that side of myself and I am headed there, but after seeing Scruffy Badger’s version, I realized that a more neutral color would make it so I could wear it with more things. I got the gray wool, that I’m going to use, for free from work (we use fabric for backgrounds for photos and we’re moving, so we were getting rid of it), so at least I didn’t have to spend more money to change it up. The orange linen wasn’t cheap though, so what do I do with all that fabric now? Maybe it will still be cute as an Anise jacket, but as the cropped sleeve version? Or maybe I could put it on Etsy? What do you do when you buy fabric and then decide you aren’t crazy about it anymore?
Great plan. I’m hoping to sew up a chunk of my stash, too. But, the seasonal fabric sales are haunting me.
Using up the stash is always a good goal, but it’s the not buying more fabric that’s hard to stick to. I am realizing that I want sew more solid colors and knits, and I’m going to be near one of my favorite fabric stores, Drygoods Design, on Thursday. They have a good selection of unique apparel fabrics, including knits, so I have to at least take a look, right?
I love the Cambie…
Some great plans here. I want to be organised but I find myself guided by pulses of enthusiasm and not actually thinking through what I need. Inspiring post.