//SPRING SUMMER '15 PT. 2

6. LINEN COLLARED SHIRT

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Twenty-Seven Names is probably my favourite New Zealand label. I really enjoyed the pictures from their recent fashion week show, especially the heavy use of linen and the neutral colour palette. So here’s my take on it; a simple, linen shirt.

I want a collared shirt with full length cuffed sleeves, a sharp collar, and built from a beige/fawn/grey linen or cotton. I haven’t got a lot of linen in my wardrobe but I really enjoy wearing it. It’ll be good for summer and a less formal shirt option.

7. SILK + CONTRAST CO-ORDS

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Following on from the proclamation of love in Part 1 for twin-sets, here’s the second one I’ve planned for summer. This one’s going to be a little more ‘going out’ than the first – it’s going to be made from a beautiful black duchess silk satin with a contrast trim. The trim is a tencel from memory – it’s almost a faux reptile/scale look fabric. I want the silk to be the star of the show but feel it might need some accenting.

Pattern-wise, I’m planning on a raglan tee pattern (I have one that I drafted a few months back) and my usual culottes pattern.

8. ORGANZA INSERT SWEATER

This idea is one that’s been knocking around my head for a couple of years. It’s inspired by a Cheap Monday jumper I saw in a Melbourne boutique early last year. In a nutshell: a jumper with organza inserts in the sleeves and waist with ribbed cuffs and neckline. I have all the fabric I need for this but it’s been in planning for so long that it’s hardly top of the to-sew list. It’s one of those really drawn out projects that’ll come into fruition eventually.

9. TEXTURED BOMBER JACKET

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This is again a case of snapping up amazing fabric and matching it to a good pattern. I picked up some great textured wool/metallic fabric (here’s a pic) from the Fabric Store in one of their big sales and pretty quickly earmarked it as a bomber jacket. Of course a Rigel bomber jacket. To me the fabric was destined to be a jacket because of its weight and thickness, but it can look a little dull from a distance, so I’ve gone with a modern shape to counter this.

10. LIBERTY COTTON PAJAMAS

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Aside from shirts, shorts, and dresses, I think every summer wardrobe needs some decent sleepwear! I was completely ecstatic with my first pair of Carolyn Pajamas so I’ve planned a summer set. I picked up some Liberty lawn (this design) when I was in London and it’s intended for a lightweight piped pair. Still tossing up between white or navy piping.

11. KNOT DRESS/JUMPSUIT

While these ideas aren’t all that likely to be realised given my sewing schedule, I’d also like to work a bit more with the knot dress pattern I made last year, and make it up in another fabric (denim? Sateen? Chambray?) or turn it into a jumpsuit. I’ve pretended the dress is a jumpsuit in the mirror more than once (who else does this with their dresses??) and it looks really cool, so if I have any spare sewing time this is an option.

/OTHER CONTENDERS

I haven’t made any solid plans for it, but I suspect at some stage I’ll whizz up a sway dress or two in a chambray or denim. I’ve made this pattern up a few times in corduroy and it’s great (and perfect for summer).

Also, while I’ve been pretty successful at ignoring them, there is a small pile of ufos that needs some attention. Ahem.

//

So there you have it. My sewing plans for the hot seasons. I can't promise these will all get completed as I change my sewing list priorities often but they're currently front and centre of my sewing thoughts. I have completed one of the shirts from the Part 1 post and am currently working on the bomber jacket in this post so I am making progress!

Until next time...

//SPRING SUMMER '15 PT. 1

Better late than never right?! Yes, spring is two-thirds gone and yes, there’s only four more months until Autumn (a bleak thought), but here’s part one of my inspiration and sewing plans for the hot seasons. I’ve been loving the seasonal sewing plans popping up and thought I’d get involved, starting with my Pinterest. I’m also hoping that by putting my ideas and plans on here I’ll be more compelled to try and get them finished and cross them off the list. I’m somewhat doubtful that I’ll sew all of these garments, as I’m terrible (or good?) at bumping new ideas and patterns up the to-sew list, but they’re certainly a good starting point and give me something to aim for.

Without further ado  . . .

1. CONTRAST POCKET COTTON SHIRT

1. 2. 3. 4.

I’ve recently re-discovered collared shirts and I’m loving them. I instantly feel ten times more put together once I put one on so I’m planning on making a few for the spring/summer. I made up a white cotton shirt using Winifred Aldrich’s Metric Pattern Cutting book a couple of weeks ago and it turned out really well. It was a bit more full in the sleeves than I liked so I omitted the cuffs to save it from being too puffy (I’ll deal with mastering cuffs later in the season).

I’m planning to use this pattern to make a cropped cotton shirt but with contrasting pockets so it’s a little different. I have a small amount of this purple leather stashed away which is a contender for the pockets but I could also just use a patterned fabric depending on the weight of the cotton I end up using. I’m planning a crisp collar and a boxy shape.

2. A-LINE CORDUROY SKIRT

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Do I even need to explain the inspiration behind this? Ever since Alexa Chung released that collection of denim minis and A-lines, button-up skirts seem to be in the window of every high street shop I walk past, so I guess I’m just jumping on the bandwagon. In truth, I brought this mustard corduroy at the start of the year and earmarked it for something 70s-ish. (Obviously. What else does one use mustard corduroy for?? ). I had in mind a plain A-line with an exposed metal zip, but I like the look of buttons/domes so I’ll go with that.

To ensure it’s not too run-of-the-mill I might jazz it up a bit by putting the buttons off centre or adding contrast panels to the sides (I have some matching aubergine corduroy in my stash).

I have a self-made pattern that I could easily alter to use for this but the release of Pauline Alice’s Rosari skirt pattern recently seemed like a sign, and it’ll save time fiddling around trying to perfect my one.

3. TWIN-SET WITH SKORT

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Twin-sets. Matching separates. Co-ords. Whatever you want to call them, you have to agree they are pretty good. I made my first set around a year ago and I’ve made two or three since then. This one is probably my favourite. The idea behind this outfit is more about showcasing the fabric than using the fabric as a means to realise the design’s shape and form.

When I saw this fabric at the Fabric Store I immediately fell in love with it and snapped up the last 1.3 metres. It’s lovely and textured and I decided almost as soon as I brought it to make it into a twin set because there’s not enough fabric to do too much with it. I also considered a Rigel bomber but wanted to do something a bit different. I’m intending to do the bottoms up as a skort. I often make culottes as I’m pleased with the pattern I have, but want to mix it up a bit, so I’m going to use this pattern and put a faux wrap layer on top.

4. DOTTED CROPPED BLOUSE

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This next idea was also primarily inspired by the fabric. I saw this dotty linen/cotton at the Fabric Store and couldn’t picture it as anything besides a collared shirt. I’m not certain how I want the hemline to be yet, I’ll make it up and then decide, but I’m going for a boxy shape with loose sleeves for those hot summer days!

5. HIGH-WAISTED PLEATED SHORTS

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Every summer wardrobe needs a decent pair of shorts and here’s my intended pair. I’m into high-waisted things (as they suit my body shape best) but nothing too tight-fitting so I figured that the pleated, safari short is my best bet. I’m initially after a black pair as they’ll fit best into my wardrobe, and depending on how those turn out I will probably end up with a denim pair too. Fabric-wise, I’m tossing up between a soft black denim or a thick-ish sateen. Either way I’m thinking cotton with a bit of body.