Dreams of Spring and the Reality of Winter

It that time of the year, all the stores/websites are featuring spring dresses, shorts, and hell even bathing suits.  Meanwhile outside it's 15 degrees and we're about to get another 6+ inches of snow dumped on us.  It's the kind of thing to give a sewcialist a split personality.

At least my sewing can have a split personality without causing my family any inconvenience.  Or any more inconvenience than they're already used to. (The dining room is my sewing studio, go eat your meals in front of the TV.) Right now I'm planning on splitting March sewing production into half winter clothing and half spring clothing.  That way I can have some "fun" with spring dresses, but not freeze my butt off every time I leave the house. If only you could reduce your butt that way.

I was inspired by Ginger Makes Coco post, specifically when she coined the phrase "secret pajamas." Mmmm french terry or sweat shirt dresses, I want some of those! I don't think the Coco pattern will work with my figure, but I already own Pattern Victory's Lola.  That would work perfectly with the black sweat shirt knit in the stash.  My stash also contains a few sweater knits that "could" be sewn into some sort of secret pajama.  They are a little itchy so some lining might be required.

The leopard print sweater knit is a jersey, so maybe a lady skater or hack of that pattern?  I could break out New Look 6097 again and do the longer sleeve version instead. The purple sweater knit is a rib knit so a simple pattern would work better. It's gonna stretch all over the place and I'd rather have a few seams to tweak. Maybe the new Maria Denmark Olivia shirt or something else with a kimono sleeve.

The Sew Dolly Clackett sew-a-long it gonna take care of all my fun spring clothing needs. I've got lots and lots of fabric candidates in the stash. So many that I might not be able to limit myself to one dress.  At least decisions have been made about the "first" project.   I'll be using this gorgeous border print which has been on my brain since ordering it late last year.

My pattern plan is to make the top half the By Hand London Anna dress and put a full skirt on it. You know like Dolly Clackett would. Then I might continue to channel her and buy some new shoes.  It's what she would want. ;)

Secret Stash - Party Dresses

The holidays are upon us which means it's party dress time!!!! Who doesn't like having an excuse to sew more dresses? Oh you're busy with Christmas prep? Well there's still plenty of time to whip out a New Years frock.  OK, I'm basing this on my production time. How about I clone myself and put those clones to work on your projects? What? They all want their own fabric budget now?  Oops. 

Anyway here are a couple of my current favorite patterns and some lovely fabric pairings. Enjoy...while my clones raid your stash.

1. For the sexy lady about town, the Georgia dress from By Hand London. It would look absolutely breath taking in this cotton border print from Marcy Tilton.

2. My love for Simplicity 2444 is eternal and for good reason. It looks great on many different figures and showcases bold prints with ease. My current bold print obsession is with this pink and white Milly cotton. Oh Milly, you know how to do prints.

3. What could be more classic than a wrap dress?  I've had my eye on the Sew Over It "Ultimate Wrap Dress" for a few months.  It would be oh so fabulous made up in the red/black ITY knit from Sawyer Brook.

4. What's the best kind of party? A cake party! Enter Sewing Cake's Red Velvet which whips up in a flash. For the lace look without all the work, try this Betsy Johnson rayon/lycra. Yum, Yum, Yum.

Happy dress making everyone!

Secret Stash - Motorcycle Jackets

Secret Stash is back and today we're gonna talk about my current garment obsession, Motorcycle jackets. I just can not get enough of them, in leather, in wool, with studs, with crazy zippers.  My pinterest inspiration board just keep getting bigger and bigger!

1. Burda Biker Jacket 135 in Lipstick Stain wool flannel coating from Gorgeous Fabrics. First of all, how sexy is that color name? Mmm yeah, gonna get me some Lipstick Stain and wear it in the middle of gray winter. You can't break me Old Man Winter cause I got my red coat on! *Sashays into a snow drift*
-Spoiler, I'm sewing this pattern (sadly not in red) and it's well drafted with some fun details.

2. Style Arc Prinnie Jacket in Copper faux leather. Oh yes, just think now nice you'll look with that draped front in shiny shiny faux leather.  Like an alternate world Statue of Liberty, but you know, stylish.

3. Kwik Sew 3764 in snow leopard stretch denim from Marcy Tilton. Pay no attention to the frankly horrible sample garments, I've seen this sewn up by women with better style.  Make it up in some stretch denim for a lightweight jacket for the fall. Meeeeow!

Bonus pattern - Seems one of my favorites in the mental catalog, Simplicity 2056, has been taken out of print.

You can still buy it from the Simplicity website or ransack your local JoAnn's. Pay no attention to me as I hover behind you waiting to rip it out of your hands. Score!

P.S. - If you feel like casting a vote for me in the Mae contest just click your way over here. The red bird and I say Thanks!

Secret Stash - Indian Summer

It's already getting cool in my neck of the woods but I'm still thinking about warm weather patterns. Maybe because a bunch of new ones are being shipped to my mailbox....shhhh don't tell my husband. Everybody knows that a sewcialist "needs" new patterns to sew up all that stashed fabric in the lurking closet. You'll back me up on this won't you?

But we're not here to talk about the real stash, but the stuff I'd buy if there was unlimited money and storage space. What am I currently itching to put in my virtual shopping cart?  I'm so glad you asked.

1. Want your own Maria Denmark Edith shirt to wear while strolling around town?  How about using this Dusty Sea Green cotton shirting from Waechter's.  It would look great with either neutral colored or bright shorts. Make sure to tell any would be suitors that your ancestors were Nordic.

2. How gorgeous would the Blueginger doll Mae blouse be in this eyelet from EOS! Pair with a red pencil skirt and get your Joan style vavoom on.

3. Jump on the By Hand London Anna dress craze and make your first one (you're contractually obligated to make at least 3) out of this lovey abstract Carolina Herrera print from Mood Fabrics.

4. Maybe you're more in the mood for some lounging around the house with your beloved dog/cat/toy frog. Whip up some Grainline Studio Lakeside PJ's in this fun teacup print cotton (Also from Waechter's) and you'll always be properly accessorized while drinking a giant mug of tea.

That's all for this episode of secret stash my lovelies.....damn I want that teacup cotton!

Secret Stash - Straddling the Seasons

It probably comes as no surprise to many of you, but I'm constantly surfing the internet for fabric. There are so many pretty fabric babies out there just waiting for a new home and I can't adopt them all.  So I'm staring a new blog segment called Secret Stash to feature a few choice fabrics I'm currently drooling over.*  These are all things I "would" buy if a 5lb box of money fell in my lap tomorrow.  Sadly the weather forecast does not predict boxes of money, so I'll just have to fabric enable all of you instead.  Sorry...not sorry.

For those of you that want to eek out the last bit of summer sewing.....

1. Cotton Feather Batik from B & J Fabrics.  It's no secret that I love feather prints and it would be super adorable made into the Pattern Runway Gathered Sundress. (The fabric also comes in a pink/brown colorway if that's more your speed)

2. Navy Flora Stretch Sateen from Gerties Etsy shop.  Be cool like Gillian and make yourself some flora capries out of the Colette Clover pattern.



For those of you ready to start sewing for fall...

3. Black leathery ribs stretch brocade from Emmaonesock.com.  I love the texture on this and am a bit of a sucker for any kind of stretch woven.  This fabric would be totally bad ass stitched up as a Style Arc Gabby Jacket.

4. Silk and Beige Silk Crepe de Chine from Waechters.  If beige didn't make me look like death warmed over I would have bought this already to make a luxurious Grainline Studio's Archer.

5. Sacre Bleu Knit rayon from Marcy Tilton. Ahhhh cobalt, I love you so much. Can we make pretty dresses together?  How about a nice transitional Kitschy Coo Lady Skater dress with either 3/4 or long sleeves.

That's all for now my dears, go and stash happy.

*My thanks to Leila who said, "You know what you should do?"  and it was pretty much this.