Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Maybe Thinking About Sewing

So I am... maybe thinking about sewing.  Maybe.  Two weeks of a lot of R&R has helped my mood considerably.  Re-organizing my sewing space has helped me fall in love with my stash again.  And reading books and sewing blogs has been sort of fun and inspiring.  Also, a couple of upcoming events have me wanting some new outfits.

So I am wanting to sew, which feels good, like things are getting back to normal.

It's what I want to sew that seems a bit weird.

(1) Color Blocked Dress

Yeah, yeah, I know, this has been a thing for, like, years.  But it doesn't look like it is going anywhere.  Or, at least, it won't until I sew a color blocked dress.  Because, you know, that's how my sewing machine works.  It also controls the weather.  So, once I sew a nice lightweight dress, it will promptly rain.  Anyway, a few patterns I am considering:

BS-09-2010-122.  Yeah, I'm late to the party.  Though, to be fair, when this
issue of the magazine came out I didn't even know what Burda was,
so, there's that.  Thank goodness for Ebay!

BS-08-2014-103.  I actually want to make this as color blocked
and as non color blocked.  One pattern many looks contest?

V1329.  I'm thinking a blue/teal instead of the black/white combo shown here.

V9024.  I have some fun ideas for this one.
(2) A Dress with a High-Low Hem AND Cut-Outs

Yeah, this is another trend I wasn't/still am not too fond of.  But then I saw this Burda dress and I just love it!

BS-08-2014-116.  Yes, I know.  As soon as I make it I'll bring on a cold front the
likes of which SoCal has never seen before.  Eh, if it rains I'll be doing everyone a favor,
so I'm down to try it.  Even if I have to wait a year to wear it.
(3) A Peplum

Yeah, I know, we are so over peplums.  Except I've got fabric from LA that is just begging to be turned into this peplum top/skirt from the August 2012 Burda:

BS-08-2012-113.  I also want to make the skirt!
And, again, yes.  I'm late to the party.
Speaking of which, I want to make a slew of pencil skirts too.  Like, at least 3-4 of them in different fabrics.  Another option for the one pattern many looks contest over at Pattern Review?

(4) A Lightweight Jacket in a Tribal Print


BWOF-03-2003-109A.  I don't know why, but I just really
like this old jacket pattern.  It is casual without being sloppy.
And in a tribal print/ikat sort of fabric?
It would fit right in with current-day Burda!
So, yeah, it's weird you guys.  Dresses and skirts.  Trendy items.  It's like, I don't even know who I am anymore.  When did I go from jeans and t-shirts to wearing this sort of stuff?  And, if I made it, would I wear it?  Or will I just look ridiculous?  Also, does my sewing machine control fashion trends in the same way it controls the weather?  Only time and a little experimenting will tell!

7 comments:

  1. I think I went through the same thing, making these kinds of clothes is much more fun than jeans and t shirts and we don't want the things we make to be stuck in a closet all year. I love all the things you've picked, enjoy making them and wearing them, you won't look ridiculous and the nature of sewing means your wardrobe won't dramatically change overnight so you will have time to get used to it. I definitely want to make the recent Burda colourblock dress too.

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    1. That is a good point - my wardrobe will have time to evolve slowly, and even if I don't like things I can still have fun making them. I think I'm questioning things because I'm at this weird transition point where I feel like I've outgrown most of my clothes (not fit, but style-wise), but I'm not entirely sure where I want my wardrobe to go. I mean, I have styles I really respond to, but I don't know how functional they would be in my daily life. I think I just don't want to waste time making things that won't get worn.

      Also, we are at the odd "it's not summer but we don't really have fall" phase of weather, so that's confusing me too. Heavy knits and woolens are definitely NOT getting worn for at least another month, but floaty summer dresses are not going to cut it in the evenings. Its muddling with my thought process a bit...

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    1. Haha, um, kinda? As in, I'm not technically a post-doc in the academic position sense, and, really, most of the post-docs I knew had rattier jeans and t-shirts than the grad students. It was always like the organic and bio chemists tried to look respectable and dress up, whereas the physical and analytical guys always looked like they were trying to see how grungy they could go before they got yelled at. Inorganic could go either way, depending on which groups they collaborated with the most. It was sort of odd how you could tell someone's specialization just by the way they dressed...

      Anyway, all of this rambling is to say, yes the wardrobe is changing now that I'm out of school, but not because I'm working as a post-doc.

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    2. Soooo - not post-doc in the true sense but definitely Doctor dressing. And I do life how the varying disciplines dress. I was called unexpectedly into a meeting, wearing old trousers and a very ironic tshirt. Two professors from two different Uni's, several researchers & me - the ratty student. Felt really underdressed!

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    3. LOVE not life.

      Really must learn to proof read.

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  3. I can definitely see you in those, especially the first Burda dress and the one with the cutout.

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