My Imminent Sewing Plans

Okay.  So I'm ready to stop neglecting this blog.  Really and truly.  Ready.  Here are a few visuals of the sewing projects that I've queued up:

I've fallen in love with these 1970s Annie Hall style high-waist, wide-leg pants.  Head-over-heels in love!  It's Vogue 8836.  Very difficult to tell from the scan, but I'll be using this heathered blue and brown woven suiting fabric to bring these to life (view B).

The Colette "Beignet" Skirt from this amazing vintage 1970s leaf and mushroom print twill fabric that I've had in my stash for, like, 10 years (!) now...'cause it's so awesome and I've been saving it for something special.  I know I'm probably the last seamstress on earth to tackle this, but better late than never!

I love the late 1950s Brigitte Bardot look of these high-waist, skinny leg knit pants.  Designed by Katherine Tilton for Vogue (V8837).  These have interesting seaming details that aren't even captured in the photo from the pattern envelope.  To be made using a heathered brown interlock knit.   

Another Colette Patterns Skirt - "Ginger."  Simple A-line design that will work well for this crazy busy 1980s splatter print twill fabric!

Tie-front blouse from the October 2010 issue of Burda Style Magazine (although I downloaded the pattern from their website).  I'll be using this slightly retro floral and vine print purple-hued cotton fabric !

I'm really looking forward to getting back into the sewing groove.  Now, off to decide which of these projects to tackle first.....

Projects in Progress

So the most prominent project in progress at the moment is a special quilt that I'm making for two of my dearest friends who are getting married in mid-October!  While I have the ability to do the piecing and quilt binding my faithful, but simple, Singer sewing machine won't quite do the trick for the actual quilting.  So I have until the end of August to finish the piecing, then I'm sending it off to an "expert" for the heavy-duty work.  I want to keep this a secret, so I can't show photos just yet!

In addition to the wedding in October, I'm also attending a wedding with my boyfriend in September, and I'm desperately in need of a cute and chic dress to wear to both of these!  This is where Chantilly from Colette patterns comes to the rescue!  I'm kind of late to the Colette patterns party.  And when I mean late, I mean mega-late......this will be my first time sewing a Colette pattern!

Since the design has a light and airy Spring/Summer feel to it, I will be using this lovely, autumn-hued crinkled chiffon which will be lined with a fabric that exactly matches the splashes of green in the print:

It's been a long while since I've sewn a dress for myself, so I'm really looking forward to this!  In addition to the Chantilly dress, I have started to plan my fall sewing projects.  I recently went on a bit of a pattern-buying binge, including the Scout Woven Tee, Violet, Ginger and Beignet from Colette patterns and the Betty High Waist Panties from Ohhh Lulu.  I have so much fabric in my stash that planning has actually been super-easy! 

Lastly, I also discovered a fantastic blog today - Clothes On Film - where the aim is to "examine costume and identity in movies."  Of recent note, there is an article about the costumes in Breakfast at Tiffany's and another about a new adaptation of Anna Karenina and a possible collaboration between the costume designer Jacqueline Durran and Banana Republic.    

Until next time......happy sewing!!!

Score!

I found some great vintage patterns at a thrift store today, which doesn't happen too often! My only complaint - this particular thrift store likes to mark across the front of the envelopes with a black china pencil.

This one escaped the wrath of the black china pencil! I often find vintage patterns that are in girl's sizes that I really like. I've had success drafting & sizing a few of them up to my size and I'm hoping to do just that with this one!

This pattern somehow escaped the wrath of the china pencil as well! If time allows, I hope to make this cute overalls & jacket outfit for my son when he is officially a toddler.

1970s hooded coat pattern. I have a bunch of wooden toggle buttons that I need to find a use for!

I hate to admit it, but I grabbed this pattern solely for the E.T. hot iron transfer that was inside.

I'm a big fan of 1970s high waist wide-leg pants! Plus, the little topper jacket is SO CUTE (although I would lengthen it quite a bit).

From the 1970s McCall's "Marlo's Corner" pattern series. I've always loved empire waist dresses, especially ones with a bohemian flare like this one. If I'd found this pattern a little earlier in my pregnancy, it would have made a cute maternity dress!

"Meditation or Guru Shirt" pattern from 1968. This is so great! I love how it's modeled as a mini-dress in View 1.