Grand Plans-Simplicity 1254

Most of the shawl collar coats I've been seeing this season look like wool bath robes. Which is fine, if that's what floats your boat. But because of that I had kind of skimmed over all shawl collar designs. Until now. Behold! The beauty that is Simplicity 1254 by Leanne Marshall. I'd link you to Simplicity, but apparently they can't be bothered to post their own patterns to their own web page. So to PR, you go!

I still adore my Minoru jacket. In fact, I put it on the other day & my husband said "It's pretty warm out, you won't need your coat." I softly replied, "But I love her," as I tenderly stroked her sleeve...

Ahem.

My Minoru is the perfect casual coat, but I'm going to be needing a dressier wool coat this winter. I bought one 4 years ago at a thrift store and the lining is ripping out and the shoulders are too narrow for me, so it really is (past) time to move on. 

I ordered this pattern from Hancock's earlier this week (for a total of $7, the shipping cost about what it would cost to drive to my not-so-nearby store) and in a moment completely lacking of self control I ordered 3 yards of a "Heathered Purple Wool Flannel".  I was originally just looking for a nice grey, but I couldn't resist the purple in this fabric. Mood also suckered me into buying the lining when it listed it under "Related Products." Don't mind if I do, Mood. That's one stop shopping for you. Wanna see what my coat will look like? Of course you do. 

I'm slightly concerned about this project for a few reasons. One: I've never sewn with wool. Two: This is the most expensive fabric I've ever bought. Three: The pattern was just released so there's no reviews of it yet. Despite those concerns, though, I'm really very exited to get started on it!

Spring SWAP

Rumor has it that Spring is on its way. I live in the Pacific Northwest, and don't anticipate "Spring" weather until May or so, but nevertheless I decided to come up with a plan for my next few projects.  I've found that creating "capsules" really focuses my sewing energies.

Again, I'm focusing on dressier pieces. Jeans & a t-shirt are my day to day at home wear, and though I do have hopes of branching out, I'm just not quite there yet.

I already have all the fabrics & patterns for these pieces. The pink skirt is in progress (along with a non-SWAP tweed skirt) and the geometric print top will be finished today. I love how it turned out.  The jacket is my 'branching out' pattern. It's a woven, and will definitely need muslining (and likely alterations) prior to the actual construction. It also calls for shoulder pads, which is something I've never done.

I ordered a Brother 1034D serger yesterday & it should be arriving next week; I hope to whip out Vogue 1314 as it's maiden project. 

Stay at Home Mom Style: On My Way

I've always been a jeans & t-shirt kinda gal. I was never bothered by skirts, I just...well, how do you improve on blue jeans??

When I was pregnant with my son, with plans of quitting my job when he was born, I promised myself that I would not let myself wear pajamas all day or go without doing my hair. It wasn't so much about vanity (ok, maybe a little) or lookin' good for my man (though that is a perk). It was about how I felt about myself.

Becoming a mother means losing yourself to a more worthy cause. All of a sudden, you are not your priority any more. You eat when the baby is sleeping, you clean with when the baby is sleeping, you wear clothes that make it easier to nurse. You carry a different bag. Function becomes more important than fashion. And I'm a firm believer that that's the way it should be. But it's about balance. I've learned--the hard way--that you can't take care of anyone else unless you're taking care of yourself.

For me, if I'm in lounge pants, I don't get anything done at all. I lounge. All day. I'm lazy. And then I feel gulty for being lazy.

So I get dressed. I do my hair. I put on makeup (some days it's minimal). And I recognize myself when I look in the mirror. It reminds me that I'm still me. Jenna. Not "just" Mommy to Shawn & Laila. The spit up on my shirt will tell you that I'm Mommy. The chocolate smeared across my thighs will tell you I'm Mommy. But from the shoulders up...it's all me. :)

I'm finding though, that my basic jeans & t-shirt uniform is starting to feel a lot like lounge pants to me.  So I'm looking to up my game, so to speak.  I created a basic fall wardrobe using Polyvore. (That's it in the beginning of this post). You'll notice it's still jeans & t-shirts. But accessories & layering take it to the next level. An easily attainable level.

This post took a totally different direction than I had originally intended, so we'll make this Part 1.  Next week, I'll post some great style resources, and share how I came up with my very own "wardrobe".

Sewing with a Plan

I have a ton of patterns & a fair amount of fabric yardage stashed.  And yet, I find myself browsing (and ultimately, buying) more. So I decided to take a good long look at what I have. And, really, there weren't any patterns or fabric that I forgot I had. So, that's good. I will not consider my stash out of control just yet. :)

Very rarely do I buy fabric "just because". I always have a pattern or at the very least a garment in mind for it. But as new patterns come out, or I come across new fabrics, the others that I did have plans for drop down the list of things to sew.

And Spring is coming! A lot of the fabric I bought when I was just getting into sewing is back in season. Gauze, linen, light weight cottons. It seemed only natural that I make a Spring Sewing Plan. I came up with 4 tops & 3 skirts. Plus a dress (maybe two, if my Crepe turns out, but it's not lookin' real promising from here). Here's a  quick look (created on Polyvore, again.)

Spring Sewing by Seamstress In Training on Polyvore.com

And here are my actual fabrics:  

 

I'm not really sure about the pink & black plaid. I had bought the fabric to use for something for my daughter, and so now every time I see it, I have a hard time picturing it as a "grown up" straight skirt.

I've done a muslin for the Pendrell, and I've decided to do a couple alterations--I think I'll need to take the hips in a bit. I've also sewn the straight skirt (McCalls 3830) but it turned out too big, so I'll be adjusting that pattern a bit as well. 

That being said, I think I'm going to start with the knit Cardigan. It should be pretty quick project & it will give me a fresh start. We'll see where inspiration leads me from there.

My plan may be a bit ambitious, but if you aim for the moon, even if you miss you're bound to land amongst the stars, right?? And the important thing is that I get some of this yardage sewn up...so I can buy more. :)

Upcoming Projects

I found this apron pattern on Etsy the other day & decided to buy it. I just couldn't resist the Sweetheart neckline. So, on my trip to Joann's I picked up some fabric to whip a couple up.

I chose a black & white print with hot pink straps for myself & a big, beautiful floral print with black straps for my sister (because of the print, I might just do a straight neckline, but I haven't made up my mind yet.) I can't wait to get started!

And for Simplicity 2572 I'm going to do View D (the hoodie) in a black & pink plaid. This will actually be my very first project from a Big 4 pattern. I gotta admit, I'm a little intimidated. :D