Saturday 26 March 2016

Sewing Dreams

In the absence of being able to blog any completed dressmaking projects, I'm going to blog about my sewing plans. Or dreams, we should really call them because the reality of my actually being able to start any of these projects any time soon is looking slim.

I'm currently 7 1/2 months pregnant and I'm definitely feeling it ... everything seems to take twice as long and I get tired so easily. I'm at the point where physically getting out of bed takes effort and I can never seem to get comfortable for very long.

I only have 5 working days left, currently having the next two weeks off before I have to go back to work for one more week. And then my maternity leave will officially begin. In my mind, I'm planning on using some of that time to make a start on a summer wardrobe. However, In reality I don't know how much energy I'm going to have for sewing.

So here's my wishlist of what I would like to be sewing ...

1. Turquoise Floral Sleeveless Blouse



I made a red floral sleeveless blouse from the 40's style blouse pattern by Gertie Sews Vintage Casual last summer. It was a great success and I wore it loads - even into the start of Autumn for work. This turquoise and pink flower print fabric comes from a fabric haul at the beginning of last summer from Walthamstow Market. It's out of my usual colour palette but I was attracted to the bright colours. I have been dying to get this sewn up as I think it would be a really useful addition to my wardrobe. I bought the buttons to match but am not really sold on them - I've been on the look out for some bright pink ones. 

2.  Navy Short Sleeve Shirt Dress




Another fabric from my Walthamstow Mark haul last summer, I bought this navy tile print with the intention of making a shirt dress. I think the print lends itself to all seasons - I can imaging wearing it in the Summer with tan sandals and in the Winter with navy tights boots and a cardi. I made a sleeveless black floral shirtdress last year using McCalls M6696. It is a very good patten and fitted me very well straight from the packet - absolutely no adjustments to make. This time I'd like to make one with short sleeves.

3. Heart Print Mimi Blouse



I've made a couple of versions of the Mimi blouse from  Love at First Stitch by Tilly Walnes but am still not happy with the sleeves. They hit at the widest part of my upper arms and so I would like to try another version, but substituting the sleeves from the Megan dress. I'm not sure if this will work but can imaging this fabric making a beautiful blouse.

4. Chambray Short sleeve blouse



I first saw a beautiful version of the New Look 6107 on another sewing blog (can't remember who now) and so I snapped it up for around £3 in the Jaycotts sales ages ago. I've had some of this chambray fabric left over in my stash for a while and would like to make a blouse using the contrasting white/blue stripes as the yoke. The buttons were saved from an old vest I threw out.

I have so many plans for the fabric that I currently have stashed away and that is without buying any new fabrics or patterns. I don't yet know how I am going to manage to fit sewing around my new role as a Mum, but I am determined not to loose this hobby that I enjoy so much. Hopefully once baby is here, we have moved house (which is in the not too distant future) and things have settled I will have a better idea. Until then, I dream of all the things I'd like to sew.

What are your sewing dreams?