Vaguely Vogue - still deciding on my first project for 2012

Yes, still deciding, but certainly not inactive.  I am always making something, however for my first big project of the year I haven't settled on anything yet.  Perhaps due to the run of strangely warm and dry winter we are having I have little desire to make a wool jacket or coat. This extended sunshine makes it seem like summer-dress weather.  OK, you know I love the sunshine and just tolerate winter, but I do like to break out the wool coats once in a while, plus the garden is not happy without a bit of winter rain.  


As for sewing, a little update on recent non-blogged about projects.  I made a pair of wool flannel slacks for my mom. I did a slight alteration on a black wool RTW pair that she had, so I made a pattern from those and then made a pain in charcoal grey flannel.  They are about 3/4 finished, need another fitting and then lining, etc.  I copied exactly her existing pants but the new ones were about 2" big all around, how did that happen?  Pants are so squiggly - you can't really lay them flat and copy as easily as a dress or blouse.  Plus I kind of rushed and used tissue paper, I have had much better success copying onto muslin which you can pin on and mark with pencil.  But once they are done I will have a nice pattern for future use. I did some closet cleaning, and was just about to get rid of a pair of my old pants, when I realized I could cut them apart and make a pants pattern for myself.  Eureka!  I like making pants, they are really quick, but I DISLIKE fitting pants, yuck, that is the worst.  So this may be just the trick, and be helpful for plans outlined below.
Which brings me to my new projects for 2012.  In my December giveaway post I asked for your nominations of a Vogue pattern for me to make in 2012.  There were some great suggestions, really fun to see what you suggested. Although perhaps a bit more glamorous than my usual lifestyle requires. I narrowed it down to 4 choices.


Lisa's choice Vogue 1230             Sham's choice Vogue 1223        Angie's choice Vogue 8754
Badgley Mischka dress                Anne Klein dress                       coat reminiscent of 
                                                                                               Jill Sander's designs

I like the neckline of the Badgley Mischka dress, but gosh another dress, maybe if I get an invite this spring to a formal occasion.   The Anne Klein dress, really pretty and I just got some fabric at a thrift store which will be perfect, so I will put that idea aside for late spring.  The coat on the right - love it - but I have soooo many coats, and this week I am wearing short sleeve t-shirts.  


My choice, suggested by Ruta, is Vogue 1143. I love the jacket, so chic.  I think Vogue frequently does a terrible job on their fabric choice for their photo shoots, almost impossible to see the details and this one is no exception.  The jacket has two layers on the bottom and an interesting shape.  So fabric choice is still holding me up.  Plus it requires knit or woven with stretch . . . interesting.  I did get some grey but I am not sure about it.

Not sure about it because I bought this charcoal grey and blue plaid fabric pictured below in the fall at Stone Mountain Fabrics in Berkeley.  I went on a shopping trip with my sewing pal Jean and had intentions of making a jacket plus maybe pants or a skirt. I am not a stash builder - not when I spend $$ on nice wool, so I would like to get it made up.  I was looking at new patterns and then remembered this pattern which I made about 5 years ago - fits perfectly and will work for matching plaids.

Here is the jacket, which I do wear all the time. It is an odd combo of black and dark blue houndstooth, which seemed like a good idea but it doesn't look quite right with solid black or solid navy blue pants.  However I did make a skirt and pants so I have the whole suit.  It works really with with dark blue jeans, so I often throw it on when I want to look slightly snappier than jeans and a sweater.  The color in the photo on the left is more accurate, on the left shows the front dart into the welt pocket detail.


So that is my plan - to quickly whip up this wool jacket and get that fabric out of the stack and a new jacket into my rotation before wool weather is gone (if it ever arrives).  


Happy Weekend sewing, Beth