Spring is here and my mind turns to summer dresses despite my best intentions to make anything but. During the recent sales I splurged on a few new Vogue patterns and during a bout of spring cleaning in the pattern file unearthed a few from last year that never made it to my sewing table. Here are the patterns I am considering.
V1353 has made it into the definite category and I have done my pattern alterations. I have a batik print fabric in navy/white with a vertical stripe that I have never figured out what to do with but this might do the trick. So I plan to cut this one out soon and then sew up as time permits. V1329 I ordered as it seems like a cool way to do color blocking however I think this will wait until winter. Don't you think it would look equally good with long sleeves? Last year I started making V1241 by the same designer and could not get the fit right so I had no intention of trying anything by her again. Oh yeah, every once in a while there is a real stinker that does not make it onto the blog. Not often - but it does happen. It better not happen with my lovely batik from Hawaii.
More possibilities are these two. As long as I have been sewing Vogue designer patterns I have been making Anne Klein patterns, particularly for business wear. I wanted to try that dress on the left, V1327 and I have some dark rose pink wool crepe which might be the right fabric for that dress ($ 2 estate sale purchase). It also has possibilities as a top and would not be too difficult to adapt. The jacket is what caught my eye on the V1293 on the right, however I have taken it out of the envelope several times but never got to the cutting out stage. Something about the fit of the jacket in the shoulders keeps putting me off. Just me or does it look really tight on this very slim model? This one may go back in the pattern box.
Ok, here is one that would be pure indulgence, do I really need V1281 shown on the left? Not at all but it is so pretty and I am crazy for these Donna Karan drapy styles. I like the dark/light combo they are showing. At the Pattern Review SF Weekend this was the one and only item I took at the free pattern giveaway. Perhaps this will be my birthday dress which gives me a few months to get it done. As for V1250, I am making this tomorrow as a present for a friend.
Last up in the dresses category is a Burda envelope pattern (oh I am branching out aren't I?) I saw this pattern in the little booklet which was on the counter in the notions department at Britex. I skimmed through while on the Bart train on my my way home and my eye kept returning to this one. I have two different fabrics that could work with this, one is a stripe which I rarely sew. I like stripes so why is that? Seems I have talked myself into it. hmmmm.
So that is the dress plan for summer, those will be the fun and/or challenging personal projects I have in mind. I would like to make another short sleeve button front shirt, and some t-shirts are waiting to be cut out. Plus another pair of Short-lows (Sewaholic Thurlow shorts) and maybe some Thin-lows (slim pants version).
Bay Area Meetup:
My friend Amy of the SewWell blog is moving to Seattle and she has scheduled a meetup next week in San Francisco. Here is the link to her blog post in case you haven't seen it and are able to join in. She will be missed by her SF bay area friends but of course we will read about her sewing adventures in a new city and next time I am up to Seattle I will pester her for all the inside scoop on fabric shopping in the great northwest.
Sewing Instruction:
One technique I forgot to add to the list of options - reproducing a favorite garment. If you have something that fits well or you just love the shape but would like to have another version we can create a paper pattern from the existing garment (without taking it apart). I did a two blog post on this technique, links here and here.
This is just about the best time of year in the garden, everything is planted and just blooming like crazy. Well most everything is planted... except for the 5 new plants which I should not have bought at recent sale. Best of all, the tomatoes are doing their thing and we should have some in July :) I hope.
Today's SunnyGal garden photo, where I decided this year to incorporate the tomato plants in with all the pretty flowers. So far they seem to like it. This is a Lemon Boy yellow tomato, not ripe but getting there. Yummmm.
Happy spring sewing with patterns new and old,
Beth
Quite a few of those patterns are on my to do list as well. I'm so going to benefit from your experience! Lately i am trying to pay attention to fabric selection as that is where i seem to go most wrong. Looking forward to your summer dresses!
ReplyDeleteOh my- 1281 looks really interesting! Probably beyond me, but you'd make it look easy! I bought 1353 and am in a fabric quandry- can't wait to see what all you do.
ReplyDeleteYour choices are so well suited to your beautiful figure! Have fun sewing your way through these. I think the jacket in 1293 needs more room between the sleeve and collar. The drag lines are really obvious there.
ReplyDeleteI have just received V1329 as part of a Craftsy class on decorative seaming. I hope to make a MUCH more casual rendition of this pattern. Sleeves are a great idea as I think the dress needs a jacket if made up in businesslike color blocking.
Is it just me or does 1353 just look so cartoon-like...the model and dress? That Anne Klein jacket does look like trouble or it could have been clamped in the center back to make it look more fitted. We never really know what goes on in a photo shoot. The 1329 is so 60's isn't it? I worn tons of those styles in high school with the obligatory flower pin or bug pin on my left shoulder area and/or a scarf...so chic...so glad they have brought it back as a basic shape. Living in the Northwest is great!
ReplyDeleteLove, love the Ann Klein red dress. I have the pant suit pattern and something about it bothers me too. It looks not quite right through the upper chest and so I keep putting it away whenever I consider it for a lovely denim i want to make up.
ReplyDeleteI love your dress selections! I know what you mean about the dresses. I love dresses more than anything and feel like my blog is one big lovefest to dresses but I can't imagine not making them!! You have picked a great selection for your summer makes...it will be interesting to follow along. Hope your friend likes V1250 and your tomatoes look great!
ReplyDeleteI like Kay Unger patterns, usually. I have had pretty good luck with her fit. I bought 1329, and 1327 and I am seriously rethinking 1327. I really don't know what I was thinking being a pear shape.
ReplyDeleteI love your tomatoes, mine are doing pretty well, but not quite that big yet. You are blessed to live in a warm climate and get an early start without many frost worries. I can't wait to see your progress, I can almost taste them from here.
Great dress choices -- the Kay Unger ones look especially cute!
ReplyDeleteThose are some lovely pattern choices! I really love the first one, 1353. Really beautiful. I've made up that 1281, last year.
ReplyDeleteoooh loving all your selection! Can't wait to see them sewn up. You can never have too many dresses :-) And yes, I am the same...thinking of sewing summer dresses.
ReplyDelete