Sewing plans for #2017makenine

Happy New Year everyone! I hope NYE was fun, warm and safe whatever you were doing and that 2017 will be a positive year for you all. I have lots of exciting things planned for 2017 so keep your eyes peeled!

Over the last 12 months I’ve been periodically throwing out or donating clothes I don’t wear for whatever reason, and I want to streamline my wardrobe further. I am probably never going to have the perfect capsule wardrobe but as I slowly move towards mostly wearing me-mades, I want to make pieces that work better with everything else, not just one thing.

On instagram there are a couple of hashtags for sharing sewing plans for the new year for those of you who want to check out what other people have planned.

#sewmystyle is a year long project from Bluebird Fabrics who have chosen 12 patterns and created a schedule for participants of the challenge. I decided not to sign up for this challenge as a lot of the patterns are not things I would make or wear. Sign up has now ended but you can still follow along using the same patterns and the schedule here!

#2017makenine was created by Rochelle from Lucky Lucille following the popularity of the ‘2015 Best Nine’ app that appeared at the end of 2015. The idea behind this one is to choose nine projects you want to make to help keep you focused throughout the year. You can read her original post from 2015 here.

The patterns I’ve chosen for this year are ones that I haven’t yet made yet but have had my eye on for a while now. I already have most of them and I hopefully will be able to use up fabrics from my stash. (When I started writing this post I only had 9 patterns in mind but the more I pondered 2 more were added to the list. #2017makeeleven sounds a bit odd though haha!)

1. Steeplechase leggings from FehrTrade. I really enjoy running but sportswear tends to be quite pricey so I want to have a go at making my own.
2. Datura blouse from Deer and Doe. I’ve loved the triangle cut-out version for ages but haven’t yet treated myself to the pattern!
3. Simplicity 1696 Amazing Fit slim trousers. I desperately need trousers for work and I want some casual trousers that aren’t jeans but laziness and an unwillingness to push myself much in 2016 means I never got round to making these. If I can nail the fit then these can be smart or casual depending on what fabric I choose.
4. McCalls 6696 shirt dress. This is the dress that so many sewists I follow have made and love. After discovering I actually quite like wearing dresses occasionally, I picked this up in a sale a few months ago.
5. Button-up cardigan from Threadcount 1607. This was a freebie with a magazine and the cardigan is a classic shape. I wear a lot of cardis as I am a fan of layering, so hopefully I can sew up a rainbow to match all my outfits!
6. Burda 6875 blazer. I love a classic blazer as this can be dressed up or down and again this would work well with the rest of my wardrobe. I haven’t made anything vaguely tailored for years so this should be an interesting challenge.
7. New Look 9483 easy woven tops. I think this was also a magazine freebie but I like the simple shapes and different neckline options which will be great for showing off beautiful fabrics.
8. New Look 6107 tie-front blouse. This too was a magazine freebie (who doesn’t like a free gift haha) but I’ve got some great printed chiffon that would work well for work wear and for everyday wear.
9. Closet Case Files Ginger jeans. I’ve mentioned these so many times in different photo challenges in 2016 and I still haven’t made them! Buying jeans is always a nightmare for me and everyone who has made these rates the pattern very highly so I have high hopes for this project.
10. On The Cutting Floor easy hoodie. Hoodies are great for when you want to be comfy and I wear the only one I have a lot. I could do with one in a neutral colour and at least 1 bright one for running outdoors, so this pattern will be great for casual and sportswear (plus it’s a freebie!).
11. An as yet undecided costume project. I trained as a costume maker at RADA but after moving out of London I’ve had no opportunity to make any historical costumes. This year I plan on making something just to really push myself. I don’t have anything in mind and I certainly don’t have the room to keep it once it has been made so I will probably make it with the intention of donating to a local museum – I think picking what to make will be the hardest part though!

I will be posting at the start of each month what I hope to achieve so my follow-up post for January will be posted tomorrow. I am hoping that regularly reviewing how I’m doing will help me stay focused on making everything in the above list. Last year I picked 9 patterns and succeeded in making just 1 of them!

I also want to make more effort to repair me-mades when they rip or I lose a button etc. I’ve been ignoring a few easy jobs out of laziness for WEEKS and as a seamstress there’s no excuse really! I’m going to try to include these goals in my monthly posts. I definitely want to try to keep on top of blogging as I sew. I’ve neglected my blog somewhat in the last six months 😦

2016 was very up and down for me and for lots of people, so I want to start this year feeling positive. I’m already so excited to see what everyone else has picked for their #2017makenine. It’s going to be a good year!