Hard to believe its 2018 already…Happy belated New Year everyone!  I’ve been working on my winter wardrobe planning for quite a bit now and I’m excited to share a few of the things I can’t wait to start making! This year I’m focused on filling some holes in my wardrobe and making my daily wear all handmade. So of course I’m participating again in Rochelle’s 2018 Make Nine!  I love seeing everyone’s plans on Instagram and was pretty successful with last years challenge.

I’m aiming for 9 full looks but since most of these mix and match I think its very doable over the entire year. I’ll make a few of the cold weather pieces now and complete the rest in the fall. I  purposely designed complete looks as I know in the past I’ve made pieces (like this jacket) that just don’t go with anything else in my wardrobe.  Plus the knits (mostly tees and leggings) work with everything and take hardly anytime to make.I really enjoy the planning, design and sketching that goes into wardrobe planning.  Right now I’m reading Anuschka Rees’ The Curated Closet and taking a Masterclass with Marc Jacobs (best gift ever-Thanks Mom!) on fashion design. I’ve followed Anushcha’s steps from her blog Into Mind in the past to wardrobe detox and design my wardrobe plans so her book is a perfect refresh.

I’m not going seasonal so these looks should work year round with a few layering pieces for the cold. I’ll do another smaller planning session for summer but at this point it’s my fall/winter/spring wardrobe that is lacking the most.  I have tons of summer makes but when it gets chilly it feels like I have nothing handmade to wear. Especially since my style/taste has changed so much since I began sewing when my kids were babies. I really want to work on having a complete wardrobe this year as by next year-fingers crossed- I’ll be starting my business and my sewing time won’t be focused on myself.

2018 Sewing Inspiration Mood Board:

Main colors: blue, orange/rust/coral, lavender, rose Accents: tropical florals, stripes, turquoise Neutrals: cream, pale grey, white, navy

Outfit Formulas:

• fitted knit tee + midi skirt + converse
• fitted knit top + wide leg pant + flats
• jacket + tee + skirt/pant + flats
• tunic + leggings + sandals/flats
• dresses + sneakers/flats
• jacket + fitted knit tee + slim pant/skirt

Many of these makes are pretty basic so they’ll be easy sews.  A few, like the tweed jacket, are couture pieces that I’ll focus more time on hand sewing.  I’ve already been working on the jacket for a month now.  I’m also going to try to incorporate some new techniques in a few of these makes.  I want to try out a few button placket techniques and I’m thinking about block printing the jacket myself.  I have my degree in printmaking but haven’t used those skills since the kids were born.  I’m easing back into it with some stamp carving.  I’m hoping to take the printmaking mixer class at YAA (Young at Art) to get back in the swing.

Some of the sewing patterns I’ll be using:

click on the pictures to view the pattern links

2018 Make Nine:

left to right,top to bottom: Anne Klein V1509 Pant, Slope Knitted Tank by Shibui Knits, Anne Klein Jacket + Cropped Pant V1571, Today’s Fit Sandra Betzina V1541(modified), Burda Flared Skirt, Anne Klein Dress V1543, Lynn Mizono V1246, Claire Shaeffer Jacket V9250, Very Easy Vogue Pants A + C V9502.

I’m really looking forward to making these looks. I do tend to sew mostly from Vogue patterns lately. Their classic designs and well thought out construction always appeal to me.  Plus I’ve made so many now that it’s easy to quickly alter and size them to fit( I’m a pretty consistent size 12).  I’m trying to fill out my wardrobe so most of these pieces will work together and be year round wear. So a few pants (no jeans this year I have more then enough), some interesting jackets, one dress, one tunic and one skirt.  The knit tops and tees plus another tunic and dress will be self drafted.  I’m slowly improving my patternmaking skills. 

I have one knitting project planned as well.  I love a hand project to work on watching TV (or the kids) and have missed having a project to work on.  I could really use another sweater right now but by the time I finish it will be too late in the season so I’m going with a tank(both pictured below), Slope by Shibui Knits in Willet (colorway=dory) a worsted weight California Cleaner Cotton from Quince and Co.  I wear my other knit tanks, in sparrow and blue spruce, all year round, they’re perfect for Florida. I’ll have to start a sweater later in the year if I want to wear it in winter.

Here’s a closer look at the sketches from my sewing planner:

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I did pretty well last year with my 2017 Make 9. I made 7 out of nine-though two were muslin versions.  I’m counting them though! The only one I don’t wear regularly is the Marilyn dress.  It photographed beautifully but the sleeve is just not for me. The sleeve is just too much.  I’ll remake the fabric-which is so pretty into another Odgen tank I think.

The two pieces I didn’t complete will still be finished eventually, I included the pant (shown with the orange shirt) in this years list.  I also plan on making the Kelly Anorak again as a rain coat but probably won’t get to that until much later in the year. I love my pattern tested version though I never blogged that make.  I made it when it was way too hot to take good pics of it.   I really want to make my second version in a William Morris laminated print I saw but it’s quite pricey.  I’ll have to save up for that splurge.

Here are the links to the finished projects from top left to right:  Marilyn Dress, Koos Jacket ( I made and wore this for the Coldplay concert we went to in August!!!), White Morgan Jeans (sadly a bit tight right now),  Vogue Shorts (worn at Disney for my Jasmine look), Carolyn PJ’s(which I wear constantly!), Odgen Cami (another fav!), and my Kelly Anourak (made during pattern testing and unblogged).

The kids and I enjoyed a little mini vacation with my mom last week.  I even got to go to the movies (I finally saw The Last Jedi) and shopping by myself which was a wonderful refresh after being with the kiddos constantly for winter break.  Friday we spent the day with the kids and their cousins at the Frost Science Museum in Miami-amazing! Sunday we spent a very chilly day at the beach.  Now it’s back to school for the kiddos and back to work for me.  Hope you’re all enjoying the New Year and staying warm!  Happy Sewing!