Planning for Autumn/Winter

Now I know what you're thinking, 'it's still August so Summer isn't over yet!' and I 100% agree. However when you sew most of your own clothes you have to think ahead. If I want my warm clothes to be ready for the cold weather I need to get my skates on and start sewing them soon. So I thought I would share with you a few things I am thinking about making for this coming winter.

As I have said before, I am not going to make things just for the sake of having something to make.  I don't want to waste time or money on clothes unless I actually need them. That said I've wanted to make a coat for a while even though I probably have enough coats so you never know!

Trousers
When the colder whether approaches I wear trousers much more often. My favourite pair of jeans (that I love) are beginning to disintegrate so I think I've reached the point where making some more is in order. I have been eyeing up the Ginger Jeans pattern from Closet Case Files for a while:

I think these jeans look great and I have only seen good reviews of the pattern so far. I am also tempted by the Ultimate trousers from Sew Over It:

Plus isn't the styling in this photo just the cutest? I am currently undecided between these two patterns and probably wouldn't invest in both in one season. The jeans would be easier to wear and more of a fun sewing challenge but the ultimate trousers are available in a printed pattern, would be easier to make and would definitely help me get my vintage on. What do you think?

Knits
My favourite thing about winter wear is wrapping up all warm in layer upon layer of knits. So Snuggly. Problem is - I can't knit. There are a few options open to us non-knitting folk.

The above is Curvy-Sewing-Collectives version of the Jenna Cardigan by Muse Patterns. I am very tempted by this pattern. It has lots of different options for lengths and sleeves so is a pretty versatile pattern and I know I would get lots of wear out of it- especially in Autumn and Winter. I would love to find a pattern somewhere for a big slouchy cardigan too for when the extra cold weather comes- any ideas? I am yet to find one I like though, maybe I'll just have to learn to knit?!?

Coats
So as I mentioned above I don't actually need a coat. I have a warm jacket, a waterproof coat and a big fur (fake) coat for the coldest days. But I do think it would be really fun to make a coat! I absolutely adore this coat:

Made by my friend Jacq over at Jacq-Made-It. It is warm, stylish and slightly easier to make than a full on sleeved coat. I think it would look amazing with a pair of black Ginger jeans right? Another (slightly more tricky) coat I have my eye on is the Cascade Duffle coat from Grainline Studios:

Super warm and a fun sewing challenge. My biggest concern about this coat though is that I haven't sewn with thicker fabrics like the wools you really need for this type of coat, and they are quite expensive so I would be extremely nervous that I would waste it all on a failed attempt. Eeek.

Dresses and Tops
The Ginger Jeans are not the only pattern from Closest Case Files that tickles my fancy. I also have been about to buy the Nettie Bodysuit pattern about 5 times so far and then thought better of it because I have lots of other things already to sew up. I am pretty sure I will actually go for it though this season because the pattern just has so many variations that I know I would use in the colder weather:

I can just imagine wearing a nice thick knit dress made from this pattern in the autumn and then layering up the bodysuit version in the winter with a cardigan and coat. This pattern is pretty much at the top of my list so there isn't much of a question here.

I am not short of dresses at the moment though so I don't think I'll be buying any other dress patterns for a bit. In terms of other tops I'd like to make myself another caroline shirt, possibly a dark wash chambray and another tartan one?

Skirts
Finally for skirts, I think its unlikely I'll buy any new skirts patterns this year. In the Autumn winter I think I would like to make another pencil skirt, (possibly in houndstooth) and I have the Charlotte skirt pattern from By Hand London for that. I also have a very large ladies leather jacket that I am going to try and make into an A-line skirt using the Delphine pattern from Love At First Stitch (From Tilly and the Buttons). I find these more structured skirts are much easier to wear when the wind is a-howling!

So I think I have plenty to be getting on with! What are your sewing plans for the next few months? Zoe x

Geometric Emery Dress

Hold the phone, stop the bus and start a newsflash! It's an Emery dress! I think I have seen more Emery dresses, or variations of, than any other pattern so this isn't really newsworthy stuff here. However I think I made the best one. At least its my personal favourite. Since this is one of the only two I can actually wear I think thats perfect. I am delighted with the finished item.

Things I love about this dress:
1. The fabric! When I saw this fabric at Guthrie&Ghani I couldn't leave it in the (online) shop. I think it is beautiful and the colours are basically my chosen colour palette all in one fabric. In real life the print is just as gorgeous and really suits my style.
2. The fit is almost perfect, I've made one other Emery dress and the fit seemed pretty good so I didn't make any changes. I was actually planning to make some this time having not really done any alterations before (and I wanted to try it out) but it turns out, at least for this pattern, I don't really need to.
3. The dress pattern is really lovely. I can see why this dress is one of the most popular patterns for the last few years on the blogosphere, its simple, elegant and flattering without being overly dressy.
4. It is very wearable and fills (or starts to fill) the 'I need a few more casual(ish) dresses' gap in my wardrobe. This was something I identified during Me-Made-May and I know some people wouldn't describe this as casual however I would definitely wear it on the school run (and have) so I give it the casual seal of approval.

Things I'd consider doing differently next time:
1. While I absolutely LOVE the design of the fabric, its a little bit itchy. This may be in part because I've worn it during the hottest week I can remember living through but even when its a little cooler its still just a teensy bit itchy. Nothing so bad that I won't wear it, and even if I had felt this fabric before buying I love the print so much that I would have bought it any way because, well - did I mention I love the print? But its not quite as soft as I expected.
2. The general fit is great but the armholes are quite low under my arms. I guess I didn't notice this on my first one because it has sleeves but I'll probably try and change this next time.
3. I'd use a longer zip. I really wanted to try and make a whole dress without looking at the instruction (and I did) so was pretty proud when it was finished, but after I had already inserted the zip I realised it was not the right length so I have to perform some pretty funky looking acrobatics to actually put it on. My daughter actually said to me when I first tried it - 'Mummy I think you have made it too small.' Well I proved her wrong - but it wasn't easy. Next time looking at the instructions just for this detail would totally be Ok with me.

Next on my sewing table is some workout gear so a BIG step away from this, but I kind of like the contrast. I'll show you it all in good time. Happy Summer! Zoe x

Lessons from Me-Made-May 2015

Wow another Me-Made-May has come to an end, and for me this year was a roaring success. I managed to wear a handmade outfit every day for the whole month without repeating any complete outfits. This was a pretty exciting moment for me and felt like a graduation from someone who makes and wears her own clothes into someone who has a complete handmade wardrobe. That's not to say that I didn't have any problems or gaps in my wardrobe- I certainly did- but that I have now made enough items that I actually enjoy wearing, that can be mixed and matched together and I can build on what I have already to fill my wardrobe. If you follow me on Instagram you will have already seen every outfit but here I will share a few other things I learnt over the past month.

1. My Capsule Wardrobe Works!
My biggest goal during May was to see if working on my capsule wardrobe had been worth the effort, and it DEFINITELY has. I had loads of items to choose from that could be mixed and matched together, that suited my style, to create lots of fun outfits. Altogether I only wore (about) 18 items, but managed to create 31 different outfits from these items. I admit that by the end of the month I was starting to get a little bored of the restriction but I think if I were to add a handful of new items it would spice it up a little.

2. I need some more icing (or as some people call it 'frosting')
I have focused so hard in the last few month on creating a capsule wardrobe that I have made loads of basics and very few fun, patterned items. Some people have called this making 'cake not icing'. Every one loves some icing and making the cake is the slightly less enjoyable part. I however have so much cake that I need some more icing to bring back the joy of dressmaking. Plus one of the main advantages of being able to make ones own clothes is that you can make something a bit different and not what every one else is wearing so it'll be good to take advantage of this a bit more. I will probably try from here on out to alternate between making a basic and then a fun item so I keep a good balance as I go forward, after all I don't want to waste all the work I have put in so far.

3. I love wearing dresses
Linked closely to the 'needing more icing' lesson I realised how much I enjoy wearing dresses. I now have a few fancy(isn) dresses (here and here) and a few casual dresses (here and here) but since I enjoy wearing them more than anything else I would really like to make a few more. The next item planned is going to tick this box so stay tuned.

4. I don't have many warm handmade clothes
Every day I started out wearing totally handmade but often, especially nearer the beginning of the month, I would add a few extra layers to keep myself warm and occasionally I changed altogether. Items I lack include jeans, cardigans, leggings and a handmade coat. These are all on my 'to sew' list going forward and I am thinking about trying a 'Me-Made-Winter-Week' to test out my winter capsule wardrobe sometime in either November or January. What do you think, would you be up for it? I for one wouldn't manage a whole month in the winter but a week would be a nice starting point.

5. I would really like some handmade sportswear
I literally never thought I would say this. I hated exercising until about 2 months ago when a friend of mine persuaded me to enter a mini triathlon with her. I know, talk about diving in at the deep end - literally. Since it had been so long since I last pounded the pavements I decided to start a training program to make sure I was up to fitness. This meant lots of exercise. And I did not have enough to wear. I am now totally addicted to exercising (another thing I never thought I would say) so some handmade cycle shorts, cycling top, running top etc are now also on my list. Whew that was a much longer story than I thought. During May my sportswear was all shop bought and I intend to change this soon. I have my eye on these shorts and this top pattern to start with, maybe advancing to a trisuit at some point?!

So that is quite a lot of learning from just one month of wearing handmade. From my long list of things to make it seems like there will be lots of activity around here over the next few months. Can't wait to get sewing. Zoe x

A Holly Non-Jumpsuit Dress

I love this fabric! I saw it on So-Zo-What-Do-You-Know blog on a holly playsuit way bag in September. Then in January I saw a bolt end at a slightly reduced price at Fabric Godmother and couldn't resist. Once it arrive I kept it in a drawer for a little while unsure what to make with it. But when I saw a holly dress on What Katie Sews I was pretty sure that work well for this fabric. And I think it rocks.

I only finished it after May started, but since my Me-Made-May pledge is to wear a different outfit each day I haven't had much opportunity to wear it. I am therefore having to be a little creative about new ways to make it work.

This dress, in my opinion, is casual enough for everyday. Sure I could dress it up or wear it out if I wanted to but I love a dress that I can wear every day and for me this one wins. If you fancy making one then you'll need a copy of the Holly Jumpsuit pattern from By Hand London and there is a tutorial on their blog here.

I am fairly confident I'll make another one of these soon but I often say that and then get distracted by something else so I won't make any promises this time. I'll give you a roundup of all my Me-Made-May outfits at the end of the month. See you soon. Zoe

Me Made May 2015

So it's that time of year when sewing bloggers and home sewists the world over put their handmade wardrobes to the test. If you haven't heard of Me-Made-May before then check out this post here on the So Zo blog for more info. Last year I tried to wear one item of handmade each day, I loved the challenge and I found it extremely useful to figure out what I should sew next. You can read more about my lessons from last year here. Looking back at last year I realise how few of those early garments that I made are still being worn. I have spent quite a bit of time since then trying to focus on a particular style rather than just sewing whatever pops into my mind. I have written about this process in my capsule wardrobe posts. There have been good sides and bad sides to this but I am going to put my capsule wardrobe to the test during May this year. Hopefully by the end of the month I'll have worked out where my new wardrobe gaps are.

So my challenge for this year is to put my capsule wardrobe to the test by wearing a different outfit every day throughout May. I will include RTW knits, underwear, accessories and my chambray shirt but all other items will be handmade. I just had a look and saw that there are currently 385 people signed up for this years challenge so it will be loads of fun.

I'll probably share quite a few pictures of my outfits on instagram (@zoeblofeld) and I will write a round up post once I am done. If you are interested in seeing the garments in my capsule wardrobe so far I am going to list them below, I may also make a few more during the month so come back if you want to see what I am making. Can't wait for May (not long now) Zoe x

Tops
Navy Stripe Plantain
Short Sleeved Stripe Plantain (now complete)
Stripe Crop Top
Cherry Mimi Blouse
Gingham Peplum Top
Caroline Shirt
Black T-shirt (not yet completed)

Bottoms
Black 'skinnified' jeans 
Denim Delphine
Denim Circle Skirt
Tartan Circle Skirt
Charlotte Skirt

Dresses
Two Tone Laurel Dress
Emery Dress
Holly Jumpsuit
Lilou Dress
Stripey Summer Dress
Birds Holly dress (not yet completed)

Denim Skirts and Blogging Habits

Hey everyone. It's been a little while between posts recently around here and that has kind of taken me by surprise. Blogging used to be one of my favourite things about DIY projects, I couldn't wait to finish it so I could get it up on the blog. I am taking a more relaxed approach at the moment and I think it's likely I'll continue this way. I am enjoying posting just occasionally about what I make and I am definitely taking blogging a little less seriously, it'll be quite light hearted, infrequent and more 'look what I made' than 'here is how you can do this' for now. 

I have still been making things though and this skirt was promised a couple of weeks ago here. It's just a simple circle skirt made with some leftover fabric from my two-tone denim dress.

I think I was feeling particularly self-conscious about being photographed on this day though because I don't look at all relaxed in these photos. Well except the one at the top but you can't actually see most of my face in that one, I guess that's why I liked it. I have been getting much more comfortable about having my outfit photos taken but this was just one of those days.

There is little more to say about this skirt so I think I'll just leave it there for now. I am still deciding what I am planning for me-made-may this year but I'll let you know when I do. Zoe x

Sewing Plans and Stash Busting

Over the last few weeks I've been having a sort through all my fabric. I rediscovered quite a few pieces that I bought over the last couple of years but never got round to using. I also found several pieces of half used fabric which I intended to use up but never got round to. I decided that I should take a month making things out of these 'forgotten' fabrics before buying a whole load more that would just sit in the cupboard.

What follows are some of the projects I've started, some I am planning and others that I need some help deciding what to do. Fancy helping me out? Then lets go!

First of all I am re-making my stripy plantain tee, this one that then shrunk in the wash and became this one. Sadly I didn't have enough fabric left for a long sleeve one but was pleased to be able to cut out a short sleeve version. That should be ready soon because it's such a quick pattern to whip up.

I've also been chopping up some old clothes to turn into new ones. The above used to be a black 'body- con' dress which I never ever wear so I have chopped off the top and I'm going to turn it into a simple black skirt. I think it'll look good if a little shorter than I would usually choose.

I've also started a circle skirt made with the lighter denim I used for the sleeves and pockets of this dress. I always intended to make a skirt too so bought enough fabric especially. I love to try and make more than one thing from the same fabric because it saves money in the long run.

Now for a few things I am planning to make but haven't started yet. I made a little dress for my niece out of the above fabric and I have lots left. I am pretty sure I am going to make myself a top (or two) out of it even though it probably isn't my usually style. What do you think? Should I go for something a little more adventurous? I would really like to buy the nettie bodysuit pattern but am reluctant because you can only get a pdf version at the moment (and these drive me mad). This fabric is really stretchy though so I think it would be a good pattern to use.

I also have some black and some white jersey. I think the black would be better as a simple tee or vest but the white is also stretchy enough to make a bodysuit from. I definitely need to make some more basics still so I should really bump these two up the queue. Its more fun to sew with patterned fabric though right? Which brings me to this fabric:

I bought this spotty fabric nearly 2 years ago and still haven't decided what to do with it. When I ordered it I didn't read the description properly and thought it wasn't so sheer and when it arrived I was scared to use it. I think I am probably up to the challenge now though given how much practise I have had in those 24 months but I can't decide what to do with it! Part of me would like to make a really simple vest or tee, maybe a laurel? The other part of me thinks it would make a gorgeous mimi blouse, maybe with a peter pan collar though, but I am not sure! What do you think?

And last to decide upon is this beauty. I bought it on a whim after seeing this playsuit. I love it, I just don't know what to do with it. My options are some narrow leg trousers, a laurel dress, a playsuit, an Anna dress, some kind of top or basically anything else you can think of! Since I love it I really want to make something that I will actually wear out of it but also I want to be able to make all of the above because I like the idea of lots of options. So what do you think about this one? I am open to other ideas here so let me know.

As you can see I have lots I can do without really spending any money so I will probably be busy at least until the end of April and if not through May as well. I am in the process of taking photos of each handmade item currently in my wardrobe so I can see what outfit options I have and make some sense of my growing capsule wardrobe. I'll show you when I am done. See you soon. Zoe x

Two-Tone Denim For A Lovely Laurel

Is it ok that my 18 month old niece was my style inspiration for this dress? Well, whatever, that's who it was ok? She has a super cute tunic, with the two tone denim and raglan sleeves. It's lovely. I figured I could pull off a grown-up version especially since denim is everywhere this season.

The pattern is Laural from Collette patterns. It is actually the third time I have used this pattern. Once with a fabric that it turns out I really don't like so you will probably never see that. The other is a simple white top which I am yet to photograph. I bought the pattern in order to make myself more basics to add to my capsule wardrobe and I'd say this one gets the seal of approval.

The finished dress is one of those items that makes me feel really proud that I can make my own clothes. It didn't require any complicated sewing techniques and the fabric is an easy one to sew with but it is something I know I will wear many times. Here's to having bare legs more and more in the next few months! Zoe x

Charlotte Skirt (and a Crop Top)

In case you didn't notice when I posted about my spring floral dress, I am already thinking ahead to spring and summer. Us sewing girls have to think ahead and make items well in advance of the season in which we plan to wear them if we want to finish them in time. So way back at the beginning of January I made myself a Pencil Skirt using the Charlotte Skirt pattern from By Hand London. I bought the printed pattern (I always prefer a pre-printed pattern) but you can now download a pdf version too if you'd rather.

The pencil skirt is a favourite shape of mine, in fact I think it flatters just about any woman on the planet. Since it isn't always the most practical of shapes when you have pre-school kids I made it in a slightly stretchy fabric to give me that little extra freedom of movement. I have actually worn it a few times already although usually more like this:

So I don't catch frostbite. I am already finding it a super versatile item so I can definitely give it the 'capsule wardrobe' seal of approval.

The crop top was sort of an accidental make. Do you remember this stripy tee? Well I obviously didn't pre-wash the fabric enough because it shrunk in the wash. Bummer.

Now clearly it didn't go straight from a long sleeve, regular length top straight to a short sleeve crop-top just in the washing machine, I did have to put some effort in. I took the hem up to about 2 inches above my belly button and cut the 'not quite full length sleeves' to short sleeves. I also took the top in at the side seems so that you couldn't see straight up it. Not exactly sure how some one would end up in a position where they could do that but it made me feel more comfortable nonetheless. The skirt has had a few outings but the top is yet to be seen in public. I don't quite feel comfortable enough for that yet! Hopefully when it gets hotter (when not if) then I'll be desperate to wear it more. Only then will it too be granted the capsule wardrobe status.

At the moment I am having a bit of a denim day so hopefully I can show you the fruits of my labour soon. Zoe x

An Emery Dress For Spring

 

It feels a bit like I've been hibernating over the past few weeks, I haven't done a lot of sewing and absolutely no blogging at all. What better way to come out of my winter sleep than by sharing a spring dress? This is my first Emery dress and I am pretty pleased with it. When I first made it though it was a  better fit but now has a bit of room both in the tummy and the back so I'll adjust for this next time.

 

My fabric was bought when I was supposed to be sale shopping in January but this was too lovely to leave behind. The colours look much brighter in real life. It isn't exactly following the plan of making a 'capsule wardrobe' either but it does fit my colour palette and flatters my shape so I am sure I will wear it lots.

Now I just need it to warm up even more out there and I'll be able to start wearing it for real. I have also made a couple of items which fit more into my capsule wardrobe so I'll be sharing those soon. Well happy (almost) spring every one. Zoe xx

A Fun Dress For a Fun Girl

Just a quick one today to show you this cute dress I made for my niece. The present we gave her for Christmas was something she already owned, bummer, so I offered to make a some clothes instead and she was thrilled by this idea. She saw this fabric and was desperate for it to be a dress so here it is.

Its a stretchy cotton/lycra fabric that I bought on eBay, I have quite a bit of it so I'll be making my daughter a dress too and maybe myself something for the summer. I think it is perfect for a little girl though because it is so bright and fun. I drafted the pattern myself form a t-shirt of hers and just added a gathered skirt:

I topstitched the hems with pink thread because that is her favourite colour (no surprises there) and she has worn it a few times already. Don't worry she had thick coloured tights and a big knit jumper too so she was nice and warm. I think she'll get lots of wear out of it in the summer too when she can wear it just with flip-flops and sunnies. I'm looking forward to it already! See you soon, Zoe x

A Flannel Caroline Shirt (from a FREE pattern)

Have you seen this FREE pattern yet? The ladies over at Spit Up and Stilettos decided to make all their ladies patterns free for download and now sell children patterns. This pattern for the caroline shirt is one such item.

I have never made a proper shirt before so I am dead chuffed with this one. I found the instructions pretty easy to follow and there were lots of pictures to guide me through.

Before I tell you my mistakes I wanted to say this, Lauren from Spit up and Stilettos was SO helpful. When I was constructing the sleeves I couldn't find the cuff opening marked on the pattern so I cut it where the pleat was marked, this was the wrong place clearly so my cuffs open the wrong way around. I e-mailed Lauren to let her know it wasn't marked and she updated the pdf document straight away and apologised for the error. I was very impressed. I'll be shopping from them for some kids patterns at some point soon.

The only change I made to the pattern was to not sew all the way down the back pleat, I preferred it to be extra baggy to be extra comfy and casual. I think this shirt would be great in chambray too, you know I love me a chambray shirt!

This shirt definitely ticks the 'casual tops' box that I'm trying to fill. It is probably one of the last few Autumn/Winter makes I'll be making for this season though. Possibly one more dress to come. I know it is still cold outside but I want to get started with some spring sewing so I have some clothes ready in time!

I'll be chatting about spring sewing plans soon. See you then. Zoe x

Capsule Wardrobe // Let's Get Serious and Have a Clear Out

If you're serious about creating a capsule wardrobe there is one vital step that will get you started. The wardrobe clear out. ARGHHHH the thought of it fills me with dread. I really don't enjoy this process but I know it is necessary if I want to have a more simple approach to clothes (and to keep sewing new ones). I must make space for them somehow. So once you have thought about your capsule wardrobe style guidelines then a clear out is what you need. This week I actually went for it and ruthlessly cleared out my wardrobe. If you're about to take this dreaded step then here are my tips to get you started.

1. Take everything out
I know that this can make a huge amount of mess but I have recently realised this is the best way to start. I used to go through each item making a choice one by one. This meant that by the time I had got rid of about 5 items I wasn't so ruthless any more and found excuses to keep things (yes I know - I sound like a hoarder). By taking out everything and only putting back what you want to keep you are much more likely to have a proper purge.

2. Put back in the items you LOVE
Ignore your capsule wardrobe guidelines for a moment and put back the items you love. Hopefully these will be similar to the rules you came up with any way, if not then you might want to rethink some of your guidelines. Once your 'love' items are back in decide if your guidelines are right or if they need tweaking a little.

3. Put back any 'go with anything' items
You know the kind. The white t-shirts, the jeans, that skirt that you wear all through the summer because it is just so versatile. These items are your basics and you probably have worn them all lots in the last year. If you have loads of these then you might want to narrow it down a little. Keep the ones that are in good condition, those that still fit you and try to keep a mix of tops, bottoms and dresses - no big deal if you can't though, it'll help you decide what to sew next.

4. Decide on some things you definitely DON'T want to keep
By this point some things left in your pile to sort will cry out to be thrown away (well given to a charity shop any way). This part is simple, get a big back and put them it it ready to take the next chance you get.

5. Make a plan for all the 'maybes'
There will be a few things left that you can't decide what to do with. Hopefully if you have a bit of sewing practise under your belt you will see potential for what you could make with some of them but be realistic about what you will actually do. Keep these items near your sewing machine ready for next time you can't decide what to work on. For the rest pop them in a box up the loft, if you really miss something then you can get it out. Whatever is left in the box after a year can be taken down to the charity shop too.

So are you going to do it? It is a great way to start the new year and has made me feel like I have more things to wear because I can see it all properly when I open the wardrobe doors. Do you have any other tips you'd add? It's always good to know how other people do it. Let me know. Zoe x

The Christmas Bow Ties

When I made the two sparkly dresses I mentioned that I might make some bow ties to match for my sons. Well I only managed to do this on December 23rd so this is the first chance I have had to blog them. They looked really cute on both my boys but the younger son, age 2, took it off after about 30 seconds because it was itching his chin, I can't blame him but it means there is no photo of him actually wearing it. You'll have to accept a photo of my rather dashing older son:

Well I am a little biased but I thought he looked fabulous. I improvised how to make these but it was very similar to the method used for these cat bow ties if you fancy making some yourself. I think I may just make some for our cat next too (or is that a little too far?).

Any way I hope you had a really lovely Christmas and NYE. I'll be back on friday to continue the capsule wardrobe series. See ya later, Zoe x