Hello Dearies! How’s the weather out there? Here in Ohio it’s been chilly in the mornings, pleasant at noon, and just chilly enough at night to make you want to wrap yourself in a cozy blanket. Such weather has started my mind to contemplating what my Autumn/Winter wardrobe will look like this year, since quite a bit of that portion of my wardrobe will not last me another winter.
I want to try and use as much fabric from my stash as possible, though I am still going to order some fabric eventually (I already have ordered some material for one piece, which you’ll see later). I’m even cutting apart an old boiled wool sweater to make into a 1940’s style bomber jacket! I’ve already drafted the pattern for that, and the cuffs and waistband are knitted, so keep an eye out for a “finished project” post in the coming weeks.
Another thing I’ve been doing, as I think about how I would like to revamp my wardrobe, is sketching out my ideas. I haven’t been so faithful in doing this in years past, but I think this year will be different. Plus it’s nice to record my ideas, and then see which ones I actually end up making.
The top sketch is for my boiled wool bomber jacket. I can’t wait to see how that comes out! The sketch to the left is for a black and white buffalo plaid knit dress that I plan on making (the fabric is coming today! Squee!) from a combination of the 1958 Party Dress pattern and my handy dandy self drafted 1/2 circle skirt pattern. A question that I do have for all of you is, should I make the back gathered like my elastic back circle skirt? Or should I leave it smooth like a typical circle skirt? I think either way would look nice, but I want to know what you think.
If you want to see what else has been inspiring my thoughts, take a look at the graphic below.
When I was thinking of my buffalo plaid dress, I knew something had inspired it, but it wasn’t until I rediscovered the image of the black and white plaid dress that I realized where the inspiration came from: Ulyana Sergeenko! The style lines from the Advance dress pattern have also been influencing my thoughts as far as silhouette goes.
I purchased some secondhand blue corduroy recently, and I think it will make up quite becomingly into something like the skirt next to it.
As I said before, I’m making myself a bomber jacket. But I’m also dreaming about making myself another cozy hand-knitted sweater like I did last year. Oh, for the money to buy some yarn! 😉
Another item I want to add to my wardrobe this year is a plaid wool jacket. Hopefully I’ll manage to squeeze out one from the meager yardage I have of this brown and blue plaid.
One last thing on my list is something for that blue rayon and the magenta grosgrain (?). Maybe a dress from the blue, and a vest front from the magenta?
All of the non-fabric images are from my 1940’s, Winter and “Patterns I would Love To Get” Pinterest boards. And the buffalo plaid knit is from Wanderlust Fabrics, if you want to pick some up for yourself.
Oh my goodness, Brigid, you’re so amazing. The sketches are great, and high five for knitting your own sweater, YOU are so inspiring. That plaid dress will be absolutely perfect for fall.
There’s a lot of things im inspired by for the coming months, but mostly fall tones, mostly oranges and gold/yellows. Those are my favorite colors and fall is the perfect time for those.
-Abigail
Oh Abigail, some of my favorite colors for fall are also the gorgeous fiery tones of the autumn leaves, such as rust and mustard. So pretty.
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
All of those ideas are lovely! The fabrics are beautiful.
I’d say that my A/W wardrobe has been inspired by my recent clothes-switching and closet cleaning recently. I realized that I have waaayy too many clothes, some of which I rarely wear-not because I don’t like them, but because I just don’t get around to it! 🙂 So I’ve resolved to not by anything unless I really need it (for example, new shoes) and to make outfits with a wider variety of my clothing. In the process of doing that, I’ve been inspired by y’alls vintage outfits, cardigans over blouses with the sleeves cuffed, grey, and generally a classy/english country/with a hint of vintage feel. 🙂
Oh, isn’t revamping your wardrobe the best? I’m impressed by all of those sketches and plans! I’ve had an aesthetic rethinking recently (not huge, just some minor changes), and so I’m sewing up a storm 🙂 I have a swishy green maxi skirt on the sewing machine inspired by this on Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/503347695824021725/
Actually, here are the links to my fall and winter wardrobe boards:
http://www.pinterest.com/rebwey/fall-wardrobe/
http://www.pinterest.com/rebwey/winter-wardrobe/
I love Pinterest 🙂
Oh, and I think that Buffalo Plaid is a brilliant idea! I love the idea of some really warm, cozy bottom-weight dresses for chilly winter months.
Oh, CGrace, your pinterest boards are so inspiringly lovely! Your fall wardrobe board is so much like what I want my wardrobe to look like. 🙂
Oh yes, it wasn’t until this summer when I wanted to wear more dresses and didn’t really have any I liked, that I decided to make myself more dresses to wear during the winter. The buffalo plaid is (hopefully) just the beginning!
Blessings,
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
Wonderful ideas Brigid! If it were me, I would make the back of the dress smooth to give a more tailored and polished look. 🙂 I’ve been itching to add some knitwear to my wardrobe and am eagerly awaiting an order of new yarn to start working with!
-Lauren
Wonderful ideas, Brigid! For my fall/winter wardrobe, I am trying to add more preppy and classic elements, like cozy sweaters, pearls, gingham, ect! 🙂 I am planning on revamping and thrifting several pieces.
I think a plain skirt would be a good idea for your plaid dress, but that is just my thought!
And the buffalo plaid dress looks simply darling! I can’t wait to see it when its done!
Have a lovely evening!
P.S. I would love to see Jessica and Charlotte’s ideas/plans for their fall and winter wardrobes as well! 🙂
Thanks Miriam and Lauren! I’ve decided to make the skirt a smooth silhouette instead of gathered. And Miriam, I’ll be sure and pass your message on to Jessica and Charlotte. 🙂
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
Where do you get your wool fabric? I haven’t been able to come up with any… :-/
Dani,
the wool that I got actually came from Goodwill of all places! I haven’t been able to find any places with wool that was of satisfactory quality to me, but you might want to try Mood Fabrics. I haven’t ordered any of their woven wools, but all of the other fabric I have received from them was of pretty nice quality!
Hope this helps!
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
I have been working on some Pinterest boards for my (dream probably) fall wardrobe with the patterns and fabric I want. I have some yarn for sweaters which I will start soon, but I want sooo much more; nice yarn is so lovely and EXPENSIVE. But then again, so is the fabric I want.
I am also planning a dress for my sister with blue plaid flannel for my sister
Your sketches are lovely . . . do you have resources to recommend?
Hi Livia,
Oh yes, good quality yarn is SO expensive. I’m saving my pennies now to buy some later this winter. Where do you typically find your knitting patterns? Any specific books?
The dress for your sister sounds lovely.
Resources? If you’re talking fashion sketching, the notebook that I use is called a fashionary. It has pages upon pages of silhouettes on which to draw your ideas, and then it also has lots of different fashion information in the front. I also hear that they now have sticky note type pads with the silhouettes on them. Fun!
As far as fabric resources: hartsfabric.com
fabric.com
wanderlustfabrics.com
etsy.com
and I can’t think of anymore at the moment.
Have a blessed day!
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
Brigid,
Oh, good! Can’t wait to see it! I always love getting inspired from other seamstresses! 🙂 Thank you!!! 🙂
Your sketches are beautiful!! 🙂