So if I'm trying to land in the Bay Area long term, it might be time to rethink the direction of my sewing. I've got a year to work on NorCal-appropriate cake before we move back up here (God willing!), aka a year to wear my sundresses as much as I can before retiring them. Which brings me to my new project for the school year: remaking and replacing my RTW clothing. I've been noticing which clothing items I reach for most often, and I am now resolved to draft patterns for them and sew up my own me-made versions. I already started when I made my not-a-Renfrew, which has had the honor of ending up in the laundry every week; I wear it all the time.
My next project is my dolman sleeve knit top:
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| With Tonks in front of what used to be a movie set for Gone With the Wind in TCOCC. |
If you saw my new school year resolutions list, then you'll know that at the top of my list is to sew more practical, wearable, everyday items. That's easy to say, and it's so non-specific that I'm afraid I'll talk myself into thinking that sundresses are cake. So this is my (even more) public declaration that I'm going to systematically go through my laundry bag and see what ends up in there, and then I'm going to sew up replacements. This will stretch me, since I already know jeans, cardigans, and yoga pants end up in there regularly. Much of it I hope to be able to draw patterns for myself, but for jeans I might need to cave and actually pay more than $1.99 for a pattern, just so I can try out the ever-popular, magical Jalie 2908.
I've already drawn up a pattern for the top pictured above and sewn it not once, not twice, but THRICE...and I've worn at least one each week! Pictures and *gasp* a multi-size printable pattern coming in another post! Although to be perfectly honest, I'll let you know that I haven't tested the other sizes, but it should work in theory...
While I love the idea of a Frock Out Night, it's so nice to sew things you know you're going to wear on a regular basis because you already do. Anyone else want to join with me in this? Grab the button!
I know how you feel. All I want to make are sun dresses but the weather in Australia has been cold and we barely even got a proper summer last year.
ReplyDeleteDresses with tights and a cardigan are not so practical and I still don't feel as if they are warm enough for our winter weather.
I like your resolution involving sewing more practical warm garments.
I always try to take note of the me-made garments that get the most wear and the ones that never leave my closet.
I feel like I've been cheated out of summer since I left sunny SoCal for misty SF for the summer! I technically could wear tights and a cardigan, since it's probably warm enough for here, but I didn't bring enough tights or cardigans!
DeleteI'm looking forward to seeing your new tops and SF wardrobe. I am going to be in San Fran for Labor Day weekend. Will you be around to meet up on 9/1 for some shopping and/or a beverage?
ReplyDeleteYou're in luck -- I will be around Labor Day weekend! Email me about your availability!
DeleteOooh, I'm excited about that top pattern! I love that idea of remaking your most-worn items, but for me, now, most surprisingly, my most worn items are my me-made stuff! I don't buy a lot of RTW anymore, so my problem is that the things I need (like jeans and shorts) I just don't have at all right now. So I definitely want to take a stab at pants this fall too. Maybe the title of my version of your challenge would be "Creating the RTW"!
ReplyDeleteOh good for you, that your me-mades are also your most-worns! I don't buy RTW anymore, either, but I have enough left in my closet that I can pull out to wear. I think for you, that button might just have to be "Baking Cake!" And hey, if you need to take a stab at pants, too, maybe we should get together for a pants-making day...
DeleteWhile the weather here does get nice enough to wear sundresses, inside it's still freezing cold everywhere, so most of my clothes need to layer well.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with replacing the RTW clothes - which is something I've been slowly trying to do (and how i've ended up with a pile of jersey ready to sew into t-shirts to replace all the stretched out and/or twisted ones I threw away when I moved!). As enjoyable as sewing the "fun" things is, i get so much more pleasure out of sewing things that I wear over and over and over!
I think I get the most pleasure out of sewing fun fabrics, which for me usually end up taking the form of sundresses. Which is fine for LA and SD, but not SF! But I agree with you, that there is definitely a lot of pleasure in wearing me-made practical clothes!
DeleteYessss, I totally need to do this. For ten months out of the year I wear long-sleeve knit shirts at least half the week. And I would wear them the other half but by then they're all dirty! And I typically layer them with cardigans and pair them with trousers. The only thing I can say in good conscience that I'm currently working on replacing are the cardigans. I don't know why I haven't tried out the Renfrew yet!
ReplyDeleteOooh, replacing cardigans! Are you knitting them or sewing them from sweater knits? And yes, my fake Renfrew is always in the laundry -- I definitely need to make more!
Deletegreat idea. i have 2 pieces of jersey waiting to be made into maria denmark's kimono tees so that is my start on more autumn winter clothing. but i just have to finish my macaron first (justifying this on the basis that once i get it fitting right i can make a winter version in needlecord). oh, and the broderie anglais top (totally non winter approriate!)
ReplyDeleteOooh, I love the idea of a Macaron in corduroy! That definitely sounds warm and practical for winter with tights. And kimono tees are so practical, what with the wearability and the no-setting-in-sleeves bit!
DeleteI'm with you on this; not so much in the jeans department - I have found out that unless it's quality fabric as my father's Levi's, I'm more cold in jeans than my beloved corduroy, so more corduroy for winter it is. It's rather the overall need to make some practical clothes. Linen-cotton summer trousers (now that summer ends, phew), replace a beloved but very worn old summer dress (half of the fun is in a loosely woven yet crisp cotton fabric: problem!), more woven blouses to replace my worn-out T-shirts (as I find woven blouses more universal, too)...
ReplyDeleteAnd I need to finish the refashion of my large woolen coat and figure out how to sensibly take in the sleeves.
Thankfully, it doesn't really get that cold here in SF, so jeans are just warm enough. I should look into corduroy, though -- I would love some nice trousers! All of your items sound so eminently practical, I love it!
DeleteYes yes yes! This is a great idea. Methodology ftw.
ReplyDeleteI have a mental list of RTW things I'd like to replace, and I've barely sewn anything yet.
You can do it! Write that list down so you don't forget it!
DeleteGreat post. I have been fortunate enough to have a pretty wearable me-made wardrobe, but as I approach my first autumn as a sewist I do want to be more thoughtful and deliberate in my pattern choices, rather than simply cranking out dresses. Ideally I'd love to make one good jacket/blazer that will (hopefully) complement many items, and try my hand at pants, again something fairly neutral. I also have the Renfrew pattern, and I plan on going over my existing wardrobe to see what colors are missing, and go from there. I'm looking forward to seeing more photos of that cute top, and trying your pattern.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Love the Gone With Wind photo!!
I think my me-made wardrobe works, but only for SoCal, unfortunately. If we really move back up to SF, it's not going to cut it anymore! Good for you for having a practical wardrobe, and I hope your jacket works out!
DeleteI, too, need to do this, and I have plans.............but the most frequent items in my basket are workout clothes, and I am looking for a pattern for knit capri's and leggings that work. I am a little intimidated by activewear, but I am going to try. Surely we can all do this!
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! Sewing activewear can't be that hard, right? ;) I want to try my hand at these knit culottes that I always wear, so maybe we can both tackle this!
DeleteHere in north Texas, it's the WIND that gets you in the winter. (My husband is originally from Ohio, and even after more than 10 years, he still thinks that winters here are worse!) It requires a ton of creative layering that can be peeled off to some degree once you are inside. If I could knit, it would probably be less of a problem for me to make more winter clothes for myself - luckily, it's usually pretty warm for 8-9 months of the year.
ReplyDeleteI still need to actually stitch my waffle-weave shirts together - I've had at least one of them cut out for 2 years. I took the pattern from one I bought that was my favorite fit and only put one together so far (cupcake print!). Too bad it is impossible to find the cute waffle-weave fabric at the store now. (It was everywhere for about a year!)
Maybe I just need to make myself that pattern I have for coveralls. I could make them flannel-lined and just go all "Kaylee" for winter, hehe.
Can't wait to see what you make!
What was shocking to me in Seattle was that there is NO WIND. Like I would look outside, see how gray it was, and then think I would be freezing, but no! No wind chill factor is amazing. I think having 8-9 months of warm is pretty good...
DeleteI've never worn waffle-weave shirts; are they especially awesome? I do see a lot of cute prints in RTW stores, though...
Yes, do the Kaylee coveralls!!!
I wouldn't say that the waffle-weave is all that more awesome than just plain knit or ribbed, but it definitely comes in the most fun prints. And the prints don't usually stretch with white between like a lot of ribbed-knits do. My favorite ones have thumb-holes in the cuffs so you can wear them around your hands when you want.
Deletehmmm, I don't know if I have any good utility fabric for the coveralls yet, but I do seem to remember a decent yardage of weird nylon-print fabric in my stash that makes me think Kaylee shirt... I might just have to plan for a practical Halloween costume, hehe.
What a brilliant idea to go through your laundry to notice what things make it in there every week, and sew new garments accordingly! We all have our closet faves, so why not make more of them? Thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that my idea, born out of frustration, could be inspiring to others!
DeleteThat's a really great idea. I recently acquired a ton of fabric from my mom when she cleaned out her stash that I need to make stuff with (it was mostly ~1 yard leftovers of rayon and knits, so I foresee a lot of tank tops in my future!).
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an excellent plan! And yay for inherited stashes!
DeleteThis is a great idea! I always seem to make up the stuff that I feel can only be worn on days when I'm actually going somewhere. So I need to focus on things that I can feel comfortable wearing even when I'm just lazing around the house. Bonus if it's something I can also wear out shopping without looking like I'm auditioning for People of Walmart.
ReplyDeleteHah, people of Walmart! I think one would have to try pretty hard to end up like them...And I totally hear you on the lazing around the house bit -- that's why I have fleece sweats on my list, unglamorous as that sounds!
DeleteGreat post. I'm looking forward to your dolman top pattern as it looks like most of the tops that regularly frequent my laundry basket. I have some zebra print jersey that I bought about 3 years ago thinking I would make a sleeveless maxi dress with it. Three years later I still haven't made it - sleeveless maxi dresses are not the day to day attire of a mother of two who lives in rainy Lancashire. I need cake not frosting! So I'll try a zebra print dolman top instead :)
ReplyDeleteHeh...I hope that the pattern works out for you! I would hate to have three year stash fabric get messed up! I like the sound of a zebra patterned top, though.
DeleteAs a fellow citizen of the Bay Area, I've gone through the same thing! Good luck and I look forward to reading about it!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a wonderful idea!! I hope doing the same as you!
ReplyDeleteI know this is terribly late but I posted on my blog about your Remaking RTW today! I am slightly taller than average and am tired of struggling with fit issues of store bought clothes so am now making my own!
ReplyDelete