The ACTUAL Grad School Wardrobe Plan

I want you to ignore basically everything I said in that last post, excluding the Zinnia skirt (and the Plantains of course). Turns out, I don't really have the funds to buy new non-PDF patterns and get new fabric, so instead I am falling back on the old pattern stash. Someday I shall get those stunning Deer and Doe patterns, and I only wish I were joining in on the Centauree Sew Along, but that day is not this day.

Anywho, I've got a revised plan of attack, this time with nifty (and by nifty I mean "thrown together in Microsoft Paint haphazardly) fabric + line drawing visuals! These will supplement my stock of jeans that I live in on a day to day basis, for the record- I'm still too intimidated by pants to tackle making my own skinny jeans.

1) Colette Zinnia

(Colette Zinnia Skirt - Olive Eyelet from Mood Fabric)

I've already got this lovely thing cut out, but I can't finish sewing her up until I get a new invisible zipper foot- seems I lost mine in the move between dorm and home. I have so many RTW tops that'll go swimmingly with this as olive green is one of my go-to colors, it'll make for a great comfortable staple skirt. (To be specific I'm making view 3, as the eyelet is ever so slightly sheer- I'm lining it with some nice pale green material.)

2) Thread Theory Newcastle Cardigan

(Thread Theory Newcastle Cardigan - Girl Charlee Fabric)

I mentioned green was one of my colors, right? Ever since I made my boyfriend an (unblogged) Newcastle Cardigan I've been scheming up a version of my own. I probably won't modify it to be more fitted- I like the boyfriend cardigan look, it makes it so nice and cozy. I picked out a french terry for the body of the cardigan itself, with a nice slub knit for the yoke details as I like a bit of contrast.

3) Dixie DIY Summer Concert Tee

(Dixie DIY Summer Concert Tee - Girl Charlee Fabric)

When I got the first Perfect Pattern Parcel, I knew I wanted to make one of these cute tops. I love the hem and the cuff detail- I'm not sure if I'll use contrast fabric for the cuffs yet or not, though. I also fell in love with this dreamy pastel feather print knit from Girl Charlee and figured the two would pair quite nicely togehter.

4) Colette Mabel Skirt

(Colette Mabel Skirt - Girl Charlee Fabric)

So remember how in my last post I said I was still distrustful of the Mabel? I apparently forgot about that and decided to buy the Mabel pattern instead of the Moneta, rationalizing that I already had a knit dress pattern I hadn't utilized yet but needed a good staple skirt pattern. Go figure, man. I'm not certain the knit I have in mind for this skirt will actually work- it might not be heavy weight enough. But I really have my heart set on a blue skirt to wear with my incoming Sailor Mercury shirt, so I might chance it even if the fabric isn't ideal! Risky sewing up in here, friends. I'm a madwoman.

5) By Hand London Polly Top + Tilly and the Buttons Margot PJ Pants

(By Hand London Polly Top - Michael Miller Fabric)

I saw these (and the following) Michael Miller prints on sale and couldn't resist. I was immediately overcome with the desire to make an adorable pair of woodsy, fox-covered pjs with these two; the bottom fabric is even a flannel, so it'll be nice and cozy for cold NYC winters. I like sleeping in tank tops all the time, though, so figured I'd give the Polly a whirl to go with it. I don't have Tilly's book yet, actually, but I intend to soon enough- my boyfriend is going to England to visit his relatives and I'm convincing him to buy it for me while he's over there so I sneak around international shipping fees! The patterns in Love At First Stitch look amazing- I especially adore that blouse! 

6) McCalls 6924 Dress

(McCalls 6924 Dress - Michael Miller Fabric)

A keyhole back dress for a lock and key print fabric, geddit? Oh, god, who lets me write things. Anyway, I actually have a major weakness for key motifs and fell in love with the idea of a cute little dress made from this fabric- the keyhole back is just an added groan-inducing benefit. I think this is me trying to assuage my sadness at not having the Belladone Dress pattern, as I picked this pattern up on a whim during a 5 for $5 sale. I'll likely use black piping for the sleeves and neckline, as I suspect any paler color'd just get lost- the black'll be a nice, bold contrast while still matching due to the darker keys.

7) Self-Drafted Hidden Rainbow Skirt

(Michael Miller Fabric)

I saw a really clever use of striped fabric and pleating utilized on a dress in Dillards the other day, and let me tell you, the technique has stuck with me and has been rattling around in my head ever since. I do a lot of pleating for cosplays (all. those. pleated. miniskirts.), so it's something I feel quite comfortable with, and I just think it makes for such interesting effects in skirts. What I plan to do here is pleat the fabric so that only the white portions of the fabric show, but when I move (or twirl, there will be twirling) the rainbow stripes pleated under get to shine brightly through. Does that make sense as an explanation? W/e, hopefully the intent will show through once I actually make the darn thing. This is less of a closet staple piece and more of a "I really, really, REALLY want to test this idea out to see if it even works" sort of thing- but hey, a hidden rainbow skirt could be hella fun!

And that, my friends, is that! All the fabric referenced here is either already here or en route to me, so as soon as it gets in I can get to work. I also plan on making a Brigitte scarf out of some leftovers from the ridiculous space print pants I made my friend Rachel, although that won't really go with any of these projects- I seem to have fallen for subdued blues and greens, haven't I? Well, that's not really anything new, especially as those colors really suit a blue-eyed redhead such as myself.

Oh, I'll also be making up a third Cooper bag, to be my carry-all-in-the-city schoolbag, but I haven't quite settled on the fabric for that one yet. I've got time- I know I can make up that pattern in a day or two, so no rush!

Promise, next I post there will be actually sewing to blog about! What a wonderful day that will be, eh?

Planning a Grad School Wardrobe

Weird as it is to say, I'm in my last finals period of undergrad, ever. Only three exams and two "quality papers" stand between me and graduation from the College of William and Mary with a major in history and a minor in physics (oh, and a voice jury, I suppose, but as a non-major all I need to do for that is show up and at least pretend to know my lyrics, so no worries there). I imagine here's where I would be panicking about my future* if I didn't already have the next step lined up- I've accepted a spot in NYU's Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program, which means a move to NYC and a lot of science journalism in my future, which is precisely what I want to do. 

It also means that I feel compelled to reevaluate my wardrobe and start filling in some gaps. My undergrad "uniform", as it were, has been graphic tees and jeans, and while that's great for relaxing and for informal settings, I don't think it's going to cut it for a grad program full of interviewing people, internships, and networking. It's also just not what I want to wear anymore, being perfectly honest. I like the comfort of skirts and the laid-back elegance of lacy, loose-fitting button up blouses over camisoles, things that are elegant yet cute with a dash of sophisticated geekiness. (... I've been following along with the Colette Wardrobe Architect series, can you tell?)

I also, y'know, like making my own clothes now, which I didn't do when I was working on an undergrad wardrobe. That changes things just a bit.

So, here's what my plan is: I have a full summer before I jot off to NYC, and during this summer I hope to accomplish the following:

• Obtain a part-time/seasonal job so I can save up funds for my big move
• Find an apartment in NYC that I can reasonably afford (probably looking at you, Brooklyn, unless I really luck out and can rent my cousin's Upper East Side apartment from my great aunt for a steal)
• Work on sewing up a professional yet quirky grad school wardrobe

And what's a good plan without a list of key patterns? My focus will be on skirts and dresses, along with shorts for more casual days (mainly because I adore the Deer and Doe Chataigne Shorts too much to resist and love shorts with tights). With that in mind, I think these are the patterns I'm going to be honing in on. Starred ones are ones are ones I still need to buy, but I'll have some graduation money coming my way, a small part of which can be allocated to buying patterns and fabric (the rest is going straight into the "oh god I need to be able to afford NYC living help" fund).

My patterns are thus:

• Colette Zinnia (definitely at least one belt-looped, non-button-down one and a sheer lined floaty one)
• Victory Patterns Ava (a knee-length dress version and a blouse)
• Deer and Doe Plantain (Lightweight, short-sleeve ones for summer, longsleeved ones for winter, I just need an army of these and I say that having already made three.)
• Colette Sobretto (it's a good, versatile pattern for simple dresses, and I love this tutorial for adding sleeves to it)
• Deer and Doe Anemone Skirt*
• Deer and Doe Chataigne Shorts*
• Colette Moneta* (I'm a sucker for the different necklines. Still not sold on the Mabel yet, but the Curvy Colette blog tour is making me less leery)
• Sewaholic Gabriola Skirt*

I already have the fabric for a few of these projects (mainly the Zinnia skirts- yup, both of 'em -the Ava top, and one pair of the Chataigne shorts) and have a few fabric options in mind for the rest. Lots of greens, blues, browns, and grays- those are my standard colors anyway. Some purple and metallics might sneak their way in, too, as accents for design interest. I do need to find a good cardigan pattern, either draped or button-up, because I love wearing those, but they're less of a priority right now as I have an army of RTW ones already.

So, mildly ambitious, yes, but it should be fun and it'll help keep me occupied during my last "free" summer, as it were! Anyone else have big summer sewing plans/big life milestones going on this year? Also, man, someone needs to hold me the first time I poke around the NYC fabric shops, it'll be overwhelming.

*Let's be clear, I'm still panicking a little, but more about finances and where on earth I'm going to live and less about, y'know, what I'm going to do. I have that at least figured out.

Cooper Sew-Along Planning

My favorite thing about sewing is fabric, and that can cause a bit of a problem. If I see fabric I like, I basically feel compelled to figure out something to make with it, just because I must have that fabric in my life. Now, I'm pretty good at resisting my impulses, but sometimes the most perfect fabric in the world appears and I suddenly find myself with a new project on the table when I really didn't intend to have one or honestly have the time for one.

Which brings me to the Colette Cooper Sew-Along, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Canvas. (Link in sidebar!)

Girliest interpretation of a unisex pattern ever. Well, probably not girliest, as I considered a Hello Kitty oilcloth lining, which definitely would've been a bit more girly. Left: main body fabric. Right: contrast flap fabric. Tiny center: adorable oilcloth lining.

I found the canvas on the right first, and everything snowballed from there. I needed that adorable patchwork mess of cuteness in my life. I already have a Cambridge Satchel Co. backpack (I know they call it a batchel but I can't bring myself to do that...) that was a gift from my grandfather and which I adore beyond words, but its limitation is that I really can't shove it full of books and be about my merry way. My laptop and a notebook pretty much fill it to capacity. This is a problem when you're a history major working on an honors thesis and constantly carting around books by the dozens- my poor Josh Groban tote bag can only take so much! And besides, it constantly slips off my shoulders, particularly in the winter when it can't get traction on my peacoat, which gets mad annoying. (The tote bag, I mean, not the backpack.)

I love messenger bags, though, and have been idly looking for a new one for, well, ages. I had a Ghost in the Shell one that I adored beyond words, but, uh, I kind of wore out the corners of it in high school. I don't know what it was that did the poor thing in, but something ate through the corners like a monster. Someday I'll get around to patching that up, maybe with some faux leather in a matching shade of blue as the Laughing Man (because of course I still have it even if it's useless right now, that bag is awesome), but even once I fix it I doubt I'll be loading it up with anything too heavy and it's not really the right size for loading up on the library books.

Anyway, the combination of Pattern I Really Like with Cutest Canvas Ever That I Must Own resulted in my jumping on this sew-along bandwagon and ordering, well, everything possible last night (main fabric, contrast fabric, lining fabric, pattern, and hardware kit- I decided to be lazy and just order one of the pre-made bronze kits from Gifts for Crafters along with my Cooper pattern, although I'll make up for my laziness by making a matching-fabric strap and key chain). Cannot wait to get started on this- the goal is to have it done before my trip to Los Alamos so I can use it as my plane bag, and so I can enter it in the sew-along contest. The fabric combo prize would be amazing- $200 at Spoonflower would mean one of my dream cosplays, Tali'zorah vas Normandy from Mass Effect, would be financially possible as I could get the really nice printed fabrics by eixyn, and that would just be all shades of magic.

Tali is probably my favorite of my (somewhat embarrassing) figure collection. I also swear I did not buy that glass pumpkin to match her, it just worked out that way.

The main reason I jumped on this, though, is because I know my dad's been looking for a specific type of satchel for the longest time, but can't find anything that's precisely right. Depending on how my whipping up the messenger bag goes, I might see about using this pattern to make him his ideal bag as a Christmas present, although I'd definitely have to get creative for it. You know those doctor's medical satchels that open up and then stay opened up, like they've got reinforcement in the bag or something, like this one? He wants one of those, but in a larger size and ideally not black. If I could make it in burgundy and brown with antique gold hardware, it would be absolutely perfect. But I figure I should probably not dive straight into that more complicated project, so starting off with the messenger bag makes a lot of sense to me. Depending on how this goes I can already see myself making my sister a backpack with camera-print canvas (she's a photographer) and my mom and downsized messenger or satchel of her own to use as a purse in a turquoise faux leather striped ticking... this could be the birth of a monster.

So, yes, I am now in that simultaneously delightful and agonizing period of waiting for new fabrics to come in so I can get to work on my new not-researching-or-writing downtime project of the Walden by Colette Cooper bag. Gonna be fun.

And no, I did not forget about the Newcastle Cardigan I'll be making my boyfriend for Christmas- I'm waiting on that fabric, too. It should be here Monday!

Totally nailed it with that rib knit jacquard as far as the Deux Ex inspiration jacket goes, so pleased with myself right now.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get as much work done as humanly possible before these fabrics arrive and the desire to immediately start playing with them overrides whatever vestiges of academic responsibility I have left to my name.