Summer Essentials Sewalong Planning

This post has been sitting in my drafts folder for several weeks. I thought I must post it or summer will be over.
I am behind in planning my summer essentials sew along. Though I have been planning away in my head. The list divides between those items I already have fabric and pattern for, and those which I only have patterns for and no fabric.


Sun dress:


I have already made this dress using Amy Butler's Anna Tunic pattern.


Tees, tunic and blouses:


I have a big gap for white tops in my wardrobe. I am half way through making a Simplicity 2259 top in white with a placket and box pleating.


I also plan a pinky-rust top with giant sunflowers on it from this cotton lawn bought on ebay.

Clamdiggers and co

I have some dark blue cotton and there is just enough for a pair of cropped trousers. I want to make something that will be versatile and go with my many patterned tops. As I already own it, I am using the Lisette for Simplicity 2259Portfolio trouser pattern. Just to see what it is like. ISweet and sassy skirts



I have made my pink pillowcase skirt but am also hoping to make a skirt from my duvet cover fabric pictured above. I have changed my mind many times about what skirt to sew. I was thinking of a reversible wrap skirt with green and white polka dots on the reverse. Then I found this skirt pdf pattern from Anna Maria Horner. Once I read through the instructions I realised I needed lining fabric. Obviously it is meant to be that I make this skirt as I then went into the local charity shop and found a large piece of green, white and navy stripey lining fabric! For £2.

Cover-ups

Maybe because the weather isn't warm, but I keep wanting to have a loose-ish pullover top, maybe a hoodie, probably with pockets. I need to go on a fabric hunt for this. I was thinking of using a pattern from the Sew-U Home Stretch book.

Another dress: I have some that I really want to try out - the traveller dress by Lisette for Simplicity. I just don't have any fabric.

So that is:
white top - started

sunflower top - started
pair blue cropped trousers - started

pink scalloped skirt - completed

floral skirt - pattern and fabric

traveller dress - pattern only

sundress - completed

Cover-up Hoodie- no fabric

I could carry on planning fir ever, but am going to stop myself here. I am not sure if this is too much already.

UP dress fabric and Me Made March

Thank you for the comments about the UP dress sewalong. It is very nice to have support and interest. This is my first sewalong...I am hoping it will keep me on track and mean I finish the dress.



Here is the picture of the UP fabric. It is a wool/poly mix, machine washable and quite lightweight. I am hoping to make the facing/lining from some pink lining fabric I have in my stash. I just need to crawl under the bed to drag out the storage box and check if I have enough.

The UP dress sewalong has been set up with the hope we will finish our dresses in time for at least part of Me-Made March. Which leads me on to the fact that I am taking part in Me-Made-March organised by the amazing Zoe. Here is the pledge,

I, Debbie, sign up as a participant inMe Made March '11. I shall endeavour to wear two me-made or refashioned items each day for the duration of March.

I have tried to set more of a challenge by having two items - maybe somedays I may manage more. I know where I am lacking me-made clothes though is jackets (none), and trousers (1 pair). I am also a massive, daily cardigan wearer and have no me-made cardigans...thoguh I do have one size 18 woollen beauty awaiting a refashion.
My sewing box

If you are not familiar with Me-Made -March you can go over and have a look at Zoe's blog, and you can still see the May and September Flickr groups too. The discussions on the flickr group are good too, and I would recomment signing up to flickr if you want to participate more fully.

Here is a bit about my very own Self Stitched September from this blog.

Having taken part in Me-Made-May and Self-Stitched-September, I recommend joining in this project. I met new friends, gained a lot of inspiration from the outfits of other participants and taking my own photo each day was a whole learning experience of its own! I also liked being challenged to make the most of my exisintg wardrobe of me-made clothes, and to get myself out of my jeans-wearing rut. You don't have to do a daily blog about it, or a daily flickr post, the beauty of this challenge is the way you can adapt it to your own situation. March is an interesting month weatherwise in the UK - so well, we will see how I get on.