Hi guys! It's definitely been a hot minute since I've written a blog post! Thought I better put my phone down and dust off the old keyboard before I forgot how!
2017 has been sort of an odd year for me mentally. I feel like my energy is scattered between many creative pursuits - sewing being one of them - and I don't particularly feel like I've been performing any of them well! Not to get too heavy on here, but the politics in the U.S. have really affected me. I've been trying to channel my anxiety and anger into something productive and learning how to become involved in my local politics, where I feel I can be most effective, but I can't pretend that I don't often feel overwhelmed, depressed, and helpless. And those feelings can take their toll. I'm not writing about this to open up a big political discussion, but simply to explain why I've been pretty quiet on the sewing and blogging front. Quite simply, I've had other things on my mind!
But this past weekend was my birthday. I turned 32. And I had a long weekend to not only finish up some sewing, but take my camera for a walk and document what I've been wanting to wear lately for y'all. Normally I make something a bit frivolous for my birthday sewing, but what I really wanted, and needed, this year was some practical separates. So that's what I got!
Variations on this outfit have been somewhat of a uniform for me, lately. In fact, I made these jeans last fall and have been wearing them pretty much nonstop. I'm not really sure what I'd call this style. I have no idea if I'm even "in style"! What are the kids wearing these days? I have no clue. At this point I'm just making and wearing whatever feels right. And this sort-of 70's, kinda ranch-hand, a little bit sexy, but also buttoned up, and maybe a touch prison-uniform, look feels right. Like, I'll probably wear this to work at least two days this week, kind of right.
Like I said, these jeans were made last fall. I actually made them as sort of a palette cleanser after all of my historical sewing. They are a bit of a mish-mash of the Closet Case Files Ginger jeans pattern and the Deer and Doe Safran pants. Basically I just put the Safran front welt pocket on the Ginger jeans high waisted pattern. Then added a flare leg. However I didn't really measure my inseam correctly and didn't add as much length as I originally would have liked. Generally I like my flare leg jeans to be floor-dusting. That's why I left the hem of these raw, because had I hemmed them they would have really been an awkward length! Now, however, I kinda love the raw hem, and the awkward length feels sort of fresh. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
The fabric is some Cone Mills s-gene stretch denim that I got with one of the original Ginger jeans kits, and it's so freaking lovely. I made these jeans suuupppppper tight through the hip and thigh, and that Cone Mills denim just gives and gives and gives, and never gives up! I will never make jeans using another denim. End of discussion. I'm a convert. As I said, I've been wearing these jeans for a few months now, and my typical pattern is to wear them many many many times before washing. And they never get baggy! They just seem to get better with more wear!
The top is the Deer and Doe Mélilot shirt. I've had my eye on this pattern for awhile, and finally bit the bullet this winter. I made it in this super lovely light blue tencel denim shirting from Threadbare Fabric. I adore this fabric! The color, weight and drape makes it feel way more ready-to-wear than the typical chambray fabrics that seem to be available to home sewists. I have a bit more and I'm debating what else to do with it - I'm wondering if I can squeeze an Archer out of it - because a girl can't have too many denim blue button-up shirts, right? So far this is number three...
I really love this pattern too. I cut the size based on the finished measurements -- which I pretty much always do, because I like to be the master of my own ease -- and I think it makes it a little more feminine. I feel like oversized, drop sleeve blouses are all the rage right now (maybe? I don't know... like I said, I'm not really sure what's in style, but last time I checked...) and I might make one of those in the future, but for this one I wanted something that I could easily tuck into high waisted pants and skirts and not have a ton of fabric pillowing over the top. One thing that I always underestimate though when I cut by my finished measurements is that while my bust and waist measurement may work with a smaller size, often times my shoulders don't. This is especially true for Deer and Doe patterns, who I think design for a different shape than me (i.e. not women with weightlifting shoulders and backs!) I think I'm able to get away with it on this top because there's no armsyce, but it's a lesson I really need to learn, because this isn't the first time this has happened!
It's been such a warm winter and spring here in Galveston, I pretty much completely skipped any sort of winter sewing and this is probably going to be about as 'transitional' as it gets! The next few projects I have planned are summer dresses, however I should really try to bang out a few more practical separates! Especially tops.
Does anyone have any good pattern recommendations for tops? I'm feeling very 70's these days (and should probably cut my hair, but, you know, fuck the man). And since I've been sort of out-of-touch I'm not really sure what's out there! Tell me your favorites! What can't you wait to sew and wear this spring/summer?
xx
