My Make Nine for 2021!
Since starting my ~sewing journey~ last year, I have been floating from project to project with no real planning involved, since I just wanted to make stuff and learn as much as I can about sewing. Now that I feel more or less confident in my skills, I wanted to make a small list of 9 projects that I want to work on during 2021!
My overarching plan for this year is to use up some of my most cherished fabrics from my stash, to work on my tailoring skills, and to make pieces that will last; both in terms of aesthetics and quality. Last year was all about making a bunch of stuff and learning by doing, which resulted in quite a few pieces that I can’t see myself wearing, which were produced in the early days of my sewing adventure. At this point, I feel much more confident in my choices when it comes to picking fabric, silhouettes, colours, patterns and so on, so I really want to focus on making pieces that will stay with me for coming years!
Without further ado, here’s my #MakeNine for 2021!
1. A 1940-50’s inspired wool jacket
A 1940-50’s inspired wool jacket with a cropped, bomber silhouette, patch pockets on the chest and a tailored collar and lapel.
Fabric: I’m dreaming of a nice tweed or boiled wool coating, but I have yet to find the perfect fabric for it!
Pattern: Self drafted, baby! Here are the main features I want to incorporate: a cropped, bomber silhouette with pleats going into the waistband on the back. Patch pockets on the chest with flaps, and a tailored collar and lapel. There isn’t a single inspiration picture that has all the elements I like, but here are a few jackets that have a similar vibe to what I’m going for: [1] , [2] , [3]
2. A white button up shirt with split side seams
I saw this beautiful shirt that @thepatternline made the other day, and fell in love with it. She finished the side seams and hems with facings and then overlapped the front and the back, attaching them only at the underarms so that the front and the back can move separately. I love the seemingly infinite tucking and styling possibilities this design offers! Make sure to check out her highlights on this project, it was fascinating to watch her work and I learned so much from it!
Fabric: either white linen or a nice cotton. Something with silk in it if I’m feeling particularly adventurous :D
Pattern: Maybe self drafted, maybe a hacked version of an existing shirt pattern.
3. Some proper jeans!
Fabric: Here’s the issue: it’s SO HARD to find proper, heavy, rigid denim in Turkey. All I can find is 10 oz non-stretch denim and that just doesn’t cut it for me, as I much favour rigid, heavyweight denims. I’ll keep looking for it, wish me luck!
Pattern: I’ll start with the Dawn Jeans by Megan Nielsen and modify them to look more like my favourite vintage Lee pair.
4. Part 2 & 3 of my journey into making a three piece suit: a waistcoat and a blazer jacket!
Fabric: the grey-brown suiting gabardine I used for my self drafted Mylo Trousers and my cropped blazer!
Pattern: I will either alter the Belvedere Waistcoat by Thread Theory so that it fits me or I will just draft one from scratch. For the blazer, I will probably go with the Jasika Blazer by Closet Core Patterns and just work on how it fits.
5. A proper winter coat
Fabric: I have some lovely camel coloured coating wool waiting for this in my stash!
Pattern: Grasser 529, which is a reproduction of the Max Mara 101801 Icon Coat! It has really interesting grown on sleeves and a gusset on the underarm, and I’m really excited to figure that out! The big issue is that it was only available on their Russian website, so all I have is some vague Russian instructions and a sew along I found on Youtube. Wish me luck folks!
6. Some loose fitting overalls!
I’ve been meaning to make a pair of overalls since the beginning of summer and I still haven’t gotten around to it! Here are some pictures that are close to what I have in mind: [1] , [2] , [3]
Fabric: I have a lovely, dark, blueish green twill weave cotton-linen blend in my stash that I have been saving for this project. It’s strangely difficult to capture its colour on camera, it’s darker and more cool toned in real life.
Pattern: I will probably draft it myself, unless a particular pattern catches my eye!
7. Something, anything inspired by Dries Van Noten’s Spring 2015 Menswear show!
I’m in love with nearly every single look from that runway, and I’ve been dreaming of making something inspired by it for months. I’m particularly fond of these items / looks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. If this doesn’t work out as planned, here’s my backup inspiration runway: Dries Van Noten Fall 2019 Menswear.
8. A Suit From My ~ Dream Fabric ~
Fabric: Fun story: Back in August, I saw this beige & black wool-linen blend houndstooth check suiting (say that five times fast) at my local fabric store and fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I asked about the price, and they told me it was 145 Turkish Liras per meter, which is quite expensive in the context of our miserably failing economy so I just let it go. A month passed and I kept thinking about it, I even dreamed about it a couple of times. When I went back to the store a month later, I decided to see if they still had any, thinking I maybe I could get 1.1 meters (which is what I need for a pair of trousers) for the price of 1 meter if I put on my haggling cap. I searched for it for a good 10 minutes, and it wasn’t there, I even asked the shop assistant about it and he told me that they never carried a fabric like that… But then! I saw a tiny piece of it sticking out from underneath a mountain of suiting fabric, and asked about the price. He couldn’t remember the price, so went inside to ask the manager. He came back looking confused, and told me it was 45 LIRAS PER METER. THAT IS 6 US DOLLARS PER METER. I walked out with all 4.75 meters they had left and I still can’t believe my luck :’) So yeah, that’s the dream fabric I want to use for my dream suit!
Patterns: self drafted Mylo Trousers & the modified Jasika Blazer if everything goes right with the brown-grey gabardine one.
9. The Silk Brocade Jacket
So. I have this fabric in my stash that I’m positively terrified of. It’s by far the most expensive fabric I have ever purchased, and it’s just absolutely dreamy. It’s a heavy silk brocade (?) that is made up of various squares and rectangles filled with kilim-like patterns in turquoise, rust red, and yellow. I’m going to try to be brave and finally make something from it, because I hate that it’s just sitting in my stash unused… I’m thinking of making a jacket out of it with cream coloured sherpa for the lining, so that it’s reminiscent of those sherpa denim jackets I love so much. I will need to find (or draft) a pattern with minimal seaming since the pattern is so busy and the fabric is so thick. The other challenge is to make it fit both me and my partner since we are both in love with this fabric. Fingers crossed!
What are you planning to make next year? Are you more focused on choosing 9 patterns to make or choosing 9 fabrics you want to work with? Are there any skills you’re excited to learn or practice?