Wintry Sewing Plans

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I always have more and more projects lined up, and as it's been a few months since I updated you all on what I've got stacked up ready to make in my sewing room, I thought today I'd give a little run down of what I'll be working on soon!

First up is a winter appropriate 1930s dress with long bishop sleeves! The examples above are all inspiring me towards a simple design with dramatic sleeves. The high boat-neck of the example in the lowest left above is very appealing as it would leave lots of room for showing off brooches or dress clips. I'll try and find a vintage belt buckle I like to match the brown wool I have picked out, which is this option from Mood fabrics. I originally bought the wool to make a brown suit, but I think it has a nice enough drape to make a dress instead. I'd really like to make more 30's dresses and pieces in the future, and there are several projects in my near future towards this aim!

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 ...Including some 1930s skirts, again in wool :) I found a subtly plaid brown and green wool at my favorite Colorado Fabrics (formerly Denver Fabrics) and I plan on making a skirt very similar to the one in the center above, slightly flared with a single pocket for added detail. I can't find a source for this inspiration skirt other than Pinterest sadly, but it's just perfect so I may end up copying it exactly. The other wool I have lined up is solid black and I want to try a more pleated front 30's style, but perhaps with some buttons as accents too like the skirt on the right above. I'll have to see how well the wool I've got holds a crease, I would like nice crisp pleats if I go that route. It will be so nice to have some fall/winter 1930s separates in my closet finally!

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In addition to all the wool awaiting it's destiny, I also really want to make a black velvet dress in a simple late 30's/early 40's style. I'm thinking slightly puffed (or perhaps even pleated/darted?) sleeves with a shoulder pad, a squared neckline, and a simple a line cut skirt. I'd make a matching belt with a vintage buckle again, though I might figure out a way to make the belt snap/hook onto the buckle so I can change it out from something glitzy for evening to something like plain celluloid for daytime. I really just want another dress to wear dress clips with, I love dress clips!

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Then there is one more 1930's project on my list, a matching dress and cape! Yes a cape, a little Sherlockian checked cape with a matching dress! Marsha Hunt's ensemble above may have been the very image to put the idea into my head, how chic is she? I know the fabric I used for my tan mini-houndstooth skirt and bolero comes in dark grey too (it can be found at Joanns) so I think I may just use that for this project as it has a nice drape. I'll just have to find some buttons I like that look more like vintage plastics rather than new. I do enjoy button shopping so I am looking forward to it! I really could use more winter appropriate (aka long sleeved) dresses in my wardrobe so this ensemble and the brown wool dress will go a long way in helping with that!

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Another wool I picked up from Mood fabrics over last fall was this lovely black tweed with white flecks. Once I finally fix my bolero pattern (grumble) I hope to make a little suit like those above. It seems bolero suits were popular from the 1930s through the 50's and I'd like to have my bolero pattern fixed and tweaked for each era so that I can start making more of the style. A short jacket means only half the tailoring to worry about right? Another speckled fabric in my stash is this gorgeous raw silk which I originally bought to make a pencil skirt, but I can't decide now if I should perhaps make a dress instead since the fabric is wide enough I can probably get away with it. Then again I could try and make pencil skirt and a matching bolero? Hmm I can't decide!

I am already in the middle of another wool project (I know, so much wool!), but wait till you see this fabric! A truly scrumptious vintage flecked wool in an army green color I found on Etsy. The flecks in it are all different colors, teal, blue, rusty brown, white and even purple. It's soooo good. I only had a yard so it will be a nice long pencil skirt to wear with all of my slash neck knit tops and other sweaters. I can't wait to finish it up and show you all!

How is your winter sewing coming along? I had a slow start getting back into sewing after taking a bit of a winter break. Seeing as I sew all day at work and then sew for myself all weekend it was no wonder I needed a little rest from my machine, but I managed to complete a new dress last weekend! A dress you will see very shortly as I love how it turned out <3