Thursday, March 8, 2012

Spring sewing obsession

Today really felt like spring. Even though it's only early March, and I was inside my office building all day, away from windows and natural light - not to mention fresh air, I could just tell the weather was lovely (and it was - 70 degrees and breezy). I found myself daydreaming about colorful fabrics and cheerful prints, including a little bit of the following, which has been taunting me from my upcoming projects queue.
Colette Patterns' Sencha blouse
Fabric.com - white with red dots, rayon shirting
Then I saw Zoe's post about blouse patterns and I just couldn't get those cute-blousey-ideas out of my head. One of the things that excites me most about the Sencha pattern is the little grown-on sleeves that are part of the bodice, instead of being set-in sleeves. It's a sleeve type (akin to kimono?) that I've been wanting to try and that just seems like it'd be so simple and quick to sew up. This is the line of thinking that has encouraged my mind to go crazy and dream up about eighty-seven different versions of this blouse, which I'm sure I could just sew up in no time at all... I mean, look - the sleeves!

I became a little bit obsessed and scoured the internets for MORE BLOUSES.

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The adorableness became a bit overwhelming. (I recommend you all stay away from Etsy for at least 20 minutes after reading this.) There were so many out there, between Etsy and Ebay, I about lost my mind - and a LOT of them say "EASY" or "SIMPLE TO MAKE" -- um? yes!! I guess I always knew these types of patterns existed, I just never took the time to drool focus (this much!) on them.

Then I realized, derr, I already have another (in addition to Sencha and Violet) cute, springtimey top pattern just WAITING for me to match it up with some fabric and get going (once I've finished everything else I'm working on). Enter, Simplicity 2154.

Check out the adorable blouse!
That's right, ladies (and gentlemen?). This baby doesn't' even have sleeves to fret over. All she needs is some adorable, springy fabric and we've got unlimited (meaning I could make forty-two of this thing, it's that cute) blouse-making possibilities! Just check out Alana's darling version.

Just in case that wasn't incentive enough for me to do some fabric shopping (or at least dreaming/window-shopping), the amazing Tasia over at Sewaholic has got Hart's Fabric to do an awesome 10% coupon in honor of her. So, there's that.

Here's a bit of what has caught my eye, fabric-wise. I've found myself surprisingly drawn to prints & fabrics of the pink/purple/orange variety, rather than my usual greens and blues.

Fun!
Coral!
Yes, this is chiffon, but it's such a cute print!
Not 100% on this print, but I love the bright purple + orange combo.
More colorful prints, please! Today's colorful, springtimey fixation has definitely got the wheels turning (in my brain?) for planning my Spring/Summer sewing list. Stay tuned for more on that soon.

6 comments:

  1. I LOVE that chiffon!! I want it now, damn you

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    1. Please, get it and make something so I can live vicariously through you!

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  2. I'm totally on a blouse kick too - am searching for that perfect pattern I can make in multiples of fabric.

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    1. Yes!! Please share what you find on your quest. :)

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  3. I absolutely love the purple/ orange one! It would be super as a blouse with a purple pencil skirt.

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    1. Great idea! ...I just might already have a purple pencil skirt on my to-sew list :)

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