A Substitution and Looking Towards Fall

Seven more weekends and eight more projects...I don't know how I am going to work it out but I guess I will! *smile* On that note, I am changing one of my projects...see even though I didn't get the chance to sew last weekend, it doesn't mean that I didn't think about sewing. And after going over the construction for the St. John's dress in my mind, it is not what I really want right now. Let me explain...these are the construction details that drew me to the dress:

~ the square neckline

~ the elaborate embellishment

~ the shaping of the dress

After much consideration, I realize I can easily achieve the square neckline from my TNT pattern but my embellishment is not elaborate enough. And I am just not in the frame of mind to play with it. Also since the St. John's dress is made from a knit, my linen is not going to give the same shaping to the dress. So instead of having a nice dress with a nod to the St. John's dress, I am going to shelve the idea and move onto something different.

I saw this picture in People's August 2007 Style Watch magazine. Let's just say that the wheels are turning and ideas are forming...okay, I pretty much constructed "the new piece" on the bus on the way home. All I have to do now is get it out of my head and into a garment...so stay tuned.

After seeing the exhibit Saturday and perusing my newly purchased fashion books, my mind is finally turning towards fall. I have to admit that I have been resisting this mindset because I have these last eight outfits that I really want to make and I don't want to be waylaid. Plus, you know that you can't really wear fall clothes here in the Central Northeast states until the end of October/beginning of November...and sometimes later than that! My last few summer outfits can get plenty of wear if I concentrate and get them made.

However, the Costume Institute book is just causing my mind to do flips! For some time now, I have thought that I would add a little retro to my fall suits. You know how I have been complaining about dialing up the same ole suit looks that my fellow employees are wearing, and retro jackets would definitely be a different look, but still corporate! It also doesn't hurt that the new Vogue Patterns fall line was recently uploaded to their website and the new Vogue Patterns Magazine mailed out causing much discussion on the sewing boards about the patterns and the new looks.

Then late Saturday night I was trolling Fabric.com's site and found this:

Stretch Suiting Houndstooth Stripe Black & White
Our Price: $4.35 per yard; 60 inches wide
Contents: 96% polyester/4% lycra

I fell in love. It looks so much like the fabric in one of the Chanel outfits photographed in the Costume Institute book that I just bought it. Well it arrived today and all I can say is that it is so much better in person than on the website! It will make an amazing dress and jacket! I just can't decide whether or not to use one side as the jacket and the reverse side as the dress ala Chanel or make both pieces in the same color. But it will definitely be a part of my fall sewing.

I have other ideas for suits from the Jackie Kennedy exhibit and the Met's book, "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years" and "The New Look the Dior Revolution" by Nigel Cawthorne. I will hark back to the recent past to come up with new and different suit ideas for my wardrobe.

Vogue patterns has also provided some inspiration with these new patterns:

Vogue 8414:
MISSES’ JACKET AND DRESS: Above waist, front button jacket has standing collar, raglan sleeves and pleated back. Dress has front and back yoke, cap sleeve, front gathers, back zipper, back slit and optional purchased belt.

Vogue 8431:

MISSES’ JACKET: Lined jacket A, B, C have front darts, back darts, back pleats with underlay and sleeve. A: contrast facing. A, B: side seam pockets. C: lined patch pockets.

Vogue 8436:

MISSES’/MISSES’ PETITE JACKET, SASH, SKIRT AND PANTS: Lined jackets A and B have raglan sleeves gathered into cuffs and snap closures. A: hip length with button detail. B: below hip length with a standup collar and optional sash. Straight skirt C and tapered pants D have grosgrain waist finish and back zipper closure.

So this is the beginnings of where my mind is wandering to for fall...but I've just gotta finish up those last things on my summer sewing list first!