handmade wardrobe: summer of basics
i'm continuing on the challenge bandwagon to give me some structure to my making plans for this year. summer of basics is something that karen templer of fringe supply co./fringe association runs each year. while the title might sound like it's focused around tank tops and t-shirt dresses, "basics" just means something that you'll wear loads out of in the years to come. choose 3 items to make (sew, knit, crochet, whatever) and try to get them made over the summer months. so, here are my three:
- sophie swimsuit by closet case patterns - i've got this fabulous moon and stars swimsuit fabric from blackbird fabrics and a kit from emerald erin for all the other bits (lining, elastics, etc.). this particular project is a big one for me in every way - stretching my sewing skills, emotionally and mentally engaging with my body in a super vulnerable way, learning to slow down my process so that i actually end up with a finished project i love. i plan on doing some practice runs with cheaper scraps, so i'll be documenting that on instagram i'm sure, and i'll have a separate blog post specifically about the finished swimsuit as well. my goal for this one is to have my final suit ready in time for heading to pei to teach at the end of august.
- gypsum skirt by sew liberated - i've already loved my arenite pants so much that i've worn holes in the inner thighs, so a skirt version of the same style (especially those perfect pockets) is obviously high on my to-make list. i have similar fabric to what i used for my arenite pants that i'll use for the first one, and then i have some incredible japanese cotton seersucker fabric from merchant & mills that i'll use for either the arenite pants or the gypsum skirt. it'll depend on which bottoms i love more, but i think just the reality of how easily i wear through inner thighs combined with how much i love/live in these bottoms means i'll probably make another skirt to lengthen the time until i need to mend them.
- worn this way crochet hat - i suck at crochet, but i'm always kind of annoyed at its speed. between all the yarn scraps waiting impatiently to eventually become cozy blankets and the peter pan collars that look way cuter crocheted than knit, plus the fact that i don't like not having a fibre-based skill comfortably in my wheelhouse, i have a goal of learning at least the basics of crochet this summer. and this hat is basically the perfect incentive. it'll be super cute with my swimsuit! a summer of learning new skills seems like a good idea to me, and maybe i'll learn how to chill out and respect the process while i'm at it. we'll see how far along i get by the time i'm in pei. photo evidence will show us...
- (bonus) high-waisted undies - i guess this is technically a bit of a cheat, because i'm going to use it as a way of practicing grading from the hips to waist for my swimsuit, but also i really love all my high-waisted skirts and pants, and it feels weird to have undies be the one major gap area in my handmade wardrobe, so this feels like a good start. i have oodles of scrap lace plus some much nicer lace, so i'll practice with the scraps first and then make myself a pair i really love.
what about you? any summer wardrobe making plans or new skills you want to learn?