Sewing for the Season...

Monday, May 5, 2014

Do you ever find yourself longing to sew spring dresses in the middle of autumn? Or wool skirts in the summer? Every year around the turn of the season, without fail, I find myself longing to sew up garments for the season just past.

We are currently in autumn down here, about to slink into a chilly winter, the first properly cold winter David and I have had in 4 years (Sydney never really got cold). I'm in desperate need of winter skirts, and have some lovely wools to make them from, except that my Instagram and blog reader are full of northern hemisphere spring blossoms, sandals and sundresses and I find myself longing for what I don't have, instead of enjoying what I do. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way - as the saying goes, we always want what we don't have.

So this Me Made May, along with sewing a wearable handmade wardrobe, I'm also very much trying to be mindful of sewing appropriately for where I am. It's okay to be inspired by others and the seasons in the northern hemisphere, but sewing mindfully, so that I will actually get to wear my current me mades, is very much at the top of the list.

I've had some ideas that I hope will help with the seasonal transition and my incessant need to sew things I won't be able to wear for a few months -

1. Write a list of Winter Sewing Essentials.

I've done this before and have found it really does keep me on track. It's also motivating, knowing there are things on the list I need and will wear as soon as they are finished. I also feel like it keeps me accountable (even though most of you probably couldn't care less whether I deviated from my list or not!)

2. If I desperately feel the need to sew a spring dress in the middle of winter, make it from a winter appropriate fabric and make sure it's at least a style that will go with a warm cardigan and tights.

3. Start planning for spring items - trace patterns and make necessary flat pattern fit adjustments, wash fabric and gather any extra supplies I need. This way, when the autumn sewing bug hits in spring, I'll be well on my way to sewing my summer clothes and it means I can start planning my autumn wardrobe.

Autumn really is my very favourite time of year. The trees are full of colour, I get to pull out my cardigans, scarves, boots and gloves and it hasn't got so cold and dark that I just feel glum. I get to knit by the fire at night with a cat on my lap and I get to sew with wool, which I love. So, I'm determined to live in the season and enjoy it for what it is. Rain and all.

Do you have any tips for sewing for the season?

Make sure you check out Zoe's MMM14 post on Sewing for the Season.

xx
J
19 comments on "Sewing for the Season..."
  1. Fellow southern hemisphere sewer here! The last few days here in Sydney have been freezing. I was just thinking about this very issue. I went opshopping this morning, and bought two lovely pieces of fabric. Haven't checked their sizes yet, but I know they will most likely become blouses, and summery ones at that! One could potentially be a winter blouse. I get precious little time to sew, so perhaps I will do some summer sewing so I can wear it come hot weather. Ah, decisions

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    1. I know how you feel! It's so hard not to just want to sew up summery things even though it's freezing cold here.

      Your fabric sounds lovely - is it something you can wear with a wool skirt and cardigan? That way you can get the best of both worlds!

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    2. There's a dark blue floral that would have to be underlined, so that could work, the other is a very spring floral. But yes, wool skirts, they are my absolute favourite

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  2. Me too!! I so agree it's super tricky for MMM seeing all those spring dresses coming out. Although we've only had a couple of cold days in Adelaide so far. My problem is although I adore Autumn I really like making summer dresses so I need to branch out a mix up my style a bit so I can keep wearing me mades all autumn and winter.

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    1. Me too, I can't resist a good springy dress! I'm going to try making them up in darker colours and wear them with cardigans (and probably a thermal!!) to stay warm. That way I can sew spring dresses AND I get to wear them :) Win win!

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  3. It is freezing here at the moment too! OK, not by the rest of the world standards but for my poor wussy self! I was making a Flora until the weather suddenly changed so I have put that away until about October! Now onto Skater dresses and the like. I am going to write a wardrobe plan too to see where my wardrobe really falls short. I hate that I can't remember what I wore last winter!!

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    1. Can you make Lola in snuggly sweatshirt type fabric? I've found looking at my outfits from May last year so good so that I can remember a little of what I should be wearing to stay warm round these parts :)

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  4. It is hard to be motivated to sew for the current season when so many popular sewists and their blogs are in the northern hemisphere but I've done exactly as you suggested - few weeks ago I did an autumn/winter sewing plans list, and blogged it, complete with Polyvore inspiration pics and patterns, to keep me on track and it's working a treat! I've also gone through my stash and pulled all the fabrics I want to use onto one shelf at eye level, so they're right there when I open the stash door. And the bonus of being down South is it lets all the northerners try out the cool new patterns, iron out all the fitting issues ready for the Antipodeans to make when our seasons change - win win!

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    1. That is SUCH a great way to look at it, letting them do all the fitting work and then telling us the fit issues so we get it perfect first time round. Yes! I'm all for that.

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  5. You're right. A winter list would keep me on track.
    MMM is making me cull my wardrobe. I wouldn't have culled me-mades so soon.
    Isn't it great we get to see what's coming up next Spring?

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  6. And when you say "freezing" down there, how cold is it really? Just wondering :D

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    1. Well, it was -1 the other day (celsius) so, that's below freezing I guess :)

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  7. You are so right, I am desperate to make pretty dresses but now is not the time. I adore spring blossoms but autumn is so lovely. The light is brilliant on sunny days, and warm fires are such a treat.

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  8. Sometimes it is really hard to sew for the weather you're currently having. (Says the person who starting sewing summer dresses in March.) Your plan of attack sounds solid and at least you can trace some summer dresses when you get the itch.

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  9. In the uk it is nominally spring but still very much tights weather. May is a hard month for me mades as it can be any sort of weather! In the winter I wanted to make dresses so I made sure to choose fabrics with a dark background so that they can work with tights and cardigans as well as bare legs and sandals.

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  10. I always try to sew for the season I am in, or the season ahead - I'll start sewing summer in spring, spring in winter, and winter now in autumn. I'm not rigid, but I do try to follow a pattern. I don't make much autumn stuff in summer, because we don't really have one, although this year I did make a few pairs of stretch cotton sateen pants as transitional items.

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  11. This is my biggest problem! I sew only for summer because I never get cold, but I absolutely love winter type clothes. Planning winter items in lighter fabrics really needs to sneak into my planning. I also think sewing an out of season item might help with some people's seasonal blues. Think of it, middle of winter, feeling down, what better way to cheer up than a bright happy fabric. :D

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  12. My problem is sewing things during the season when I would be wearing it, then only getting a little bit of wear before it becomes too hot/ too cold to wear it. I need to start planning, as you say, so I'm making things which are season-appropriate. Thanks for making me things about it - I'm usually a bit haphazard with what I make, so this should help me focus and plan better!

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  13. Go through your fabric stash and pull out yummy fabrics for the current season that you'd like to wear. I'm about to do that with mine and I'm thinking some of my Merino might need to be made into new warm t-shirts

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