I really like the idea of setting my stall out and making a kind of visual list of what I hope to sew this autumn. Hopefully this will help me achieve two things: firstly; make some kind of cohesive wardrobe that actually works together (not capsule, I don't get the idea of a capsule wardrobe - why on earth would one limit their amount of clothes like that? Besides, I'm not nearly organised enough for that to work:) and secondly to give me a goal and a checklist so that I don't get completely distracted by new fabric and patterns and actually sew some of those that I already have.

Also, doing this means I get to plan, draw, and generally faff around a bit which I always find good for the soul. Clearly my list is far longer than I have autumn and winter months for, but I've got to start somewhere.

I should point out that I have used a book called a 'Fashionary' to draw the figures (the clothes and odd faces are my own creation). It's a lovely book and it makes my drawings look a bit more professional, but it also makes them look ridiculously long, totally insane proportionally and very thin. This is neither how I view myself, nor the standard that the fashion industry should perpetuate, but that's a whole 'nother post and until I find the ability / time to draw something that looks a little more like me, this will be the way.

Please be kind about the following drawing and photography!

Subway

Inspiration: A girl on the subway last autumn who looked so effortlessly put together.

Pattern: Shift or fit and flare dress with short sleeves, which I'm going to attempt to draft myself, with a boxy quilted jacket using the Bernadette pattern by République du Chiffon (and Google Translate).

Fabric: Lightweight denim with a tiny bit of stretch for the dress (to be found) and a large-scale floral I bought from The Fabric Store in LA in the summer for the jacket (although it might be a bit stiff, so may change my mind on that.)

Blok

Inspiration: Dress I saw in a window of a pretty snooty shop in Park Slope.

Pattern: Adapt the Sewaholic Belcarra Blouse to dress length

Fabric: A gorgeously soft black and white geometric Italian wool I picked up for a total bargain from Paron, which I'll reverse on the sleeves and perhaps trim with leather (well, pleather.)

Bird

Inspiration: A beautiful black and green cotton / metallic blend skirt with an interesting pleat at the front that I saw in the window of Bird, a shop which makes me sad every time I walk past it as I want everything and can afford nothing.

Pattern: A self-drafted A-line above the knee skirt with a large inverted box pleat in front. With a cropped T-shirt in black jersey using République du Chiffon's Victor pattern.

Fabric: Summoning up the courage to buy this gorgeous metallic plum double knit from Tessuti and still working on what weight I want the top to be.

Copycat

Inspiration: A total rip-off of this beautiful top created by Ebony at Sew Stylist.

Pattern: Adapting Grainline Studio's Scout Tee. Also, having just seen that the perpetually inspiring Heather Lou at Closet Case Files is about to launch a pattern for jeans that should work for the BF Bottom, I may even summon up the courage to make myself a pair of jeans. Maybe.

Fabric: a luscious, soft soft soft, stretchy (perhaps too stretchy, we'll see) black bamboo jersey from Mood (which was impossible to photograph.)

Ballerina

Inspiration: There was an ad a few years ago for TK Maxx (or TJ Maxx as it is in the US) which had a girl wearing the most gorgeous midi circle skirt. That's been on my mind ever since.

Pattern: Vintage Simplicity 2359 (1940's apparently) pattern using the ballerina length. And then a Closet Case Files Nettie bodysuit.

Fabric: a pinky coloured lightweight tweed or bouclé for the skirt and a navy and white stripe stretch knit for the bodysuit. In my head, so far not in my stash.

Collins

Inspiration: My lovely friend who came to see me a few weeks ago, arrived off the plane looking rumple free and beautiful, wearing trousers in this style.

Pattern: The Suzy pants pattern from Tessuti and the Eucalypt tank top.

Fabric: An absolutely dreamy black and grey silk from Mood (silk what? - I really need to learn these things) and a Kelly green silk I have in my stash that originally, I think, was used by my mum to make a dress for my aunt and uncle's wedding quite a few years ago, for the top. Too much silk? Posh PJs?

Orphan

Inspiration: I made a pair of skinny trousers in the summer, which I'm going to post soon as there was some epic fitting and pattern-matching involved, but I haven't worn them as I don't have anything to wear with them, so this top is to remedy that.

Pattern: Vogue 1247 Rachel Comey top and Colette Clover trousers.

Fabric: Either a super floaty cotton Swiss dot from New York Elegant Fabrics or a lovely cream with multi-coloured fleck double gauze (could be?) again from the Fabric Store, if I think it's drapey enough. (The trousers are in a ikat stretch cotton twill.)

So, I'll be the one with chronic back ache and mole eyes after being hunched over my sewing machine continually for the next few months then.

Oh and, there will be a part two, as I need to make a jacket or two, some more tops and some more kid friendly clothing as my actual life doesn't necessarily correspond with these drawings.

See you soon x

Autumn sewing: Part 1