Make 9 for 2019

I have watched people post their Make 9 choices over the past couple of years and considered planning out 9 patterns I want to sew for the year, but my sewing has been more capricious than consistent, so it wasn’t something I thought I could achieve. In the last year, I’ve been working on planning out my sewing, working on patterns that grow or stretch my skills. I want to continue this trend in 2019 and have been planning my makes even before the Make 9 posts started showing up. Nine completed projects that stretch and/or grow my skills in 2019 seems totally doable.

Pattern choices are always difficult at this stage. I am still trying to sew as much out of my stash as possible, but I am getting a few new pieces for Christmas this year. My intent is to use those pieces before the end of 2019 rather than hoarding them. With that in mind, I spent a good week pondering my fabric choices and pattern options.

I knew I wanted to make a coat or jacket. This has been on my list for a couple of years and I own an absurd number of jacket patterns considering my total makes from those patterns is a large scale zero. With that sort of selection, picking one to launch my Make 9 should be easy, right? Um...no. I opted to buy a new pattern, the Kelly Anorak from Closet Case Patterns. I have seriously coveted this pattern since its release. When the pattern showed up on Fabric.com, it went straight onto my Christmas list, along with the perfect brushed twill in a lovely orange called sweet potato. I am still debating things like lining or not and hood or not, but the pattern and fabric was waiting under the Christmas tree.

My second Make 9 involves my most coveted fabric - houndstooth. Fabric.com carries a lovely grey houndstooth in wool, perfect for the BurdaStyle 6380 vest dress (jumper?) pattern released this fall. I knew the instant I saw the pattern that I wanted to make it and it went onto my list of fall sewing, which was derailed by The Dress. Once again, it was a match made in fabric/pattern heaven. I’m planning to go serious couture on this one, which hair canvas and bound buttonholes and welt pockets, the whole works. Slow sewing and skill building all in one fabulous project. I’m really looking forward to this one. The fabric for this one was also under my Christmas tree.

Third up is a leather skirt. I’m kinda on the fence about this one. A length of beautiful Telio gunmetal faux leather from Fabric.com was waiting under the Christmas tree. This will be serious challenging, but I’ve already got a teflon foot, so I’m halfway there, right? My current plan is to stitch this one up in Tilly and the Buttons Arielle. I love the off center button band, although I’d go with some snaps for the leather. This is another slow sew, skill builder. I’m definitely targeting those for 2019!

On the other hand, I know if I do all slow sew projects, I’ll get impatient and screw something up, so I want to mix in some straightforward staples. The first of these is the York Pinafore from Helen’s Closet. This is another pattern I’ve been coveting since I first saw it pop up in my Instagram feed. I also want the apron expansion pack. I love the look and that kind of apron is awesome as a harvest apron, having lots of room to pull up the hemline and make a bountiful basket for cleaning out the garden. Thing1 has her eye on this pattern too, so I suspect there will be more than one York before it is all done. I’m thinking denim or maybe linen.

Some unexpected additions to my Make 9 came courtesy of the #sewfrosting challenge hosted by Heather and Kelli. I won one of the community prize packs, which in turn added two Tilly & the Buttons patterns to my stash (the Arielle mentioned above and the Cleo dungaree dress), along with a several True Bias patterns. The Cleo dungaree dress will get made up, although I’m pretty sure I’ll have to either make 2 or fight Thing1 off of mine. I have some sweet dark purple velveteen in my stash, which I have earmarked for this make. I’ll do one up for Thing1 out of linen or maybe some denim. (She has seen the pattern and already wants to know when hers will be done.)

True Bias will take on 2 of the remaining 9. While I’m doling out the denim, I’m planning on making the Salida skirt in denim, with loads and loads and loads of top stitching. I’m quite chuffed about this one! I also picked up the Southport dress, which Thing1 has already called dibs on. I’ve got some giraffe print double gauze in one of my various online wish lists. Giraffes are her spirit animal, and she has been requesting some updated giraffe themed clothing. I may try to get her to sew this one up herself, but I’m not going to hold my breath. She loves sewing and bragging on her makes, but getting her started is often painful.

My last two patterns shouldn’t be a stretch for me, but the patterns/fabrics will require I take my time to do them right. First up is Simplicity 8746, which is a cute pleated wrap skirt. I have a very pretty plaid flannel in my stash that has been lingering far too long until the right pattern came along. It was the first fabric I thought of when I saw the pattern. I have done pleated plaid before. It is a study in patience to get everything cut properly, but totally worth it when it is all said and done. This one may get lined so it will play well with tights.

If I’ve done the math right, I should be down to my final pattern of the nine. I’ll be doing up Vogue 9333, a lovely button up blouse with fabulous pleats across the front and back to give it shape. It also has pleats at the sleeve caps. I’ll be in pleating heaven with this one. My friend Becky was horrified at the sheer number of buttonholes this one required. She is not wrong and I’m reserving the right to chicken out and do up some pearl snaps instead. The fabric for this one was also under the Christmas Tree. Pretty white snowflakes on a field of black. Collar and cuffs will be done is crisp snow white. I’m tempted to do up the fun, funky double look collar from view B while I’m at it.

I have a two extra patterns in the queue because a)I have this gorgeous wool challis in my stash that is begging to be made up into B6586 and b) I just adore the Jenny pattern and I've got Christmas pennies to spend on some lovely twill fabric. Thing1 is also a big fan of Jenny, so it may even get made up more than once. These are my alternates if one of the nine gets sick or breaks a leg or something. (I see you faux leather, cowering behind the sewing machine!)