Autumn Sewing Plans - The quest for the perfect pencil skirt

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Another wardrobe staple this fall will be a versatile pencil skirt. Depending on the styling a well fitting pencil skirt can take you from day to night, office to weekend. Butterick 5566 is my choice of pattern. It's a great basic, offering 3 fun variations.

b5566

In addition to this pattern I'm still on the lookout for a more high waisted pencil skirt.
Any pattern suggestions? What is your TNT pencil skirt pattern?

I would love to hear!

Autumn Sewing Plans - v8787 / v8972 / b5949 - Wardrobe building dresses

I love wearing dresses. Depending on the color and styling they can both be office and party proof. For me the key to the perfect dress is the perfect fit. 

As I mentioned before I'm a slow sewer. I like to take my time and finish my makes as neatly and professional as possible. I don't mind to slow down to research new techniques or finishes.

I plan to make muslins for all my upcoming projects and to tweak them to perfection. As this will be quite a time consuming process I was very critical in my selection. All patterns had to meet a list of criteria.

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1. First of all my sewing skills are limited. If this wasn't an issue I would be sewing (vintage) designer/couture patterns full stop. However, I still believe I can fool non-sewers into thinking that I'm wearing high end items with the right match of patterns, fabric and fit.
   
   
2. I want to be able to wear (some of) the dresses in a corporate environment
   
   
3. After altering my muslin and the pattern I want to be able to make multiples of the same pattern, without it being too obvious
   
   
4. I have a curvy figure. My waist is at least 1 size smaller than my bust and hips. Clothes that lack waist definition tend to be unflattering and make me look bigger than I actually am. 
   
   

The three patterns that I selected all fall into the easy classification of Vogue or Butterick: v8787 / v8972 / b5949  The design lines looked complicated to me, but my mom assured me this will help to manipulate the fit and grade between bust, waist and hip sizes.

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Look at all the variations that are included with the patterns already:

b5949

v8972

v8787

Once I achieved the perfect fit I can make the same dress over and over again! 

I love to hear more about your perfect dress pattern or suggestions for patterns that meet my criteria. 

Happy wardrobe planning! 

Autumn Sewing Plans - Introduction

Autumn is my favorite season of the year. The falling leaves, the pretty colors, long walks in the forest and the return of cozy evenings spend around the fireplace. I just love it! 

This year I'm also excited for the change of seasons, because it means I can start planning a new wardrobe.

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This whole year the Colette Wardrobe Architect kept me busy reflecting on my wardrobe and personal style. Recently I followed all this thinking with some action in the form of a serious wardrobe cull. And unlike other years all the items I had doubts about ended up being tossed, instead of landing back in my wardrobe 'just in case'. A huge victory for a hoarder like me!

With space in my closet and clear ideas about my wardrobe wants & needs I started to select patterns for my autumn sewing. Since I put so much thought and consideration into the selection of each and every one of my chosen patterns I decided it would be fun to turn this into a little blog series. In the coming days I will post daily about my pattern selection and inspiration. 

"Buy Less. Choose well." - Vivienne Westwood

Can't wait until then? Pinterest proved to be a handy tool. You can find all my inspiration spread over various boards. 

Visit Canal Couture's profile on Pinterest.

***Edit***

Other Pinterest lovers be aware: The Mc Call Pattern Company is hosting a Pinterest contest. Check their blog for more information. 

Happy wardrobe planning!