Plans for 2015

2015 will be the year of sewing. I have so many big plans, but it's time to be nice and organized! :) So, here's my tentative plan for the coming year. 

I plan to participate in the Historical Sew Monthly from the Dreamstress blog. I linked to her blog, but basically its a new sewing challenge every month, so the goal is to have 12 finished projects by the end of 2015. 

• January – Foundations: make something that is the foundation of a period outfit.

I actually have three items planned for this challenge. I'd like to eventually work up to a couple (okay, 3) bustle dresses from the 1880s, so to get started with that I will be doing a 1880s chemise, drawers, and corset. I've ordered some of my materials with Christmas money and I am SO excited to get started!

• February – Colour Challenge Blue: Make an item that features blue, in any shade from azure to zaffre.

Blue!! I love blue! I have some gorgeous blue fabric in my stash that is just itching to become something lovely. I'm thinking it would be perfect for a regency dress of some kind, which means February will also consist of the foundation garments for a Regency gown. (Regency was approximately 1811-1820.)

• March – Stashbusting: Make something using only fabric, patterns, trims & notions that you already have in stash.

This month I am planning to use a lot of my stash items to create a hat, either for my bustle gowns, Regency gown, or both! :) Yes, March sounds pretty laid back in comparison to the previous two challenges, but I think I will need the relaxing break after that busyness. 

• April – War & Peace: the extremes of conflict and long periods of peacetime both influence what people wear.  Make something that shows the effects of war, or of extended peace.

Hmm, this sounds like a good month for either a WWI era dress, or perhaps a 1940s dress. I'll have to give that further thought. 

• May – Practicality:  Fancy party frocks are all very well, but everyone, evenprincesses, sometimes needs a practical garment that you can DO things in.  Create the jeans-and-T-Shirt-get-the-house-clean-and-garden-sorted outfit of your chosen period.

This month is the month I intend to do a bustle (1880s) day dress. Something in cotton and simple for everyday use. 

• June – Out of Your Comfort Zone: Create a garment from a time period you haven’t done before, or that uses a new skill or technique that you’ve never tried before. 

This challenge will be attempting to recreate something (a jacket maybe?) from a fashion plate with no pattern. All previous challenge I will be using patterns of some kind, so this will be new and different and a huge challenge for me. 

• July – Accessorize: The final touch of the right accessory creates the perfect period look.  Bring an outfit together by creating an accessory to go with your historical wardrobe.

Accessories!! Hopefully this will be the month that I am prepping for Costume College (I haven't found out if I'll be going yet) so July is set aside for working on any accessories and finishing touches for that. Otherwise, some more accessories will be awesome. :) 

• August – Heirlooms & Heritage: Re-create a garment one of your ancestors wore or would have worn, or use an heirloom sewing supply to create a new heirloom to pass down to the next generations.

Hmm. I'll have to browse some family albums for this one. I would love to recreate something! :) 

• September – Colour Challenge Brown: it’s not the most exciting colour by modern standards, but brown has been one of the most common, and popular, colours throughout history. Make something brown.

Brown might not be an "exciting" color... but it would be a fun challenge. I'll probably jump centuries for this challenge and head over to the 1400s and recreate the Moy Bog gown. This one was found in a bog in Ireland, and has some really fascinating construction techniques. I'll go into a lot more detail about this gown when it gets closer to September. 

• October – Sewing Secrets: Hide something in your sewing, whether it is an almost invisible mend, a secret pocket, a false fastening or front, or a concealed message (such as a political or moral allegiance).

Oh this will be fun. This one merits much longer thought, I can't decide what would be the most fun!! Maybe some garters with something embroidered on them....

• November – Silver Screen: Be inspired by period fashions as shown onscreen (film or TV), and recreate your favourite historical costume as a historically accurate period piece.

Stars in my eyes... oh my goodness. This one will hopefully be a Gone With the Wind challenge for me! Big round hoops here I come! :) 

• December – Re-Do:  It’s the last challenge of the year, so let’s keep things simple by re-doing any of the previous 11 challenges.

This one will most likely become a second accessory challenge, but time will tell which one is the most fun and most worth of doing again!

1875 Day Dress
Philadelphia Museum of Art

I'm looking forward so much to the coming year. Plenty of ideas, projects, and things to be learned!