Morning, you stately wolfhounds. Today’s post is all about a complete change of direction in my fall wardrobe planning.
I’ve already posted a bit regarding my fall wardrobe plan (known from this day forward as Patty the Snug Bug (PSB) early fall 2011.) It’s all hot pink with DRESSES!! I’ve gotten snagged up on two little details on that wardrobe. First, I started planning it before I headed back to work and second… I started planning it during hot weather. I have terrible amnesia every fall when it comes to cold-weather dressing. I think tank tops will work with 3/4 sleeve cardi’s. Alas, that is not the case and once I make it through our first chilly day I’m well reminded of it…
So I’ve changed my tune a bit. Here’s PSB late fall ’11… with all new fabrics! Here are photos of the fabric swatches…
Nice, huh! The top swatch is a cozy, yet flexible wool boucle that I fell in love with. Next row is a cashmere sweater from Savers that I’m hoping to restyle and a nice length of silk/rayon blend for a skirt. Third row down is some crazy silk charmeuse and under that is a varietaged sort-of sweater knit that is destined to be a dress. On the bottom left is a not-very-well-photographed drapey mustard jersey and next to that is a very cool crinkled black and white blouse-type material that I got from Gorgeous Fabrics and have been hoarding.
This fabric collection represents a hardcore return to not only traditional patty-colors (green. with more green) but also traditional patty-fabrics. Working at the shop for the last year, I’ve sewn with a LOT of quilt-weight cottons. I still love ’em, especially for casual summer-wear and 50’s dresses (fitted with big skirts…) but I have a thing for the OTHER natural fabrics… wool … silk … polyester….
As far as patterns, I’ll be making the boucle and the silk blend into pencil skirts. I think I might have enough of the black and white dots for a Jasmine from Colette. The crazy silk print will be a very simple blouse with the longest sleeves I can swing – brilliant Taran suggested silk as a nice, warm material for winter wear. The cashmere sweater will be made into a bolero-type concoction, the mustard jersey into a drapey, Grecian-esque short sleeve top and the variegated sweater will (hopefully) stretch enough to be a kimono-style sweater dress. I’ll probably have to either get more of that to make a whole dress – I only have 2 yards – OR I’ll supplement with another knit for the waistband and a few other design details to get the variegated fabric to stretch enough for the pattern I have in mind. Why, oh, why, did I finally get my eyes-are-bigger-than-my-project tendency to buy 4 yards of everything under control? I NEED four yards!!
And with that, I’m off to bed. But oh! Wait! For any of you Minneapolitinis… alert! I was at Treadle the other day and they have THREE different varieties of super-wide horsehair braid – like, the 3 inch kind. It’s $2.50 a yard and you need a TON for a full circle skirt, but I have 3 yards of super cheap fall suiting from Hancock that’s just BEGGING for extra wide horsehair braid!
Those fabrics look lovely and cosy, which is very important in winter, imo. As I think a bright green look actually very nice with hot pink, I love the potential combinations of these fabrics with earlier creations.
It’s a good thing I’m so far away from your fabric stash. I Loooooooove!!! all of those!!
I’m very excited about the silk charmeuse..It’s funny how green is your khaki…
Beautiful fabrics. You have a great way of pulling a collection of them together. I am with you on the green. I say my favorite color is purple, but I think it is secretly green. I do hope your early fall plans become early spring. I loved a lot of what you had planned.
Those are fabrics that certainly suit you. You can take my share of green fabrics, it’s just not a colour that makes me happy but I think it looks fabulous on others. I’m looking forward to seeing the boucle as a finished product, my mom just gave me a little over a metre of fabric from her stash that looks like a similar texture/weight that I am not sure what to do with just yet.
Are you me? I freeze every winter because I keep making things out of thin cottons and the like. I’m getting smarter about the weather now, and have been working on some corduroy/denim items. I still don’t have enough tops, but one thing at a time…
Those greens coordinate FABULOUSLY. I am jealous!
I totally love the colours! I love green, and I love the textures. I can’t wait to see your new fall wardrobe!
I kinda love that you totally changed your mind about your Fall wardrobe. It allowed all us followers to see your plotting times two. I especially like the sweater knit and am really looking forward to seeing that creation.
The boucle is beautiful and can’t wait to see your skirt from it. Also super interested in how you’re going to restyle the sweater.