January Pattern Picks

Happy New Year!!!

Are you ready to get sewing?!?!?  I am!  

Today I am sharing my pattern picks for the month of January.  To clarify, I will be sewing one pattern that I have chosen myself, and another pattern that is chosen for me as a part of the Sew Your View Monthly Sewalong on Instagram.  Here is the patter I will work on first:

I have admired this pic of a moto jacket for quite some time now.  It didn't take me long to find a pattern that was comparable to the elements found in this inspiration.  It is S8174, Mimi G's moto jacket pattern.

This pattern has been in my stash for YEARS.  You know how good intentions go...somewhere in the back of your mind you hope to one day do one thing or another.  I guess I always knew that I would come to a time when I was ready to dive in.  That time came this past November.  As a part of the Seamwork sewing community, there was a challenge to sew outerwear.  I immediately pulled out this pattern, knowing I could finish it by the deadline.  I mean, I had Mimi G helping me out with a Youtube tutorial! What on earth could go wrong?  Well, even with Mimi G's superb instructions, I found out that this jacket would need a little more time and precision to get right.

So, I started this jacket in November, and will be finishing it this month.  Here is my current progress:

I used a pinwale corduroy in Olive Green from Cali Fabrics.  It was purchased some time ago, and waiting for this project to come along.  I chose it because I was fond of the corduroy Mimi G. used in the pattern photo, and wanted a similar look and feel.  This turned out to be part of what lengthened the process for me.  Since I had never sewn with corduroy before, I did a bit of research before I started.  I made sure to observe the nap direction, and use appropriate needles for the project.

However, nothing prepared me for the bulkiness of the fabric in some places.  My sewing machine was not happy about that at all!!  After taking a breather from this project, I now feel a lot better about it.  I am aiming to get the sleeves and lining attached, and work out some fit issues on the sleeve and back vent.  

So far I am loving the way the zippered pockets look, as well as the details of this piece.  I am just hoping those details don't do me in, lol!  

The second pattern, from the Sew Your View sewalong, is Mccalls 7873:

Since I didn't personally choose this one, I will give you my first impression.  I immediately thought it was cute, and could creatively go in so many directions.  Would I buy this?  I admit that my answer is no. This would not be on my radar unless I saw other amazing versions made from other people first.  As I began brainstorming my direction for this pattern, I decided that the top would be more practical for my wardrobe.  After searching Pinterest, I really started to fall in love with this top made in a sweater knit of some sort.  

I already have a brushed sweater knit that I purchased from Michael Levine's a few months ago.  When it arrived, I decided it wouldn't work well for what I was going to use it for.  I think it may be a contender for this pattern instead.  If not, I am also thinking of a rib knit, or another knit with texture to it--after all, I have been on a warm and cozy kick lately.  I am still not sure what to do about the stripe going diagonally down the front.  I don't know if I have a contrast fabric that would work, or if I should keep everything solid.  I guess I will work out those details once I start this pattern.

Overall, I am excited to see what I will accomplish now that I have decreased my pattern plans down a great deal!  I will check in next week to update you on how things are going!

Stay sew filled!