March 2021 Sewing Plans- A Conservative List

I started planning my sewing makes for the first time this year and I’m really enjoying it. I love the planning, organizing and pairing, sometimes even more than the actual sewing! I keep it fun and enjoyable. I don’t pressure myself to complete it and I give myself flexibility. It keeps me motivated to sew and I don’t see it as a competition (against myself) but rather as a way to celebrate my sewing accomplishments.

I decided to plan my sewing for the month rather than the year. I made a 2021 sewing plan and I was able to make three garments from that list but I bought more fabric and patterns so I want to add more to my plans. I promised myself that I would sew my stash and not buy anymore fabric or patterns. I didn’t keep that promise to myself. Fabric is always an addiction and the pattern sales are so tempting!

I notice that making sewing plans helps to sew your stash. So I will make a (new) promise to myself that I will sew my (new) stash.

I decided my monthly sewing plan will be a more conservative list. I did a great job in January and February. I made more garments in those two months than I’ve ever sewn in a year. I thank the pandemic and lockdown for that since my weekends are now filled with sewing.

Since I made 5 garments in February, I will plan on 5 garments in March. That seems pretty conservative and we will see how I do. No pressure.

In planning my March makes, I thought Spring and fabric stash busting.

I chose New Look 6446 which is a pattern for a sundress or romper. I would like to make the sundress for Spring. I have been wanting to make it for awhile now. I was about to tackle it last year but then I read a few reviews and decided to put it on hold again. Also, the zipper situation scared me. I’m not good at installing zippers, especially invisible zippers. I recently received a freebie fabric from one of my favorite fabric stores, L.A. Finch. The print is a little loud for my taste but I think it will make a a good muslin for this pattern and hopefully, it will turn into a wearable toile.

I’m very excited about making Simplicity 8593. It’s a pattern that is a reproduction of a 1940s pattern. It’s a poncho style blouse. On the pattern, it says that it will make a blouse that will be “easy to iron”. Sold! Although my style is usually wrinkled blouses. I love 1940’s fashion and can’t wait to see how this turns out. I will use my leftover fabric (fabric stash buster) from my “Dreaming of Hawaii” dress. I have a little over a yard leftover which is the perfect amount for the blouse with the ruffles on the bottom. It has a tropical vibe to it just like the blouse that the the model on the envelope is wearing. Since this is a great pattern for fabric stash busting, I have another yard of leftover fabric and if the blouse works out well, I will make another one.

I want to make a sleeveless peplum top using my leftover pink linen fabric. So this will be a fabric stash buster as well. So that I can be sure that I have enough fabric for this project, I will modify the pattern so that the peplum part is not a circle peplum but rather, a rectangular one, and perhaps even a shorter one.

I will make McCalls’s 7936 again. I made it last year at the beginning of the lockdown to practice the invisible zipper and hopefully end up with a fun shorts romper. The zipper didn’t work out and the outfit ended up as a dress rather than shorts since I took the zipper out. At least I learned how to transform shorts into a skirt. I will try it again and hopefully I will be successful with the zipper.

My daughter loved the Valentines dress I made for her so much that she asked me to make another one in linen. So a linen dress using McCall’s 8084 will be added to my March sewing plans.

We will see how it goes! Happy Sewing!