a rethink and an Olivia dress

As I predicted, just getting on with a second leather jacket in much more precious fabric hasn't been so simple. My anxiety is in a very unhelpful place right now (while I'm lucky enough to be able to get therapy on the NHS, they're very short blocks of sessions and the waiting list for escalated therapy is LOOOOONG) and I'm not doing myself any favours by insisting that my next project has to be complicated and time-consuming.

What I want to do for now is to give myself a shorter list of fun things I can use to give myself a kick-start. I still intend to make everything from my autumn list, even if I carry some of it over into December, but for right now I need some easy and/or fun things that don't have to be perfect and won't feel like the end of the world if I mess up. Here's what I'm thinking:

1. Deer and Doe Magnolia dress. I wasn't huge on D&D's last collection (I think I'm the only person in the entire sewing world who didn't like the look of the Myosotis), but I LOVE both their new patterns. I've got too many coat patterns in the queue to justify another one, but I can absolutely find room for a winter maxi evening dress. I'd make view A with the neckline from view B because lol no bra, in a navy textured silk-like viscose I got at a substantial discount from a stall in Walthamstow Market. It's nice to be a regular.

2. A simple sweater knit top. Simplicity 1613 is on my list, but I keep putting it off because while I recall exactly how frustrating it was trying to work out what to do, I do not recall what I eventually did. Yay! So I'm going to make one of my favourites - either a long-sleeved Wanted top or a cropped sweater, or possibly both -out of black and white striped sweater knit.

3. A Yoyo dress. A red denim Yoyo was on my list for summer, and I did make it, but it's not really wearable. It's tighter than my previous version (I accidentally closed up too much of the dart when doing an FBA, didn't realise, was confused when the skirt didn't match the top and put an extra pleat into the skirt. Which actually looks good, but it's not in any way a comfortable dress) and SUPER short at the zip. The instructions call for a 24" zip, I lengthened it by two and it's still kind of crotchy. I'm going to try again, using the red Mood linen I couldn't find a use for, and extending the skirt by another four inches. It's not especially seasonal, but hey, maybe I can layer it up.

Those are the three I have the ideas and all the elements for currently. It's the Knitting and Stitching show this weekend, so I may find a sparkly new project there too. Fingers crossed that this works as a sewjo-boosting method...

While we're here, a few weeks ago I made another Olivia dress!

I'd made six of these prior to this one, four of which survive (I was sadly right to be concerned about the longevity of the black fabric, and the purple one just made me cross every time I wore it because it wasn't purple enough), but the only one I was wearing with any regularity was the original orange version. I wondered about this for a while before concluding that there were two problems: all the others are longer with full-length sleeves, which makes them feel more formal and less appropriate for everyday running around; and they're made out of thinner, clingier viscose jersey which a) is more annoying and b) doesn't lend itself to being cut shorter. So the obvious conclusion was: more Olivias!

I got the idea for a sweater knit Olivia when I saw this fabric at Fabric Land in Bristol. (Every time I go and visit my parents I take less and less with me, so that it'll be easier to bring 12+ metres of fabric back with me on the train if Fabric Land is having a good day.) Fabric Land's sweater knit varies hugely in quality, but this is really nice, soft and super comfortable, with no horrible static rips when I try to take it off. I had it in my head that the print was more abstract than this and didn't realise until I was pinning the side seams that the lack of stripe matching was going to look really off. I managed to fudge it to a partial match, which I think is OK. 

I've already worn this a ton and it's going to be great for when it starts getting colder. This is exactly the right length and though I think I'd prefer the overall look with shorter sleeves, I don't want to cut them down any more for fear of messing with Future Jen's comfort and winter warmth. (I did take a few inches off, though - for anyone who hasn't read about my extensive history with this pattern, the sleeves as provided are full-length and cover the wrists.)

My plan is to get started on the D&D Magnolia today, so barring some huge disaster I should have that ready to post by next week. Wish me (and my douchey anxiety brain) luck!