read left to right:

1. Tamarack Jacket: Grainline Studio  2. Airelle Blouse: Deer and Doe  3. Morris Blazer: Grainline Studio  4. Beatrix Top: Made by Rae  5. Kochi Kimono: Papercut Patterns  6. Lander Pant: True Bias  7. Hadley Top: Grainline Studio  8. Inari Tee: Named Clothing  9. Archer Shirt: Grainline Studio

Last month I found a new podcast to listen to while working overtime in the studio. It's called Love To Sew and it's all about sewing a handmade wardrobe with interviews and tips all related to sewing clothing. Listening to this podcast got me researching indie designers and seeing what modern patterns look like these days. (I have memories of trying to sew a McCall's skirt with my mom and aunt when I was a teenager and nothing made sense or seemed to fit right and it was just hard!)

I've always been interested in fashion and sewing clothes. I guess it goes hand in hand with printing textiles. Unfortunately, the organic cotton/hemp blend base cloth we currently use is a little too itchy for a shirt, but maybe down the line I'll get good enough to put in a lining!

Anyway, after researching designers and patterns I wanted to try, I came across Rochelle's #2018MakeNine challenge on Instagram. This is a "gentle challenge for makers" (I love gentle challenges!) and the idea is to pick nine things you'd like to make in the new year. Nine makes doesn't seem like a lot, but of course like anything, if you don't make a plan you usually don't follow through, and sewing is no different.

So! Here is my 2018MakeNine! I've really fallen in love with the lines and simplicity of Grainline Studio - there's four patterns I'd like to try. And I can't wait to have a go at the Lander pants from True Bias.

I do a lot of sewing day-to-day in our business, but it's mostly simple straight hems for our homewares line. I haven't dealt much with serging, sewing curves, or setting sleeves! The good thing is there's lots of sew-a-longs and blog tutorials to catch me when I get stuck, so I don't feel the dread of starting.

How great will it be to have a partially handmade wardrobe?! My goal is to get good at sewing the basic pieces I like to wear day-to-day, using ethically produced fabrics.

In my next posts, I'm going to choose fabrics for each of my Make Nine's and give you some ideas of where to purchase garment fabric online.

Do you have sewing plans for 2018? Did you come up with a 2018MakeNine? If so, please let me know! I'd love to follow along with you and see what you like to sew!