2023 Make Nine

I love the new year Make Nine challenge. I like to see what everyone wants to make at the beginning of the year, what their sewing goals are and a summary of what has been made in the previous year.

I find new year planning very satisfying and I have been taking a lot of time to think about what I need more of this year and what skills I would like to improve upon in my sewing.

I moved across the country, into a tiny house, and started a new full time job recently. As I don’t have as much space to store fabric, or as much time to sew as I used to, my two most important goals of the next year are to reduce my fabric stash and take the time to sew things that I will enjoy making and enjoy wearing / using. I seem to have sewn several things last year that I didn’t actually end up liking. I think there were several reasons for this but the main one is that I am drawn to fabric that I like but don’t actually want to wear. I also can get swept up in the hype of new pattern releases without actually thinking about whether the garment is something I would like to wear.

The reduced time and space available to me in 2023 means that I am trying to combat this wastefulness and be more mindful in my sewing.

1 - Modern Sewing Co Worker Trousers

*The Worker Trousers by Modern Sewing Co*

First up on my 2023 Make Nine list is the Modern Sewing Co Worker Trousers. I made these last year in a dark denim and I really like them. I have some beautiful jumbo corduroy to make these in. My existing pair fit pretty well, but I think I will increase the back rise slightly on this next pair to improve the fit. The Worker Trousers are a pair of slightly balloon shaped jeans / trousers with a fixed waistband and front fly. There are some nice finishing details and the construction process is considered.

2 - Modern Sewing Co Jesse Jumpsuit

*The Jesse Jumpsuit by Modern Sewing Co*

Next up is another pattern by Modern Sewing Co, the Jesse Jumpsuit. This pattern was released towards the end of last year I think. I loved it immediately and bought it pretty quickly after it was released. I love jumpsuits and have a few patterns, but I like a lot of things about this pattern that were missing from my other options. I’m going to make this out of a striped linen fabric from my stash. I also have a few other fabrics lined up depending on how my first version goes. I really hope that this is everything I want it to be as I love the ease of getting dressed in the morning when jumpsuits are involved and I would like to have a few in different colours.

3 - Made My Wardrobe Thelma Trousers

I was lucky to be bought a Thelma Trousers kit for Christmas. It came with some navy blue twill and all the findings I need. What I like about the Thelma Trousers is the rear buckle to adjust the waist. I love how it looks and I like that the waist can be cinched in or relaxed depending on how you are feeling. The cotton twill that came with the kit is lovely quality, so I’m going to make a wearable toile first in something from my stash. I’ll then try to perfect the fit for the navy twill version. I tend to be a bit lazy about fitting trousers, as I have a big difference between my waist and hip measurements so normally need to grade 2 or 3 sizes and it’s a lot of work to get the fit good! I know I need to put the effort in though and it would be great to have some well fitting trousers.

4 - Made By Rae Rose Trousers

Another pair of trousers next, these ones are my tried and true Rose Pants from Made By Rae. I was part of the team that tested these and the process was so rigorous and meticulous that the finished trouser pattern is brilliant. The Rose trousers are wide legged and have a flat front waistband with pleats and an elasticated back. There are nice big pockets as well. These are just a great pair of trousers to make and wear. I have some orange linen in my stash that I’m planning for these. My sister has a pair of orange linen wide legged trousers that she got from Jaegar (I think) a few years ago and they look amazing on her. I am hoping I feel confident enough to wear them when they are done. I love wearing colour and would like to feel more confident wearing some of the bolder items in my wardrobe.

5 - Anna Allen Anthea Blouse

I know this pattern has been incredibly popular. I held off buying it for ages because I had made the Fibre Mood Norma Blouse a few times and didn’t think I need Anthea as well. I caved at the end of last year though and now have loads of fabrics lined up for Anthea blouses and dresses. First up I’m going to go with a cotton shirting I got from Felicity Fabrics at the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show. It’s black and white so will go with the corduroy Worker Trousers, the Orange Rose Pants (and lots of my existing wardrobe).

6 - Merchant and Mills Factory Dress

*The Factory Dress by Merchant and Mills*

I bought this pattern a couple of years ago and it has never been prioritised, but I think it will fit nicely into my wardrobe and provide me with an easy to wear option for work. I have some Robert Kaufman Brussels Washer Linen in my stash that would work really well for this. I can wear it with tights whilst it’s cold and without in the summer.

7 - Nina Lee Park Lane Dress

Another pattern that I’ve been eyeing up for a while, I think this will be lovely for spring and will be a nice transitional piece in my wardrobe. I can layer it with tights and boots whilst it’s chilly. My plan is to make this from some dark green viscose from my stash, which I think will be a good colour to take me through from colder to warmer months. There are lots of beautiful versions of Park Lane around so I’m excited to make one myself!

8 - Fibre Mood Afra Top

I have made one of these before, a couple of years ago, and it is by far my most-worn top. I am planning to batch-cut and sew a few of these as I am really short on jersey tops at the moment. I have a nice stash of different coloured stripy cotton jerseys. From memory, I just about got this out of 1 metre of fabric, so it’s a pretty good stash buster. The top has 3/4 sleeves and a boat neck which is achieved with a facing for a nice, clean finish. It’s also a good length for tucking in to skirts and trousers. In summary, it’s perfect.

9 - Fibre Mood Lucy Jacket

I have had a subscription to Fibre Mood for a couple of years and I make a few things, but not really enough to make the most of the subscription. There are a lot of gorgeous patterns that I am desperate to make, the first of which is the Lucy Jacket from the recent Special Edition. I love the shape of this jacket and think it will be pretty easy to wear. I like that it is a bit different to all the other quilted jackets around at the moment. I don’t have any pre-quilted fabric for this, so I think I will allow myself to buy some if the right fabric comes along. Otherwise, I will quilt something myself and have a pretty unique jacket.

So that’s my 2023 Make Nine. I’ll do a 6-month progress update and I’m sure other things will sneak in as they come along.

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