Summer of Basics - results (or lack thereof?)

so here I am, Summer of Basics has just wrapped up, and I haven't *exactly* accomplished what I set out to - but this is a not a sad post, this is just a post to wrap things up, give some insight into my making process & share some thoughts I had along the way. 

my sleeveless, half finished dress no 2

To recap, my Summer of Basics plan was: 
1. A Cline Sweater
2. A Dress No. 2
3. A Peppermint Jumpsuit
To recap on the whole post, you can read that here. 
To date I have: 
1. a front and back of a Cline sweater out of AVFKW Pioneer, in colorway Sourdough (drool!) 
2. a front and back of a dress no 2, sewn together and pinned to be hem... but I haven't managed to cut out the sleeves, pockets, or bias binding.... so.... 
3. no progress on the jumpsuit
 

These are my main thoughts from this whole process

1. I'm glad things like this exist, to get us thinking more broadly about our wardrobes, but also more critically about how we plan our making. 
2. I don't really like putting goals or dates to my personal making - I end up pushing up against it and feeling not great about it
3. I love knitting with Pioneer <3
4. When I finish my Cline, I will have a full CA-sourced and made Climate Beneficial Wool outfit I can wear (see below) & that makes me STOKED.
5. I'm not so sure about sewing - tbh I only manage to do it in the company of others. maybe this is how i will sew going forward. or maybe I will allocate my budget for making instead to supporting small RTW garment makers that I love? Or maybe I will trade for sewn objects. mainly I am curious to know if I seemingly don't *like* sewing just because I am bad at it right now, or if I genuinely just don't like it? I'm gonna just keep checking in as I sew over time and see how it feels. time will tell on this one, I think. 

Roku hat made from AVFKW Range (discontinued) - CA Climate Beneficial Wool 

GDS Cloth Goods Smock made from Lani's CA Climate beneficial Rambouillet 

there you have it. a (lack of) progress on my making plans, but a lot of joy this summer, a lot of slowing down, being outside, learning what I'm like when I'm falling in love in a healthy way. A lot of family time, a lot of boundary setting for myself and my work, and really, I'm pretty pleased with what I've gotten done so far. 

Did you do summer of basics? What was your experience like? I'd love to hear yours! 

xx

your ani 

Summer of Basics - a plan

you know Karen Templer, right? I pretty much assume anyone who reads this/follows me probably already knows about Karen. But if you don't (you can thank me later ;) )  you can familiarize yourself here. Basically, she is a powerhouse of handmade wardrobe inspiration and blogging and knitting notion supplies.

(screen grab from Karen's blog Fringe Association) 

which brings me to a cool thing that Karen started, which is called "Summer of Basics". basically (lol, pun intended), you pledge to make 3 garments (knit, sewn, etc) that will really be workhorses in your wardrobe - fill gaps, etc, over the summer months (starting in June).

I've never done it before, but I'm really trying to work on my sewing this year, so I'm giving it a red hot go. 

Here's the plan: 

cline sweater

(screen grab from @ebonyh instagram - how freakin lovely does she look?!) 

Pattern Specs: Cline Sweater by Julie Hoover
Wool: 500g (yardage unspecified) DK/8ply(ish) weight Naturally Colored Wool bought at the Bendigo Sheep and wool Show 2016

the wool (the entire 500g is in ONE skein - still need to wind this sucker, but it's freakin huge) 

why? I have a sweater that looks similar to this (or I should say that I stole my dad's sweater when I was home), and it's the first thing I reach for. I love this color of wool & I've been looking for the perfect pattern for this wool since i bought it. I love the simple shape, but smart details, like the double collar (or whatever that's called) and the dolman sleeves that are just cute and not too 80's. 

dress no 2
(with short sleeves) 

screengrab from 100 acts of sewing etsy 

screen grab of Essex linen cotton from A Verb for Keeping Warm website <3 

Pattern Specs: lengthened Dress No 2 (I have a lotta leg) with short sleeves (I think) 
Fabric: undyed cotton/linen fabric from Verb - with an intention to sew this puppy, see how it fits, then maybe overdye it this summer 

why? I want to get better at sewing my own clothes and have found this dress really straightforward when I've made a muslin before (though I always stall at the bias binding ugh) - and I wear so much beige/undyed, this will get plenty of wear & can be updated with dyes and painting etc. The pockets are a big draw for me, too. I think I will put them slightly to the side, closer to the side seam. 

In The Folds Peppermint Mag Jumpsuit

Peppermint Jumpsuit by In The Folds 

Pattern Specs: (free!) downloadable pattern written by Emily of In the Folds (former podcast guest - here!), without belt
Fabric: TBD color of Merchant and Mills Laundered Linen from Verb <3

why? it's no major secret that a fking love jumpsuits, but tbh *making* one feels like a big stretch for me, so this is not only about making a cute-ass garment that I want to wear, it's about conquering fears of sewing things like pants and jumpsuits, slowly slowly. 

stay tuned for updates about the Summer of Basics, follow along with #summerofbasics & #closeknitdoesbasics && an upcoming post about my favorite basics knitting patterns!