I can't even count the number of times I've gone into a store and said "Wow! That's super cute!" Then I look at the price tag and go "Wow! I could make that myself!" So this year, I'm putting myself to the test. I shall not buy a single article of clothing that I couldn't make myself. I'll only have a few small exceptions to my goal of not shopping, which will be items like socks, underwear, and jeans, that I simply do not know how to make. However, that doesn't mean I can't try to make them throughout the course of the year, because man would it be nice to never need to wiggle into several pairs of jeans to find the right size again..
I also want to grow as a seamstress and to save money in the process.Two yards of fabric and a zipper can result in a gorgeous $9 dress, as opposed to a $40, cheaply made (albeit super cute) dress from a chain store, that will fall apart in a few months time.
This also gives me an opportunity to use my new 99 stitch Singer Fashion Mate (the limited edition Project Runway model!) to it's full potential. It's still mind-boggling to me how many stitches this thing has, compared to my trusty two-stitch Brother machine that I was rocking for a solid 12 years.
I've got an enormous stash of patterns that need use and love. My FAVORITES are in my two vintage fashion books, with patterns inspired by the styles of Twiggy, Audrey Hepburn, Bette Davis, Janis Joplin and so on. They're so timeless and perfect. I want to create a super minimalist wardrobe of things that can be mixed and matched any which way, and things made with classic silhouettes that never go out of style.
I've also got an amazing book called DIY Couture that shows the same patterns done a bunch of different ways, which really shows the versatility that comes with making your own clothes. SO MANY CIRCLE SKIRT VARIATIONS. It's badass.
I also inadvertently got into this mindset before I even resolved to this resolution. I made myself a pair of slipper and a new pretty Christmas dress last month because I simply didn't feel like spending money on things that I already had the supplies to make. I crocheted these adorable slippers and added a felt bottom to keep the yarn from wearing out and getting dirty and added pretty ribbon to keep them from slipping off (which they did, frequently).
The dress was easy peasy and I didn't even need a pattern for this (babydoll dresses ftw.) I got the lace and pearl trimmed top from another dress that I had picked up at a thrift store. I cut off the sleeves of the old dress, carefully removed the zipper that went all the way up the back, and stitched it up most of the way and left room for a simple snap closure. I added a simple gathered skirt made of linen-look fabric, and voila! I love the mixture of textures and how comfy this is. Also, super low maintenance. As long as I keep it hanging, the linen-look fabric will not wrinkle ( as opposed to natural linen which wrinkles like craaazy.)
I've never been happier with a New Years resolution, although I also haven't mad very many because few of them are attainable or worth sticking to. But I feel like this is perfect for me, and will hopefully lead me towards a life of less shopping for needless things and more appreciation for what I have and what I can make with my own two hands.
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