Where would I wear a maxi dress?

So maxi dresses are the big trend right now.  At least, this is what I've read, and everyone in sewing blog world seems to have made one.  I haven't seen many people wearing them here in Germany.  Is this a trend only for the uber-stylish, or do lots of people in the States wear them?  

I think I'm young enough to pull it off, but I still hesitate to make one.  I'm afraid I'll look silly, and I'm not really sure where I'd wear it.  I guess if I hate it, I could always cut it off short.  

New pics of old stuff

Ok, the stuff isn't really old, but I do have some new photos.

Fist is a top I blogged abut here and here.  All I did since the last post about it was shorten the hem, but I think it's much more flattering with the skirt.

Here's my handsome little man wearing the outfit I made for him.  Still has a couple months it will fit him, I think.
And here's the pink jacket I blogged a bout here most recently.  Now I can actually wear it with the belt, and I have worn it once, to dinner on a chilly evening.  It's pretty warm because of the underlining, so it will be a nice fall jacket.  I'm seeing some bright colors in the fall forcast, so I hope it won't scream "spring" too much.

New Look 6655

I finished this a few weeks ago but haven't gotten around to posting it.  It looks better with white pants, but, well, that's just not what I was wearing that day.  Sadly, I haven't worn it since the picture since it is not breastfeeding-friendly.  I do like it, though.  It's definitely unique in my wardrobe.

The pattern review is here.

I've also been working pretty well off of my summer sewing lists this past week.  I finished WIPs 2 and 3, and I made the first dress on my other list.  I cut out the dress yesterday during naptime and put it together today.  Yay for good, long naps!  

I'll try to have my hubby take pics of all the finished stuff tonight after bedtime.  It stays light here til almost 11, so 8pm light should be adequate!

Now, I really need to stop getting sidetracked and finish that trench!

How have I not heard of this website?

Has anyone bought anything from The Fabric Fairy?  I think it's geared more towards kids' fabrics, but there are a ton of cute cotton jersey prints I want for tops.  Will... not... succumb...

I have a couple of finished things to show.  Just have to find a zen moment of synchronized napping to take pics.

My summer sewing lists

Marji wrote a post last week about making lists for sewing.  I don't usually write my lists down, but I have lots floating around in my head.  Although I like the idea of planning to learn new techniques, my lists are always just the projects I want to make.  If I learn or try something new in the process, great, but I admit that's not one of my immediate goals.

I decided to organize my plans for the rest of my summer sewing, and boy, was it eye opening!  I do not need to buy any summer fabric for a while, and I have a good head-start on my fall sewing plans.  I highly doubt I'll finish all these plans - there are just too many ideas for 2-3 more months of summer.  We'll see.  I don't WANT to have a big stash of fabric waiting to be sewn up (it gives me much guilt)... my eyes are always bigger than my stomach, though... or, my plans are always bigger than my time to execute them.

First, my list of things to complete.  This only includes projects I am actively working on (within the past week or so), not the forgotten WIPs stashed near my sewing area, waiting to be loved again.

1.  Finish outfits for the boys.  I'd like to have this done before church Saturday night.  I need to do the waistband and hem on the shorts and put a few more snaps on the romper (ran out of snaps with about 4 to go).

2.  Floral silk charmeuse dress.  Just started this last night and want to finish in in June for a Capsule I'm doing at Stitcher's Guild.

3.  Cream-colored knit top, also to finish in June for the capsule.  The picture is of a stained top I purchased last summer and love.  I want to take this apart and use it as a pattern for my new top.

4.  White trench.  I'm still plugging away at this.  I next have to tack in the shoulder pads and set the lining sleeves into the lining.

5.  Haha, this is a dress I made last February (2008).  Admittedly, I haven't worked on this in the past week, but all it needs is a hem, and I really am excited to wear it now that I'm not preggers anymore.

List of garments I WANT to make this summer, in the order I want to make them (subject to change... a lot).

1.  Simple bold-print cotton sundress, with buttons on the center of the bodice for breastfeeding

2-3.  Knit tops.  The yellow is for my TNT knit pattern, but I want to make the view with gathers in the center for the first time.  The blue will probably be some form of that dress pattern, but made in a top.

4.  Another knit top, probably the same pattern as the cream one - my cut apart RTW top.

5.  JAMMIES!  I've never made pajamas but am excited to make these in this yummy stretch silk charmeuse.  Have you seen how much silk PJs cost!?!

6.  Another knit top!  This is a textured cotton knit.  I want to use the dress pattern for the raglan sleeves, or maybe I'll use a BWOF pattern with raglan sleeves.

7.  Tropical wool cropped pants.  

8-9.  Linen/cotton pants in TNT pattern and knit top, probably in that same RTW top pattern.  What can I say?  I love that top!  
9.  Chiffon tunic.  Flowy and beachy.  I have a few recent BWOF patterns in mind for this.

10.  Linen pique dress.  I like the construction of this top and want to make it in a sleeveless dress.  I hear I might have some fitting issues, though, since I'm not really the Sandra Betzina sloper demographic.

11.  Black and white polka dot silk charmeuse for this Marfy top pattern.

12.  Simple top from this dress pattern in a really pretty shirting remnant.

13.  Green/yellow cross-dyed (I think that's the right term) linen dress, possibly with this lace I bought in Italy.  If I decide against the lace, I need a more interesting pattern.  :-)  Maybe this, but I'd have to buy it.
14.  Bright blue voile for a strapless Marfy dress pattern I can't find on the website.

15.  Chanel-style jacket to go with this skirt.

Whew!  Yeah, that's a lot.  Like I said, I doubt it will all get done.  I also ordered a few more summer fabrics before I made this list and vowed not to buy any more.  Sewing will be from the stash for a while...

Some upcoming projects

I've never made a quilt (and never had much desire to), but I thought I could make one for my little man, since he'll soon be moving to a new room (so the baby can move into his old crib-turned-toddler bed).  Here are the fabric I picked up on my last visit to my parents in the U.S.

If I'm going to get that quilt going, though, I need to stop starting new clothes for myself!  Stuff like this, which I cut out yesterday (Vogue 1100):

The fabric is silk charmeuse and still in stock at Gorgeous Fabrics.

I also have this fun cotton print from Sawyer Brook.  I bought it originally for some fun shorts, but it's a bit too lightweight, so I want to make a casual sundress I can wear at home or to do errands or whatever.  I need to come up with a design that is breast feeding-friendly, though.

Knockoff cardigan

I really haven't sewn in the past few days, since I finished the cotton skirt.  The sleep deprivation is getting to me.  :-)  

I do have a little something to show, although it's not really new.  Here's the final photo of the "sweater" I first mentioned here.  I'm really happy with how this turned out.  The only thing I may go back and change is to make the sleeves a little shorter and snugger on my arms.  They look a bit dowdy in this photo.   Any thoughts?

I just have to put the zipper in the side of this top so I can show that and review the pattern.  Every morning, I think I'll get it done that day, but it just doesn't happen.  :-)

I also have a purchased knit top that I love that has a stain, so I'm going to cut that apart and try to copy it.  That is, if I can find it... Not sure where I put it.  I probably put it in a special place so I wouldn't lose it...