Sewing plans

I thought it would be nice to get into sewing a bit more in 2012.  I have dabbled for a while, but not done much serious sewing so, I would like this year to be the year I really start to get stuck in to creating my own garments.  My gran is (well, was until her eyesight started to give out) a wonderful seamstress and she taught me the little I currently know.  Even if she can't do the close work herself any more, she is still on hand to give advice and inspect my efforts so, with that, a growing sewing library (my method for dealing with any problem or challenge is to borrow, or more usually buy, books), and a little time that I am sure I can magic up from somewhere (sleep is optional, right?), I have every reason to be optimistic.

Gran gave me her old sewing machine just before Baby Bird was born (as I'd broken mine making curtains for her room) and I have a fair bit of the kit I need.  I have even successfully made  a few bits and pieces, including some stuff for the nursery (the curtains and I recovered the rocking chair) and my skirt and Baby Bird's dress for her christening last summer.  With a little application, I'm sure I can really improve my skills this year.

I thought I would start small, and so, armed with the Christmas money my gran gave me (I thought she would approve of how I was spending it), I spent a happy afternoon just before New Year pottering round the internet snapping up remnants.  One of the many great things about having a small person in my life is that while the number of clothes she requires is many, the size of them is small and so even half a metre can be turned into something useful.  So the first week of the New Year was filled with lovely parcels and now, the fun can really begin.

Up first are some winter/early spring fabrics. the hearts print is a fleece, which I think I'm going to turn into a little fleecy sweater, perfect for running round the park in, and maybe a hat if there is enough left over.  The cow print and paisley are both needlecords, soft and cosy without being too thick or heavy.  I'm thinking pinafores or maybe dungarees here.

Then, looking ahead to the summer, I have bought some lovely cotton prints.  My main challenge here is trying to work out whether the metre I have of each is enough to squeeze out a skirt for me, especially if I can find some complementary plain fabrics, or whether I should be good and turn them all into pretty little summer dresses with cute nappy-covering pants.  I'm particularly tempted to try and keep the butterfly print for myself...