My UseNine2021

I've made my selection for my 2021 #UseNine challenge - here's hoping that I can do better than my 2020 total of five fabrics used. I've learned from last year's big mistake, however, and chosen a wider range than just nine summer-weight fabrics. Of course, the four pieces which I bought last year but didn't use had to be included.

My 2021 choices

I have ideas for all nine, but concrete plans with actual patterns for only six. So, without any more ado . . .

The numbered version

1 - This is a lightweight cotton from Ditto Fabrics which I bought last year because - pineapples! I have a rough idea of how I want to use it, but that's all so far.

2 - I don't often take inspiration from pattern envelope illustrations, but when I saw New Look 6594, I immediately thought of this pale blue viscose remnant which I've had for a couple of years.

A perfect pairing - hopefully!

With careful cutting out (my specialism!), I should just have enough for view C. I think it's got a distinctly vintage tea-dress feel, and should work well with the drapey viscose.

3 - This was going to be my December 2020 dress before Life got in the way. Although at first glance the fabric looks like a heavily embroidered wool or cotton, it's actually a cleverly printed viscose, bought from The Dress Fabric Company on my Edinburgh trip in 2017. It had been in danger of falling victim to Special Fabric Syndrome*, but when I spotted Style 557 for sale, I knew that I'd found a suitable match.

I’m planning to make the full-skirted version

4 - This grey ditsy floral is another of last year's purchases, also from Ditto Fabrics. It's a relatively thick cotton, so suitable for a spring/autumn dress rather than a summer one. Hence, I'm going to make view 1 of Style 2887 - another of my Style '79 patterns.

There may be a slight tweak to this one

5 - By 'eck, black velvet is difficult to photograph! Bought at the end of last year, this heavy-ish cotton velvet is another fabric for which I have A Plan, but no concrete evidence to include here.

6 - Another photographic nightmare. This teal poly satin really didn't want to play ball; it was determined to appear a particularly unattractive sludgy grey! Much playing with filters was needed to get even close to the right colour. This is my choice for the first Sew A Vintage Style Dress Community challenge - more details to come.

7 - I've already posted about my plans for this fabric from Spoonflower, but here's a quick reminder of the pattern I'm going to use.

Making use of the stripes

8 - The only one of my unused 2020 UseNine choices to be carried over into 2021. I love this vintage-style crepe from Watson and Thornton, and know exactly what I want to make from it.

View A is the plan

I've even got the perfect buttons and buckle for the job.

Picking out the dark red in the print

So what's holding me back? Well, I suspect I've just been put off by the disaster that was the Dress of Frump™. It will need at least one toile to get that bodice front right.

9 - Finally, a very wintery choice - a brushed cotton. This is going to be used for view B of Butterick 6866, but with the two contrast tabs of view A.

I love the neckline detail

So, how many of these will I actually make - any more than five will be a win!


* - This happens when a fabric is too precious to be made up with any old pattern, so is put aside until something suitably special comes along. The longer it’s left, the more special the pattern needs to be to justify cutting into the fabric; and so a stalemate is reached, and the fabric just sits there forever. See also, the saga of the Anemone Dress.