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Today, I’m revealing my plans for sewing a cozy winter wardrobe.
Winter can feel a bit bleh. It doesn’t always feel like the most exciting season to design for, with all the heavy layers and darkness and cold weather.
So, I’m going to show you how to beat the winter doldrums with sewing as I walk you through all the projects I plan to make.
If you watch the video, I’ll show you all these projects and share my plans for them.
The look I’m going for this season is cozy, luxe, and textured.
Here’s the mini mood board I created for the projects I’m about to show you.
My creativity and energy really tends to be a lot lower in the winter, so I wanted to create clothes that would feel amazing to wear everyday—it’s like self-care in wardrobe form.
For my palette, I chose black, white, and cream with a bit of a soft taupe brown color to use as a basic. For the statement color, I picked red.
Red is one of my favorite colors to add a little drama and attention to an outfit, and it just looks so striking against grey skies and snow. I especially love this red Liberty Tana Lawn.
Now I’ll show you all my project plans!
Project 1: Greer Dress
My first project is the Greer dress, which is a long, body-hugging dress with these gorgeous bell sleeves.
I love cozy sweater dresses. They’re really warm and easy to wear.
I have a black cashmere sweater dress in my closet that I wear all the time. I love an outfit I can just throw on and feel great in with zero effort.
Actually, I thought about making Greer in black, but I really liked some of the dresses I’ve seen in brown and taupe. I found this wool knit at Denver Fabrics.
If I have fabric leftover making a matching scarf would be really cool.
Project 2: Sage Blouse
My next project is one I’m already in love with, the Sage blouse in a Liberty print!
I was really inspired by this Sezane blouse, even though it’s a totally different shape and print. Something about the combination of bright red, floral, and a feminine shape appealed to me.
I’ve had it saved on Pinterest forever and couldn’t get it out of my head. Sometimes when that happens, you just have to create your version.
For the fabric, I decided to splurge and bought this Liberty tana lawn. It has a soft hand, but that crisp cotton drape you can expect from Liberty fabrics. It’s a classic print that I’ll never tire of.
Project 3: Joss Pants
My next project is a tried-and-true for me, the Joss pants.
I love how comfortable they are, so I am using them as an alternative to leggings in winter. I’m always looking for an alternative that is a little more dressed up than tights.
I wanted to make them look chic and luxurious, so I am sewing them in a black silk charmeuse. I almost went with a rayon viscose because I know I’ll wear them in the rain. But I realized it would feel like a compromise.
I’m simplifying the pattern by not sewing the patch pockets to give it a sleek, paired down look with a simple color, but amazing feel and texture.
Project 4: Pepper Sweater
Okay next up is the Pepper sweater!
I wear big, comfy sweaters all the time in winter. At first, I thought I’d go with a neutral color, but I kept pinning photos of these bright red sweaters.
I am so excited about this fabric that I found on Etsy—I’m a little scared to cut it!
It’s deadstock cashmere from Loro Piana in Italy, and it’s super soft and luxurious.
Project 5: Black Poplin Dress
My next project is one I’m actually still working on a bit.
I know I want to make a black cotton dress with a lot of length and volume. When I think about my personal style, this is one I come back to again and again.
Dresses like this are so versatile and chic—but, I’m not quite sure what pattern to use.
At first, I thought about lengthening the Taylor dress, but I realized that I rarely wear wrap dresses except for special occasions.
And then I thought about lengthening the Sage blouse!
I plan to lengthen it and make a gored skirt from the princess seams.
For the fabric, I’m using a simple black cotton poplin. Poplin has this great swishy texture, and the one I found has a little bit of stretch.
Project 6: Lilliana jacket
My last and biggest project is a sherpa jacket. This is probably the project I’m most excited for, because it might be a little challenging.
I loved the cozy sherpa texture of all these inspiration images—and the leather details add a little elegant look to it.
I’ll be using the Lilliana jacket pattern, which is super simple and boxy. It doesn’t have closures, so it’s perfect for adding toggles.
For the fabric, I’m using this organic cotton sherpa from Nature’s Fabrics. To line it, I thought, what about a pre-quilted lining, for even more warmth?
I almost went with a quilted nylon lining, but I fell in love with the idea of a black and white check. This pre-quilted lining I found is cotton. It’s not as weather proof or easy to slide on and off, so that’s the compromise.
I wanted to add the leather details, so I also bought faux leather binding. Lilliana it doesn’t have closures, but it’s perfect for adding toggles. I’m excited to see how this project turns out!
One thing I noticed is that all of these are projects that have been on my mind for a very long time.
Winter seems like the perfect time to make the things you’re really excited to make and wear, just to stay happy and motivated.
What about you? What are you planning to sew this winter? Comment and share!
