The tale of nine little dresses... recap

Remember this post? I made a line-up of dress ideas which I wanted to make in reality. Among other projects, I have been working on these especially on those I had fabric for (I try to buy less fabric than I sew up, to stop my stash from expanding even further, don't ask whether it works...). So I thought it was about time for a little recap: what has been made and what has changed?

Also, it's a very hot day today, and according to the paper it will get worse before it gets better. I had told myself to start cutting and sewing on my Burdastyle book coat today, but I'm procrastinating. It's too hot to even think about an autumn/winter jacket.

And I kind of wanted to show off some of my recent Illustrator practice.

This is the newline-up. As you can see, I've made quite a few of these already. Numbers 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9 to be precise. Five out of nine! That's better than I hoped for when I first blogged about this!

Eagle-eyed readers may have spotted my bits of cheating already.

I've got a very good excuse for changing dress number 4: I made that design especially for a specific length of fabric which has been languishing in my stash for too long. And then, after a while, I came up with a new, better design for it. And now, I'm actually quite excited about making it (after the BS coat, this dress doesn't look like a very quick project).

Number 5 is no cheating. It's the same dress, minus the yoke. It didn't seem right for the fabric I have in mind. Those darts from the center front seam may not be great for it either, but I've wanted to do those for ages so I think I just will.

It's in the bottom row that I'm really cheating. I may still make the original dress number 7, but it's more for autumn. Number 9 was dreamt up as a way to make a particular, rather boring fabric, look interesting, but in the end I don't think it needs this treatment. I thought it wouldn't hurt to replace it in the line-up with a different strapless design (Ok, 9 had straps, but the pattern would have had to be as if for a strapless dress)

First up now will probably be number 5. I've got a fabric for it which was sold as silk, but very likely has a bit of viscose/rayon in it. Between black and navy and not that glossy. If wonder if it needs to be lined. I hope not. I'm not such a fan of lining summer dresses unless it's absolutely necessary. Maybe I need a couple of slips...

I'd love to make the new and improved number 4, which, in my mind, has a bit of 1930's flair. The fabric I've got for it is a bit sheer, so I'm mentally crunching lining/underlining arrangements. To be made after the BS coat.

Number 1 won't be made until September or something like that. I've got a fabric for it but it's a warm one.

Last but not least: number 8 is still a design I love but I don't have fabric for this one so I think I'll just hold on until I find one that's perfect for it.

Meanwhile, I still love those big-skirted retro dresses and may make even more of those. I've also been thinking a lot about all sorts of things I could make from those pinstriped linens. Can you believe I've had to restrain myself not to buy more of it...

But what I could really use in my wardrobe would be one or two hot weather-proof tops. Simple ones. So maybe I should do that first.