Rowan Meets Brumby

Last year I noticed a trend in my sewing: grey. Loads of grey. Evidently this is going to continue in 2017, I hope you’re ok with that hehe. I think its probably my favourite neutral and I’m really enjoying how well it pairs with other colours. But you know whats better than one grey? TWO GREYS! hahaha

This is a grey Rowan turtleneck bodysuit that I made during the pattern development process – I liked it so much that we made one exactly the same for the photoshoot. I think this has probably been my most worn Rowan make. It just goes with everything, and I found myself constantly layering it under dresses or with skirts that I couldn’t ordinarily have worn in cold weather. I love making my wardrobe last longer, and reduced the pain of saying goodbye to summery things during cold weather.

For my Rowan bodysuit I graded between sizes to work with my pear shape. So I graded from a S to a M at the hips. Really happy with this, it’s super comfy! I don’t know if anyone else is nutty about this – but I hate hate hate having a cold back. Nothing will make me feel cold quicker than my back being uncovered. Wearing bodysuits all winter was revolutionary for me, and i don’t think i’ll be turning back.

Now onto the skirt – and for this one, I must admit, I made it a few years ago but haven’t blogged because it’s taken me that long to warm up to it. I actually made it during the Brumby testing phase, so that was in early 2015? Yikes. I had been hoarding the fabric for about 10 years, and had originally bought it to make myself a suit for work, back when I had a more corporate career. It’s a super lovely wool suiting with silver flecks through it, and I wish i had taken a close up photo for you!

Since my life isn’t suits anymore I was really struggling to find a project to use this lovely fabric in. So when I was testing Brumby, I thought it was a good opportunity to try and use it in a way that would suit me now. And i’m not going to lie to you: I hated this skirt the second I finished it. Oddly it reminded me of my highschool uniform, even though it looks nothing like it. It’s the same length, and that’s it. I honestly don’t know why my brain went there, no-one else agreed with me, but trying to get past the feeling I was wearing my school uniform was really difficult. So it’s been sitting in my wardrobe for 2 years.

I honestly hate it when I make something and don’t wear it – it feels so wasteful! The ruined fabric! Does anyone feel like this? It baffles me that I can choose everything in a garment and still get to the end and not like it. Especially since i designed the pattern. The irony of creating a dud garment from my own sewing pattern is not lost on me LOL.

But I think putting it to the side for while helped, and I am now well and truly over my illogical brain associations… maybe hehe.