planning a challenge...

is much different than actually undertaking the challenge! But, I digress. I am looking forward to the unplanned renovations in the house being done so that I can start working on some of the projects I have waiting on the back burner as well as some ideas that have been percolating.

One of the things that I was really thinking about, was doing a sort of SWAP-style plan for my maternity wardrobe. This is no more. I have two really cute dresses, jeans, slacks and some cute, simple tops. My mom is making me some additional tops and a couple pairs of slacks. I already have several of the longer sweaters that were trendy last winter that will work really well over the swelling belly and since we are approaching cooler weather that will prevail throughout the rest of my pregnancy, I'll probably be OK with a few more filler items...but what I'm really coveting are jackets and coats.

In addition to the Simplicity 4954 jacket from that great pink and black boucle I mentioned in this post, I'm also contemplating several others. I love coats and jackets and have more than one rationalization for wanting to make several. The first reason is that I practically froze to death last winter. It was the first winter in several years where it got in the single-digits (although it's frequently near the freezing mark). The second reason is that so far, the majority of my maternity clothes are summery t-shirts and shells. This is fine when it's 90 degrees outside, but when it starts hitting the 40s and 50s, a light sweater just won't do the trick anymore. Add this to the fact that I love layering, and you see where I have a need for jackets and coats. I figure if my maternity clothes are on the plain side, I can easily dress anything up with a great jacket or coat...and the best part is I can wear them after the baby is born because I don't plan on making maternity jackets. I may make one coat that can be fully fastened, but I don't want something that's obviously maternity - I want something that I can wear pregnant or not.

With all of this said, here is my current working list of jackets/coats that I really really like:

Simplicity 4791 (OOP):

I really like both the jacket and the longer coat. I have two great pieces of faux suede in camel and navy that would look great as either coat. I really envision the shorter coat out of leather or suede and the longer coat out of a tweedy wool.

Simplicity 4033:

My favorite cut from this pattern is the longer tan version on the far left. I really see this in a velvet or cotton velveteen with a brocade-style trim. I also have a heavy black poly/cotton jacquard that this would be great in - especially with either a rainbow or blue swirled silk I have in the stash as a lining.

Simplicity 4403:

My favorite views are the pink and green views on the right side of the photo. I have a chocolate brown velveteen that this would look great in, and I have a matching remnant of faux fur that would make a great collar. I would also really like this in a pink or royal purple wool. A friend of mine has this fabulous jacket made of what I call "Muppet fur". It's a bright purple shaggy fur coat that is very similar in cut and style to this jacket. It's such a fun jacket I could see making this out of a funky faux fur as well.

McCalls 5247:

This is very similar to Simplicity 4403. I obviously wouldn't make both, but both patterns have their merits. In the end, for me, I think S4403 probably will beat out this one.

Simplicity 4084:

I love a classic trench coat. This would be great in either a classic twill, or I really think it would be wonderful in a solid-colored brocade or jacquard fabric. The black rose-print jacquard I have in my stash would be perfect...if I made it from a fabric that could handle the treatment, I would definitely want to pre-treat the fabric with a water repellent. This would make it perfect for those drizzly or rainy days when wearing a wool coat is out of the question.

McCalls 5190:

I would love this in corduroy....a hot pink corduroy. I love girly-looking military style jackets and this definitely fits the bill. This would also be smashing in denim (of course) or even velvet. Could you imagine how fun it would be to have a velvet military-style jacket??? Ok, maybe it's just me!

Talea coat from burdastyle.com:

I can't say how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE this coat! It has all sorts of great military styling with trench coat syling and a big collar...not that I need to justify why I love this coat. I plan on making it in a camel-colored wool. I know, I know, how original...but in my own defense, I had envisioned a coat VERY similar to this in camel wool before I even found this pattern. I had figured I would have to take a different pattern and modify the heck out of it to get what I wanted...and then I found this and it was practically perfect.

BWOF 8/07 #111A - the jacket cape:

I'm not sure this will look that great on me - and it's a definite no while I'm pregnant - but I love it anyway. If this is still something that will work in the spring, I may make it then...but oh how I love it in the black...

So that is my wish-list for right now. In addition to the jacket challenge I'm setting before myself, does anyone know of any good resources for sewing leather? This is something I have never done by machine and am interested in any books that anyone can recommend on the subject. Specifically, I would like to make a leather jacket. I'm too tall and my arms are too long to find anything that fits in RTW leather styles I like so I would really like to make my own.