Uniforms, Plans & Goals For My Handmade Wardrobe

After speaking to Rachael on my podcast, I've been thinking a lot about whether I have a "uniform" and if so, what it looked like.

Initially I thought I didn't. I love to plan things in terms of "outfits" and although to my surprise I've found they mostly work well together, I couldn't see a particular trend in what I wore. In fact, sometimes the lack of continuity in what I like to make and wear worries me - I'm a bit all over the show. Is it a sign of my apparent resistance to really put down roots? Is this mid-life? Or is it just that I have a vivid imagination?! LOL. Who knows.

Anyhow, the more I thought about it, the more I realised I do have a uniform (sort of) and it goes something like this:

Summer: dresses and skirts with tank tops

Autumn: long skirts that rapidly become trousers with a t-shirt and a lightweight cardigan

Winter: (my favourite) trousers, long sleeved tops, layers, jumpers and heavier cardigans, shawls and hats. Basically, all the knitwear with trousers.

Spring: slowly back into skirts and lighter tops with those lightweight cardigans and my favourite shawls from the winter.

I do have an image in my head of wearing long skirts all year round. I love that look - especially with long boots and tights. I do have a couple of long skirts but so far I tend to only wear them in the summer. In cold weather I reach for trousers - mostly jeans and stretchy jean-things with boots.

It's not a uniform in the strictest sense of the word but there's definitely a pattern in what I wear and just thinking about it has made me realise that I can probably plan what I make a little better. I know what I like to wear and rather than think I "should" make something or imagine that I might somehow be transformed by knitting or sewing something that's completely outside of my "uniform" I'm realising that it's ok to work within some sort of rules. In fact, it's quite liberating.

And, it's inspired me to make a few goals.

Mostly my goals are about my fabric stash. I'm resolving to sew my stash and I'm only going to buy second-hand fabric or new fabric where I can be sure it's been made ethically. I've got quite an *ahem* full stash so I think I'll be busy ...

Yarn is different because I'm designing almost everything I knit at the moment and I need to think about using yarn that will work for patterns and that you can get hold of. I already try to use yarn from my stash and I love to use lots of delicious local yarn but if a design tells me that it "must" be made with a particular yarn I'm ok with that.

What about you? Do you have a uniform? What does it look like? Do you have goals about using your stash? I'd love to hear them.

// I'm talking a little more about uniforms and choosing patterns, fabric & yarn that you'll actually wear in my next Mini-Mag. If you fancy a read sign up here.