A Dress A Day

One Very Red Dress

I tried Simplicity 6894 again, this time in a completely unforgiving, show-every-mistake solid red poplin: 

I'm not sure why I picked this red, other than that I started working on this dress around Valentine's Day, and I had the fabric hanging around. (I don't wear a lot of red.)  

I made the pockets (adding them was my main alteration to this pattern) a little deeper this time. I don't think I have it 100% right yet -- the opening is still a little high.

This photo came out funny, but the zipper didn't: 

 

The wrinkles across the back are mostly due to my dress form not being set to my form any more. I changed the settings to take a picture of a much smaller vintage dress and still haven't gotten them back to "normal".  (The tangle of cords there on my computer desk is very much "normal".)

Whose advice was it to sew the tucks first, then cut out the bodice? It was great advice, made for very fast construction! 

The buttons here are vintage, have had 'em forever. They were my second choice -- the first was a set of red, white, and blue buttons that I think I snagged in a fabric swap before I left Chicago. But the red was just a little off ... this red is *perfect*. 

I gave this a test wear last Saturday -- with gray Keds (see below). It was slightly too cold for bare legs in the San Francisco Mission in February, but as long as I sat in the sun (and had a copy of New Scientist to read) I felt fine ... 

I'm pretty sure I'll make this again ... maybe even in another solid color! 

Another Favorite Redux

Remember Simplicity 1577? I made it in heavy seersucker a while back, and have nearly worn that one to death, so I figured it was time for another version: 

Although I'm not a jeans person, I do like heavy denim dresses. They feel very utilitarian-competent. I'm pretty sure I could shingle a roof, raise chickens, or rivet a fighter jet in this dress. There is one problem in making them -- you can't self-face collars in heavy denim, so you have to find some other fabric to use:

Good thing I have lots of Liberty scraps lying around, right? 

Ditto for the pockets: 

It's a dark black denim (cue Michael Penn) and I've been wearing it with bright long-sleeved t-shirts in rose or teal underneath. With stripey socks. So I look a little like a Raggedy-Ann doll in it, but it's so much fun to wear that I don't care.

I've also made this in black plaid low-wale corduroy (part of the Japan fabric haul) -- pics of that soon!

Simplicity 2180: Maybe It's Worth It

So remember the tsuris I had over Simplicity's 2180 printable/downloadable pattern? It was all rendered moot, because I wandered into JoAnn's on a day when all Simplicity was $1 or something ridiculous, and I thought: "the hell with all that tape", and bought two copies in two different size ranges. (Which is what I should have done to begin with.)

Anyway, I opened it up and looked at it and thought, "oh hey, this looks easy". Note: whenever you think "oh hey this looks easy" about a pattern, especially latish at night, and just fire up an episode of RadioLab, assuming you can put your brain on autopilot, get ready to get that seam ripper out. Which is what I did with this dress. Here is a short list of things I put together upside down:

-- the upper neck collar piece (twice)

-- the piping for the upper neck collar piece

-- the midriff

-- one pocket (put in on wrong side of skirt)

Honestly, I know Jad and Robert are mellifluous as all-get-out, but I have NO IDEA why this was so hard for me to put together. My mind was not just wandering, it was on an extended gadabout with time out for some lollygagging, and was toting a bindlestiff while whistling "King of the Road."

Oh, and the best part? After I got it all put together I put it on and realized it was EXACTLY 5/8 inch too tight in the bodice. Five-eighths of a measly inch is the worst amount to be off by. It's too wide a gap to just hope the zipper will accommodate you, and just narrow enough that you can RIP OUT EVEN MORE SEAMS ARRGH and resew them to get the necessary ease. Which is what I did.

Anyway, enough whining, where's the dress?

 

So there's no pink piping on the midriff (which had been part of the plan) because I had to use it to get the Neck Piping: Take Two done. Although it didn't get done that well -- the vee in the back (although really, really pretty ON) is a bit tricky, so it's much more bobble-y than I'd like:

 

Here's the front: 

And here's the oh-god-don't-have-a-cupcake side seam: 

 

The verdict? Unproven. I've only tried this on (haven't really worn it yet) and I haven't made a version in the right bodice size, either (although I have one cut out). I kind of want to widen the midriff by two inches, too ... 

On the plus size, the neckline really is lovely on -- it stands out a bit from the body -- and the pockets are great. It seems like a really wearable dress (will report back once I, you know, actually wear it). 

This fabric is left over from a Heidi I made last year (I can't find the picture, weirdly) and I think I still have three more yards! It is the neverending piece of black floral vaguely vintage-y-looking cotton (okay maybe I did buy ten yards ...)

Return (Slightly Elevated, Not Yet Triumphal) of the Shirtdress

I think I've posted about this before, but I can't find it: Simplicity 6894.

Anyway, I made it. Here it is:

 

I chose such a busy print because 1) I hadn't done tucks before and figured that if they were uneven, uneven on a bed of slightly abstract ochre roses was the way to go, and 2) I have had this fabric SO LONG that it has been giving me reproachful looks. Especially as new yardage has continued to come in ... it was well past the eye-rolling stage, and into heavy sighs and significant eyebrow-raising. So. Now it's ready for its close-up:

 

You can see a little of the red thread I used to thread-mark the buttonholes. The buttons are vintage, I have no idea where I got them, either. This is not their first rodeo -- they had little bits of cloth and thread on them that I had to remove. Looks like I cut them off whatever they had been on before. (Or maybe I bought them that way? My buttons are not what you would call "organized.")

The fabric is very lightweight, just a couple steps up from voile, so I did a very deep blindstitch hem. [PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE] 

Oh! I added pockets, slash hip pockets: 

And in lieu of my usual "here's the side zipper" picture (which is nearly invisible in this print, anyway, but you can see it here if you are so inclined) I present to you instead the "here's the set-in sleeve cap." Not my finest work, but not the worst I've ever done, either:

 

(My set-in-sleeve-setting life changed when I finally started taking the time to sew from the top center of the shoulder down to the underarm seam on each side, instead of trying to sew the whole thing in one go from underarm seam to underarm seam.)

Verdict: A+, would sew again. This is not so hard to make (after I figured out the tucks, which look FAR more complicated than they actually are) and it's fun to wear. I felt like a 1960s schoolteacher all day, which is better than it sounds. It did end up being slightly too big (it's fine through the bodice, but I added too much ease for the pockets). I will go easier on the wearing ease next time. 

I have another shirtdress coming ... one I'm very pleased with, and another one cut out. Oh, and a semi-traumatic encounter with Simplicity 2180, but I think we managed to hug it out. Stay tuned!

Another Couple of Liberty 8728s

I don't think I've posted these yet -- forgive the shaky pictures -- but I made two other 8728s before I went to Australia: 

 

 

Here's the back view:

This is Liberty (of course) -- Percy's Leaf (from Shaukat). 

And this, in Mike (also Liberty from Shaukat) -- a closeup of the bodice (kind of a shadowy picture, sorry): 

And a shaky picture of the back:

 

I know I'm not done with 8728 just yet -- it makes up SO nicely! It's so easy to wear! -- but I'm thinking it might be time for another shot at the Heidi ... what do you all think?

Sew It All (or at least a couple of skirts)

I forgot to mention that I have a project in the latest issue of Sew It All ... it's a no-pattern project to make skirts out of old t-shirts. 

Yep, that's the skirt I made there on the right. It really is simple to do, and all the materials together cost me less than $20 (for the skirt elastic, plus some tees from the local Goodwill). 

Here's a peek at the how-to page:

 

My only regret is that I couldn't actually show how to put pockets in -- I had this great idea for using the the neckband of the shirt as the top of a patch pocket, but it just made the whole thing too complicated for what was supposed to be an easy project. Oh well, maybe next time ... you can almost visualize it from the instructions here:

 

For those of you in the US, I think this is still available wherever sewing magazines are sold ... not sure what the situation is overseas. 

And We're Back ...

Man, did I have a GREAT time in Australia. Melbourne was gorgeous (and not just because it's coming on summer there) and delicious and everyone was so nice! Totally worth the marathon flight to get there, and I am definitely going back as soon as I can ... 

Posts are coming this week about the fabric I bought in Tokyo (Tokyo is on the way to Australia. If you are me and my preferred frequent-flier airline), a report from the book event in Melbourne, and a couple more Vogue 8728s that I managed to squeeze in before leaving this hemisphere.

I know some folks have asked to see me in a 8728, so here's a nice picture from the lovely Vireya (she's the tall and elegant person in this picture): 

The sweater is a couple of years old now, from J. Crew ... the watch is this one, and the glasses are new and pink (from Zoff in Japan!) and don't really go, but they were new and I had to wear them. (You know how it is.)

It's nice to be back!

Oh, Yeah, This Pattern Too.

I bet you thought I forgot all about Simplicity 1577, didn't you? I did not, see below:

This is done in really heavy black and gray seersucker. I can't describe it well, so here, see another picture: 

And one more: 

 

This dress is extremely comfortable to wear, and even though it's seersucker, preferred fabric of summer, I've been wearing it all November-style with a long-sleeved black tee and black knee socks (and Justin roper boots) which is a little goth Dickensian orphan, but in a good way. 

Because the fabric is so heavy I lined the pockets in lightweight black cotton, and did the undercollar in the same material:  

I really like this heavy version of this dress, so I bought some black cotton faille and am going to make it again. I also have a black and beige faille, and a heavy houndstooth in brown and black ... and some maroon stripey wool, and a truly maddening unmatchable plaid, all of which might be good candidates for this pattern. But don't worry -- I also made two more Liberty Vogue 8728s. You'll see them soon!

You Can't, You Won't, And You Don't Stop: 8728

Those of you who asked for more: here you go. Those of you rolling your eyes and thinking "How many of these Vogue 8728s can she MAKE?" should brace yourselves; this is not the last by a long shot ...

I wore this in a colder-weather place pretty successfully (I think) over a thin longsleeved black t-shirt and black tights, under a longer sweater. That much layering made me feel just a little too Lucky Mag, but hey, I managed to avoid carrying a completely impractical handbag and wearing eight different necklaces, so perhaps I dodged that particular bullet.  

On to more pictures!

 

 

Oh, this is Liberty fabric, too, part of the haul I purchased back in May at Shaukat. I deliberately limited myself to darker colors while there; I usually buy all brights and then feel weird wearing them in November. Soon I will have a whole slew of Novembery dresses! (Your hemisphere may vary.)

I do have a non-8728 dress to post, that will come later this week!

Guess What? More 8728!

So, of all the things I love about Vogue 8728, the fact that it works so well with Liberty Tana Lawn is probably the thing I love the most. Here it is in "First Prize": 

Bodice is ready for close-up:

 

And the rear view:

 

I wasn't sure if this pattern would work for fall/autumn/rainy season, but in a dark color it does well, don't you think. I think I can even wear this with boots (nb: I have not tested this hypothesis yet). 

There have been two questions in the comments I haven't answered yet; one is "how does this work for bust(y|ier) people?" That's a good question. I am not sure I would wear this if I were a D cup or bigger, without serious underpinnings (or even with). The gathers do, um, emphasize the region, and part of the charm is that curved waistband. But if you're on the cups-runneth-over side and have made this, please leave a comment! 

The other question was about the depth of the armholes. I think they're okay, myself, but if you have a "no visible bra side panel" policy, this dress is not for you (or you have to tighten up that seam a little). 

The main danger with this dress is that I will never wear anything else. It is that good. So easy to make, so easy to wear ...  

8728, Again

Another Vogue 8728. This fabric was from FabricMart, and I bought it because broken plaids don't need to be matched.It's a lovely lightweight silk/cotton mix (silk/cotton: I am helpless before it).

 

Not as great a job on the side zipper here. Or on the pressing.

And the back: 

 

Tune in tomorrow for another exciting installment of "How many copies of Vogue 8728 can Erin make?"

More Vogue 8728

The sharper-eyed among you may have noticed that I had a new dress on in that picture with Justice O'Connor. I did! It's this one: 

I'm pretty obsessed with Vogue 8728 at this point. For one thing, it's incredibly comfortable to wear. The gathers in the bodice and cap sleeves allow for a lot of range of motion in the shoulders -- I never feel as if reaching up to grab something is going to result in a big "rriiiiiiipppp". The skirt's easy to wear, too (especially as I have -- as is my wont -- added ginormous pockets). 

Here's a closer view of the bodice:

 

I know one of you lovely readers gave me the heads-up on this fabric, probably two years ago now. (I bought it on eBay, cue Weird Al.) Was it you? Thank you! (Take credit in the comments!)

Side view: 

 

Back view:

So yeah I've made a few more of these recently. It's my new go-to. Watch for them all this week ... 

Twenty (two) Years Later

So a couple of weeks ago I was at the Carmel Authors Festival. It was really lovely -- I had a marvelous time and met some really cool folks. 

And I re-met Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who I had met in a scholarship program back in high school (SPOILER: I did not become a public-policy wonk of any flavor, despite what this picture seems to indicate): 

Unfortunately, I couldn't do a Ze Frank "Young Me Now Me" style picture, because I couldn't find a replacement for the platter-collar blouse (because Tweeds -- "The Anthropologie of the 1980s" --  went out of business ages ago), but Justice O'Connor was nice enough to take another picture with me: 

 

Many thanks to Justice O'Connor, who was kind enough to let me re-live my youth.

(Yes, the dress I'm wearing is Vogue 8728 in an alphabet print. Expect more details shortly. Sorry for the drastic hair differences from the vintage-dress-photo to this one; haircut occured after Carmel trip. I'm totally messing with the timestream!)

PatternReview Saves My Ass

I fell in love with this skirt (Vogue 1247) a while back, because, pockets!

(Ignore the floppy blouse. What is it with the giant floppy asymmetrical t-shirtish thing? </old person>)

This pattern looked easy, quick, and best of all, pockets! So I did what everyone ought to do before making a new pattern and checked PatternReview to see what other folks have said about it. 

And I'm so glad I did, because the general consensus was to lengthen the skirt by FIVE INCHES. Yep. Five inches. If I hadn't checked, I probably wouldn't have noticed how short the skirt was, and then Mister Evans would have thrown me out of the Junior High Dance I wouldn't have ever worn the skirt. Plus, there were several suggestions to leave off the waistband and just finish the waist with a petersham ribbon facing (which is what I ended up doing). 

There are lots of great things about this skirt, I mean, besides the pockets. It went together in less than an hour, including (machine) hemming. Also, it takes barely any fabric. I think I had less than 1.5 yards of this green-overdyed denim. 

I did a little subtle topstitching on the back, which I don't think you can see here:

And here's a better glimpse of the pockets (that's an index card): 

With the new longer length it hits me just at the knee. And it's really comfortable. I'm hoping (at some point in the distant future) to make a couple more with fancier treatments of the horizontal seams (Piping, maybe colorblocking? I have some pink satin that I've been meaning to overlay with some violently yellow lace and this would be an awesome pattern for that ...)

But the first person to mention that a horizontal seam at the hips may, possibly, conceivably, make you look slightly wider gets a resounding Bronx cheer in the comments. C'mon, live a little! You can't always worry about the width of your hips, sometimes you have to worry about where to put your wallet & cell phone! Or about why everyone under 30 seems to only wear a short tight skirt, a big floppy blouse, and four-inch nude-colored platform pumps!  Worrying about looking wider fell off my worry-about list some time ago. (But zombies are still on my list. Oh, yes, those pesky zombies ...)

Vogue 8728: This Time It's Liberty

So Vogue 8728, which I posted about the other day, looks even better (I think) in Liberty "Mark": 

 

Here's a fuzzier full-length view:

And a close-up of the neck binding:

You can't really see the fabric's lusciousness in those pictures, so looky here:

And for the more technically-inclined among you, here's how I reinforced the pocket opening on the zipper side with organza (the midriff is also underlined with organza):

The best part is that this dress matches the shoes in this post (from yonks ago). Yep, I now have TWO outfits that are Liberty-print-with-matching-shoes. Because I'm obsessive that way. (The other is a dress in the Enchanted Garden print, which J.Crew did flats in a few years back. That link is to the skirt I made in Enchanted Garden, can't find the dress link ... )

Actually, no, the best part is that I wore this dress last weekend and on my way to the restaurant, a woman came out of a (different) restaurant JUST to comment on my dress. She knew the fabric was Liberty and so assumed I'd made the dress, and she wanted to see how I did the hem (answer: machine blindstitch), which was basically the best compliment, ever. It's so nice to run into fellow Liberty-enthusiasts! 

I also have a piece of fabric in this design in the pink colorway that Liberty used for their Target collaboration, but it's heavier (almost a poplin), so I'm saving it for a shirtdress. 

Do I have another 8728 cut out? That would be telling ... 

Vogue 8728: True Love

I posted about Vogue 8728 a couple of weeks ago:

 

And since then I've actually made it up. (Twice, but I only have one photographed.)

Here's a better view of the bodice: 

And the neck binding/gathers: 

And the zipper (not the best job I've ever done, but serviceable):

And the back view:

And the inside of the midriff, which I underlined in silk organza to give it a little strength & anti-wrinkle mojo:

So: pattern notes. The gathers will make you look bustier than you are; decide whether this is a bug or a feature and act accordingly. This one is cut one size smaller in the neckline, but for the second version, I ended up cutting two sizes down in the shoulder/neck -- either the neckline is very wide, or my shoulders are narrow, not sure which. I did a four-inch hem (folded two inches, folded again, blindstitched on the machine) because this voile fabric is so lightweight that you need a heavy hem to make it hang right ... and it turned out to be the right length.

Oh, and I added pockets.

This dress is really fun to wear; it's light and airy and goes well with sneakers and with sandals, and it is PERFECT for Liberty Tana Lawn (I made a second one in Tana Lawn that I haven't photographed yet). The gathers would be trickier in heavier fabric -- I think even quilting cotton would be too stiff. (I've also cut one out in dotted Swiss; we'll see how that goes.)

I've seriously had this flower fabric for one kajillion years, and probably part of my joy in finding this pattern is that it will work for several OTHER pieces of fabric of roughly the same geological era -- all of which were too beautiful not to purchase, but too lightweight to make into shirtdresses. I feel so justified moving them all to California now ... 

Get On Your Bike

So here finally is a picture of my favorite dress of the moment, made from Simplicity 1577:

 

Here's something I had not considered when making this dress: a dress with a bike print is like catnip to the hipsters of San Francisco. In a five-block walk today from the BART station at Mission & 24th I had accumulated an equal number of dress-related compliments, mostly from people who were NOT under the influence of intoxicants. 

For extra hipster cred, this pocket is actually big enough to hold my large Moleskine notebook (not shown, you'll have to trust me, I didn't figure this out until today): 

Here's the back view: 

I still have two versions of this dress cut out and half-made; I hope to finish them soonish-like. (I have been alternating what I'm calling "rescue missions" -- fixing dresses that need new zippers, or bigger pockets, or whatever -- with New Sewing, and I'm actually starting to like the rescue missions. They take less time, for one thing, and it's very satisfying to take a dress from the Pile of Broken and restore it to the rotation.)

The bike fabric is available here (also in white). 

New. Obsession.

Just so we're clear: I freaking love this dress. So far I've made it twice, and if I am ever in my sewing room while the sun is up, I will take a picture or two of the ones that I've completed. (I also have two more cut out and half-sewn.)

Here is why this dress is near-perfect:

1. The collar is adorable. Right?

2. Pockets!

3. It is extremely simple to put together. 

4. And, best of all, this dress is GREAT for novelty quilting cottons. Seriously, those goofball patterns I buy all the time that just aren't right for fuller-skirted dresses work great in this pattern. The vertical skirt seams are enough to give the fabric weight and the patterns I choose don't need all that much matching. I also am making it in Liberty Lemonia:

The only downside is that the neckline is a leeeetle wide for regular jewel-neck cardigans. It goes better with a v-neck cardigan.

Things I did slightly different-like:

There's a facing, but I just used bias tape for the collar. (Facings: bulky.) I shortened the skirt by four inches, and deepened the pockets by two inches, but I think that's too deep. I'm tempted to carry things like ball-peen hammers and small electric motors and suchlike if my pockets are too deep. I am using silk organza for the collar interfacing. (I've also been using strips of silk organza to reinforce zipper seams in lightweight fabric, not sure if that's really working, but hey, I'm trying it.)

Click on the image to visit the Patternwiki -- there are a couple folks who have copies for sale, it seems. Because YOU WILL LOVE THIS DRESS.

In Which The Blue Gardenia Puts Up With My Wiseassery

Denise at The Blue Gardenia very kindly asked me to send her information about my sewing den for her sewing spaces project ... you can check it out (with some slightly-off-kilter pictures) here!

I was a little tired and punch-drunk when I answered her questions, so I apologize for exceeding your RDA of facetious answers (if you're wondering, the RDA is 3 for adults, 1.5 for children). 

Here is a special bonus bad-quality cell phone picture of shoeboxes full of notions, just for you!

New Look 6981

I'm completely in love with this skirt pattern (New Look 6981). Here's the line drawing (I'm not showing you the photo illustration because I find it cringe-inducingly hokey): 

I'll post some pictures soon of the two skirts I've made from this pattern so far -- and I'm sure they won't be the last, either. This skirt is incredibly comfortable and goes together like a dream. Sewing at top speed I bet I could get one cut and sewn in a couple of hours, and that includes using an invisible zipper (instead of the regular one the pattern calls for) and adding on-seam pockets. 

It's a really cheap pattern, too -- you can get it for under $5 -- and very efficient in terms of fabric use. (I'm going to go through my large bin of "pieces of fabric too big to toss yet too small for an entire dress" and see what skirts I can eke out of leftover yardage.) 

So far the ones I've made have been in heavy denim, but I also just bought some velveteen that I am dying to sew up ... and this would be really cute in lightweight cottons with the heavy contrast border. Do I sound obsessed yet? It's trending that way ... 

Camouflagellation

So I was wondering if I've already posted about this dress, or if, because it's camouflage, it has merely blended in with the rest of the blog, and that's why I can't find it:

 

This is currently my favorite casual Heidi dress, even though the fabric is a bit on the pilly side. Here's a closeup of the bodice -- I took this picture after I'd worn the dress about a dozen times, so you might even be able to see the pilling: 

 

I do think it's a little disturbing, how much I love camouflage as a print. Perhaps it's my knee-jerk Gen X "irony" (in the debased sense of "incongruity") or maybe it's just that I am in love with idea that you need so much technology to ape what are supposed to be organic forms, or that I enjoy the absurdity of making fairly distinctive clothing out of something that was originally intended to make the wearer blend into the background. Whatever it is, I just keep doing it. If you had to categorize my fabric stash, the second-biggest category (after "Liberty," of course!) is "camouflage."

I have pink, blue, bright green, and several colors of brown camo, in addition to this gray, but weirdly enough I can't seem to find what I think would be the ur-color of non-blending camouflage: blaze-orange camouflage. Wouldn't that be awesome? Hunter orange camo! If I had some of that I would probably have to be physically restrained from wearing it twice a week, but that level of absurdity and self-contradiction would make me really happy. So if you see some, let me know, okay?

Future Heidis

These two have been languishing on the sewing machine table for weeks -- I just have to hem them and sew down the bias-tape facings, but man, getting the time to do that ... hasn't happened. 

But aren't they nice? I can't wait to wear the blue one. Maybe by the time you read this I will have managed to get it done!

  

Newest Heidi

I'm really pleased with this Heidi (which I have been working on in ten-minute bursts for WEEKS, it's been so busy here). Even though it looks like nothing in the picture:

It's this lovely heavy cotton with a thin orange stripe. Think a cross between ticking and seersucker. Bought it from Fabric Mart Fabrics, very cheap!

I plan to wear it with a white sweater and an orange watch, or maybe an orange sweater and a white watch, and white penny loafers. And then I will eat a Creamsicle. 

Here's a closeup of the fabric/pocket: 

See? Very subtle, for me. Except for it being ORANGE.

I also took some more pictures of previously-constructed Heidi dresses and will try to post some this week. Stay tuned!

 

What I Think About When I Think About Sewing

 

When I think about making a new dress, this is what I think about:

1. Fabric. Is there some in my stash or lurking somewhere on the internet that I simply can't live without? Have I been obsessing about a particular event for which a stunt dress is necessary? Have I been thinking about a particular theme, like stripes or eyelet or giant florals? Do I have a new cardigan in a weird color (yes, I'm looking at you, Land's End) that needs a mate?
2. Pattern. Is the fabric the right weight? If not, how do I compensate for that? Does it have pockets? If not, can I put pockets into it? Where is it tight? Where is it loose? How will it move? How low or high is the neckline? The hemline? 
3. Construction. Are there difficult bits that WILL cause swearing, like gussets? Can I change a facing to bias binding? Is there a lining, and if so, can I skip it? Can I move a back zipper to the side, or change a placket zipper to an invisible one? Where are the stress points, and how will I reinforce them? Are there places where too many seams meet, and will my fabric make those points lumpy or bulky? Where will I have to match prints or plaids?
4. Time. Is it a simple pattern to cut out (looking at you, Heidi), so that I can do it late at night, while watching Chuck on Hulu? Or is it complicated, so that it needs me first thing in the morning, when I'm fresh, while listening to podcasts? If I start after breakfast, or after dinner, when will I hit the putting-the-zipper-in place, and will I be awake or cranky? Have I drastically underestimated how long hemming a very full circle skirt will take (the answer to that last question is always YES).
5. Interest. If this dress will take a long time to make, will I still care by the end? (There are several dresses lurking in my sewing room RIGHT NOW that I gave up on in the middle.) Is there an event driving me to make this dress, and what will happen if I don't finish it in time?
6. Visualization. Where will I wear this dress? Who will be there? Will I wear it once, or over and over again? Will I blog it? 
7. Shoes. Which ones? Do I already own them? Would this dress require shoes that do not, in fact, actually exist? (E.g., every pair of boots I've ever wanted.) Do I have a pair of shoes in a weird color that I need to make a dress to match? Am I looking for an excuse to buy a new pair of shoes in a weird color? (Lather, rinse, repeat for "Coat" and "Bag".)
8. Fun. Will the whole process involve more fun than not-fun? This is my hobby, not a job or a chore. If it starts turning not-fun, can I bail and go watch Dr. Who? Where are the possible not-fun parts, and how can I make them fun? (See Chuck, podcasts, stunt fabric, etc. above)

I'm sure there are other things I think about while sewing, but these are the things I think about, or try to think about, before I start. What do you think about when you think about sewing?