Thursday, January 20, 2011

Paint my sky "gray" anyday.....

Growing up I usually associated the color gray with rainy days and overcast skys. To me it was kinda like the color of gloom. I noticed that it was used in a lot of business wear. But in my opinion alot of the pieces I saw were boring , too corporate,  and lacked any fashionable flare. I just never really gave the color gray a second glance when it came to clothes. It wasn't until recently that I began really liking the color. It all started with a pair of boots I spotted at the After Thanksgiving Sale. Unfortunately they didn't have my size but I sure was smitten with them.

They looked kinda just like these except they had a buckle and chunkier heel and were super SEXY! Since then I've been obsessed with all things gray and it's been popping at me left and right. But I soon began to realize that I don't really even own any gray garments. Just recently I made this dress.....

and of course I love it and would love to add more gray pieces to my wardrobe. It's definitely my favorite color at the moment and I'm plotting on incorporating it in future pieces. So I got to digging around in my fabric closet to track down the gray fabrics I do have. I think I already have enough to get started with.  I read that Allison is sewing a mini gray collection. I'm already liking where she's going with her idea and can't wait to see the finished wardrobe. So here's some fabric I have.

 I bought this gray sateen the other day with the intention of making the jacket in this pattern (BTW: This is one of the jackets in my queue for the Jacket-A-Month Sew Along). I've been wanting to make this for a while and wanted to pick an "uncommon" color for me that I know I would get good use out of.

The idea of the jacket spurred some ideas of some additional pieces like a dress, top, and/or jumpsuit that could go well with this jacket. Here's some other great fabrics I have that show gray at it's best....
The fabric on the left is a peachskin polyester that has an awesome drape. The sateen is in the middle and a poly charmeuse with grays, and browns is on the right. These fabrics would be great paired with the jacket.

This is a sweater knit fabric that has gray intermingled with lilac and green. I'd love to make this into a cardigan and pair it with a pair of gray slacks.

And if I decided to carry the color over into the spring here's a livelier piece of fabric that could make that possible.


It's really nice to be inspired and I must that the color gray is really serving as my inspiration at the moment. I can't wait until I finish sewing up my current garments so I can get started on a few gray pieces. It's funny it used to be the color of gloom but now it's the color of happiness!!!


So I must ask you----what's your inspirational color(s) at the moment!!!!
Posted by at
Labels: ,

20 comments:

  1. Kayla RoseJanuary 20, 2011 at 6:11 PM

    Right now, I really like oranges and greens. I am really into colors that just pop! I also really like the houndstooth print!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AndreaJanuary 20, 2011 at 6:29 PM

    Sorry you weren't able to get those boots. I love your fabric choices and they should go nicely with the jacket once it's made. You are going to love this jacket once it's made. I made it last May during PR Weekend in Philly and love it. I want to make another one this spring or summer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. K.LineJanuary 20, 2011 at 6:29 PM

    Well, grey - esp. slate - is a fave. I also love burgundy. Emerald green is a fave. Having said that, I seem to make everything in navy. Hmmm.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AdrienneJanuary 20, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    Sorry about the boots!!! I know that feeling!!
    Right now, Im in love with khaki!!! I'm working on a suit now and can't wait to finish it up lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. AllisonCJanuary 20, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    I don't know where my sudden fascination with grey (or gray!) has come from, but it seems to be a good neutral that works well with lots of colours - as your gorgeous prints show - and makes a change from black. I had to wear a grey school uniform which out me off the colour for years! Details of my mini wardrobe should be going up later today....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Vida CosturaJanuary 21, 2011 at 2:39 AM

    Olá, leio seu bog sempre, suas peças são divinas, atualmente estou na faze do azul marinho, dos sapatos a acessórios sempre estou nesta cor. Embora depois de ver suas fotos de tecidos estou cinceramente tendendo para o cinza

    Abraços

    Eilane - Brasil

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJanuary 21, 2011 at 3:19 AM

    I seem to be grabbing my orange thread a lot lately.

    Those are some fabulous fabrics! And I agree, they scream for some gray! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. BunnyJanuary 21, 2011 at 4:05 AM

    Wonderful fabric choices! Yellow really makes grey sing. Personally, I find I am on a bit of a green binge. Go figure!

    ReplyDelete
  9. toyJanuary 21, 2011 at 4:40 AM

    Actually the color of fabric I was working on was grey. I love grey in the winter months so I understand how you can be inspired by it, its a great natural that you can use vibrant colors with when you want to play with accessories, so I love it a lot.
    I can't wait to see your new garments, the fabrics are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  10. EugeniaJanuary 21, 2011 at 5:05 AM

    I'm loving grey too right now! Just made a grey dress and working on more grey. I also love purple.

    ReplyDelete
  11. LizJanuary 21, 2011 at 5:20 AM

    Love that dress!

    ReplyDelete
  12. ValerieJanuary 21, 2011 at 5:38 AM

    I really like your fabric combinations with the gray sateen. I wish I could wear gray, but I haven't found a shade that likes me. Can't wait to see the finished product!

    ReplyDelete
  13. sewistafashionistaJanuary 21, 2011 at 6:57 AM

    It is funny that you posted this because after years of focusing on black as my main neutral I am starting to look at gray. I am starting to add it to my wardrobe. But the color I love the best is cool clear rose pink.

    ReplyDelete
  14. JulieJanuary 21, 2011 at 7:01 AM

    My favorite is the last fabric, the spring one. Beautiful fabrics! My inspiration at the moment isn't a color, fabric, pattern, or style. My inspiration is other sewers. I recently met (through email) two lovely ladies in a town I'm moving to soon. The idea of having some sewing buddies has gotten all the creative juices flowing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. CennettaJanuary 21, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    Gray is a favorite color of mine and like you I really don't have a lot of gray in my wardrobe. Your plans for adding some gray looks very good in the fabric department. The yellow, gray and white is super pretty and the gray sateen is great for the simplicity jacket.

    Well sewing sista' you've a plan that looks pretty good. I've got my eye on you. Lol

    Thanks for the inspiration.
    C

    ReplyDelete
  16. sogirlyJanuary 21, 2011 at 11:20 AM

    I am inspired by summer colours as pink, blue, yellow...

    ReplyDelete
  17. gwensewsJanuary 22, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    Gray is a wonderful neutral color. I love it paired with pink or coral. I've been stuck on olive/loden greens lately.

    ReplyDelete
  18. travelling_sooJanuary 23, 2011 at 12:04 PM

    Lovely choices! If you don't mind me asking - where did you get the flowery sweater knit?

    ReplyDelete
  19. CarolJanuary 23, 2011 at 2:12 PM

    I bought a piece of dove grey sateen recently because I thought it might make a nice neutral. I don't have much grey, but I do like it. I love the yellow swirly fabric very much.

    ReplyDelete
  20. VictoriaJanuary 23, 2011 at 2:30 PM

    travelling soo---I purchased the flowery sweater knit from Jo-Ann's. It was part of one of the fabric collections--can't remember which one.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and for following me on my 10,000 Hour Sewing Challenge:)

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails