Ireland Making Plans

trip capsule wardrobes spark joy

The magic of a travel capsule wardrobe will never get old. Planning out a few new pieces for a trip and then having them fold into your everyday wardrobe after feels like a souvenir.

It also may be a human chaos gremlin part of my brain that sees “trip” and thinks “must make new clothes!!!!”

We are going to Ireland in July for a whopping twelve days. Our plan is to go around the entire country including going into Northern Ireland. The longest trip we’ve taken since our honeymoon in 2022.

As much as I swore up and down I would not travel abroad in summer, for reasons outside of my control we are going. However, hearing that it will be at max in the 70’s in JULY does sound absolutely dreamy.

Trip Planning

Planning this trip has been an interesting experience to say the least. Off the top, this is mostly a trip we are taking with my family (truly unprecedented! We were a pop up camper vacation family!). Working with the woman who has been wielding a binder full of magazine clippings and a Rick Steve’s guide to Ireland book has been interesting to say the least.

Drew and I are starting off the trip by ourselves for a couple of days to do hiking/exploring in the southern part of the island before meeting up with my family to continue our trip as a group.

Trip Activities

This will be a little bit more of an active trip compared to our previous European adventures because we are renting a car!

activities

• hiking

• biking

• walking around cities/towns

• going to museums

• shopping

• eating out in pubs etc.

Again, since the weather is going to be cooler compared to the very hot weather we faced in Florence, I am less concerned that I won’t have my shoulders covered before entering a cathedral. I am also a bit less concerned about not being dressed nicely enough for dinner (looking at you Paris).

Wardrobe Needs

When zooming out, I think the overall impression is that I will need layers. And things that can keep me dry in the event of rain.

• rain coat

• regular jacket

• sweatshirt

• scarf/hood

• knit vests

• jeans/pants

• a skirt or two

• couple of dresses

• t-shirts

• couple of sweaters

• sneakers

• sandals

• shoes for hiking/adventuring

• a bathing suit just to attempt to go into the sea

I have made the decision that we will be bringing one checked bag to share between us. Normally we are a carry on + personal item each but since this trip is longer, we have a car, and I know I will bring home some bulkier souvenirs (yarn, sweater….) we are adding a suitcase.

Mood Board

Putting together a mood board and patterns has been an ongoing journey. There are more outfits, more layers, more possibilities!

I wanted a collection of items that felt easy and cozy. I think that is what I enjoyed a lot about what I made for Spain/Portugal. Everything went well together and I had a lot of outfit options I could make use of day by day.

Colors

Putting together a color palate was also very challenging! I needed to utilize colors I already had and stay true to my overarching wardrobe colors. To this end I settled on blues, greens, creams, and browns. But a hopeful splash of yellow if I play my cards right.

Plans

Now that I have assailed you with vibes, colors and a packing list. Let’s fully unleash the chaos of my making plans.

I may have gotten a little over excited at the idea of all of this sewing potential and picked up a whopping five new sewing patterns at the beginning of Me Made May. Four of which I am hoping to tackle with this capsule.

• Wiksten Jacket

  • Simply, I need it in blue! I wear too much green to only have a green one.

  • No link unfortunately because they no longer sell patterns.

• Chanterelle Pants by Sew Liberated

  • I’m cheating a little here because I have a pair 60% done at the moment in a plum colored linen.

• Coe Trousers by Daughter Judy

  • It’s Tazhi’s fault on this one. They’ve convinced me I can sew hard pants with the power of “we can do it together.”

• Sour cherry button up by Double Ugly Studios

  • Another Tazhi influence. I love the fit on this shirt!

• Simple shift dress by These Days Patterns

  • I am so determined to use this beautiful plaid I’ve had for three (?) years. I think layered on top of plain tshirts/long sleeves will be super cute.

• Honeygirl dress + tee by Paradise Patterns

  • Technically two pieces but same fabric/base pattern. The idea of a knit dress feels very appropriate.

• Slow shirt by Sew Liberated

  • This is my stretch goal!

Fabric

Most of this fabric I’ve been spouting off various plans for over the past couple of years. A newer addition is this absolutely gorgeous cotton twill from Matchy Matchy that I scooped up in March. This is why I should probably unsubscribe from their email list but alas.

Green pointelle- a Jo-Ann’s purchase! I think I have enough for a dress plus a t-shirt.

Blue-green cotton linen blend - matchy matchy from last Fall that I will use for the Sour Cherry.

Light plaid - y’all I can’t remember anymore! I think deadstock from Core Fabrics two years ago? I am so determined to make this into a dress.

Copper twill - Pretty sure this is from Freeman’s Creative and I bought it last September. I think intended for another hard pant pattern but we are using it for the Coe Trousers.

If I am on track by mid-June, this gorgeous yellow gingham is getting ordered for a slow shirt!

Knitwear

If you thought I wasn’t going to have knitwear in this, what do you mean?

I started a hood pattern at the end of April and I’m hoping that as this is going live, I will be finishing it! Something I can throw on without having an entire body layer and that might not totally destroy my hair.

The Naomi Bow Bonnet hood

Vests

I am drawn to making more vests to pull over tshirts. At this moment I do have a vest that just needs the ribbing on the collar/arm holes but I fear it may be too big. I should just finish it and make my life easier.

Or we cast on an Avenue Vest by Tori Yu and have TWO vests??

I’m unsure on color but I think either a gray or dark blue are contenders when I look at what is in the cabinet.

Purchases

I am strongly considering buying a pair of Blundstone boots for this trip. It’s been a wardrobe gap of a cute but durable boot since the boots I wore as a teenager horseback riding have lost their waterproofing. To be honest, English style riding boots are not intended to be hiked in any event.

The price tag is a bit intimidating but people I know who have them absolutely love them. We shall see.

Execution

At this point, a reasonable person would wonder how I will get all of this sewing/knitting done. Well, we are attempting to do one sewing piece a week and wrap up everything with the sewing machine before the end of June. If that goes well, order the gingham and squeeze in my final piece because I am determined to add a splash of yellow.

I think I am giving up on “we are back” with substack. I post when I can make stuff and I’m in a season of making stuff. So ahead we have a fair amount of making to get to.