The PR contest list for 2013

Thus far I haven't actually entered any PR contests, although I've thought about it a couple of times and went so far as to sign up for one (the handbag challenge) although I was too ill/swamped in the end to actually do anything for it. I have decided, however, that next year I'm going to try to structure some of my sewing around the contests, mainly because the schedule happens to work quite well with how I hope to improve and expand my sewing skills. I'll probably also post a more general 2013 Goals list in the next couple of weeks, as there are a few other things I want to make/learn/do next year.

Satchel from A Bag For All Reasons

January: One Pattern, Many Looks; Handbag

The "One Pattern, Many Looks" contest is kind of badly timed for me personally. There are certain things I want to make that I will want multiples of once I have a good TNT pattern (a really great blouse pattern, for example, is my DREAM) but I don't have time to do the kind of intensive learning/sewing that I'd need for this to work. Maybe another year.

Handbags, on the other hand? Hell, yes, I'm in for that. I have two things I really need to make that would be eligible: one really great bag for me, since I am bored of my current bag, and also potentially a raffle prize bag to donate to an event I am attending (hopefully) in March. For the bag for me, I am thinking about the School Satchel from Lisa Lam's A Bag For All Reasons. For luggage reasons the raffle bag might have to be a fancy clutch rather than a bag.






February: RTW Designer Knockoff; Challenge

The designer knockoff thing would depend on me seeing something between now and then that I want to copy and is within my skillset, which I feel is quite unlikely. I don't spend a lot of time looking at designer clothes, for a start, so my verdict is basically "meh" on this challenge, though I LOVED seeing the entries for this contest when it ran last year. The second contest is obviously an unknown quantity at this point.

McCalls 5522

March: Fitted Blouse; Pattern Stash

The "volume" contests do nothing for me (pattern stash, fabric stash), so I don't think I'd bother with that. On the other hand, Fitted Blouse is a GREAT contest for me AND it's perfectly timed. I should have plenty of free time in March, and this fits in perfectly with two things I want to do: first, learn and use the shirt-making skills in The Classic Tailored Shirt Craftsy class that I bought in the Thanksgiving sale; and second, recreate my Most Favourite Of All Favourite Blouses (Even Though It's Too Short). I'm going to use McCalls 5522 as the basic pattern, but I'll probably need to frankenpattern the front bodice to make it really work for me. I have a great crisp white cotton to use for this already in my stash.

Pantone Colours for Spring 2013

April: Pantone Colours

I like the idea of the contest, and I like several of the Pantone colours for spring (the dark blue, the poppy red and the african violet, in particular). I have fabrics in all three of those colours as they are colours I wear anyway. I do have one project/material combination in mind for 2013 that might work out REALLY well with this (unlined jacket, using the jacket classes on PR I bought, in poppy red needlecord) but I am not convinced by the timing -- April might not be the best month for me.

May: Challenge; Natural Fibres

I'm kind of indifferent to the natural fibres contest (the challenge being as yet unknown). If something happened to work out, so be it. If not, well, no loss. In May I plan to be working heavily on an outfit for a wedding in June, so if one or more items happens to be a natural fibre (and I am thinking about silk) that would work out nicely, but if it's not, so be it.

Jalie 2908

June: Jeans; Fabric stash

I kind of don't want to make my own denim jeans. I know, heresy, it's one of those things everyone seems to want to make for themselves. However, what I would like is to learn to make trousers that are STYLED as Jeans, but aren't necessarily made of denim. This might therefore be my excuse to make use of Jalie 2908, which I picked up ultra cheap (and still in the original packaging!) on eBay a while back. I actually don't know if jeans-not-made-of-denim would be within the rules but eh, whatever. I could sew along, and ALSO make use of the Jean-ius Craftsy class that I also bought at Thanksgiving. Fabric stash, on the other hand: no.



July and August: UFO; Sewing for Children; Challenge

Pretty much a no all round on the July and August contests unless the challenge throws up something that appeals. Unless something changes radically in my working style between now and then, I can't imagine I'll have a UFO: I tend to work on one project until it's done. I also have no children for whom to sew (the only children in the family are my niece and nephew in Australia, and my SIL buys them all the clothes in the world, they don't need more), no children's patterns (except for what's in Burda issues I happen to own) and no real desire to sew for them anyway.

September: Mini wardrobe

I am definitely doing this in 2013! I don't have any set ideas for it at all at the moment, but barring disaster, yes, I absolutely plan to put together a mini-wardrobe.

Vogue 7466

October: Lined jacket; Challenge

This is probably the most ambitious plan I have for 2013. I have this vintage Vogue pattern (number 7466) for a lined jacket. The seller claimed it was 1960s, but the sizing (size 16, bust 38") makes me wonder if it's 1970s, because I thought they didn't standardize on 16 = 38" until then. The styling looks very 60s though in the picture (check out her hair!). I actually already have the main fabric for this already (black cotton moleskin) and the lining (emerald green cotton satin with a strangely furry wrong side). I know so little about making jackets at this point that I don't even know if I am mad to consider making this, but doing so for the contest might be an idea -- it might encourage me to actually TRY IT, anyway, which is kind of my idea behind all the contests entries I am thinking about.

And again, the challenge is TBD. If I decide to make the jacket, I doubt I will make ANYTHING ELSE AT ALL in October.

If it were right now? I'd make this for the vintage competition!

November: Vintage pattern; Holiday sewing

I am definitely in for vintage pattern. If I had to do it from my pattern collection RIGHT NOW, I know what I'd choose, but I can't speak for how my pattern stash might develop in the nearly-12-months between now and that competition. Holiday sewing, eh, not really my thing.

December: Cocktail outfit

This is an event-dependent maybe. If I had an event I needed a cocktail outfit for in December or early in the new year, I would definitely try to make something and enter it. However, this is not the sort of thing I'd make unless I needed one. The last few years, I've not needed anything like this, but life is about to change radically, so we'll see!