Friday 4 July 2014

A quick mini-wardrobe update

 As a quick reminder, here's my mini-wardrobe plan:


As previously mentioned, I have STUPID time constraints to deal with if I want to enter the competition, which were not helped by the fact that I felt absolutely shocking at the beginning of the week and struggled to get out of bed at all on Monday. Luckily, Tuesday was a much better day, health-wise, and I therefore started off on the 1st of July with the task of doing as much cutting out as possible. I managed to get everything cut out and ready except for the Wiksten tank top, which I haven't even remotely started (in fact, I haven't even printed the pattern yet!). I am very glad I (deliberately) chose such easy patterns. Except for the Carme, the patterns were really quick to cut out as there are so few pieces and I've made most of them before!

Not at all impressive photo of The Things I Have Made So Far. Please excuse the wrinkles.

I started out by making the things I could make quickly and easily. The two-fabric tee is, of course, just a variation on a theme of the Ottobre 02-2013-02 tee that I've made a million times (most recently my paintbrush top). It's a different pattern number but it's like two extra lines of stitching. As it happens, I didn't really like how it turned out at the time and am still a bit dubious even after a couple of days of thinking about it, so I hastily made another Ottobre 02-2013-02 tee in white with black polka dots. This seemed like a great idea (and it looks great with my shorts)... until I realized it also had to go with the black and white print skirt, which is a pattern mix too far for me. SIGH. I will have to see how I feel about it when everything is done before I decide what to submit for the competition.

The shorts (barely visible in the back in this shot) you might recognize I made in turquoise linen a fortnight ago. As it turns out, I really like wearing those shorts and whether or not the fit is perfect from an academic perspective, there's no denying that from a wear perspective the fit is super comfortable, so I am very happy to have another pair. The shorts took me a little longer to make only because I wanted to get a nice finish on the inside, and all the flat-felling and bias taping of seams and edges takes a bit longer. Still, it's only mid-day on the 4th July and I've already made a LOT of progress.

Next up on my sewing table, and hopefully finished by the end of the weekend, is the skirt. It's another REALLY simple, two-piece pattern but of course I've had to make it more complicated than that. The pattern is unlined, but the fabric is too lightweight for that so I decided to do my all-time favourite skirt lining/seam finishing method and interline with faux hong kong seams. I also didn't like the waistband finish specified (petersham ribbon, which I don't like and can't get easily) so I had to draft up some facings. All of that added some preparation time, but once I get sewing it honestly won't take long to finish. Usually the slowest part is the hem because I blind-hem by hand!

8 comments:

  1. You're on a roll! I'm ready to start today. I have all my patterns cut and fabric ready.

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    1. I really AM on a roll -- so much so that I finished the skirt except for the hem yesterday :D Today I am going to get started on the Carme blouse, which should be fun. Really seriously in two minds about the last piece of my wardrobe though. I'm just not sure I'll wear a tank top if I make it, but I'm struggling to think what else I could make.

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    2. Since you're so far ahead why not find a substitute??

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    3. Yeah, I'm going to, especially since I knocked out like 80% of the Carme top today. I am just a little bit at a loss for what to make because I don't have too much more in this colour palette in stash.

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  2. Great start! I've got my hoodie top about halfway done, and that's it so far. Hoping to get that finished this weekend and also get my skirt cut out. Like you, I'm largely sticking with easy patterns/patterns I've made before (except for the pant in my plan).

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    1. It definitely makes it easier when you're making stuff you've made before. I whizzed through the shorts without even looking at the pattern instructions because I had only made them 10 days ago.

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  3. Wowzer. Keep on rollin'! How are you finding the time to do this whilst in the midst of a move?! I can't wait to see the whole collection.

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    1. Well, and now I am DONE with it. I made the skirt on Friday and the blouse yesterday and today. I have decided that even if I don't love the multi-fabric white top I don't want to make anything else just for the sake of making. So, DONE. Just need to take my photos in all my various outfits.

      (As for how I am getting my packing done... the short answer is that I haven't packed much yet! However, although I have a lot of books and fabric and other stuff, I only moved to Ireland a year ago, before I got sick, so the move should actually be rather straightforward. Not like I am sorting out the accumulated Piles Of Stuff that gather when you live in a single place for a decade.)

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