No More Twist!

Twintime

2010-10-25T14:20:00.001-07:00

Note styling differences: slacks vs. dress, bright vs. dark, sleeve length, open vs. buttoned, accessories. . .

Note what is the same: length of jacket! hair cut! glasses!

Jacket with Red Dress

2010-10-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

I made a red wool gabardine dress to go with the jacket. (S3673, a vintage pattern, TNT).

Finished First, Posted Last!

2010-10-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

I finished the jacket several weeks ago, but wanted to give Maggie a chance to get hers done before I posted. Here is the completed shell, with precious little hand-stitching. I have an inflamed tendon sheath in my thumb (tenosynovitis), so hand stitching is much less enjoyable for me than it is for Maggie. Truth be told, she has always done much better than me at precision work of any kind . . .I'm such a slacker !

Details

2010-10-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

I enjoy hand-sewing, so I made time for the details. The cuffs have working buttonholes, so I lined the vent (top). This was not an easy task, since I didn't do it until after I had set in the sleeve.

The handworked buttonholes were incredibly time consuming but satisfying. It will take me another project or two to get the hang of it, but I'm slowly but surely learning how to keep them from looking like little caterpillars--i.e., too wide and too dense.

I bought the chain for this project several years ago. Because the jacket is underlined and interfaced, I wasn't sure it needed the chain's weight to hang well. But I like the sparkle, and it really does make a difference in the jacket's wearability.

Finished!

2010-10-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

I got a sneak peak at Mary's jacket last month. Her crochet trim is simply fabulous, and it made my idea for trim look cheap by comparison. The other big problem was that I couldn't imagine being able to dress my jacket down. It was going to be mostly a dress-up kind of jacket, for which I have little use. This baby's gotta go with jeans!

Finally, a photo of a fringed Chanel jacket in this month's Harpers Bazaar made me rethink my aversion to fringe. After a couple of experiments, I settled on controlled craziness. A one-quarter-inch black petersham ribbon defines the front and pocket edges, while the fringe is made from a 1 1/2 inch wide bias strip that's been gathered in the center and then folded in half. No fringe on the cuff edges--it ruined the lean line, and I could just imagine getting it filled with chalk dust.

Muslin Take 2

2010-09-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

If at first you don't succeed. . . I recut the bodice after making an fba and reshaping the neckline by lowering and widening it just one-half inch. Voila! The shape is back. The shoulder pads are too thick--that's an easy fix. The photos make it pretty obvious that the 2-pocket option is the way to go.

Maggie's Muslin Misery

2010-09-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

The muslin is mildly discouraging. It fits perfectly--except in the bust. I need to adjust for only one cup size, but my first attempt ruined the very slight hourglass shaping and left me with a perfectly boxy, ugly rectangle, not to mention other wrinkles and gaps. Sigh.

Even if I could get the fit right, the muslin calls attention to more important design issues. The biggest problem? The jacket's jewel neckline doesn't do anything for me. I'm going to try making the neckline slightly more of an oval framing the collarbone. Still, I wonder if that's enough. Mary's choice of a v-neckline may be the best way to break up the strong horizontal lines of the fabric.

The other design question: can my short torso handle four welt pockets, or would it be more flattering to have just two?

Taking the time to assess the fit and design at the muslin stage is luxury I may not be able to afford. I may rue the day I mocked Mary's TNT!

Maggie's Trim

2010-09-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

The last big difference: no crochet hook for me! Can't imagine sitting down long enough to learn how. Knitting's no good either. So. . . at emmaonesock I found a lovely soutache bold enough to stand up to the tweed. At Digs, a totally cool shop in downtown Northfield MN, I found vintage rayon ribbon woven on the bias. After weaving the ribbon through the soutache, I embellished it with french knots (Mary says she'd leave off the knots. That's another difference: I'm buttoned down, she isn't). Here's how the trim looks with the fabric.

Mary's Trim -- Crochet

2010-09-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

I tried a couple of different patterns, and several trims and yarns. I finally settled on a variation of Bonnie Triola's two-color trim design, which she demonstrated on Stitcher's Guild on July 7, 2010. I changed it slightly. Row 1 and Row 3 are single crochet. I like the one on the left best.

Materials:

Black - DMC Senso Metallics (90% cotton, 10% Metallic). The metallic effect is very subtle.
Red - 4 strands of DMC Perle Cotton, size 8. 2 strands of true red (color 321) and 2 strands of blue red (color 498)
Metallic - Guterman Metallic Effects Thread, color 71. This is a slightly thicker machine embroidery thread. There are only 55 yards on a spool, and this project required 3 spools.

Size E Embroidery hook.

Mary's Trim

2010-09-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

I am HOOKED (HA, Ha) on crochet. Who knew you could have so much fun with a stick and string?

I adapted one of Bonnie Triola's trim designs over on Stitcher's Guild, using Black cotton yarn, red perle cotton, and a metallic embroidery thread. Love it, love it -- a nice vertical line to balance all those horizontal stripes.

And yes, I applied this trim entirely by machine. Karl would too, if he had to sew his own designs!

Maggie's Pattern and Construction

2010-09-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

At last a classic Chanel-style pattern appeared in burda style 2/2010. Here is where I begin to part company with DS Mary. I'll never be the designer she is, but give me a good pattern and I'll happily trace it out. The other big difference? I'll be following Claire Shaeffer's instructions for a Chanel jacket, even down to quilting the lining to the tweed. I may even begin with a muslin. As for shortcuts? No fusible underlining for me. And machine stitching the hem? Quelle horreur!

Mary's Pattern and Construction

2010-09-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

I am using Nancy Erickson's 1945, with a v-neck conversion, edges rounded to make trim application easier. This pattern is ALMOST perfect -- there is still a bit too much fabric in the chest area at the armscye, but it fits perfectly everywhere and is comfortable to wear as well.

I'm sewing for several fall events, and am really busy with my professional association. I have to do this quick.

The fabric is loosely woven, with great big chunky rovings woven across. Snag city. I am hard on my clothes, and I need this tweed to be supported with fusible interfacing. All body parts are fused, but not the sleeves. I serge-finished the edges before putting it together. If you don't tell anyone, I'll tell you a secret: I even machine stitched the hem on the sleeves and the bottom! GASP!

Maggie's Take on the Tweed

2010-09-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

Several years ago Mary acquired way too much of this red and black silk tweed and gave some to me. It's been a challenge: how to work with the horizontal stripes when I am so short? how to trim it when it is so bold on its own? how to find a simple pattern that won't need a fba?

I did want to find a silk print for the lining but ended up with a perfect match in a cotton-silk sateen.

It starts with the fabric

2010-09-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

The fabric was a gift from a generous and dear sewing friend. I always loved it, but knew I wouldn't make a matching suit, and was happy to give Maggie a big chunk for her stash (mostly to make room in my cedar chest). Both pieces have been aging for about 5 years, and who knows how long my friend had it!

I decided to line the jacket with the fabric salvaged from my going away dress from my 1982 wedding to DH. This is a red silk crepe with little upside-down checks in horizontal bands. It is not a perfect match, but I love the idea of using it in this jacket. There was enough to cut the body of the lining. The sleeve lining will be Ambiance.

SMACKDOWN!

2010-09-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

One fabric. Twin sisters. Two patterns. Two trims. Two construction philosophies.

What will happen?

I've invited DS Maggie to join me on this blog to share our experiences with the black and red raw silk tweed!

Jacket is done!

2010-09-11T06:09:00.000-07:00

DH snapped a couple of pictures on our way out to the Virginia Symphony Orchestra opening concert.

Button Choices

2010-09-04T08:09:00.001-07:00

Crochet trim is done, Jacket is done. Which buttons should I use? The pearl buttons have a gold lion's head imprinted on them. To me, they say "spring and summer." The brown buttons are a bit more subtle, even though the gold is very bright. Here are detail shots:

Crochet Trim

2010-08-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

I've been following a discussion about crocheting trims for jackets over on the Nancy Erickson thread at http://ArtisansSquare.com.

Here is one I finally settled on. This combines single crochet with a stitch that Bonnie Triola demonstrates. I'm planning to use this on an ivory cotton-rayon texture.

Details:
Blue: Lion Brand CottonEase (50% cotton, 50% acrylic) Color 110 Lake
Brown/gold sparkle: who knows -- from stash
Ivory: Louisa Harding Yarns "Merletto" ( 46% viscose, 34% polyamide, 20% linen) color 1
Insertion: Denim trim from Nancy Erickson (trim on right)

Crochet hook, size G

Chain blue & brown together for desired length(multiples of 3 + 1).
Row 2: Drop brown, single crochet.
Row 3: Change to ivory. Chain5. Half double crochet in ninth stitch. Chain 2, Half double crochetevery third stitch (Same as Bonnie Triola's pattern, except using a half double crochet instead of double crochet).
Row 4: Bonnie Triola's instructions for row 3, more or less. I am pretty sure I added an extra chain between cluster stitches.

Something new

2010-05-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

At long last, I have finished some spring/summer sewing.
This suit is made from a linen-lycra blend. I'm not showing you the wrinkly pants!

The main pattern pieces of the jacket are Nancy Erickson's 1945. Pockets and sleeves are from McCall's 5817.

Here is how it looks

2010-03-17T15:00:00.001-07:00

Starting a wardrobe for a new professional

2010-03-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

My DD, a first year law student, started working in a professor's law office last week. I made this jacket for her from NE's 1945 pattern, shortened about 7-8 inches, and with no pockets or sleeve vents. The fabric is a very dark navy wool, with an ottoman-type texture. I got it in a bundle from Michael's about 3 years ago.

Fall 6PAC

2009-11-08T09:02:00.001-08:00

Some separates for wearing to work -- pencil skirt, vest, and twin set are Nancy Erickson patterns.

A dress for going out, from a vintage 1970's pattern:

August WIAW capsule view

2009-08-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

August WIAW - Gettin' Ready!

2009-08-08T17:30:00.001-07:00

My fabric choices for August WIAW

Top to bottom:

Heathered navy blend bottom weight, from a Michael's Bundle

Taupe rayon-poly lycra, from Nancy Erickson

Light taupe jacquard - lightweight crepe, from Mood

Silk georgette print, from Metro Textiles

Sheer silk with woven plaid lines, from Metro Textiles (probably will not use this -- it is SO sheer -- but it would make a very cool wrap)

Pattern choices:

or

Left to Right: NE 1961 (taupe RPL), S 5914 (Silk print), LH Bergman, S2614 (Taupe silk, red silk) ,NE 1962 (heathered navy)

Wardrobe in a Week

2009-05-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Ruthie K. challenged Stitchers' Guild members to create a Wardrobe in A Week: 4 garments in 7 days. We had a week to cut out and prepare fabrics, and a week to sew. I finished most of my sewing over the long holiday weekend. I made a shirt jacket and matching gore skirt from olive rayon gabardine, a pleated skirt from a batik-design cotton, and two t-shirts.

Skirt: Simplicity 5914
Shirt: McCall's 5138 (modified)
TeeShirt: Simplicity4076

Fabric for Skirts and Shirt from Nancy Erickson, TShirt Fabric from Joann's

June Capsule Contest

2009-05-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

For this year's June Capsule Contest, Elizabeth, the contest sponsor, requires participants to build a 4-piece wardrobe around an existing orphan in the closet.

The skirt from this suit is my orphan. It is a bias 4-ply silk skirt. I made this to wear to a wedding several years ago, and although I have worn the jacket, I never wore the skirt again. I plan to cut it off at just below knee length for this capsule.

Coat is finished

2009-02-15T11:46:00.001-08:00

Mary OK's coat with Marfy design inspiration.

I finished! Here are some pictures with the coat worn over the suit I wore when fitting the muslin. It is a bit too snug in the arms and across the shoulders, perhaps because I did not anticipate how much room the lining would take up, especially with flannel underlining the body (but not sleeves) of the silk lining. Oh well -- it will look better over a dress or sweater!

I am very pleased with the result, and I have learned so much as a result of this project. I am very grateful to Marji for setting up the sewalong and to the many others who shared their expertise: Tany, Paco, Els, and the many many participants who commented on fit, construction, and other aspects of the project.

The eggplant wool melton is from Gorgeous Fabrics, and is the same fabric Dawn used. The silk lining, collar velvet, buttons, and thread are from GStreet Fabrics, Rockville, MD. I used vintage hair canvas from my mother's stash to interface the front and the lapels, and of course, I used all of the fantastic coat notions - shoulder pads, sleeve heads, tape, wigan - that Marji supplied last summer. Dog hair is courtesy of my yellow retriever mix, Abby!

Some details:

Change of Plans

2008-06-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

My husband and life coach discovered yesterday that I am planning to make not one, but two, coats. He also suspects (as do I) that I will have a LARGE hand in making the third coat in the household, which is really our DD's project.

Photo: Courtesy The McCall Pattern Company http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/F1022.htm?tab=marfy_patterns/outerwear&page=2

He flipped.

Here's the back story.

I planned to make the BWOF trench because I had all the materials on hand. I LOVE these collaborative online sewing experiences, and have come to realize I'd rather learn something new than sew lots of new garments. I didn't want to miss out on Marji's project and signed up. Although Marji is graciously supporting us trench-coat makers, I began to feel that I should not take up space in the coat sew-along for a trench, because Marji's stated goal is to teach winter coats. DH sent me out to buy coat fabric (!!!!) so I could play according to Marji's rules and game plan. (You have to know what a rule-follower I am to understand this).

As I was looking at swatches online, I asked DD about a purple fabric. She said, "You know, if you make that, you will never ever see it again." So, I am going to teach her/guide her/help her sew a coat. My mother, who has been down this path before (oh, about 35-40 years ago), laughed out loud when I told her.

That is how a one-coat summer became a three-coat summer.

Remember the DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis? The inflamed tendon sheath in my thumb? DH/Life Coach does. He. Put. His. Foot. Down. One Coat. ONE. And DD Makes Her Own.

So the new plan? No Burda trench coat. Instead, use the eggplant melton from Gorgeous Fabrics to copy Marfy 1022, above.

Color and Fabric Choices

2008-06-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

The coating on the left is eggplant melton, from GorgeousFabrics.com. Ann describes it as having a "firm weave, fabulous hand and wonderful drape," and that it "is slightly lighter weight than our flannel coatings." The blue flannel coating on the right feels wonderful, but does not play as nicely with the colors in my wardrobe and in my "to sew" pile as the eggplant.

I've ordered the eggplant and a purple flannel (not shown), which has an amazingly soft hand. The purple coating is for my daughter, who wants a below-hip-length coat.

For the coat sew along, I will be working with three very different wool fabrics: a gabardine, the melton, and the flannel. I think it will be fun to compare interlinings and interfacings with these fabrics!

Self-Tagged!

2008-06-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

By virtue of reading Shannon's blog Hungry Zombie Couture, I am tagged!

What was I doing 10 years ago?

Ten years ago I had just finished my third year as a school librarian, and was looking forward to a summer off with lots of time in my garden. My children were 11 and 8, so I was spending a lot of time driving to ballet, helping with costumes, and eating peanuts and hot dogs at little league baseball games.

What are 5 things on my to-do list today?

Straighten up the kitchen. (done)
Go to Anna's graduation party. (done)
Set up David's table at church, highlighting his accomplishments (for graduating seniors). Sub tasks include buy plastic table cloth and appropriate confetti; select, crop, and mount photos for table. (done)
Go to the grocery store to buy potatoes for tomorrow's post-baccalaureate service dinner, since David shot up all the potatoes with the potato gun at Anna's party. (done)
Order coating fabric for the coat sewalong.

Snacks I enjoy.

Almonds (dry roasted, unsalted).
Dark chocolate.
Nacho chips with guacamole.
Salted-in-the-shell peanuts (see above).
Raisins.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire.

give a big chunk of money to my church
donate 1.5 million to the school district I work for to upgrade the 5 high school libraries
hire someone to clean my house
invest the rest and live on the interest

Places I have lived.

I don't get around much! I grew up less than 50 miles from my mother's family's ancestral home, and now live about 25 miles away from my parents.

Norfolk, VA.

Blacksburg, VA (while in college at VA Tech)

Hampton, VA (1 year)

Newport News, VA

Williamsburg, VA (for 3 weeks -- in the Historic Area)

What types of work have I done.

Secretary(to a librarian)

Library acquisitions/technical services

Architectural archives

Photographic libraries (including photo editorial work)

School library

School library administration

6 peeps I want to know more about.

Shannon has a great strategy for this -- If you are reading this, leave me a message and TAG! YOU'RE IT!

The Virtual Coat: A Girl Can Dream!

2008-06-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

While my hand recuperates, I am not supposed to sew, trace or trim patterns, or cut out fabric.

But a girl can dream! For the next couple of weeks, I am going to blog about virtual coats. I have no intention of actually MAKING them, but I want to play around with matching up patterns and virtual fabric to inspiration.

How about this sunny yellow coat by Chado Ralph Rucci (Fall 2008):

Photo: http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2008/fall/main/europe/womenrunway/chadoralphrucci/

This is a beautiful basic shape, with curved horizontal bands across the coat and down the sleeves. I would love to see more details, but this will have to do:

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2008RTW/detail/thumb/CHADO?trend=&page=3

It looks like the braided edge is attached with bullion stitches, or "worms," as Kathryn Brenne reports that Rucci calls them in her article "Deconstructing a Master: The Art and Craft of Chado Ralph Rucci" in Vogue Patterns (June/July 2008). I cannot tell from the runway photos if the bands between the sections of coat are braid or simple rouleau bands.

For my pattern, I would use something without princess seams. This Sandra Betzina pattern (V7976) offers nice shaping with multiple darts, and a nice high armhole. Perhaps the darts could be rotated and used as seams between the curved, horizontal bands across the coat. Other pattern alterations: extend fronts to create button placket; lengthen; and construct collar so that it extends up rather than laying down.

At Denver Fabrics and Fashion Fabric Club I found these beauties in the $10-$14/yd range:

Sawyer Brook has this wool/viscose/silk blend for about three times that price:

And ManhattanFabrics has this lovely double-faced wool:

I think I'm in love. . . .And I don't even like yellow! Which one would YOU choose?

Pacing Myself

2008-06-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

Resting the injury is the top priority. So, I am steaming the red gabardine in sections, using my non-injured hand to hold the iron. The fabric has already been treated using the London Shrink Method, but I did not take care to keep it from wrinkling. I am using two steaming methods to force steam into the fabric to get rid of the wrinkles:

Carolyn's "Steam the heck out of it" method, and
holding the iron about 1 inch above the fabric and steaming it.

Just steaming the fabric (#2) did not get rid of the wrinkles. With Carolyn's method, you can force more steam into the fabric.

I know this is having an effect because the fabric ripples up with the steam and straightens out slightly as it dries.

Carolyn (and others) recommend letting the fabric dry completely before moving it. This makes for a L-O-N-G project. I got almost half way through last night and could take no more! I folded the fabric in half lengthwise, accordion-folded it, and hung it from the selvedges until I can do a little more.

De Quervain's Tenosynovitis

2008-06-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

Image credit: Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group. (2001) A Patient's Guide to de Quervain's Tenosynovitis. in Hand University. accessed from http://www.handuniversity.com/topics.asp?Topic_ID=45 on June 1, 2008.

I've been calling it an "extreme sewing injury." I first experienced pain in my thumb almost two years ago, the summer in which I helped move 4 school libraries (grasp books, pack books, unpack books, shelve books, reshelve books), typed a lot, and sewed non-stop with wonderful fabrics and trims just brought back from NYC. I've tried Advil, periods of rest, a support glove (which I lost), but inevitably the pain returns if I sew more than half an hour at a time.

De Quervain's Tenosynovitis is named for the Swiss doctor who first identified it in the mid 1890's. It is often called a repetitive stress injury, but some suggest that it is "idiopathic," having no known cause. All sewists, gardeners, crafters, etc. use the same muscles and wrist motions, and some develop this syndrome and others don't. The condition is caused by an irritation of the sheath that surrounds the tendons that go to the thumb. Some people feel or hear creaking as the tendon moves against the sheath.

Well, its back. And it hurts. I realized during this year's swap sewing that maybe the pain I felt while sewing made me enjoy it less. Imagine that! I finally went to the doctor. It is hard to explain why a diagnosis seems to make the condition more real.

The web documents suggest a recovery period of 4-6 weeks. I am not sure how I am going to stop sewing for that long, but I am determined to be a good patient, learn how to strengthen my wrist, take proper rest breaks, and set up my work area to be more ergonomic than it is now. I have ordered several books recommended for Marji's coat sew along, and I suppose I will read and dream while recovering.

Red BWOF Trench

2008-06-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

Marji's great coat sew along is well under way with a private shared blog to track the experience. One hundred sewists are participating, with ten signed on in the role of resident consulting experts. Marji's stated goal is to lead a group of people through the process of tailoring a winter coat. Several of us have started out the journey planning to sew trenchcoats, but I will probably switch my primary project to a winter coat.

But here is my plan for the Burda trench #128 from January 2008.

Fabric: red wool gabardine
Underlining: not selected yet
Trim: gray and cream synthetic python
mottled buttons with a dull finish
gray buckle

My first task will be to select an underlining fabric. The gabardine is very fluid and light weight. They python trim is rather beefy, with a knit backing. I think the gabardine needs something behind it to support the trim.

SWAP Winners Around the World!

2008-05-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Julie Culshaw of Timmel Fabrics posted the winners of this year's SWAP contest today. There were 37 entries this year, from all over the world, and the quality of each entry was amazing. All participants and voters commented on how difficult it was to choose favorites, but the winners, selected by popular vote, are

Laura P, of Bucharest, Romania, who writes about her sewing adventures at Laura's Sewing Room

Shannon M, in LaSalle, Ontario, Canada, who is the planner extraordinaire when it comes to SWAP sewing. Shannon posts at Hungry Zombie Couture

Maria G. in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. See Maria's photos on Julie's web page

Johanna Lu of Goteberg, Sweden. See her photo sets at her Flickr site

Heather D from Wellington, NZ. See her Flickr photo sets here

Congratulations, ladies! Well done!

All the Combinations

2008-04-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Finished!

2008-04-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

The finished group of garments includes one purchased garment, a pair of black jeans, and one previously-made garment, a linen blouse with tucks and lace insertion.

The garments:

V 2390 Wardrobe pattern

Jacket in silk/linen broken herringbone (Michael’s bundle)
Skirt in silk/linen broken herringbone with stretch lace underlay
Trousers in tropical wool (Hancock’s)

M 5138

White cotton twill weave (Michael’s)
Gray/blue linen (SWAP purchase from Julie; bleached and dyed)

Print polyester microfiber (G Street Fabrics)

V 7903 Linen blouse with lace insertion (previously sewn)

Loes Hinse Cowl Top in black stretch lace and blue mesh (Hancock’s, Spandex House)

S 4076, D Gray polyester matte jersey (G Street Fabrics)

Nancy Erickson 1965 Print polyester microfiber pencil skirt (G Street Fabrics)

Purchased black jeans

One Pattern Three Ways

2008-04-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

I said in an earlier post that I simplified my plans as I went along. I needed to, because I did not have any TNT patterns. I used the shirt pattern for three garments: A basic white shirt, the gray linen shirt, and the print top.

This pattern was a great choice for this swap. The convertible collar coordinates well with the deep notched lapel of the Anne Klein jacket. In addition, the darts give it a sleek shape that combines well with basic bottoms. There is no collar stand, so it goes together quickly.

I made the white shirt in view d, without any modifications to the pattern.

I reduced the depth of the collar so I could fit the collar piece onto the border of the fabric and shorted the sleeve to just above the elbow. The front and back are the same length as in view a, the cropped version, but the hem is even all the way around.

The gray linen shirt is cut to the same length as view a and with the camp-shirt sleeves drafted for the print version. I followed the trim placement guidelines in view a.

This trim is sheer, so I modified the facing so that it is finished along the edge of the lace insertion.

Unifying the Collection with Embellishments

2008-04-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

Finding a suitable stretch sheer for the skirt's underskirt was a challenge. I could not find anything suitable, so I overlapped black stretch lace over blue mesh and zigzagged them together along the vertical lines of the lace, and then cut away the blue so the stripe showed through. I liked this so well that I used the motif on the stretch lace top, cutting away three vertical lines at the neckline.

I also introduced a vertical stripe in the gray-blue linen shirt, creating stripes with black grosgrain ribbon, a black/white cord, and linen lace dyed to match. The lace is backed with black organza, hinting further at this season's trend toward transparency in garments. This amount of transparency is JUST enough for me.

To make the print blouse and skirt more like the Oscar de la Renta inspiration, I used sheer black gauze and black braid to emphasize design lines. The collar and front facing are cut from the border.

More Planning: Pattern Selection

2008-04-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

One of the distinctive features of the Timmel swap contest is the design challenge. In previous years, participants embellished their fabric, made two or more distinctive garments from the same pattern, and created a reversible garment. This year, participants sewed at least three garments from one wardrobe pattern. With the exception of the reversible challenge, I have found all of these challenges to be rewarding learning experiences, and I continue to incorporate what I learned through these challenges in my sewing.

I selected a now-OOP pattern by Anne Klein, Vogue 2390. The skirt features a novelty stretch sheer as an underskirt. At first, I did not like the underskirt, and planned to make a simple pencil skirt instead. But as I looked at the spring fashion shows, I realized that I could interpret this design element as one of this year's big trends, underwear as outerwear.

I also liked the lines of the jacket. In eastern Virginia, where I live, summer heat and humidity is brutal. The three-quarter length sleeves would be more comfortable than long sleeves. In addition, I thought the jacket would look less "airline attendant" in navy blue than a more traditionally styled blazer. I also think this jacket will work well with nautical colors and striped tee shirts, which I may add to my wardrobe later this spring.

Finally, as I selected my wardrobe pattern, I wanted a pair of pants that had trouser styling and the wider leg. This pattern features pockets, a traditional fly front, and a waistband at the natural waist.

Looking Back on the Process

2008-04-20T10:10:00.001-07:00

The main things that influenced the way this group of garments turned out include:

Selection of the wardrobe pattern:

This determined basic shapes of other tops and bottoms.

Weight loss:

I lost about 15 pounds since the summer, and lost about 5 during the swap contest period. I had no TNT patterns. The fit of the pants, in particular, changed from the time I finished them in January to when I took the photos in April.

Fabric changes:

The midnight tencel gabardine planned for the wardrobe garment pieces faded unevenly in the laundry. I substituted a gorgeous linen-silk broken herringbone from a Michael's bundle. The linen I bought from Julie matched the tencel, so I stripped its dye and re-dyed it.

Design changes:

I simplified my design plans as I worked through the process, and dropped one of the planned jackets.

Six months later

2008-04-20T09:47:00.001-07:00

photo courtesy Style.com

The availability of the right print determines the direction of the swap. My shopping trip at G Street turned up the blue tribal print. The borders on the fabric offered great design opportunities.

The print sent me back to the spring shows for more inspiration, moving away from the red, white and blue theme. The Oscar de la Renta suit became the key inspiration piece for my swap. The other themes that developed as I sewed included modified underwear effects, with sheers and lace; monochromatic denim blues with crisp white; and the blazer.

How I planned my swap

2007-10-20T05:39:00.000-07:00

photos courtesy Style.com

The swap contests give a structure to sewing for a season. I think it is hard to commit to a plan, because the plan makes you limit your choices. This is my fourth year to participate in swap, and every year, I have learned something from the process. My third SWAP was a dress swap. I loved wearing my dresses last summer, but I need matched summer suits. This was my starting point for planning.

A second factor in my planning is my stash. In the initial stages, I threw lots of things together to see who would "play nicely": midnight blue tencel gabardine, ivory wool crepe, ivory suit-weight texture weave, navy stripe knit, navy and ivory stripe silk, green paisley georgette, red wool gabardine, tan wool, red poly-lycra, knit, red georgette,. . . In the end, I found that my efforts to make all those pieces work together would not result in a coherent collection.

Another early idea was to use the blue, ivory, and red together. I liked the way Lagerfeld used denim and red, white, and blue in the Spring 2008 collection, as shown above. I couldn't find anything suitable in my local stores, so I decided to shop for my print at G Street fabrics.

Mary OK's SWAP Plan Spring 2008

2007-10-18T17:52:00.000-07:00