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Wednesday 30 December 2009

RuthieK's 'Botanical Gardens' SWAP 2010 Plan #2

I have been thinking about this plan for a little while, but it crystallised for me last night. I pulled this RTW top out of my box of plus size stuff to alter and the whole SWAP is based around this.



The neutrals here are olive, sage etc - greyed greens which range from quite dark through to lighter shades.
Contrasted with the brights of the hot pink, coral pink, turquoise and lime.

I will do a 'classic' SWAP of 4 bottoms (all trousers in shades of sage and olive), 6 tops (1 print, 1 sage, 2 pink, 2 lime), and an olive jacket fabric stash permitting.

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I have spent a happy half an hour pulling everything out of my fabric cupboard and putting it in 'maybe piles' if it could work for this plan. I will have to drag it all over to the window later to look at it in daylight and see which fabrics work with each other and the existing RTW items as the depths and colours vary quite a bit, some greener, browner, bluer or greyer all within broadly similar 'damp forest' theme.

I had a habit a few years back of buying 5 metres of fabric when I saw it in case I wanted to make a 3 piece suit or something. ( Kate Mathews' book 'Sewing a Travel Wardrobe' has a lot to answer for here, in particular the wardrobes from designer Joyce E Cusick who has a penchant for something known as a '6 yard wardrobe', 5 metres is about 5 1/2 yards)
So some of these pieces are enough for a whole SWAP on their own, however I AM trying to move to a co-ordinated separates look (which IMHO is harder to do well).

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Fabric has all been auditioned and indeed I can create an olive, pink, lime swap out of the stash without too much trouble.
Only got one lime top though as the 'lime' fabrics vary widely in colour and most were not suitable. I only bought lime for the first time last year so have not built up much stash in it so far.

4 pairs of olive trousers all in different fabrics. One is a 'dirty' denim which will have embroidery in lime and pink on the pockets and maybe some other locations too. The other trousers will be more classic, and two pairs will use patterns I have used before.
The jacket was already cut out and is a long princess seamed style from Burda. I shall shorten it though as the longer length looks dated to me now. The fabric is a sage, pink and coral weave - an unholstery fabric I think which works with everything OK I think.
Tops will be all knits except for one blouse, 1 cream, 2 pink, 1 olive, 1 lime and the blouse out of a wild print fabric which has all the colours in it. The blouse will be the print matching, and I think will be something unstructured with a tie neck from Burda.
The jacket will have an interesting button which will be the unusual closure unless something else strikes me first.

4 comments:

Jenni said...

This sounds a really lovely swap. I can see how well its going to work for your love of colour whilst also incorporating the Pantone "colours for Spring" (olive neutrals) which I know you were keen to try and do.
I am really looking forward to seeing the pattern choices and fabrics. Hint. Hint.

Gail Santy said...

I too vote for a show of fabric. While I am a classic Summer in coloring, I learn a great deal by looking closely at how you combine your best colors.
I think you are clever and practical to go for pants only for the 2010 SWAP. You have mentioned before that while you sew long skirts, you infrequently wear them. I was just wondering if you are wearing the new blue straight skirt you sewed recently. I am losing weight and am tempted to sew up several short straight skirts as they would be fairly easy to alter, but I generally wear pants more frequently.
Happy New Year!
~Gail

Sharon said...

Wow this sounds great and I am really looking forward to seeing it come to life.

Yes I also would love to see your fabrics as you wear a lot of colours I like.

SewRuthie said...

Gail. No I've not worn that skirt once lol. The cord trousers were a poor fit and are back in the sewing room for surgery but I wear the other two pairs of pants a lot/