SWAP Photos are up at Stitchers Guild

The SWAP photos are now up and there are 14 entries for your enjoyment.
If you are a member at Stitchers Guild you can vote for whichever one you like best.
Obviously if you like one of mine (Botanical Garden or Amber Glow) then please vote for me, but pick your favourite.

For those not familiar with Flickr -  the link takes you to a Collection page where you can see sets of all the entries.
Click on a set to see more.  Click Detail to see all the photos on one page, you can then click on each photo to see more - 'all sizes' above the photo will give you an enlarged view.

VOTING RULES

Voting is open to all current members of Stitcher’s Guild.
Voting ends midnight Saturday 15 May
You have three votes - for first, second and third places.
You may not vote for yourself.
Please email Ann Rowley your three choices in order to
annrowleyukuk at yahoo.co.uk 
The subject should be  SWAP vote
Please sign your email with your Stitcher’s Guild identity.
You first vote is final – you may not change your vote.

SWAP photos sent in

SWAP photos sent in ready for the big reveal in a couple of weeks.
Part of me enjoyed dressing up in the outfits and trying combos and part of me just wanted to be done with it.

No photos here yet as it would be spoiling things, but I will post them once they are up on the Flickr site.

I did two collections this time
Amber glow and Botanical garden. I have shown hanger shots of everything on the blog but not of everything being worn.

I'm going away for a bit hence sending the photos in now, but will carry on with the 'Newspaper Collection' when I get back.

Orange cardi wrap

The orange cardiwrap is now completed. Its identical to all the others so not a lot to say really :-) (This is the 5th one I have made and I love having them in my wardrobe)
I think I shall wear it a lot as this colour of red-orange is very flattering to my skintone.

Pulled in different directions

Having two possible plans for the SWAP has now left me pulled in opposite directions. Am I my one worst enemy? I feel like my head might explode.
On the one side the 'Botanical Gardens' SWAP leapt almost fully formed into being only the other day, and I have all the fabrics for it and it would work in with other pieces in my wardrobe. BUT, but, but that's not what I had planned at all. This week between Christmas and New Year was for making a start on the brown/orange/ivory SWAP not completely changing my mind and starting something else.

Something about the 'Botanical Gardens' SWAP makes it new and fresh, and since I do have all the fabrics already I could just get sewing on that.

Sewing is a hobby, as well as a way to fill my wardrobe. So it should be fun right? And therefore I should sew the thing that piques my interest now, as that will give me max sewing fun. And yet the whole point of SWAP is the discipline of making co-ordinating pieces and not just sewing whatever you fancy willy-nilly.

I shall list out my options here and then go have some lunch....

1 - add cuffs to ivory cowl neck as the turnover finish is not working and there is a bit of spare fabric - a definite as this was bugging me yesterday when wearing, and better to fix it now.

then its time to change thread on the machines for the next grouping. I have 3 ways I could go for this
a) - orange for the top and cosy for SWAP #1
b) - olive for the trousers for SWAP #2
c) - pink for the tops for SWAP #2

None of the garments are cut out yet. The plus for option a) is that I know the patterns and can just cut and sew. The plus for b) is that I actually need some of the trousers to work with other things and if made would start wearing them straight away. However I have not finalised the patterns for them all yet, or found the lining for the wool trousers. Also one of the fabrics has a subtle self check and will need pattern matching which has to be done in good light and with my brain available.
c) Although the pink would be FUN, I don't urgently need pink things in the wardrobe at the moment, and they are to give pep to the olive items, which are not yet sewn.

Back after lunch with a decision.
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Well I decided to go with the orange, so after putting cuffs on the ivory top I cut out the orange cardi-wrap, a HotPatterns cowl neck top and most of the scoop neck top for the cardi-wrap pattern all from the orange. I have mislaid the neckband pattern pieces for the scoop neck top though so hope I can find them and then get them out of the scraps of the orange fabric. I have already made a wrap top (SWAP 2008 - needs altering as too large) and a knot front top in this fabric. I thought it was OK though as long as I kept all the necklines different. Though 5 tops out of the exact same fabric is perhaps slightly over the top, so I guess I won't go back and see if the shop has any left still.

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Facings found! Also cut out all the fabric facing pieces, so a bit of fusing, thread up the machines with orange and I shall be good to go this evening.

SWAP 2010 #2 - Stripe Trousers

These trousers are made in my key SWAP fabric and the fit is lovely. The fabric has a bit of stretch which is very forgiving, and the weight means they hang nicely in a wide leg trouser like this. I've used my favourite Burda magazine pattern -  10-2008-132.
These trousers are definitely going to be in the final SWAP. There are a few reasons for this
1- I wear the stripe trousers from the 2009 SWAP and my 'Inspired by the Sea' Collection an awful lot and can see these being as useful.
2- they are in my 'key' fabric which has the dark chocolate background but also has orange, white and gold variegated stitching which I will use for my various tops.
3 - becuase of the colours they are slightly more interesting than basic pinstripe trousers without being crazy!

SWAP thoughts

Well although I have a lot of ideas in my notebook for SWAP 2010, I have not started cutting out yet, even though we are allowed to do that before we start on 26th December.
I think it is a mental switch for me - that SWAP does not start until after Christmas, and currently my energies are (slightly belatedly) focused around Christmas, not only my special occasion clothes but also gifts, cards, arranging to see people, meals out with work and all that stuff.

I am very comfortable with my colour scheme, general shapes and even some of my patterns, but am definitely still in that planning stage and things have not entirely crystallised.

Project Runway Series 6 just concluded showing on Sky1 in the UK today, and those final collections had me thinking about what is really me. Sure I am not a designer, but I definitely can show my point of view in the fabrics and styles that I choose when I sew.
I've also been analysing just a little the highlights and work horses of my previous SWAPs and other wardrobe type collections I have sewn.

I want to take into account the lifestyle I have, my colouring, the styles I find comfortable and within all that incorporate the three twists the rules contain this year.
In fact this year I wanted to do something interesting (though not necessarily too overt) in every piece.
I can churn out basic pants and knit tops which fit me quite well at a fair rate, so I suppose my personal challenge is not too rely too much on those super simple basics, but instead push myself just a little further this year.

I suppose in it all though I do have to still be me, which IS quite simple and basic - in a phrase 'Free Spirit Chic' - nothing constricting, fussy or frilly but whilst avoiding being boring.

SWAP 2010 initial plan

A couple of years ago for the Timmel SWAP I planned to make a chocolate brown/orange/ivory SWAP. Then I ordered fabric from Julie's site for my entry, and when it came it was more of a coral colour than an orange. I changed my plan that year to work with the the coral instead, but have kept and added fabrics to those original colours which I still love.

I try and dress relatively smartly for work, but it is always a personal battle though between what I consider suitable office wear (in my head all pinstripe pantsuits) and what I like personally (bright colours, waistcoats, boiled wool jackets, fit n flare dresses etc). I would describe my style as a Flamboyant Natural and I recently came across the web site for 'East Clothing' and a lot of the outfits there seemed very me.

So this year I am going to try to be true to myself and create a 'RuthieK being herself in the office SWAP'.

What that might include is still open to debate but one plan goes like this.

Option 2 in choc/orange/ivory
I have a 'key' fabric which is dark brown with coloured stripes in ivory, orange and gold.

2 dresses
dress 1 - knit mock wrap in an animal print (black/brown/tan)
dress 2 - sleeveless dress in the 'key' fabric, can be worn alone or with tops underneath.

6 tops
burnt orange satin shirt
gold crinkle wrap over blouse
ivory cowl neck knit
orange/white crossover knit top
dark orange knit top
yellow knit top

2 bottoms
Straight leg pants in either the 'key' fabric or dark brown wool
long skirt in dark brown faux leather

choice
Boiled wool jacket with front drape - dark brown

If I don't do the dresses I would make an extra pair of pants (whichever not done earlier) and an extra skirt (dark brown crinkle satin).
I may well do them all anyway as I think it will work well in my wardrobe.

In terms of the sewing extras
- matched print/stripe: this will be covered by the dress or pants in the stripe fabric.
- embroidery/beading/sashiko: this will probably be on the neckline of one of the tops
- buttons/unusual closure: probably buttons on the shirt, or interesting clasp on the jacket

SWAP 2010

Fabrics pulled from the stash for the SWAP + a photo of my sewing assistant 'helping' with a job. Poor sweetie is quite old and was woken from her nap by the flash.

SWAP 2010 initial thoughts

I'm a layers person. I live in a temperate climate and run cool, so almost always wear a sweater/cardigan/jacket over my top, and the thing I found with SWAP in the past was that actually there were not enough over layers, but I understand that the rules have to cater to a large group of people and lots don't wear an over layer apparently.

Jackets are also a pain to sew, and I know the jacket component stressed me out the most last year to the point that although shown in my pictures I did give the jacket away as the fit was just not quite right.

The matching print or stripe sounds quite a challenge. I am almost done on the recent stripe blouse and working with the stripes has been quite an eye opener for me and definitely requires some skill and attention.

I'm not sure I love the emphasis on embroidery/unusual closures and so on, but I can see its a bit more creative. I am a bit nervous of it though as it tends to lead me to bizarre and unwearable madness if I let the crafty side have too much reign and the clothes still need to be tasteful and wearable.

SWAP 2010 is here

Here is a shortened version of the rules, to join go and register at Stitcher's Guild - the rules in full are there at http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,8747.0.html

SWAP 2010 Official Rules

No purchase necessary anywhere; this contest is open to anyone with a needle and thread, regardless of budget or availability of items.
This year, to accommodate the many different clothing needs of our members, we have three SWAP formats to choose from. Certainly you may make more than one if you have time, but if you do each finished SWAP must fit one of the three formats.

They are:

Option #1:
6 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
4 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accessory)

Option #2:
2 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
6 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
2 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accessory)

Option #3:
5 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
4 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
1 bottom - jeans, pants, shorts, skirt or kilt.
1 your choice (not an accessory)

2 garments may be purchased or previously sewn.
1 may be knitted or crocheted.

1 will be a matched print or stripe.
1 will feature embroidery, beads or sashiko
1 will have buttons as the star feature OR use unusual or alternative closure(s).

This year's emphasis is going to be on making a wardrobe that fits your needs, and showcasing your sewing and embellishing skills.

Sewing will begin December 26th, and all garments must be finished by April 30th, 2010. Because this is a shorter time frame, pattern fitting and cutting may be done whenever you're ready.