SWAP results are out

The SWAP results have been announced.
Well done to the winners.
2016 Winners:
2nd Place: Treefrog
Grand Prize: Stephaniecan & Demented Fairy

Treefrog (more pics if you click on the link)

Stephaniecan (more pics if you click on the link)

Demented Fairy (more pics if you click on the link)

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Introspective bit here, feel free to skip.

Sadly I have not placed (and have never placed in all the years I have been doing SWAP).
Having had a look at the winning collections again this year, they contain mostly woven items (rather than my favoured knits) and are more complicated items like dresses, woven blouses, tailored pants etc.

Each year I have a charity craft stall at an event which happens at the end of SWAP, so all through the SWAP period I am sewing bags, cushions, and etc. I also work full time in a quite demanding job and spend my weekends with my DBF (so don't normally sew at the weekend).

I suppose if I did want to place in future I'd have to invest more time sewing more complex garments as well as somehow doing better photography (perhaps even lose some weight so I look better in pictures?) as well as doing more self promotion (not a big thing this year, but looked to sway things in the past).

So I expect that it is probably not important enough to me to do the things I think would make me a future SWAP winner. I guess I need to decide if on that basis I continue to participate in SWAP in the future knowing I am exceedingly unlikely to place with what I am able and willing to turn out or if I just stick to the 6PAC sew alongs. 

In reality I expect I will continue to sew co-ordinated wardrobe collections because I like doing that and it works for me. And occasionally when my brain has the capacity to look at more stretching things like pants which fit - I have learned one new thing which is that I need a Low Butt Adjustment!

Red collection: ponte knee length skirt

The next item in the Red collection is a red ponte straight skirt.

This is such a super cheat item for a collection as its only two pieces.
I take the skirt pattern from Vogue 2989 and just cut out two backs (lengthened by 6 inches), sew up the sides, add elastic at the waist and hem on the coverhem machine.

Red collection: extending the SWAP 2016

There's a lot of RED in this red collection, but I'm planning to mix these in with the navy and taupe items from the SWAP.
Here's where I have got so far.

Let's see how those items can mix in.

From left to right
Red tweedy cardigan jacket, red linen top and denim pants.
Ivory top, plaid jacket and long red skirt (I'd add a red necklace)
Red linen top, taupe cardigan and taupe long skirt (I'd add a light necklace e.g. pearls or bronze beads)

Red Collection: Tweedy cardigan jacket

Here's the next item in the red collection, a tweedy cardigan jacket.

This uses the pattern from Prima Nopvember 2010 with some length added but the flare and collar width reduced slightly.

The fabric is an Ikea Gurli blanket/sofa throw in red mix. This costs £5.50 and measures 120cm by 180cm.

I've used the selvedge and hems of the throw for the hems and front band of the cardigan. Makes for a quick project, though it frays terribly and is very bulky at the hems.

This is 70% acrylic and 30% polyester so great if you are allergic to wool but want a tweedy look.

Red Collection: Linen tee shirt top

There was a small remnant (about 70cm) left over from the linen maxi skirt and I found it was just big enough for my modified Kirsten Kimono Tee top.

All the hems, including the neck are just overlocked (serged) and then stitched. I've added side splits at the lower hem. This is cut on grain but is fairly easy to pull on over the head. It looks great with a big chunky necklace

Compared to the original I have curved the sides, lengthened the sleeve and changed the neckline to be slightly narrower, more scooped at the front and higher at the back.Its a great little top pattern.

Red Collection: Linen Maxi Skirt

Here's the first item from the RED collection, a red linen maxi skirt.

This is from a favourite skirt pattern, Butterick 3972.

All the seaming, pressing and topstitching makes this quite a slow sew for an elastic waist skirt, but I love how squares and triangles make a slimline bias skirt that's flattering to wear plus fairly economical on fabric.
There was a small remnant of red linen left, so I have a little extra surprise garment coming.

Red Collection

The plan for the Red Collection looks like this, and I think I'm going to start with the red linen skirt. (bottom left).

Here's the fabrics I am using.
My drawing above is only to give a rough idea but hopefully you can tell which fabric is being used for what.

So from left to right
left: red linen - maxi skirt, probably Butterick 3972
2nd from left: red Ikea Gurli throw - cardigan jacket
3rd from left: red/taupe/ivory floral - top
centre : red ponte - skirt and cardigan jacket
3rd from right: red jersey - top
2nd from right: cream and red floral print - top
right: red stripe fabric - top

I'll mix these new pieces in with the navy and taupe from the SWAP 2016, as I think red is better as an accent rather than top to toe!

SWAP 2016 Pants refit

Last year in the SWAP I made these trousers

I quite liked them in principle but not to actually wear.

They were from an 1990s pattern which had a lot of ease and a very long rise to the crotch. I didn't like how they felt to wear.
This year I saw lots of similar print pants in the stores and remembered these. I got them out, put them on and put a piece of elastic round my waist and pulled the trousers up until they felt OK. I then sat down, stood up, stretched a bit etc, then pinned the top of the elastic to mark the line.
I cut about an inch off the below the waist cased at the front and sides, tapering to about 1/4" at centre back. I removed and reattached the waist casing. I threw away the navy ties and short piece of elastic, having a longer/slimmer piece of elastic and some self fabric ties made from the section I cut off.
The pocket openings are smaller and there's some wrinkling on the back leg (I need to scoop for my low butt) but these are now wearable which I am very happy about.
Here's a hanger shot.

Definitely something I need to model as they look better with me in them.

Teal Cardi Wrap

Teal cardi wrap for B, from a lovely soft viscose jersey with fabulous drape.

From Simplicity 2603.

Next up - Red Collection

I really liked the red items in the recent SWAP collection and decided I'd like to expand this more for the summer.

So from left to right
left: red linen - maxi skirt, probably Butterick 3972
2nd from left: red Ikea Gurli throw - cardigan jacket
3rd from left: red/taupe/ivory floral - top
centre : red ponte - skirt and cardigan jacket
3rd from right: red jersey - top
2nd from right: cream and red floral print - top
right: red stripe fabric - top

That would give me a long and a short skirt, two cardigan jackets and 4 tops.

SWAP Voting now open on Stitchers Guild

SWAP Voting

- ONLY for existing SG Members -

From DragonLady
"Please look through the SWAP 2016 galleries, and submit your three votes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place by sending a private message to the user account "SWAP_Votes".  The account is shared by the admins, so we can all count the votes as they come in, and the votes remain anonymous.  We will tally them up, and inform everyone of the winners.
Voting will begin right away, and end at midnight Arizona time on May 31st. Votes submitted after midnight my time will not be counted.
Congratulations to everyone who completed their SWAP, and thank-you in advance to all those who will cast their votes.  :)"

Have a look at the SWAP 2016 Gallery.

If you like mine please do vote for me :-)

Update on the VIKING Husqvarna 190 selectronic

The Husqvarna bobbins I ordered online from Hemline (120.16 8.8mm) for £5 for 6

are indeed the right ones for the VIKING Husqvarna 190 selectronic.
They arrived in the post today and I followed the great video on utube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea80HCOwe0Y
threaded it up, loaded the bobbin and sewed a few sample stitches.
The lamp doesn't seem to work but I've got a desklamp there for the moment so can definitely use it.
I'm glad I ordered these bobbins online as they were not stocked at my local Haby shop when I looked on Monday.
So the machine seems to have been a good buy which is great.

May Fabrics

The last two Mondays I have been and bought fabric from the Monday Market Man.
I thought I would share them with you.

The three on the left are all jerseys in plain black (for choir), plain red, and a red print on an off white background. I bought 2m of each to keep my options open, these were from this Monday.
The one fabric on the right is a dark brown linen mix woven. It has a great texture which you can't see in the above poor photograph and is wonderfully drapy. I bought 5m of this last week (the end of the bolt) and am imagining wide leg trousers, a soft belted jacket and a long panelled skirt for a summer work suit.

Simplicity 2603 Cardi Wrap in Gold

For my lovely friend B, here is a cardi wrap in sparkly gold, wouldn't this be great over a plain black, navy, white or cream dress for an evening/occasion look?
B is blonde so I think this will look great on her (much better than it would on my brunette self)

The fabric is a medium beige jersey with gold metallic threads woven though it.

VIKING Husqvarna 190 selectronic - purchased

I am happy to say I did go and buy the 1980s Husqvarna.
It came with the original instruction book and a little bag with some extra feet in it.

I am very smiley. I get 28 days to try it out and if problems then can return for a refund.
I will try it tonight.

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Link to Video of this model of machine (mine is identical)

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I don't have any of the right sort of bobbins so am researching that. The ones I have for my Janome are far too fat for the Viking. The motor runs but can't test any stitching without the bobbins.

According to the download from the Hemline site I need some 120.16 bbobins which they sell on Amazon so should be easy. I wonder if I need special needles too?