SWAP thoughts (updated)

So I'm thinking about taking this jacket, and basing the SWAP around it.

I need to have a bit of a think how that's going to work. Its perhaps a little hard to see but this is a navy/grey/white herringbone wool jacket with a light blue lining. I think the jacket would work well with both more tailored and more casual items in the SWAP collection, and by changing round the accessories a bit change the tone, brown leather for casual, but black leather for smart. It is a slightly longer length though so not sure how that would work with the dress or skirts. It was great with navy trousers and blue and white striped shirt today.
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Updated to add here it is popped into the SWAP, with the navy skirt removed and the red skirt reinstated, and I'm not feeling the love. Much as I love the jacket, it really does only seem to work with pants.

Been busy

Hiya folks, there's no problem chez Ruthie other than work being long and hard, and weekends being taken up with chores and getting to see my sweetie. So all is OK but sewing output has been pretty much nil.
For the hand luggage only trip I bought a bag which exactly meets the definitions, rather than trying to sew one. Not a deliberate move particularly, but I found it onsale inexpensively and decided it was a good idea.

So that's sorted, and it works quite well as a weekend bag too.

I am currently debating whether I drop out of SWAP altogether, or morph my plan to include instead a thrifted Orvis jacket. A beautiful classic piece and a great basis for a wardrobe.
I don't see me having the time or energy to sew the original plan at the moment but I love to participate.
I'll try and do a picture of the jacket tonight.

SWAP Update

Well the second striped top has shrunk slightly in the laundry, this one in width, making it form fitting rather than loose fitting so still wearable. The plain navy worked OK though, so I'm still OK as far as I can tell.
I've also fixed the split on my previously made item of a denim blue skirt.

 So this now leaves the SWAP technically half done with 5 items still to sew.

 Work is quite hard going and I am now doing the budgetting and legwork regarding buying myself a little house after Easter so sewing is taking a bit of a back seat again.
This will be my 4th move in 5 years, so please bear with me as I am sure the sewing is going to be impacted. Swap may not get finished this year.

Wardrobe sort out

OK.....
Have made a lot of progress, mostly with plain skirts/trousers with textured jackets.

I've also ironed all the shirts and blouses as that makes them more likely to get worn. Mended the hem on some other trousers, and reorganised how it is all hung in the wardrobe
I found a textured navy jacket which works with the navy trousers. I'd put it to one side to switch the buttons, but that can be done another time.

Now to go through the knit tops and pick out the smartest ones which could be used with suits. I could also use a few pencil skirts in my wardrobe.

Variations I have come up with so far.

Matching Jacket & pants (or skirt) ie suit - if plain, or very fine stripe, wear with shirt or tops which co-ordinate e.g. striped shirt.

Strong jacket, e.g tweed, bright colour etc - plain dark pants/skirt, and either similar plain dark top OR a plain top which picks up a colour in the jacket.

Slightly hard to match jacket - plain dark dress

Non matching trousers, this is the one I am still struggling with and most of my Ruthiemade ones are in this category sadly.

Also wondering what to wear with some lovely camel wool trousers. They were bought as an outfit with 2 print blouses and plain co-ordinating cardigans, but the cardiagans are too casual, and not really warm enough for the weight of the wool trousers.
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I've rehung all the stuff which hangs up and refolded all the knit tops, so progress of sorts I guess.
The orphan trousers are still in the sewing room as are a couple of query skirts.

I've hung on the outside of the wardrobe doors (its a 5 door fitment) seven outfits (for five working days, gives me choice).
In each one I have only one 'Whimsical' element ie colour/print in the hope of keeping things more professional. They are

- Dark brown pinstripe suit. Cream and brown jungle print knit top, Orange cami and orange pendant necklace.

- Camel wool trousers. Ivory satin crinkle blouse, ivory linen mix jacket. Neutral pendant.

- Tweed jacket in red with black, grey and white check. Charcoal grey pants and top, chunky silver necklace.

- Black pinstripe trouser suit. Dark red silk blouse with red/gold necklace and gold earrings.

- Navy wide leg trousers, navy marl jacket. Blue and white stripe fitted shirt. Navy/silver necklace and silver earrings.

- Crinkle blouse in a black and white print, black trousers, grey marl jacket and a black/grey/white necklace.

- Black and lime boucle skirt suit. Lime shirt with pewter buttons.

There are only 5 working days, but I have some choice depending on how I feel that particular morning.

Style 2887

I bought this Style pattern 2887 yesterday in a charity shop for £1.99.

It Is from 1997 so not exactly modern, but I liked the centre back seam, and the princess seams as that should make fitting changes easier. It has a shaped cuff rather than one which buttons, but if I didn't like this in practice I could always switch it out for a more classic cuff from another pattern.

The darted views are only for knit fabric, so I probably won't do those. Fabric requirements is 1.8 metres for the long sleeved version in a 16, though with all those pieces maybe a more frugal layout can be achieved. The long sleeves could always loose their shaped cuffs, and just have a simple hem instead.

Quite a lot of sewing involved though, in making that collar, so we shall see. But I could imagine myself in a shirt of this style which is half the battle.

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Thanks for the replies on the wardrobe dilemmas. If I posted a few partial outfits would you be able to suggest the missing item? I am aware that I have, for instance, no plain white blouse that fits me. (I have one but it has large mother-of-pearl buttons and doesn't fit too well as the sleeves are too tight.) Do I really need one, or can I substitute a cream knit top?

Updates

Well as you can see, no Frugal Fabric Friday post. Mostly this because I have started researching online and visiting in person potential houses as the old house now has a sale in progress. This is incredibly time cosuming, though I do seem to be making some progress.

In parallel I am still working to upgrade my work look, which probably requires a thorough clear out of the wardrobe, with pieces to my favourite local charity shop or ebay and incorporating my more recent purchases into actual outfits, rather than just random pieces of clothing hung in the wardrobe.
I noticed for instance that a lot of things I own are striped, printed or textured, which makes pulling together outfits from the disparate looks somewhat difficult, and explains why the plain black trousers seem to get worn a lot.

I'm trying to incorporate advice from two books - 'Unstuff your life' and 'Nothing to Wear'.

I can see a gap for the navy jackets I had planned, but don't have the time or brain concentration to sew them at the moment, so will try and manage as best I can with what I have already. I think some things were in the 'repair' box, so maybe those can come back into rotation if I manage the repairs soon.

Frugal Fabric Friday

Hi folks, I'm afraid I'm going to pass again on Frugal Fabric Friday as I don't really have anything to share with you, I've started thinking about moving again (this time buying my own place), and that plus quite a stressful week at work and still not being fully recovered from my new year virus has resulted in no sewing.

I had a few ideas just not any time to execute them.
Perhaps its Ok to share the ideas with you even if I don't actually make up the item?

The one that's currently making me the most excited is multiple fabric panelled skirts. The pattern I'm thinking of using is Simplicity 4966.

What a great way to use up menswear remants left over from making tailored trousers. And you could always cut the pattern pieces into smaller segments if you had smaller pieces of fabric.
My plan is to use various black based remants (pinstripe, tasteful check etc) to make the knee length skirts, then wear it with a black wrap front sweater and leather knee high boots, maybe a very funky necklace.

I also want to make it in a plain navy pinstripe to showcase the directional piecing, and make a matching jacket. But what with work, house hunting and a great social life with my sweetie I just don't know if it'll happen anytime soon.

P.S. The pattern is from my stash and the reviews on PR go back to 2005, so I guess it OOP now. I have several other similar patterns stashed, one with an elastic waist which I made and wore to death when I was plus size, and a Burda magazine version from years ago.

So if you have this in your stash, fish it out, sew it up from some scraps and wear it please :-)

The skirt in the Autumn leaves collection uses a similar pattern from Prima magazine, which I'd not thought to do in different fabrics, so there are a few similar options out there. And I guess it depends how bohemian you want to go with angled hems, fringing, contrast fabric etc.

Anyone else got any examples of this sort of skirt they would like to share?

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Having been and trimmed Simplicity 4966, I can see the large and odd shape of the pieces might not work too well with those bits left over from cutting out pants.

How about Simplicty 1760. Make view E (the Yellow one) with a contrast front panel, maybe a contrast waistband, perhaps with the back different from the front.
I will share if I actually make any of these up.
I have seen quite a few contrast centre panel skirts in RTW so it would be quite current, and probably more office appropriate. More Chic/Avant garde than Bohemian ;-)

Smartening up for work

I decided I need to smarten up a bit for work. I love bright colours, prints, textures and comfort, but actually need to also present a polished professional image, which I'm not sure is quite happening at the moment.

So I have ordered online, and had sent to the store, these TMLewin shirts. They were in the sale :-)

 Blue stripe

 Teal check

Pink spot

Hoping these will look smart when I pick them up at the weekend.

I really need to crack jacket making, and then I could have some nice suits to wear with the shirts.

Ooops overdone things

Whilst I was pleased with the end result of the tidying and sorting in the sewing room, I overdid things so soon after being ill and am absolutely exhausted today and had to go and have a short nap this afternoon.

As I fell asleep I was mentally planning one of my future projects which is a basic rucksack made to fit the dimensions of budget airline hand luggage.
Ryanair - 55 x 40 x 20cm.

That's a bit bigger than a normal day rucksack but a whole lot smaller than anything other than the tiniest suitcase. I'm not keen on buying a new small suitcase at the moment, so am thinking about sewing myself a bag, reusing the straps and other hardware from an old rucksack where the fabric has failed. We shall see how practical this turns out to be in reality.

Any suggestions on approach?

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Sherril, we're going to Valencia in Spain, hand luggage only!

Sewing Room After

Its all put away on the shelves or in boxes now, so a quick whizz round with the hoover and it should be fine.

I'm quite happy with 98% of the fabric lengths and plan to keep nearly all of them.

The remnants, leftover bits and small scraps however are quite a significant volume, as are the projects which need alteration/recutting/harvesting. So those need more thoughtful sorting.

I also have kept every single sewing pattern I have ever bought, plus quite a few people have given me, and have many of the earlier ones filed in a complex envelope in box, plastic sheet in folder arrangement. I reckon these must be into their hundreds.

If I wanted to sell patterns what would be the best avenue do you think? I am in the UK.

Sewing Room Tidyup

I'm sorting out my sewing room a bit. Clearly the thing to do when you can't stuff anymore on the monster shelving unit is to remove everything off it, sort stuff into piles and then stack it all back on again right?

So that's what I am doing and currently I am half way through, you know that part when everything is in piles on the floor and you go in another room for a cup of tea and some blog reading.

I clearly had a corduroy phase, and bought it in lots of colours. Unsurprisingly I love knits and have a lot of them, including some I must've bought during a brief colour blind period. I have a huge number of trouser lengths, and could make something like 30, 50? pairs of pinstripe trousers in black, grey, navy, brown, grey etc. I also have lots of shirt/dress weight fabrics despite almost never making them. Some of the prints are scary! I also have some nice jacket weight fabrics. many in sensible colours.
I also have linen, leather, faux leather, denim, faux fur, felt, boiled wool and even some silk and waterproof fabric.

I could make enough cushion covers for 100 sofas, but have hardly any pieces big enough to make curtains. Despite having no nets at my windows, I have a big choice of sheer fabrics.

And then there are the scraps, oh boy have I got a lot of scraps. My Frugal Fabric Friday projects are only tickling the edges. The scraps are knits and woven, clothing, bedding and upholstery weights.

So, I really don't need to buy any more fabric, even though actually there are some things I don't have (plain black knit, medium weight blue denim). I do need to make myself some lovely clothes from the great pieces I have happily bought over the years. And yes I need to really make a good dent in those scraps - the fabric tote bags sold the best at the Craft Market, so I think I will make as much of the scrap yardage as possible into bags. I will then try and get to another craft market (or even sell on eBay or etsy??) before I move house again this summer. And anyone having a birthday will get their gift delivered in a fabric bag I then leave with them. Oh and my favourite ones can live in the car for my own supermarket shopping.

Right enough planning, I'd better get back to actually doing hadn't I!

Frugal Fabric Friday #2: denim pencil case

Following the instructions at skiptomylou, though you may get slightly nicer results from the tuorial I later found at flossieteacakes, I made some denim and cotton scraps into a lined pencil case for carrying in my computer backback to work. I work across several buildings and don't have a permanent desk so like to keep my pens together in a pencil case. My current one is falling apart and isn't large enough for a stapler and other things as well, so I made this one.

One thing I liked about the fabric was it could easily be used to make gifts for guys, and even recycle old jeans and shirts to do so. I love it and am thinking about what other pouches I could do with in my backpack, handbag, on my bedroom dressing table etc. The pouch is the width of the zip by whatever depth you like. Maybe a power cable bag would be handy, and another one for headache tablets etc.

The denim does make for lumpy corners, but I'm happy with it, and think its rugged good looks will wear well.

Frugal Fabric Friday - pause this week

There's a pause in the Frugal Fabric Friday posts as I have been quite ill with sinusitis.
I'm mostly recovered but rather than pressure myself in trying to catch up, I recalled that my target was 40 FFF posts during 2013, so this is one of the 12 or so weeks I get to give myself a pass card. I hope you are all OK with that.

There will hopefully be no 2 on Friday, though I'm not quite sure what it is going to be yet, although I am sure inspiration will arrive at some point during the week.

I put away a large basket of clean laundry today and was a little surprised to discover that one of my SWAP knit tops has already had a laundry disaster, shrinking in length by a huge amount, and now being comically cropped!
Before washing. Shoulder to back hem - 26"

In the picture below, hanging behind it is another top the same size/style etc to give an idea just how much it has shrunk! Shoulder to back hem now 20" (was 26") - shrunk by 23%

Not quite sure what I am going to do about that......

I do have some fabric left over, so guess that needs to get laundered as well - and no I had not prewashed it (and clearly should've), and it was cheap from the local roll end shop, so unknown fibre content though feels like cotton and elastane to me.
I also discovered that I have left a pin inside the serged up collar which is now sticking through the fabric, so not one of my best attempts! 

As its about 6 inches shorter than it was, it now has 3/4 length sleeves, but I guess I could recut it and use the (prewashed) remnants to make another new top.
I wonder what will happen to the other things I've made from unprewashed fabric? Ooops!

Sale Shopping

I did some sale shopping earlier in the week and bought this lovely shirt from the Cotton Traders outlet. It's not on their website anywhere so must be old stock but its lovely fine cotton and reminds me a bit of a liberty print.

Great to dress jeans up a bit, or even for work with a suit.

Hope to make up the short jacket in fleece and then boiled wool.

Frugal Fabric Friday: #1

This week's project is an old classic the Hair Scrunchie.
Made from knit scraps (but could be woven) this is a gentle way to pull long hair back, and I find tends to pull less than a thread covered elastic. Being over 40 I tend to pick dark plain colours for my scrunchies so these stripes are a slight departure for me, but you can make them up in whatever you like.

There are 6 steps to this

1. Cut a piece of fabric aaprox 20" long and 4.5" wide. Cut a piece of 1/4" elastic 8-10" long depending on how tight you want the scrunchie.

2. Fold the piece of fabric in half lengthways with right sides together, and sew the long edges together, leaving a gap of approx 1.5" half way down. (Don't forget to leave the gap or you get in a mess later!)

3. Start to pull the tube right sides out, but stop halfway and align the short edges together. Stitch round the short edges in a circle.

4. Turn right side out through the hole left in the long edge.

5. Insert the elastic. I like to use 2 safety pins. A large one to thread the elastic through the tube and a small one to anchor the other end so it doesn't disappear. Knot the ends together or stitch the overlapping ends with a narrow zig zag stitch.

6. Tuck in the raw edges and stitch up the gap by hand or topstitched on the machine.

This can be made from knit or woven fabric, but avoid thick fabrics like denim, upholstery fabric etc, anything sheer (as you can see the elastic inside) and anything slippery like satin. Vary the size of the fabric and the length of elastic depending on how full you want the scrunchie to be. For small children you'd want to scale things down a bit.