Voting is open the for PR Wardrobe Contest

Vote in the PR Wardrobe Contest

If you are a member on Pattern review and would like to vote in the Wardrobe Contest, the link above will take you there.
If you like mine best and want to vote for me that would be lovely :D, but there are loads of fabulous entries including one lady who has sewn an incredible 30 items and another who made everything from Burda magazine patterns whilst living in Japan.

Christmas Mini Wardrobe

Well I really enjoyed sewing the 'Inspired by the Sea' collection but I have had enough of blue for a while.

So my next project is going to be a mini collection of festive clothes for the Christmas period. This is going to be based around antique gold, red and black. As a pear shape I need to wear the darker/plainer items on my lower body and have all the texture, print and colour on the upper body. This gives visual balance.

I don't have any formal parties to go to, but a few smarter separates would be useful for various lunchtime and evening events with my colleagues and friends.

I have a large stash and so want to sew using the stash as my main source so I shall go and look through my wonderful fabric cupboard now and come back with a few options.

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OK so a rummage through the stash produced a few pieces which could work really well for a mini Christmas wardrobe.

bottoms
black poly with clear threads which glitter only slightly when the light catches - drapey evening pants
black fabric with a slight dull sheen - more pants if there is enough fabric, otherwise a long skirt of some sort
black cord with red and gold embroidery and a few red sequins, a long straight skirt (simple style)

tops
antique gold crinkle satin - wrap over blouse
red slinky - a simple knit top of some sort (not a lot of fabric)
red/white/black print knit (not much stretch) - a knit top of some sort

and then if I am brave enough some beautiful soft red faux fur made into a little short jacket with black satin lining.

Inspired by the Sea Wardrobe: Individual items (for reviews)

Summary picture

Wearing the Inspired by the Sea Collection

Wearing the Inspired by the Sea Collection

Inspired by the sea - shown together

here's the collection all hanging together

Inspired by the Sea Wardrobe

Inspired by the Sea Wardrobe

Inspired by the Sea is finished

'Inspired by the Sea' is finished and here are the last two photos (hanger shots) to show it.
This is all well and good, but I think I have to show a composite photo, and perhaps I have to show me wearing them? Anyway hopefully I will manage that tomorrow lunchtime or something as I have a haircut in the evening.

Pictures are the teal cord trousers and the navy top with hand applied flowers (sewn individually round the edges of each blooming petal!)

Simplicity 2603 Misses Knit Top

Here's the nearly finished band neck gathered front top also from Simplicity 2603.
Their version is sleeveless, but I have plugged the sleeves in from the cardigan. - I cut the cardigan sleeves slightly wider, to try to make them work together, but we'll have to see how it works out in reality.

I am planning to sew turquoise braid flowers to the neckline as an embelishment, but it depends how much time I have left it that actually happens.

Simplicity 2603 Misses Knit Top and Cardi-Wrap,

I've just finished the Simplicity cardi-wrap (aka cosy) in navy blue.
I used fabric from the stash which is quite stretchy, smooth one side and had tiny loops on the other - I think this might be french terry but am not sure. Because of the loops this does fray so I have serged all the edges. My navy serger thread was slightly lighter so it does show which I don't think is great.
The only change I made was to cut the sleeves longer, and then turn up the extra to make faux cuffs. Its a nice neat finish to the sleeves.

Because it is a heavier fabric than ideal its quite bulky when used for some of the options, but it does work nicely and I am reasonably happy with it.
I am going to make the scoop neck top from this pattern as well in the same fabric.

Burda 10-2008-132 Stripe Pant

Here are the Burda pinstripe trousers. They have come out nicely and I am pleased with them. Navy blue pinstripe is never going to have a 'Speaking' role in an outfit, its always going to be a non speaking role, but these are the items which come through the wash over and over and are worn with all kinds of tops, so I hope they will be very useful in the wardrobe.

They are all done bar the hem, which I will do in a mega hemming session later today. Now for some more tops.

Wardrobe Contest - final items cut out

I cut out the final items for the wardrobe contest and fused all the facing pieces ready to start construction this afternoon.
The corduroy trousers have a contrast floral cotton facing, since I thought cord would be too bulky. I've not had any 'cords' for years, but like the idea of them as a softer alternative to jeans for casual wear.

I had a dental implant yesterday to replace a tooth I lost as a child in an accident, so am feeling a bit sorry for myself, and eating only soft food. I am already thoroughly bored of soup, soya yoghurt and luke warm tea, and have branched out to egg mayo and hoping to work up to pasta with smooth sauce later.

Anyway hopefully I can get really into the sewing and forget about the sore mouth.

Finalised plans

I am back from my trip, and managed this evening to cut out the Simplicity long cardi wrap and also the matching scoop neck top (with added sleeves) from the navy knit.
This was from so deep in the stash it really does have to count as being F*R*E*E by now. I have no recollection of where or when I bought it though.

I also decided what my other two pieces are going to be
- straight leg teal cord trousers in Simplicity 4638
- wide leg navy blue pinstripe trousers from Burda WOF 10-2008-132
(these are both very simple patterns with a waist facing and side zip which will be relatively simple to sew up)

To reduce my stress on the last day of the contest I have already written WIP review stubs on PR and linked them all to my master review. So when they are all sewn I only need to take photos, upload the photos and finalise the text, and then publish the reviews.

Another nice thing is that my Burda Style magazine arrived whilst I was away though I have only had a quick look so far.

Next project - Navy Simplicity 2603 Misses Knit Top and Cardi-Wrap

Simplicity 2603 Misses Knit Top and Cardi-Wrap

Not sure where the evening went to be honest. I got out my next project but decided it was too late to start cutting something so complicated (in layout at least if not construction).
However I established that my piece of navy knit from stash is 180cm wide (extra wide for some reason) and 3 metres long which is plenty for the long cosy but still needs the single layer layout. No idea where I shall cut out, I guess my usual space - a cardboard cutting board laid on a double bed - and I shall just have to keep moving the fabric to do each piece.
Hopefully there will be enough fabric over to also make a long sleeved version of the very cute knit top with a scooped neck which is also included in this pattern.
Hopefully cutting out will start Thursday evening when I get back from my work trip.

New Look 6757 nearly done

New Look 6757 are nearly completed. They need a press and the trouser legs need hemming to the right length but the whole facing/waistband/belt loops assembly is done, and the invisible zip has gone in nicely too.
I decided not to try to finish these tonight (which is always tempting) because its when you are tired that you make those stupid errors which completely ruin a project!

I made both the front and back waistbands slightly shorter and eased them to the trouser legs.
When I was constructing I attached the waistband main pieces to the front and back separately, tacked the side seam, tried on, before sewing the side seams permanently and putting the zip in.
This takes a bit longer but does mean the trousers have a chance to fit :D

I heard today that I need to go away with work for 2 days this week, which is all very well, except I lose 2 evenings sewing the wardrobe which was already super tight anyway (sigh), and I have major dental work on Friday which is likely to leave me very sorry for myself for several days afterwards.

I think it is safe to presume that I will press and hem these trousers tomorrow night (but not much more as I have baking to do), I then have a weekend and Monday night to do all the other pieces which is frankly not a lot of time to make two more bottoms and two more tops.

I am therefore thinking about throwing in one or two super easy pieces right at the end if needs must as it would be frustrating to get so close and fall at the final hurdle.
However I might decide that it has me beaten, we shall see!