SWAP 2007: Loes Hinse Tango Skirt

I'm still working on my garments for the SWAP, even though I won't be finishing in time to meet the deadline. Today, I finished up a Tango Skirt in plum georgette. This is a super easy pattern, consisting of one pattern piece. Most of it is done on the serger too. The result is a 10 gore skirt that fits fairly close to the body, then flairs out at the bottom.

After I finished serging all the sections together, I realized the skirt was going to be too sheer. and I didn't think wearing it with a slip would look too great. So I drafted and cut out a lining loosely based on Els' instructions at the Sewing Divas.

I also decided to attach the lining to the skirt at the top of the casing--in other words, there's a seam instead of the usual fold. I sewed the lining and fashion fabric right sides together, then turned and edge stitched. Lots of pressing along the way. Next, I marked the sewing line for the lower edge of the casing and sewed with fashion fabric and lining wrong sides together, leaving a space to insert the elastic between the 2 layers. Nice result with little bulk.

This is the 3rd time I've made this skirt, and it's a keeper that I'll be making again. I previously reviewed this skirt on Pattern Review last June.

With this skirt, I have a top, 2 blouses, and a jacket to make in order to complete the SWAP. Since I've given myself time, I'll have the opportunity to test out the blouse and jacket patterns before making them out of the "real" fabric.

SWAP 2007: Flinging the towel

I'm flinging the towel.

Not that I don't intend to complete the Timmel Fabrics SWAP; actually, that would be pretty cool. I like my fabrics and ideas. It's just that the timing isn't so good right now. I have too much stuff going on at work and I'm also on the committee that's decorating for Easter at church. I feel the need to offload some responsibilities to preserve my sanity, and since the SWAP is self induced, I'm letting the deadline go.

There. I feel better now.

I'll continue to post here and to Stitcher's Guild as I continue to work on my SWAP items. The plan is a good one, I have the fabric, so why not? It's just going to take longer.

I also mentioned earlier that I'd show a combined RTW/sewn SWAP of my items if I couldn't finish, so I'll post that here at some point. The plan coordinates with a lot of items that are already in my closet, so it should be interesting to see just how many combinations I can come up with.

I'll keep you posted on my progress--and there's always next year (I'll start earlier!)

SWAP 2007: 2 More Garments

I'm having a long weekend because I took a couple of days of paid time off from my job--using the last of the 5 days of carry over from last year before they expire at mid month. Having the time has been nice because I've had some additional time to sew. This picture shows the result.

Both pieces are made from gold wool blend jersey I bought from Timmel Fabrics. The top is from my TNT pattern, Kwik Sew 2565, which I've mentioned here before. This time I modified the pattern by cutting the sleeves 3/4 length, basically just measuring another top for the right length and shortening the sleeve pattern by pinning it accordingly.

I have to say that the jersey is a real pleasure to work with. It's fairly thin, and I'm pretty sure it has some lycra in it. The top went together very quickly and easily.

The skirt is from the Sandra Betzina Vest and Skirt pattern by the Sewing Workshop. I've made this skirt before, but in a woven, not the recommended knit fabrics. The skirt was huge when I tried it on! I ended up taking out 5" of ease. I don't know if this was due to an error in tracing or what, but it was pretty simple to remedy as the skirt is straight up and down, and I just took in the side seams.

The sewing instructions for the skirt are strange, requiring the sewer to sew hems after hemming the edge of the overlap, but before assembly. Then you're supposed to go back and match up the stitching. Umm, no. I changed up the order to that the hems were completed after the side seams were sewn, fit was tested, and length was determined. In other words, in a logical manner.

I used a twin needle extensively on both pieces, since I don't have a coverstitch machine. I used wooly nylon in the bobbin for added stretch. FYI, the wooly nylon needs to be hand wound onto the bobbin. I also loosened the upper tension so the double stitches lay flatter.

Also, I used a bit of water soluble stabilizer at the beginning of each seam to prevent the thin jersey from being "eaten" by the machine. This is a good way to use up those dried up pieces of Solvy, by the way.

I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this outfit. I like it, but maybe it's a little too fall/winter looking to wear for a spring SWAP? The color is a perfect match to the circle fabric though!

Speaking of circle fabric, the skirt is still not hemmed. I'll post photos on the dress form when I get around to it.

SWAP 2007: Slogging Along

The skirt is still on the dress form waiting for hems and the finishing of the back slit. I suppose it won't hurt if it waits a little while longer for the finishing touches!

However, I did move forward with the SWAP by cutting out a top and skirt from the gold Timmel jersey tonight. The top is another version of Kwik Sew 2565. This time I cut the sleeves to 3/4 length. The skirt is the Sandra Betzina wrap from the Sewing Workshop.

I'm still considering a cardigan, but I'm putting it on hold for now since it would be a bonus piece. And I don't really have time for extra items at this point.

SWAP 2007: Progress on Butterick 3133

My skirt is almost done. I have to put in hems and finish the back slit, but that's it! Hooray.

Next up, I'll be working with the gold jersey I bought from Timmel Fabrics. I think I have enough for a top, cardigan, and skirt. That's the current plan, at any rate. Off to Ann Silva's Bernina at the lunch hour to buy some thread. Of all the gold thread I have, I don't have any this color. Isn't that always the way?

SWAP 2007: Butterick 3133

I started working on one of my key items this week: the skirt from my theme print. Originally, I planned to use a modified version of Sandra Betzina's faux wrap skirt from the Sewing Workshop, but I changed my mind after reviewing Butterick 3133 the other day. The fabric is polyester georgette, very wiggly, and a bit see through. I thought the faux wrap panel could be problematic, so I went simpler.

After interfacing where needed, I sewed up the back seam, and "uh oh." This just didn't look good. I had cut the back pieces double, and the pattern repeat was too off to match, but too close to look random. I debated leaving it alone, but decided that the only real choice was to rip and re-cut one of the back pieces.

But how? Match the print across the seam? I really thought about doing that, but a couple of issues came up. The fabric wiggles. A lot. Like if you breathe on it, it moves. So matching would be pretty difficult.

The second factor involved the print. Large and small circles. What if I did get that back seam perfectly matched and it ended up with a perfect bullseye on my butt? That would be terrible after all that work.

So I decided to make the seam look random. It actually isn't.

Here's what I did. I laid out one of the previously cut pieces on the fabric. Both the yardage and the cut piece are right side up, just as it would be when sewn. Note that I didn't press out the seam allowance or the slit. Once I decided on a nice appearance, I made sure the fabric was on grain. Then I pinned just beyond the folded-under edge of the cut piece.

Here's another view of the pinned seamline after removing the cut piece. The seamline has also been marked on the pattern.

This photo shows the pattern laid over the pins, with the pins and the marked seam line aligned.

Here's the completed seam after being pressed flat. A lot better, isn't it?

TNT Skirt: Butterick 3133

This pattern has been hanging around the Butterick catalog for quite a while; 3133 is actually the reissue number of a previous pattern. I've only made View B, which is the longer skirt at far left, but I've made it several times. It's a simple, classic style that makes up quickly to coordinate with my collection of twin sets and sweaters.

View A (pink skirt) is the same skirt in a shorter length, a no-brainer change. View C (purple skirt) is a 4 gore skirt that might be a good basic too. The skirts don't include pockets, but View E (black pants) includes a pocket piece, so this is an easy modification for the skirts. Hmm, I may need to explore this pattern a bit more.


Back to View B. Very often, the patterns that work with short yardage are only suitable for firmer fabrics like gabardine. And the patterns that work well for softer fabrics like challis take a lot of yardage. This one works great with soft fabrics, but only takes about 2 yards of 45" width and only 1 1/4 yards of 60" width. The fit skims the body. The flat front is slimming on me, avoiding the dreaded "dirndl" elastic waist look. The skirt to the left is the last one I made. I had a raspberry twin set that needed a coordinate and this fabric came to the rescue.



I always make a few modifications not specified by Butterick. They recommend 2 rows of 1/2" elastic at the waist. Umm, no. Too fussy. I just use one row of wider elastic. I think I used 3/4" width here. This change saves time and results in a firmer waistband. I think it looks better too. It's easy to change the width of the elastic to 1" or 1 1/4" width if that's all that's available at midnight. You all know what I mean.

Also, the pattern does not specify interfacing . Let me tell you, that little front panel doesn't look so great in a soft fabric without something to beef it up. I also like some interfacing at the back slit to give a crisper look and provide some reinforcement. Usually the iron-on knit interfacing provides just enough support.

This pattern is easy to line if your fabric is a bit sheer. Then you don't have to worry about finding a slip when you're running late for work in the morning. I didn't line this skirt, but I probably should have.

It's also simple to change the layout for border print fabrics. Or it can be "one seamed" to eliminate the side seams when working with plaids, stripes, or a complex border pattern.

And it's an easy skirt pattern to size up or down when measurements fluctuate a bit. I confess, this is an 8-10-12 pattern, and I'm currently a 16.

It's not high fashion, but Butterick 3133 is a wardrobe basic that lets the fabric do the talking. Excellent for a working wardrobe.

SWAP 2007: A Garment is Finally Done

Today I had the opportunity to take a few hours from work during the middle of the day, so I went home and worked on Kwik Sew 2565 for the SWAP. My first (and so far, only) garment is now complete!

I used Wash Away Wonder Tape* to hold the hems in place while double-needle stitching with wooly nylon in the bobbin. It worked great to hold everything in place. It also performed a slight stabilizing function. It can be sewn through, and it washes out, too! I'll definitely use this stuff again.

OK, I think I'm officially back on the horse with the successful completion of this project. I have my work cut out for me but I hope I can make a lot of progress in the next few weeks until April.

*ETA: The full name of this notion is Wash Away Wonder Tape. The manufacturer is WH Collins, Inc., which appears to be part of Dritz. I'm not sure where I got it. In addition to Joann's and Hancock's in Albuquerque, Ann Silva's Bernina is another store where I often buy sewing notions. HTH!

TNT T Shirt Pattern

There's a thread currently running at Stitcher's Guild regarding classic patterns, meaning those basic ones that become your Tried and True favorites that you use again and again. For me, it's kind of hard to come up with a list for someone else because a lot of my classic/basic patterns are now out of print. I have TNT's from a lot of different pattern companies including Vogue, Kwik Sew, Butterick (!), even Simplicity. I haven't had much opportunity to sew up my Loes Hinse patterns yet, but I really like them. I promised that I'd try to put together a list over the weekend, so here's my first effort. Hey, there's always e-Bay for the OOPs, so you can have them too.


Kwik Sew 2565 is my "go-to" T-shirt pattern. I've made it in onionskin, buttermilk, panne velvet, cotton/lycra interlock, stretch lace, etc. I've had a couple of failures, but more from operator error than the pattern itself. In addition to the rib knit wadder, there was the panne velvet one I made and didn't account for the...shine of the fabric. I was a cute top, but too vavavoom for me to wear. I looked cute on my friend's teenage daughter though.

It also lends itself to the practice of "morphing", you know, where you take a feature off another pattern and add it to the pattern you know and love. I've changed the sleeves to bells, used a different shape neckline, etc.

This pattern features a regular T and a zip-front version. I've only made the regular T, so I can't vouch for the zip-front. The envelope also has a drawing of a lace version with a camisole underneath. The camisole isn't part of the pattern, so the drawing is a little bit misleading.

This pattern is a true TNT which I'm sure I'll keep using. I'm currently using it for the SWAP sewing project. I'm not saying it's the be-all and end-all of all T shirt patterns though. Your mileage may vary. My suggestion is to start with a basic pattern like this and make it your own. Then you can also have a pattern that you can pull out whenever a nice knit jumps into the cart.

Oh, and I decided to post about individual patterns rather than a comprehensive list. It's easier for me to post in short bursts instead of an opus, and I think it's probably easier for you readers, too. Stay tuned for more TNT's in the days (weeks, months) to come.

Trading Post, plus SWAP progress

My local ASG chapter has a monthly general meeting that features a Trading Post. Members bring sewing related items they no longer want, which other members can have. We put out a basket and you can make a donation to the guild when you pick out your items. All this is strictly honor system.

Any leftovers are sent to the women's prison in Grants, NM for their sewing program. The manager of this program is one of our members. She has a very limited budget for supplies and this is one way to help her.

Anyway--tonight was ASG night. The Trading Post was small but good. I picked up 5 cards of antique buttons, 2 magazines (that's a 2/07 Sew News and the Fall 2006 Cloth Paper Scissors), and fabric. The gold and black piece at the top is a remnant of a luxurious upholstery brocade--large enough for a trim on a jacket--a collar and/or cuffs. The blue fabric is lightweight crepe. Probably poly but a nice grade of it. There's more than enough for a blouse or skirt. The muted floral next to it is upholstery weight chenille tapestry--it's just wide enough for a table runner, maybe 2 of them.

Fellow ASG members, thanks for bringing in such nice swag. I'll try to remember to bring my grocery sacks of castoffs next month's meeting.

Also, the purple t-shirt continues. I got a chance to start sewing last night. The shoulders, neck band and sleeves are done. I have side seams and hems left to complete. Although I haven't tried it on yet, I think the fabric was the issue on the last one, not the pattern.

A Plethora of New Stuff

My drive home tonight yielded more than the usual pickup of bills and junk mail from the mail delivery box down the street. Even though I was expecting packages, it was still a pleasant surprise to find the key in my mailbox, and not one, but two, items in the package box.

My order from Timmel Fabrics arrived from Canada, consisting of Loes Hinse patterns and fabric. The Loes patterns are the Bacall Sweater, Kimono Jacket and Bergman Blouse. Plus dark gold wool blend jersey. Now I really have no excuse to put my SWAP off any longer!

I also ordered some books from Amazon that came much sooner than expected. Since I'm still new to blogging, I picked up "The Rational Guide to Google Blogger" and "No One Cares What You Had for Lunch". Obviously the first is a manual. I heard about the other one through NPR. Margaret Mason, the author, was featured in a recent podcast. So I bought the book based on her interview skills. What does this book have to do with it? The subtitle is "100 Ideas for Your Blog."

The third book is "Forever Cool". It's a fashion/wardrobing/style guide. We sewers seem attracted to this kind of thing. Face it, I'm approaching that certain age, and while I still believe I've got style, a girl can use some outside advice from time to time. Some day, I'll review some of my books and share the love.

I also stopped in at Joann's and bought some goodies there. I blame the Sew Distracted blog for this (well, only a little. I accept my part in this). Here's what I got:

Vogue 2913 Sandra Betzina has updated her basic pants pattern to a yoke waist. And thanks to Vogue for
putting all sizes in one envelope!


Vogue 2948 An update and reissue of her popular princess seam pants from several years ago. This one has a yoked waist also. A nice basic.

Vogue 2952 Issey Miyake's take on a business suit. I love how this is conservative in the front and strange in the back.

However, I'm going to gripe about the photo styling. What's with the left sleeve, people? Could you not pin it to the correct length to match the right sleeve? Besides that, too-long suit sleeves are a pet peeve of mine. The left one should not graze the model's knuckles. And different sleeve lengths strike me as sheer laziness on the part of the stylist. Come on, you're still Vogue Patterns. Have some respect.

I'll probably make both pieces of this ensemble. Banker that I am, I'll combine each half with a more conservative mate. I think the jacket would look gorgeous with pants, and the skirt would be great with a classic twinset--classic and subversive, but not over the top.

Vogue 8322 Last but not least, a "small envelope" pattern for my final purchase today. This is a nice shoulder princess blouse whose parts can be combined in any number of ways. My mom used to love this sort of pattern, because you could make it several times and each version would look very different. There are also "fitting opportunities" in the shoulder princess. I'm not sure exactly when this one hit the book, but the copyright is 2006.

Progress in a couple of areas

I mostly puttered around the house yesterday, but made progress on a couple of projects that I've mentioned before.

I installed the bi-fold doors on the closet in the Florida Room. Much better! They'll be painted out once the weather gets warmer and I can ventilate the house. There's definitely a learning curve to this DIY stuff. I couldn't get the first set of doors to stay in the track until I figured out that I could use the cardboard packing material as a shim to level them while setting the pins and adjusting the height. The second set of doors took almost no time.


In addition to the aesthetics, it's nice to have the additional storage space. I'm leaving the desktop in there for now, so it'll be a place to spread out projects that I don't want strewn about, like the organization of my tax paperwork.



The other project fits the category of "getting back on the horse." I was pretty disappointed in the failure of the cream knit top so I decided I should re-test the Kwik Sew pattern I used. Fortunately, I had some quality cotton and lycra knit leftover from a previous project. I thought I only had enough for a shell, but there was enough to make a short sleeved T. The fabric is from Joann's, one of the rare ones that isn't polyester, a print or glitzed up. Hopefully it'll fit into the SWAP but if not, I can always use another nice T.

SWAP 2007: Wadder!

The cream rib knit top is officially a wadder!!! I tried to make it work, but in the end I decided to cut my losses and give up.

This failure is primarily due to fabric although I think the pattern contributed too. The rib knit opened up as it was worked with, resulting in a dropped sleeve garment which was totally unanticipated. Remember, this is a TNT pattern, which has never sewed up into a dropped sleeve before! OK, so I took 3/4" out of the body of the top at the armholes and resewed the sleeves. Much better.

However, once the side seams got sewed up, The whole garment was just dumpy looking. I even tried deepening the seams. for a slimmer fit. Nope, no good, still dumpy.

And the pattern? I need to re-check the tracing I used. I'm pretty sure I used the newest version, but something about it just doesn't seem right.

So, my SWAP continues at a glacial pace. Maybe I should try an item from a woven fabric next.

SWAP 2007: Update

The first garment is ready to be sewn. I'm making the cream T-shirt first because it's a TNT (tried n true). I also discovered that it does have a right and wrong side! It's a tubular knit, with a narrow rib. Well, that was the back side. When I washed the fabric again, I discovered that the right side still has ribs, but every 5th or 6th one is done with a fancier knit stitch. So, it's a lot more interesting than I thought it would be.

MaryT asked what pattern I'll be using for my reversible jacket. I'm planning on the Loes Hinse Kimono Jacket pattern. The fabrics I have in mind aren't real heavy, so I think doubling the layers will be ok. The black is a wool blend crepe. The teal/black is mystery fabric, rayon, I think. It has a fairly open weave.

The slinky is beautiful, the photos don't do it justice. I am a little afraid of it though. While I love wearing slinky, my experience with sewing it is somewhat limited. That's why I'm using my TNT Kwik Sew T-shirt pattern. With an untested fabric, I prefer working with a known pattern. I hope I have enough left for a skirt--not necessarily for the SWAP, but as a bonus garment. The two pieces together could become an ensemble

SWAP 2007: I'm Official!

Yes, I'm still going to do the SWAP that I posted about in December. No, I haven't sewn a stitch yet. But I'm officially in as of today! I emailed my order to Julie this morning and my goodies will be sent out on Monday.

I ordered the Loes Hinse Kimono Jacket and Bergman Blouse for the SWAP (plus the Bacall Sweater, which is non-SWAP right now). I also ordered 4 meters of gold wool blend jersey, more than enough for a twin set or top with matching skirt. I haven't worked with wool jersey before, but I think it will be a good experience. With New Mexico's variable temperatures--warm days and cool nights due to low humidity and altitude--wool is workable for most of the year.

I'm hedging a little bit. I have no idea if I will have enough time to "do" the entire SWAP, but in any case, my plan is to try. If I can't sew it all, I'll probably post pictures of how I incorporated the sewn clothes with RTW items in my wardrobe. I wouldn't be eligible for judging but it would be helpful for those who like the concept but feel daunted by sewing that many items. There are many ways to work the concept! And after all, the goal is to have items that work together instead of lots of orphans in the closet.

I'm not feeling that bad about not sewing yet. I keep telling myself that planning is the key. So, here's the plan (subject to change, of course):

1. Faux Wrap Skirt: This will be made from multicolor georgette using the Sewing Workshop's Sandra Betzina skirt.
2. Blouse/Top: Also from the multicolor georgette. I haven't decided on which pattern yet. I'm attempting to create a dress look with the skirt.
3. Jacket: My inspiration for this piece came from J Jill. The winter catalog featured a jacket that was very similar to Loes Hinse's Kimono Jacket. This will also be my reversible item. I'm going to make it from black fabric on one side and black and teal on the other. Black lapels. I also want to work in some binding from the multicolor georgette to tie everything together.
4. Top: knit top from the blue slinky, using my favorite Kwik Sew t-shirt.
5. Skirt: Purple georgette. I'm unsure of the pattern, but I'm leaning towards the Loes Hinse Tango Skirt. It might be a reversible garment, since that georgette will require a lining. Black on one side, purple on the other? We'll see.
6. Blouse: purple georgette. Again, not sure which blouse pattern yet, but I have both the Bergman Blouse and a vintage Vogue on the drawing board. This will be another dress look when worn with the skirt.
7. Black Skirt: Unsure of the design and fabric, but I'm leaning toward a pencil skirt.
8. Black Top: My premade item. I have a textured Slinky top that I made years ago from the Kwik Sew pattern. This top is a workhorse.
9. Cream Top: Kwik Sew again, made of cream color textured knit.
10. Cream Pants: This is my RTW item. I have a nice pair of cream pants that I bought at Dillard's last year. My challenge here will be alterations. I need to take in the waist and shorten them.
11. Another Blouse or Top: This is a wild card right now. Maybe the gold jersey will fit in here.

Happy New Year

It's hard to believe that 2006 is over. In many ways, the 21st century has been a blur so far--I mean, we're seven years in already?!? It doesn't seem possible.

The sun has come out but there's still plenty of snow on the ground. While this is typical in Northern New Mexico, for my area, it's not. While we have all 4 seasons here, I'm more used to cold dry mornings and nights, offset by warm dry middays. I don't think that'll be the case for a while yet. I heard on the news last night that another storm is on tap for next weekend. I hope this turns out to be a non-event, since DBF and I had to cancel this past one due to the storm. Honestly, I'd love to send the snow on to you folks in the traditionally snowy areas but it's not my call.

I did spend some time in the sewing room yesterday. I traced off a skirt pattern for the Timmel SWAP. It requires some tweaking, since I'm using a pattern designed for knits with a woven fabric--this is the Sewing Workshop's Sandra Betzina skirt that I posted on last month. So I need to change it up with a deeper hem and a facing or something for the faux wrap. Also, the circle fabric is thin, I'd call it a georgette type. So it'll need underlining, which also causes pattern changes.

However, most of my sewing room time this weekend has been more mundane--alterations. I worked on a favorite pair of princess seam pants yesterday. Unfortunately, I had to let out the center back seam that my alterations lady had taken in a couple of years ago. I also pinned up three of pairs of pants that I'll complete today since I have sunlight! The pants are dark gray, forest green and black, and I was having trouble seeing well enough in the evening's gloom. I'd also like to get started on altering my winter white pants--I got them on sale at Dillard's last spring during their winter clearance. These will be the RTW component of the SWAP, at least that's my plan for now.

SWAP 2007: Patterns

Putting a SWAP together is an exercise in thinking outside the box, but I'm enjoying the process so far. It's a combination of creativity and organization. Most of us are used to thinking one way or another, not both at the same time. I've been having a hectic time at the office, so doing this is also a good way for me to let it all go so I don't lose my mind.

On with the patterns! You may have noticed that my fabrics are primarily from my stash and I'm hoping to keep it that way. Although Julie at Timmel has an interesting mustard knit I may need to discuss with her--after all, I have to buy something to enter. That knit may be the ticket (or not). At any rate, I've decided that it's ok to buy patterns for the SWAP. These are a couple that I have in mind:

Thank you Loes Hinse! One of my blouse patterns might be her new Bergman Blouse, while the Kimono Jacket would be perfect to make as a reversible item. While these aren't TNT (tried 'n' true) patterns, they look simple enough that they could be in the future.

Speaking of TNT, I've identified a couple that certainly qualify. The first one is a Kwik Sew T-shirt (2565) that I've made a bunch of times and reviewed on Pattern Review way back in 2003. I'd say it's earned it's keep! Unfortunately, it has apparently been discontinued--good thing I've traced it off so I can keep this pattern in perpetuity.

Another TNT is from the Sewing Workshop Collection, the Sandra Betzina Vest and Skirt pattern. I don't really care for the vest, but the skirt is wonderful. Sandra's recommended fabrics are knits but I sucessfully made it from a silky fabric that's a mainstay of my working wardrobe. I think it would be great made up in the circle print that's the theme fabric of my swap.

My last pattern today is a "vintage" pattern from Vogue. I hesitate to call it that; after all, the copyright is only 1988! That can't be vintage, can it? Another guideline of the SWAP is that a couple of the blouses need to be more than simple T-shirts. I think this one fits the bill. I like the side tab detail on the 3 blouses that aren't tucked in.

Not that I have anything against a tucked in blouse; I even wear them sometimes. But I was thinking it would be nice to have some blouses in the SWAP that could also work as jackets. The style of that orange one would work well, I think. This pattern is likely to take some effort. I haven't made it before and the pattern only goes to a size 10. However, that should be a good fit through my shoulders and neck, then it's FBA (full bust adjustment) time and side seam adjustments for my (ahem) non-size 10 lower body. Maybe I can do some morphing to make this one easier for me.

I still have some additional picks to make. I'm considering adding the Loes Hinse Tango Skirt to the mix. I can see it in the purple fabric with the Vogue blouse as a pseudo dress, then using them separately.

SWAP 2007: Fabrics

I'm participating in the SWAP (Sewing With A Plan) Contest at Stitcher's Guild sponsored by Timmel Fabrics. Today, I worked out the fabrics (clockwise from lower right):

• My "theme" fabric is a multicolor poly crepe from JoAnn's fabrics. I'm planning on making a skirt and top from this, also a sash/scarf.
• Cream ribbed knit. This will be a top. The contest allows one RTW garment, which will be matching cream trousers.
• The fabric at upper left is purple poly crepe that I purchased from Fashion Fabrics Club (FFC). It will be another skirt and top. I have a coordinating sheer with metallic that may appear as another scarf later on.
• Top row center is a yummy slinky from FFC. The photo doesn't do it justice! It's a cross between blue and seafoam green. A top, of course.
• Top row right is another fabric that doesn't show well in the photo. It has a black background with little nubbies of turquoise. It actually looks great with the slinky. I got this fabric at my ASG chapter's trading post, in other words: almost free. The original source was a small clothing manufacturer in town that contracted to Coldwater Creek. Alas, Tisa is no more but we ASG mavens supported them lots whenever they had one of their periodic sales. This fabric will be one side of a reversible jacket--at least one of the garments in the SWAP has to be reversible.
• Not shown: black fabric. It doesn't photograph well and y'all know what black looks like! I have several different black fabrics that I may use for the swap. The reversible jacket will have a black side. I'm also planning a black skirt and at least one black top.

Believe it or not, I already have several items in my closet that will go with the fabrics, so the SWAP will be even more beneficial! And I hope that I can get photos in daylight as I move forward, so you can get a better idea of the colors. On my next SWAP post, I'll talk about some of the patterns I'm planning to use.