PR Wardrobe Contest 2020 Round up

Well the PR Wardrobe Contest was done and dusted in November of last year and I am very happy to say that I got my entry completed!  Sometimes the reward is in finishing a goal you set yourself.

You can find my contest entry here and it links to all the reviews of the individual pieces.  

My most favorite piece is the bag.  

I prefer sewing clothes to bags but I am really happy to have made this bag and use it all the time.  When I show my sewing buddies they are surprised to hear I made it myself!  The "suedette" it is made from has also proved itself to be very easy to clean, which is good as the light colour seems to invite marks to happen.  Review is here.

The next favorite and most worn is the StyleArc Nova dress.  It was a very useful piece in the wardrobe over Christmas and had a few outings.  Review of the Nova is here.

My least favourite is the Ottobre tee shirt.  The shirt fabric is too stiff for the swing style and the print maybe a bit too childish for my comfort zone.  It is in my re-model pile and I will probably turn it into a tank top.

It wasn't in my original plan either but I subbed it as a quick make to get finished on time.

All the other pieces have been in use and I am glad to have taken part in the contest as it did push me to make a bunch of coordinating pieces in a short time frame.

Thanks for following along.  My sew-jo has been firing lately and I have sewn a few new items since the contest and have participated in another contest - the Fabric Stash contest and have managed to bust 9m out of my stash!  I will post soon about some of my favourite pieces from that sewing.

Ciao for now!

PR Wardrobe Contest - item 3 of 10 - StyleArc Vicki top

Third piece in the wardrobe contest - a lovely summery swing top - the StyleArc Vicki top.

I cut my usual StyleArc size 16 and am very happy with the fit.  The fabric is a rayon crepe (I think) and acted like every seam was on the bias so a bit painful to sew but it suits this top.

My notes on this make:

• I lengthened the top by 3" at the hemline.
• I topstitched the seam where the front joins the back to emphasize it.
• My binding is turned completely to the inside and sewn down with the result that no binding shows. I did this as I was not going to get a good finish with the described binding method. I think I would need to cut the binding slightly wider to achieve that finish (at least with this fabric). However I am very happy with the finish as I have sewn it and would probably do it again like that.
• I did not follow the suggestion of sewing a bar tack to hold the seam open at the top of the centre front seam as it would have stood out on this single colour fabric. I just did a hand tack inside at the neckline to hold the seam open.

I love this style and really want to make a ton of these tops!  So I think this pattern will get a workout in the future!

I am currently making piece 4 which is the Stylearc Charlie skirt.  I love sewing the top stitching but am a bit nervous about how a slimline skirt in a stretch woven will fit/look on my self, but hope to finish it soon! 

PR Wardrobe contest - Piece 2 of 10 - New Look 6212

I have finally finished my second item for the wardrobe contest.  New Look 6212.  I have made this one before - here. 

This one took some time to get sewn.  The things that took time were - 

...playing pattern tetris to layout it out on my fabric, 

... those pleats!

...and the beautiful Liberty fabric is really unforgiving so putting in the sleeves meant the quick unpick came out a few times.

I am not going to outline all the details here but you can read more in my review here, if you are interested to know.

Ciao for now, kittens!

PR Wardrobe Contest 2020 - Piece 1 0f 10 - The StyleArc Richie Knit Tunic Dress

I decided to start with a relatively simple sew to get some momentum going.  Nothing like a finished item to make you feel you are going to make it to the end! 

 

The StyleArc Richie dress in a jersey purchased from Spotties recently.  I had planned to use a pretty aqua rib knit picked up from a bargain table, but the fabric was narrow so the pieces would not fit no matter how much I tried.  The fabric I ended using is this one.

It was on a 30% sale and I would call it denim coloured rather than navy.  It feels like it will be quite hard wearing but has a soft cottony feel on the inside.  The pattern only called for 1.25m but I bought 1.4m so had enough wriggle room even with lengthening the dress a little.  It curls like the dickens so a lot of pinning and then sewing on the sewing machine before overlocking.  

Their is an option for a chest pocket and I decided to add it as the fabric/ dress combo could be very plain otherwise and decided to add a further bit of bling by cutting some heat transfer vinyl on my Cricut machine into a heart shape with the words be kind, a good thought to use on this dress made during Covid times.

Neckline...

For the moment it will be only shots on Diana but as the contest gets toward the end I hope to do a modelled photo shoot of all the pieces.

Frock...

Ciao for now!...

PR 2020 Wardrobe Contest - Part 1 - The plan!

I had started planning a new wardrobe to sew for Spring / Summer when I saw that Pattern Review are hosting a 10 piece wardrobe contest.  I took the plan I was putting together and used it as a basis to fit in with the Contest rules.

The official rules are:

1 -Sew 10 unique garments during the contest period. The garments must be as follows:
Make 1 Topper
Make 2 Bottoms
Make 2 Tops
Make 1 sewn accessory 
Make 4 Free choice (top, bottoms, topper, maximum of 2 dresses or 2 jumpsuits or 1 of each, maximum of one additional accessory)

2 – All of the items must form a cohesive wardrobe.

It took a bit of thought and planning but over a few days this is the plan that came out.

Some of these patterns I have sewn before and others are new to me.

The fabrics are mostly from stash.  I did buy some fabric to make the bag (that's the blob in the top row!)  Some are remnant pieces so I may have to sub other fabrics in if there is not enough.

The photo below shows on the top the knit fabric for the cardigan. The next row are the fabrics for my three tops  (Liberty print, blue rayon crepe and a floral print rayon) 

and the last row are the bottoms (denim-look bengaline, light beige ponte and dark brown bengaline).

In this photo is the topper fabric again with the two dress fabrics.

I know things are going to change as I go along.  I have just noticed the aqua fabric for the Style Arc Richie tunic is quite a narrow cut so it may be the first one subbed out.  At the moment I am preparing the pdf patterns (cutting and sticking).  The contest starts on the 17th so more mad sewing to happen soon...

Anyone else considering joining in or sewing along?

Wardrobe Contest 2015 - piece 4 ... almost

I apologise for the break in transmission, I seemed to have dropped out of the blogosphere once again... anyway a very quick catch-up post.

I was on a roll with my wardrobe contest entry and my fourth piece was another Burdastyle blouse 06/2013-119  However I decided to play with this one.  I added some pin-tucking to the front and that took a little playing with the fabric.  I also choose to use more feet in my collection and made flat-fell seams.  This also added time to the make.  Anyway this is as far as I got before stalling.

As you can see no buttons or buttonholes.  Also the sleeves have been basted in but I am not happy with them so will be re-doing them.

So why the wardrobe contest entry fail?  Well I had sewing that became a bit more important.  I am going to a ball this week-end and needed a new frock.  So I have been making muslins madly and after quite a few changes I was able to cut my fabric... gulp!

The dress has progressed since cutting stage and is almost finished.  I did get way-laid by having a sewing week-end in Tamworth with some of the girls from Pattern Review.  We had a great week-end and did get help to pin my hem (Thanks Sharon!) 

So that is where I am currently up to - hand stitching - hemming and stitching on the decorative bow at the shoulder.  I hope to blog more about my sewing week-end but will leave you with a picture of a sign outside a lovely little cafe in Geln Innes where we stopped for lunch on the drive down to Tamworth.

Ciao kittens... pretty gown pics soon...

Wardrobe Contest 2015 - piece 3 - Burdastyle 09/2011-128

My third piece, another top but this time a button-up blouse.  This is a pattern I have wanted to make for ages and I wish I had made it sooner as I really like it.   It is Burdastyle 09/2011 -128 called "Straight Ahead".

I love the simple lines but interesting details that makes this an interesting sew as well as lifts the top out of being too simple.  I think I will have to make another one soon in a plain fabric.

The only real alteration was to shorten the pattern.  That sucker is seriously long!  I did shorten a little more than I might normally but I was constrained by the amount of fabric I had.

Add caption

Every top in this contest is either fabric from a remnant bin or a left-over from something else I have sewn!  A real left-over wardrobe!

I love the set-in collar at the back that lines up with the level of the pleats at the front.  Hard to photograph in this fabric though.

The fabric is a Japanese cotton (lawn?) from Spotties.  Fairly stiff so not the best choice for the pleats in this top.  I am hoping it may soften with a few washes.  When I make it again I will try for a softer fabric.  I like how this one coordinates with my central piece, the cardigan.

So the full review is linked here. 

See you soon kittens, one more top to go...

2015 Wardrobe Contest - piece 2 - Ottobre 02/2015 #1

This is my second finished piece in my entry for the Wardrobe Contest on Pattern Review. It is again from the latest women's Ottobre issue 02/2015.  This time pattern no. 1 "Grain Field Top".  Can't quite get the connection of the name to the pattern.  any clues??

As this is part of my contest entry I haven't got the official photos yet but have got some on Diana.

This top is lovely.  The fabric was bought from a remnant bin - a cotton/silk blend and has been one of those pedestal pieces I was afraid to cut into.  I love the fabric, the colours, pattern and the way it feels.... yummy!

I have reviewed this pattern here, so won't repeat a lot of it here.  The basics are I lengthened the top, used a button/ loop closure at the back seam instead of an invisible zipper and had problems with the fit around my upper back.... boo hoo!, I thought it would end in tears, but I managed to fix the issue well enough by letting it out a little at the side seams.  Lesson learnt - when it is a pedestal fabric then muslin it or add extra to the seam allowances!!

I also love how it goes with my RTW cardigan that the wardrobe is based on.

Ciao kittens... another top soon... on a roll!

2015 Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest... off and running

I seem to be in contest mode.  My last post is the dress I entered in the Best of Patterns contest (voting open until the 9th of March) and now I have got all enthused to join in the 2015 Wardrobe Contest.

I have put together a story board.

The patterns are all Ottobre, Burdastyle and one Hot Patterns.

Their is one piece that can be made before time or RTW.  I chose this RTW cardigan and have planned the wardrobe around it.

My first top is Ottobre 02-2015 #10 and you can see it under the cardigan. I used a piece of Silk crepe de Chine leftover from this dress.

I have written a review here about this top.  My only other tips I would add are that I used tailors tacks to mark the neckline pleats and for the narrow hem at the front neckline, I turned it 5mm, stitched and then did the same again.  I also used a bit of spray starch to make it behave itself.

The top was shortened by 1" and sized up one size at the hips as it is a close fit at the hips. Take care if you are a pear shape with this top.  

Overall I really like the top, it was a quick make and the pleats give it a bit of interest.

I also like how the colours in the fabric match with my cardigan.

Ciao for now kittens, mad flurry of sewing happening so there may be more posts sooner than later...