Simplicty 7187 Pants

These elastic waist pants are made from Simplicity 7187 and OOP from 1996.
I straightened the leg from the knee. I sewed a Medium with a back crotch alteration and this is loose on me. Great for PJ pants, but maybe a little too casual for daywear.

Dark coral pants and cropped jacket

The current project is a pair of drapey wide leg pants in dark coral, and a little lined bolero jacket made from the leftovers.
I have never made a cropped jacket before, I hope it will be OK. I have seen lots of them around all worn with longer shirts, so we will have to see.
Photos coming as soon as its worth seeing!

The old NL6054 wide leg pants

These are pants I made for the mini Wardrobe competition on PR last summer and which I am wearing again this year.
As you can see they have very wide drapey leg which flow over a lot of the problems, but they still have some pull lines across the tummy area.

6350 pants fitting problems

OK so usually I wear wide leg pants that have a waist facing, side zip and flow from the highish hip down. I include a very full butt alteration (extension of the back crotch curve by 2 or more inches) and they are OK. I decided I fancied some narrower leg pants and cut out these terracotta ones with a nice crotch extension for the butt.
The butt fits not too bad, but as you can see the front crotch is truly terrible and there are pulls on my full front thighs and full back calves.
I do have 'Pant for Anybody' but I can't quite find my problem in there.
I would appreciate the expertise of the clever fitting people out there and for the interests of research only have included these horrific front, back and side pictures.
Click on the picture to get it in full size.

New Look 6350

I am currently making the pants from New Look 6350. As usual I have cut the back crotch deeper and tapered back into the knee line. I am using a 'dirt red' cotton twill which sews and presses nicely.
I will post a photo when they are done.

PR Wardrobe Contest garment combos allowed

The PR Wardrobe Contest allows the following garment combos

• 6 tops, 4 bottoms, 1 jacket
• 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 2 jackets
• 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 1 dress, 1 jacket
• 4 tops, 4 bottoms, 1 dress, 2 jackets
• 6 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 jacket, 1 dress if all tops can be worn over the dress
• 4 tops, 1 dress that's a tunic top (can be worn over all bottoms), 4 bottoms, 1 dress, 1 jacket
• 5 tops, 3 bottoms, 2 dresses, 1 jacket
• 4 tops, 3 bottoms, 2 dresses, 2 jackets
• 4 tops, 3 bottoms, 3 dresses, 1 jacket
• 3 tops, 3 bottoms, 3 dresses, 2 jackets

1 garment can be knit.
Vest defined by function (top or jacket depending on how it's worn)

And I must admit that the option

• 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 2 jackets

is very attractive to me, as I can make the coral/light khaki jacket, and a khaki jacket as well.
I want to keep the max number of bottoms as I can't really buy those.

Cowl neck top completed

The cowl neck top is finished. I think this will be a good wash 'n' wear garment as its tough to wrinkle.
We'll have to see how it is in real life though, say under a jacket.
I have enough of this fabric left to make another top, say a classic blouse like Butterick 4457. I think the fact that the style is very different would make it OK and not too samey.

Butterick Cowl Neck Top

The next top I have just started is Butterick 3131. I am making this with 3/4 sleeves in an eye popping bright coral (almost red).

Further thoughts

I am going to have to pick up my speed somewhat as there are 9 garments left (I've only made two) and only until July 31st to do them - ie 10 weeks.
One of the items I have done - a pair of elastic waist pants in khaki is not exactly thrilling and may be replaced, especially if I can get some dark coral fabric for bottoms too.
I think on reflection ( and with feedback on PR) that the long jacket is ott for the summer and I'm going to go for the shorter one (ie the style in red) from Simplicity 4971 (see pic).

Jacket Pattern

I want to use Simplicity 4427 for the jacket for the Summer Wardrobe Competition. Its short coat length and practical to throw on.

Tidying up

Last night I decided to tidy up around my sewing area.
To the right of the sewing machine, I have a plain child's toy box under the window with cushions on it as a window seat and I keep the Wardrobe Competition fabrics in there.
I moved out the leftovers from the Timmel teal and brown Woodland Walk SWAP and put the khaki and coral in there instead. I still need to spend some time putting the pattern pieces back in the right envelopes and putting away the patterns I am not going to use this time but the area feels less cluttered already so I am pleased about that.

Final fabric choices

OK, had a long hard look and decided.....

to drop the khaki stripe, the dark khaki pants/skirt/jacket and the teal/khaki knit for now (maybe a Wardrobe Competition part 2??).

That leaves me with
the light khaki/coral weave for a jacket,
the light khaki pants,
the darker khaki pants (made up already)
and a medium khaki gaberdine skirt and pants

and then tops as follows
cream/coral knit (completed)
coral crinkle top
coral blouse
red coral knit (maybe a twinset?)
lampshade print blouse
cream eyelet blouse
& maybe white/khaki check blouse - this could also go into part 2

On consideration I am happy with all of that as it actually looks like it should all go together.

Extra Fabric options

Oh no I now have a dilemma. I went to the fabric shop and they had a lovely furnishing fabric with coral and light khaki weave sort of chenille fabric. I bought enough to make a jacket.
I also bought some red coral striped knit which is not an issue. Plus a cute viscose print with lampshades which was just a whim but works quite well.

If I use the new coral and khaki fabric for a jacket all the coral tops, the cream top and the white/khaki check are OK
BUT the khaki stripe and khaki/teal knit then clash as they have other colours in them as well.
URK I am not sure which version of the plan to go with.
I don't have to decide just yet as I can make up the coral top and the khaki bottoms and defer the decision.....

Wardrobe Contest - 1st top completed

I have already made some elastic waist pants in khaki fabric which has an almost seersucker effect, they need a press and will appear tomorrow.
But here is the photo of the first completed top. I used Jalie 2449 the crossover top. I used the sleeve cap but morphed in to the sleeve taken from another (big 4) pattern as I found the sleeves too tight in the original.

'City Safari' Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest Fabrics

Here's the fabrics I am planning to use:-
Top row for tops

• Khaki stripe
• white with khaki check
• Khaki/teal knit
• cream eyelet

bottom row

• elastic waist pants
• main fabric for jacket/skirt/pants

Second photo, top row

• eyelet again
• coral for blouse
• coral/cream knit
• coral for top

bottom row

• main fabric for jacket/skirt/pants
• light khaki for second pair pants
  

My PR Wardrobe Contest 2007 Plan as at 5 May 2007

For the Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest 2007 competition I am planning a 'City Safari' wardrobe in Khaki and Coral. I think the green/brown/grey of the khaki will set off the richness of the coral well

Plans so far:-

• Jacket in khaki twill
• Straight leg pants in khaki twill
• Skirt in khaki twill
• Wide leg pants in lighter khaki fabric
• Cropped pants/culottes in crinkle khaki
• Knit tops in coral/cream print and khaki/teal print fabrics
• short sleeve top in white/khaki check
• long sleeved blouse in coral fabric and cream eyelet
  
• simple top in coral crinkle and khaki stripe fabrics

Above lists 7 tops not 6, as I may find I am short of fabric for some of them. I still need to measure out the khaki twill and see if there is enough for the jacket, pants and skirt (I am a little doubtful).

Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest May 1st to July 31st 2007

Wardrobe Competition contest 2007
Interval: May 1st to July 31st (13 weeks) (3 months)
Wardrobe Competition Rules Managed By: AnneM

You will be sewing up a wardrobe with interchangeable garments.
Rules:
1) Sew 11 items per requirements below
2) All tops must go with all bottoms
3) Jacket must go with all outfits
4) Voting will be done on the wardrobe as one entity, not on individual garments.

Items to be made:
6 tops
4 bottoms
1 jacket

Dress options - do one of the following instead:

• 1 dress, 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 1 jacket
• 2 dresses, 5 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 jacket
• 3 dresses, 4 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 jacket

Prizes: There will be two winners based on the votes.
First Prize: $300 gift certificate from Textile Studio Patterns and Fabrics
Second Prize: $200 gift certificate from Textile Studio Patterns and Fabric.