Fabrics for August Mini Wardrobe Contest

Fabrics for August Mini Wardrobe Contest

Top, embellished blouse fabric
Left, dark brown lace knit
Centre, variegated knit
Right, linen mix fabric

All the garments being worn

All the garments being worn


RuthieK's PR Wardrobe 2008 "Just before the sunset" - Master review

Prima October 1999 Bias Cut top

Prima October 1999 Bias Cut top
Not the most successful garment made this year!

Copied from RTW headband

Copied from RTW headband
PR review of Headband
Cut fabric pieces as follows:-
one piece 16 inches by 7 inches.
two pieces each 4.5 inches by 12 inches.
neaten the long edges of the first piece and turn under and stitch.
Fold the narrow pieces in half and sew along the long edges and diagonally across the corner, turn and press.
Tuck the exposed edges under and press.
Now pleat the wide piece and tuck the ends into the narrow pieces - topstitch to secure and wear.
This can be worn many different ways
1. Use as a cumberbund with the pleated section at the front and tie at the back (for a wider waist you may need to lengthen the tie for this)
2. Wear with the pleated section under you hair and the ties showing on the top of the head.
3. Wear with the pleated section gathered up and a headband with the ties hidden under your hair.
4. Spread out the pleated section in the style of a headscarf and tie under your hair.
5. Tie at the neck as a neckerchief.

New Look 6430 Top

I sewed this New Look 6430 Top in a rust knit. It wasn't as stretchy as the pattern envelope required, so a cut it a bit larger.

New Look 6430 Knit Top

Simplicity 4699 Cropped Pants

Simplicity 4699 Cropped Pants
Here is the Simplicity 4699 cropped pant in a drapey poly/viscose mix cropped pant. I cut a broad band for the waistline and inserted a wide elastic, eliminating the zipper.
A quick and easy garment and part of my PR Wardrobe 2008.

PR Wardrobe progress

My Wardrobe Plan

My plans/progress for the Pattern review Wardrobe Contest 2008 are as follows:-
* Dark navy brocade coat - completed - Simplicity 4699 Navy Jacket
* Peach shell knit top - completed - Simplicity 4699 Peach Top
* Navy skirt - completed - Loes Hinse Gore Skirt
* Navy denim pants - completed - New Look 6415 Denim Pants
* Burnt orange knit top - completed - Simplicity 4076 Knit Top

Dark navy brocade bag - CUT OUT
Burnt orange stripe blouse -CUT OUT

Still to decide
Another top
Another skirt
Another pant

New Look 6415 Pants

New Look 6415 Pants

Simplicity 4076 Knit Top

Simplicity 4076 Knit Top

Simplicity 4699 jacket/coat

Simplicity 4699 jacket/coat

Current plans

I finished my Timmel SWAP and am just doing a few more photos.
Timmel SWAP by RuthieK

I didn't want my PR entry to be just the Timmel SWAP with a bag, so I've gone for a variation on the colour scheme and only 2 of the garments (2 knit tops) are in both wardrobes. Some of this is because other items which would work were sewn before the PR contest started.

So I have 5 garments completed, 2 items cut out and ready to sew and fabric but not confirmed patterns and only 2 weeks left to sew it all and enter all the reviews.

Wrap knit top, stretch denim pants and brocade lined coat

Wrap knit top, stretch denim pants and brocade lined coat

More items done

I still have one more day on the Easter holiday weekend, but I am pleased with my progress so far.
Completed:-
Navy brocade jacket (lined with pockets and buttons)
Navy denim bootcut pants (stretch with back zip)
Red orange knit wrap top from Simplicity 4076

already done
Peach shell top
Navy gore skirt

So I have 5 items completed for the wardrobe

Still to come by the end of April:-
navy brocade bag
2 more bottoms
1 blouse
1 knit top

First Outfit!

here's the first completed outfit

Simplicity 4699 Jacket/Coat in navy brocade in progress.

Simplicity 4699 Jacket/Coat in navy brocade in progress.

I know I've not been reporting much here on the blog. I have started sewing the Simplicity 4699 Jacket/Coat in navy brocade and its going well.
This is part of my PR wardrobe. I had originally planned a burnt orange jacket/coat which I will still sew, but I decided that I'm going for the navy in the wardrobe to make more of an ensemble look with the yet to be made navy bottoms.
I've also decided to line it, although this isn't included in the pattern as the brocade is cotton and not in the least bit slidey I think it would be hard to get on and off without.

So I have a lot to do yet - attach collar and facing and sleeves, and add lining.
Photos will come later :-)

reorg time

I have been reorganising my computer and sewing space into one hobby room, and decided to start by packing everything up and repainting the room. The paint job is great now just have to unpack and arrange everything in the right place.
I won't be sewing for a little while, but at least have the computer working again!

I realise this was a crazy thing to do during the wardrobe contest but when I got the idea to do it I just wanted to get it done not wait any longer, and hopefully I will be massively productive once my space is ready.

Simplicity 4699 Peach Top

Simplicity 4699 Peach Top

Cut out first top Simplicity 4699

Tonight I cut out my first garment for the 2008 Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest.
Its the knit shell from Simplicity 4699 in dark peach slinky. It has two pieces - a front and a back so all the time goes on finishing off all the edges, with special care being taken with the neckline.
Hopefully it will be finished Friday/Saturday and you can see me modelling it. I always think its more helpful to see the garments on a real, no model body, then you know what it looks like in a size 16 :-)

Wardrobe Plans

My plans for the Pattern review Wardrobe Contest 2008 are as follows:-
Burnt orange coat
Rust cropped pants
Peach shell knit top
Burnt orange crinkle blouse
Cream blouse
Peach blouse
Navy pants
Navy skirt
Navy denim pants
Brown faux leather tote

I will post individual reviews as I complete the garments.
I plan for the burnt orange coat, the peach shell and the tote bag to be from Simplicity 4699. And I may well make one or all of the pants from this too and really get my money's worth from the pattern.

The burnt orange crinkle blouse is likely to be a wrapover with sleeves though the details are not worked out yet. Its lovely fabric which I bought on the PR weekend in Germany in 2007, but the crinkliness is likely to be the challenge there.

The peach blouse is from quite a sheer fabric, its a light peach and maybe no good for my skintone, so it may yet not make it. I will ask a couple of my girlfriends before I spend time on it.

The navy skirt will probably be from the Loes Hinse Gore skirt, heavily modified, and the cream blouse is going to be a women's shirt style blouse with shaping etc.

Let's see how much I match up to my original plan going forward.

My plan for 2008

There's a lot of debating about accessories and other variations to the plan, but I am sticking to the core as I see it and making a jacket, 4 tops, 4 bottoms and a bag.
Any of the tops can be worn with any of the bottoms and with or without the jacket and/or bag which seems pretty mix and match to me.

Sewing on this cannot start until 1st Feb which is fine as the things I am working on now are only for the Timmel SWAP which has different timescales and rules. That is Friday though! and I probably won't have finished everything planned for January by the end of Thursday night LOL