Holiday Party Costume

As if I didn't have enough on my plate right now, anyway. And, you know, it's not like November isn't crazy busy or anything what with the 50,000 words deadlines, and the start of the 2009 SWAP, and getting Holiday stuff done, and that Thanksgving thing, and getting my house clean enough for my mother to see it when she visits in December (which might involve some painting, or something). Nope not busy enough. My friend's company Christmas party (on the first weekend of December) has decided that this year is a fancy dress party. That means costumes. In fact, the theme this year is Latin dancing. Apparently there will even be a dance floor! With lessons! I love me some dancing!

But MORE sewing? Really? I think I might cry. However, the sales at the fabric store are pretty great right now, for those things called costumes, and the sale ends on Saturday. You know, right after Halloween. Go figure. So I hocked some valuables in order to scrap together enough funds to buy fabric and patterns to do this up right, and spend as little as possible on it. I'm pretty damn proud of myself. Two costumes for under $50. We just won't talk about how many hours I'm going to have to sew this month!

I'm pretty sure this costume is seriously over the top, and that we will be the ONLY people who interpreted the extremely vague instructions of "Latin dancing costume" in quite the same way. But hey, it's not my company party, and my friend is totally keen on the hot pink shirt he gets to wear to match my very, um, colorful outfit. Now all I have to do is actually get it all made. Along with everything else.

Oh yeah, I AM going to wear all those colors in one costume!
Can't miss me coming!

First Ideas

I'm actually starting to get some ideas going here. The theme of this SWAP is a week in the life, so our garments need to fit our everyday life. I think I want pants that are a little more fitted than what I've been wearing. Same for the shirts. I always prefer a more fitted look, but the last few years, and few pounds, I've gone the way of the knits. Here is my chance to reclaim clothing with buttons! My palette will likely be determined in large part by the Limeade fabrics I have left over from the JCC, just to cut costs. Not really where I necessarily want it to be, though. More thought needed on that front. I still prefer natural fibers for my fabrics. Here are a few patterns that I'm thinking of getting, and basing my collection on these.

SWAP Thoughts

Patterns, colors, fabrics, styles. It's a lot to plan out. Time to start narrowing my options. First of all, I don't have the funds to buy all new fabric, therefore I must use as much of what I have as possible. What I have in stash is pretty limited, so I think that means I'm starting with my Limeade fabrics. I bought a lot more than I needed for the June Capsule Challenge. I even have some pieces that never got sewed, so I guess if I start there, I'm a leg up on my planning, huh? That makes this Limeade, the wardrobe. I'll come up with a better title. I'm only bummed that I can't make my dress for this SWAP. I really, really want to make that dress!

One of my biggest dilemmas is what style to pick for my bottoms. I'm thinking mostly pants. My life is more casual, but I'd kinda like to wear pants with buttons again. That would mean I need a lot of fabric, since I don't have any bottom weight fabrics.

Tentative ideas:

• Colors: White, Lime, Beige, Chocolate, Black
• Styles: Button shirts and slacks
• Fabrics: Cottons and linens

Need to work on:

• Acquiring patterns
• Fabric selections
• Building storyboard

2009 SWAP Announced

Time for a new SWAP! (Sewing With A Plan) Remember that June Capsule I did back in, well, June? That was the baby sister of the annual SWAP, which is for 11 coordinating garments:

• 4 bottoms
• 6 tops
• 1 jacket

And by coordinating, they mean it. Everything has to go with everything else. There is some flexibility in the rules about what qualifies within each category (especially important in the jacket arena, since I live in a desert and don't really need jackets much). The contest begins on 1 November and ends 30 April. Usually it only lasts four months, so I'm thinking I lucked out with the extra two months.

Right now, I have no clue what I will sew. The rules state it has to fit my every day life, which I would do anyway, so it's not exactly limiting. My budget is crazily tight, and that will effect what I do the most. I don't have any TNT (Tried and True) patterns, so everything I sew is going to have to be fitted and altered and adjusted to fit my current weight. It sets me a bit behind the eight ball for the SWAP, but is really exactly the sort of motivation I need. I'm going to be quite challenged to get a storyboard together so quickly!