Fashion Board

At last, I have finished my fashion board. I had to unearth my patterns to see what I had. I had to dig out my fabric, and look at my choices. But I finally have my proposed fashion board for this year's JCC which I am calling "A Second Serving of Limeade". I'm pretty happy with it.

I might switch around which fabrics are going with which blouse pattern, and I'm contemplating making the collar and cuffs on the white blouse lime as an accent. However, I have a plan, I have patterns, I even have fabric. This means I can begin sewing! The only stumbling block left is that I haven't made any of these patterns before, so I'm thinking muslins are a necessity to make sure there is some semblance of fit happening.

I feel cool and comfy just looking at my board here! I can't wait to finish it and wear the lusciousness!

Orphaned Sandals

To enter the June Capsule Challenge officially, I needed to post my picture of my orphan item. I'm a little late with it, but I finally got the photo off of my camera! Here is my orphan:

And the fabric:

Yes, I know it's the same fabric I used for the JCC last year, but it's what I have, and buying more fabric is just not in the cards this summer. Besides, the items I sewed last year aren't even in my closet anymore! I've lost a fair bit of weight this past year, and I really need new clothes!

Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to sew. I know a few things right off the bat, because of what I need. I need tops, badly. So I'm leaning toward three of those, and one bottoms. Obviously my orphan is my accessory. I think that's how it works when your orphan is a pair of shoes. The question is what patterns am I going to sew? I'm also using patterns I already own, rather than buying any. Since the goal is to sew with a plan, I intend to make my fashion board prior to starting. Ok, I had actually intended to get all the planning finished this weekend, BEFORE the contest began, but that is not what happened. With any luck, I'll be planned and sewing before this weekend, but I never can be too sure about these things.

I mean, what pants pattern is going to look good in lime green? And it has to be pants, because I have more than enough skirts. I even have skirts that will match this capsule, once it's done. Then again, I do have a softer green lightweight suiting, which could work quite nicely for pants, but that would be a totally different capsule, wouldn't it? Yep, more planning is definitely needed.

JCC 09

Hard to believe that six months have passed! It's been crazy, and hectic, and I sewed not a thing for the SWAP. That makes me sad, but obviously it was not meant to be. The good news is, it is once again time for the June Capsule Challenge. I participated in this challenge last year and loved it. Maybe short and sweet is more my style. And once again, like last year, I'm in desperate need for some summer clothing.

The rules for the challenge are much like last year. The capsule must have four coordinating garments plus one accessory. One of the pieces can be previous made, or purchased. The "twist" in the contest this year is that one of the pieces must be an orphan in our closet. That means a garment, or accessory that we have hanging around, that just never gets worn, for lack of something to wear it with. Fun!

After a quick search of my summer wardrobe, I don't really have any clothing orphans, but I did find those sandals I bought last year, and have never worn! Why don't I wear those sandals?! Lo and behold, I have found my orphan. Now I just need to plan my capsule.

May is looking a bit frantically busy. Hopefully the busy won't spill into June, too! I've got a capsule to sew!

The Votes are In

And the winner is.... ME!!!

My camisole won second place for best garment!!! I'm thrilled, and tickled, and excited, and pleased, and proud! THANK YOU everyone who voted for me!!

For anyone interested in seeing the entries they are here. And the first place winner in all three categories (Best Capsule, Best Garment, Best Accessory).

JCC Finished

I've sent in my entry. That's it. I'm done. Finished! And what an amazing accomplishment it's been for me, too! Because I've got a stress fracture in my clavicle, I had to call it without doing the dress. I'm a little bummed about that. My capsule is still great, however, and I've done more sewing this month than I have in YEARS! Since the rules of the contest allowed one item to be purchased, I finished up my capsule with a skirt I bought to fit into my Limeade wardrobe.

Limeade

A capsule that is all about staying cool in temperatures that are over 110F. The vintage style camisole with hand crocheted lace and lime ribbon accents compliments the cool shorts in both white and a lime print. A purchased skirt can take this capsule out to dinner, or the desk deli bag can carry lunch on the go, complete with pockets for utensils and even some blue ice.

Patterns and other Info:

• White Camisole: I began the camisole before June, having cut out the handkerchiefs it is made from, and started crocheting the trim. I did all the sewing, and 90% of the crocheting in June. The pattern is from a vintage magazine article which I read at this website.
• Patterned Skirt: The skirt was purchased.
• Both Shorts: McCalls 5010, View C.
• Desk Deli Bag: Pattern is the Desk Deli by Quilts Illustrated

Desk Deli

The Desk Deli, by Quilts Illustrated is designed to be a lunch bag, complete with interior pockets perfectly sized for utensils, blue ice, and anything else one might want to carry with their lunch. I loved this bag pattern when I saw it at the quilt store, and I knew I had to have it. They were sold out, so I even had to wait for them to order more of them! Since time is fast ticking away, I decided to change my accessory from the sun hat, to this bag. For one thing, I think it will sew up faster, for another thing, this pattern has been burning a whole in my brain ever since I bought it. After making the shorts, I had some of the green cherry blossoms fabric left over, and I decided to take a chance that I wouldn't use up too much of the love is fabric, because I wanted to make my bag out of those two fabrics.

I must say, I had a blast making this bag! The pattern is great, the bag is the cutest thing ever. It was my first time using fusible fleece, and I loved the stuff! Such a great way to construct a bag. I want to make one for everyone I know! LOL! And since pictures tell the best stories, here it is.

Shorts

The shorts are done. Nice and quick, just like I expected. I was pretty sure that I was making a tent, but it turns out that they fit quite nicely. I even managed to avoid getting sucked in by the error in the pattern directions. I've got a second pair of shorts already cut out, so I'll probably whip them up, too.

Slow Progress

Progress is slow on the camisole. I've crocheted 26 of the 120 inches of lace I still need. That's a lot of lace!

Half-way through June and I should be half-way through my items, but that is not how it is working out. I still have hope that if I can devote the better part of the next two weeks to sewing, I will still be able to finish. That's a seriously tight schedule to make, though. Five items in ten days? I think I just gave myself an axiety attack!

First of the Lace Edgings

I got the shoulder straps all worked out and attached! That step of the garment has had me slowed down for almost a week now, so I'm quite glad I'm over that part! Now it's all smooth sailing with this camisole. I even finished the first length of the crocheted edging, and got it attached to the bottom of the camisole. Now that my shoulder straps are at the proper length, and attached, I was able to measure the neckline, and the arm holes so I know the lengths I need to crochet for more lace.

More Camisole

I have been stymied on this camisole. I realized there were going to be fitting issues, and fussing issues, and such with the sides and shoulder straps, so once I got to that point, I pretty much stalled out. For days. This is where the good part of this contest kicks in. I can't delay too terribly long, or I'm not going to make my deadline! So today, despite a late hour, I pushed through and forced myself to fiddle with those frackin' shoulder straps.

I discovered quite a few things about this pattern, not the least of which is that I didn't follow directions very well. Granted, this pattern is about as clear as mud. I thought the paragraph in question was for the second method, not the first. I'll adapt. It isn't a critical issue, at least. The pattern doesn't seem to address arm holes at all. Probably because the writer never expected an overweight person to make this thing, so needing wider sides, and a deeper arm hole probably never occurred to them. I have chosen to solve the issue with a judicious use of scissors. There is one issue with the garment I will not be able to fix, and would not have been able to avoid even if I'd known in advance, and that is how wide the shoulder straps are set. If I make this camisole again I will add fabric to the sides so that the shoulder straps don't have to be so far to the outside. In which instance, I'll need four handkerchiefs, instead of three. And more insertion lace. Wow does this thing burn through the insertion lace! I really did use the full eight yards! But it is quite lovely, and it will indeed fit, so I'm pretty excited about that.

I am currently attaching those shoulder straps with hand sewing. It was the only way to keep the join of four different angles of lace looking pretty. I'm doing my best to hide my stiches into the lace pattern itself. Pretty wins over durable. After all, with a camisole this lacy and pretty, those straps aren't going to be under that much stress.

With five pieces to sew, I have set myself a personal goal of getting each piece done in six days. That only leaves me two more to finish this camisole, and she's got a lot of work left to do! Then again, I always knew I might need to set it aside before finishing, since I'm going to need to crochet more lace. Lots more lace.

Beginning the Camisole

I had started this little camisole last year. I loved the concept, bought all the goods, and even started crocheting the lace edging for it. Never finished it. This piece was the first thing I thought of for my capsule, and I was so glad that one item could be made before June, because I'd have felt like I was cheating since I had already cut it out, and had crocheted about half the lace already. (Ok, I thought I had crocheted ALL the lace already, but I was way, way off on that estimate.) Because of the unusual construction of this camisole, I really had no way of knowing if it would even remotely fit me, so I decided to go ahead and sew it now. This way, if it doesn't fit me, I haven't lost time in June, and I can come up with another top for my capsule. Perfect, right?

Enough of the intro, get to sewing already! This camisole is a handerchief cami. Literally. You take three handkerchiefs and cut them into triangles. You sew insertion lace everywhere imaginable, edge it with lace that you can run a ribbon through, and voila, an amazingly pretty camisole. I found the pattern online when I was researching Edwardian undergarments. I really love the super lacy loveliness of Edwardian camisoles, and I originally wanted to make it as part of a costume for a convention I was scheduled to go to. When the trip was cancelled, I stopped working on the camisole.

It took me a while to figure out what I was supposed to do with all that insertion lace. The diagram isn't terribly clear, and I was getting confused between what was supposed to be insertion lace, and what was supposed to be my edging lace. I decided that the diagram only shows the insertion lace, and it's pretty much everywhere, with the edging lace going on last, and not shown in the diagram. I've never worked with insertion lace before, though the stuff I bought handles more like eyelet than lace, so maybe it still doesn't count.

I am surprised with how pretty it is turning out to be. Since I used rather plain men's handkerchiefs, and I chose a fairly substantial lace insertion, I thought it might miss pretty by a few points, but all that lace really does pay off. It's downright lovely.

The pattern calls for the insertion lace of the front and back diagonals to be cut all in one, but I just could not manage to figure out how long my shoulder straps were going to need to be. So I am going to add them at the end, after the front and back are solid pieces. I would have had to miter the insertion lace at the corner between neckline and shoulder anyway, and it will be easier for me to figure out what the heck is going on with the side seams, and make sure my armpit depth is adequate. So today I added all the lace, to most the edges that call for it. Tomorrow I'll fiddle with those shoulder straps and side seams to see if I can figure out what is going on. Not terribly easy when the garment has as much fullness as it does, and is destined to be gathered by the ribbon lace edging.

First Storyboard

What is my June Capsule challenge going to be? Hmmm. Other contestants are doing these amazing "storyboards" with sketches, and swatches, and patterns. I'm amazed by the skill of these women. I'm nowhere near that good, but the beauty of it is, I don't have to be. I only have to be as good as I am, and I love that. Besides, this will definitely challenge me to do things I'd normally be too lazy to attempt. Like storyboarding my plans before I sew! (Of course, that's rather why it's called Sewing With A Plan!)

I never even had to think twice about what kind of capsule I'm sewing. I need summer clothes. Badly. I need clothes that fit, that I feel pretty in, and that will weather the scorching heat here in my desert town. Since I see that many of the participants in these contests name their collections, I'm debating something like Heat Wave, or Scorching Lace. (That latter will only work if I have a lace theme in all the garments, though, and I'm not sure if I'm going with that.)

Right away I know two of my pieces. That lacy camisole that's been an unfinished object (UFO) in my sewing room for the past year, and the pair of white shorts I've been meaning to make for ages.

I think the only summer weight fabric I have in my meager stash is white muslin. My budget is extremely tight, so I can only buy a minimal number of supplies and materials and I'm thinking patterns and notions need to be the priority there. It needs to fit, after all!

So back to the storyboard thing. I have two items of the four (plus one accessory). One doesn't have a pattern picture, so I get to figure out how to storyboard that one. The other is going to be made out of white muslin, so I get to figure out how to photograph that one. And I need to settle on two more pieces. I'm thinking maybe the lime green dress I bought last month. (Then I might have to call the capsule collection "Limeade". Oh! Oh! I think I like that!) If I can find a good pattern, I'd like to do a sun shirt. Something to keep the sun off my skin, yet not give me heat stroke, but also doesn't make me look frumpy. That's a lot of requirements for one pattern! The real trick is going to be how to keep from looking like I'm wearing a sheet, yet still finish four items in one month!

I just spent a shocking amount of hours creating this storyboard! I had no idea it would be such an involved process! And I still have two items to add!

Sewing a Life into Being

Tonight, in my internet travels, I stumbled across something that has lit a fire in my belly. It's called Sewing with a Plan. I've done some research in the past on how to buy a simple work wardrobe (for saving money), but I never thought to apply the concept to sewing. I've been unhappy with my wardrobe for a long time. My body is a new shape, my tastes have changed, and my lifestyle has different clothing needs than it used to. I've been thinking of a number of things I need to add to my wardrobe, especially for the summer that is fast approaching. I even have a few patterns in my new size. Only a few, though. So when I stumbled upon this idea of sewing with a plan, planning a wardrobe of interchangeable pieces, and sewing them as part of a contest, it was a little like love at first sight.

So I joined a contest. The June Capsule Contest (JCC), which requires the sewing of four coordinated pieces, plus one accessory. There are some other rules involved, just to make it interesting. One piece must be a top, and one must be a bottom. One of the five pieces can be store bought, and one can be made before June. That before June thing isn't much of an option for me, since this contest begins so soon! And nothing can be black. I don't want black for summer-time anyway, so I'm good with that one.

I've surprised myself by jumping into this challenge without really spending much time to consider it. I feel like I'm grabbing a bull by it's horns, and making a stand that something is going to be for me. I'm going to sew My Life into Being. I'm going to have a brand new clothing capsule, it's almost like a whole new wardrobe! (Only a bit smaller.) I already have ideas bouncing in my brain, but that's for a different entry. So wish me luck, and don't call me crazy because I've decided that I'm going to sew most of my clothes this year. And keep coming back, because June is very soon, and I should have lots of sewing updates as I rock this challenge!