Summer 2013 6PAC Plan

Now that I’ve completed SWAP, I am hooked on the idea of capsule collections. Lucky for me, I’m not the only one. There is a thread on Stitcher’s Guild dedicated to 6-piece collections of basic wardrobe items, complete with seasonal guidelines.

Here are the Summer guidelines:

1. a jacket or cardigan that will set the tone for the whole collection – in neutral
2. a pair of trousers or shorts or a skirt in the same neutral (but not necessarily EXACTLY the same — can vary in shade or texture)
3. another bottom in the second color
4. an underlayer top in the neutral
5. an underlayer top in the color
6. an overlayer top in a linking print or in the color

Here’s my plan based on a combination of these guidelines and what I need/want in my closet. Though, the only pieces I’m set on doing are the white top, white jeans, and navy jeans.  The navy top will happen, but possibly in a different pattern, and I’m not sold on either of the jackets. I made a muslin of M5668 last week, and didn’t love the fit. I think I may need to go down a size (or two). The jacket may just be too boxy for my tastes. I seem to be drawn to more fitted silhouettes lately.

I started with the white Simplicity 1613 top. After cutting all of the pieces out, I felt like it was a jigsaw puzzle that was in no way ever going to come together. It took far longer than I care to admit to figure out how the pieces worked, even though the instructions are long and full of pictures. Finally, I stopped thinking about it and just did what the directions were telling me to. Of course, that worked just fine the first time. I have the front neck detail sewn, and am now veering from the instructions to flat-set the sleeves. I hope to finish this in the next few days.

SWAP 2013: Sunset on the Beach

I have officially completed Artisans Square/Stitchers Guild SWAP 2013. Sewing has been done for several weeks. Photos were submitted two days ago. For background on SWAP, see my previous post or Stitcher’s Guild.

I am calling my 2013 SWAP “Sunset on the Beach.” The first collection was inspired by the colors of sunset while the second collection was inspired by colors seen on the beach. Combined, you get “Sunset on the Beach.” Both collections are meant to be casual/dressy casual.

My linking piece is a black ponte knit jacket that works with both colorways, inspired by White House Black Market’s tiered ruffle jacket. I started with Simplicity 1919 and redrafted the front pieces to fit the stand collar and ruffle lines.

Sunset collection consists of:

• Red skinny jeans, modified from my self-drafted jeans pattern in a lightweight stretch denim
• Jeans from my self-drafted jeans pattern in a medium blue stretch denim with dark red topstitching and embroidered back pockets to fit with the colors of the sunset theme
• A red knit top, made with Hot Patterns Festival Fringe, a free pattern on fabric.com, although I didn’t follow the instructions and sewed the scarf piece on differently to hid the raw edges
• A multi-color floral smocked ITY print top, made with New Look 6735, without the neckband
• A modified purchased multicolor variegated tank top that I cut apart, then used like fabric using the main pieces from New Look 6735

Beach collection includes:

• A black ponte knit skirt, Butterick 5566 in a black ponte knit (same as the linking jacket). I eliminated the zipper and used an elastic faced waistband.
• A polka dot elastic waist skirt, self-drafted (if it even counts as drafting – I cut a piece of elastic the size of my waist and sewed fabric to it without even measuring the fabric)
• A white lightweight knit top, made from Hot Patterns Festival Fringe, a free pattern on fabric.com, without the scarf detail. I added a hand-tacked rope of twisted fabric to give the neckline more visual interest.
• A sand colored top in a smocked-look knit that really had very little stretch to it, made again with a neckband-less New Look 6735
• A missoni-esque variegated sweater-type knit top in shades of blue and green, made with New Look 6735