Creates Sew Slow: September 2020

Monday 21 September 2020

Dreaming of travel - Stitcher's Guild Sunset SWAP

Once I caught up with the Stitcher's Guild SWAP 2020 rules late last year I began playing with a plan of my own. The ideas were all over the place and whilst I had an inspiration photograph and fabrics to execute it deciding on which patterns to sew with which fabric was elusive. The other fly in the ointment was that in the first half of this year whilst I made ten garments they were chosen based on ease of sewing rather than my SWAP plan. So all in all, despite being very enthusiastic about this years rules, it was a very feeble attempt at participating

The SWAP rules

The Stitcher's Guild SWAP 2020 rules were simple and very achievable. You had to make eleven pieces, in two groups:

nine or ten that may coordinate (be worn together) to form outfits
one (if you make ten) or two (if you make nine) that MUST coordinate with all of the others
no required garments
no required colours
one garment could be knitted, crocheted, or handwoven
one garment may have been sewn before the SWAP rules were announced on 29 October 2019 plus one RTW garment (or two pre-sewn garments)
one garment may be included that was sewn after the rules were announced but before SWAP officially started on December 26
one garment to include a technique that stretches your skill set and is something you have been wanting to learn
all garments to be finished by 30 April 2020 (later revised to 30 June 2020)

There were supposed to be two overseas trips this year one back to England to visit family and the other a creative sewing trip to the Design Outside the Lines retreat in Ashland Oregon then on to the International Quilt Festival in Houston. As usually happens with thoughts of travel for me I wanted to sew some new clothes for the travel wardrobe. Then as travel fell off the list of things you could do and 2020 became the year of staying at home sewing to a plan became elusive.

The SWAP intentions

There were many ideas for inspiration with Diary of a Sewing Fanatic back in mid March posting about a Chico's advert for twelve pieces to make twenty-four outfits and Fit 2 Stitch series 700 being about making nine garments for a complete wardrobe. The potential fabrics were even curated into a plastic tub so the ideas could ferment.

However, nothing could compensate for the lack of focused sewing and the SWAP remains a work in progress.

My eleven piece Sunset SWAP wardrobe

My plan was for five tops, two dresses, two pairs of trousers, a jacket and a coat. Both the jacket and the coat went with everything. The Centre for Pattern Design Smaller dress was the garment to stretch my skill set, as it was based on subtraction cutting a technique I had been wanting to try for some time. My Morse Dot Sun top was the item sewn before the rules were announced (finished way back in 2017) and I included the Untouched World Weekend jacket as my ready to wear item. Not required by the rules but all of the tops would go with either pair of trousers.

I managed to make four versions of the Katherine Tilton V8710 top and the Swing dress #4000 from Silhouette Patterns before 30 June; with the Megan Nielsen Flint trousers made at the beginning of July. Three of the garments remain unmade.

The SWAP mini travel wardrobe

The Sunset SWAP, with a few additions, did however become a mini travel wardrobe.

So what did I take besides the four finished tops?

Top row: This is the ready to wear section! Moochi black Puffed coat; Untouched World Ecopossum Weekend jacket in colourway Kowhai; Untouched World black Pure Skinny jean; and Andrea Moore black Boyfriend jean

Second row: V9243 Twirling Rebecca Taylor dress; Sew Different Sheer Fly Birdie Fly top; Silhouette Patterns #4000 Swing Dottie dress; and B6232 Morse Dot Sun top

Third row: Four Katherine Tilton V8710 tops - Busy City; Dreams of Summer; Fall Blues; and Little Mustard Stripe

Bottom row: The accessories - Uashmama dark grey Mini Bag; Ernest Wyler Keesha boots in Sunflower; and Ivy Lee Courtney flats in Yellow Faux Python

Outfits of the day

A miracle occurred and I managed to take an outfit of the day picture every day we were away.

Okari Lagoon

X marks the spot!

By the end of May we were quite keen to take our postponed Easter break and just laze by the sea. As this trip was about relaxation rather than frenetic sight seeing (and we drove to our destination) I took my overlocker as well as the Singer Featherweight. Both of which were used. This was my opportunity to make the Silhouette Patterns Swing Dottie dress (and then wear it), as well as finish Silhouette Patterns Lana's wine metallic linen jeans started in Easter 2019 whilst we were away in Northland. It seemed appropriate to take them with me to finish sewing them on our Easter 2020 trip even though it was postponed until May.

Our most strenuous activity was walking on the beach and talking pictures of the view.