Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest 2020 Unfinished

Why do I always disappear down the rabbit hole of wardrobe contests? So far I have never managed to put together sufficient garments within the timeframe to enter one so why am I fascinated by them? Maybe it is the rules that make me want to join in. They always seem so simple - my creative juices start whirring, fabric and patterns flashing across the mind and then... No sewing.

The problem this time wasn't no sewing it was unfocused sewing. At the end of two months I had five out of the ten required garments sewn, plus a few other things that weren't part of the plan.

So is it just the planning that appeals? Capsule wardrobes fit in with my lifestyle and I have long since given up making or buying orphan pieces. The Endless Combination competition was the closest I have ever come to an entry, even had enough finished garments - close but still no cigar.

With the Endless Combinations plan my downfall was not having pictures of the finished garments. This time I took pictures of the wardrobe combinations as the garments were finished, unfortunately this is pretty much the wardrobe - not quite ten finished garments.

The ideas

The changing seasons, a wardrobe contest, great rules - ooo lets put a wardrobe plan together or three.

Wardrobe plan version 3

Wardrobe plan version two

Wardrobe plan version one

Plan one was based on the Prince of Wales check trousers sewn over the weekend of 19/20 September. As well as the black and white there are stripes of red, purple and green. I was also really keen to sew another version of Vogue 1836 the Issey Miyake coat this time in a shocking pink waterproof fabric. The other fabrics were chosen from this starting point.

Then the Cone Mills Loomstate mustard yellow denim arrived and I couldn't wait to sew that so out went the DP Le309 Boyish trousers in a pink alphabet stretch cotton. The Liberty Satin Cloud Linford brushed sweatshirting replaced Vogue 1836. There wasn't enough of the bright flowers fabric to make the Tom and Linda Platt Vogue 1348 dress (more is on its way) and so it went on until I ended up with version three.

The rules

The contest was discovered on the weekend of 19 September so rule 5 was a non-starter but for the others lets get planning and sewing.

1. Between 15 September and 15 November sew ten unique garments (a topper, two bottoms, two tops, an accessory, plus four other garments which can be any of the former but no more than two dresses and/or one additional accessory) 
2. Everything must be sewn by machine or hand; using any pattern (or no pattern)
3. Everything must form a cohesive wardrobe ie each top must look good worm with each bottom; the topper must be able to worn over each top and go with each top, bottom or dress
4. The wardrobe must be sewn for a human (adult or child) no pet or doll wardrobes!
5. Fabric may be pre-treated before the contest start and patterns muslined but no fabric can be cut prior to the start
6. A review needs to be written for each item sewn with at least two pictures plus a composite review linking all of the individual reviews and including a photo of all the combinations

The topper

Instead of Vogue 1836 the Issey Miyake raincoat the topper ended up being Style Arc's Palermo jacket in a Liberty of London fabric (Satin Cloud Linford brushed sweatshirting). The pattern and fabric entered my stash at the beginning of October and were made in time to be entered into the Pattern Review Warm and Cosy competition. Not only did I manage to write a blog post about making this shrug I also wrote the required review and competition entry on Pattern Review. A miracle!! 

This has to be one of the quickest garments to sew and I can see many more in my future.

Style Arc Palermo jacket and Liberty Satin Cloud B Linford Brushed Sweatshirting

The bottoms

Both pairs of trousers were made using the Megan Nielsen Flint pattern. This has become my go to trouser pattern and has been made too many times to remember. These latest versions of the pattern have been changed to a fly front zipper. One day they may get a blog post of their own to explain the various pattern changes made to alter the style.

The style for the Cone Mills Loomstate mustard denim is based on a pair of ready to wear boyfried(ish) trousers that get worn a lot. My intention originally was to make the DP Le309 Boyish trousers but they were much wider in the leg than my RTW pair so Megan Nielsen Flint trousers were adapted to my vision. The smile lines over my tummy didn't appear until I stitched the waistband facing down and as it is generally covered by a t-shirt I decided not to unpick and fix it, especially as it would have required the removal of the belt loops too.

Megan Nielsen Flint trousers and Cone Mills Loomstate mustard 9.5oz denim

The fabric for the Prince of Wales check version of the Megan Nielsen Flint trousers was bought from House of Fraser on Oxford Street in London way back in the late 1980's. I was just about to graduate from university and needed some smart work clothes. Enough fabric was purchased for a jacket and skirt which never saw the light of day. The fabric made the long sea voyage to New Zealand inside the shipping container with our other worldly possessions, has survived many fabric culls and finally became a finished garment. I love these trousers, really have to make a conscious effort not to wear them to work every week.

Megan Nielsen Flint trousers and Prince of Wales Check fabric

The dress

This Sun Daisy Liberty tana lawn has been on my list of must sew since last summer. I originally purchased two metres of fabric to make a sheath dress then decided I really wanted another Lynn Mizono Vogue 1410 dress. Unfortunately there was not enough fabric and Liberty had sold out. Some weeks later when the summer sale came along so did this fabric and I was able to buy another two metres. Once the dress is made I need to decide what to do with the left overs!

Vogue 1410 and Liberty Sun Daisy Yellow Tana Lawn

I am hoping that this merino knit is stable enough to be successfully made into Vogue 9243 The Twirling Dress. I love this pattern and in the last year have made a midi and knee length version. This ochre merino knit from The Fabric Store will be made into the midi version. A versatile addition to my wardrobe.

Vogue 9243 and Ochre 180gsm Premium Merino

The tops

First the only top that actually got made. Yep another version of Vogue 8710 and there will be more. I already have the ochre coloured merino version (part of this wardrobe plan) cut out although it might be Christmas before it is sewn as there are other more pressing things to occupy my sewing time now.

The Happy Flowers fabric came from eQuilter and it too spent minimal time in the stash before becoming a finished top. I took this and the ochre merino away with us in October and whilst I took the pattern envelope my traced off version of the top was missing. So this version is made from a new tracing of the pattern with a two inch full bust adjustment. The last version I made had a 2½" FBA but seemed a bit big. In hindsight think I should have stuck with the 2½" FBA.

Vogue 8710 and Happy Place Flowers Cotton Jersey Knit

And here are the other ideas that didn't come to fruition, even though I am desperate to make both the Style Arc Georgia Peplum and Oki Style Sine tops.

Style Arc Georgia Peplum top and Prince of Wales Check fabric

Oki Style Sine top and Middle East Animal Print Rayon Lawn

Vogue 8710 and Ochre 180gsm Premium Merino

The accessory

The idea of an accessory being a must have component of the wardrobe was especially motivating as I was keen to make an Arden shawl carefully explained in Silhouette Patterns Let's Sew Episode 175.

No pattern Arden Shawl and Ochre 180gsm Premium Merino

I will do a full blog post on the making of the Arden shawl once I have made another one. This first version made using the measurements Peggy gave is much smaller than the inspiration version. As I am never likely to find The Row's Arden Shawl in a shop in New Zealand I have spent lots of time measuring the picture to try and work out what the measurements need to be for me to get the same look. Luckily this ochre coloured merino is still available at The Fabric Store and I was able to purchase another piece for my next version of the Arden shawl.

The extra fabrics

As always when I start doing a wardrobe plan I have lots of other fabrics that didn't quite make the final top 10 but could be made over the Summer months or stored in their plastic boxes for a few more years.