A Capsule Wardrobe: Pattern Review 2024 Mini Wardrobe Contest

Two posts in the same week after a three year hiatus. I must be procrastinating, or maybe I feel the need to record my capsule wardrobe ideas to share with my friend Stephanie. As usual in life it is a combination of the two. October has also been a month for catching up and sorting out.

I have been away from my sewing machine for five months doing family things in the UK and despite a great deal of enthusiasm it's proving hard to press the sewing start button. The enthusiasm was ignited by the Sewing Workshop's Sew Confident project for October which is a colour blocked Hong Kong vest. It spawned a whole outfit concept. I needed four colours of wool viscose and I was lucky enough to find the colours I wanted fuchsia, orange, teal/petrol and chartreuse. The chartreuse was easy as I had scraps left over from a previous project. The other three colours I found at New Zealand shops. The only problem is that the teal colour bled and I had put it in a wool wash with the orange and fuchsia fabrics. The fuchsia survived but the orange was damaged irreparably. This accident wasn't a disaster as the orange was a much lighter fabric than the others so now the hunt is on for a similar weight orange fabric which fingers crossed I have found. Just waiting for it to arrive in the post. I've also washed the teal fabric a few more times and even soaked it in a white vinegar and salt solution to try and set the dye. I will wash it once more to double check there is minimal colour bleeding before I use it in the vest.

I am blaming the colour run hiccup on why I haven't started sewing but maybe it was serendipity because I discovered Pattern Review are doing a mini wardrobe contest starting 1 November. I may just be ready on time, although a month later than my planned start for the capsule wardrobe.

The ideas

My sewing friend Stephanie suggested the idea of a capsule wardrobe sewalong and of course anything that gets me down that rabbit hole of planning outfits is a fabulous idea. The plan was to start in October when my sewing machine and I were reunited. I put together a collage of the nine fabrics for my capsule wardrobe in August. At that stage I hadn't decided on which patterns to use but the middle fabric was going to be trousers and set the tone for the capsule.

From top to bottom left to right are a blouse, t-shirt, blouse, Sewing Workshop Eureka top (made), trousers, quilted jacket, blouse, trousers and Sewing Workshop Hong Kong vest.

During my sojourn in the UK I missed the creativity of sewing and bought the Pride and Bloom Liberty organic tana lawn on a visit to Guthrie and Ghani with the intention of hand sewing a Sewing Workshop Eureka top. I did hand sew the bust darts and one shoulder seam then spent a weekend with my friend Cath who also sews and magically the top was sewn on her machine with just the hems to hand sew. One garment down only eight left to sew.

Then I saw a picture of a pair of trousers with different coloured fabric used for each leg, which I thought was a fabulous idea. As I already had doubts about the silk matka fabric being suitable for the focus trousers even though I really want that fabric as trousers my thoughts swiveled in a completely different direction. This alternate direction was cemented by my idea for the colour blocked Hong Kong vest.

The capsule will be based on the four colours in my Hong Kong vest with the emphasis on pink and orange.

The rules

The Pattern Review mini wardrobe contest rules are pretty simple and more importantly I can bend my ideas to fit the rules. The first rule is for all work on the garments to be done between 1 November to 5  December 2024, ie five weeks. Secondly five garments need to be sewn, which have to make at least six distinct outfits with no additional garments added. The wardrobe can be for anybody and any combination of patterns can be used.

I believe I can make at least seven outfits from my five garments maybe even nine but we'll see.

The five garments

1.  Sewing Workshop Hong Kong vest in four wool viscose fabrics

2.  Sewing Workshop Picasso pants in two linen fabrics.

3.  Sewing Workshop Getaway jeans in four cotton drill fabrics

I couldn't find the inspiration picture for the two coloured trousers and ended up doing an internet search which led me to an amazing pair of colour blocked jeans by Loewe from 2022.

These could be tricky because I couldn't find chartreuse cotton drill so I have bought some yellow with the intention of dyeing it using a Dylon Dye pod in olive but maybe forest green. I am hoping the yellow base fabric and a green dye give me a chartreuse colour - good in theory but we'll see how it turns out. I also have to do the pattern work to make the Getaway a wider leg jean and then create the smaller inset leg pieces.

4. Sewing Workshop eTee adapted to a tiered midi dress in a stretch mesh 

I have made a dress like this before but using a non-stretch fabric and the Sewing Workshop Maison top as my starting point with four tiers, each 1½ times wider than the one before and eight inches finished length. The stretch mesh is allegedly a Diane Von Furstenberg fabric.

5. Sewing Workshop Origami blouse in a merino poly blend knit

As you can see the five ideas for my PR mini wardrobe bear no resemblance to my original nine piece capsule wardrobe so let's see if I can complete these five without changing my mind again.

After the five...

Once I have made the five garments for the contest I have many more ideas to add to my capsule wardrobe! I don't feel any pressure to have these made by early December it will be an ongoing project over the next few months (or maybe they will be my second capsule of five!!!).

My original Hong Kong vest outfit concept included this Gardenia blouse in a check cotton shirting which I am thinking of cutting on the bias if there is enough fabric.

Whilst searching through fabric options I found this Kaffe Fassett quilting cotton called Koi Polloi which now wants to become a Sewing Workshop Origami skirt and I think will be great with the Gardenia blouse.

Then as you always need more tops than bottoms there is the eTee in an orange viscose rib knit and the Vogue 2814 Issey Miyake blouse in a cotton knit.

And did I mention that I want to make a Sewing Workshop Tosca dress in a Liberty tana lawn print called Ziggy because I have quite a few RTW mesh blouses that I could wear underneath.

Plus for when the weather gets colder I am knitting a variation on the Martin Storey Reed cardigan from Rowan magazine issue 74. I started, three times before I was happy, knitting whilst in the UK and I am not that far from the finish line.

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.

Style Arc Palermo Satin Cloud Knit Jacket

This simple jacket jumped many queues to become a finished garment within moments of acquiring both the pattern and the fabric. The plan for the 2020 Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest had already been formulated but I found myself re-thinking the options so this oh so cosy fabric could leap into my wardrobe for a few wears before the temperatures became too high.

The finished garment

Whilst the name of the pattern is the Palermo knit jacket the garment itself is more of a shrug than a jacket. It can be worn as outerwear on a warm sunny day but so far it has been worn as a shrug to snuggle into on a cool Spring day.

Not exactly demonstrating its warmth and cosiness with me squinting into the sun during the photo session, but here I am in my super cosy comfortable shrug not sacrificing style!

The Palermo Satin Cloud knit jacket is worn with the WORLD Pink Mustard Black Stripe Positivity Tee, Megan Nielsen Flint Boyfriend Mustard trousers and Ernest Wyler Keesher Sunflower booties.

The interesting seam lines of the jacket

Whilst it was a relatively simple sew the wrangling of the back hem warranted the use of one of my treasured labels. A gift from a friend they are used sparingly for those oh sew special garments!

The fabric

This wonderful Liberty Linford brushed sweatshirting entered the stash on 3 October 2020. It wasn't quite washed in time to be whisked away for holiday sewing but it was desperate to be made. A true love at first sight fabric. 

Liberty Satin Cloud B Linford Brushed Sweatshirting

This is a 300gsm 100% cotton fabric, one of the new range from Liberty of London at The Fabric Store.

It is described as "an Italian made Liberty cotton sweatshirting from the Linford range. Echoing the billowing pleats of the silk route’s prized flowing silk cloth this delicate Satin Cloud Liberty Fabrics print has cloud-like softness and energy. Linford Fleece is cosy and breathable, with a long-wearing pliability that only gets more comfortable with age. This super cosy fabric has been knitted with a loopback which has been brushed to create a fleece style fabric, super cosy and soft. The printed face of the fabric has a dry, flat texture whereas the reverse is a fuzzy texture in a plain bubblegum pink colour. The print design is made up of tones of clementine, purple and black on a black and pink base. A heavyweight knitted fabric perfect for sweaters, winter dresses, cosy loungewear, children and babies' winter clothes."

The pattern

I knew the Palermo knit jacket pattern had to be part of my collection the moment Style Arc sent me the email back in August announcing the release of the "gorgeously comfortable new discounted Palermo outfit sewing pattern bundle". I did wait until early October to purchase it as neither of the free pattern offerings in August and September appealed. Luckily the October freebie (Wilma woven top) tempted my fancy as the Satin Cloud fabric was desperate to become this jacket.

Style Arc describe the pattern bundle as "perfect if you are taking it easy and looking for ultimate comfort without sacrificing your style. The Palermo Jacket features interesting design lines, that are surprisingly created with only two pattern pieces! The relaxed look contours the neck and sits just below the waist. A shrug style jacket featuring long sleeves, neck hugging collar and interesting design lines."

Suggested fabrics are: sweater knit or any fabric with slight stretch and drape. Yippee for once my fabric choice matches with the designer's suggestion.

The other two patterns in the bundle (Palermo knit pant and Teagan knit top) were not purchased as drop crotch, elastic waist lounge pants have never appealed and I didn't need another basic t-shirt. Although now I have snuggled into my Liberty Linford brushed sweatshirting Palermo jacket I am sorely tempted by the idea of using the fabric for trousers. Luckily I am saved at least for the moment by the fact that we are fast approaching Summer so warm snuggly trousers have less immediate appeal.

The pattern card

The pattern alterations

Absolutely none. I did however sew the size 6 due to its oversized nature rather than my usual size 10 or 12 in Style Arc patterns. The finished garment measurements for the size 6 are bust 47¼ inches; sleeve length 27⅛ inches; centre back length 21½ inches and hem circumference 39¼ inches.

Very oversized garments don't usually suit my shape and I moderate the amount of ease by sewing a smaller size. It is a balancing act to retain the essence of the garment without swamping me.

The sewing

Style Arc class this jacket as an easy make as long as you follow the A, B, C notations - carefully marking them on the fabric. I would agree with this assessment. The seams were sewn up on the overlocker in no time. Up until this point the most time consuming part was changing the overlocker threads. With the high contrast between the the pink fleecy inside and the black exterior I overlocked the outer garment edges in black to finish them. Then for the seams changed to pink thread in the upper and lower looper and right needle with the left needle staying threaded with black thread to match the fabric right side.

Four thread pink overlocked seam - left needle threaded with black

The Style Arc instructions with their informative little diagrams were more than adequate for sewing up this knit jacket. The A, B and C notations were clearly illustrated and easy to associate with the markings on the garment. As my fabric was fluffy I snipped the fabric at the A, B and C points.

There were three instances where I didn't follow the instructions:

• After the side seam was sewn I sewed the centre back collar seam together. Then I folded the sleeves in half and sewed from the right sleeve hem up the arm, round the back neck edge down the left arm to the hem in one continuous seam.
• When I attached the shawl collar to the back neck edge I didn't sew in the facing. The entire facing (front opening and collar) were hand catch stitched in place at the end with the hem.
• Hem depth was increased for sleeves and garment body

Once the seams were sewn the sleeve hem was turned up 1½ inches instead of the ¾ inches allowed in the pattern. This deeper hem was perfectly accommodated within the width of the sleeve and made the sleeve length appropriate for my arms! The hem was hand catch stitched in place.

The sewing machine made a fleeting appearance to sew the facing to the garment body at the hem right sides of the fabric together with a 1 inch seam allowance to match the hem depth. The garment was then turned right sides out without trimming the seam allowance to make a sharp square corner a la Louise Cutting.

The hem was turned up 1 inch not the ⅜ suggested. Whilst I think it is better with this deeper hem it did cause the only problem I had when sewing this jacket. With the curvature of the design the hem would not lay flat at the side seam so I ended up cutting a strip of fabric as a hem facing for the back hem only. At the folded fabric edge the back hem is 16⅝ inches wide and the top of the hem is 1 inch wider at 17⅝ inches. This is clearly an improvisation at the end because the hem edge has pink thread overlocking not the black used for the other edges.

Improvised back hem facing

The styling

Whilst my entry for the 2020 PR Wardrobe Competition may never see the light of day as I have sewn only four of the ten necessary garments, the Palermo Satin Cloud knit jacket fits perfectly into another PR competition currently running - Warm and Cosy. This competition was discovered by accident when looking to find out the closing date for the Wardrobe Competition.

Luckily the rules were simple, requiring:

• the garment to be sewn in the month of October 🗹
• it to be something you can wear or use at home (no outerwear) 🗹
• take part in the contest discussion (well I registered my interest on page 34 of the discussion thread!)  🗹
• a review to be written that illustrates how my jacket is warm and cosy, with at least two photographs (and they don't need the garment to be shown on a person) 🗹
• contest entry to be before 11.59 EST on 31 October (hopefully fingers crossed)

I do curl up on the sofa like this next to the log burner but have to confess that this is very much a staged picture because it was a warm gorgeously sunny day when the photograph was taken. If we had taken the photograph a day later the log burner would have been roaring away keeping us toasty warm. Such are the vagaries of Spring.

At least I am not wearing sandals as I was when we took pictures of me wearing one of my other wardrobe contest items.

Left: Palermo Satin Cloud jacket; V8710 KT Happy Flowers top; Megan Nielsen Flint Boyfriend Mustard trousers; Arche Ikhini Yellow sandal

Right: Palermo Satin Cloud jacket; V8710 KT Happy Flowers top; Megan Nielsen Flint Prince Check trousers; United Nude Zink Pop Mid Black booties

Pattern Review Endless Combinations

After failing miserably and not participating in the Stitcher's Guild 2020 SWAP I was tempted by the Pattern Review Endless Combination contest. Given my productivity over the first half of the year the desire to sew nine garments in four and a bit weeks was either ambitious or stupid depending on your view point. At least four needed to be sewn to participate - that was my real goal with everything above four a bonus.

The plan for Endless Combinations is a distraction from the garments cut out and waiting patiently for their turn on the sewing table. As they are left over from my 2019 summer sewing plans it is not too much of a disappointment - there is still time to make them before the start of this Summer.

The official rules

The idea was to build a flexible wardrobe of pieces that go with each other. You start with one garment, and then each subsequent garment you sew must coordinate with the one before.

1. Create and sew an "Endless Combination" wardrobe of at least four items that coordinate in the way described above. (A+B, B+C, C+D). There is no limit to the number of items in your Endless Combination.
2. Any pattern can be used or no pattern at all.
3. Accessories are not allowed as an official “item” but may be sewn/worn for styling purposes.
4. The fabric may be pre-treated (washed) and patterns may be trialled before the contest start date of 1 July but the fabric for the contest garment can't be cut before the contest start date.
5. All entries have to be submitted by 11.59pm Eastern time on 31 July. This should have worked in my favour as that is 3.59pm on 1 August (a Saturday) in New Zealand.

Not discovering the contest thread until 1 July left no opportunity for pattern testing ahead of time.

The original plan

I flitted about between various fabric and pattern options, where was the start and what followed what. Eventually I produced this initial plan but when it came to sewing it required too much brain power and was abandoned (also truth be told new shinier fabric entered the building).

Top row

(a) Top based loosely on the Style Arc Rosie pattern in Reef viscose knit from Drapers Fabrics 

(b) Thread Theory Lazo Trousers in a viscose/silk blend twill from The Fabric Store
(c) V8710 KT top in Lady McElroy Sacred Symbol viscose crepe jersey from Stonemountain & Daughter

Row two

(d) Megan Nielsen Flint trousers in a white/mustard check grey lightweight wool from The Fabric Store
(e) Diane Ericson The French Fold Shrug in an ochre coloured merino knit from The Fabric Store

Row three

(f) Named Kielo Wrap dress in a sheer poly bug print from Drapers Fabric or

     V9243 (OOP) Twirling dress in an ochre merino knit from The Fabric Store

Bottom row
(g) Sew Different Sheer top in Sunset sequins from Stonemountain & Daughter or

      DP Studio LE702 Trompe l'oeil trenchcoat in D&G Sweet Home Italian wool from Marcy Tilton

The (almost) executed plan

The Firebird mohair finally arrived from The Sewing Workshop and turned my plan on its head. The three months it took the fabric to swim across the Pacific ocean is what happens when you order fabric during a pandemic just as borders close and international travel stops.

Top row

(a) Papercut Fjord cardi Firebird mohair wool from The Sewing Workshop (this fabric is still available at Elliott Berman)

(b) V9243 Twirling Firebird dress

(c) Sew Different Sheer top in a paisley cotton lace from Fabric Vision

Middle row

(d) Megan Nielsen Flint trousers in a white/mustard check lightweight wool from The Fabric Store

(e) V8710 KT top in Blue Temptation rib knit from Miss Maude

(f) Megan Nielsen Flint trousers in peggy yellow heavy tencel twill from Miss Maude

Bottom row

(g) Style Arc Rosie top in Lady McElroy Sacred Symbol viscose crepe jersey from Stonemountain & Daughter

(h) Thread Theory Lazo Trousers in a viscose/silk blend twill from The Fabric Store

(i) Style Arc Rosie top in Reef viscose knit from Drapers Fabrics

The pattern cards

Sometimes the Grainline Studio pattern cards are an after thought, and my line drawing of the garment are anything but polished. Yet I have maintained the practice of filling out a pattern card and making notes about alterations etc for each garment sewn. Will report back in a few years as to whether this practice has been useful!!

The finished garments

Eight of the Endless Combination were finished in July but still not entered into the competition for two reasons:

(1) I haven't written reviews for each of the finished garments; and

(2) I don't have photographs of me wearing all of the garment combinations

Even three months later no reviews are written or photographs taken. Instead what I have are the garments in a flat fashion layout.

The seven items in their endless combination

All three of the tops in this endless combination can be worn with either pair of trousers as well as with the Fjord Firebird cardigan, extending the wearing possibilities even further.

Item nine - the Rosie Reef top

The Rosie Reef top was unable to join its friends as an endless combination because item eight the Lazo trousers were not made (and still remain flat fabric). 

The frenetic sewing during July was followed by an extended pause until September and the advent of the Pattern Review 2020 wardrobe contest...