2023 Capsule Wardrobe SewalongWelcome to the Capsule Wardrobe Sewalong, I will provide some guidelines which I've found helpful in my past wardrobe sewing which you can follow if you wish, but as this is a Sewalong and not a competition they are not rules you need to follow if they don't work for you.
I first came across the concept of sewing a co-ordinated wardrobe through the SWAP (Sewing With a Plan) contest which at that time was running on the now defunct Stitchers Guild. In previous years the SWAP contest was on Sewing World and Timmel Fabrics site, but originally stemmed from a series of articles in Australian Stitches. Someone read the article and started chatting about the concept, and the contest was born.
https://swap-sewingwithaplan.blogspot.com/search/label/perfect%20WardrobeThis year would have been the 20th year of the SWAP contest, but times and styles have changed and the appetite seems to have been somewhat lost for sewing 11 garments. However the idea of being able to mix and match the clothes in your wardrobe is still very relevant (and how I still sew) so here's an opportunity to sew along!
Guidelines1. Create a plan for your capsule wardrobe. Take into account your lifestyle, weather, preferred styles and colours. Choose 1 or 2 neutrals and one accent colour, choose a maximum of one print which incorporates those colours.
As this is a Sewalong previously sewn or purchased items of clothing can be included.
Decide how many pieces to have in your capsule, 3, 6 or more can work well.
Timeframe: aim to sew the first 3 pieces in February and the second 3 pieces in March, but as this is a sewalong you can be as quick or slow as you wish.
Items can be sewn, knitted, crocheted, upcycled, previously made or purchased (new or thrifted).
You can make any type of garment or accessory you need in your wardrobe.
Be aware of your available sewing time and skill level and choose projects to suit, I always like to push myself enough to have a bit of challenge without getting overwhelmed.
Please discuss your plans, ask questions and share advice. Please be kind and courteous to one another so this is a fun place to be.
ExamplesInspiration: Start with a painting, photo or scarf, which speaks to you. Design a collection which pulls the colours and mood from the inspiration piece.
Lots of ideas for this way of wardrobing on
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/Existing item: You have a pair of purchased trousers in navy with a fine aqua stripe, you sew an aqua top and knit a navy sleeveless sweater. Next you make a denim skirt, an aqua and navy print tee and a navy cardigan. You have a versatile 6 piece collection.
Fabric: You have a print in your stash which would make a great shirt or blouse, so you decide to start with that. Choose the background colour of the print and another colour from the print to get the colour palette for your collection.
With this example print I would have green, white, yellow and coral pink to choose. Perhaps I'd have both a skirt and blouse in this fabric, so a 2 piece dress look. Then add some coral 3/4 length trousers, a purchased white tee, a broderie anglais blouse and a coral wrap cardigan. Oh another 6 piece collection!
Once you've sewn your 6 pieces you can expand it by pulling more co-ordinating pieces from your existing wardrobe or sewing more pieces. Or you can have more pieces on your plan from the start, if that's how you roll.
Q&AQ: Can we work on a muslin before the SWAP/6PAC starts? A: yes, it starts on 1st Feb, but feel free to do a muslin before then.
Q: How do we handle photos and our plan details? Do we just post in this thread?
A: For interaction with others, its best to post on this thread. If you want to also keep a record of your progress you could start a diary over in Members Diaries. You can upload photos directly to TSP or link from a blog or photo site, either in this thread or your own diary.
Q: can the things made in SWAP also be put into the competitions?
A: yes!
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