When is a SWAP not a SWAP?

Can a SWAP be a SWAP if there was no plan? I guess not. Then it would be a SWA.

I played with the idea of a SWAP or a mini wardrobe for years. But I'm not good at staying with long term sewing projects. Spending weeks on one project held no appeal for me. However, I've managed to make a MWBA : Mini Wardrobe By Accident.

After making my last outfit, I had enough of the black plaid fabric left over to make a skirt using Burda Plus Fashion FW-2008-414. I made the blouse (BWOF 07-08-133) in 2008, but never wore it. I never even moved it out of the closet in the sewing room. I think there was a problem with the pants that were supposed to be worn with it. With two bottom pieces of the same fabric, I had the basis of a mini-wardrobe. I mixed and matched the following patterns:

• Skirt Burda Plus Fashion FW-08-414
• Blouse – BWOF 07-08-133
• Pants – Burda Plus Fashion FW-06-409
• Long Blouse – Burda Plus Fashion SS-07-416
• Knit Top – Vogue 8151
  

If I'd really planned this wardrobe, I might not have chosen these pieces to be worn together. Long blouses are out of my comfort zone.

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I've also made pieces that are well within my comfort zone. I bought the wool blend for the pants without buying coordinating fabric for a top. Fortunately, I was able to find the fabric for the top from Vogue Fabrics by Mail. Both the pants (405D) and the top (404) came from the Fall/Winter 2007 issue of Burda Plus Fashion. This fortunate experience might just encourage me step even further outside of my comfort zone and to buy more pieces that don't coordinate. It is possible to find two fabrics that go together on two different occasions and from two different stores.

I Heart JoMar

I used to be such a snob. I've lived in the Philadelphia area for over 30 years and I never went to JoMar. At one point, there was a JoMar location about a mile and a half away from me and I was too much of a snob to ever go there. But lately, it seemed every sewist I know raved about JoMar. I felt left out because I'd never been there. Actually, I did go once. In the Summer of 2008 I think, I was early for a lunch date so I ran in and out in about 15 minutes – hardly enough time to form an impression.

At the PR Weekend Planning meeting, my colleagues talked about the JoMar in Norristown and I decided to make that location my first "real" visit. I was very pleasantly surprised. I found two really nice pieces for 20% off the regular price. That was 20% off $2.00! $1.60 a yard!!! Even the fabric buyer/department manager complimented my selections. I left with 10 yards and I felt great!



I couldn't wait to try the South Philadelphia location. It was closer to me and I hoped the fabrics and selection were just as good. When I finally I went to the South Philly location I found two more pieces to make a nice summer outfit.


Five yards of fabric and a zipper came to about $11.00! I was so happy I could have cried. There is a down side to JoMar, however. Every roll of fabric is not a gem. As is the case in every fabric store, there are rolls of cheap, ugly fabric, but they can be avoided with careful shopping.

Discovering and loving JoMar is really about changing the way I shop for fabric. I used to believe JoAnn, with it's one-stop shopping, was the only place to buy fabric. When I wanted to sew something, I went to JoAnn, chose a pattern and bought the fabric and notions all in one trip. JoMar is not conducive to that type of shopping because you never know what you will find there. I still buy an occasional piece of fabric from JoAnn, but it's become the exception rather than the rule. Now that I've finally found JoMar, I'm going to take my newly evolved attitude there as much as possible.

Not Sewing for Others

This project reinforced what I already knew: I should never sew for other people - even people I love dearly. I'm just too darn selfish. A few years ago, my nephew, who is a barber and a big fan of the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Lakers asked me to make a barber smock that reflected his fanaticism. I made a smock using Oakland Raiders fabric and he loved it. He wanted an LA Lakers smock, so I gave him vendor web sites, told him to order the fabric and have it shipped to me. He said he would, but of course, he never did. So his mom, my SIL stepped in (two and a half years later) and ordered LA Lakers fabric and planned to surprise him with the brand new barber smock.

One evening, when I was working on the smock, SIL happened to call. I told her I was working on the smock that very moment and I had to order additional fabric because I underestimated the amount needed. I also ordered a 26 inch purple separating zipper because Jo-Ann only had neutral colors and their longest zipper was 22 inches. At no time did I ask her to pay for the cost overruns. As a matter of fact, she wasn't even paying me to make the smock in the first place. Yet, she questioned whether it was really necessary for me to spend money on an extra yard of fabric and a separating zipper. In addition to telling me how to spend my own money, SIL gave me a deadline. She wanted the smock before "March Madness". What the professional Los Angeles Lakers had to do with the March Madness college tournament was beyond me, but I kept my mouth shut.

These trivial little demands might not have bothered most people, but they bothered me. Sewing is the only activity in my life in which I have complete autonomy. I have treasured that autonomy and I won't give it up willingly. I love the attitude expressed by Elaine, "The Selfish Seamstress". Her blog's tag line is "Because I only want to sew stuff if it's for me." I really wish I'd thought of that first because it describes me so perfectly. The Selfish Seamstress actually has sewn for other people, but has dubbed those projects "S.W.A.G." (Sewing with a Grudge) - another sentiment I totally embrace. Yes, I'm acting like a selfish control freak, but what better time and place to indulge my inner selfish control freak than when I'm alone in my sewing room?

Finished: Blouse BPF SS-07-416A & Pants BPF FW-06-409

Long Blouse: Burda Plus Fashion Spring-Summer 07 416A

Burda has shown quite a few "long blouses" in their plus size offerings. I looked at the sites of RTW manufacturers I like (Anne Klein, Jones New York and even Eileen Fisher), to see if any long blouses or tunics were shown. I didn't see any and that should have given me a clue. But Burda has always been touted as being "fashion forward" so I went ahead and made the blouse as designed. After I finished the blouse, I wasn't really sure if I liked the length. I've shortened other Burda longer blouses and I wasn't satisfied with the results so I was apprehensive about moving too far away from the designer's original concept.

The fashion photograph showed the blouse worn open over a cami or tank top with the sleeves rolled up. I made my blouse to be worn in the winter and it isn't likely that I'd roll up the sleeves, so I omitted the button tabs that would have held the rolled up sleeves in place.

I wanted to go in a new direction with this outfit. I realized I was in a deep fashion rut and I wanted to try something different. I chose this pattern because it was unlike anything I've worn.

I bought the fabric on a recent trip to New York's garment district. I'm not sure about the fiber content of the fabric. It pressed very nicely, so I think it's a heavy cotton. I didn't notice any identifying information when I bought it, but I planned to have it dry cleaned just in case.

I enjoyed working on this blouse. The fabric was easy to work with and the pattern had enough design details to keep me interested. But, because of the length, I haven't decided if I like it yet.


Pants: Burda Plus Fashion Fall/Winter 06 - 409

Except for the faux welt pockets and flaps on the back, I could have made these pants in my sleep. In my deep fashion rut, I've made pants like this a gazillion times.










The fabric is a light weight wool. I thought about lining these pants, but I forgot about the lining when I started sewing. This gives me a chance to make a chance to make a pair of pant liners to wear when needed.

I've started extending the hip pocket piece into the fly seam allowance on all the pants I make. There is always a line marked on the pattern piece that says center front, but for some reason I end up with the extension flapping free rather than being caught up in the fly construction.

Since I wasn't entirely happy with the way the long blouse looked by itself, I've considered wearing this outfit with the blouse worn as an over blouse, as it was originally shown in the magazine. The three pieces add more visual interest and serve as a small step out of my fashion rut.

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!

You would think being snowed-in for 48 hours would make it easy to get lots of sewing done. But it hasn't worked out that way. Just knowing I can't get out makes me restless - even though I have no place to go! I can only sew in short spurts before I start pacing from window to window to survey the carnage. It's hard to enjoy sewing knowing this …



… is waiting for me. After a hearty breakfast, I'm out to tackle the shoveling. I'm breaking the job into two segments, front and back, which might take most of the day. I don't plan to get to any sewing today, so this …

… will have to wait.

If You Make Navy Blue Pants …

Lori, of Girls in the Garden, made a very insightful comment on one of my recent blog posts.

Lori said...

Your pants look nice and the welt pocket is fantastic. I like the blouse, sorry you are not happy with it. Your story of wanting navy pants sounds a bit like the book "if you give a mouse a cookie"

Naturally, I loved the compliments on the welt pockets, especially from someone I respect and admire. But she was so right about giving the mouse a cookie I had to laugh!

I made navy blue pants. Then, I needed a blouse to go with the navy blue pants. The blouse I made (BPF SS-2009- 408A) didn't work out. So, I selected another pattern (BWOF 06-07-129).I really liked the fabric, so I ordered more. I didn't like sewing it the first time because it was 100% polyester and really hard to press. The second time was even less fun. Yes, I could have tried to fix the problem, but I HATE alterations. It was easier to make a whole new blouse.

Fabric choice affected the final look of the blouse more than the pattern design. The print fabric obscures the blouse's design details. A side by side comparison of the two blouses revealed they are almost indistinguishable. I mean, really! I could barely tell the two blouses apart and I made them!

But, I got what a wanted in the first place – navy blue pants. The two nearly identical blouses were a bonus.