Inspiration Part Two: Sweaters & Skirts

Considering that I'm leaving Wednesday and working all day today and tomorrow, I didn't do nearly enough packing on the weekend. Oh well - at least I have things well planned, know what I'm sewing, and have the pieces cut out AND... I found all the parts in stash. YES YES!




The floral zebra print is a light weight cotton bought in the bargain center last September when Sarah was visiting. We both bought some thinking it would be fun to see what the other made with it. Since I'm only using a small amount for the bodice and sleeves, I'll have enough left for another garment. The check fabric is for the waistband and the green for a sash. The dark blue is a slightly stretchy, light weight denim that I've used for several projects already. It will be all gone after this which is unfortunate since I love it. Hopefully, I'll see something similar while away.




Inspired by Anthropologie's Blooming Goldenrod dress, I'm combining Pattern Master Boutique (PMB) pattern pieces with Vogue pattern pieces for my version. It will have the same PMB bodice used for my interpretation of Vogue 8667 shown last week and a PMB back skirt with two darts and a vent along with the front skirt, neckline shape, and three quarter sleeves from Vogue 8511. I'll cut two strips of the green and seam them together to make the sash.

I'm taking two projects to work on. The second one is a sweater which I'll tell you about in a minute. First, below are the skirts and sweaters that I noted last week when looking at the Anthropologie site. I didn't single out very many because most of their current styles are loose and slouchy. I wonder if that will change for the fall or if it's a younger trend. If you click through to this slide show of Jason Wu's fall 2011 collection, most of the garments are fitted and quite modest. There's no excessively short or deeply plunging anything which is a really nice change. I liked a lot of the pieces.




The style of this skirt - Shaded Glory - $88.00 - is very similar to the bottom of the Vogue 8511 dress. I've been wearing more of this style lately as it seems to flatter my figure. It's feels good in winter with tights but not in summer with bare legs. Then I feel far too naked which is how the short flared skirt of the Vogue 8667 dress felt when I wore it on Friday. Even though it was comfortable, not too tight once worn, and received lots of compliments, I'd want something longer for summer especially with bare legs but not...




... as long as the Seamingly Maxi - $98.00. The drape on this skirt is fabulous. There's a black version as well. I prefer the black to the skewed look of the stripes. It's pull on, made from modal spandex. I imagine it would be quite comfortable and feminine at the same time. It's along the lines of my favourite style.




The Windswept Prairie - $198.00 - looked like the kind of project that Shams at Communing With Fabric would enjoy drafting and sewing. She's incredibly creative and sews detailed clothing. I'm not sure how it would work with my hips but I think it would be fun to sew.

The Stitched Acres - $128.00 - sweater is what I meant by slouchy. I didn't like this sweater. I liked the inspiration of the different knits used together and the curve of the hemline. In stash, I have quite a few textures of grey knit. Thoughts are brewing for combining them.

Organic Chemistry - $248.00 - wasn't a favourite either. Again, it was inspirational. What I liked is the jacket shaping sewn with knits. The tailored structure of a jacket doesn't seem to match my fashion personality. If I sew or buy one, I never wear it. Something softer like this - more than a sweater and less than jacket - could work well.

I took this sweater picture last November when I was snoop shopping at a local store. What I liked ...

... was the lace overlay with the knit. It was feminine without being too fluffy. For my second project...

... I picked a black, medium weight, t-shirt knit and a ribbon overlay. I haven't decided whether I'll buy purchased ribbing, make it from the knit, or knit it from yarn. All three choices would work.

The ribbon overlay is a meter that I picked up last September at the bargain center in Chilliwack. That's all they had for $2.50. I remember it being on the floor for somewhere around thirty so it was a tremendous savings. The amount that I'll need is basically a yoke so there will be more left for another project. For this project, I'm thinking of a short sweater, perhaps an inch or so below waist length, with a longer ribbed section at the bottom starting just below the bust near the empire seam line. I haven't quite decided but I have all the parts and pieces AND...

... if somehow by magic I actually get all that sewn, there is enough of the black knit to make a t-shirt as well as a meter of a black chiffon for some ribbon roses around the neckline. OH... I'll take some beads too... just in case.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - deciding on what I'm taking and having all the supplies in stash