Announcing: June Capsule Contest

[CarolTrendall]

I am so slow!  I've got my jacket constructed but I'm wrestling with the collar.  I've prepared the paper pattern for my skirt - shortened it to the length I prefer and redrawn some of the curved pattern pieces, but I haven't cut the fabric.  I haven't even traced off the BWOF top yet nor prewashed the fabric.  The dress will need a muslin, so I need to trace a pattern off .... and it's already June11.  Instead of sewing for the capsule this past long weekend I spent most of it standing in the rain feeding trees into a chipper, so tonight I am going into my sewing room, lighting the fire and locking the door!  I'm not coming out until I have a finished garment.

Robin, I love the idea of ongoing capsule competitions.  This one has me thinking clearly about what thing to do next and not rushing off to sew something else for a quick fix.

Ann, the pink and teal fabric in your blouse looks even better made up than it did on its own.  I really love the print.  

You are all so inspiring and I hope I will have something solid to share with you in a day or two!

[Brenda]

I'm working on my cotton twill skirt today. I cut it yesterday. I think it's becoming a wearable muslin! I needed to cut 8 of the skirt section, and wouldn't you know, despite my premeasuring, I had to piece the last one, and then when I'm sewing them together today, I realizing I am spacially concept challenged as my joining seam is on the outside!!! So I'm topstitching to make it blend!!!

I sew on!

(Finished a capsule on weekend sewing???!!! Oh my, I am green with envy at that speed!)

[kiltsnquilts]

KarenD, I hear you on re-reading your own posts - sometimes I wonder how anyone manages to read to the end of my waffling 

Glad they do though

[heatherbelle]

Well I am still not making much progress at the moment, but that is because I am all over the place in my sewing at the moment. I have completed the following non-capsule items:

1. Gorgeous Ottobre magazine trousers for my son - they are basically wide-leg sweatpants with a snazzy striped trim on the side seams and pockets - I have nearly finihsed a top for him in the trim fabric - actually maybe I will do a capsule for him! I have tons of the striped fabric, it is a top quality dark navy/light grey blue striped merino knit that was sold off very cheaply because of occasional red dye marks on it.
2. Farbenmix "Anna" wrap dress for my daughter which is a fabulous pattern.

Actually, that's not much now that I have typed it out. Oh well - and I have just started my first full-size quilt, which is consuming a lot of my time. I have no idea what I will do when it comes to actually quilting the thing but I should manage. I have lots of books to help me and my nice new sewing machine. It is a pretty quilt for my daughter of white and floral nine-patch blocks alternated with flower applique blocks, and applique butterflies in the corners.

Miranda, love your stuff - the KS3098 skirt is in my capsule in a dark blue denim too, but without the pockets (my tummy makes pockets like that look terrible).

Ann, the blouse is just beautiful and looks wonderful with that lovely skirt.

Elizabeth, you must make that dress! It is so cool! I can see from your lovely shirt you made and that dress pattern that we have very different shapes and styles, I would love to wear them but I would look like a moose in them...

RuthC, the watermelon combo is inspired - I just love that top and skirt! Every now and then for the last couple of years I have looked at that Vogue pattern and wondered if it would work on me. I love the way it looks on you.

Peachykeeen, have you tried the Jalie 2107 boys & mens shorts and trousers pattern yet? it is next on my list to try for both my son and husband.

Happy sewing all, Heather.

[miranda]

Hi everyone

Thanks for your kind comments about my new clothes.  I have worn them both and love them!

Heather, isn't this the second pattern that we're both making for this capsule?  (Simplicity 4076?)  It will be fun to see how both outfits turn out!  The pockets nearly didn't make it onto this garment because I never wear tops tucked in and therefore noone will ever see the detail, but I have made a new resolution that all bottoms and dresses must have pockets, as I'm trying not to always carry a handbag.

Bye
Miranda

[heatherbelle]

Well, I am an AWFUL eejit as they say. I just realised that the knit print fabric I swapped into my capsule on an impulse has a lot of black in it so I have deletd the updated storyboard from the group. This is okay because I actually don't like the fabric that much, it is as stiff as a board and I like a knit with a bit more drape. Things are not going that well here when it comes to sewing for me, I think I might really do a storyboard for my son and sew a capsule for him!

[Ms. Fine Fabrics]

Well, I have my first piece started - I am letting the fabric speak. First steps, with questions about how I go from here are on my blog. http://msfinefabrics.blogspot.com/2008/06/i-rarely-draft-my-own-patterns-and.html Any input as to how to handle that curved side seam would be greatly appreciated. I think it will work best if I break the rules and keep the back half of the seam straight. I think if I run a matching curve, it will dip in, the opposite of what I want. I am having trouble visualizing what will happen.Of course, this will be solved when I drape the back half muslin, but it is really annoying not to be able to visualize what is going to happen. I usually can.

[sdBev]

...
I'm an unsure, still learning basics sewist so I tend to do things in a time-consuming way. I even buy inexpensive fabrics (1 or 2$ a meter) to use for "samples" techniques I don't master. In the not so far past I made "prototypes" ..

I consider myself an advanced sewist and I still do those samples.  I learned long ago that taking the scraps of your project and trying out the planned technique was a sure-fire method for success.  I still test stitch every stitch I intend to use before actually using it on my project.  I learned this method from other sewists whom I deeply admired.  So don't apologize, feel guilty or demean your chosen method in any way.  You're following the example of some of the finest people I've known.

[sdBev]

I have some ideas for a Fall contest:

"What I Need Right Now"  This could be an upcoming party, a pair of jeans, an outfit for work, a bathrobe.  One garment, but whatever is really needed.

"Sewn From My Stash"

"UFO Finally Finished."



What do you think?

I like all the above.  Maybe we could do one a month? 

[peachykeeeeen]

Peachykeeen, have you tried the Jalie 2107 boys & mens shorts and trousers pattern yet? it is next on my list to try for both my son and husband.

Heather, I haven't tried that Jalie pattern. I only have two Jalie patterns and I haven't (sadly) done much with either of them. I have practically their entire collection on my wish list though!! There is also a Burda pattern that I liked and had a lot of the interesting cargo short details that hubby likes in RTW. I can't remember the pattern number off the top of my head and I'm too tired to look it up (it's 10pm here and about my bedtime).

I did manage to get a picture of the new baby bowling shirt:


It's Simplicity 3852 and I took the baby romper pattern and cut off the bottom. It makes the perfect baby button-down shirt!! I already made all of the colorblock panels for hubby's shirts a while back and made the colorblocks for the baby shirts to the same proportions. I realized AFTER I put on the buttons that the bottom button is too low. On the other shirts I'm going to redo the button placement so that there isn't a button at the hem. It also looks like the embroidery is lower on one side than the other, but it's really even.

Now can someone tell me why it is that I wait until the last possible minute of the day to log on and check posts? It's SO far past my bedtime it's not even funny!!! It's really hard to concentrate on other people's accomplishments when my eyes are blurry!

[LauraTS]

Cutest bowling shirt ever, peachykeen! 

I finally, finally, got the first item, a dress, from my maybe-capsule cut out. I'm thrilled because it's the first concrete sewing thing I've done in weeks. It's NL 6803 in a white with blue plaid cotton crinkle.

[miranda]

Cute bowling shirt, peachykeen!

What about a competition to add to the capsule we're doing now?  Say, to add garments to have 6 mix and match garments?  I plan to use this capsule as the basis of my plan to get 11 garments to the swap formula.  I may have to drop a top to make the colours work in the long run, but that's okay.

Bye
Miranda

[CarolTrendall]

Miranda, I love that idea!  The possibilities are endless:

How To Take Your Capsule From One Season To The Next

Go From Day To Night

Pick one item and add garments to make three new outfits

You've got me thinking now!
Carol

[Knitmaverick]

Where to start with responding to all that is going on on this site.  I am blown away by all the variety of garments that have been shown.  It is just amazing to me to see completed garments that actually fit! Thanks to everyone who has posted their completed garments here - great inspiration.

Today was the day I was determined to get my pants pattern to fit.  Well, we are into the next day and I have yet to come up with a fit that I find acceptable.  When I was looking in the mirror at the fitting nightmare, I remembered reading about a flat seat adjustment from Ann that I quickly researched.  Since I had already made up the muslin, I took them apart and actually cut the material according to her instructions and even though there is only one leg sewed back up, when I tried that half on I just couldn't believe what a difference it made in how the pant leg hung in the back.  Now I am anxious to do the other leg and see if I'm not close to an "in the ballpark" fit.

I've sewn for years but never liked the way anything fit on me, so would always give it to my mom because it always fit her and she loved it.  Well, she's recently passed and now wouldn't you know it, I have no on to pawn my creations off on so I decided that I would have to learn to make them fit myself and actually wear them.  Can you see why I'm scared?

Can't wait to see tomorrow's additions....

[ruthc]

Can't .... do ...... more...... contests (head exploding emoticon)

I am clearly addicted to them, having done the Timmel and the JCC and sewn far more in the last four months than in the last 3 years.
I think it is having everyone else egging you on and that somehow this "justifies" spending on fabrics and patterns.  I am such a sucker for peer pressure. 

[AnnRowley]

Thank you to everyone who has made such nice comments on my blouse - much appreciated.

Now - and I hate to do this BUT we have reached the end of page 20 so must start again on

June Capsule Contest 2

I've posted all the rules on the first post and am now locking this thread.