Stitcher's Guild Reloaded

I remember the first SWAP I tried which was basically 4 bottoms, 6 tops that went with all the bottoms, and a jacket that went with everything.  I was overwhelmed coordinating the fabrics to say nothing of the style lines of the garments.  One year, the rules called for using a wardrobe pattern because that certainly simplifies coordinating the style lines of the garments. 

That said, a SWAP that conforms to those rules is a very useful addition to your closet.  Imagine packing for a several week long trip in a carry on suitcase --- well maybe something a bit bigger than that but definitely something that a little old lady can handle on her own getting on and off trains, through airports, etc.

It certainly takes time to assemble/acquire the fabrics which will play together nicely in a SWAP.  I am trying to develop TNT patterns for various garment types.  I need to muslin each new pattern and probably move on to make a wearable test garment before I'm ready to cut into my carefully curated SWAP fabric.

I don't think I'd do well preparing kits of cut out garments ready for sewing.  Unless I wrote myself copious notes I'd forget what I was thinking and by the time I got to sewing I might have changed my mind about some aspect of the garment.  Working in a series seems to be helpful for me.

Just thinking out loud here, I think my most productive approach to SWAP would be to start with a basic sleeved top pattern such as Montrose which would be sewn in a number of variations.  I did that quite successfully with the Springfield Top this summer.  For bottoms, I'd start with a basic trouser and go through the same process.  The top pattern might morph into a jacket or over layer. Or, if time permits, I might try a new jacket pattern or use my TNT shoulder princess pattern.  In the end, I'd have 2 more TNT patterns with variations and ideally 11 pieces that made packing for a trip easy.

Indigotiger, that was an excellent summary of the SWAP process. I love the idea of making kits after the fitting process is completed. I think that's one way to avoid "wandering into the weeds" and losing one's focus - at least it would be for me. And anyone else who likes to chase the next shiny object 

Quote from: CCL on October 07, 2019, 04:55:12 pm

Quote from: indigotiger on October 07, 2019, 04:10:30 pm(and sort of cogitating if I want to volunteer to be the coordinator? which would be one way to get rules I could work with )

That would lovely!

I agree.

Towanda asked:

QuoteI do have a question - is it possible for the swap to run longer? This would allow time for sewing disasters, changes in plans, slow sewing, etc. What does everyone think about more time?

while I appreciate your concern about wishing for more time (and I myself have completed less than half of the SWAP years I started) I am not intending to extend the SWAP timeline this year.

To me, ideally SWAP starts when first thinking and deciding that it will be an option that year, which happens at the beginning of October. That is when I start looking at my current wardrobe, thinking about what gaps may need to be filled, what garments are worn out and need replaced, and what if any entirely new type of garment may get added to my theoretical queue. I make lists, check my TNT patterns, and maybe peruse possible commercial patterns or think if I have any RTW garments I might want to copy. Bear in mind that I would be planning this kind of wardrobe sewing even if there was no SWAP, but that doing this kind of wardrobe assessment is a valuable way of preparing for SWAP. That way, when the rules are announced in late October or early November it is easier to figure out if my wardrobe needs will also fit into the SWAP template.

For the next two months, from the announcement of the rules to the "start official sewing" on December 26, is the time to gather needed materials, decide what previously sewn garment will suit the SWAP, cut out and prep as many "sewing kits*" as I can, make any trial muslins if I am using a new design, and sew one garment for SWAP. By December 26 I will have two of the eleven garments done (and hopefully photographed), and everything else ready to sew. There are then a little more than 4 more months in which to sew, the remaining week of December, then all of January, February, March, and April, when SWAP sewing closes on April 30. 

Devoting over half a year to this process seems like a good compromise to me, some of us are speedy stitchers, and others are slow. I myself am more in the slow camp, but I also know that as your moderator I will need to be online and present here much more frequently that my usual sporadic attendance, and I cannot commit to more than seven months! I hope that everyone who wants to join in will be able to feel like their sewing is a success, whether or not they end up with eleven finished pieces. The Slow Sewing SWAP is a good place to continue to connect with others even after the end date here on this thread, so that the fun need not end on April 30th.

* I have found that preparing my fabric, cutting out my pattern pieces, gathering all needed notions including the pattern and instructions, and putting all that in a bag as a "sewing kit", has really helped my productivity. I sometimes have a whole row of future garments patiently waiting in their respective bags. Personally, I am not at all fond of the cutting out part of sewing, so if I can do that when I feel motivated when I have the energy, and then have everything needed waiting for me, when I sit down to sew it is like opening a present

Quote from: Melinda_B on October 13, 2019, 05:31:54 am

Quote from: Towanda on October 12, 2019, 09:38:17 pmI do have a question - is it possible for the swap to run longer? This would allow time for sewing disasters, changes in plans, slow sewing, etc. What does everyone think about more time?

Honestly, I don't think it would make a difference.  Things will still happen to delay people.  And anything that runs for too long has the risk of participants being bored and fading away.  Three months, with the allowance to do all the prep work beforehand, is quite a long time.

I have to say I agree with Melinda. By the time April rolls around I need a break from sewing.  Maybe anyone who has joined but needs more time could then post over in the Slow Swap topic? And if there is interest there, a later deadline could be proposed, and a second round of voting? I do love seeing the finished collections in the Gallery, more would be lovely

Quote from: Towanda on October 12, 2019, 09:38:17 pmI do have a question - is it possible for the swap to run longer? This would allow time for sewing disasters, changes in plans, slow sewing, etc. What does everyone think about more time?

Honestly, I don't think it would make a difference.  Things will still happen to delay people.  And anything that runs for too long has the risk of participants being bored and fading away.  Three months, with the allowance to do all the prep work beforehand, is quite a long time.

Quote from: indigotiger on October 12, 2019, 01:20:46 pmCCL wrote:

Quote from: undefinedI think I will always belong in the Slow Sewing SWAP category - which is just okydoky with me.

... most years, that is me as well. While most all of my sewing is sewn-with-a-plan, I have only occasionally managed to complete a SWAP in the allotted time frame. For me it is more important that my clothing please me, suit my style, and integrate with my already existing garments than that I make a certain number of clothes in a particular time frame. And along the way over the years, I've learned more about what I actually wear, as opposed to what fits a SWAP requirement but stays in the closet or dresser drawers (multiple tee shirts I am looking at you, well actually not, since they never were worn and ended up in the giveaway pile) But, like CCL,

Quote from: undefinedwhat I enjoy the most is the camaraderie of having a bunch of sewing friends on a similar journey with whom I get to chatter and think about patterns, techniques and fabric

.

My hope is to come up with rules that will not leave anyone sewing wardrobe items just for SWAP that they never subsequently wear, that we all have fun and learn things along the journey, and that those who officially join and those who play along will all find what we do here to be useful

I love your thought process.

I never finish because I get distracted by sewing other garments and run out of time. I did finish my collection last year several months later. I got hung up on finding a print that I liked. By the time, I found a print, I was out of time. I wore almost everything that I made. A couple of garments didn't work because they needed a better coordinating garment. I did learn that I need to work on making the collection more cohesive. My first goal is to spend more time planning.

I do have a question - is it possible for the swap to run longer? This would allow time for sewing disasters, changes in plans, slow sewing, etc. What does everyone think about more time?

I love your reasoning @indigotiger.  I'm looking forward to seeing your vision for the SWAP

Well said indigotiger and I look forward to seeing what you have in mind for the Perfect Vision SWAP.

Well as it turns out, I have a vest, dress, and jacket in my plans!
I feel very confident that I can finish the dress I have chosen in a reasonable amount of time.

I have never made a jacket however. A jacket challenge could be just the push I need to get it going!