I'm Out!

7th Challenge result:  I’m out! 

A wave of relief swept over me when I read the email during my lunch break. And even after thinking about it on the ride home, I feel the same way.  No disappointment and no regrets.  It had it highs. Two challenge wins. Lows - “of all the fabrics they sell, they sent us this?”  But  I have my life back.  I can play with the cover stitch machine I bought on eBay 3 weeks ago, finish the pair of pants I started back in Sept, read my new book on Draping, get back into my exercise routine, have relaxing weekends, etc. 

There are three young sewists toiling away on their entries for the final competition.  Good Luck to each of you!

 I have to thank the ladies at the Fabricmartblog for running the challenge.  I know it was a lot of work for them.  Like the first time for any online contest, there were a lot of questions, mid stream changes and instructions, and perceived favoritism or unfairness.  If the judges plan to do this again I hope they ask for feedback from the 1^st challenge contestants.  It can only make future challenges better.

I also learned some things about myself.  I can sew under crippling time constraints.   When doing so I should plan time for mistakes and unsewing. I should not sew after attending a wine tasting event.  And I should listen to the design voices in my head. When I do everything turns out great

And another high - one of my challenging entries, a non winning one, caught the attention of an editor of a sewing magazine who asked if they could feature it on the sidebar of an article about a technique I used.  More on that in the future.

Now I am off to a relaxing  evening; dinner with a glass of wine, and no sewing!

Challenge 7 - Mixed Prints

My tunic won Challenge 6.  Amazing!  Thank so much to all of you that have voted for me and left encouraging comments.  This challenge is wiping me out.  There are some days I am so tired of sewing or even thinking about sewing. DH is being very understanding and supportive,  so I took a break to spend some time with him this weekend.

Challenge 7 is mixed prints

Mixed prints are a recent fashion trend. This challenge was to make an outfit of mixed prints and come up with a story on where you would wear it.  This was an excuse to delve into my fabric stash and look at the print fabrics in a whole new way. I usually store fabric by fabric content or by color schemes (great for SWAP planning). I pulled  all the prints out these storage bins and piled them on the table looking for interesting and unique pairings. It was a real challenge.

Prints can be mixed on one garment like a dress of coat or you can wear separates, each in a different print. 
 
Regarding  print separates, one style blog commented that  mixing prints  was scary,  but pointed out that once you get a handle on it and start creating combo’s you have never tried before, your wardrobe combinations and permutations increase exponentially,   you can get dressed faster and you will impress your fashion friends effortlessly. Well, I appreciate her positive spin on it.

I chose to go with the separates option so I can also wear the garments in more sedate pairing with other items in my wardrobe.  My comfort zone is mixing small scale prints, in the same color way. This is a holdover from my quilting days.  I  decided to push my comfort zone a bit in the print scale dept.  But at my age,  a motley mixed print combo  combined with a bad hair day can come perilously close to "Bag Lady" look.  So I made the garment silhouettes fitted and classic and the prints current and modern. So the outfit would look deliberately fashiony,  if you know what I mean.


Here are the prints I chose.



Prints
 

 I made three garments. Which garment from which fabric?

Patterns

  Pamela’s Pattern   - The Magic Pencil Skirt,

  Vogue 8262  OOP

Burda 7073

 

 

 

Pamela's pattern Magic Pencil Skirt

 

 

 

 

Burda 7073

vogue 8262

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where am I going to wear this outfit?

 

Where am I going to wear this outfit?  The Visual Art Studio (VAS) Patrons Preview later this month.  I have taken many classes at the VAS over the years. Rug hooking, stained glass, shibori dying, and several in pattern drafting and design. My DH and I also make charitable donations to this organization, which are matched by both our employers. This bumps us up to the patron category that gets invited to art sale  previews, events that attract an eclectic crowd who dress in unique garments  and jewelry. I will probably be one of the more conservative dressed attendees. But maybe I will find some fabulous jewelry, just when someone would appreciate a holiday gift suggestion for me.

 

The last challenge was announced.  3 pieces that can be worn together as one outfit or two outfits.

Argg, didn't I just sew that.  So tired.........