My Own SWAP

I need coordinating outfits. I'm having a difficult time pulling things out of the closet that I want to wear together. Perhaps it's the "I'm tired of winter and want to wear spring things" season.

Perhaps I should consider joining the Stitcher's Guild SWAP, but I'm a big chicken so I'll be having my own wee SWAP (sewing with a purpose). Besides, I didn't plan this until last week and only bought the bulk of my fabric two days ago....

....at my first visit to Waechter's.

What a great shop! I found exactly what I needed - thanks to the help of the fine staff.

I'm hoping to turn these ....


....into two San Diego Jackets from Sewing Workshop. Buttons are not finalized.

































This rather bizarre knit caught my eye. (Notice the purple lips.)

I bought just enough to make a skirt. This skirt needs to have only one seam to maximize the effect of the faces. I found a tutorial by Jennifer Stern on Craftstylish describing how to do that in such a way as to shape the skirt, explaining how to measure and add effective darts as needed.

I'll wear it with the bright white jacket and a black (or white) tee or tank.






The almost white, blue and rust fabrics are knit. The brown is a silk noil.
Last week I made a navy blue, knit, a-line skirt that needs coordinating tops. I hope to use some of these knits to fulfill that need. The navy skirt can be worn with either jacket (assuming the styles look good together).

I'll most likely make a sweater set (cardigan plus shell) with the off white knit, which has a sturdy hand. I'd like to embellish the cardigan with a self-flower, removable pin...with colorful beading in the center. This knit could also handle being a skirt - so that will probably happen, although I prefer darker colors for "bottoms". I think a light skirt does have a place in my SWAP.

I had to look up "silk noil." Silk Road Textile Merchants had a great description: Silk Noil (sometimes incorrectly called raw silk) has a nubby feel and a low sheen. Noil somewhat resembles cotton in surface texture, and sews easily. The nubby texture of noil comes from the use of very short fibers (called, appropriately, 'silk noils') to weave the fabric. When these short fibers are spun into yarns, the resulting yarns have occasional slubs and loose ends. Nubs vary between different weaves.

I love this fabric and will make a skirt with it. This skirt will coordinate with either jacket or sweater set. I'd like to experiment with making the seams a bit deconstructed. I think the nubby look of the fabric would suit a bit of whimzy.

In addition to these garments, I have plans for another skirt made with a gold-tone tweed as well as a couple of nicer tops made with woven fabrics.

The patterned fabric below (from G Street) will coordinate with the brown skirt, off-white skirt, both jacket and the cardigan. I'm not exactly sure what pattern I'll use. I have enough to make a tank plus 3/4 sleeve top.




















These should round out the SWAP and give me quite a few options when gazing into the closet on a still chilly morning when my heart is yearning for spring.