SWAP 2019: Start with Art

The first step of wardrobe planning is finding inspiration.  Well, maybe a more realistic first step of wardrobe planning is really taking everything that you never wear out of your wardrobe, figuring out your holes, and then finding inspiration.  But this time I am starting with inspiration. 

The problem is that I can't decide which piece of art I want to be inspired by. The first piece I was inspired by was this piece:

I am playing around with a colour sampler program by Sherwin-Williams and a lot of images. 
If you are interested in trying it, it is here: http://snapyourcolors.com/

I love the lines, and the blues and greens and pinks.  It has the black base I need, but it is very light and bright and my colours are more on the dulled than these. I like Caviar and Commodore as colours but the yellows and some of the greens are not right. 

Honestly, this scarf is more along the blacks, greys and pinks I wear.  I was surprised when the blues and the greens didn't show up in the colour samples. 

 But I also like the greens, blues, pinks and reds shown in these images:

The greys like Dark Night and Still Water are wardrobe colours I wear.  The Black is right.  And similar colours show up.  But that first stained glass piece just speaks on a real level, the gut level.

Then again, maybe I will do what other stitchers have done--use a piece of fabric in my stash as inspiration. 

Stitcher's Guild Sewing with a Plan 2019

Yay!  SWAP is starting over at Stitcher's Guild.  

I 've done SWAP for years.  It is a sewing jigsaw puzzle to make things you will like and wear.  I still wear pieces from my very first Timmel Swap.  To keep myself organized I like to post the rules here on the blog.  I know I am going to 'pull a Ruthie' with this SWAP--sew more than I need and then mix and match to get everything to follow the rules--but I am OK with that.  Sewing is my hobby and making more is not a problem.

2019 Seasonal Designer Collection II SWAP Rules

You are still the Designer. Create a cohesive seasonal collection of eleven garments of your choice.

Plan:
Choose an inspiration piece of your choice --  Could be a scarf, artwork, fabric print, photograph, etc
Choose two neutrals that coordinate with your inspiration piece
Add 1-5 accents and/or prints that will work with your inspiration piece (ie: not clash)
Make 9 garments that form your core.
You must create multiple outfits using at least two core garment items that work for your personal style.
Make 2 wild card pieces that can be worn alone or with other core items or with other wardrobe items.
Wild card pieces should still blend in with inspiration piece.
Combining fabrics is fine.
No restrictions on type of garments


Rules
Sewing begins on 26 December 2018 and ends 30 April 2019
One garment may be completed by today (28 October 2018)
One garment may be started on 29 October 2018 and completed prior to 26 December 2018
One RTW garment may be included (it can be existing or purchased at any time before or during the SWAP)
Garments knitted, crocheted or woven by you may be included (limit of two since we are a sewing site)
Garments such as poncho, cape or wrap must include at least two pattern pieces, be one of your knitted, crocheted or woven items or have stitch work done by you to be considered a garment
Neutrals do not need to be the same fabrics
Neutrals may be textured
Note that accents fabric must be the same (so not two different fabrics of the same accent color)
You will need a photo of your inspiration piece
Addendum: If you make your own inspiration piece it must be completed, photographed and posted prior to 26 Decomeber 2018

A few thoughts after a year of no RTW purchases

What I did not do this year: shop for clothing

This is the third time I've done a ready to wear fast and the first time I've managed to go a full year without purchasing ready to wear, even second hand ready to wear.  The notable exception was uniform shorts and a bathing suit for my summer volunteer work.  And socks.  All my socks started developing holes in October so I had to buy socks. I was gifted several pieces of clothing for Christmas by my daughter: a leather jacket that fits me perfectly, even over my curves, and a wonderful double knit wool cape with a perfect hood.  But other than socks, shoes and a couple of handbags, I really didn't shop.

I didn't need to shop.  And I didn't want to shop. I have patterns that work for my lifestyle and my body like the P4P tees and tanks, and the MamaCanDoIt Fit pants pattern  and I have a stash.  Fabric is getting harder to come by around here but I can go diving in the sewing cave and make something that will work as long as I have the energy to make decisions.  When I needed comfortable, loose clothes for a week of assessments in October, it was easy to go into the sewing cave and sew three outfits.  I didn't have to think about anything but colour.  I just picked fabric, cut it out, sewed it up, and threw the clothes in my suitcase.

My success rate was fifty fifty for any sewing project that needed more complex decision making.  If it was a new pattern to me or hadn't already been fitted I didn't always get through it because I didn't have the energy. I didn't manage to make any of the more complex items on my list (jeans, a button up white shirt, dress pants, fitted dress, all items on my sewing list for this year).  I have the fabric, washed and ready to go.  But the last three months I've been too tired to do much more than go to work and come home and fall into bed. Even writing has been challenging.  This meant I didn't blog as much as I probably should have about the journey. 

I also struggled with being realistic about my size and shape. I've gained weight due to lack of activity post-concussion.  It is only around eight pounds but somewhere along the line I decided I was bigger than I really am.  I had a couple of months when I made several new to me garments in my mythical size. I made a beautiful white shirt that fit my SIL perfectly but drowned me, a lovely center front pleated v neck popover that also looks amazing on my SIL and a 16 gore skirt mock up that fit one of my daughter's best friends.

The problem was I only had enough energy to make one garment, not the three I needed to make to get to a pattern I can use repeatedly (one mock up fail, one mock up that works and the actual garment).  At least with the gored skirt, I was finally better enough I had enough energy to get myself through the project to garment.

I also ran into a month when I just made do because I didn't have the energy to deal with figuring out what size I really was and making all the decisions that went with sewing.  My concert blacks are just a little snug but I wore them anyway for both concerts.  If I had been planning ahead, I would have made a couple of back up pieces during the summer, but by the time the concert came around I was doing well to be upright.  Sewing didn't happen.   

Overall, though,  it was a successful year and I won't go back to shopping for RTW.  I may pick up some second hand pieces that I can use to clone or use as fabric, but I would rather sew than shop.  I am picking through my garments and making decisions--keep or go.  Do I love it enough to give it house room or can I pass it on to someone else who will love it?

My reward for not spending money on clothing will be a down coat. This is something I would never make myself because one: who needs to find feathers for the next ten years through the entire house if you sneeze in the sewing room and two: my school yard duty coat is getting sad and starting to shed and desperately needs replacing. But I don't think I will ever go back to purchasing RTW regularly.  Sewing was easier most of the time. 

Still Fasting, just...

I haven't purchased anything other than fabric, shoes, and purses since January 1 of this year.  I walk three times a week with a friend at the mall and I'm not tempted to purchase clothing.  I'm not even tempted to try anything on so that is good.  I've seen maybe three items in the last three months that interest me enough that I want to try to make them--a pretty white top, an interesting jacket with metal eyelet trim details, and a lace over cotton dress in a fabric I cannot find.  So I'm surviving the fast.

The only problem is that I haven't been sewing, or for that matter, writing.  

The biggest reason is that my rehabilitation post-concussion, and the exhaustion that goes with an improving brain post-concussion, mean more activity.  The activity and the energy that is going into healing has seriously affected my enthusiasm to hide in the sewing room cave.  I'm five and a half months past the accident.   Reading on the computer came back just after New Years but reading books and physical print items didn't come back until the middle of February and I still struggle.  Sewing is actually excellent visual tracking therapy.  I just get tired.

The other big reason is that I've developed some new food sensitivities.  Cooking has taken more time than I expected because I have to make many more things from scratch. I'm putting energy into experimenting with food that I can eat and that doesn't take all day and night to make. I'm sorting through cookbooks (and letting a lot of them go), creating a new master cook book, and figuring out food planning and preparation for the new me.   

It will all balance out eventually. 

I've slowed down my purchasing of everything (even patterns).  I made a deal with myself that I would not buy something unless I could use it within the month and I have no energy to sew.  The only good side of this drought is that I did enough sewing during my Pirates spree that I can comfortably dress myself every day with lots of choices and the vast majority of my options are made by me options.  It is actually hard to even consider trying on clothing when the made by me options fit better and are more comfortable than anything I can purchase ready-to-wear.

I don't know if I will manage to finish my Stitcher's Guild SWAP by the deadline though I will finish it eventually.   I've made two long sleeve shirts in the current 'drop shoulder' style, one in a cool black sparkle print that doesn't photograph, and another in a plum and white stripe.  The jury is still out on that drop shoulder style.  I don't know if it is my age, my height or my curvy body type, but I am not convinced. The sleeveless tops are wonderful. I have fabric for pants; I just haven't gotten farther than taping the pattern together.   I have a pattern for jeans that is as far as purchased but not yet printed.  The fabric is pre-treated and waiting.  Between the huge Facebook Scandal and my lack of energy to read anything, I haven't checked up on everyone else.  I will get there.  It just may take time. 

The Goodbye Valentino RTW fast--January Report

I'm one of  the members of the Goodbye Valentino Ready to Wear Fast 2018.  Sewing what I wear was a lifestyle choice for me long before I joined the fast, so why am I participating?  There are great prizes.  This is a chance to elevate sewing as a viable life option.  I get a chance to stretch my sewing skills with a group of like minded tailors and seamstresses and it is fun being part of a group that sews, participating in the discussion and seeing what other people make and how it fits in their lives.

Since January 1, my only purchases have been fabrics.  I've been shopping with my family and not been tempted to buy myself any RTW.  I'm also not over-compensating by purchasing all kinds of clothing for the rest of family, something I did the last time I tried a RTW Fast. The Fast has really made me think about why I purchase clothing instead of spending time in the sewing room.

We had a series of heated discussions this week about 'allowed to purchase' and 'Not allowed to Purchase' over on the private Facebook Group.  For those who aren't members of the Fast, the official rules are no purchases except for your dream Wedding dress, undergarments and uniforms.  I don't shop for the 'emotional satisfaction' or buy things because they are a bargain, but I do shop second hand. I realized I buy second hand RTW when I have unanticipated lifestyle needs combined with a lack of time, energy or resources to solve the need with sewing.  

I've done one  RTW fast before, February to February.  I bought nothing that year except for one item: a coat. I was at a conference in late May.  I had packed for my trip based on a forecast of warm spring weather. And it snowed. In Canada, particularly at Universities and other institutions, central heat gets turned off the beginning of April. It was late May.  It was cold, inside the buildings and out. I wore that coat to bed over everything else I brought, I was so cold.  But I still remember how guilty I felt breaking my fast.  I think now in the same circumstances, I would do the same thing  but without the guilt. In my personal opinion, safety trumps Fasting. 
 
The 'Is buying ski wear allowed?' discussion on the board hit a weird place in my gut. I know with enough time, energy, and resources you can problem solve your way through any sewing project--snow gear, wedding dress, rain wear, winter coat, undergarments--and be proud of yourself after the fact. But if I was in the unexpected situation and needed a ski suit in two days and my friends didn't have something I could borrow, I would have bought a pair of snow pants and a jacket and not stressed about it. Safety trumps fasting and I know that I would lack resources and time to get the job done safely in that situation.

Maintaining a RTW fast or having a sewing lifestyle over the long term, requires learning how to accurately anticipate what you need and having the skills, resources and time to sew to meet those needs.  Taking the coat as an example, I had an unexpected lifestyle need and I lacked access to sewing machines and fabric store.  I also had very limited time between sessions at the conference.  The  emergency shopping trip for something to wear to my goddaughter's wedding came as a result of a failure to plan ahead properly and a lack of time and energy to solve the problem with sewing because I didn't realize the dress I had chosen to wear to my goddaughter's wedding didn't fit me until I put it on before the rehearsal dinner. And sometimes things come up that are totally not anticipated.  After my concussion in the fall, I needed clothing for therapy that was not dress pants (all I owned at the time).  Lack of energy and time upright sent me to the second hand store to buy sweat pants to wear to therapy instead of the sewing room even though I have everything I need to make sweat pants in my stash.

So, looking at all of this, I realize I need to think and sew more 'long term' than I am now if I want to make it to the end of the fast without having to 'buy a coat'.  I will likely need a funeral dress in the next six months (my grandmother is ill) and that means I should start thinking about sewing it now instead of realizing the night before getting on the plane I need a dress to wear.