SewBaby News

I've been working on my First Frost Winter Wardrobe capsule for 3 months, and I can happily say that it is done!  - 4 woven tops ( here and here ) - 2 sleeveless tunics ( here ) - 3 turtlenecks - 2 cowl necks (Bellavista Tops) ( here ) - 2 long vests ( here ) - 1 dress ( here ) - 1 coat ( here )  = 15 pieces Whew!  That works out to be a little over 1 item a week.  I honestly feel like I've just ran a marathon.  Someone needs to design a bumper sticker for people who can make it to the finish line of homemade wardrobe capsules!  Of course, this random number of items was my own doing- you can make capsule wardrobes with many less pieces.  Since I started this back in November, some pieces have already been worn quite a bit.  And I anticipate that I'll continue to wear them all through February, and possibly some chilly days in March. But from what I've done so far, here are the winners and losers: Most Worn - Dusty Lavend...

When I started this adventure of my capsule wardrobe , I picked out fabrics from my stash that I thought would look pretty together in a particular color palette.  And my neutral component was gray.  I realize that you have to have balance and it helps to soothe the eye to have a nice neutral.  One day last year when I was quite happy wearing what I thought was a nice Spring outfit with lavender and pink and turquoise, a 15 year old respectfully told me- "Mrs. Brodsky, you can't wear ALL the colors at once."  I saw a picture of me later in that same outfit, and I thought- "Oh boy, was she right! " So, inclusion of a neutral gray in my capsule wardrobe was needed, and I actually have purchased several gray fabrics over the years.  But in working through the bin of fabrics for this capsule wardrobe, the last pieces left in the bin were all gray.  Kind of like when going through the bowl of jelly beans and the last jelly beans left are the black ones....

I'm probably like most seamstresses- when people find out that you can sew, you might be the only person that they know who sews, and they come to you with some pretty crazy projects!  I thought you might like to see some of mine. I work at a Dual Language Spanish/English elementary school, and we have a big Hispanic Heritage Celebration every year.  Our kindergarten teacher, who is a true Spaniard, said that her dream was to have a Giant King like they do in Spain for holiday processions.  So, our enrichment teacher came up with the idea to put a paper mache head on top of a ladder, and would I make a king's robe for him.

In BurdaStyle's October issue, there was a loose-fitting tunic in the plus section that caught my eye.  It looked super simple, and stylish, and I had a couple of short cuts of wools that I could envision it made out of- it just takes 1-3/4 yards. The first was a remnant of a nubby wool sweater knit. It started out white, but to make it work with my First Frost capsule wardrobe plan , I dyed it this very pale blue.  I just used the regular RIT dye from the store, and it worked great.  One thing that helps with dying a wool fabric is adding white vinegar to the dye bath to help with the dye uptake.

Baby, it's cold outside!  If you're in the northern hemisphere, you likely agree.  We've had some crazy sub-zero temperatures, haven't we?  But what better excuse than to make a cozy new coat!  This time, I chose a gorgeous dusty lavender wool/cashmere blend from Fabric Mart to make Simplicity 8470. This is the culminating piece for my First Frost capsule wardrobe plan! The reason that I chose this pattern was pure and simple- it had a hood!  I'm so surprised that very few coat patterns come with hoods!  Sure, hats are good, but when it is really cold and windy, nothing beats the protection of a hood.

Happy 2018!!!  My 2018 started out by missing our 6 am flight at the Denver Airport and having to wait 8 hours for the next one with a cold and sinus infection.  Uggh!  I think that I now have a broken eardrum too.  But, like having it rain on your wedding day, I am thinking that starting out the New Year with a few bumps should make for smooth sailing the rest of the year. I can't think of a better way to start my sewing New Year than by reviewing a beautiful, beautiful pattern that I think everyone will love- the Bellavista Top  from Itch to Stitch designs.  Bellavista means "Beautiful View" in Italian, and I think that the name fits the style.