StyleArc Harper Jacket and a wadder

First I would like to thank all for your lovely comments on my SWAP plan. Of course I wish I had the shape of the images - they all look fab on the plan (I did widen them a little) but my sewing skills in additon to my round bod will make them look somewhat different ;-0

Below is the StyleArc Harper Jacket. It has been wrapped around Babs keeping her warm waiting on a photo opportunity.. This was made in a lovely navy stretch crepe from EmmaOneSock. I have ordered more and will eventually make a skirt and a pair of Linda pants for the Artisan Square SWAP.

Now it will be worn as per in the SWAP plan - not with the outfit shown here. Also it was very very windy and it was difficult to keep the lapels from flying everywhere and I was trying to keep my hair out of my eyes.

Orignially I wanted to use this jacket as one of the 5 tops needed for the SWAP rules as it is designed to be worn either open as above or closed with the supplied hook and eyes.

Now I don't normally wear it closed as I don't like high necklines so I closed it up and took a picture of it closed and - well let us just say that I have changed my mind about using it as a top... Not going to happen.

In the interest of showing the not so good.... here it is.

Still trying to keep the hair from flying in the eyes!

Nuh - definitely not!!! Now don't blame Harper. You can see the gorgeous Anne from Clothing Engineer wears it well.

I also have a lovely SA Abby cardi I did on the weekend away last May and now finished but it needs a plain top - which is a hole in the wardrobe..

Now onto the wadder.

I wanted to participate in the trend of patterned pants and looked at the StyleArc Lola pants.... but common sense (and Trinny and Suzanna) say that if you are large in the top half you need to balance that out in the lower half so I didn't think tapered pants were the answer. I also fell in lurve with these pants in RTW

Hence I went with Linda pants and just added more fabric to accommodate the lack of stretch. I ended up wishing I had added more ease. (More about that later)

The fabric was from an el-cheapo fabric store in Marrickville. It looks and feels like a Rayon challis but for the price I don't think so. Probably a poly cotton. Forgot to look. Excuse the fuzzy picture but for some reason my camera has decided not to flash any more which makes indoor pictures fuzzy. Need to update.

Oops - note to self - don't take morning pics still in nightie when there is a mirror behind photographed item.

Any hoo - el-cheapo thin fabric plus lack of ease - hmmmm bent over to put on shoes and heard that unmistakable sound ------------ rippppppppppp. Not worth trying to save. Fabric is too thin.

On the chopping board - oops - cutting table.

I have cut a trial in taupe jersey for the StyleArc Fiona cardi. It is a fabric hog with that band. If it goes well I will do it in an orange for my SWAP.

That's it for now. Wow - 2 posts in 2 days.... 

It is that time of the year again..... SWAP

First let me say sewing has happened here at Chez BeaJay but haven't had the opportunity to take pics. I am doing small amounts of sewing at a time and managed to finish a few things. Will post as soon as I can.

Over at Artisans Square it is the annual SWAP - sewing with a plan. I have entered for 2 years now.

I was eagerly awaiting the posting of the rules this year and now they are up *sigh* - not what I was hoping for.


***** Edited to add - after some suggestions over at Artisan's Square - especially a brilliant easy one from Ruthie - I am IN *********


The first year I didn't get much done. Finished a few items, but didn't get near 11 items done. But I did learn that the items I chose, I did so just to fit my idea of what the "wardrobe" should be. I looked in my stash and chose fabrics that would go together and items that met the rules. One of the reasons I didn't finish is that I was "stuck" with my plan. My base colour was teal and when I had a couple of wadders I couldn't fit anything else in.

Last year the rules were more flexible and although I didn't finish it was more because I ran out of energy and time.. but I made quite a bit of way through it and came up with clothes that I wear on a regular basis and have built on.

I liked the flexible rules but they have gone back to basics and on top of that added a "twist" and while this may suit a lot of people - not so much me.

I have been thinking about SWAP since I saw the fantastic plan from Sharon at Petite and Sewing. It has lots of neutrals in so I have learnt from that and decided to give myself a palette that I can work colour into instead of basing it on colour.

This year I have planned out 2 SWAPs - don't know which one I will go with - but I am going to go ahead with one on my own. Whether or not I make changes to fit into the Artisan Square SWAP or not - I haven't decided.

I am very pleased with both choices and that is the main thing - that what I sew works for me - not for a contest.

Both have very basic neutrals to build on. The first one navy and oat and the second one oat, butter and brown. They have some cross over items. There are also lots of choices I can have if things don't work out. I am learning.


Option 1 has 12 items. If I go out on my own I don't need to change this but if I do change for Artisan's Square then I will take out an item.

Option 1

Most of the navy is Hi-tech matte hybrid stretch crepe from EmmaOneSock with the exception of the top which will be linen. The oat is a lightweight tropical wool and the hounds-tooth is a raw silk. At the end is a lovely brushed cotton / lycra from EmmaOneSock. The other fabrics are ity jersey, viscose knit and a rayon spandex.

Option 2

This one has the same oat tropical wool, a linen dress, a chocolate tropical wool dress, a raw silk dress, a divine chocolate and butter silk caftan, a blouse in a lovely silk from Remnants Warehouse and a shell top in a gorgeous georgette from Gorgeous Fabrics and a jersey cardi.

This is how both will work as wardrobes.

Gee- neutrals are starting to rock my world.

And now I just need to be all grown up and pick a plan and stick to the neutrals.

What about you? Are you going with a plan - be it the Artisan's Square SWAP or one of your own.

The good thing about going out on my own is that I can start and end it when ever I like.


***** Edited to add - after some suggestions over at Artisan's Square - especially a brilliant easy one from Ruthie - I am IN *********