A Mini Wardrobe Plan (And Finished McCalls 6654)

Last year I was SO excited (SO!) to sew a mini wardrobe for the competition on Pattern Review. And then disaster struck.

Mystery illness hit in September and I did not sew a single stitch, nor did I purchase any fabric or patterns or notions and I only had TWO blog posts that month!!!! The horror! I did not feel up to participating in the contest for October but I did sew my own little capsule wardrobe. Sadly it mostly ended in tragedy.

Pants #1: Made out of mystery growing fabric; no longer wearable.
Pants #2: I sliced the leg open and my repair did not work.
Blazer: It's just too big in the shoulder to be comfortable.
Top: I did not check the waist placement and the elastic sat way too high to be comfy

The other two items are staples; the black ponte cardigan and white lace kimono tee.

This year's contest involves the sewing of 5 items in order to make 6 outfits. The 5th item can be an accessory as long as it's wearable (think hat, scarf, belt, etc).

I plan to sew 5 garments from these lovelies and yes...most are from my recent acquisition! :)

 Kelly green ponte

white slubbed jersey

navy cotton poplin, 

lime green stretch twill

black/white ikat sateen

My pattern choices:

 

Butterick 5926 blazer in kelly ponte

McCall 6841 top in white jersey

McCall 6702 in navy poplin

Simplicity 1696 in lime twill

Simplicity 1373 in ikat sateen

• The blazer is the same as the aforementioned "failed" pattern. But I know what to do now to make it fit...I will probably pull the old one out and make some adjustments to it to ensure I'm on the right track.
• The M6841 top hasn't been made but everyone swears it's relative easy with one tricky bit.
• M6702 will be made in a r/w/b voile for wearing on Independence Day! So I'll get to work out any kinks then.
• S1696 is new to me BUT since my now TNT pants and shorts are both Simplicity patterns and this is an Amazing Fit pattern, I feel confident about comparing them to the others and sewing them up.
• S1373 is also new to me. I will work up a quick muslin (since I love that sateen!) to ensure they fit. I wanted an uncomplicated pattern to showcase the sateen and limit pattern matching. Initially I thought skirt but I will be more likely to wear shorts so...

Now, I cannot win this contest. I am ineligible because I won the Fitted Blouse contest. But that's okay! This little capsule makes me happy so I will take on the challenge!

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I made a skirt. A simple pull-on knit skirt out of the yellow ponte I got from FabricMart. There is not a whole lot to say about a knit straight skirt, now is there?

The only thing is...WHY ON EARTH DID I HAVE THE SMALLER SIZE RANGE?!

The largest size in my envelope was a 14...with a 39.5" finished hip. Oh. Boy. No worries! Instead of complicating matters I just added it on the fold line...about 3/4" on front and back for a total of 3 inches...and then I sewed 3/8" side seams. 1" elastic at the waist and hemmed...DONE.

I did finally use Kathy's suggestion of fusible tape in the hemline and a twin needle. PERFECT! I love the results and what's not to love about an insanely bright, easy to wear skirt??

Finished Item: M6614

Thank you everyone for the funny and encouraging comments on the lost mojo post! :)

I think I am missing mojo because it's "a delicate time" as my husband calls it and I feel like a cow. Maybe a calf...

And I'm "certain" nothing is going to look right and wah. Wah. Wah. I worked myself into a mojo-less frenzy. 

My daughter was harassing me for her sweatshirt but Friday night our furnace stopped working. It got down to 57 degrees on the upper level. I hate to imagine what the temp in the basement was. Since we rent, broken furnace = not. my. problem. The landlord called for a repair guy and by 9 ish we were toasty again. 

Saturday morning, she asked in her nicest, sweetest voice if I could make it "like, today", cause she really wanted to wear it. 

I reused M6614--which is a kinda sucky pattern unless you're a boy or a rail thin girl who likes the oversized shapelessness of it-- she is the latter. 

I randomized the print as much as possible! :)

This was my first hooded item and it was easy! I was all worked up over it for no good reason. 

I was all, well I'm not going to line the hood. Sheesh. And then...doh. Then you'd have to finish the front seam! Hahaha!

I was out of tie dye but I did have some thinner solid navy fleece -- score! (+100 points for stashing fabric!). 

Alterations:

Cut a small pattern with medium hood (we are a big headed people).

Added 2" to the sleeve length. 

Sewed 3/8" side seams (all others 5/8") so it would be a bit slouchier. 

Took a small (1/2"??) hem. 

So now, I'm on a roll. I still do not want to start up on any of my projects though. So I decide to make her tee. As a surprise. 

Now, this kid doesn't like surprises. She likes plans and order. But I figured, what the heck. 

Based on finished measurements, I cut a size 8 A/B cup from McCalls 6927 in this plaid cotton (/poly blend?). 

...all nicely serged. 

...all pressed and stitched. 

I just sewed it up! I have made awesome side slits and I am ready to just hem it and finish the neckline. I'd better try it on her for the hem length. 

I have no pics of it on her as I'd created a mini torture chamber! :-))

This shirt was WAAAYYY too tight across the upper back.

This pic really highlights how broad she is  across the back. 

"Mommmmmmmm!!! This shirt HURTS my armpits!"

The armscye was funky. In fact, that was my only reservation when I saw the pattern envelope; it looks odd on both models at the sleeve. 

I'll have to browse through some books I have on hand to figure out if adjusting for the back width will help alleviate painful armpits or if there's another adjustment that needs to be made. 

In the end, I had to rip out the CB seam while she was wearing it, to get her out. It was hilarious!

Hope to cut out all the pieces for my V8772 shirt today. Then I will have all week to construct it and next weekend too, before the contest ends on the 31st.