Cake? This is so utilitarian, it's almost bread

Dear readers, is there anything more practical than a pair of black wool pants? I don't think so. Forget cake and frosting - this is bread.

And I couldn't be more pleased. I love bread. These pants will get a ton of use, and I love sewing things that get a ton of use.

(Apologies the more-or-less crappy nature of these photos. It's Feb, you get indoor photos of a black pair of pants on my more-or-less crappy camera.)

Also - this is from the Jan 2013 Burda magazine (pattern 123, I think?) so yay me! Sewing resolution? Check. Possible SWAP garment? Check again.

In less fun news, I think I need to go up a size in my BWOF sewing. There has to be a consequence to all the food and drink I've been indulging in with abandon, but damn! I hate proof.

Stuff about the pattern:

- I traced a size 40, which was a bit tight, so I narrowed all my seam allowances through the waist and hip to add another inch or so.
- I took an inch off in length between the hip and the crotch, shortening the crotch - which I'm pretty pleased about, because these pants now fit really well.
- There's an error with the waistband length measurement, I think - I cut it to the right size, but it didn't work (before my alterations to the side seams, of course!)

- Apart from that - these are the easiest pants in the world to sew - no pockets, no fly front - just one little invisible zipper - a perfect beginner pattern (also a perfect pattern for a lazy intermediate seamstress.)

Stuff about the fabric:

- Black wool, bought at LA Fabrics in Toronto - about $10 a yard? I have many yards left, unfortunately, but perhaps that will mean that I can make a jacket as well.

SWAP 2013 - Initial thoughts

Here's some stream-of-consciousness thoughts.

- I sew lots and lots of simple clothes. For this SWAP, I'd like to challenge myself and sew more complicated things - lined jackets, shirts with collars and buttons and sleeve plackets, lined pants - that kind of thing.
- I did my wardrobe transition (winter clothes brought up, summer clothes put away), and sheesh! I have lots and lots of summer dresses, and hardly any winter clothes. I'm pretty much wearing the same set of 4-5 RTW winter pants I've been wearing for the last 5 years. All of them are just about worn out - I desperately need to sew myself replacements.
- I hate cutting. But - largely - that's cause I have a terrible cutting set up. I cut on my dining table - placing two cutting mats side by side, and cutting with a rotary cutter. For pattern weights, I use rolls of pennies, which unfortunately, roll around, fall on the floor, break open, strewing pennies everywhere... I do own a proper full size cutting mat, but it's in my parents' basement. Now that I have room for it, I need to just bring it to my house and set it up.
- Burda. I need to use the patterns, or stop buying the magazines. Same goes for my new copies of Drape Drape & Shape Shape, my Pattern Magic books, and all the other assorted sewing books that I buy and don't use.

So - all of that stuff is influencing the wardrobe plan.

Basically, the rules this year are:

- to make two 4 or 5 piece collections, with a single other garment that can be worn with both capsules. 

Each collection is either 3 tops and two bottoms, or 2 tops, 1 bottom, and 1 dress, which all form a cohesive group.  The 11th garment should be a jacket or other piece that coordinates with both collections, both in style and color.

Which is simple enough.

Here's what I think I'd like to make.

- 4 bottoms - all of which are lined pants. I'm ok using the same pattern for all of them - but I really need pants!
- 2 sets of twinsets. (I'm not really sure if I that will count as 4 pieces - there's something in the discussion threads about whether a jacket is a top - and the ruling is that it is not - which suggests the same logic will apply to my cardigan portion of my twin-sets. However, I do need these for the wardrobe, and so will make them anyway - and have the inner shell count as a top.)
- I might make a cream collection - and if so, I'd like to make a white/cream winter lined dress. Just a basic woven sheath dress with sleeves.
- Raincoat. I need one. Also a fall/spring jacket, and a trench coat, etc. I need to start sewing more outer pieces - I'd get a lot of use out of them, and I'm not sure why I don't sew more of these (laziness about cutting is atleast part of the answer.)

That's not quite everything I need to make - but it's a start. The thinking process will undoubtedly evolve as time goes on.

SWAP 2013 - the rules are here!

Yes! I've been impatiently lurking the Stitcher's Guild SWAP boards for about a month and a half, and the rules are finally out!

As much as sewing a SWAP wardrobe gets tiring, the clothes I make there really do get used. I've worn my hoodie heaps of times,  my purple flowered dress became one of my most-used summer dresses, especially to work, and my pants! It's been cold here, and I've been reaching for these lined pants every other day, practically.

Which makes me pretty excited about another SWAP. Wardrobe holes - lined pants, lined sleeved dresses, fun little tops - all of these can be filled by the SWAP.