Well, maybe only one step back.
You see, I found out about the contest on the day it officially started, June 1, and was so excited about it, I ran off to the fabric store like the little eager seamstress that I am to buy up lots of fabric. Drawing inspiration from the pretty brown print below, found enough fabric for about half the wardrobe.
I then came home and, combining the new fabric with some I had around, came up with this storyboard (which I've posted before).
Except, I wasn't that happy with it. In fact, I was getting more and more frustrated with the colour pallet I'd chosen. I couldn't seem to find anything else that would work with it for the skirt, pants and jacket except dark brown, and the whole thing was just so...depressing. Oh, it's a pretty storyboard, I know, but it just bored me.
And then I realized the problem. I really don't like blue. Oh, it's a pretty colour, and I'll never wear any other colour jeans than dark blue denims, but I don't like the colour any where else in my wardrobe. And in addition, I don't wear that much brown anymore, either. In fact, I was starting to lean towards more jewel tones and dark greys.
Well crap.
So I tootled off to the fabric store again this past Friday (those lady almost know me by name now) and finally threw out my already-purchased fabric swatches and started again.
I'm still using some of the fabrics I'd chosen, but I picked up some other colours and better fabrics. There's still a lot of brown, but I think I'm alright with that, and the whole wardrobe plan is far more balanced than it was. And I'm sticking with the blooming theme, so yay flowers!
And the funny thing is, that fabric that I originally based this all on? Even though I've already sewn it into a top, I don't think I'll be using it in the contest.
It's a toss-up between it and the blue floral print, which is the only other piece I have finished at this time.
It's a lovely shirt and fits really well, but I've learned an important lesson with this one. While 100% polyester fabric flows really nicely, it sucks for breathability.
So basically, to sum up my contest status, I'm pretty much back to the drawing board with one piece finished and a whole lot of work ahead of me.
Well, kind of. I started tackling the brown cotton blend pants (Simplicity 2367 view A) yesterday. I even made a muslin of it, making yesterday not only the very first time I've tried to make pants, but also my very first muslin!
But these have been a trial all on their own, so I think I'll save that for another post. Hopefully soon I'll have a proper mock-up of my new storyboard, and once I do, I'll for sure be posting it here.
I just have to think about it some more, a little more thoroughly than I did last time. :)
But do you know the one good thing about creating a wardrobe from a colour pallet you don't normally use? You've got to go buy new shoes to go with it all!
I like the expanded colour palette and agree it works better than the brown only one before. And yes the new shoes are part of having a co-ordinated wardrobe. You'll also need a matching tote/purse of some sort :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I actually have a purse that I had made in May that is nearly the same shade of brown as the browns I'm using in my wardrobe, and that I love so much I use it every day anyways! :)
ReplyDelete