The Wardrobe Challenge First Outfit

Hey there, so it's been a bit, right?  I've been really busy, but wanted to wait on blogging until I had both a top and a bottom.  When we left off, I was just about to start working on my wardrobe for Pattern Review's Wardrobe Contest.  Nine pieces- four tops, three bottoms, and two sewist's choice, one of which could be either ready to wear or presewn.  All done within six weeks.  Well, ladies, I am officially a third of the way through.  And in nine days... giving me four weeks and five days to make the rest.  It's still going to be tight.  We'll let's get to it:

Don't worry, I moved the button over a tiny bit so the zipper doesn't show.

 It's my new Deer and Doe Arielle blouse, Ginger Jeans (wearable muslin), and of course the moto jacket, which I wear every damn day now.  I love my jacket.  It's probably the favorite thing I made.  Well, we've already discussed the jacket in depth.  It's going to be my already sewn sewist's choice.  I may still swap it out for the pink blazer, but I'll wait until all the pieces are made to decide.  But let's look closer at the top and jeans.

This was my inspiration sketch.  Slightly fortiesh, easy to wear, and most of all comfy.

Pretty spot on to the sketch right?  (Well, if you squash the sketch a little bit.)  None of my pictures turned out really well.  Either the lighting was uneven, or the kiddo wasn't paying attention, or I wasn't.  I think in most of them, my eyes are shut.  Oooops!

Here is the obligatory view from the back.  So let's start with the top.  As I've said it's Deer and Doe's Arielle blouse.  I made it without the collar.  I also deepened the v-neck by an inch give or take, tapering to a half inch at the shoulder.  I used a cotton- likely voile for the outer fabric and then lined it with batiste. (I did this to get the clean finish at the neckline, only to try it on and feel like I was in scrubs.)  I then finished the new neckline with biase binding.  I would have removed the batiste, but I attached it also at the shoulders in the french seams. 

It now doesn't look like scrubs.  The only other change I made was to not do the front darts.  I am still debating on whether to go back and put them in.  What do you think?  Oh and I made a straight size 42.  It was a fairly quick sew up, and a nice palate cleanser.  And now, for the main event- my first pair of likely many, Ginger Jeans.

See fixed button!  And it fixes the slight gaping I thought I had in the back

So let's talk jeans.  I am still patiently waiting for my lovely Cone Mill denim kits from Closet Case Files.  When are they shipping?  I am having a hard time waiting!  So much that I broke down on Saturday and bought denim.  It's not the best quality, but it was the only stretch denim at the fabric store I was at.  The plus side- I paid 300 hryvnia for 2.5 yards and have 1.25 yards left.  Meaning these jeans cost me roughly $6.00 as I had everything else my stash. 

Let's start with the obvious.  I made a mishmash between view A and view B.  I loved the high waist but need straight legs.  I used view B from the top to the hip and then view A downwards.  It worked pretty well.  I also had some serious grading to do as looking at the sizing, I was a 14 at the hips and closer to a 10 at the waist.  For the back, I graded the yoke from a 10 at the waist to a 12 at the upper hip and then from a 12 to a 14 on the lower jean piece.  As my extra weight is in the front, I went from a 12 in the waist to a 14 in the hips.  Pretty spot on in fitting right?  I also moved the pockets up a half inch.  In my next go around I'll move them up maybe a quarter inch more.

My biggest complaint, is that I thought the rise would be higher?  The pattern says one inch above the natural waist.  Mine sit slightly below my natural waist.  And I always thought that I was short waisted, so I found that odd. When I make them again, I'll raise the front rise that inch, so I can have truly high waisted jeans.  But other than that they are the most comfortable jeans I've ever put on, and I don't have to worry about back gaping or them sliding down.

Anyway, on to more sewing, and lugging around my tripod so that I can get the better photos.  I also need to get a light reflector to help with the indoor photos.  Until next time, happy sewing!  Oh I totally forgot.  My new glasses finally showed up.  I still need to get them fitted (as my ears are crooked making them crooked), but what do you think?

Awesome right?