A Capsule Wardrobe

I’m so far behind on writing and posting.  Honestly, I feel guilty sitting down to do this most days.  Since sewing is a hobby and I don’t work outside the home, I usually battle with how much is an appropriate amount of time to pour into this hobby.  When I get the time I usually spend it sewing, not writing/blogging.  I do enjoy writing so I’m carving out the time today to update you on my capsule wardrobe.  Whitney over at http://www.Tomkatstitchery.com hosted a capsule wardrobe challenge.  I can’t remember when it started, but it concluded in mid March after the pandemic was in full swing here in the states.  I was very intrigued to participate because I loved the concept and have struggled to find a goal that maintains my interest after finishing my year long challenge.

A capsule wardrobe has a few pieces that are 100% interchangeable.  The six pieces create over 70 combination options.  I think that is the stat she said, don’t quote me on that one.  You get the picture.  It’s a minimalist’s dream come true.

I dove in and made some very elaborate plans.  The capsule itself included three tops, two bottoms and one topper (a cardigan or jacket).  You could add up to four coordinating pieces.  I pulled ALL of my fabric out.  My husband was out of town and our bedroom quickly became part of the planning stage as piles of fabric were laid out everywhere.  It was so fun.  It was also a bit sobering.  I got to see how much I had acquired!  I definitely see some trends in my purchasing.  I bought a lot of prints and florals in the early days of wardrobe sewing but am now trending toward solids.

I decided that my capsule colors would be gray, pink and black.  With my fabrics narrowed down, I moved onto the next step: pattern selection.  I was definitely feeling adventurous because I decided now was the moment to make my first pair of jeans, a jean jacket AND a button up collared shirt.  This is definitely par for the course with me.  I get BIG ideas.

It was big and it was a lot of work.  Midway through my grand plans, my son’s elementary school said it needed help with costumes for its “Cinderella” play.  I offered to help and it quickly snowballed out of control.  Some bad planning mixed with relying on someone who bailed on what they agreed to make left everyone scrambling to finish and fix many costumes.  I dove in and helped.  It was fun, but very stressful.  I don’t like sewing under that kind of pressure.  But the kids’ happiness with their costumes made it all worth it.

I made my son’s costume and he loved it!  He was the evil step-mother and he killed the role.  My normally shy kid was a shining actor.  He stunned.  My husband and parents were blown away by the performance.

That two weeks of craziness definitely broke up my capsule wardrobe rhythm.  I finished my capsule on time but not everything I had planned.  Then Covid-19 hit and now here we are.

First off the topper, a Mimi G unisex pattern by Simplicity.  I picked this one because there’s an online tutorial on her YouTube channel.  Her husband, Norris, did the tutorial and it’s step by step.  It made doing the placket pockets so much easier.  Those were a first for me and I wasn’t in love with my first attempt but I was proud of my second.

For the tops, I did two knit tops called the Stacia top.  It’s an indie pattern by Sew Liberated.  I bought mine from Indie Sew before she closed down the business, but you can buy it here if you are interested.  It was a fast and easy make, and I’m happy with the fit and finished product.

For the final top, I made Burda pattern 6849.  I really love it and I would definitely make it again, although I think I need a tiny bust adjustment next time. I got the fabric from the Dallas fabric district for 99¢ a yard.  It was a painstaking process to cut out the pattern matching the stripes but worth it.

By now you’ve gotten a peek of my bottoms.  I made Ginger jeans from Closet Case Patterns and McCall’s shorts.  I’ve wanted to try both of these patterns for so long.  I’ve been such a chicken about trying to make jeans but I finally took a deep breath and told myself it was OK if they were a total disaster and began.  I bought the Closet Case jeans class and watched that once before I started and then again as I went along.  I would say it’s more than worth the money and packed with useful and down right necessary information. They’re not bad for my first try.

I’ve loved this short/pants pattern 7726 by McCall’s for so long but I’ve been afraid I’d hate it on my figure.  I LOVE them.   I’m going to try it in the pants version soon, and they’re easily my favorite piece from the collection.

I made one additional accessory piece but I don’t love it.  I’m still not certain what I think about it apart from the fact that I hear the Cruella de Vil song in my head every time I see it. (Cardigan is Simplicity s8740)

Well, there they are!  It was a great learning experience and I want to do the concept again.  I loved the planning process and want to attempt it again.  While I love most of the pieces individually,  I’m not a fan of all the pairings.

Well, I started typing this alone and now have three out of five kids surrounding me so I’ll finish for now.

Stay safe and healthy!