SWAP 2010

Vogue 7359, originally uploaded by fourkidnubians.

Happy New Year! One of my goals this year is to complete the SWAP 2010. I entered the '09 version last winter, but only did 4 of the 11 required garments. I did get 4 nice skirts from the effort - and I learned about pacing. I also learned a great deal of new sewing techniques this past year, including how to better fit what I am making.  You can click the link above in the title to see the requirements of entering SWAP - but here are my ramblings on it for my particular entries.

Title: Fourkid's Florida Winter

I chose to do Option #2:
2 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
6 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
2 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)

1 will be a matched print or stripe.
1 will feature embroidery, beads or sashiko
1 will have buttons as the star feature OR use unusual or alternative closure(s).

So far I have begun working on my first item - the (yellow) jacket pictured above. It is my "choice" item. I am making it in a black wool boucle. Though the pattern is unlined, I will be underlining it with a gray rayon lining fabric.  I am still in the muslin fitting process - but hope to have that ready to go in the next few days. I am formulating plans for the other pieces and will post and update as I progress.

Knitted Shawl

This is a shawl I am knitting for my SWAP entry for an outer garment. The colors of the variegated bamboo yarn match the skirts I made. I like this bamboo yarn very much. It is very soft and not too difficult to knit. The pattern, however,  has been a test for both my abilities and my perfectionist tendency to do it right or not at all. I dropped a stitch at one point, but didn't discover it until about two inches later. It would be impossible to take out a portion of this and get it back on the needle correctly. It was too far along to weave it back to the needle. And I wasn't ripping this all out to start over! So my mom helped me tie off the dangling piece and I just went on. Only I would be able to see it. 

More noticeable is where I accidentally added stitches, tried to fix it and went on for about 3 inches trying to get the required 48 stitches back on and going in a correct pattern. Still, it isn't too bad, and I am keeping on. In the end with the type of yarn, its coloring, and the knitted pattern, the mistakes won't be easily spotted - I hope. 

The pattern and a sample finished product can be viewed by clicking on here. 

SWAP

Sewing With A Purpose. This is a sewing contest held at the Stitcher's Guild Sewing Forum found here: http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php#6 You just click on the SWAP 2009 tab and I am entered under the title: Fourkid 2009 SWAP - Skirtin' The Issue .

Anyone can enter, you just sign up and say you will enter. I am doing it with no expectation of winning anything - although I understand if you finish the requirements within the time frame everyone does get a small prize. I entered because this year's parameters fit my needs very well, and I am always putting off sewing for myself. I need some new, everyday clothes! I have always been motivated by these types of events. I am very non-competitive against others, but I love a challenge to myself.

So from now until April 30, 2009, I will do updates on my progress, both here (under the SWAP title), and at the Stitcher's Guild Forum. The official rules are at the website noted above, but the gist of it is to complete 11 garments in the allotted time frame. Of the 11 pieces, 6 must be tops, 4 must be bottoms, and one outer garment. All individual pieces must be able to be worn with each of the other pieces. The pieces must reflect your everyday weekly lifestyle.

I have chosen to do 2 or 3 skirts and 1 or 2 jumpers. Either way it will end up as four bottom pieces (jumpers can count as a bottom piece as long as every top can be worn with it.) My colors for the skirts and/or jumpers will be navy, dk. brown, tan, and blue denim. For the 6 tops, I am still in limbo on most of them, but to get started I have chosen to use the pattern pictured above in the maroon cotton fabric also pictured. This is an OOP (out of print) pattern I found at a thrift store for 10 cents. The fabric I bought new at Jo-Ann's.

For my outer garment, I am tentatively planning to knit a shawl. I found some attractive and easy free patterns on the web and have wanted a shawl for some time.

This is my most likely choice to make as of now:

http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/pdf/RaveLaceShawl.pdf

Christmas sewing has pushed my personal projects to the back burner - but I am hoping to have this top done by Jan. 1, and all my other SWAP projects decided on, patterns ready, and most fabric in hand, also by Jan. 1.