A Canberra Capsule Wardrobe #CBRFrocktails

I recently flew up to Canberra for the inaugural #CBRFrocktails and after a few false starts landing through the fog, was warmly greeted by the local sewing spoolettes, coffee and a sunny sky. 

Seven items proudly made by me ;)

Most importantly, what did I wear! Well, I took great delight in packing a small case with a co-ordinated selection of favourite RTW and new and favourite me-made items. Basing my daytime outfit around a pair of dark denim mid-waisted boot cuts (I found my 'perfect' RTW jean at the 11th hour before sewing a pair), I simply required a top each day to go under my Named Patterns' Saunio +/- layered with my teal Swoon cardigan. Two perfect workhorses that, conveniently layer beautifully together.

Named Saunio

Such an unassuming blog post title for such a little workhorse of a cardigan.

Named Patterns released the Saunio cardigan in their SS14 All Things Nice Collection well over a year ago. I've seen it made up, by the always on-trend and stylish Kirsty of Top Notch, three times, however I never really noticed it, until now. Her third version, and Blogless Anna's, combined with Named's discount code for The Monthly Stitch's separates competition, tipped me over the edge, I wanted one, and I wanted it now.

To the bleachers! Blue tops and sandy days : The Sandpoint Top : Pattern Testing for GrayDay Patterns

I do love a draped neckline ;)
Over at The Monthly Stitch, a competition was held to choose a brand new indie pattern designer to be mentored and Helena of GrayDay Patterns and her Sandpoint Top were chosen.

Sail away with Mandy Hudson

When I was a young, voracious reader, I used to dream of adventures along the Hudson with Trixie Belden, Honey and the Bob Whites - in my dreams I had short curly hair (just like Trixie) and was a bit of a tomboy - well, not much has changed ;)

My absolute favourite book in the 34 books that I read in the series was The Mystery of the Ghostly Galleon (1979) with a genuine glow in the dark disappearing pirate ship!

Don't mind me while I climb the rigging and dream of pirate adventures...

Teal waterfall cardigan = Swoon

I do like teal. And when there's just enough left on the bolt of snuggly luscious wool knit at Rathdowne Remnants for a waterfall cardigan, well, how could I not indulge!

The pattern is Swoon's free Scarf Neck Cardigan, which comes in both women's and girls sizing. It's been made up recently (& locally) by MrsNickpea, Lara Thornberry and Sewn By Elizabeth, who was working on one at SewAway.

MadMen3 - Jane Sterling she's a mod mod girl

Some days, a project just takes on a life of it's own. My social Anna was born out of picking up the right fabric with the right friends present to facilitate it's construction.

This story is like that, although I'll credit the online community and dreams of Sterling Cooper.

I had SO much fun with channelling 1967! Imagine if you will, that Jane Sterling hooks up with Megan Draper's hip friends after her divorce from Sterling (which was very, very expensive) and hits the town...

Followers of The Monthly Stitches Miss Bossy Patterns may recall that I had as option three a rayon printed with an Art Nouveau/1970's geometric design. I was asking for assistance about which late 60's pattern to sew up, my Mum's straight shift dress, or a raglan sleeved one that I thought was simply darling ;)

Influencing my choices was Julia Bobbin's MadMen Challenge #3 - and the seasons have caught up with the late 1960's, opening the challenge to shift dresses and more free-loving styles.

A Tale of Two Cowls - Part One - DrapeDrape1 #1 - and a bonus Iconic Cami

March's Monthy Stitch Challenge is Miss Sew Bossy Patterns. I mainly played along in the Facebook group during February and it was so wonderfully interactive & built a fabulous sense of community - I was introduced to dozens & dozens of new-to-me blogs and the conversations flowed wonderfully.
Such a scathingly brilliant idea, thanks ladies!

Miss Bossy Patterns March

I had rebelled/hedged my bets and asked the Monthly Stitch Community to choose between 3 fabrics, 5 patterns.
I had a clear pattern winner (phew!) with 13 votes for the first draped top from the Japanese Pattern Book Drape Drape 1, which I've made (as bossed) in a luscious, thin, drapey red cotton knit from the Clegs Boxing Day sale.

Miss Bossy Patterns - Selecting a project for March

Over at the Monthly Stitch they realise that some of us may have patterns in our stash that we've never used, despite our very best intentions.
Some of us may also have fabric associated with these patterns…
The March Challenge is to select three of those patterns and to ask you to vote for one which will be sewn for March.
Now, my pattern stash is trying to keep up with Heather B of "all the patterns" and there are some gems that need some TLC before they are worthy.
There may also be some fabric that's waiting on the aforementioned pattern tweaking….
Getting to this glorious stage isn't going to happen in the next month ;)

Voting for all!!

So, I've chosen a luscious knit from the Clegs sale that I pat every time I pass and paired it with the first pattern I saw from Drape Drape - top #1 that I've never even traced….. I even have a draped red knit top shaped hole in my wardrobe (the RTW version is simply, worn out!)

Happy New Year - Love, the Dachshund xxx

Happy Lunar New Year everyone!
Surely that means I can post my December and January Monthly Stitch challenges on time??
no?? These are all gratuitous dachshund shots….. good enough reason? excellent! let's just ignore the timestamps and cover them here….
December's Challenge was "tis the season to Party" and I wore my project top to three Christmas functions, including family lunch on Christmas Day. Did I get a single photo of it - well, of course not ;)

Needless to say this is an 'action' shot as he spied something worth considering leaping into action for

It is Leisl+Co's Weekend Getaway Blouse and I admit, I was completely influenced by Lara Thornberry's two and SewBusyLizzy's versions.

Sewing from Japanese Pattern Books - DrapeDrape2

I do like the visual style of sewing from Japanese pattern books & magazines in general.
Having instructions in english doesn't seem as important when the pattern pieces fit together and there are numbers indicating the order of sewing and which bits connect where.
 - and I might just like a puzzle, perhaps ;) *

For my contribution to the Monthly Stitch for November's challenge "From a sewing book", I chose a Japanese magazine "Female", however that dress can wait for another post as I had a delightful time with DrapeDrape2.

I've previously blogged about the batwing dress of awesomeness and this time I'd love to introduce you my renditions of #2 and #4

#4 The left sleeve is a batwing with lovely draping, while the right is a more 'typical' sleeve shape