Crazy 8 Outfit Planning

Lately in my blog travels, I visited Dana's blog, Lean Mean Sewing Machine. Dana was sharing her latest makes and how she was incorporating the Crazy 8 wardrobe planning into her sewing.

courtesy of Lean Mean Sewing Machine blog

Stitchers Guild recently announced their 2014 SWAP competition requirements and sewists plans are showing up on their blogs.  I love SWAP and wardrobe sewing and have toyed with the idea of participating ~ but the requirements and sewing 11 garments that work together has held me back.  It just seemed overwhelming and like my sewing would be too planned when I'm looking forward to more sewing whatever.  

However, 8 pieces that will work together yet still work with my wardrobe is quite appealing to me.  I feel like this ties in with my current creative desires to sew garments that will work together but yet be separates.  Also at any point if I want to stop I can. Yet I will still end up with some wonderful new pieces in my wardrobe.

So here is what the Crazy 8 Plan is comprised of:

1. One jacket
2. One cardigan
3. Two tops
4. One blouse
5. One pair of pants
6. One skirt
7. One dress

Here's what I want to make ~

Jacket 
I will be using Vogue 7975 if possible.  It's my first choice but this may change.  I really want to use this pattern before the winter is over and this plan would allow me to do so.

Vogue 7975

Cardigan 
I will use my Butterick 5760 TNT pattern.  I have the fabric picked out for this one already ~ a panel print for the fronts in red/black/white/grey and cotton black ponte for the back and sleeves.

Tops 
One will be from my TNT dress pattern.  The second one will be a RTW bow tie blouse that I bought and need to alter to make fit me well. Gotta figure out that third top. I have fabric options for only the first top.

RTW floral long sleeve bow tie blouse

with pintucks on the front

Pants 
Will be made from my TNT pants pattern.  I'm using a black medium weight/heavy weight black wool crepe that I purchased from Fabric Mart earlier this year.

Skirt 
Made in a black/white plaid wool fabric from the collection using my TNT straight skirt pattern.

Dress
I will use Vogue 8944, Version A, the sleeveless version in three different colors of wool.  A vanilla white crepe for the top, red wool double knit for the center and black medium weight wool crepe for the skirt.  Haven't decided if I will use the red or white fabric for the back top.  I think the dress will tell me as I'm sewing it.

Vogue 8944

Fabric Choices
As much as I love color in the winter... you can see that I've got a black/red/white/grey combo.  I know it's not original but it works for my corporate life. Here is the combo I'm using...

Left to right:  

polyester panel print, cotton black ponte, black/white plaid wool

mediumweight black wool crepe, red wool doubleknit, 

vanilla white wool crepe

I have to say that I'm pretty thrilled with my fabric collection right now, because all of these pieces were pulled from the shelves.  I love my fabric collection, truly I do! Pulling the fabric and choosing patterns, have inspired me and reignited my sewing mojo.

I've already started working on the pants. Hey it's cold and I wanted a new pair since I've recently put a couple of pairs in the pile to go to the dry cleaners.  There will be a lot more discussed here about this plan as the month progresses ~ especially since it fits into my sewing separates thing that I've got going on in my head.

...as always more later!