Sewingplums

Two of my favourite stylists have suggested similar small casual capsules for the coming winter 2013, so I thought I’d use them as a focus for talking about some of the new patterns.
YouLookFab
The Vivienne Files

They both use layers, tops, and pants.
No skirts, despite UK Vogue’s insistence that they’re a key look this season, see my post on skirts for this winter.
And no dresses, though the pattern catalogues are full of them. Perhaps home sewers are more likely to have a dress-wearing personal style 😀
(If you do prefer skirts and dresses, here’s another capsule from The Vivienne Files.)

The basic capsules have :
– 2 layers
– 3-6 tops, mainly knits but include 1 shirt
– 2-3 pants
plus
– 1-2 big scarves
– 2 pairs shoes
– 1 bag.
– 1 belt

My comments have turned into a series of posts.
– here the main focus is on blazer-style jackets, with a note on pants.
I’m also planning :
– a couple of posts on other jacket styles (see YouLookFab on jacket trends for the season).
– one on tops.
– and possibly one on accessories.

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Travel capsule

Incidentally, Janice of The Vivienne Files is talking about a minimal travel capsule, and shows all the advantages of mix-and-match.
Wear to travel : (“Key 3” outfit) 1 pants, 1 layer, 1 top,
plus 1 big scarf/ shawl, 1 pair comfortable shoes.
Carry a small bag with : (“Four Pack”) 1 pants, 1 layer, 1 shirt, 1 dressier top,
plus 1 big scarf/ shawl, 1 pair dressy shoes, (nightwear, small size toiletries, spare undies and socks).

The only bulky heavy item is the shoes, so try to lighten them. No jeans – they’re bulky and heavy. A knit for the packed layer would be light and pack down well.
Very little to carry and, if you have access to washing facilities, you have the basis for over 30 different looks !
(P.S. ejvc has some interesting ideas about making this group in her post here.)

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Pants

First a brief mention of the pants.

Both stylists go for 2 pairs of pants, slim and even more slim.
Plus YouLookFab adds a comfortable-casual pair of ‘boyfriend’ jeans.

sources at YouLookFab

There aren’t any new slim ‘pants only’ patterns, but plenty of pants combined with the jackets, so I’ll mention them there.

If you’re looking for really slim high-stretch styles, McCall’s is a good source of patterns.

For jeans, each of the big companies has their own basic pattern.
Jalie 2908 jeans was the top Pattern Review pattern for 2009.

Pattern Review have 85 pages of tips in a chat and advice jeans sew along for this pattern.

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Layers

Both stylists suggest 2 layering options.

This is where Angie and Janice have the biggest difference of opinion : one suggests sweater knits (she’s suggesting a travel capsule), the other has more structured wovens.

The Vivienne Files goes for a couple of classic thicker knits, sweater (what we in the UK call a jumper) and cardigan.

sources at The Vivienne Files

There isn’t a good source of sweater knit fabrics here, so knit your own or buy RTW.

You LookFab picks a blazer and a moto/ biker jacket. She’s going for one more formal and one more casual style, to get a wide variety of looks out of a small capsule.


sources at YouLookFab
(not clear from the image, but it’s a shawl-collar blazer)

Moto/ biker basically is a closer fitting style with exposed zips, often asymmetrical and in a tough fabric such as leather.
I’m planning to talk about these in a later post.
This post is about new patterns for blazer-like styles.

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Buttoning

Many of the new notched collar patterns are buttoned at bust level. Which is interesting as nearly all blazer patterns recently have been buttoned at waist level.
Indeed, YouLookFab says that trendy jackets are buttoned low.

Long low-buttoned lapels may be high fashion,
but they’re difficult to get to lay flat for anyone but the B cup people who the patterns are made for.
And they’re not such a flattering look for many people with large cup size (see Imogen Lamport’s post on buttoning).
It’s a compromise decision, as long lapels do add a lengthening line.

So choose which is most flattering for you. And make sure the visual focus of attention is on the collar, not on the ‘break point’ where it turns back to start the lapels.

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Blazer-like styles

Butterick 5926 has a notched collar.

The collar in Vogue 8939 is less usual.
And ah good, a wardrobe jacket that’s designed to fit over long sleeves.

Butterick 5965 wardrobe has a shawl collar.


McCall’s 6655 jacket by Palmer-Pletsch has 2 lengths and a good variety of collars. The blazer picked by YouLookFab is like the one lower left here, though not colour blocked.

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Tuxedo

In her post on jacket styles for the coming season, YouLookFab mentions the tuxedo as well as the blazer.

I take it to mean a version of the blazer that is ‘boyfriend styled’, looking as if you’re wearing a man’s jacket :
long and large – wide
more structured – crisp
straight

Obviously the big pattern companies disagree with her, as there used to be several patterns for tuxedos, now no more.

Here’s a couple of download patterns from Burda Style.

Notched collar, Burda 03/2010 # 116

Shawl collar, Burda 04/2013 # 101

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Fabrications

Blazer jackets no longer have to be made out of dark neutrals in gaberdine or men’s tailoring fabrics (unless you want to of course).
Big floral and geometric prints are still in style.

And the new idea is ‘multi-media’ styles (see YouLookFab’s post – link at top of this – for tops in different fabrications).
That means you can make your jacket or top with :
– colour blocking.
– areas with different styles of print.
– texture blocking – add lace, leather trims or sections, bias cut or textured areas.
It’s easiest to do texture blocking if all the fabrics have the same weight and weave. Using areas of different fabric types, such as combining knits and wovens, velvet and charmeuse, can be a technical challenge.

Blazers may be associated with serious work and power, but nowadays the most formal shape of blazer can be worn to an exotic occasion if you use the right fabric 😀

Maybe the blazer shape is classic, but using fabrication there’s lots of fashion forward jacket exploration possible this season. Well actually even classic fabrics are currently high fashion. A recent TV show had a multi-million-selling girl pop group wearing matched solid fabric blazer pant suits !

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Does a blazer or tuxedo suit your personal style ?
See my post on details of blazer styling to make them your own.

Blazers are straighter and more structured, for people with a straighter shape, or who want to look more formal. Angie of YouLookFab herself has a crisper look and tends to suggest those styles. (As a supplementary post from YouLookFab, here are some capsules suggested by her readers.)

But if you’re like me, and not happy in a straighter more structured and classic jacket, there are plenty of other new jacket possibilities, which I’m planning posts on.

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Patterns and links available August 2013

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UK Vogue catwalk edit for Winter 2013 says skirts will be a focus this season. Especially 3 styles – pencil, pleats, full and flouncy.

Nearly all worn below knee length. At lower knee cap or lower calf for most people. Mid-calf if you have thin legs.

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Pencil

McCall’s 3830 classic pattern.

At calf length, you need a hem vent for ease of walking. In the early 20c, they weren’t allowed to show their legs, so made slim skirts without vents – rightly called ‘hobble’ skirts !

Written sewalong from Tuppence Ha’penny (for pencil skirts in general, not this specific pattern).

Lots of video sewalongs listed in my post on Skirts – video sewalongs.

Pencil skirts are styled by UK Vogue this season especially with sweater knit tops and flat shoes.
Here’s a post from YouLookFab about styling a longer skirt , though on a tall person with good shoulders.
And here she is on tops to wear untucked with pencil skirts.

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Pleats

All around pleats such as Butterick 5756

supplement to instructions, from Fashion Sewing Blog

Or similar McCall’s 6706 if you’d like a shorter style.

If you have difficulty getting your head round how pleating works, here’s a YouTube on pleats.

These pleated skirts can be worn short and flirty, or long. With a long top, or waist definition.

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Full and flouncy

Long again, worn with a fitted top and waist definition. Most of these are fitted at the waist and flare out. Not many with gathered fullness.

Mad Men style – I was a teenager in the 50s and I can tell you it wasn’t a glamorous time. But the skirts are lovely !

Here’s a basic pattern, Vogue 8749.

Though a true New Look skirt is much fuller than this. One point of Dior’s design was to celebrate the end of wartime shortages. So look for a skirt pattern that uses 5 or 6 yards of fabric !

Or test your creativity by making McCall’s 6712 a bit longer.

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For these flared skirts, add sewing a curved hem to your skills.

Very narrow hem – tutorial from Allison.

Narrow hem – many web tutorials, I like the clear photos in this one from Victory patterns.

Yes, 3 lines of stitching – trying to get away with only 2 doesn’t work well !

Wide hem – actually a bit more difficult.
Use similar technique to the narrow double fold in the tutorial from Victory.
Only sew the first row of stitching, as a first turning in/ gathering line.
Fold up hem without guide sewing line,
and press the hem into place, pressing out the fullness.
Best if hand sewn.
Lots of hem tips in general, including on wider hems, from SewMamaSew.

(P.S. Vildy suggests using a hem facing if you want a wide curved hem.)

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Lantern skirt

And – though this isn’t recommended by UK Vogue !
How about a ‘lantern’ skirt for those of us with wide hips and trim ankles.

Wall London

Make as a ‘balloon’ skirt (see my post) using the underskirt method, but low calf length.

Check if you need to add a hem slit so you can walk.
A slit at CB is probably best for most people. Make an open slit if you like to show your legs, an overlapping vent if you want it to be unnoticed when you’re standing still. Trace the vent from another skirt pattern, if you’re not comfortable with just adding to the seam allowances.

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Might this season convert you to skirt wearing !

Long skirts are best for my leg shape, and I love swirling, so I’m tempted 😀

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Patterns and links available August 2013

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Another outfit from UK In Style magazine’s suggestions for summer weddings.
With emphasis on combining very different contrasts in one outfit.

Very different from the softly styled muted colouring kimono in my previous post.

A straight thigh length jacket with seam interest.
Made in a solid fabric (white for this summer’s theme), perhaps with a shiny texture or leather.


UK In Style July 2013

For the jacket pattern, try Kwik Sew 3732.

Not clear from either image, but both jacket and pattern have large hip patch pockets.

The outfit jacket also has matching seam interest across the sleeves, easy to add.
And 3/4 sleeves – add to taste.

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Outfit styling

All this season’s textures and patterns in one outfit !
brilliant styling !

big contrasts in :
surface – leather or lace
print – soft or hard edged

Textures :
lace shirt
smooth leather or shine jacket
metallic and suede shoes
snake skin bag
floaty scarf.

Patterns :
hard edged simple pattern scarf
floral pants
snake skin bag
the lace shirt adds another subtle curved pattern

Combinations of solid flat, segmented mosaic (the snake skin), background-foreground (lace and scarf), or detailed painterly shapes.

All integrated through the use of colour. Mainly white and warm, with a touch of complementary cool blue.

This outfit is styled in clear colours.
If your colouring is more muted, choose a print with muted pastel background for the pants, and repeat the background colour for the jacket and shirt.

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Whew, this sort of integration of opposites in styling takes talent or a lot of experimenting.

I can’t do this or wear this level of variety myself, but I’m fascinated by outfits like this.
Would you like to try it ?

(And P.S. – if you prefer to wear a dress to a wedding, here are many suggestions on what to wear to a wedding from Imogen Lamport at Inside-Out Style.)

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Pattern available July 2013

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I was amused by a piece in UK In Style magazine for July about wedding outfits.
Obviously they’re thinking of our recent cold sunless summers, and not expecting us to survive outdoors in a sleeveless dress.
As the emphasis of all the outfits is on a long-sleeved jacket. Over high necked tops and dresses.
None of the outfits are at all revealing !

Several interesting outfits, I’ve decided to comment on them individually as short summer posts.

The first is the most casual suggestion, a kimono.
Very fashionable this season.

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Kimono patterns

Make in a drapey soft muted print fabric, with the neck band in a contrasting dark solid colour.

2024 : There are now a couple of posts on patterns for this style :
Easy makes.
Easy layer/ top/ pants capsules.

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The easiest beginners’ kimono pattern is Kwik Sew Kwik Start 3177.
A pattern for a dressing gown/ robe, but currently fashionable for a casual jacket too.

Choose the finished size by the effect you want – slouchy or slim.
Omit the pockets or place them differently, if that would be more flattering.
Many lengths possible – to hip, thigh, knee.

If you’d still feel you were wearing your robe in public if you made that, try Burda 7297.
Styled as robe, jacket or coat.

There are also some wardrobe patterns with kimono jackets.

Simplicity 1593 is a wardrobe for knits.

Or for something a bit more elegant there’s New Look 6161, a Project Runway pattern.

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Outfit styling

In this outfit the kimono is worn with an equally softly styled dress in a light solid colour.
Both dress and kimono at knee length.

This outfit is styled with darker muted warm colours, but there are many washed prints in other colourways, lighter, brighter, cooler, to use as a colour starting point.

This is styled for a beach wedding, with open flat shoes for coping with sand.

The clutch bag, very fashionable, is the usual flat rectangle shape, but with rounded corners to match the generally soft styling.

The outfit is in browns, blacks, creams, with a wash of other subtle tones in the print.
The bag, plus a strip in the shoes, emphasises a pale green. Possibly picked out from the muted print. A good soft way to give the outfit a bit of colour ‘lift’ without overpowering the muted effect.

An easy and attractive outfit, if you’re happy in something casual, soft, unrevealing. Vary the colour to what flatters you.

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A kimono was high fashion a couple of years ago too. Then it was a winter style as part of an emphasis on oriental style. I wrote a post then on kimono patterns.

Now the kimono is back as a summer style and part of an arty or ‘slouchy’ ultra-casual attitude.
YouLookFab has a couple of posts showing modern casual kimono styling with jeans and slim pants. And in brighter colourings, here and here.

So, if the style attracts you, you can wear kimonos both for everyday and for special occasions.

Wow, I’m fashionable this season without knowing it. Early in the year I bought an ecru lace kimono for ‘summer best’. Thigh rather than dress length, so best worn with slimmer pants. I love it 😀

Though we have just had a week of sunshine and warmth here, so perhaps we won’t need jackets this summer after all 😀

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Outfit photo from UK In Style magazine
Patterns and links available July 2013

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