Every since I got the Snippets email from Sarai at Colette Patterns, I’ve been mulling over the idea of participating in her Spring Palette Challenge.
A day after posting about the Sew Along Mayhem, I now decide to do more??? My husband probably thinks I’m nuts, but I have this blog tag-line for a reason: So many projects, so little time. Too true.
Below are the Palette/Spring Wardrobe Challenge stipulations:
- Week One: Define your challenge. Gather inspiration, make inspiration boards, review fabric choices, pick your palette, and decide how many garments you’d like to sew from the palette.
- Week Two: Plan your projects. Choose your patterns, sketch out your ideas, and make a plan.
- Weeks Three through Ten: Sew! Make your mini Spring wardrobe, and share your progress with everyone else.
Week One: Check!
Week Two: Half Check!
Weeks Three to Ten: Eeeek!
Over the weekend I pulled out a bunch of fabrics from my stash that would be good for spring/summer clothes. While I don’t have all that many fabrics in my stash two clear palettes were forming all on their own; the first was a purple-violet-white scheme and the other was a hot pink-black-dove grey scheme. While I love the color purple, I felt like I’d already made a bunch of purple clothes for the fall and during the winter. If I choose that scheme, it would just be more of the same. So I decided to go with the pink, black, grey palette mainly because I love the contrast between hot pink and black, hot pink and dove grey, along with black and light grey or b&w. Plus I don’t normally wear such bright colors, so this will be good motivation for me to get out of my comfort zone and try new things.
Behold, my spring palette and Inspiration Board. heh
When I’m looking around the internet I usually save images of clothes that I think I could make or things that are inspiring. Most of my images come from anthropologie but quite a few of the images above came recently from ModCloth. I’ve never bought anything from Mod, since I fear the clothes will not wear well over time, and most of the dresses are mini, which I’m not a fan of. But they make for great inspiration since they always have such wonderful details to them.
(Note: I have never talked with anyone who has shopped at ModCloth nor bought anything myself, so this is just my hunch. Please feel free to comment below with any feedback about this online clothing store, to correct me in my assumption or to verify it.)
In the bottom left on my inspiration board is my color palette that I have chosen; it’s hot pink, dove grey, black, and white. The white will most likely be an accent color, and not whole garments of white, but we’ll see.
Starting at the top left of the images, I have a skirt and three dresses. These are more for inspiration than anything else. I love the lace detail of the skirt, as well as the bow on the 2nd dress and the neckline detail in the third. Too little do I embelish any article that I’ve made, unless it was in the pattern. I’ve mainly just tried to find interresting fabrics, and leave it at that. But I’d really like to change that habit since its the details that makes home-made clothes so unique and lasting.
The pants in the upper right I do intend to make, but in dove grey. I’m not certain yet what pattern I’ll be using for these though, so this picture is just a reminder of the style I’m going for.
The second row are all images of actual patterns that I will be making in this challenge.
On the far left is the Jenny Pencil skirt by Burda which I’ll be making or it will be the 50’s vintage pencil skirt image in this same row. Then there is the alexander blouse which is just wonderful with the attached peplum. And finally I really want to make some more spring blouses, and I’ll be making version A blouse from the vintage Butterick 7592 pattern set. I don’t think I’ve even ever made just a blouse/top yet. I’ve only been making skirts and dresses, and this needs to change.
And finally the last row are all inspiration images again. I love the pleats in the purple pencil skirt, and would love to convert the Jenny skirt to have some neat embelishment like this. The middle image I love for the black and white contrast. Seems so simple to do, but it really makes a regular dress seem chic. And lastly I love this little hot pink dress with the wrap around peplum. It’s too cute. While I don’t think I’ll be making any strapless dresses, I can see making a skirt like this, with the little blouse directly above it.
So in 10 weeks, I plan to do my 4 sew alongs as well as making 5 new garments for this spring palette challenge. Insert nervous laughter *here*. I always seem to bite off more than I can chew; I really just want to do it all, since I know I’ll have fun doing it.
So please wish me luck, I’m gonna need it. And who’s going to join me in the challenge?
In: Sewing
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