Spring in Prague SWAP Wrap Up

So, despite the uninterrupted posts from my blog, I am back from my vacation to Prague and Vienna.  So recently in fact, I'm still going to bed at 9 pm and waking up at 3 am.  Jet lag is an unavoidable evil when travelling to Europe!  I don't seem to have much trouble with it while I am away - mostly because we packed our days so full of exciting things to do and walked so much (about 10-20 km a day), and it was SO hot, we were worn out by the end of the day and slept like babies!  Any ideas on how to re-assimilate into real life would be very much appreciated!

Real life while away - here I am hard at work (I am actually checking work emails)
at a cafe in Prague wearing Infinity Dress B5606

I thought I'd do a little summary of my wardrobe and how my plans turned into reality and how my wardrobe actually worked  out while I was away.  I varied a little from my SWAP plan, and I can honestly say I brought too many clothes. 

Mom and I on the St. Charles Bridge in Prague
I'm wearing a self drafted shirt over a RTW cami and brown cotton skirt

In reviewing my photos, I've noticed that despite my intentions to have each outfit photographed, that never truly materialized, this despite taking a million selfies to document the trip. 

Mom and I at the Schonbrunn Palace Rose Gardens in Vienna
I'm wearing a Loes Hinse Perfect Tee in a shear animal print
with a beige cami underneath with a beige cotton skirt

So, after a distinct lack of me modelling my clothes for you on this blog, this post will contain *a few* of these selfies and that will hopefully give you at least a bit of the flavour of my travel wardrobe.  And my trip :) 

Marillen weiss gespritzt on a boat on the Danube,
wearing a RTW top - it's too hot for a necklace!

Here's a list of what I brought:

- KS moto jacket in sage green cotton twill blogged here
- Helen's Closet Blackwood cardigan sweater in dark khaki lacy sweater knit blogged here
- V1291 top in blush pink blogged here
- self drafted men's style shirt in natural linen blend
- B5678 in black lightweight cotton voile
- self drafted men's style shirt in snakeskin print poly georgette
- New Look 6068 sleeveless top in brown and blush print (also blogged here)
- New Look 6068 sleeveless top in green and black print
- RTW sleeveless top in leopard (or some type of animal) print (very similar style as New Look 6068)
- RTW camis, one in beige and one in chartreuse microfibre knit
- three RTW cotton tees in rose pink, blush pink and olive green
- two Loes Hinse Perfect Tees in cocoa with gold lightweight knit and one in sheer animal print
- RTW cotton tank in olive green
- M7686 view A off-the-shoulder top in light olive green microfibre knit
- Closet Case Patterns Ginger Jeans in beige stretch cotton/poly blend
- V8330 jeans in blush stretch cotton
- McCalls miniskirt in beige stretch cotton/lycra blend
- McCalls miniskirt in textured brown cotton/lycra blend
- McCalls miniskirt in green cotton/lycra blend
- RTW grey running shorts
- RTW grey/black lightweight pullover sweater
- self-drafted olive green yoga pants
- B5606 infinity dress blogged here
- M6559 dress (shorter length) and matching tie front cardigan in chartreuse microfibre knit
- M6886 dress, sleeveless in black and white stripe medium weight microfibre knit
- one piece bathing suit in totally uncoordinated colours of turquoise and red (the only one I have that I really want to be seen in public in if I'm not swimming laps!)
- dark olive green pashmina
- cream cotton/linen/rayon blend lightweight scarf
- pink/gold cotton blend lightweight scarf
- two pairs of wool handknit socks, various shorty socks, undergarments & toiletries
- various jewelry
- burgundy lightweight Reebok running shoes (fitted with my orthotics!)
- beige heeled Rockport sandals
- beige ballet slipper style shoes

Entering the Subway in Prague to travel to Vienna with all my luggage
wearing Blackwood cardi, New Look 6068 top and blush V8330 jeans

I wore the beige jeans, moto jacket, cream shirt, brown and blush top, heeled sandals and olive green pashmina on the plane.  Believe it or not, the rest of this wardrobe fit into a standard carry-on bag.  I fill my shoes with small clothing items (underwear, socks, camis) and put them into my suitcase first.  I use the rolling method of packing - I roll everything and literally compress it into the suitcase space, starting with the large items and filling the gaps with the smaller items.   

I also carry a standard day-size back pack with organizing pockets, which had my small size travel umbrella, camera bag, knitting projects (socks because they're so portable!) and extra yarn, iPad, Kindle, various chargers and electrical adapters, maps, hand sanitizer, sunscreen and wipes and my (very small) purse.  When touring around during the day, I leave some of that stuff at home, bringing my camera, umbrella, one sock knitting project, maps, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, wipes and my purse.

Cafe in Prague, New Look 6068 top with green cotton skirt

Ready for the day in New Look 6068 top and
McCalls stretch cotton skirt

I always research the anticipated weather before I travel.  I expected the temperatures to be about 20-23 degrees Celsius in both Prague and Vienna while we were there, with a few days of rain.  Despite my research, it was unexpectedly unseasonably hot and humid (about 30 degrees Celsius or more most days), so my two pairs of pants saw very, very little wear (only on the train and plane). 

Lunch in a monastery/brew pub in Prague
wearing a Loes Hinse Perfect Tee in a cocoa/gold knit
and the brown cotton skirt

A sleepy me, first thing in the morning wearing a RTW
lightweight knit sweater and self-drafted yoga pants

I wore the jacket once and the cardigan two or three times. I wore the grey/black sweater and yoga pants in the mornings when I woke up if it was cool.  The running shorts and grey cami/tank were worn as pajamas. 

St. Peter & Paul Cathedral in Prague, wearing
B5678 shirt over New Look 6068 top

Overlooking Prague, wearing B5678 shirt over New Look 6068 top

I threw in an extra skirt at the last minute; all of the camis and two of the sleeveless tops were last minute additions as well.  I'm very glad I had my "extra items" - they got a lot of wear in the hot weather.  While the camis were quite bare, I wore them under the shirts with the sleeves rolled up - loose and cool, yet covered from the sun.  If I went into churches or galleries, I would button up the shirt or tie the shirt tails at the front.  It was so hot, I often wore two or three tops throughout the day, so I'm really glad I had them all.  We had laundry facilities at the AirBnBs where we spent the majority of our time and the camis and tanks got washed a couple of times. 

Dinner in the Zofin Palace in Prague, wearing M6559

At the operetta Gasparone in Vienna, wearing B5606 Infinity Dress

I also wore both dresses a few times - we went to a fancy dinner in the Zofin Palace in Prague and we also went to an operetta in Vienna (amazing, particularly because it had a screen with English subtitles), and I wore the dresses on days that we were sightseeing and forecast to be particularly hot.  The dresses turned out to be very cool as they had no defined waistline or belt, and could be dressed up or down depending on what I wore with them. 

Infinity dress B5606 

I didn't use the olive green pashmina at all, except on the plane to Europe, but the cream scarf came with me everywhere.  It was great if there was an unexpected draft from air conditioning in galleries or museums, or if I wanted to protect my shoulders from the sun.  The pink scarf didn't get out of the suitcase at all.  Not sure why, it would have worked just as well as the cream one. 

Stairway to Klimt exhibit in Vienna
wearing a RTW olive tee with the cream scarf

Rose garden in Vienna near the winter palace
wearing Blackwood cardi with the cream colour scarf

I only wore the off-the-shoulder top once which also means I only wore the specialized undergarment (strapless bra) it needed only once.  I never wore the bathing suit but knew it was only "just in case."  I also didn't wear any of the pink tees - they just felt too heavy and hot, even first thing in the morning.  I never wore the ballet flats either - I opted for the lightweight running shoes almost every day.  They were very breathable, and I needed them for all the walking!

Ready for Dad's conference opening ceremony
and reception, wearing M7686 View A

As noted above, I often throw in extra things at the last minute, just in case, particularly if I have the room in my suitcase.  This worked out really well in the long run for this trip, but I had a lot of things I really didn't particularly "need" but ended up being really nice to have.  I did however expand and check my suitcase on the way home, and bought an inexpensive bag to carry a few souvenirs with me (ahem, yarn, ahem, sewing magazines and some new scarves that worked really well with the colour scheme of this travel wardrobe along with some books and clothes for my grandson) that I couldn't resist.  I almost regretted the decision to check my bag when waiting for half an hour around the luggage carousel waiting for my bag to come out, but souvenir yarn and La Maison Victor!!  Need I say more?

Aperol Spritz on a HOT day in Prague, wearing M6886 dress

I love planning travel wardrobes.  I love feeling prepared for the adventure of a trip, and I absolutely love that we were mistaken for locals many times on the trip (until we opened our mouths to say anything, that is!). 

Lunch at a pub in Prague with Mom, I'm wearing a RTW olive
tank top with a beige cotton skirt

The one take away for me is to be a bit more ruthless when packing and not throw in things at the last minute, just in case, which will leave some room in my carry-on bag for the inevitable souvenirs.  Then I can truly say I traveled carry-on.

Travelling from Vienna back to Prague on the train, wearing
one of the new scarves I bought

What an amazing trip.  I am truly blessed.

The Big Easy

Or, Fall SWAP 2016, Stage 1

I am a planner by nature and LOVE a capsule-style wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe work so easily for travel.  I travel a lot for both work and pleasure, and have realized that, at least for me for the majority of my trips, carry-on baggage is the best way to go.  I spend hours browsing, pinning (on Pinterest, that is), planning and coordinating fabrics and patterns for a wardrobe that will work together and make dressing in the morning relatively painless.  SWAP'ing (Sewing With A Plan) is a great way to do this, and the premise of it was made extremely popular by a series of articles by Lynn Cook in Australian Stitches magazine, and contests hosted by the now closed Timmel Fabrics a number of years ago.

I've gone away from SWAP'ping recently - with a focus on sewing whatever the mojo wants.  There are many reasons why this has happened, but I've ended up with quite a few orphan items in my closet, and have decided for Fall 2016 to get back to a focus.

My colour scheme for Fall 2016 is beige and black.  Which sounds ABSOLUTELY yawn-inducing-ly boring.  But, when you add in the planned pops of mustard yellow, teal, burgundy and rust orange it suddenly becomes much more exciting.  I've named it The Big Easy, because my goal is to have it done for my work trip to New Orleans for a conference at the end of September.  I have also chosen EASY patterns - this is key!

According to Lynn Cook, Stage one of the SWAP consists of the following 11 garments. 

• 1 simple cardigan jacket in a solid colour
• 2 pairs of pants
• 2 skirts, one in a solid colour, one in a print or check
• 2 simple tops, one solid, one in the above print
• 4 tops, in colours which coordinate with the solids

Because I'm me, I'm venturing a bit outside of these guidelines.  They're guidelines, not written in stone.  

My jacket is not going to be out of a solid colour, but a very small check in a beige and black wool crepe

suiting.  I'm thinking of the Bolero Jacket, Multiples pattern with the three button front.

I already have two pairs of pants sewn from my travels this spring:

• one a slim cut pair in black tropical  wool, 
• the other a wide flow-y pair in beige wool crepe 
• 
  

I have one skirt already that will fit into this plan, a black microfibre knit skirt that comes to just 

about the knee

• I'm planning on a pencil skirt (my own draft) in the black/beige check to match the jacket.

My two simple tops will be Loes Hinse Tuscan Blouses:

• the first a short-sleeve in a deep beige/rust colour
• the second is with long sleeves and out of a black drapey textured polyester, not the suggested print.

LH Tuscan Blouse

The four tops will be where I bring the colour in.  The patterns I'm planning on for these are the Loes Hinse 
Tank Dress pattern, view D and the Loes Hinse Cap Sleeve Dress pattern, view C. I'm planning on:

• one in a blood red/burgundy colour sweater knit 
• one in a mustard yellow textured knit
• one in a teal knit, and 
• the last is an existing one in a microfibre black knit that is the same as one of the skirts in this plan.  

LH Cap Sleeve Dress

LH Tank Dress

Of course, I have a few extras that would be really nice to finish before my trip as well.  I love the ease and simplicity

of Dresses.  I'm hoping to add the Textile Studio Madison Avenue dress in a red & black textured knit, as well as a

Loes Hinse New York Dress, View A in a mustard yellow wool double knit to my wardrobe.  

LH New York Dress

Again, these are TNT patterns and simple and super quick to sew, but make a big impact.  

The last nice-to-have garment is a cardigan out of a sweater knit - probably in burgundy 
(depending on what I can find in my stash).

There you have it.  Stage 1, The Big Easy.  Now all I have to do is actually sew it.

Do you plan your sewing?  What do you do - do you have a method or a way you've found works for you?

Better Late than Never!

So...its the end of summer.  The nights are cooler and the days have that late summer feel to them.  I noticed while driving across the province for work yesterday that the late summer colours have appeared - the golden rod is in spectacular bloom, as are the purple wild asters and wild chicory - I even spotted a few maple trees that have started to turn into their glorious fall reds, oranges and yellows.

And I've decided I needed a bathing suit.  Why, you ask?  I'm camping this weekend for the first time in a few years, and we have intentions of renting a canoe at the campsite.  Wearing any of the bathing suits I already have just wouldn't work out best for me, ifyaknowwhatimean...Hello wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen!

So...what's a girl to do?  Turn to her pattern and fabric stash, of course!  For fabrics, I dug through my bin (when did I amass all these fabrics?! and from where?!) and settled on these swimwear fabrics:



For the patterns, I chose Loes Hinse's Tank Dress pattern, the Cami view - I know this pattern fits me very well and would be the perfect base for an "active wear" swimsuit.  For the bottoms, I chose another TNT bathing suit pattern, New Look 6469.

Photo credit:  http://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/8987

Here's the final result:

Since I made both before, I didn't have to do much in the way of alterations.  I did add a shelf bra with formed cups to the cami, using instructions from the Singer Sewing Reference Library Sewing Activewear book.  I used swimwear elastic on the armholes and neckline, serged to the right sides of the openings, then turned to the wrong side and stitched down with zig-zag stitches.  I didn't measure the elastic, just stretched it slightly smaller than the opening while serging in place.  The hem is just a regular turn and stitch hem, about 3/4" deep.  I added lining to the shorts, simply by cutting out the swimwear lining fabric using the pattern pieces for the front and back of the pattern.  I sewed those together and inserted it wrong sides together into the main shorts.  I inserted a piece of 3/4" swimwear elastic that was cut slightly shorter than my waist measurement with the ends sewn together into the waistband for added security.  I then serged the contrasting waistband to the shorts and lining as one unit.  The bottom hems are finished with swimwear elastic, using the serge, turn and stitch technique like the cami.

I am very happy with the result.  I already have cut out a few more mix 'n match pieces including some Jalie 2563 sports tops and McCalls 5400 bottoms.  I'll share these pieces as soon as they're done, but for the time being, I'll be busy sorting out the camping gear!