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.

Deep Stash Diving!

While I love intricate sewing projects that take hours and hours of sewing time and teach me new skills, there are times when I just love to hear the whir of the sewing machines as I blast through a project or two.   This was the case recently when I only had a short period of time in the sewing room, and I'm working towards some deadlines and wanted some new clothes.

I chose a few TNT patterns and one relatively straightforward project for a new outfit.  And here's the result!

So let's start with the cardigan.  It's the Blackwood Cardigan from Helen's Closet.  I've made this pattern four or five times already and wear the cardigans to death, literally - one looks a bit like a rag already.  I didn't refer to the instructions at all - it's a super easy make.  I love the lines of it, it makes me feel svelte and sophisticated.  The fabric is a really unusual lacy sweater knit that kind of looks like velour in the raised lacy bits with just enough stretch to make my standard size work.

 

The top is another pattern I've made multiple times, New Look 6068.

 

This is a picture of the pattern cover that I snagged off the internet because my copy of the pattern is beaten up and written on with so many notes about fitting.  I've had my copy for at least five years, which is as far back as my notes on the cover date.  I've made this top over and over again - I'm pretty sure I've made all versions of it.   It's a classic silhouette. It has a centre back seam, which I love because I have such a swayback that it really helps with the fit.  I added 2" to the length as I found the original pattern a bit on the short side (and I'm short-waisted).  I cut this out in a single layer to pattern match as much as possible with my very small yardage. The fabric is an ITY knit, which is old, old, old stash - I have no idea where I bought it or when.  It was a very small piece, which makes me think I may have picked it up as a remnant. 

I used 2" wide self-fabric bands cut on the cross-grain to finish the hems at the neckline and the armholes. To do this, I fold the fabric strips in half wrong sides together, and stitch them to the right side of the garment, using a 5/8" seam allowance (the regular seam allowance on the original pattern).  Then I turn the seam allowance to the inside of the garment and press.  Super simple, but I think it adds a level of sophistication that the turn and stitch hems don't. 

  

And finally, the skirt. I wanted something a little casual.  In the warmer months, I wear skirts instead of shorts, especially when I"m travelling.  I find skirts to be cooler and more dressy than shorts.  I chose Vogue 7805, which is reminiscent of jeans styling.  I believe it is out of print as I can't find it on the Vogue website.  As an aside, I love the detailing on the leg of pants and the vents and have added these to my list of "want to makes".


I chose a sage/olive green very stretchy cotton/lycra fabric.  Because the fabric was so stretchy, I sized down a size from my normal 16 to size 14.  I ended up taking in the side seams substantially - again because the fabric was so stretchy.  I really like how the front carriers are integrated into the patch pockets.  The waist is finished with a facing that is topstitched at the bottom, which adds another cool detail.  I used a "jeans" button that is hammered into place to carry through the jeans styling.  It looks a little wrinkly in the photographs, but  I think that's a result of my flash because it doesn't look that way IRL.  It turned out to be a very fitted skirt but that's the silhouette I was looking for.

 

These pieces will be coming with me in my carry-on bag for my upcoming vacation.  I think they'll work really nicely with the other pieces in the Spring in Prague collection.

Flutter-by

I'm well on my way to finishing the Spring in Prague SWAP, which is good, because my travel date is fast approaching!  My latest FO is a top from New Look 6648.



I chose View C with the wrap front and flutter sleeves.  I must have misplaced the waistband pattern piece the last time I sewed this as it wasn't in the envelope with the other pattern pieces, so I drafted one that I thought would be similar.  As luck would have it, I found the pattern piece tacked up to my bulletin board in my Atelier after cutting everything out, and it was remarkably similar to what I had suspected it would be.

 

My self-drafted waistband turned out to be longer than the pattern piece, but I really like it this length, which hits at the high hip.  I used the same olive green lightweight cotton/jersey that I used for my last make, the Infinity Dress.

I will definitely have to wear a cami underneath to keep the girls from showing themselves, but I like using camis as an accessory and to add a hit of colour.  And it has a great neckline for statement necklaces, which I love!

I finished the neckline with a self-fabric strip instead of the turn and stitch hem they recommend.  I just like this style finish better.  The pictures show a bit of wrinkling, but mostly because I've lightened the photographs to show the details better.

I love the loose style and feminine sleeves!

To Infinity and Beyond!!

There's a lot of buzz about Infinity Dresses on the interwebs these days. (See what I did there?  That's a Toy Story pun for those of you who are uninitiated...)  They make amazing travel pieces.   There are a number of different variations of Infinity Dresses, but I chose Butterick 5606.
B5606 uses a tank style dress as the "base", with an a-line skirt.  This is great for touring Europe as I can cover my shoulders if I'm going into churches or need to be more respectful.  I also can make it a bit less covered up if it is hot outside or if I'm going out for dinner.

This literally took me about an hour to complete the sewing.   I cut the size medium.  I used a lightweight cotton/lycra jersey in an olive green colour.  The ties are left raw (no sewing required!).  Next time, I'm going to use strips of self fabric to finish the neckline and armholes, instead of the turn and stitch method they suggest in the pattern.

You can wrap the ties in many different ways to change up the looks.

You can even turn the dress back-to-front to create even more looks.

I know  there are even more looks I can play with.  I will certainly be making more of these in different colours, as well as mixing up the styles - with a bandeau top, varying the skirt lengths and styles.  The best part is that it can be rolled up into your suitcase to go with you on the road!  I'm off to search my stash for more knits!

It's Not Cake, but I Like It Anyway

I love cake.  With frosting.  The flavour doesn't really matter, but I do have a special place for chocolate cake with mocha buttercream frosting.  But if you eat cake with frosting all the time, you don't feel very well.  I also love sewing "cake."  You know, the pretty cocktail dresses, the gorgeous over-the-top dramatic jumpsuits, the embroidered motorcycle jackets, and the wild sparkly tops.  But if you sew them all the time, your wardrobe won't feel very good either.

In that vein, I've been working on a couple of basics for my travel wardrobe.  My latest make is another Butterick 5678.  I love this shirt pattern! 


I cut size 14 with a bit of extra room at the waist, using the D cup shirt front and side front.  The patterns with the specific cup sizes save me from doing the alteration myself and are a real time saver!

I chose a natural colour medium weight linen, as this will be a multi-purpose shirt jacket on my upcoming trip.  Because it's linen, it wrinkles like nobody's business, but it's linen and it's supposed to.  I'm comfortable with that.

The princess lines are very flattering, and the folded and top-stitched front band makes it super easy to put together.

The back also has princess seams, which makes the fit very flattering.  I did a 1" swayback adjustment to make it fit me better.

It's not cake, but it will work really well within my Spring in Prague SWAP travel wardrobe, and I'm sure I'll wear it a lot!

Get Down with your Bad Self

Oh my gosh, you guys!  I had so much fun with this next make.  I have had this pattern in my stash for ever and ever, literally - I think I picked it up when it first came out.  But for some reason I kept putting it off because I thought it was hard. I used to sew wedding gowns and alter prom dresses.  Why on earth would I think that making this pattern would be so hard??  I stalked the reviews at Patternreview.com and finally worked up my nerve to include it as part of my #makenine2018 just to get it off my #scarypatternlist.

Yes, this is the iconic Kwik Sew 3764 motorcycle jacket.

I chose an olive green stretch cotton twill that I've also had in my stash forever and ever.  I have no idea where I bought this from, or even how long I've had it.  I'm pretty sure it's embarrassingly old - like so old I think I moved it from my old house.  And that was almost 10 years ago.

The zippers are new, from my local Fabricland chain store.  The snaps are also new.

I made my usual swayback adjustment to the pattern and lengthened the sleeves by 1".

During the making process, I decided to narrow the shoulders by about 3/4".  They're still plenty wide, which is the style of the jacket.  You'll also note the gorgeous embroidered rose applique on the left sleeve near the hem.  I blame a friend of mine who showed up at our most recent sewing retreat this past winter for introducing me to these.  I bought mine from Amazon.ca here.

The sleeve vents weren't hard at all - the instructions were very easy to follow, and turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.  I think the hardest part was inserting the snaps.  The directions on the packet said to try it on a scrap of fabric first.  Of course, I knew better and went gangbusters to the first snap on the epaulet.  And...if course, I dinged the part that holds the snap together with the hammer and it almost didn't close.  I used said hammer to bang the two pieces together.  At least it isn't going to be opened and closed regularly, so it's all okay.

The best part of the jacket is...

THE BACK!!!  I used the applique stitch on my machine to sew all of these roses on.  I'd be happier if I did this before the entire jacket was completed, but honestly, I didn't even think of adding the appliques until my friend showed up with hers.  (Thanks Kelli!! I think it really elevates the jacket!)

I didn't add any lining, though if I make this again, I think I will.  It just helps the jacket slip off and on easier.  The fit is also a bit roomier than I would like, but it certainly looks good, if I do say so myself.

The jacket turned out great, especially because I thought it was so scary before I started.  #sewinggoals I'll consider this a win for both #makenine2018 and my Spring in Prague SWAP!