21107 014 My completed SWAP. I am going to present it the way the sewing bloggers do. Yep, only sewing here today. if you come for the family news or philosophical ramblings, then move along.

Like all the serious SWAPmeisters, I have strewn the garments all over my piano for their group shot.

No, really, they put them on their garment racks, dress forms, and sewing tables.

I guess they just don’t have a piano.

 

 

 

 

swap 107 001

#1, jacket

Kwik Sew 3334, of gray microfiber with vintage buttons from the flea market

I followed this pattern exactly, and found the directions very clear.

The shank of one of the buttons has broken, so I will have to replace them all. Sad news, but that is what happens when you get your buttons at the flea market.

 

swap 107 002 #2 and #3, two piece dress

Butterick 4467, of burgundy paisley cotton from Keepsake Quilting

Truthfully, quilting cotton isn’t the best thing to make clothes from. Nonetheless, I love the skirt, and the top is okay, though I feel dowdy in it. It was a learning experience.

 

 

trousers 011 #4 trousers

McCall’s 3740, of gray microfiber

I made plenty of errors putting these together, but I still like to wear them. I plan to make more of these. Preferably without the errors.

 

 

straight skirt# 5 skirt

McCall’s 4950, of gray microfiber

This was a very easy skirt, and great to wear.

 

 

burgundy skirt

#6, skirt

Simplicity 5914, of burgundy wool gabardine from Fashion Fabric Club

This is a great skirt. I made a “wearable muslin” of this, and we also made one for #2 daughter, and all have turned out very well. This would be a TNT pattern for me. I also love the fabric. It is light weight for year-round wear, and very luxurious.

 

burgundy top #7, top

McCall’s 4261, of burgundy interlock knit

Another TNT pattern.

 

21107 001 # 8, top

Kwik Sew 3093, of blue cotton interlock knit

Yet another TNT pattern. Wow! I have quite a list of them.

 

 

swap 107 004

#9 and #10, tops

Butterick 4467, of blue microfiber
McCall’s 4261, of charcoal cotton sweater knit

These two were learning experiences. The gray one was where I learned the wonders of hem tape. The blue was the one where I had to redo the darts three times and the sleeves twice — and I am thinking that I may redo the sleeves again, now that I am better at set-in sleeves.

 

jasmine complete # 11, top

This is Elsebeth Lavold’s “Jasmine”, from her Summer Breeze Collection. I made a couple of these, and may make more.

This of course was knitted rather than sewn.

 

 

new button 009

 

And I am including this purse, which is loosely based on McCall’s 5198, and works well with my SWAP. I made it from a motheaten lambswool sweater, severely felted, and lined it with the gray microfiber from the suit.

 

 

This is not really how the SWAP mavens present their SWAPs. Their remarks on the items say things like “I made a FBA and morphed the sleeves.” I tried.

Actually, I am impressed with how much I learned in the course of this project. My later pieces are much better than my earlier ones. And the Sewing With a Plan idea really works — all the pieces work together, and I have lots of outfits to choose from. I can do conservative things like a skirted gray suit with a silky blue blouse, or more surprising things like the peach sweater with the burgundy paisley skirt, or casual things like the pants with the turtleneck.

So I am going to plan my SWAP Stage II. And, if you have toyed with the idea of doing a SWAP yourself, I can recommend it.