Working On A Plan....

Lots of folk involved in the SWAP have these adorable story boards - drawings of their wardrobe pieces, fabric swatches, pattern selections, etc. I know I have all the right tools - scanner, digital camera, software - I'm just not too sure how to put them all together on my new computer yet. DH is willing to give me lessons if I can find the time, but that's in short supply while I scramble to get ready for my annual scrapbooking weekend with my sister.

I have set aside a whole selection of fabrics. More than enough to make the SWAP pieces, and then some. So I started with the jacket and selected one of my wearable art patterns - with multi pieced fronts, back and sleeves. Basically it contains all my "prints" and all my colors - dark chocolate brown, tomato red, ecru and sand. Including the most spectacular piece of tapestry that I'm just in love with :>}}} Since the rules say that all the tops must go with all the bottoms, it made me lean towards solids or tweedy types to maximize the compatibility with the prints in the jacket. Other fabrics that would match the tops or the bottoms but not the jacket will be sewn as extra compatibles, and not really part of the SWAP.

And then there's the pattern (in)decision. I know that I'll have to do some fitting since my body has been changing sizes. And since I'm still in the middle of this weight loss journey, it means that I'll be fitting a moving target. I look at the storyboards of the other participants and they are all sewing very complicated, detailed patterns with zippers and fitted waistbands. I have the skills to sew similar items, but see little advantage at this point with my body in flux. I am thinking more along the lines of less structured, full or partial elastic waists. And it almost seems so juvenile, or like I am cheating. And yet those are the clothes I need right now. I'll need to reconcile these feelings so they don't paralyze me and keep me from participating.

Only two and a half weeks until a blessed week of vacation where I'll be getting initmate with my sewing machine once again!