Cross one off my bucket list! I finished the Wardrobe Contest on PR.com

It was sooo close!  I really was working until almost midnight on July 31.
The contest is open to vote for the winner here.  You really should check it out, there are thirty different outfits created.  Voting is only open to members only, but its fun to look at what wonderful outfits people come up with in one short month.

Marfy 2762 and McCall's 6706

Top 1, the adorable white jacket in the first pic was almost my downfall.  Its Marfy 2762 which I have made before.  This should have made it easy.  I barely blogged here, I need to write a tutorial.
Did You Really Sew That blog has a great tutorial here.  I disagree about the sleeve, she says it will never work to her satisfaction as drafted.  I think that part of the charm is the overlapping sleeve so I'm willing to put up with the overlap and topstitch, more on that later.

The skirt is McCall's 6706.  I get compliments, but I'm still not fully secure.  I'll wear it though, especially with the jacket.

Belinni and Manhattan 

Skirt 2 has a completely different silhouette, Capital Chic's Manhattan.  This is a unique color blocked pencil skirt with an asymmetrical, blocked hem and get this, no darts.  All the shaping (and there is plenty of shaping) is in the front seam, side seams and center back seam.  Yes, there is shaping in the center back seam and it works.

Here, it needs more pressing.
And, a smile on my face.  I've been working for 12 days straight and I haven't been home before dark since mid July.  So, before leaving for work this morning I twisted my husband's arm and got him to help me with pics.  He was impatient and I'm just plain tired.  That's OK, I finished the wardrobe and love the pieces.

Marfy 2762 and dress 3339

Did I mention that I love this jacket?

I think I'm gonna take it in at the waist a little, maybe add pockets.  I meant to, ran out of time figuring out how to put the rest together.  Is it wrong to run out of time in a timed contest and go back and re-finish it later?  I re-work and do that all the time.  I've straight stitched a hem at 6AM because I was too lazy to wait for the cleaners to open. Am I the only one who makes long sleeved shirts only to shorten them in the spring?

It could be a couple of inches shorter too, not sure.

I added an extra inch to each side of the center front and added buttons instead of a zipper.

Last time I just partially lined it, this time its fully lined in crystal white-ish Bemberg.

This really does require a full blog post.  I would say T-U-T-E but I swore I never would.  I'm just not the tutorial kind.

I will try to describe the construction.  I sewed the final button on at midnight so some of the details are fuzzy as were some of the pictures.

There was much ripping and gnashing of teeth.

Now, I must prepare for Fasionista's final knit class on Monday night.

Oh look, Its a McCall's! 6706 skirt.

McCall's 6706, Belinni top

I'm not totally a pattern snob.
Well, yes I am.  But...
I find a gem once and awhile.

Just often enough to remind me why I love my Dear Marfy!  I won't bore you with another rant, you can see it all here in a previous New Look post.  OK, OK, basically, too many pattern pieces, too many sizes and where did I put those instructions?  A lining and a pocket are essential, so I had to improvise those.  I also added 4" to the waist which normally wouldn't be a problem, but it totally threw off the pleats.

I do think that only having 4 box pleats makes it a little more slimming than gathering would be.

This looks so nice all styled up.  When I looked at it in the mirror last night I was wearing a T shirt and socks with tenny kickers and I just looked fat.  That is so easy to do, judge a garment prematurely.  I glanced at my reflection this morning and was very pleasantly surprised.

I still might take some of that fullness away from the hips by sewing down the pleats and trimming out the layers behind them, but for now I'm just happy to have ONE of my PR Wardrobe outfits done.

The fabric is a wonderfully SWISHY tropical weight wool that perfectly matches the Valentino polka dot blouse.  I mean really, REALLY matches it.  It is still available here and has a modest 2% lycra which gives it just enough give so I don't worry about stressing it.  It presses OK, almost like 100% wool so I never would have guessed that it had stretch.  This is the perfect tropical weight wool for dresses and skirts, it truly light weight and has a nice texture to it.

I got 4 yards so I should have enough for a favorite skirt pattern Marfy 3094.  I like the concept of this pattern.  Its very asymmetrical to state the obvious. Marfy styled it safari, but I think it has much more potential.

Marfy 3094 skirt

Leisa has made it and documented her journey well at A Challenging Sew.  I'll have to study how she works out the waistband.

I have one more skirt to finish and that Marfy 2762 for my wardrobe.  There are only 3 or 4 days and I'm working overtime.  But don't count me out, I'm determined to work it out this year.

*sigh* back to work for now.