...and a little shopping I have done!

Style Arc has their new free pattern out for August. It's called the Ann T-top and I love it:

I ordered the Marita Jersey Dress to get this free pattern. They are a bit expensive but I'm planning on making them into TNT patterns. By the time you consider how many times you can make this up, it's cost per use is affordable.

There are still quite a few that I want from their website but I am on a budget and will have to order one or two per month.

I also recently ordered the Magic Pencil Skirt from Pamela's Patterns along with her tee. Can't have too many tee patterns, right? One of them is bound to be my TNT pattern.

I also ordered some fabrics from Fabric Mart during their sale. I have pics of some but not all:

I had nothing resembling an animal print in my little bit of stash. I also ordered black, brown and blue solid colors for bottoms. I didn't get a pic of the blue knit for another top or outer layer.

I ordered grey serger cones from an eBay source. I plan to use sewing thread for the seam stitches. One last purchase was Fray Block and I think I should be pretty well set except for interfacing and elastic.

I'll probably be eating beans and rice this month but it will be worth it!

Decided on Style Arc Patterns for Autumn SG 6PAC

After a lengthy discussion in Stitchers Guild, I decided on using the Style Arc Patterns for my capsule. Thanks to the members of the group who were so helpful with your tips, comments and advice. Appreciate it! (You're the only ones who read this blog - so thank you!)

The jacket mimics my favorite sweater from last winter. I used pins to hold it together when I wanted a different look. I've ordered shawl pins this year:

I've chosen a knit and stretch woven pant. The funnel neck top is another style favorite from last year. My three favorite turtlenecks are actually funnel necks and this pattern looks exactly like the style. The other top is simply because I liked it! 

According to evjc on Stitcher's Guild,

Here's the "formula" for autumn.

• Jacket or cardigan in a dark neutral.  The jacket/cardigan is the foundational piece in terms of styling and I recommend starting with this.  Boleros do not go with everything, neither do zipped hoodies, neither do tailored blazers.  In essence, the style of the jacket often sets the style of the collection.  Choose wisely.
• Bottom in the same dark neutral.  I favour trousers for autumn.  This gives you an "outer column" that is easy to co-ordinate.  In a classic style this is a trouser suit, but it can be much more casual depending on fabric choice.
• Top in same dark neutral.  See how dull?  This makes an "inner column"
• Jacket/cardigan in alternative colour.  Here it can be a second neutral or an actual colour.
• Top in this same alternative colour/neutral.  This makes your "accent set"
• Print top that contains both colours/neutrals.

Now for the color decision! I'm thinking black because I feel good in it and always have.  For the second color, I'm unsure. I think possibly brown and make the print top in an animal print. Seems easy to me and I have no animal prints in my wardrobe yet - every woman needs one, don't you think?

So - black, brown and animal print. Sounds easy enough to me!

What is it that makes this capsule work?

Grey, Navy and Purple Professional or Church Wardrobe

I've made a lot of capsule images on Pinterest but this one works. I've researched wardrobe capsules until I'm blue in the face and rarely get it right. No matter where I look with this one, all the pieces seem to fit but I'm not sure exactly why.

I prefer to have a professional image for church but this would work for either work or worship. Perhaps to make it more realistic for daily use, I would add a few pair of slacks and nix the heels. Even the boots I've chosen here are a little high for my comfort. My heel wearing days are over. Flats are at least wearable!

Another unrealistic issue is the price of some of these pieces. It's very easy to window shop and not have to stay in a preset budget but then, isn't that what Pinterest all about?

I've been trying to steer away from black and tan or beige as my colors and I feel good in these as well. The style also is elegant which I like but another area that is unrealistic is related to my health. At times, simply dressing is a difficult achievement, let alone looking this put together.

Most of these silhouettes I can imitate with patterns and fabric. Pamela's Patterns have a good pattern for a pencil skirt if I can choose the kind of fabric that wouldn't bag in the seat. It's something I worry about when choosing knits. The jackets are easy enough to copy and to be honest, the grey sweater I would probably purchase. I like the drape of the grey maxi skirt but I feel it might be hard to get that exact silhouette which I like. Not too much fullness or too little. Just right. Pamela also has a pattern for a bias cut skirt and I wonder if it might be close?

Christine Jonson has a pattern for a top similiar to the white blouse and I know I've seen something similiar somewhere else but at the moment, I'm not sure where that would be! :) The grey blazer looks like a Chanel type jacket.

One thing that might make this work is that I have coordinated the colors of the tops with the purse, shoes and scarves. The trench I feel would go with any of the outfits. No matter the colors I settle on for my aging self - I would like to be able to make those colors work in capsule as well. It's not as easy as you would think!

Just trying purple and grey

Just trying purple and grey by snippetsandbits featuring ballet shoes

Fall 2012 Wardrobe Capsule

Fall 2012 Wardrobe Capsule by snippetsandbits featuring stiletto heels

What about charcoal, grey and purple? I would love these colors but finding the correct shades might be a problem. It would be better than black and tan, don't you think?

A color change - from black and beige to navy and rust

I've worn black and beige for so long that it's become my mantra! Now I understand why I liked the contrast after reading, "What's my value contrast" on Imogen's Inside Out Style blog. My hair had a lot of red in it when I was younger but I always colored it to have blonde highlights or even totally blonde. People think it's natural! Ha! My eyes are a brown and olive mix. Now that I'm totally grey - a silvery grey - I color it to a very light blonde every few months. Needless to say, it's a very difficult color combination to put into a color season.

After months of looking at color, I've decided to trade my usual black for navy. I like browns but only to a certain degree - and prefer the orangey browns like rust, golden brown or bronze. I thought the two would make a good base for my wardrobe.

I find that black is too harsh now although I still prefer it. I think it looks classy and makes me feel that way as well. A few years ago my family started telling me I needed more color and it took me a few years to understand what they were talking about. Now I understand! My skin color has changed also through the years and I look almost sallow in black now.

The trick is going to be to change those blacks for navy. I have just purged my closet and pared down my clothes to a select few but black pieces remain as I can't totally buy a new wardrobe. I thought for the fall and winter season, I would start by buying or sewing a few choice pieces and slowly change my wardrobe.

I have black pants, a black cardigan sweater with bronze embellishment around the neck, a rust colored suede jacket, a black sweater with silver lacing going up the front and a dark wash pair of jeans that are left to start my fall wardrobe. I also have cream, grey and black turtlenecks made out of a tissue weight knit. I've also recently bought a variety of scarves. My jeans are comfortable but don't fit as well as I'd like.

I'm going to pair the black pants with the rust jacket, buy or sew a pair of bronze pants to go with the black embellished sweater and am going to start by sewing a navy blue skirt with navy tights and shoes.More on that to come!