Flirt item #1

Well seeing as though I'm not actually sewing a SWAP I thought I'd better come up with my own acronym.

I am sewing a FLIRT.

F for faith because you have to believe in your own creative capabilities when working with such restrictions; Luck, because stumbling across beautiful bargain price fabrics and finding just the right pattern requires it; I for intuition - because this kind of wardrobe relies on gut feeling alone; R for risk, you have to take a chance on things and T for trust - trust that in the end, the whole thing will come together.

Let me present you with Flirt item 1. The fabric is another Sally Army special - some cotton velveteen I picked up for $4. I wasn't overly keen on it but I thought it would make a good muslin for a suede jacket I was going to make. Instead I turned it into Simplicity 2508 . The fabric is horrible to press and I had to do it delicately under a press cloth and on the wrong side to avoid crushing the thin pile into a matte mess. The back in particular looks like it needs a long hot loving encounter with the iron. I think before I submit this for the competition I will have to get it drycleaned - and hand pick the hem as I bagged the lining and pressing alone will not support the turn up. (harumph!) However, I think you will agree with me that the back storm flap is a cute detail.




The lining is special though and I won't for a minute pretend it was a bargain I picked up after beating off other hopefuls. I got this from Salvage, where I paid a respectable price for a piece of vintage rayon. It is second hand though, so that's good enough for me.



The buttons were another Salvage find, $12 for a card of twelve, and I have been longing to use them ever since I first saw them. With this project I thought they would lift the garment and they match the lining too. I also love the feminine flowers on the trench styling - something so fragile and delicate on a military inspired design.



Well now my coverall is over and done with. I'm quite pleased about it because it can take me several weeks to make a coat and I banged out this one in just on a week, thanks in part to Queen's Birthday weekend and a husband on child minding detail, but mostly because this coat is very simple and I had already done all the fitting on the last version.

This version - gun flaps on the front, storm flap on the back, pleated cuff on bracelet length sleeve,aqua buttons, aqua top stitching.



There are so many ideas pushing around my head about what to make next. Who would have thought a wardrobe competition could be so much fun?

It's a good thing I'm enjoying myself because first prize is a an online class and a pattern, second prize is a pattern. For not winning, I thought I'd console myself with a subscription to La Mia Boutique - which at about $300 - will definitely be worth losing for.

post editing note: I have found out how to remove the puckers from the velveteen - press wrong side in the direction of the nap with a steam iron on top of a thick towel. Thank god for that - because if I'd had to take it to the dry cleaners I would have spent more on laundering than I did on the coat.