Sooo, I took part in the 10×10 challenge again! #gluttonforpunishment No really, I actually do enjoy doing this a lot, even if I get a little bit tired of my chosen pieces by the end of it. I like the capsule aspect of it, and let’s face it; a wardrobe challenge is always gonna suck me right into its gaping maw. Really, it’s just a fun little diversion in the scheme of things. The fact that this one’s only ten days long makes it quite manageable and painless. I mean, this is coming from someone who voluntarily subjects themselves to quite strict, year-long wardrobe challenges, so you know, we all set a different bar.
So, the scenario; you pick ten items of clothing, which you will wear over the next ten days. You are allowed to freely add accessories like hats, scarves, gloves, bags, jewellery and tights, as needed.
My selection… two dresses, and three tops, three skirts, two pairs of shoes; a pretty easy-to-mix-up arrangement. I made everything except for those blue thongs…
from L to R, all items are linked back to their original construction post; the number in brackets is the number of times each thing got worn during the challenge.
- white linen Hunter tank, pattern by Jennifer Lauren Handmade … (2)
- navy chambray top, our own Perth blouse pattern … (4)
- apricot top, design variation on a pattern from She Wears the Pants … (2)
- black/white striped skirt, V1247 … (2)
- ivory skirt, V1247 … (2)
- red floral skirt, V2894 … (2)
- denim dress, V1316 … (2)
- pink/navy dress, V1351 … (2)
- my handmade clogs … (5)
- blue Roxy thongs …(5)
the outfits:
Thoughts?
No stunning new insights I’m afraid. I’d initially chosen my little hand-knitted teal Audrey-in-Unst cardigan, which I thought toned in quite nicely with all my other things, but the weather turned out to be so muggy and humid! Rapidly realised that cardi was never going to get worn … a giant waste of valuable 10×10 real estate! Moral of the story, check the weather forecast! so I swapped it out for my loose and breezy red floral skirt. Which was an absolute delight to wear. Man, I love that thing. A surprise hit was my navy blue Perth blouse. I basically whipped that thing up just to test my pattern… and I’m enjoying it so much! I did like it as soon as I’d made it but am only just starting to appreciate its versatility and how nice it is to wear. My two favourite outfits for the challenge were the navy blouse with my red floral skirt, and the same blouse over my navy/pink dress… loved wearing both of those outfits and I just cannot choose between the two.
Though, of course I liked all my outfits… all these things are pieces that I love to wear, which is why I chose them, obviously. One thing I’m getting from these 10×10 challenges is that I feel like I’m really making clothes and shoes for myself that I LOVE, that I’m comfortable in now, and my things GO together just how I like them to. This is a very reassuring thing.
Will I be doing the next 10×10 challenge, which is officially the summer one, but for me will be a winter one? yes I think so. I think the winter one is probably the most difficult one; I mean when the weather’s warm, it’s easy, because you can just throw on a frock and your shoes; two pieces and you’re good to go. In winter, you really need the layers just for warmth. I’m imagining piling on the same ten things day in day out. Or maybe you can avoid that? be more creative, if you’re clever with the choices? Hmmm, the challenge of it… I can feel myself getting excited for it already!
I’m beyond thrilled to announce the publication of our very first pattern! The Perth dress/blouse is an unlined, loose-fitting little summer frock with a bit of a buttoned-up menswear vibe to it. It’s kinda like a shirtdress, but kinda not. A faux shirtdress. The shirtdress to make when you’re not making a shirtdress. Hehe, I joked in my own head while making it that it’s the shirtdress to make if you loathe buttonholes, since there are barely any at all in this one! Also, I say “our”pattern, not because I’m using the royal “we”; but because I’ve gone into partnership with my daughter! #whatdotheysayaboutfamilyandbusiness but it’s OK, Cassie and I get along very well. Plus she has mad magic Illustrator skills, which perfectly complements my complete lack thereof. So we are the Carolyn & Cassie Pattern Co – this warms the cockles of my heart SO much I can’t even tell you! I never dreamed we’d have some kind of venture together like this but now we do I think I can tick it off some sort of subconscious bucket list that I never knew I had.
So we have a brand new 
I’ve made a new dress! Every year, my group of lovely friends gives me a gift voucher to Fabulous Fabrics for my birthday… basically my ideal pressie, and I get to go in and choose something yummy… this year I chose this utterly divine silk charmeuse printed with an unusual fractured design. It almost looks like a watercolour/hazy kinda of an abstract , that has been cut and laid in random, uneven ribbons across a pearly ivory ground and then printed like that. You can’t really “see” much of anything in the print when looked at as a whole, but if you look closely you can see areas which look like the topstitching on old levi’s, and a brown leather belt with a brass buckle… you’d never think of it to look at it!
So, a few months ago, I was contacted by Nadja, of 
In more tangible making results, I made a little romper for 
As I was making it, it occurred to me… is jungle January still a thing? See, in the past few years I’ve been in the habit of making a set of underwear for jungle January, and one of the things about the basketball is that the Perth Arena is known as “the Jungle” during the Wildcats games. Like, they’re always screaming “WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE!!!!!!” and going on about “…. HERE IN THE JUNGLE…!!!!” “Jungle” I guess because, wildcats. Anyway, it occurred to me that I was serendipitously making a jungle-themed set of underwear again. Without even meaning to! Win!!!
So, Le Stash has for a long time been a quiet and secretive thing, its perceived size diminished by distribution into far-flung corners of the house. It lurked furtively and unobtrusively in my laundry cupboard, the cupboard under the stairs, hidden away in various innocent spots like a guilty thing, a sort of fabric-y portrait of Dorian Grey, or something…
I managed to walk the boxes from the car and into the hallway on my own, but there had to admit defeat. The boxes were pretty heavy after all…
