The 6PAC

There is a thread over on Stitcher's Guild for the "6PAC" which is a 6 piece Autumn Collection. I love the introduction. Here's the basics:

The point of these sew-alongs is to create the bones of a mix-and-match handmade wardrobe. The pace is relatively slow (two items a month) to allow you also to add the fun items that aren't the bones. The ideal pieces for this collection are BORING pieces that you wear EVERY DAY. These pieces in your wardrobe need to be beautifully fit, beautifully finished, and made with wonderful fabric. In order to work as separates they should be in a very limited colour palette -- I suggest for autumn this is one or two dark neutrals, one light neutral, and one colour. Good neutrals to pick are neutrals echoed in your hair colour; good colours are in your skin and eyes; but probably you have your own favourite colours.

The pieces are maximised for layering:

ONE jacket -- neutral
ONE bottom (skirt or trousers, though for autumn, I like trousers) -- dark neutral if you're pear-shaped, lighter if you carry weight on top
TWO underlayer tops, one ideally in a print combining your colours, one in a contrast neutral
TWO overlayer tops, one coloured, one neutral
and possibly
ONE more bottom -- skirt if you've done trousers, trousers if you've done a skirt, or a dress if you like them

You can read more about the 6PAC here if you're interested in joining.

I am also trying to follow the basic plan from Nancy Nix-Rice. #21 on

It is still pretty hot here in the fall, so I'm not making a jacket, but a cardigan and then maybe a lightweight jacket. My base color is going to be dark brown and this is what I'm going with:

Brown Rayon knit - tank and cardigan
Brown RPL - cropped pants
Brown poly crepe - skirt
Camel and Dark brown leaf print microsuede - cropped jacket
one other top - probably another tank or T. I haven't decided on that yet. Possibly a coral colored dupioni blouse.

The reason I'm going with the camel is that I have a pair of pants that color already and another that will coordinate. I have lots of different knits that will work or blouse fabrics, so the top will be easy. Also, since I had already narrowed my color down to brown, it was easy to do a little shoe shopping while in the Bay Area a couple of weeks ago and landed a great pair of Fidji shoes. I first fell in love with this brand when I saw them at an airport in Seattle. I've never seen this brand in my area and they are made in Portugal. They are kind of pricey, but if they don't hurt my feet, it will be worth it. I'm really loving these shoes (well, I think so, I haven't worn them yet because it's too hot for anything but sandals here right now.) The color is called Pewter, but there is nothing gray about it. They are really kind of a bronze and black mottled together, so they actually look great with tons of colors, including brown and black. I think these will be great for wearing to work.



Oh, and while I was at it, I had to pick up these as well. Of course, shoes always feel perfectly fine when you're trying them on and walking around in the store. It's after you get them home and wear them for a couple of hours that they kill your feet! I don't think I'll be able to wear these to work, but definitely for church and going out.
The color looks a little off in this picture, but the Nine West are a pinkish taupe color and the Via Spiga pumps are camel.








The 6PAC doesn't start until August, so I'm still sewing some summer things for now...

Today was the first day back to work, and by the time I got home, I was too tired to even sew! I guess for a while, my sewing will be relegated to the weekends.

Oh, some of you commented about my new hair cut - but it's not. It's just up in a bun.