Orange You Glad You Asked? - Part 1

My SWAP 2008 is based on the fashions worn by Jacqueline Kennedy while in the White House during the 1960s. Although most of the garments I am making are at the very least a nod to her style of clothing, I had to take a departure for one of the top/bottom combos. Jacqueline Kennedy did not wear full skirts very often and she certainly didn't wear full-skirted suits. However, I do wear full skirts and I wanted to include at least one in this SWAP. When I saw this Bottega Veneta suit in the Fall 2007 line-up, I was instantly smitten. I love everything about it - the colour, the style, the proportions - it is just gorgeous. So, I decided to include a top/bottom combo in my SWAP that had the same feel.

Julie of Timmel Fabrics, had a burnt orange (she called it terracotta) wool blend fabric for sale - it has a distinct fluffy nap on one side and it is smoother on the other side - it reminds me of spongy wool flannel. I will be using the smoother side, as it just looks more tailored. I also chose an Anna Sui silk charmeuse from Fabric Mart to use as lining.













The pattern I am using is the wardrobe pattern that was a requirement of the SWAP (each year there is a twist to the rules - this year, each participant has to make at least three distinct garments from a wardrobe pattern). My wardrobe pattern is Vogue 5521 and for this "suit", I will be using the full skirt and the button up top/jacket. I will also be using the slim skirt, at a later date, for another SWAP garment. I will be talking about the muslins for these three garments in my next posts, so stay tuned.











Before finishing today's post, I wanted to answer a couple of questions.

*Elle asked, "Shannon, can you describe tie interfacing and its uses?"
Tie interfacing is a full bodied, soft, fairly loosely woven fabric that is normally used to interline men's ties - scroll to the last picture on this page to see some. I buy my tie interfacing from Silhouette Patterns. I use this excellent tip, from Gigi Louis to set in sleeves in tailored jackets. This is the only application for which I use tie interfacing.

*Marty, after reading this post, said, "How many of those outfits do you actually keep? Do you donate the ones that are old or tired looking? If not, then you need to build a whole room (not just a closet) for your clothing & accessories."
I am fairly ruthless with my clothing, both purchased and handmade. If I haven't worn a garment in a while (6 to 8 months), if it is worn out or it is out of style (no matter how well it is made), it gets put on the donate pile or is thrown in the garbage. Lately, I have been purging anything made out of polyester, as I get too hot in most pure synthetics. I am aiming to have a closet full of natural fibers (wool, silk, linen, cotton, rayon, hemp, bamboo, etc), although I am a fan of RPL (rayon, polyester, lycra) knits and wovens, as they seem to breathe well, wear like iron and imitate natural fibers like tropical wool. As for having a whole room for my clothing, I am seriously thinking about it!! My husband & I hope to build a house in the near future and my two major concerns are the inclusion of a sewing studio and a ton of closet space!