As a lover of prints I’m really great at making clothes that don’t coordinate with any thing else I own. Usually that works out fine when I’m home, but whenever we go away for a weekend or longer I find myself really struggling to pack efficiently. With a family vacation later this summer I’m preparing a mini capsule wardrobe that will be casual enough to chase children but also suitable for my workplace’s casual summer dress code.
It is so tempting to plan a wardrobe and then go shopping for fabrics. Oh yes. But like many sewers I also have a moderate sized stash of fabrics I’ve picked up during my travels and outings. I also have a tub of patterns sitting unloved. Surely there must be the makings of a mini capsule already in my possession!
Let’s dive in and look at how to create a mini capsule from your much loved but sometimes ignored stash.
Step 1: The Coordinates
Before even getting to the fabric stash, take a look at what you’ve already made or own. In my case I need the capsule to coordinate with my shoes and hand knit sweaters. For ease of the process I printed photos of some shoes and brought my sweaters with me to my stash. My patterns are easy to pull out, but you could also save that step for later.
Step 2: The Dive
Go swimming into your stash and pull out anything that suits the situation. In my case, I went looking for summer weight and easy to wash fabrics including lawn, double gauze, linen, rayon, and chambray.
Step 3: Color Theme
Which colors work well together? Capsule wardrobes generally mix and match, so all the colors need to play nice. Check out Patty’s post on choosing a color palette for your capsule wardrobe.
Step 4: Layer in the Coordinates
Do your coordinates work with with the fabrics you selected?
Sadly in my case, no. The lovely yellows and purples did not work nicely with my coordinates so I went back to step 3 and tried again.
Ah, much better!
Step 5: Patterns!
Check the yardage of your selected fabrics and then start looking through your patterns. I had the right amount of fabric to make 1 skirt or pair of shorts, 2 tops, and 3 dresses. Pull out any pattern you think might work. I grabbed a whole variety from indies to the Big 4 to vintage.
Step 6: Match Making!
Start pairing those patterns up with your selected fabrics. If you’re really good you can put one pattern per yardage. I like a little spontaneity in my sewing, so I picked two pattern for each piece of fabric so I still have a little choice. The key is for everything to meld nicely together.
I know the Sewholic skirt fits me well and plays nice with stripes. Perfect fit for the chambray I bought to make my husband a shirt (5 years ago). Plus enough voile for 2 summer tanks that will look great with a red or purple cardigan and either tan or green shoes.
Two dress quantities of fabric. The snails are a cotton lawn that I really want to make into a shirt dress. The striped fabric is a rayon that would be fun to play around with like the cross back dress or the gather bodice. Both work well with my spectator shoes, but also my tan sandals.
Lastly, one more dress in this funky print that needs a pattern with curves and flow. Neither of these patterns are my size, but I’m planning on using them as inspiration to make a pattern from my sloper.
I know lots on mini capsules start with using technical tools, websites, or apps, but sometimes playing with your stash is a fun and effective way to plan a wardrobe. Now I now when I travel this summer I can pick any of the items in my mini capsule and I’ll have a pulled together look each day.
As I sew these next few weeks all I need to do is pull from this stack and right away dive into the project with the decision making made.
This is a great post! I really enjoyed you sharing your walk-through. Now I need to get started. Thank you
Thank you! Hope it was helpful for you!
This is a really fun post! I love the idea of shopping in my stash. I wish i would have seen this post a day or so earlier since I just went shopping for my summer basics (like camisoles and denim and such). It would have been nice to have an idea of what colors I need most. oh well, next season!
I also love that first capsule set; It would look beautiful in late summer with dark brown accents to transition into fall. Thanks for posting!
Hi! Oh, now that is a thought to make it into a fall capsule. It is so bloody hot here until November that I think you made me onto something! Thanks for the idea!
I love this, pretty much exactly what I did to come up with my capsule wardrobe (but for Autumn down here), I used my dressmaker form & played around draping different solids & prints (I adore print!) until I found what I liked. Then a rifle through the pattern stash & I was away….funny, we have so many of the same patterns. Looking forward to seeing your makes! 🙂
YAY! Glad to hear the low-tech option works for others. Good luck with your autumn capsule!
Nice post! Could you please tell me a source/brand name for both your spectator pumps and the snail fabric? Thanks!
Of course! Technically I pre-prdered the spectators, but I wanted to plan them in. You can by the at Royal Vintage Shoes.
http://www.royalvintageshoes.com/vintage-shoe-brands/royal-vintage-shoes-footwear
The snail fabric is from the Heather Ross all lawn collection Sleeping Porch. Looks like Hart’s still has some.
https://www.hartsfabric.com/wf-heather-ross-sleeping-porch-snails-lawn-indigo-90778.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwo-XIBRCOycL7hsuI_NoBEiQAuS6HtJu4OSwr-QAgQqBfxx9ES90Yhoe-HPp5LkfHgQBnMogaArkZ8P8HAQ
I agree – great post! I do this walk-through myself, and have a similar addiction to prints. It has been getting a little more complicated in the past few years however, as I transitioned (still am, really) from a professional career to a blue collar job which requires a uniform. So my stash has a lot of, for want of a better descriptor, “exotic” fashion fabric pieces purchased on trips overseas. I am working on leaving those alone and accepting that I may now never use them for myself, but maybe for gifts someday.
In the meantime, I am also trying to curb a habit of buying pieces that are too small, which severely limits what can be done with them. Lately I have been realizing that colorblocking is probably the way to go with those pieces.
It is always SUCH FUN to walk through another sewist’s stash of fabric and patterns and see where they go with it! I would love to see this topic as a regular feature from contributing readers. It is very encouraging.
I have the opposite problem of buying too much yardage of some fabrics. I hate using them for something small that leaves me with leftovers. But yes, it is so fun to shop your own stash and remember the joy of purchasing those fabrics. Could you use some of your fabrics to make special pajamas? There are a few things I keep specially for weekend clothes too.
Good idea with the pjs. One thing I have to get over is the idea that some fabrics, like silk, wool or linen, are only for special occasions. They really can be worn every day, can’t they? Plus worn daily, they will better remind me of the occasion on which they were bought.
Lately have been investing in larger pieces of everyday wear fabric, like jersey rayon knits or cotton knits with a little spandex, so mostly I am dealing with a museum collection of previous life fabrics! Eventually I am sure I will work my way through them, emotionally speaking.
Yes, so fabrics just are museum pieces for our lives. I don’t think there is anything wrong with it, but some might be better admired being wore during your off hours.
I enjoyed seeing how you make your selections! I loved the first set of fabrics and think you could do another capsule with them if you switch your navy spectators to the right and the green ones to the left. It is hard to see the exact colors to know. I love that you already had patterns and fabrics that could work without going out for new ones. I am off to check my stash and see where it leads me!
Thanks Patti! I could totally do another capsule with the other fabrics. Maybe I already have a jump on planning for next summer!
This was fun and helpful! I don’t have apps because I don’t use a cell phone (I can hear the collective gasps of surprise) and most apps are cell phone specific (not all thank heavens) but this is why I found your posting SO helpful. I can do from my stash so much more easily. I loved walking with you through your photo journal to the final bundle of what you will sew with what fabric! Thank you for another great post. 🙂
Thank you! I hope this was helpful for you. Sometimes getting your hands on your fabric is the easiest way to plan.
I don’t have a cell phone either! :o)
PsychicKathleen: I admire you so much for not using a cell phone! I will admit that I did gasp out loud a bit at reading your comment lol so I just had to write that you made me laugh at myself! Mine isn’t glued to my hand by any means but it’s there more than I’d like.