Everyone needs a Holiday Capsule Wardrobe right?

I've been quite intrigued by the capsule wardrobe concept recently.  I have a mostly handmade wardrobe now, but without a lot of thought as to what I needed and what actually goes together.  I'm very big at just sewing what I like.  I have little time to sew, so I often don't want to bother with the boring stuff.  Thing is, boring stuff is actually pretty easy to make!

So I thought I'd test out a mini capsule, by making stuff I REALLY needed.  Christmas outfits. [Insert hilarious laughter from my audience]  Seriously guys, I have a problem, I did not need more Christmas clothes.  What I do need is pants, and more separates.  This plan did have a silver lining though. I DID actually make several separates that are totally not really Christmasy and work together in various combos (when I don't wear them with Christmas socks ;) so it was actually a win-win for my wardrobe!  Actually everything I made an be worn beyond.  I do have two pretty kitschy pieces, but I made them in previous years, and they serve to Christmas up my outfits!

Lets start with the subtle:

Sloane Sweater (basic sweater knit) with double gauze inserts.  Super comfy and casual for every day.

Now pair that sweater with a crazy Gnome print skirt and red tights?  CHRISTMAS PARTY TIME. Seriously, I wore this to my work party.  We went indoor glow in the dark mini golfing.  I beat my bosses boss.  That's good for my career right?

Now on to the less subtle:

Washi (expansion pack version with the BOW clearly) in Christmas washi fabric!  My mom knows my love of Christmas clothes and bought this for me this fabric in the summer and told me to make a dress.  So OF COURSE it had to be a wash.

Don't worry I don't normally go around with no sweater in the winter.  (Sweater hand knit by my fabulous mother in yarn first dyed for this sweater and now a standard colour over at Indigo Dragonfly yarn)  and red tights of course.

Now back to the subtle..

Day Tripper (Shwin Designs) in this super soft bamboo knit and a self drafted gathered skirt in this neat woven Japanese fabric (it's probably really to light and stiff for a gathered skit and I probably should have made a pleated skirt, but whatever, to late, and it's still works.

I also tucked it in, but I think I need a different shirt maybe to do this with (time to make a red tank for summer? haha)  This shirt also goes will with my other skirt and even just with jeans!

And just to round out this post and confirm I like kitschy Christmas sewing, here are some pieces I've made previously but have no good photos off!

Who doesn't need a Made by Rae Ruby in Rudolph fabric (with bodice mod to allow nursing)

Lane Raglan (lengthened probably 4 inches) and self-drafted tights in Christmas Sweater knit fabric!

A Ruby Christmas

Since I don't have girls to make Christmas dresses for, I figured, I could make one for myself right?

I bought some of this fabric at my local chain store because I LOVED the Rudolph cartoon as a kid, and my son loves it now too.  I figured I'd make like a pillow or something, so I just got a meter of it.

But then I thought, maybe I could make a dress!  I thought a bit, and wondered if maybe Made by Rae's new Ruby dress might fit the bill as it didn't need much of the main fabric.  Sure it calls for more than a meter, but with some careful cutting (it's the Dutch part of me) and since I only needed to cut an XS, it was JUST enough.

(Please excuse my crazy hair ;)

I paired it with some blue cotton and bingo.  Only one problem remained, this dress is NOT accessible for my eager nursing babe.  So I thought, can I just add a button placket.  Not too hard, just cut the front bodice in half at the centre and lengthened each side a few inches so I could make a placket.  I still finished it with bias tape (although the wider stuff was all I had on hand)  It's not perfect by any means, but as Christmas dress that won't get worn very often, it was ok.

The final issue was that the top bodice is NOT long enough to access the girls.  So I slit the skirt down 3 inches in the centre front, rolled a tiny hem and top stitched it.  With the gathers in front it isn't obvious, but gives a bit more room.  If I make this again (which I likely will as it's a quick sew even with the changes)  I'd go down another inch, add a proper facing (I just zig zagged around the bottom of the V, but it'll give out with repeated use.) and a small snap or so as it may gap if longer.

So now we're ready for Christmas! (please excuse me while I finish sewing three more gifts)

Oh and I'll share too that I made a couple lengths of Christmasy bunting this year too.  I wanted quick safe ornaments for our tree, and so I've hung the bunting there this year,  its a bit big, but ok, and in future years I can hang the bunting elsewhere!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!