Sewing Challenges & Sew-Alongs

As the Social Sew winds down (this is the last month to link up and you can do so here!), I wanted to give a quick shout out to some of the other amazing sewing challenges and sew-alongs out there. It seems like there are more than ever, and this is totally not an exhaustive list, but I thought I\’d point you in a few different directions post-Social Sew. I intend to participate in a few of these, myself…

The Wardrobe Builder Project: Frequent Social Sew participant Laura of the Petite Passions blog has perhaps my favorite monthly wardrobe challenge this year. The Wardrobe Builder project encourages participants to sew one garment each month, with themed months like \”Jeans and Tees\” (that would be this month, March!) and \”Coats and Jackets\” (November) with the idea of having a well-rounded wardrobe by 2018! Link up your projects on her monthly post (Social Sew style) for occasional prizes (this month it\’s a copy of the Closet Case Pattern Morgan Jeans–I hope I win! haha). Vintage month is coming up in October and I\’ll be all over it.
hashtag: #wardrobebuilder // pinterest board // introduction post

Vintage Pledge: On the topic of vintage, this is my other favorite year-long project, in which I have participated for the past three(!) years. This is a self-directed project, in which you make a pledge to sew a certain number of vintage patterns (generally, although you could pledge to make three garments from one pattern, or every piece of a multi-garment pattern, or whatever your heart\’s desire) and then complete your pledge during the year. The past two years there have been end-of-year judges and prizes, and last year the whole month of July was dedicated to vintage sewing. So far, it\’s unclear what exactly is happening this year beyond the pledges and social sharing, but even that much is super fun and worth participating in for the inspiration alone–not to mention motivation to whip up some fun vintage looks!
hashtag: #vintagepledge // pinterest board

Project Sew My Style: Although it\’s too late to officially sign up for Project Sew my Style, you can still sew along as participants sew a specific pattern each month. This is the least flexible of the challenges, and ionically the patterns selected are not exactly my style, so I probably won\’t be participating in this one, but if your style skews a bit more minimalistic than mine, check this one out; pattern brands include blogger favorites Named, By Hand London, and Cali Faye, among others.
hashtag: #sewmystyle // introduction post

Je Couds ma Garde-robe Capsule: for French-language sewing bloggers and Francophiles! This project, which translates (roughly, my french isn\’t as fluent as it once was) to \”Sewing my Capsule Wardrobe\” operates similarly to the Wardrobe Builder Project. Choose 12 garments in specific categories like dress, shorts, sleepwear, jacket, etc., then sew one garment of your choice from your list each month.
hashtag: #jecoudsmagarderobecapsule2017 // introduction post

Dressmaking Blogging Network Challenges: The Dressmaking Blogger Network facebook group is very active, with almost 4000 members, and holds monthly themed sew-alongs for members, generally based around a loose theme. This month\’s challenge is \”Spring\” and I have a lovely pink vintage dress in the works (I might use this and double dip for Akram and Judith Dee\’s Easter Spring Dress challenge)!
hashtag: #dressmakingbloggerchallenge // facebook page

And that\’s just five of what seems like a million sewing challenges that have cropped up this year, not to mention more self-directed challenges like Wardrobe Architect and the like. Will you be participating in any of these challenges, or do you prefer to totally do your own thing?

xoxo,

allie