Wardrobe Capsule - I'm 12 - Summer. Part 2: Using the Fabric Formula

The Fabric Bible

The Fabric Formula

To narrow down the type and colour of fabric to buy I have a formula.
Theoretically it goes like this:

1. Choose a shirt weight fabric with a design that has three or more colours.
   
2. Using the colours in this first design, choose a solid colour fabric suitable for making trousers.
   
3. Using the colours in the first fabric, choose a solid colour fabric suitable for a skirt.
   
4. Choose a knit fabric in a neutral colour for a top.
   
5. Choose either a patterned or plain fabric suitable for a jacket or is this case, a vest.
   
6. Choose one other plain or patterned fabric for an accessory of some sort. I wanted to add a highlight frill to the skirt and make a shoulder purse.

As A Rule of Thumb: 

When buying several co-ordinating fabrics always buy 3 solids to 1 pattern. If you want another pattern make sure it matches the 3 solids as well.

Massaging the Formula

In this case I really wanted to use a denim look fabric for the skirt so that came first for me. I then chose the spotty fabric which has some light blue spots to match the skirt.

The other fabric I really wanted to use was the satin floral fabric. So my jacket/vest fabric came next.

Other colours I thought I would use were pink - from the spotty fabric and the flowers on the satin.

Also green from the satin pattern. My green has some tiny yellow, blue and pink spots that helped it fit in.

I played around putting the fabrics next to each other and found that the pink looked great with the spotty fabric and the satin looked great over the white and OK over the spots but not so good over the pink. So the pink was my choice for trousers rather than a top.

The green I will use for a highlight on the skirt and also to make a shoulder purse. If I have enough for later it will also look great as a blouse under the satin vest with either the pink trousers or the denim skirt.

A Neutral to Suit all Dolls

My white is not snow white, more like egg shell white but still quite white looking. Brunettes are not supposed to wear white and blondes and black haired dolls are supposed to wear white white. By choosing egg shell white I can put it on all my dolls and to break up the white for the brunette I will add a small highlight of the green for the placket of the grandpa top.

What Else Might Work

There are lots of other ways you can go. The dark pink fabric I used for the skater skirt will look great with the spotty blouse fabric and also would make a good blazer over matching trousers. I have a fawn coloured suede like fabric that will go perfectly with the spotty blouse off white fabric as a jacket or trousers or skirt.

I also have some colourful cat fabric that will go great with the denim skirt and the pink trousers. 

Tricking the Senses

Sometimes you need to make your decision based on the colour combination that suits the doll best.

Red heads shouldn't wear pastels but if you make a jacket from the fawn suede it will look perfect over the spotty fabric with the pastel spots.

The Fabric Bible

You really need to know what you have in order to buy more fabrics. You can make sure you are buying coordinating fabrics if you take your fabric bible with you if you are likely to visit the fabric store.

Mine is an A5 note book and I have started taping in little squares of the fabrics I have selected for each wardrobe capsule. Now I can be sure that the new fabrics I buy will enhance my doll wardrobe capsule rather than lead to orphan garments.

Part 3 will be about the garment making and I will show off the first outfit.

Happy Sewing,

Val