#OAL2019 - planning

This year's outfit-along challenge runs, as usual, for June and July.

The basis of the challenge, which is hosted by Andi Satterlund and Lauren Taylor, involves making one knitted (or crocheted) and one sewn garment to be worn together as a complete outfit and that remains the same.  However, in previous years most participants (although not me) have made particular patterns with step-by-step sewalongs (hosted by Lauren) and knitalongs (hosted by Andi) - she released new patterns each year for the challenge.

This year however the format  is different in that there are no specified patterns - instead it will be based on finishing wips (works-in-progress) - which are quite loosely defined - this suits me fine as I have several options that fit with the definition.  It is also the last time the challenge is being run for the foreseeable future, which is a shame, although I think I'll probably continue to make a cardigan and dress that go with each other every June and July as I do enjoy the challenge.

So, possibilities for this year include

This cardigan which has been on my 'to knit' list for a while - although I won't be following the pattern - no collar and the back and sleeves will be stocking stitch

 I'd already started swatching when the OAL was announced.  There are three pattern repeats here and I've changed the direction of the decreases in each one - I'm not sure which version I'll go with yet.  I've found in vintage patterns that they quite often say k2tog, when a left-leaning decrease would be the one to use for symmetry.

Madeline Tosh sock in Grasshopper colourway

And I've got several fabrics that would fit the bill for a dress.

These two, which were contenders for last year's challenge, and also for me-made May this year

This double gauze

this barkcloth

also this border print which I definitely want to sew up this summer

This pattern / yarn combo has also been on my 'to knit' list for a while (it's a cotton DK)

Although I might use this pattern instead...

I think it'll go very well with this dress.

It's here in this photo I took this time last year of some potential match-ups

I've made up half the fabrics (second on the left and first three on the right) but only knitted up the wool in the bottom left!  The wool with the lemon print fabric is the one above that I've swatched with.

Six months earlier I took this photo

I've made a bit more progress with these - I've made up all the fabrics except bottom left and top right, and knitted all the yarn on the left and the turquoise one on the right, I'll probably keep doing these photos every so often as I find them to be helpful reminders.

There are also two fabrics from my options for the 2015 outfit-along which I have yet to sew.  (I've knitted all the wool up.) This one, although I don't think it really goes with either the green or rust coloured yarns,

and this one, which would go with the rust, so is a contender.

Writing this post has been a good opportunity to review my yarn and fabric stashes and come up with potential options - time will tell what get's made!