OWOP! I'll Show You Mine if You Show Me Yours...

Phew! OWOP! - aka One Week, One Pattern - is through. 105 people played along! Lest you think I was the evil cult leader, cackling to myself in my lair as I watched you all suffer through a week of wearing the same pattern, here is photographic evidence from the last seven days to prove that I wore self-drafted button-back blouses:

Day 1 - Chocolate Buttons Button-Back Blouse, lace collar necklace and high waisted jeans for a gorgeous day spent in the park and at two birthday parties.

Day 2 - Refashioned Lace Blouse, black trousers and grandma shoes for brunch at a friend's house.

Day 3 - Chocolate Buttons Button-Back Blouse and Banana Sweetie Skirt (a chocolate banana, no less) for the office and the plane for a last minute business trip to Lithuania.

Day 4 - Teal button-back blouse and A Dazzlingly Red Beignet for the mayor's reception at the Vilnius Film Festival. If I had Karen's chutzpah, I would have got a shot with my arm round the mayor, but I'm embarrassed enough just getting my own photo taken.

Day 5 - Refashioned Lace Blouse and black trousers (are you bored yet?!) in Dulwich park.

Day 6 - Chocolate Buttons Button-Back Blouse and high-waisted maroon jeans. High time you saw the buttons at the back, the main feature of all these blouses!

Day 7 - Teal button-back blouse, Autumn Maples Skirt and an amaretto sour (or three) at OWOP! cocktails. In real life my head isn't quite that mammoth in proportion to the rest of my body. Or at least I hope it's not.

So what were my reflections from the week? Firstly, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people involved in the project - 105 OWOP-ers! What a fantastic online sewing community we have. I love the idea that the term "OWOP" has now entered the vernacular of our friends, family and colleagues - brilliant!

What's been particularly interesting is seeing a temporary shift in the blogosphere from snazzy patterns and vintage dresses which are great for posing in to practical styles which are what we really wear on a daily basis, for going to work, pottering round the house or nipping to the shop. It's definitely got me geared up to make more everyday clothing and to be honest with myself about how much use I'll get out of a pattern and garment before making it. I've taken lots of inspiration from fellow OWOP-ers for my new everyday wear wardrobe - for example, poor Tamsin had to put up with me feeling up her perfect denim Portfolio dress las night.

Over the last seven days I really got to know this pattern! Having worn it for seven days I've decided to make some adjustments to the pattern to make it fit even better - in particular redistributing some of the ease from the back to the bust to stop me pulling at it all the time.

From seeing these photos I've also learnt that I need a haircut! I hate to sound vain but my hair really does look awful. I could do with some hair styling tips for lazy women if anyone has any - nothing that takes more than five minutes, please!

How about you? How was your week? What reflections do you have on the project? If you’ve posted your photos on a blog, Pinterest, Flickr or whatever, leave a link in the comments so we can all see. I’ll post a few photos by OWOP! participants in a subsequent post so if you submit a link to your photos in the comments I’ll assume you’re happy for me to borrow your photos otherwise please say if you DON’T want me to borrow your images.

And finally, big thanks to the lovely Karen for having the marvellous idea to organise a London OWOP! cocktail party! Karen, Laura, Rachel, Tamsin, Melizza, Alana, Joanne and Rachel again in the photos above. The perfect way to celebrate the end of the week... can't wait to put a Breton top on today!

[Soundtrack: 'Don't Do It' by The Band]