After the success of the first Sew Over 50 challenge you’d think that we’d want a break but no! Sandy had another brilliant idea, and it didn’t involve any new sewing! If you didn’t see it, or participate, I’m afraid it’s already too late because we ran it for just nine days and now it’s finished so I’m going to give you a summing up.
Sandy came up with the idea of asking us instead of making something new and modelling it ourselves, to create a ‘flatlay’. If you don’t know what this is it’s a photograph in which all the elements are lying on a flat surface which could be the floor or a table top. There’s quite an art to arranging it and some people on Instagram specialise in creating them, and Pinterest has many examples too. We know that not everyone is comfortable with the thought of photographing themselves wearing their makes so this is an interesting and creative alternative to dangling garments on hangers off the wardrobe door or on your mannequin. Like the last challenge this one was open to anyone who wanted to enter but this time as well as following the @SewOver50 account you needed to use the hashtags #so50flatlay #flatlayclothes as well as #sewover50 in order to be entered. The didn’t need to be any searching for patterns or appropriate fabric this time, just open your cupboards and wardrobes to see what you already have.
Planning the challenge is a timezone challenge in itself as Sandy is in Brisbane [in fact she’d gone walkabout so she was running everything from the outback!] and Judith and I are at opposite ends of the UK-thank goodness for WhatsApp and WiFi!
Your flatlay needed to include at least one home-sewn garment which should be named along with the designer in the description. The flatlay should also include at least three other elements: accessories, props, something surprising!
We knew the idea of a flatlay was a new concept to many people so we offered some guidelines to help.
1.Keep the background simple to best show-off the garment.
2. Use a square photo format.
3. Your garment should be the main feature with other objects grouped around it. Avoid clutter because your garment should be the star.
4. Play around with a colour theme.
5. Natural lighting is generally best although bright sunlight might produce harsh shadows.
6. Your phone or camera should be parallel to the flatlay, not at an angle.
7. Take several photos and rearrange, changing the composition even slightly can alter the whole thing dramatically.
8. Edit-use the feature on IG, brighten or saturate perhaps but keep the original in mind so that the effect is still natural.
With all this in mind you, dear reader, set-to with gusto and by close of play we had over 400 entries. I think the impressive number of prizes on offer from our generous sponsors probably had something to do with it as well! All of them offered at least one PDF for a winning entry-Thank You so much to them!
There were many many fabulous entries, and lots of you entered multiple times so these are just a very few examples of ones which caught our eye. They have beautiful colour combinations, quirky accessories, fun elements and varied backgrounds along with well thought-out styling.
And then there were a few who got carried away including our own Sandy…
We decided to have a winner for the most likes received by a single qualifying image and this went to @by.mari.ana
All the other winners were drawn completely at random from qualifying entries, we always feel that this is the fairest way of doing it because there’s no way of ever choosing between them otherwise. The other winners have been notified of their success now.
So what next? Well we have other plans already lined up for 2019, and more will doubtless evolve during the course of the year too. Until then the #so50flatlay hashtag has evolved to take into account of Me Made May which has just begun. It’s become #memadeflatlay but you can continue to use either and by searching for them on Instagram you’ll get masses of inspiration, especially if you prefer not appear in your pictures but still want to share your makes.
@SewOver50 continues to go from strength to strength and attracts makers of all ages because it’s a safe, encouraging and supportive account. Are you a part of it yet?
Until next time,
Sue
Susan Young Sewing 
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