SWAP 2013 (Sewing with a Plan)

Ok, the official rules for the 2013 SWAP have been posted here.    To summarize, it is two 4- or 5-piece collections with a bridging piece that goes with both.  I've chosen 4 pieces in black and white and 5 in gray and white with the bridging piece in gray and black.  Here's my story board for the collection:

(click image to enlarge)

There's not a single piece of fabric in my oh-so-small stash that will work for this, so I'm going to have to buy fabrics and patterns.  Going to have to stock up on muslin, because I'm probably going to have to try out every one of these patterns.  Unfortunately, I've been away from sewing so long that I just don't have any tried and true patterns I can use.  Most of the pieces are relatively simple; they'll mostly be a matter of fit.  However, two of the blouses may be a little challenging.  The one with the smocked tucks is the first.  I'm designing it off a blouse from Coldwater Creek.  I found a Style Arc pattern that will probably work, but I need to play with the tucks to turn them into smocked tucks.  The other is the Girl Friday blouse from Decades of Style.  It has 3 collars stacked on top of one another.  Will probably get a little thick by the time all are sewn together.

Any way you look at it, though, I'm excited about this challenge.  I have no hope of winning it, but I want to try.  In my book, I'll be a winner if I even finish!