A Stitching Odyssey

The first year Sue of Fadanista first took part in #VintagePledge, she blew me away with over 20 lovely makes. Although she not be churning them out quite as fast this year, today's ensemble is truly special!

I've done the #VintagePledge for the last couple of years, but  was quite surprised to receive an email inviting me to participate this year, so of course I blithely said yes, not realising that the game had changed a little bit and that my efforts would be featured as a guest blog.

Aaagh, this caused me to rethink my usual offerings  and make something we wouldn't all be ashamed of. So, without further ado, here is my outfit consisting of a dress and a capelet.

The dress is a 1937 Lutterloh pattern with some lovely bodice detail and a slightly flared skirt.  Because I didn't use any colour blocking some of the detail is a bit hard to see, but this image from the book shows the interesting shapes in the bodice. The sleeves have a dart that runs from the wrist to the elbow, giving a lovely line.

First I had to trace  off the pattern and tweak it to fit me. This is what Lutterloh patterns look like.

I even toiled it! I took it off to my pattern making class to ensure that I had a perfect fit, and felt a bit Greta Garboesque; but then I cut a hole in the dress so that stopped me making it  the final dress if I ran out of time.

The fabric that I finally chose for this challenge is a beautiful brown and black viscose that I bought a couple of years ago from  Tessuti. I am so glad to have used it, particularly for a dress that I love so much.

The back view, which has tiny buttons all the way down. There is no way I can dress myself!

I did have one major blunder. Lutterloh patterns do not include seam allowance, so I carefully added it to every piece...except the sleeves. I only realised as I was cutting out, so the sleeves are a bit snugger than I would like, but I can, at least, get my arms in them.

The button detail. These are from the 1930s or 1940s and I bought them at Buttonmania in Melbourne some time ago.

The belt detail. The buckle is an art deco one that mirrors the diamond shape of the centre bodice. The buckle background almost exactly matches the dress fabric. They are a match made in heaven and the buckle was in my stash!

The belt is literally made from scraps. I did not have a strip long enough, so it has multiple joins along its length. Luckily the busy fabric hides them.

The jacket is the Decades of Style 1930s Capelet, a pattern which I've had for at least a year. Isn't it gorgeous?

Once again I toiled it and then I made a practice one, which I'll blog in another post. This one is made from green silk velvet that I got from Sarah  and she and I tried to dye it brown. Epic fail on that! I lined it with some Japanese gold silk, so it's pretty luxurious. Unfortunately, the two fabrics that I enjoy sewing with least are velvet and silk, and here I had them in combination.

Of course velvet doesn't really press crisply, so I feel as though my edges are a bit rounded instead of being sharp, but, given some of the issues I had with it, I think it's something I shall enjoy wearing.

I used this little art deco buckle  to hold the two fronts together.

Finally, I knew that I had to style this outfit properly, so fussed and fretted about the backdrop for the photos. I explored art deco buildings in our general area and even took some photographs outside one of our movie theatres, but in the end I got Mark to take my photos outside  this beautiful art deco building, which just happens to be our local town council building. The building burnt almost to the ground in 2010 but they managed to save and restore this beautiful facade in 2014 to the joy of all the local residents.

I did toy with having a Marcel wave (see here for my trial 1930s hairstyle  - nothing like a marcel wave really!), but felt a bit silly to be honest. Sooo, it's hair as usual I'm afraid.

A final word here. I would so much like to thank Marie from astitchingodyssey and Kerry from kestrelmakes. I was so flattered to be asked to join this lovely challenge and I am pleased that I have made something I can wear to a variety of occasions.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Elaine of Black Tulip totally wowed me with her millinery skills last year, especially this stunning number, so I was overjoyed when she agreed to take part in our July #VintagePledge Extravaganza! She may not have a hat for us today, but her dress is a work of art, worth all that time and effort she invested!

I was thrilled when Marie and Kerry invited me to make something for this year’s Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge, and it was just the push I needed to make up a pattern I’ve had for a while.

Butterick 6877 dates from 1954. Butterick at this time were quite fanciful in their pattern descriptions, so this one begins, “Seen in town or at the show. Its quiet good taste is reflected in the shoulder-framing neckline, contrasting detachable undercollar (view B), jutting pockets, cut-in-one sleeves, slender skirt.” That first sentence was enough to sell it to me, even if my version is more likely to be, “Seen in the office or going round the shops”!

I’ve got Kerry to thank for the fabric choice. In one of her posts she mentioned Frumble Fabrics, a new name to me, so I just had to have a look. I fell in love with this Robert Kaufman cotton from the Mod Geek collection. It appealed to my inner nerd, the colours and motifs are just so perfectly 1950s, and the double helix design gave the dress its name, after Rosalind Franklin.

The buttons are from a great stall in my local market, and the finishing touch was a fabric-covered belt and buckle from Harlequin for that really period look.

Making the dress took far longer than I’d expected. I had to redraft the pattern to my size, and found that the original pieces were mostly badly cut, with very wobbly edges. Some of the grain line holes (the pattern isn’t printed) seemed out of kilter as well. I made a mock-up, and was really glad that I did, because the bodice didn’t sit well at all. The skirt, which I expected would be the problem, was fine. I thought that the bodice was too wide, but my mum had a look at it and instantly worked out that it was actually too long – thanks Mum!

I spent ages wondering how on earth the oddly-shaped pocket pieces would fit together before noticing that the instructions stated, “Note: Pocket stands away from side.” Those would be the “jutting pockets” then! The dress is very cleverly designed so that the pocket doesn’t get in the way of the side zip, although I did hand-pick the zip, just to be on the safe side.

I made a few changes to the pattern. I cut the skirt sections out as single pieces, rather than with central seams. Conversely, I split the collar into two pieces so that the design would be symmetrical. Then I had to decide which way round I preferred the design, which I did by photographing both options and comparing them.

Because the fabric has such a bold pattern, I got totally obsessed with pattern matching. The bodice back was too wide to cut as a single piece, but I’m reasonably pleased with how the back seam matches up. I wanted the front to match up as well, so my final change was to fasten the front with press studs rather than buttons and buttonholes, so that everything stays put.

I’m really pleased with the end result. It was a lot of work, but then I wanted to give myself a challenge. Initially I wasn’t sure about the neckline, but now I’ve got used to its ‘shoulder framing’ qualities I like it a lot. Not having to set in sleeves was a joy – I can see more of this style being made in the future!

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Tweet tweet! Elena Knits and two of her beautiful lovebirds are here, sharing a very cool vintage reproduction dress. As well as being a fabulous sewer and bird-whisperer, reminiscent of Cinderella dancing away with all the little animals, Elena is also a kickass knitter!

First of all I would like to thank Marie for inviting me to participate.

My plan was to make this pattern last year, but life got in the way and I had to wait until now. It is a very easy and popular pattern, and the perfect choice if it is your first time making a vintage pattern.

It is in fact a vintage reproduction, and has all the advantages of a modern pattern. There are several sizes in each envelope and you can grade between sizes if needed. I had to. I chose size 6 for my bust measurements and graded to an 8 for the waist. I didn't take the hip measurement in account because it's just a circle skirt.

My advice would be not to trust the sizing on the package because it has a lot of ease. Measure the pattern pieces and compare it to the final measurements indicated on the pattern.

The bodice has a line for petites and I made use of it since I'm just 1.58m. After making a muslin, that adjustment was almost perfect, but then I shortened the back straps by 1.2cm because they were gaping on my shoulders and back. After all that the waist is a tiny bit high (between 0.5 and 1 cm), but I will fix that the next time I make this pattern.

I also raised the back neckline and lowered the front because I think it will be more wearable for me this way. I just don't feel very comfortable with very low back necklines.

I had a light blue gingham fabric for this pattern but as there are very few lines it is perfect for crazy prints and I finally used my Elvis fabric. Please bear in mind that if your fabric has a directional print the circle skirt will not work and it will be better to make a dirndl skirt. In my case it's quasi directional, but I think it works well anyway.

I lined the bodice with the same Elvis fabric to avoid having anything showing on the armscyes and neckline. The skirt is lined with white batiste. I did a narrow hem for the skirt, which I think works fine with circle skirts. I omitted any horsebraid and I'm just wearing it here with a crinoline.

This is a very versatile and simple pattern, ideal to showcase a crazy fabric or practice modifying necklines. You will be making a vintage pattern with all the benefits of a modern one. This is why this pattern is so popular. And as soon as I have the time I will make another one with the gingham fabric!

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Introducing a rather impromptu blog makeover!

For yonks now I've been semi-playfully getting at Charlotte for not using her brilliant design skills to help me upgrade my blog. I may have made another snide comment earlier this week after she helped a friend with some design work, so yesterday she totally surprised me with this revamp.

She spent an entire day working on a test site (while recovering from surgery no less), designing, formatting and doing clever things with code to iron out the many blogger bugs and glitches. We think we got all of them and it should be optimised for mobile, iPad and laptop/desktop users, but please do shout out if you experience any issues.

I now have a carousel on the homepage with four subsequent blog posts listed below that. On the carousel you need to click on the title to go through to the full post, but on any other post clicking either the title or image will work.

My navigation bar has moved to the very top of the page with an in-built search function and it's repeated in the footer too so you can always find what you're looking for. My blog archive has moved to the footer too along with a snapshot of my Instagram feed. Also, I now finally have social media buttons so we can easily connect elsewhere!

Although I've streamlined my sidebar a little, sponsors still have a prominent spot, as do all the community initiatives I'm involved with.

It was hard letting go of the old design so suddenly, especially my vintage lady header, which was un-elegantly cobbled together by yours truly back in the day! But I have been wanting a more streamlined and modern-looking blog for a while and that's exactly what Charlotte gave me.

Don't worry though because vintage is still at the heart of my aesthetic, so despite the new look of this blog, the content will remain pretty much identical!

Anyway, we'd love to hear what you think! Do you like what Charlotte's done with the place? All constructive feedback is very welcome!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

OMG! I'm so excited and delighted to have the one and only Andi from Untangling Knots fame here for July's #VintagePledge Extravaganza! The knitting genius has captured so many imaginations with her wonderful knitting patterns, even those of us whose skills are somewhat lacking. As well as crop top envy, I now REALLY want to get my pinup fringe/bangs cut back in...

When I started planning my vintage pledge projects, I tried to focus on what my wardrobe could use and stay practical. I write knitting patterns and I also work part-time at an office in downtown Seattle, so I picked patterns that would work for cardigan styling, office-wear, and downtown’s windy weather. As a bonus, I said I’d sew myself Simplicity 1426, a 1950s crop top reproduction pattern, if I finished the other patterns first. I love crop tops, but they’re not exactly a practical choice, so I put it at the bottom of my list.

And then my best friend suggested we go to the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend and all thoughts of practicality went out the window! I wanted to sew myself something cute to wear in Vegas, and view C of Simplicity 1426 moved to the top of my list.

I chose a black stretch cotton sateen for my fabric so it would go with a variety of my colorful bottoms. Following the pattern’s instructions for laying out the pieces and interfacing as instructed meant that none of the stretch got incorporated into the top, but the fabric’s weight and drape was what attracted me to it. I prefer to go bra-less with tops like this, so the fabric needs to be substantial enough to handle that.

I chose my size by measuring the pattern pieces and adjusting for seam allowance and ease, and then I did a tissue fitting. I’m not much of a perfectionist when it comes to sewing, so I typically don’t sew muslins if tissue fitting suggests it will work out right, which led me to a moment of panic with this project. I sewed everything up according to the instructions until I got to the point where I was supposed to add buttonholes. I went to pin on my top to get the placement right, and I could barely get the pieces to meet at the back! Not to be thwarted, I decided to add hook and eyes to the edges as the closure and sew a decorative frog over it.

I thought I was good to go, so I tried on my top, and it was way too loose! I unpicked my closures, measured the band to find the point to place the eyes, and sewed on hooks and eyes so I’d have zero ease. It seemed perfect until I took a deep breath and broke one of the hooks. I went back to the pattern’s placement for the buttonholes and attached new hooks and eyes. It fit nicely when I inhaled, but it gapped away from my body awkwardly when I exhaled. With no stretch, there was no way to solve the problem by moving the hooks around more.

To fix the gapping, I did some quick improvisation. I ripped open the seam on the inside that I had hand-sewn shut, took a piece of 1 ½" elastic, and ran it from side seam to side seam along the bottom of the band in front. Without a real casing, it’s not the most elegant of solutions, but it worked like a charm!

The top looked great with my vintage gingham shorts that I wore with it at Viva, although I did have a few issues with sunscreen rubbing off on it. Oops! I plan on making this pattern again, and next time I’ll use a fabric that doesn’t show sunscreen so clearly and add a channel for elastic to the band.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Is Lauren of Lady Sewalot the youngest sewing blogger to have stolen our hearts? Aged just 19 years old, she sure has inspired and excited me with her fabulous makes, not to mention her kooky pictures and chatty writing style. If I had an ounce of her creativity and drive at her age I'd have probably done much more with my life!

Hello all! I'm very excited to be taking part in the #VintagePledge July Extravaganza, as I have of late fallen out of practice with using vintage patterns and I have missed them. The making of these trousers was a bit of an extravaganza in itself, but I got there at the end.

I have decided that Begin Again, starring Keira Knightly, is one of my favourite films. Her character's wardrobe is to die for. So simply chic, so elegantly nonchalant. I wanted some of her elegant nonchalance for myself so I set about making a version of her navy pleated high waisted trousers for myself. The pattern I used was New Look 6871, which I heavily suspect is from the 80s, although I can't find any solid proof to confirm that. It features a high waisted trouser, pleated at the waist with a slightly tapered leg. Bingo.

I sewed them up in some gorgeous navy blue linen, found on Goldhawk Road for around £12 per metre. I was running out of money at this point so I had to stop at 1 metre which wasn't quite enough for full length trousers. It's alright, I was going for the cropped look anyway. I do wish that I had enough for pockets and cuffs. They would have been the icing on the cake.

The sewing up went super smoothly until I got to the fly front. This was a nightmare. I attempted to understand the pattern's instructions and then looked at Heather's Ginger Jeans fly insertion post and then got thoroughly confused and went back to the pattern instructions again. I think I ended up sewing some sort of fancy lapped zip by accident.

Next time I would add the fly onto the pattern pieces instead of cutting them separately like the pattern dictates. This way I could follow Heathers instructions properly. I'm still not happy with how it looks, as the metal part of the zip is really obvious so I think I'll rip it out, sew that seam up and insert an invisible zip down the side seam instead.

I am really pleased with the fit though. I was expecting to have to pinch out masses of ease, but they are perfect. The first time I tried them on I practically cried, because they are so out of my comfort zone, style wise and I felt horrible in them. They are just a totally different style, and I must admit, they are growing on me!