posts tagged ‘sewing’
a bit of circular sewing
[ my Monday, post-housecleaning outfit! ]
Sunday morning I woke up and decided I had to sew a circle skirt. It’d been on my to-sew list for some time, as one of those easy but fun little projects to do. I have several needlecraft booklets from the 50s that have instructions on how to make circle skirts, so all I had to do was pick one and some fabric, and get to it! I think circle skirts are probably one of the easiest styles one can make–besides perhaps the basic gathered skirt. It took me no time at all to whip this up (which is exactly what I was looking for in a spur-of-the-moment weekend project!), until I decided that I wanted to hand hem the entire thing. Bad idea–that took forever! lol.
[ added a couple useful pockets. ]
The fabric I used is a lovely denim-weight cotton print I picked up at Ikea last year (yes, it’s a home decor fabric. No, I don’t mind using home fabrics in apparel applications as long as the weight is appropriate!). I had originally bought it to make a pencil skirt with, but it works a lot better with this style. I also added two patch pockets (because what skirt is really useful without them?!), trimmed with some mini bobble-trim that I had in my stash. I really adore this trim; I had originally bought it to use on a blouse, which I think I may still use the last bit for! The only problem with the final skirt is that I need a petticoat with a bit more body! I got rid of my fullest net petticoat before I moved down here, and layering two of my less-than-full ones underneath just isn’t cutting it. lol.
[ booklet and pretty straw clutch I'm borrowing! ]
I think perhaps this project helped break me out of my sewing funk that I’ve been in. It’s really frustrating to have projects piling up, the siren call of sewing for an upcoming season, and not feel like sewing. As much as I wanted to sew, I think I mentally needed a break from it! Now I just need to get myself in gear and finish up that swimsuit!
[ definitely need a fuller petticoat! ]
Oh, and see that gorgeous little straw envelope clutch in the photos? It’s not actually mine, but something I’ve been loaned to use for a bit! I’m utterly in love with it right now and am stalking Ebay and Etsy for a suitable version to acquire for my own closet. But, that’s part of an exciting little project that a fellow blogger and I have been doing, which I’ll post about tomorrow!!!
Hope you’re having a lovely Tuesday!
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Posted to: outfits, sewing, vintage sewing. | 35 lovely thoughts
late summer dress fix
[ click for a larger view. ]
This is the project that distracted me over the weekend from getting much work done on the swimsuit muslin! I tend to do this a lot: cut out two projects at once and end up favoring the one that is quick and easy. lol. (Though now that this dress is safely out of the way, I have no reason not to get back to the swimsuit! I think I’ll get excited about it again once I get past the muslin making/fitting stage…) I partly blame this diversion on Lauren; she emailed me with a link to this vintage pattern she had found on a dealer’s website, saying that it looked a lot like something I’d make and wear. It certainly was! I ended up finding a good price on the pattern at Stitches & Loops and ordering it from there (which was a lovely experience–super fast shipping!).
[ back view of the pattern envelope here. ]
As soon as the pattern arrived I knew which fabric in my stash it was destined for: a pretty, floral rayon that I picked up on clearance at JoAnn’s back in June. I wasn’t sure about it the first time I saw it, and even waited a few weeks to get it, but I rather like the rich colors on the black background–it’s a nice transition print for late summer/early fall. The jacket is made up in a linen-look blend that is lined with the dress material (yes, I can make it reversible if I wish!). This project was also an opportunity for me to break out the buckram belting I had purchased recently to make a self-fabric belt; I love crisp, matching belts on dresses so much! Having the proper foundation material helped the final product quite a bit.
[ click for a larger view. ]
The pattern itself is a fairly basic design, but the bows and jacket are what make it special! Why? Those little bows at the base of the shoulder straps pass through slits on the jacket to secure it in place! Isn’t that genius? Little details like that are what keep me coming back to vintage patterns again and again–you never know what new little novelty details you’ll encounter! I really love how this dress turned out–I’ve already worn it a few days in a row! lol. Sans jacket, of course; it’s been way too hot to even think about wearing more layers than necessary. But I think once the days start to cool down a bit (whenever that will be!), this entire outfit will be getting a lot of use…
[ more pictures here. ]
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Posted to: sewing, vintage sewing. | 54 lovely thoughts
swimsuit project: making the muslin pt. 1
[ 40s swimsuit pattern and a swatch of the fabric. ]
I decided to document this sewing project a little more thoroughly than most recent ones. Partly because I love writing a good ol’ dress diary, and also because I think it might benefit other who are interested in sewing a 40s style swimsuit as well as myself (from the standpoint of feedback and ideas). This is also a project that isn’t a slapdash sort; in order to get a piece that I really would wear, I need to make sure I take my time to do “boring” things like muslins and checking the fitting (instead of *ahem* just winging it!). So be warned–this could get dry and a bit geeky, but I hope fellow seamstresses (and seamsters!) will enjoy!
[ swimsuit inspiration! Martha Vickers (left) and a young Marilyn Monroe (right). ]
The pattern is a mid 40s Simplicity two piece; I found it on Ebay by a pure stroke of luck–it was in the midst of a lot of otherwise mid 60s patterns! What drew me to it was the design of the bra top and my curiosity as to how the home seamstress would have been directed to construct a swimsuit in the 40s. There are few fabric specifications on the envelope, save facing the bra and trunks with jersey fabric. After some research on my own, I decided to go with a woven material for the outer shell of the suit, underline the bra and add bra cups to it for some extra support and shaping, and adjust the style of the trunks a bit. The fabric I chose is a blue, red and white cotton sateen with a blue jersey for the facing.
My initial muslin of the swimsuit (I did have to grade the pattern down, but it was basically the design as-is) was mixed. The bra top fit pretty much spot-on, but the trunks had some fitting issues. They were a smidge tight over the hips and bagged oddly at the crotch (not untypical of pants patterns from this era) and the hemline was not flattering at all on my chunky legs. Rather than sit there and muddle through fitting, I remembered I had a shorts pattern I drafted last spring that was almost exactly like the swimsuit trunks, just longer. So I whipped that out, made a few changes, and made a muslin. An easy fix–and potential frustration averted!
[ trunks with faux wrap version 1.0. ]
At this point I also decided to experiment a bit with doing some draping/faux wrap at the front of the trunks. This is a design feature I had seen on many images of 1940s swimsuits, and although I was a bit skeptical as to how it’d look on me, I wanted to give it a try. I made up one muslin (the one pictured in this post), but wasn’t happy with how it looked, so I went back to the drawing board (er… cutting mat in my case!) and made a wrap that was shaped similarly to the wrap front skirt in the pattern. I also adjusted the front leg opening on the shorts to angle upwards a bit more, under the wrap (as the inspiration photos show). That’s as far as I’ve gotten this week–I still need to stitch up the newly adjusted muslin to double check things and make a final decision on the wrap! Hopefully, I’ll squeeze in some time this weekend…
Have a lovely Friday, friends!
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Posted to: sewing. | 28 lovely thoughts
practically glamorous
[ bright enough to make you wide awake! ]
For some reason my choice of sewing projects of late have had a lot to do with practicality; things that can fill some long-time gaps in my wardrobe. Instead of sewing yet another blue skirt or cute dress, I’ve been opting for projects that are still as useful as perhaps needed more because I’ve put them off for so long (see Casey’s Oft-Put-Off List: swimsuit, more shorts, a lightweight jacket, etc.). Saturday I cut out a robe (or housecoat, as I prefer to call it–it sounds better) and whipped it up in a couple evenings of sewing. I used a 40s Advance pattern I had won on Ebay a couple months ago, and although it was missing the instructions, it was a straight forward style that really wasn’t too hard to muddle through!
[ the pattern. ]
[ more pictures here. ]
I used a lightweight cotton for the body of the housecoat; it’s similar to a lawn, although it was in the clearance section of quilting fabrics when I bought it. It’s pretty wild, isn’t it?! After sitting on my fabric shelves for a couple months, I knew the bright print wasn’t ever going to make it to a daydress, so this seemed like a better fit. (Even though I can be pretty out there with what I wear, loud prints are just outside my comfort zone!) Which means it’s a nice, summer weight piece that I can wear for most of the year down here. And yes, I’ve already been wearing this: it definitely fits the bill of something kind of glamorous to throw on first thing in the morning (or lounge around in on the weekends). Although to be truly glamorous, it’d have to be of chenille or satin (although the latter wouldn’t be too practical for doing dishes or sitting curled up on the sofa knitting, would it?). Something like this (luscious velvet, plush trim…):
[ myrna wins the woman with the most enviable robes award. ]
Hope everyone is having a lovely Wednesday!
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Posted to: sewing. | 24 lovely thoughts
a ruffled peplum, if you please
[ dress fit for a 40s film noir femme fatale. ]
This is another one of the backlog of sewing projects I’ve mentioned recently! This little mid 40s peplum dress was made back in April, and got a lot of wear when we were out in CA (though I had to be careful–I think some of my husband’s female cousins were about ready to snatch it from me if they could have! lol.). Does the fabric look familiar? I had just enough of the checked rayon blend that I used for this dress–I love using every last bit of material!
[ click for a larger view. ]
The pattern is Simplicity #1435, which my lovely sewing pal Reilly sent to me! (Thanks, Reilly!!!) I had been eying several peplum patterns on Ebay from the 40s at the time, so it was one of those happy coincidences that she generously sent it to me. I actually love both the views–the Peter Pan collar version with the bow belt is still on my list of “things to sew one day”, but obviously, the peplum version won out first! I love how flirty the peplum is; I wasn’t sure I would actually like it (I like to minimize my hips rather than play the width up), but it’s my favorite part of the dress. Better yet, it’s detachable, so I can swap it out for a belt if I like.
[ click for a larger view. ]
I think I must be on a keyhole neckline and extended shoulder (to form a sleeve) kick; this is the third garment I’ve made that sports those two features since the beginning of the year! (Evidence: Sencha blouse and 40s sequined blouse.) Either this means I’m really boring and a one-trick-pony, or I just know what I like. (I’ll go with the latter… lol.)
[ more pictures here. ]
So what’s new on my sewing schedule? Well, as of right now I’ve been knee-deep in working on a project that has been brewing for months now. I’ve been dying to tell you all about it, but was under the strictest orders to stay quiet until recently. A few months ago, BurdaStyle approached me about contributing to a sewing book they are publishing in 2011! I was selected to do a variation on one of the patterns that will be in the book, complete with step-by-step instructions. I unfortunately can’t show you my design, but let’s just say it has a definite nautical and vintage flair. I finally got all the supplies and pattern from BurdaStyle, and have begun feverishly working on getting things started and instructions written before the deadline gets too close! Needless to say, this has meant my online time and email replies have been less of late, and I dare say will continue for the next few weeks (my apologies if you’re waiting to hear from me!). But it’s an exciting opportunity that I’m very thankful for!
Thank you all so much for the many comments (and foreign movie suggestions from last week; my Netflix queue grew by leaps and bounds!) you’ve left of late; I am so thankful for each of you! Hope you’re having a lovely Tuesday!
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Posted to: sewing. | 58 lovely thoughts
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