It was not planned this way. Not much so far this year has been planned in the way it is going, truth be told. Which makes my most recent make both tinged with nostalgia and hopeful. Mostly hopeful, I think.

For over thirty years I have had this length of Liberty Lawn surface time and again from its storage basket in my fabric closet. I never had the right pattern for it, not when I purchased it on the island of Bermuda back in the 1980s, nor over the ensuing years – that is, until this year. After making my wool challis shirtdress earlier in the year, I realized that same pattern was how I had subconsciously – for years – envisioned this fabric being used.

It has been satisfying to use this fabric, finally, as it deserves to be used. Liberty is one of the world’s famous manufacturers of cotton. Did you know it has its own entry in Fairchild’s Dictionary of Fashion? Actually two entries – one under Liberty and another under Liberty Print. Here is the latter entry: “Trademark of Liberty, London, for wide range of printed fabrics. The best known are small multicolored floral designs.” (The Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion, by Charlotte Mankey Calasibetta and Phyllis Tortora, Third Edition, Fairchild Publications, Inc, New York, New York, c2003.) I wrote about Liberty cotton way back in 2012 when I was still pondering the use of this red and green floral print. But voila! Now I have used it!
Enough of the blah, blah, blah, here are the details: I underlined the fabric with a very lightweight white cotton batiste, purchased from Farmhouse Fabrics. Then I finished the raw edges of the seams with Hug Snug rayon seam binding. I love this finish for garments which are underlined, but not lined.

Here is a detail of the cuff. I did not underline the sleeves.
As I mentioned in my post on the wool challis shirtdress, I added shoulder darts to the back of the bodice, and instead of using an eased-in sleeve, I converted the necessary fullness into a dart at the very top of the sleeve. The button placement guide for this pattern indicates using 8 buttons. I think next time I make this pattern (and I’m sure there will be a next time), I am going to increase that number to nine. I think the distance between buttons on the bodice is just a bit too much, now that I have it finished.
Speaking of buttons, I found white pearl, metal shank buttons in my collection, and they seemed just perfect for this fabric, which has such a fresh appearance. The only substitution I made was the button on the collar band, where I used a button which was 3/8” rather than 1/2”. Fortunately I had a card of 4 buttons in this size which mimics the appearance of the other buttons.


A detail of one button on the bodice.
For the belt/sash, I got my inspiration from RTW which I detailed back in January. My first thought was to use a red grosgrain ribbon sash. But it just didn’t look right. Fortuitously, in looking in Promenade Fabrics Etsy store for ribbons that might work, I came across a white Seersucker-look 2 ½” wide light weight ribbon which I thought looked wonderful. I ordered three yards, and it was just as wonderful as it looked online. However, in holding it up to my fabric, there was enough “show-through” to be problematic.

The ribbon was not opaque enough to cover sufficiently the print of the fashion fabric.
To remedy this, I used a fusible interfacing for the middle section of the sash which would be the initial circling of my waist. (I rarely use fusible interfacings, although I keep some on hand for some of the sewing I do for my granddaughters, but this time it came in handy.) This did the trick and also added just a bit of stiffness to that section of the sash. Then the un-faced end sections of the sash are still soft and flowing.

This shows the sash with fusible interfacing applied to the mid-section of the length of the sash, but not to the top layer nor bow. It adds just enough coverage to minimize the appearance of the fashion fabric beneath it.
After I took photos, I got the idea to fold the interfaced part of the sash in half lengthwise to make it narrower and maybe a bit more flattering. Here it is on my dress form:

One of our few warm, sunny days allowed me to get these following photos.




While I was making this dress, I could not help but remember the fun trip my husband and I took to Bermuda when I purchased this Liberty cotton. I still remember trying to decide which piece of Liberty print to purchase (so many from which to choose), how many yards to get (it was still manufactured in 35” width at that point), and being delighted to get a label with it. Those were the times when one dressed for dinner, had breakfast served in one’s room , and tea in the afternoon. Yes, I could not help but be nostalgic. But then I had so much fun bringing this fabric to life, I could not help but feel hopeful. It was a lovely way to spend the hours in my sewing room. And how fitting to sew with fabric which perfectly expresses my sentiments right now. Please, give me Liberty!
Odds and Ends and One Thing You Mustn’t Miss
Sewing has been, well, challenging this summer. In reality, I think I have been able to accomplish just about all I could have hoped for – so far, at least – but it certainly doesn’t seem like very much.
When I packed fabric to bring along to our new vacation home in Wyoming, I tried to think ahead and determine exactly what I would need. For instance, I brought two decorator fabrics which I had picked out for two of our “new” bedrooms, with plans for making decorative pillows and at least one bed skirt. I also brought two fabrics with which to make dresses for our two little granddaughters who were arriving, along with the rest of our immediate family, in late July. I also brought some vintage Moygashel linen, many pieces of shirting and dress cottons, skirt fabric, and a piece of Viyella cotton/wool blend. What was I thinking?!! Certainly no one could accuse me of being under-ambitious!
I totally misjudged how much of my time would be taken up with organizing and setting up a new household. So – what have I been able to sew? A number of decorative pillows, for one thing. I find them – and all that self-bias tape I had to construct – utterly boring to make, but satisfying once they are completed. The bed skirts have been moved to the “still to do” list.
I was able to make dresses for my granddaughters. My original intent was to make each dress out of a different fabric, but when I stretched out my ladybug embroidered, striped fabric from Emma One Sock, I realized I had more than I needed for one dress. With one minor compromise, I knew I could get two dresses from my existing yardage. So I changed plans and made matching dresses.
I made white piping for the pockets and collars out of kitchen string and white batiste. The ladybug embroidered fabric is really so cute!
The compromise I had to make involved the sashes, as I did not have enough fabric to cut sashes for two dresses. Fortunately I had enough of the coordinating red fabric to make the sashes. Now I’m glad it worked out that way, as I think it makes the dresses cuter.
I had pre-purchased red decorative buttons, thinking I would need them for just one dress. Normally I would put three in a row centered beneath the collar, but with four buttons, and two dresses … Well, you do the math! Two on each dress it is!
Having spent many summer days and nights in Wyoming before this year, I knew from experience how chilly the mornings – and nights – can be throughout the summer. (The days are warm and glorious, however.) Warm cozy slippers and a winter-weight bathrobe are necessities. And that is why I brought along the afore-mentioned Viyella fabric. Although I packed a winter-weight robe which I made a few years ago, I wanted to make a new robe which I can leave here, therefore eliminating one bulky item from future suitcases.
How lovely to have the opportunity to use this vintage Vogue pattern once again.
This robe takes a lot of fabric, and it was a tight squeeze fitting all the pattern pieces on it and matching the plaid as well. I had to make the sash out of two pieces of fabric, seaming it in the back. Additionally, I had enough fabric for only one pocket (I prefer two.) But, I am happy with the outcome, and very pleased to have used one more piece of fabric from my sizeable collection!
Viyella is the perfect fabric for a lightweight, but warm bathrobe. It is machine washable, and gets softer with age.
While the bathrobe, and the little dresses, were enjoyable to make, neither were challenging in the “couture” sense. So I did my “couture” dreaming vicariously through the Susan Khalje Couture Sewing Club, where inspiration abounds in many forms. Earlier in the month, Susan was interviewed for the “Love to Sew” podcast. Treat yourself and spend a lovely hour-plus listening to it, if you haven’t already done so. The interview, Episode 106, dated August 12th, can be found here:
www.lovetosewpodcast.com.
Among Susan’s new pattern offerings is this jacket:
When I arrive back home in Pennsylvania, I will be searching through my fabric closet for the perfect pairing for this pattern. I am just itching to challenge myself with such a project. No more pillows, at least for now!
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Filed under Bathrobes, Buttons - choosing the right ones, Fashion commentary, Sewing for children, Uncategorized, Vintage fabric, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1950s
Tagged as 1950's Vogue patterns, Bathrobes, fashion sewing, sewing for children, Susan Khalje Couture, vintage Vogue patterns