Category Archives: Uncategorized

August 27, 2023 · 6:01 pm

A Tale of Two Dresses, Part 2

Whenever I am working with vintage fabric, it seems I either have more yardage than I need or, more frequently, less than I need.  I have learned over the years there is usually a way to work around having less fabric than I really need.  I just have to get creative.  And that’s what I did when I made this dress.

I quickly determined there was no way I could get the dress I wanted by placing the pattern on the lengthwise straight-of-grain.  The flare of the skirt, which I wanted to be mid-calf, precluded any notion of such a layout.  At 45” wide, I knew I could just get the dress length I wanted if I laid out the pattern on the cross-grain, from selvedge to selvedge.  Linen is a very stable fabric, so I was confident the cross-grain would work.  In addition, there were no directional limitations in the floral design of the fabric.  Barely fitting my pattern – from shoulder to hem – on the fabric from selvedge to selvedge, however, would leave no extra fabric to turn up for the hem – or even to face the hem.  I decided to worry about that later.  First I wanted to determine how I could get the four pieces for the dress and the two lengthened sleeves placed on the fabric, keeping in mind three important things:  1) although this was not a fabric to be matched per se, the all-over design of the fabric needed to be on the same plane in contiguous seams; 2) I wanted to space out the larger floral motifs so the dress would be balanced as best as possible (looking critically at the dress I made when I was 23, I clearly could have given this more thought!); and 3) I wanted to avoid large demonstrative blooms at the bust.  Then, and only then, would I worry about the hem.  

I transposed all the markings from my adjusted pattern onto the cotton batiste, then used those pieces as my pattern. I then basted the two layers together to be treated as one, before sewing any seams or darts.

Once I was happy with this placement, I had a eureka moment when I knew I could accomplish two things with a simple bias trim made from the yardage of deep pink linen which coordinated nicely with the floral.  1) I could preserve the full 45” of cross-grain length by applying bias trim to the hem edge instead of turning it under, and I could do the same with the sleeves.  And 2) the trim would add interest to the dress, just as I had vaguely imagined.  (A quick aside here – I have ample yardage of the solid deep pink linen to make a coordinating coat at some point. Every dress needs a coat, right?) 

I underlined this dress in a very lightweight, pre-washed, cotton batiste, then I lined it in Bemberg rayon.  Moygashel linen washes beautifully, as does Bemberg lining, which is why I chose Bemberg over silk for this dress. I eliminated the neckline facing, choosing instead to bring the lining up to the edge of the neckline seam, then under-stitching it to secure that edge in place.  

I chose to do a hand-picked, lapped zipper, an application which I think looks so lovely.  Interestingly, I hand-picked the zipper in the dress I made in 1973, although it is a centered application.  

And here is a back view of the 1973 dress. The zipper is metal, which certainly is a telltale sign of a vintage dress.

When it came time to apply the bias-cut trim to the hem and sleeves, I had to experiment around a bit.  I didn’t want it too wide, but it needed to be substantial enough to look like it was meant to be and not an afterthought or decision made in desperation!  I finally settled on an exposure of 1/2”.  

Now this is where it gets interesting.  A few weeks ago I saw a vintage dress on a Facebook/Meta post by Xtabay Vintage Clothing Boutique.  It is obviously Moygashel linen (I can tell by its weave and color), but what really caught my eye were the bias strips and low-profile bows adorning its sleeves.  I tucked this idea in the back of my mind for future consideration.  What I didn’t know was that the future was right around the corner!  Yes – I “borrowed” this idea and added a single bias-cut bow to each sleeve.  Somehow, it just seems to finish the dress.  

I never would have thought of adding a bow to each sleeve had I not seen this pretty vintage dress.

In this view, the princess seam which originates in a dart is visible. This is a nicely engineered, flattering pattern.

Well, you may have guessed by now the reason for making this dress this year.  I will wear it next week when my husband and I celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary.  I have changed a lot in those 50 years (and so has my husband!), but I still love pink in all its shades and I still love Moygashel linen (and I still love my husband, too!)  

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Filed under Bows as design feature, couture construction, Dressmaker details, Fashion history, hand-sewn zippers, Hems, Linen, Linings, Mid-Century style, Moygashel linen, Sleeves, Summer sewing, Uncategorized, underlinings, Vintage fabric, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1970s

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August 27, 2023 · 12:34 pm

A Tale of Two Dresses, Part 1

Where to begin with this story?  I have to go back 50 years – which sounds daunting and slightly surreal.  As a 23-year-old about to be married, I had already made my wedding gown that summer of 1973.  I still, however, needed a couple of dresses to take on our upcoming wedding trip in early September.  With that intention, I ventured into Stapler’s Fabric Store on Walnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA).  Stapler’s was one of the old, notable, family-owned purveyors of fine fabrics and dress goods, and I loved going in the store.  Most of the time I could only look and dream, so going in on a mission made this trip memorable.  

Stapler’s carried high end fabrics and that included the newest offerings of Moygashel Irish linen.  I have written several times about this storied brand of dressmaker linen, known for being wrinkle and crease resistant, known for its exquisite designs and colors, and highly sought after by women of good taste.  I can still feel the excitement I had that Summer day when I saw a quintessential floral Moygashel in vibrant pinks and greens and whites.  

I had already picked out a Very Easy, Very Vogue pattern (the pattern number is lost to the ages by now, as is the pattern itself) to make a long A-line dress with short cut-on sleeves and center front and center back seams.  I purchased the yardage I needed and made this dress:

Ankle-length dresses like this were very fashionable in 1973.

I loved it.  I felt beautiful in it, which has, over the years, become my litmus test for a successfully made garment.  Several years ago I included this dress in a post I titled “Shopping in My Cedar Closet.”  I posed a question to myself – should I take this dress apart and reuse the beautiful fabric – which I still loved – for something else?  By asking myself this question, I knew I had the answer.  Too many memories, too much of the younger me were in this dress for me to cut it apart.  I placed it back in the closet and vowed to keep it as is. 

A few years later a most amazing thing happened.  While searching for vintage Moygashel linen on eBay, I found an offering for a length of the same pink, green and white floral fabric I had purchased so many years ago.  The listing was for 2¼ yards of this 45”wide fabric.  I purchased it immediately, its new rendition to be determined. In my mental sewing calendar, however, I hoped to bring life to this fabric 50 years after I made my first dress from its twin.

The planning began in earnest earlier this year.  I had to decide exactly what silhouette dress I wanted my new dress to have.  With only a little over two yards, I knew my choices were somewhat limited.  And I also knew the fabric itself needed to be the star – with its demonstrative, large design, its medley of colors and its lustrous weave.  It took me a while to realize I had already determined the correct formula 50 years ago.  It needed to be another A-line dress, with some length to it.  This time, however, I would make it using the couture techniques I have learned since then.  

I also knew I wanted: a) longer sleeves, if possible, with the yardage I had; b) to underline and line this dress (but preserve its washability); and c) to add some minor embellishment in some way, perhaps buttons or trim of some sort.

I had these deep pink buttons, one design of which I thought might be a possibility … In the end, I decided they would not work.
And, I had two lengths of Moygashel linen from the 1970s in this deep pink, from which I could make trim, if needed. This proved to be essential to the success of my endeavor.

A suitable pattern happened to be one I had already used twice.  

The line drawing for the shorter length shows more detail as to the seaming and the darts. The description on the pattern envelope reads: “evening or street length, high shaped, slightly A-line dress has short sleeves and scoop neckline with or without slit at center front…”

I first used this pattern for this dress:

And then a year or two later, I used it for this dress:

Having a pattern which fits, with pleasing lines and a certain finesse to it, is worth its weight in gold.  Even better, the late 1960s’/early 1970s’ vintage aspect of this pattern made it a perfect fit with fabric from 1973.  The only question I had was a big one.  Did I have enough fabric to make a longer dress with longer sleeves?  The answer: No – and then Yes.

(The story continues in the next post…)

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Filed under Fashion history, Linen, Mid-Century style, Moygashel linen, Uncategorized, vintage buttons, Vintage fabric, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1970s

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July 27, 2023 · 1:22 pm

An Italian Cotton for an American Summer

For a number of years this light, filmy, patterned and printed cotton, made in Italy,  had been lurking in my “cottons basket.”  I had purchased two yards of it from Mendel Goldberg Fabrics, for a “future” dress presumably.

This fabric is partially sheer. The print is overlaid on what appears to be a “burn-out” cotton, ie., two-layered.

At 60” wide, I knew two yards would be sufficient for just about any summer style I chose to make.  It seemed like every Spring I would take it out and consider the possibilities for it, not reaching a decision.  But this Spring, the “future” had finally arrived, at least for this fabric.

I’m not sure how I came up with the idea to trim it with a coordinating tape/ribbon, but I liked the definition it gave to the colors in the printed floral sprays.  First, I thought purple would be a great color to pair with it, then I went to yellow, then to pink.  None of those seemed to make the fabric pop the way I anticipated they would.  So, even though red is not a dominant color in the print, I decided to try it. And that was it – it worked!

I had already decided on a Vogue pattern I had previously used twice, albeit with a number of obvious changes.  

The first construction decision facing me was whether to underline it with cotton batiste and then also line it with – I wasn’t sure what; or just line it and hope that would be sufficient.  I wanted to preserve the light, airy feel of the fabric, but I also needed to address the sheerness of part of the fabric.  

After much thought and experimentation, I went with using only a simple cotton batiste lining. That turned out to be the right decision.  I under-stitched around the inside of the neckline and armscyes even though I did not have an underlining upon which to secure those stitches.  However, the under-stitching – which caught only the seam allowance – still had enough of a stabilizing effect to secure those edges. 

A hand-picked zipper is always a lovely detail to add to a dress like this:

There was some subtle pattern placement on this dress, but no matching.

I’m getting ahead of myself here, but to make this dress, I was eking out small snippets of sewing time during a complicated Spring.  And when the time came to do our annual Summer migration from Pennsylvania to Wyoming, 2200 driving miles west, the dress was unfinished.  

So, I packed it up along with a lot of other sewing-related things, and I eventually picked up where I left off.   I remembered to bring the zipper for the dress, – and the red Petersham ribbon for its embellishment – but I forgot to bring the extra dress fabric.  Why was this a big deal, you might be asking?  Well – I needed to make a belt for the dress, and my intention was to make a self-belt, edged with the red ribbon.  

Once again in my sewing life, I found myself going to Plan B – necessary, if I had any thought of wearing this dress this summer.  (Plan B stands for “It BETTER work.”)  I hemmed and hawed and decided there were two options.  One was a white belt and the other was a red belt.  I came to the conclusion a red belt would be too overpowering for the delicate nature of the fabric.  So that left me with a white belt, which wasn’t too exciting.  Then I had a eureka moment when I realized I could pick up the somewhat zigzag overlay motif in the fabric and embellish the belt with my extra red Petersham ribbon, applied in a zigzag pattern.  

This actually shows the back of the bodice. I used flat hooks to secure the belt.

Plan “B” seemed like a good idea when I remembered I had this Kate Spade Summer clutch to pair with my dress.

So – I rather like the Plan B belt although I may decide at some point to make a self-belt as I had originally intended.  We shall see.  One thing I know I will do is make belt loops for this dress from its remaining fabric sleeping back in Pennsylvania.

In the meantime, this is a good dress for a hot American summer.

Ciao!

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Filed under couture construction, hand-sewn zippers, Linings, Summer sewing, Uncategorized, vintage Vogue Designer patterns, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1970s

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July 19, 2023 · 6:00 pm

The Many Uses of a Pink and White Striped Cotton

There are now a few scrapes remaining of this fabric:

Before the scraps there was this blouse:

Before the blouse there were two Springtime dresses for my granddaughters: 

And before the two dresses, there were two Valentine’s Day aprons for my granddaughters:

Sometimes a fabric is just so versatile, it pays to use it over and over.  Such has been the case with this pink and white striped cotton I originally purchased from Farmhouse Fabrics back in late January.  It all started with my decision to make aprons for my granddaughters for Valentine’s Day.  I found a cute pink and red heart print for the base of the aprons.  (I sized down this apron pattern for my then-7-and-9-year-old girls.) Then I needed a coordinating fabric for the ties and pockets on the aprons.  That’s when this striped cotton came into my life.

Because the apron ties were cut on the bias, it was necessary to buy over a yard of the 60” wide fabric, leaving me a sizable section of fabric after the completion of that project.  I put the leftover fabric in my storage closet and didn’t think any more about it. Until….

A few weeks later I geared up to make matching dresses for the girls’ Springtime birthdays.  I got some direction from my daughter on the style of dress the girls decided they wanted – off-the-shoulder ruffle dresses.  I luckily found a new Liberty of London cotton print, purchasing it quickly before it sold out. 

Once I had it in hand, I decided it would look a lot cuter with a contrasting collar and sash rather than the entire dresses out of the same fabric.  That’s when I thought of the pink and white stripe I had stored away. 

Well, the rest is history, except that to complete the dresses, I needed to purchase more of the striped fabric.  Fortunately, it was still available from Farmhouse Fabrics.  This time, however, I decided to purchase enough additional of it to make myself a blouse.  Why not? 

Now, I have made a lot of blouses, many using this pattern:  

Here is the blouse pattern I have used over and over.

They are not the most exciting apparel in the world, but I do wear them, a lot.  So lately, I have been trying to mix up the details of the pattern when I make a new blouse to make it more interesting.  Here is what I did to this one:

  1. The most obvious change I opted for are three-quarter length sleeves, slightly poofy, gathered into a continuous cuff.  

2. I decided to cut the cuffs on the bias and repeated that choice for the back yoke and the collar band. 

I also gathered the back vent instead of making a pleat. It looks off center here, but that is an optical illusion!

3. I used the collar variation I had originally cut for this blouse, and in addition I took one inch off the length of the blouse.  

Again I went to my button collection and found vintage buttons which pick up the striped motif of the fabric.  

I think I am now finished with pink and white stripes, but I am holding on to the scrapes just in case….

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Filed under aprons, Blouses, Buttons - choosing the right ones, Liberty cotton, Uncategorized

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May 15, 2023 · 8:53 pm

Upcoming!  A Major Fashion Exhibit at Winterthur Museum

Mark you calendars for a visit to Winterthur Museum in Winterthur Delaware, (USA) in the Fall of 2023.  Ann Lowe, American Couturier opens on September 9th and runs through January 7th, 2024. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Ann Lowe, she probably is best known as the designer of Jackie Kennedy’s wedding gown when she married John F. Kennedy in 1953 –  but Lowe is so much more than that.  For decades she was the designer of choice for “America’s most prominent debutantes, heiresses, actresses, and society brides.”  Despite designing couture-quality dresses and gowns for such an extensive and elite clientele, she remained virtually unknown in the public arena.  Even a feature in the Saturday Evening Post in 1964 calling Ann Lowe “Society’s Best-Kept Secret” failed to secure the recognition she deserved.  Recently, however, her place in the pantheon of American Fashion Designers has begun to be recognized, and this major exhibit of her work will undoubtably elevate Lowe to the pinnacle she so richly deserves.  

I share this short biographical blurb on promotional material from Winterthur Museum:  

Winterthur’s Exhibition will showcase approximately 40 of Lowe’s dresses and gowns, gathered together from museums and private collections across the country.  In addition there will be approximately 10 works by contemporary Black designers, influenced by the timeless style and legacy of Lowe’s volume of work.  

Here I share 4 images of dresses included in the Exhibition:

Printed Silk Ensemble, c. 1930s, Anonymous Gift to the Cincinnati Art Museum
Evening Dress, c. 1955, Silk Velvet, Lent by The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Gift of Eleanor Cates
Evening Dress, c. 1962-64, Made for Saks Fifth Avenue by Ann Lowe, Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Carll Tucker Jr.
Elizabeth Mance Concert Gown, c. 1966-67, From the collection of Elizabeth Mance deJonge.

Last Fall I had the privilege of visiting Winterthur’s Conservation Lab where several of Lowe’s dresses and gowns were being prepared for exhibit. Readily apparent in these pieces was the engineering skill of the designer – all those things going on inside the dress to perfect the fit and carriage of it for each client.  Although much of this inside story will obviously not be on display, each and every dress will surely tell its own story of beauty, quality and style.  

This Exhibition is guest-curated by Elizabeth Way, associate curator of costume at The Museum at FIT.  For more information, visit www.Winterthur.org.  

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Filed under couture construction, Fashion Exhibits, Fashion history, Uncategorized

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March 5, 2023 · 5:23 pm

Completion – How Sweet It Is. 

It has been a slow start to the new sewing year of 2023.  Although I had anticipated the completion of my first project – this black jacket – to be a speedy endeavor, I anticipated incorrectly!  (Has anyone ever said fashion sewing can be very humbling?)

I was making this jacket to go specifically with a wool sheath dress I made two years ago – and also, hopefully, to pair with other dresses or skirts which might benefit from the addition of a somewhat dressy black jacket.  I had the pattern, and I had the fabric, a very soft light-weight cashmere (which I found a number of months ago at Farmhouse Fabrics.) 

I chose this jacket pattern primarily for its “split” center opening which would work well with the unusual center stripe woven into the wool to balance its uneven plaid.

I first needed to make a fitting muslin (toile) and I needed to determine what changes I would make to the original pattern.  That ended up being three items:

  • I changed the neckline to match the neckline of the sheath dress.
  • I added a dart to the top of each sleeve, using that method as a substitute for the running stitches normally used to facilitate the insertion of the sleeve into the armscye. I have used this alteration frequently as it seems to fit my shoulder anatomy well.
  • I shortened the sleeves from full-length to 7/8 length.  I did this as I enjoy wearing bracelets, thus giving them a little “breathing room.”  

Before I started making this jacket, I had the perception I would need to tie the sheath dress and the black jacket together in some way.  Without a shared element, I wasn’t so sure they would necessarily look like they were made for each other.  The only problem was, I had very little yardage remaining from the sheath dress, as I had made it from a limited piece of vintage wool.  What to do?  

Covered buttons would limit my ability to wear the jacket with other pieces, and besides, I thought they would look stark as the only two small embellishments on a very black jacket.  I did not have enough fabric left, even for a small neck scarf, so that idea never had a chance.  I’m not sure when it came to me, but in a eureka moment, I thought a fabric flower made from the vintage plaid would be just the thing to make this outfit work.  

I knew M & S Schmalberg Custom Fabric Flowers in New York City would be my best bet (or only bet) for having a matching flower made.  I wasn’t sure I had enough fabric even for that, but I contacted them, sent pictures and measurements of my scrap of wool, and they made it work!  

I chose a 3” camellia option for my flower.  Look what they did!

A few other details for the construction of the jacket: (1) I under-stitched the facing to control the front edges and neckline of the jacket.

(2) I used a black crepe de chine lining (and lots of extra light when I was sewing it in!) I should mention that I underlined the jacket with silk organza.

(3) The only bit of whimsy I added to the interior was to cover up the ends of the loops for the two buttons with two small jacquard ribbon pieces appliqued on.  No one will ever see these except for me, but I like them.

This is definitely a “dressmaker detail!”

(4) I covered the required snaps with the lining fabric.

I am so happy to have this jacket completed.  Most of my projects seem to take longer than they should, but that makes completing one just that much sweeter.  

.  

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Filed under couture construction, Dressmaker details, Jackets, dressy, Loops for buttons, Mid-Century style, Uncategorized, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1960s, Vogue patterns, woolens

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January 8, 2023 · 8:23 pm

LIPSTICK  

Lipstick?  What does that have to do with sewing?  Well, everything, as it turns out, especially with sewing for 2023.  LIPSTICK is the word I have chosen for 2023 to guide my sewing aspirations.  And because sewing is so much a part of my life, the word LIPSTICK will undoubtably become a reminder and guide and focus for so many other aspects of my life as well.

How did I ever decide on such a word to guide me through this brand new year?  First of all, I am not finished with PINK, my focus for 2022.  Truth be told, I’ll never be finished with pink – the color or the joie de vivre it inspires in me – but certainly I wanted a new, expansive word for what I hope will be a year of great optimism and promise and accomplishment.  So, pink led me to think of lipstick, with its many pink and red and coral and orange hues – and all the ways a gorgeous shade of lipstick can enhance the colors we wear, be they black, navy, white, green, yellow, brown, etc.  But lipstick is more than that. 

For me, lipstick is instant confidence.  Lipstick adds power to a smile with a simple swipe of color.  Lipstick tells the world one is ready for something special, even if it is just a simple trip to the grocery store.  Lipstick is feminine and fun and frock-worthy.  

But don’t just take my word for it.  Here is what some notable people have said about lipstick (and pink) over the decades: 

“If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack.”  Coco Chanel

“On a bad day, there’s always lipstick.”  Audrey Hepburn

“Lipstick is the red badge of courage.”  Man Ray

“I believe in manicures.  I believe in overdressing.  I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick.”  Audrey Hepburn

“If there was [sic] no more pink lipstick un the world, I’d be useless.”  Nicki Minaj

“Start each day with your favorite lipstick and a beautiful smile.”  Unknown

“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.”  Elizabeth Taylor

“I believe in pink.”  Audrey Hepburn

“You can never go wrong with a little pink … a lot works for me.”  Dana Dalgetty

“Just have fun.  Smile.  And keep putting on lipstick.”  Diane Keaton

“She has a way with words, red lipstick and making an entrance.”  Kate Spade.

Making that entrance is where our love of sewing and feeling beautiful in our clothes comes into play.  This year, for me, promises to have a number of occasions where an “entrance” has the potential to be made (parties, events, significant milestones, hopefully lots of entertaining).  So – what do I have planned to wear to those occasions?

I am dreaming of a dress made from this pale pink plaid wool, buttery soft with a little glimmer to it.

This is the pattern I hope to use for the above wool. I love everything about the design of this dress: it has a two-piece look, but the skirt is attached to a camisole under the over bodice. I love the buttoned back and the front seaming detail. I particularly like the long-sleeved version.

This navy blue cotton sateen will either become a mid-calf length full skirt or a long-sleeved sheath dress. Thoughts, anyone?

More blouses are in my sewing queue, one in orange cotton and one in pink and green gingham.

Being carried over from 2022 will be a long-ish skirt made of this glorious silk twill:

My love of coats continues, as I hope to make one wool boucle coat (if I have enough fabric – shown below) with coordinating silk dress – and one pink floral linen coat with coordinating linen dress. 

Two jackets are in my plans, a classic French jacket in black boucle with orange and cream accents (which is currently waiting to be finished), and a black cashmere jacket (at present underway) to wear with this dress and others.

The jacket included in this pattern is the one I am currently working on.

A fancy silk party dress in fuchsia?  I hope so….

I watched this fabric on the website of Britex Fabrics for months several years ago, and I finally decided I had to have it. It is silk charmeuse, very soft with the abstract design woven in. Is this the year it will meet its destiny?

As long as my granddaughters seem to enjoy wearing the dresses I make for them, I will keep sewing for them – 3 each again this year?   I hope I can manage that.

And who knows what else?  I will let my inspiration and time (!) guide me.  No matter what, I’ll be aspiring to enhance every outfit with the perfect lipstick and its promise of living beautifully, day in and day out, in the easy times and over the long haul.

So, dear sewing friends and readers, put on your lipstick and have a sparkling new sewing year! 

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Filed under Love of sewing, Uncategorized

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January 3, 2023 · 5:34 pm

Looking Backward Before Looking Forward

Retrospection is a good thing, I think, when it comes to sewing (or many things, actually!)  When I think back on 2022 and what I accomplished of my sewing goals for the year, I am surprised by how much I actually marked off my list.  I seem to have started the year with a lot of momentum, but by the end of the year, that momentum, both sewing and blogging, fizzled out, for one reason or another.   My theme for the year was so, so easy for me to remember – PINK  – as in my favorite color.  It was so easy, in fact that I almost shied away from any projects which did not keep with the theme. 

Here is what I made, in no particular order:

  • 2 Spring/Summer cotton blouses, one pink and one red (the red one is a sleeveless gingham, no blog post and not even any photos.)  
I think this blouse may have been Readers’ Choice for 2022!
  • 1 deep pink silk blouse, made from one of my favorite vintage patterns.
  • A short cape to match it to match a pair of slacks I made in late 2021.
  • 6 dresses for my granddaughters (three each), none of which are detailed in a blog post.  I have found most of my reading audience isn’t really interested in sewing for children, so when I do post the dresses I make for them, it is on Instagram   (and I could do a better job of documenting them there …) 
  • 1 chicken potholder.  Made as a topper for a bridal shower gift, this cutie pie is one of many I have made over the years.  
Just for fun, here is that chicken potholder…
  • 1 pink silk gingham Spring coat, with a Trench coat vibe to it.  
  • 1 tunic top for easy Summer wearing.
  • 1 lightweight cotton shirtwaist dress, feminine and breezy.
  • 1 wool/silk blend floral printed skirt, no photos, no blog post, no pink, but heavy on the compliments when I wear it.  I took apart a midi-length skirt I purchased once upon a time from the J. Peterman catalog and remade it into a short, straight-skirt style.  
  • 5 aprons, three of which were gifts to friends. 
  • Home decorator sewing (6 seat cushions) for our western (second) home in Wyoming (NOT pink!) 

When doing a retrospective such as this, I like to ask myself, “What would I have done differently with certain items?”   It seems there is frequently something that should have been tweaked a bit, and so it was this year, with three pieces. 

  1. If I make the cape pattern again, I will add about 2 inches onto the length.  I did not pick this up in the muslin, unfortunately. 
  2. I mentioned this in my blog post, but the cuffs of the pink gingham Spring coat should be roomier. I must unbutton them to slip my hands through them, which is a bit of a nuisance.  I neglected checking this measurement/fit in my muslin/toile, which was a good reminder to me for the future: every aspect of a garment matters.
  3. I used my go-to shirtwaist blouse pattern for the sleeveless gingham blouse I made, and I had to redo the cut of the armscye twice to get the fit correct.  It was easily done, but a bit time-consuming.  The result is a comfortable blouse which now fits well.
Here is that blouse pattern I have used over and over. After I adjusted the sleeveless armscye twice to perfect the fit, I finished the edge with a bias strip seamed on the edge, turned in and stitched by hand as discreetly as possible.

PINK was not only my 2022 theme, but it set guidelines for my approach to sewing as well, such as “P“ for perseverance and perspective.  Keeping perspective, especially toward year’s end when life set me up for some turmoil, helped me through a few rough spots and sewing droughts.  

“I” for indulgence and inspiration were easy guidelines.  Indulge in another coat or two? Why, yes, one can never have too many coats.  And “I” for inspiration was everywhere, from ready-to-wear, to fellow bloggers, to sewing friends, to gorgeous fabrics, to vintage buttons.  The list goes on….

“N” for new endeavors, not necessarily sewing related, added new dimensions to my life this year, to be continued in 2023.  “N” was also for Not feeling guilty.  Not once did I feel guilty for all the hours I spent in my sewing room!  

“K” was for keeping focus.  My lists and planning help me with this.  And “K” is always for kindness, a good goal at any time in any aspect of life. 

How perfect is this image to welcome in a New Year? (From a post by Midcentury Fashion on Facebook). And now is the time to look forward with anticipation and hope and a bit of fun.  Happy New Year! To be continued….

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November 3, 2022 · 5:28 pm

Frugal and Fun and Fast

Do you ever just feel like making something quick and fun and maybe a little whimsical?  Something that isn’t going to task your brain too much, but which is nevertheless rewarding?  

That’s how I was feeling a few days ago.  I just was not ready to start a big new project, of which I have (too) many lined up in my head.  In addition, propped in my sewing room, looking at me forlornly, were a few piles of fabric, leftovers from things I had sewn this past summer.   For the life of me, I cannot throw away any decent length of fabric left over from something I have made.  I always think I’ll need it for something.  That is rarely the case, but for once I decided to do something about it.  I decided to make some aprons.  

Seriously, who doesn’t love an apron?  They can be all-business or whimsical, pretty or frilly, plain or busy, colorful or monotone, practical or impractical.  The list goes on.  Fortunately I had three apron patterns already available to me, one from the 1950s, one from the 1970s and one more recent one, perhaps from the last 10 years or so, shown in order below.

In order to make my leftover fabric go as far as possible, and to make this apron project fit my criteria for fast and fun and frugal, I went with the simple chef’s apron (View F) on the pattern directly above.  The only change I made to the look of it was to construct contrasting ties and pockets.  Not only did I like the idea of adding color and whimsy to my aprons, but this change gave me the ability to use up shorter pieces of fabric.

The first one I made from excess fabric from dresses I made for my granddaughters this past Spring and Summer. 

The neck and waist ties and binding along the side fronts are a continuous piece of bias binding. Oddly, the pattern instructions did not indicate how much should be left for the length of those ties, so I guessed. It seems to have worked out okay!

The second apron used fabric left over from a ribbon-embellished tunic I made for myself, also in the Summer.  The ties and pockets used zigzag-patterned fabric I had on hand to use for “baby tote bags”  I have made over the years as gifts.

That zigzag fabric is quite an effective accent as you can see by these baby tote bags, made years ago… But “so long” to the red zigzags – now they are embellishing aprons!
I decided to divide the pocket into two unequal parts with a simple line of stitching. Otherwise the pocket gaped a bit and could possibly catch on panhandles or other obstacles!

After making two aprons, I was having so much fun, I thought I would look and see what other apron-appropriate fabrics I could find stored away.  I came across a “vegetable” print which is from the 1980s or ‘90s, given to me by a sewing/quilting friend.  I had one yard which was perfect for the main part of the apron.  I stitched this one up in a flash, having perfected a few time-saving techniques in the first two aprons.  

What else would you use this fabric for?

Now I’m ready to approach some more serious sewing!  But what fun to create three distinct looks from one simple-to-make pattern.  My friends and family had better watch out – they may be getting aprons for Christmas…  

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October 25, 2022 · 5:36 pm

Not Just an Everyday Blouse

Some blouses are worn A LOT.  Those are everyday blouses, and I have quite a few of those (with more to come, I am sure!)  And some blouses are worn infrequently, but equally loved for their unique properties.  These would include exceptional fabric, refined or formal appearance, limited wearing opportunity, or their ability to make a statement.  The blouse I most recently completed has all those properties. 

This deep pink silk charmeuse Jacquard has been in my fabric closet for over ten years, having been purchased at Britex Fabrics when I started sewing for myself again, way back when.  Its color, and the polka dot woven motif, both personal favorites, drew me to it.  A couple of years ago, after purchasing another piece of silk – a printed silk twill – I paired the two fabrics together and added them both to my sewing queue.  The skirt may have to wait until next year, but the blouse earned a spot in 2022’s sewing agenda.

Two fabrics meant for each other!

I used a blouse pattern which I have made once before.  From 1957, this pattern is timeless with its elegant collar (which looks good lying flat or propped up around the neck), petite French cuffs and feminine three-quarter length sleeves.  I suppose in 1957, this style blouse may have been considered a casual piece, which the illustrations on the pattern envelope suggest.  I saw this blouse as dressy, however, and that is how I have interpreted it. 

The collar on this blouse is beautifully engineered.
Here is the first blouse, in silk dupioni, I made from this pattern.

One of the details which make this blouse so flattering to wear is the waistline open-ended darts, easily visible above.  They minimize the bulk when the blouse is tucked inside its skirt and add a lovely billow effect above the waist. I made these darts a bit shallower than the pattern indicated.  When making these darts, I secured their upper edges by pulling the thread tail on one side to the other side so that I had the ability to knot those threads with three tight loops.  For those of you who have made a classic French jacket, this is the same method used to secure the quilting stitches at the end of the columns. The photo below helps to show this.

The darts are secured by knots done by hand both top and bottom.
Those open-ended darts are featured on the back of the bodice, too.

Buttons are such fun to select for a blouse like this.  I have had these vintage white pearl buttons for some time, and no doubt they were waiting for this project.  When the skirt is made at some point, the three-lobed profile will play off the designs in the silk twill.  But, more than that, I needed something to act as a foil for the polka-dotted field.  More “round” would have been fine, but not exciting.  Additionally, these buttons are a bit bigger which helps them hold their own on that deep, rich, pink silk.  

The French cuffs are secured by buttons both front and back.
Love those buttons!

Being the ‘statement” blouse that it is, I doubt I will be wearing this blouse casually. But I’m betting/hoping I will find good reason to wear it not infrequently to one or another tony event.  

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Filed under Blouse patterns from the 1950's, Blouses, Buttons - choosing the right ones, Mid-Century style, Polka dots, sewing in silk, Uncategorized, vintage buttons, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1950s

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