Tag Archives: Choosing buttons

May 19, 2026 · 5:48 pm

And Now I Match my Chair, Part 2

Isn’t a good pattern worth its weight in gold?  When I purchased this jacket pattern several years ago, I just liked it, no plans in place, and thought the day might come when I could use it.  The more I studied it with my Pendleton blanket in mind, the more I thought it was perfect for my project.  First task, of course, was to make a muslin toile and check the fit and size. 

View B is the version I intended to use.

By now, November and early December had passed with my life taken over by bathroom renovations and holidays looming on the horizon. We headed back to Wyoming for Christmas, and then the new year of 2026 dawned, with all its promise and things unknown.  January was the perfect time to get back to my project. The jacket as designed was to be fully lined, either with fleece, contrasting fabric, or self-lined. I determined I would need to line the sleeves, while the rest of the jacket should remain unlined.  However, I needed a facing for the shawl collar and front edges. Because there was a pattern piece for interfacing the collar and front edges, I thought I could use that for my facing.  My toile confirmed that for me.  

I used the interfacing (minus the hood extension) in the lower right corner of the diagram for my coat facing.

The coat muslin seemed very large overall on me, requiring a lot of alteration.  It can be tricky with coats, as enough ease must be allowed for wearing a heavier sweater or layers underneath. Also, the thickness and relative non-fluidity of the blanket dictated a looser fit.  I spent a few days perfecting my toile.  Then the real test was upon me.

I took my muslin apart, producing pattern pieces to fit onto my fabric/blanket. Was making this jacket out of what I had left of the blanket even going to be possible? If so, how would the placement of the pattern pieces on the very graphic and large design work out? 

I got to work with everything spread out on my dining room table, starting with two main objectives: 1) The large “dragonfly” motif on the blanket would be centered on the back of the jacket, and 2) I wanted the “portrait” or neckline area of the shawl collar to feature the dominant color of red. 

I had to use the entire width of the blanket, without an inch to spare in the final layout, for the pieces of the main body of the coat. This layout gave me the the red collar I wanted and the center motif of the blanket centered on the coat back. Visible on the lower part of the picture is the where the upholsterer had cut the fabric.
This is the opposite end of the blanket, where I needed to position the sleeves and, potentially, patch pockets. This is where it got a little tricky. That black “sawtooth” panel, a dominate woven feature, was going to make or break the fluidity of the overall look of the coat.

From there the fabric told me what I could do and what I could not do, and the best way to explain my decisions is to show you the finished coat.

1) I determined the dominate black stripe across the sleeves (see below) absolutely had to be centered on the black stripe across the front of the coat (and consequently centered on the main motif on the back.) However, the width of the two stripes were not the same. 2) The only way I could center them was to wiggle around the placement of the sleeves on the fabric. I had not originally intended to put black “cuffs” on the sleeves, but that turned out to be the only way I could center the black stripes on each other, by moving the sleeves off the edge of the fabric, and adding “cuffs” to get the sleeve length I needed.
First, I cut out the main pieces of the coat. (I had Plan B in place already, knowing by now I would have to piece the lower edges/cuff on the sleeves.) That gave me more flexibility on determining exactly how those two black design features would lineup to best effect.
I was sweating bullets, even with Plan B, when I realized how much I had to wiggle the sleeves down off the edge of the fabric to get those black design features centered on each other. In this photo you can see the scraps of black fabric (reversible to red) I intended to use for the “cuffs.” Fortunately I found that I could successfully remove the binding on the blanket, gaining me another 3/4 inch in length – which meant the piecing I needed to do on the cuffs would be a pleasing width.
Here is the back of the jacket. I was very pleased with how well the sleeves lined up with it.

I thought it would be “easy” after getting to this point. Easy is not a word I should ever use while sewing. I should know that by now. Every seam had to pressed with loads of steam, followed by a clapper to help set it, usually more than once. Every exposed seam edge needed to be encased with rayon tape. I split the two vertical darts and needed to hand-stitch the raw edges to prevent fraying. Every seam needed to be basted together before machine sewing in order to keep the horizontal lines in the design matched.  

Here and below are looks at the interior seam binding I did on all the exposed edges – and the fabulous labels which I took from the blanket and attached on the coat front facing.

Here is the back interior of the jacket, showing the sleeve linings (I used lightweight cotton batiste that had a slight sheen) and how I finished the raw edges of the center back neckline.

I had found a set of taupe-colored vintage buttons in my collection which, at first glance, did not look like they would work. But after auditioning black buttons and red buttons, I was convinced those taupe ones would be perfect.  However, I had no idea how I was going to do buttonholes in that thick fabric. I fiddled around with fabric scraps to make practice bound buttonholes, using a lightweight fabric for the “lips.” They looked awful.  I thought of using large snaps and just securing the buttons on the coat front for effect. That did not appeal to me at all.  So I went to my two failsafe sewing maxims:  1) I’ll figure it out later, and 2) Plan B – it BETTER work.

The jacket was practically finished before I found a method to make those buttonholes. Because the fabric was so thick, I could successfully only do a machine buttonhole on one layer of it. I experimented around and discovered if I made the buttonhole on the front of the coat, I could then line up the facing and use a straight machine stitch through both layers around the buttonhole. I used very small stitches to make it secure. Then I sliced them open. It worked!

I had to remove the facing to make the machine buttonholes and then stitch it back on before continuing. I could not have seen that coming since I really did not know early on how in the world I was going to make these buttonholes!
This picture shows the buttonholes all finished and completely functional! Also, this is an interesting view of the front of the coat. I was kind of wringing my hands over the center front of the coat. I did not have enough fabric to balance the design across the center front. And then I realized, even if I had had enough fabric to do that, it would not have worked. The reason? I would not have been able to balance those small dragonfly motifs on either side – or – they would have been pushed too much to either side to make sense for the design. To my eye, that balance was the more important one. One more thing… I did not have enough fabric to make patch pockets for the coat. I considered making inseam pockets out of the black batiste, but I was concerned they may cause distortion of the side seams due to the heavy nature of the fabric. I finally decided to forego pockets altogether. After wearing the coat next winter, I can always come back to the pocket conundrum if I decide pockets are a must. Right now in my mind, they are not.

Are you still reading at this point? Or did I lose you back at the dining room table?

Almost finished! The final touches on the coat involved under stitching the collar to hold the turn in place, and securing the sleeve lining to the underside of the black “cuffs.” 

What do you think of the black cuffs? I had no choice but to do them this way; hopefully they look intentional rather than contrived.

Understitching on the collar.
Hand stitching holding the sleeve linings in place.

I have to say I was pretty thrilled with how my jacket turned out, considering the parameters facing me.  

Now I do indeed match my chair! More importantly, however, I have a very classic, one-of-a-kind, Pendleton wool, western-style jacket which is going to be fun – and warm – to wear.  

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Filed under Blankets and doll blankets, Buttons - choosing the right ones, car coats, Coats, fabric labels, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Sleeves, Uncategorized, vintage buttons, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1950s, woolens

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May 15, 2026 · 6:09 pm

And Now I Match My Chair, Part 1

It all started with a chair.  Well, maybe not.  My yearning for a coat made from a western-style blanket actually started inside the Pendleton Store in Jackson, Wyoming. For those of you unfamiliar with Pendleton Woolen Mills, here’s the (abbreviated) scoop on this great American company. 

 An English weaver by the name of Thomas Kay made his way to Oregon in 1863. (Think about that for a minute!)  His descendants, the Bishop family, built upon the weaving foundation Kay established and started Pendleton Woolen Mills in Pendleton, Oregon in 1909. In its first decade, the company produced colorfully patterned blankets and robes for local Native American tribes, thereby setting a brand distinction for the company. In 1916, Pendleton introduced the Glacier National Park blanket, the start of a wide-ranging series of National Park products. (New blankets and designs are still being added to this line today.) In 1924 the company introduced its first line of apparel – men’s woolen shirts – followed over the coming decades by women’s apparel and expanded offerings in apparel, home furnishings and of course, blankets. At the heart of the product lines is a commitment to American craftsmanship, the embrace of Native American design, and pride in its family ownership over six generations. Their products are available in their retail stores, on the web, and by printed catalog.  

Back to the Pendleton Store in Jackson, Wyoming. Their women’s offerings always showcase several coats, jackets, and ponchos made from Native American inspired blankets (and made in the USA, for extra good measure). They are gorgeous and distinctive and classic. So much so, that a few years ago my daughter purchased one (with a little $ help from Mom.)

This is the Pendleton coat my daughter purchased; photo is from the web.

She already had a stunning Pendleton wool poncho, a gift from her husband. As we all know, one can never have too much outerwear, right? Well, all this American craftsmanship and design and head-turning apparel of course started me looking at Pendleton blankets-turned-coats from the viewpoint of one who sews – and one who thinks “I could make one of those!”

The seed was planted, waiting for germination.  

With my existing sewing queue already groaning under its own weight, I deferred action on this idea indefinitely. And then, in late August of 2025, I found an Old Hickory small hoop chair (another great American company known for its craftsmanship) in a consignment store.

This is the Old Hickory chair I purchased from HOME AGAIN, a consignment store in Jackson, Wyoming. I was not a fan of the “bucking bronco” motif on the seat back.

I purchased the chair with the knowledge I would need to change the upholstery on the seat back. (The seat is covered in leather, which is perfect for our household which includes two cats prone to some scratching.)

I was already familiar with examples of Old Hickory hoop chairs upholstered in Pendleton blanket wools, as shown here:

Screenshot

Of course, the wheels started turning in my head, and I made a stop at the Pendleton store to look at blankets. One jumped out at me for its colors and design. 

This is an image from the Pendleton website.

Could I possibly get two projects out of one twin sized blanket (the only size produced in this design)?  The chair seat back AND a jacket? I thought so but it would be tight – and a gamble at the price point.  Not one to shy away from a sewing challenge, I purchased the blanket. This was either going to be a very expensive upholstered seat back OR a “twofer” bargain which would give me both a new look for my chair and a one-of-a-kind jacket. I figured I would know my fate sometime over the course of the next several months.

The first step was to get the chair and the blanket to an upholsterer, which I did.  Relinquishing the blanket to him, I explained my intention of making a jacket out of the leftover wool. He looked at me dubiously. 

“I sew a lot,” I explained. 

He still looked at me dubiously. I talked with him about the layout for the seat back.  I hoped, I said to hm, that he could just take from one end of the blanket, leaving about two thirds of it intact?  He nodded in understanding. He said he would do what he could. I’m sure he thought I was crazy.

The upholsterer is a busy guy, so it took several weeks before the chair was ready.  But when he returned it to me, not only did it look terrific, but the remainder of the blanket was about the length I thought it would be. I was hopeful.

By now it was October, very close to the time when we depart our summer home in Wyoming and head back to Pennsylvania, a time when all sewing comes to a screeching halt as I pack and organize and clean.  The timing turned out to be perfect, however, as most of my vintage patterns were in Pennsylvania – and I needed to look for a jacket pattern for my project.  

I knew any pattern I selected had to be one with fairly simple lines and adaptable to being unlined. Pendleton blankets are beautifully heavy and warm, perfect for cozy sleeping.  Made into coats and jackets they are also heavy and warm, but better suited to styles with few darts, notches and complex seaming. Luckily I had a pattern in my collection, dated 1959, which appeared to be perfect – with a shaw collar, raglan sleeves, and 2 long darts descending from the shoulder to the bust.  

From the pattern instruction sheet: minimal pattern pieces were perfect for this project. Of course, I cut off the “hood” for my jacket, and as it turned out, I did not add patch pockets. More about that in Part 2.

I was on my way to my very own Pendleton jacket. At least that was what I hoped! 

To be continued…

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Filed under Blankets and doll blankets, Buttons - choosing the right ones, car coats, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Uncategorized, vintage buttons, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1950s, Vogue patterns, woolens

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June 6, 2025 · 1:17 pm

Pink Stripes 

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

It is extremely difficult for me to resist a bubblegum pink fabric.  And if it is a stripe, too, the odds are very good that fabric will end up in my sewing room.  So it was with this silk and cotton blend found on the website of Mendel Goldberg Fabrics.

Screenshot

I purchased it last summer during a 20% off sale, and when it arrived, I knew I had made the right decision – although the stripes were a bit bolder in person than I anticipated.  As usual, I wasn’t sure what I was going to make – a coat? a dress? a skirt?  I needed more thinking time so I tucked it away until this Spring.  In the meantime, I purchased this vintage Vogue pattern which I saw as a good basic design which could be easily changed, adapted and altered.  

Take note of those curved darts on the bodice, as I will mention them again.

I like dress designs which have some “back“ interest, here the buttoned half belt.  Although I loved the sleeveless view, I have become less comfortable wearing sleeveless dresses as I have gotten older.  Thus, I was drawn to the short-sleeved view (C), knowing I could easily lengthen the sleeves to reach almost to the elbow, if that seemed the way to go.  Thus, it was a logical progression to imagine the pink striped fabric made up in this design, despite the note on the pattern “Not suitable for striped fabrics.” 

I wasn’t quite ready to forge ahead, however.  My fabric was such a bold stripe, I feared a horizontal orientation of the fabric would be too much, but a vertical orientation was equally problematic.  I went to my Pinterest feed to get some inspiration and in no time at all, the lightbulb went off in my head.  The dress needed a combination horizontal and vertical orientation.  I made this quick sketch, and I knew I had the solution I needed.  

I took these quick photos after I had worn the dress to a party, wrinkles and all. My apologies for the unkempt appearance of the dress!

I set about making a muslin/toile for fitting, and then I hit a brick wall.  Those curved darts you see on the pattern bodice just were not flattering to me, despite my working and reworking them multiple times.  I finally gave up.  I would need to find a substitute pattern for the bodice front and make it work with the bodice back toile which I had fitted successfully.  This was all terribly time-consuming, as you can imagine, but I finally was able to find an existing bodice front in my stash of patterns/toiles which, fingers crossed, would work.  I didn’t know how well it would work until I had the happy surprise of seeing the darts feed into the bold stripes successfully. 

Darts, of course, distort side seams, but this distortion somehow adds to the appearance of the front bodice. I suspect the “unsuitability” of striped fabrics was because of that curved dart, which I unknowingly eliminated when I changed the bodice front.

What was not as successful was the proper alignment of the buttons on the back belt to the center of the dress. That is one of the many downsides of fitting oneself – I could not see what I was doing, and although I measured and fiddled, I was still off by a couple of inches.  

I did a hand-picked lapped zipper and the buttons are vintage mother of pearl from my collection.
While we are talking details, here is the top of the sleeve. I used a top dart to take in the necessary fullness when setting in the sleeve. This is an alteration I make frequently to accommodate my prominent shoulders.

I lined the entire dress with a soft cotton batiste which complimented the softness of my fabric, adding a little more opaqueness to the finished dress.  I did not use an underlining, reasoning that more structure would not be conducive to the soft flow I wanted in this garment.

A word here about the panel for the hem.   Wow, was I tight on fabric!  I thought the panel should feature one bold pink stripe, bordered by “half” white stripes.  I barely had enough fabric to make this happen, and because the width of the skirt was just a bit bigger than the width of the fabric, I had to piece that panel.  Whew, I just made it.  Here is all the fabric I had left over:

The seaming of the two panel pieces close to the center back is barely visible! Can you see it?

 I was able to wear this dress for two events in May, feeling perfectly dressed for both of them.  

And that little bit of left-over fabric?  I had plans for that, too, which I will share in a future post.  

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Filed under Buttons - choosing the right ones, couture construction, Uncategorized, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1970s

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June 17, 2024 · 3:19 pm

Going Around in Circles

When I purchased this sateen, jacquard-woven fabric from Mendel Goldberg a couple of years ago, I wasn’t sure what it would eventually become.  It had a wide repeat to the design (which is something to consider when you know you are facing considerable matching of the design), but it was a lovely 60” wide.  I bought just 2 yards (it was expensive) and hoped I would have enough fabric to finagle something.  

First I thought I would make a midi-skirt to wear with a pretty silk blouse or something.  I even got so far as to make a muslin for a longish skirt, but it just wasn’t going to work.  I didn’t have enough fabric to match the design and create the skirt I wanted.   The next task would be to find a dress pattern which would work.  I kind of viewed this fabric as a good Fall and Spring transition weight, so I wanted sleeves.  And I wanted a pattern which would show off the circle design to its best effect.  One of the patterns in my collection which I have seemed to dwell on frequently is this one:

This pattern is quite interesting. It looks very simple, but in fact, it has a considerable amount of engineering to it and some very nice details.

I like the styling of both the dress and the coat.  I thought I’d take a stab at eyeballing the pattern on my fabric, to see if it might work.  Well, it was going to be a squeaker, but I thought I could manage to get the dress out of the yardage I had – and match all those circles and dots as much as possible. 

One thing I had to consider was the placement of the large dots and the smaller dots on my body.  Working with dots can be a little tricky – you certainly don’t want prominent dots on top of each bust apex, for example, and a row of large dots around the waist might not be all that flattering.  I thought the row of the largest dots would be best as an anchor at the hemline.  That would place the wide band of smaller dots just over the waistline and somewhat below.  This configuration would place one medium size dot over one bust, but I was okay with that since the dot on the other side was off to the side, and therefore not symmetrical.  I also liked the repeat row of largest dots across the upper chest where they were not too obvious.  And – the sleeves followed the line of varying size dots in a pleasing manner, I thought.  It turned out, I had just enough fabric to get things lined up properly – except for the front facing.  No way could I match that to the front of the dress.  

Now, obviously the facing does not show on the right side of the dress.  Still, I like to match across seams if possible.  Which it wasn’t.  I had to give myself permission to have a mismatched facing, and then I moved on.  (I forgot to take a picture of the facing, unfortunately.)  

A word or two about the fabric before I go on.  According to Fairchild’s Dictionary of Fashion, (Third edition, by Charlotte Mankey Calasibetta and Phyllis Tortora, Fairchild Publications, Inc., New York, New York, c2003, page 395) sateen is a “smooth glossy cotton fabric made in the sateen weave with floating crosswise yarns on the right side, giving a lustrous finish.”  This fabric is a combination of cotton sateen, with circles created by a damask weave on a jacquard loom.  It makes for a striking fabric.  And I think the fact it is done in navy blue makes the contrast more definitive.    Christian Dior was a fan of navy blue, calling it “the only one [color] which can ever compete with black, it has all the same qualities.”  (The Little Dictionary of Fashion, Abrams, N.Y., 2007, page 14).  It is a wonderfully versatile color.  

I made a few changes to the pattern.  I cut the neckline a little wider, I shortened the sleeves by a couple of inches, and the big change was I lined the dress in a lovely silk batiste I purchased at Farmhouse Fabrics. (The pattern did not have instructions or pattern pieces for a lining.)   The pleat in the front of the dress was a bit tricky to line, but I figured it out after quite a bit of thought.  By the way, I underlined the dress with silk organza. 

I could only envision gold buttons with this fabric. I’m not sure these are the right buttons, but they will do until I find something better.

The irregularity of the circles precluded exact matching within the “panels” but I rather like the whimsical effect this creates.

The split cuff with its button is one of the nice details of this pattern.

One more thing about the pattern and the dress.  With the pleat in the front of the dress which extends to the hem, it gives the appearance of a coat dress. However, it is not.  Again Fairchild’s gives us a precise definition of a coat dress: “Dress fastened down front from neck to hem, like a coat, in single- or double-breasted style, either belted or unbelted.  A classic since the 1930s.”  ibid., page 84.  Someday I’ll make a coatdress, but this was not it.

The pleat begins below the closure, extending to the hem, giving the dress a nice sway to it.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I made this dress to wear on my Paris trip, but alas, I never had the opportunity to do so.  I feel certain it will eventually get its debut, but not in Paris!  

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Filed under Buttons - choosing the right ones, Christian Dior, Fashion commentary, Loops for buttons, Mid-Century style, Polka dots, Sateen, Uncategorized, underlinings, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1960s, Vogue patterns

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May 10, 2024 · 4:47 pm

 How Does One Pack for a Trip to Paris in mid-March? Part II

Blouses, sweaters, tops.  These three categories gave me plenty to pair with dressier slacks and more casual pants.  I took along one solid black, jewel neck embroidered cotton sweater and two cotton cardigan sweaters which I always wear fully buttoned to use as dressy tops.  They were perfect for three of the days in Paris.  I had two cashmere/cotton blend pullover collared sweaters which were equally perfect for more casual days and a few more versatile pullovers.  Then I had blouses.  I love blouses.  I decided I needed a new silk blouse to take to Paris with me.  

I saw this Italian silk twill on the website for Britex Fabrics:

It appealed to my love of geometrics, and additionally I thought it was just so classy looking.  So I bought it and proceeded to make a blouse.  

For a twill, it frayed a bit more than expected, but the weight was lovely.  I tweaked my go-to blouse pattern once again for this blouse.  I eliminated the back box pleat below the yoke which I have added in previous makes.  I wanted a more streamlined appearance and less bulk to tuck in.  To that end I also added very slim front vertical bust darts.  

I cut the back yoke on the bias which I decided would look better than on the straight of grain due to all those squares lining up attractively.
Here is one of those narrow vertical darts below the bust.

I also shortened the hem by one inch and squared it off with slits at the side seams.

What to do for BUTTONS!?  I had selected 3 varieties from which to choose – all from my collection assembled over the past umpteen years.  

The one thing in common with these buttons is their squarish shape which I thought would compliment the print.

Usually, a winner is clear to me, but this time I needed some assistance.  So, I asked my sewing friend, Debra, for her input, which was a brilliant move on my part.  How wonderful to have confirmation from her trained eye that the buttons I was leaning toward were her choice as well.  Her decisiveness was quick and instinctive. 

The only problem was they were already on a blouse which I made years ago.  No problem, I just took them off that bouse, with a promise to find replacements at some point.  The other sweet thing about these black cube buttons – and I digress here – is that I was with my daughter, Susanna, when I purchased them.   We have wonderful memories of that day long ago, spent together at a vintage textile show in New England.  So from the fields of Massachusetts to the streets of Paris, these vintage Bakelite buttons continue to add layers to their history.

And here I am wearing my blouse, drinking champagne, and enjoying conversation with one of our guest speakers.

I thought it would be a good idea to have a “fancier” blouse along on the trip.  It was already in my closet, having been sewn a number of years ago.  It continues to be one of my favorite makes ever, although I do not get the opportunity to wear it very often.  

I wasn’t sure when I would wear it, but somehow I knew I would find the perfect day and time.  By Friday morning of the trip, I had decided to wear it that evening to our Gala Dinner, with dressy black slacks.  I had brought along specific jewelry to pair with it, and I was quite confident I would look well attired for that special night.  And then…  as luck would have it, one of our stops that day was to a scarf store in Paris.  Susan had expressed her great admiration for this store and their goods, so we were all looking forward to our time there.  

Truth be told, I could have easily purchased three or four scarves that afternoon.  The selection was wide-ranging, both in design and fabric.   But there was one scarf I knew would go home with me.

The funny thing is, when I purchased it, I was not thinking about the blouse I planned to wear that evening.  But when I got back to my hotel room, I realized what a great duo they would make.  As the evening was a bit chilly, and we had a short walk to the restaurant, having this cashmere blend scarf wrapped around my shoulders was the perfect addition.  

It was a fun evening, and I felt perfectly attired!  Of course, from now on, I shall refer to this scarf as my Paris wrap. 

At this point you may be wondering if I actually wore a dress while on my trip.  As a matter of fact, yes, I did.  Our instructions were to be dressily attired the evening we attended the Ballet at the Palais Garnier.  I decided to take along this dress which was ready for another outing. 

 It is dressy and comfortable, but the best thing about it is – it pairs well with my pink coat, forever a favorite.  

I was determined to take this lightweight Spring wool coat to Paris.  I made it from vintage Lesur wool made in France and for some reason, I just had my heart set on wearing it in Paris.  The weather wasn’t all that cooperative as it was a bit warm for a wool coat.  That did not deter me.  I donned it anyway, and that’s the end of the story!  

Together with two of my tour-mates before the ballet.

However, there is more to come, as I will share a bit about other parts of the trip next time. 

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Filed under Bakelite buttons and/or jewelry, Blouses, Buttons - choosing the right ones, Coats, Scarves, silk, Uncategorized, vintage buttons, Vintage fabric

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January 14, 2024 · 3:00 pm

A Long Silence

Silence may indeed be “golden” except when one is trying to maintain some regularity in writing a blog.  My silence this past Fall and into the end of the year was not intentional. I actually got as far as starting a new post in November on a “Blouse for Fall” only to have its completion thwarted by more pressing priorities.  Such is life, as all of us know.  So now, in this sparkling new year we have entered, I have the opportunity to play some long overdue catch-up.  

It is at this time of year when I like to reflect on my sewing from the year just past.  And glaringly, the truth is I was not very productive.  Here is what I made:

  1. Short black wool jacket, ostensibly to wear with a wool sheath dress made two years ago.    

I suspect this jacket will prove to be more versatile than I have expected.  Its jewel neckline will lend itself to scarves, and its solid black color will be a good canvas for brooches or other fabric flowers.  

 2. A birthday/sundress for each of my two granddaughters.

I generally do not post on my blog about sewing for my granddaughters, due to the limited audience for the subject.  The girls requested dresses which they could wear “off the shoulder.” So of course, I obliged!

 3. A pink striped casual blouse.

Pale pink is always a good idea.

  4. A floral summer dress. 

I was happy to use this fabric which had been long in my sewing queue.

 5. Fun floral skirts for each of my granddaughters.

I used “kits” from Farmhouse Fabrics for each of these skirts.  They garnered blue ribbons and a “Best of Division” at our local county fair this past summer.  Full disclosure:  there wasn’t much competition!

  6. My 50th Anniversary linen dress made with vintage fabric.

I’m not sure I have ever made a dress which has given me more personal satisfaction than this one.  Making this dress was truly a dream come true.

  7. A fuchsia-pink silk shirtdress.

I persevered through the tricky construction of this dress made with a slinky silk jacquard charmeuse.  I had the opportunity to wear it twice this past Fall.  Perhaps the trending, pink “Barbie theme” contributed, but this dress proved to be a magnet for compliments at each wearing.  How rewarding after all the trouble it gave me! 

  8. A blouse for Fall, using some amazing vintage buttons.

I will finally admit I will never get tired of making or wearing cotton blouses. 

  9. And some miscellaneous (and minor) gift and holiday sewing.

That’s it!  

And I’m perfectly fine with it.  I did what I could, and three of my projects had high priority (my girls’ birthday dresses, my anniversary dress, and my pink shirtdress).  Completing them was very satisfying.  

So what about my last make of the year – that blouse for Fall?  

It’s very orange.  And with the pheasant motif, it is very autumnal.  However, with Fall undoubtably being my favorite season, it seemed fitting to have a piece in my blouse wardrobe devoted to that time of year.

I found the fabric on the website of Emma One Sock Fabrics a couple of years ago.   It is a beautiful cotton with a very slight stretch to it.  The quality is superb, being silky soft and very easy to sew.  The Herringbone printed background makes it look like a much heavier fabric than it really is.

I debated on the style bouse to make, thinking a bow blouse would be lovely.  However, in order to make this as versatile and wearable as possible, I defaulted to my regular shirt/blouse pattern, which I have altered and tweaked many times.

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

   I also thought this pattern would be the one most likely to show off the buttons I intended to use with the fabric.  

I can’t remember what came first – the fabric or the buttons.  Somehow I was lucky enough to find these vintage Ultra Kraft buttons with their feather motifs.  Just bordering on a bit too big for a blouse, these buttons seemed to balance the large pheasant groupings, making both fabric and buttons a good match.  I didn’t realize until I had finished the blouse how much the silver in the buttons picks up the lighter colors in the feathers of the pheasants.  There is a little “sparkle” in there!

I was able to wear this blouse a couple of times in season.  Now it seems a long time away until its next wearing…  

Which begs the question: what will transpire in the ensuing months – between now and then?  I will wait and see how and when inspiration hits.  What about you?  

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October 16, 2023 · 5:06 pm

A Fussy-to-Make, Fuchsia-Pink Silk Dress

Sometimes extra incentive is needed to push through a project which turns out to be more difficult than anticipated.  Such was the case with this pink silk jacquard dress.

I had purchased this fabric quite a few years ago online from Britex Fabrics.  I knew it was a dressy fabric, and unsure of what form this dress would take, I made the decision to purchase four yards of this 58” wide silk.  That gave me some latitude in my selection of pattern.  

Finally last Spring I made a decision about what I wanted this dress to be.  That was precipitated by the arrival of a beautiful invitation to a very special event this Fall, and of course (!) I needed a new dress to wear to it. The fabric is a dressy, shimmery silk jacquard, so by its very nature it would make up into a dress which had a certain glamour to it.  

I decided to use a go-to pattern I have used a few times already and make a classic shirtdress.  That may seem like a strange choice, but I envisioned it as very dressy and flowing, and quite appropriate for the fabric.  

While this idea was percolating, I happened to attend a luncheon/presentation by a wonderful organization called the Ibu Movement.  (Pronounced ebu, with a long “e,” this is an Indonesian word meaning “a woman of respect.”)  

The pop-up shop accompanying this event was filled with gorgeous clothing, accessories, even shoes. When I saw this envelope clutch, I knew it would match my silk fabric perfectly and would be the perfect addition to my as-of-yet-to-be-sewn pink dress.  Little did I know at that time it would be the catalyst to make sure I finished the dress!

My first clue as to the fussiness of the fabric was as soon as I pressed it and laid it out for the placement of my muslin pattern. Here is what I noticed:

  1. The fabric had a slightly loose weave to it, making it almost stretchy, certainly very slinky.  Keeping it properly aligned on the straight of grain was going to be a challenge.  
  2. The fabric frayed easily.
  3. It also was prone to shedding silk fibers.  I decided I needed to handle it as little as possible to mitigate this situation.
  4. The jacquard weave in it had a definite horizontal and vertical pattern to it, meaning I would have to match the design horizontally and vertically across seams.  Although I am used to matching plaids and prints, this was a little different as the woven design was of irregular form.
The irregular nature of the weave is apparent in this photo.

I decided to underline the dress (except for the sleeves) with a very lightweight silk batiste, which I hoped would give it some substance, but still preserve the flowing nature of the fabric.  I made the conscious decision not to add an additional lining to the dress.

Although I rarely use fusible interfacing, I realized very early on that sewn-in interfacing was going to shift around and cause all kinds of problems.  Luckily, I had been introduced to a very finely woven, fusible German interfacing available from Farmhouse Fabrics.  I had some on hand and found it to be the perfect stabilizing foundation for the cuffs, the front facing, the collar, the collar stand, and the hem.  

So, that solved one big problem for me.  I was still concerned about being able to get the hem even.  I had good reason to be concerned!  It took two tries to avoid having either a bubble appear or uneven dips around the perimeter. 

The final quandary I had was the buttonholes.  Because the fabric shed silk fibers so easily, I was really worried that my buttonhole attachment might grab onto those fibers and make a mess.  I did some sample buttonholes, which confirmed my suspicions.  So – I used wax paper between the foot of the attachment and the fabric, cutting little windows in the wax paper where the buttonholes would be sewn.  It worked like a dream.  

I found vintage pearl buttons with a slight iridescence to them which I thought worked well with the fabric.
And here is that handbag with the dress!

This was not a particularly fun dress to sew, but that “perfect” handbag kept me focused.  And I am glad it did, as the dress was a success in the end.  And it always feels like an accomplishment to use fabric which has been lying in wait for so long.  

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Filed under Buttons - choosing the right ones, Cocktail dresses, Linings, sewing in silk, silk, Uncategorized, underlinings, vintage buttons, Vogue patterns

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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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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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July 24, 2022 · 6:05 pm

Life Isn’t Perfect…

…but Your Outfit Can Be.  I took a picture last summer of this sign at a Western wear store in Pinedale, Wyoming (Cowboy Shop).   I loved the saying, but little did I know how often I would reflect on it this summer, which has had its difficulties.  

And even when my outfit, like Life, is far from perfect, which has been often, I know there is always Hope, and yes, that is hope with a capital H.  

*******

What a long hiatus it has been between my last musings about Trench coats and Dressmaker coats and pink gingham.  The final, finishing  stitch in my pink checked coat was in mid-June, and at this point I can hardly remember what I wanted to say about it.  

I purchased the pink silk gingham from Farmhouse Fabrics several years ago.

It does seem appropriate to start with the changes I made to the pattern, of which there were two major ones.  The first change was to the size of the collar.  In the 1970s long pointed collars were a trend.  Although I like a pointed collar, one with a more petite profile seemed to be a little more flattering and classic.  To achieve this desired look, I shortened the collar’s points by about an inch on either side.  

For comparison purposes, here is a good look at the original collar.

When I made this coat in 1974, I remember being a bit disappointed with the volume of the back of the coat.  I was using a cotton twill, so it was a heavier fabric than the silk taffeta in my new version, making the volume seem even more pronounced.  But even so, I thought I would be happier with a less full back.  I experimented around with my muslin/toile until I got the desired girth.  It turned out I eliminated a total of three inches from the back pattern pieces, 1 ½” from each side back panel.

Again, the image of the 1974 pattern illustrates the volume of the gathering in the original design.

In addition to these alterations, I had a slight construction change.  The instructions for the  gathering of the lining at the back waistline called for using elastic thread.  First of all, I didn’t have any elastic thread, nor did I think it would give the look I wanted even though it would not be very apparent on a lining.  Instead, I had some elastic cord, and I attached it by hand, using embroidery floss in a criss-cross stitch enclosing it the width of the back.  Worked like a charm, and I like the effect it made.

This is the wrong side of the lining, showing the criss cross I achieved with embroidery floss.
And here is what it looks like on the right side of the lining. The lining gathers beautifully with this thread channel for the elastic cord, as is apparent in the image below.

Once I had the coat partially assembled, I decided I would have liked it to be a bit longer than I planned with the muslin.  I was very tight with fabric, so I really could not have cut it longer and still been able to get the coat out of the fabric I had.  So, to gain another inch and a half, I decided to face the hem right to the point where the lining would be attached.    It certainly took extra effort, but I’m glad I did it as I much prefer the slightly longer length.  

The one thing I would change should I ever make this coat again (which I doubt) would be to add about an inch or so to the diameter of the cuffs.  I would like to keep them buttoned and be able to slip my hands through them.  As they are, they are too tight to do that.  This was something I could have determined had I made a muslin/toile with completed sleeves, which I did not.  All I did was check the length.  A good reminder to me to be more thorough in situations like this.  

When I was planning this coat, I intended to use this vintage silk fabric for the lining.

However, even though I underlined the fashion fabric with white cotton batiste, I felt there was a slight “see-through” of the black details in the print of the intended fabric.  In the meantime, I had ordered a piece of polished cotton in “Paris Pink” from Emma One Sock Fabrics.  Although not an exact match, the two fabrics – the pink checked taffeta and the polished cotton – made a pretty pair so I changed course, and the rest is history.

I am quite happy with this pink lining!

No report on this coat would be complete without mention of the buttons. Again, I went with vintage mother-of-pearl buttons. These have a carved detail in them, which I thought would pair nicely with the gingham.

I chose to do machine buttonholes on this silk coat.

This was an involved, lengthy project.  I was rather in awe of my 24-year-old self for attempting it “back in the day.”  But making it again brought back hidden memories (good ones) and new appreciation for all that I have learned over the ensuing years.  Wearing my new version of this Trench-inspired coat will, I believe, fall into the “nearly perfect“ category.  

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Filed under Buttons - choosing the right ones, Christian Dior, Coats, couture construction, Dressmaker coats, Linings, Mid-Century style, Silk taffeta, Uncategorized, vintage buttons, vintage Vogue Designer patterns, vintage Vogue patterns from the 1970s

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