Summer Eyelet

When this pattern was released I was mostly interested in the design, not because it is a peasant blouse (there are plenty of those around), but because this particular pattern includes an underarm gusset.  My main issue with most of these blouses is that there is a lot of extra fabric and I thought that the addition of a gusset would make the garment a bit more streamlined.  That was not really the case, and there were other things that frustrated the process of sewing this project.  But that's okay.  Not every project is destined to be a favorite.

Well, the first thing that I got wrong about the pattern was misreading the illustration.  I thought that View B, the plain white version, was ruffled around the neckline and armholes with self-fabric.  This was my fault, and I should have taken a better look at the required yardage/notions or I would have noticed the additional trim needed for that particular version.

I knew that it would be almost impossible to find a matching white lace to match the eyelet, so I just added extra length to the neck edge to create the look of a ruffle by placing the elastic about an inch inside of the finished edge instead of using the raw edge itself as the elastic casing.  But again, the issue of using a bright white casing was going to present a problem.  In the end, I used the unembroidered selvedge edge as my casing.  Yes, it was straight of grain instead of bias, but it worked just fine.

I simply finished the raw edge as suggested by the pattern instructions.

And since I had given myself some extra length around the neckline, I was able to place the elastic casing/binding just below that finished edge.

Once the elastic is fed through the casing, the "ruffle" is created.

But that wasn't my main gripe with the pattern.  Instead, the gusset pieces were incorrectly notched and it took me way too long to figure out what I was doing wrong.  I got frustrated, put the whole project aside for about a year, and when I finally came back to it, I realized the issue was the pattern, not me.

Also, because of the gusset construction, I didn't want to add length to the sleeves, so I couldn't replicate what I had done with the neckline.  I just added a strip of eyelet to the edge, finished that bit with seam binding, and stitched it into place with two parallel lines of stitching to create a casing for the sleeve elastic.

It may not be the most well thought out solution, but it certainly worked.

And while I am not a huge fan of elastic finishes, I figured it was worth the aggravation to try out this pattern.

I was hoping that I would love the result and be able to make multiple versions in different fabrications.  In the end, however, I don't believe I will be using this particular pattern again.  The result is very oversized and that gusset does not do much to control the extra volume.  It's not terrible, and it is certainly wearable . . . it's just not what I hoped it would be.

And that's okay.  Not every project is going to be a favorite.  I am just happy I stuck with it and finished the darn thing!

Patterns Illustrations

This is one of those patterns that I purchased soon after it was released with the thought that I would make it right up.  I was intrigued by View A (I love a tie front!) and thought it would make a lovely summer frock.

Of course, time got away from me, and a few years later I finally decided that I wanted to make something with a novelty print, and this pattern seemed like a good choice.  I had slightly more yardage than needed, so instead of the knee length dress I had originally intended, I thought that the longer skirt with the patch pockets would be a nice way to use up the majority of this wonderful novelty print.

And to make those pockets stand out a bit more amongst the crazy colors and designs, I added some rick-rack.  To tie everything together, I also added a length of the rick-rack to my straps.  One happy result of this is that those straps will not be stretching at all.  As a note on construction, I did have to shorten the length of the straps considerably compared to the original draft.

While I would have had enough fabric left to cut my bodice back pieces out, I decided to save the scraps for something more interesting than a simple lining.  And, of course, a tie front does require that the front lining matches unless you want the contrast to show, and in this instance, I did not want that look.

I went ahead and made bound buttonholes on the skirt front instead of pulling out my vintage buttonholer.

This is a stable cotton, so it's easy to work with, and if a fabric is anything but super sheer, I do prefer a bound buttonhole to one that is machine made.

Honestly, I find the process to be less stressful and requiring less "practice" before I get to making the buttonholes on the actual garment.

The only visible seams were the skirt side seams, so I finished those with rayon seam binding.

And while I didn't manage to take any photos of the process, I did make an Instagram reel about adding bust pads to the bodice of this dress.

And to make the bodice feel more secure, a hook & eye was added just under the ties to keep the bodice closed.

This is one of those designs that looks great in the technical drawing, but in reality, could use a bit more finesse when it comes to the instructions that come in the pattern envelope in order to make it a more wearable item of clothing.  For this particular dress, I do not think it would have been very wearable without the addition of that hook & eye to keep the bodice closed.  Obviously, every body is different, but I would definitely recommend an extra closure option rather than relying solely on the wide fabric ties that are part of the bodice front.

That being said, it's a very cute sundress, and I am happy with the finished product.  I am especially pleased with the fabric pattern/design pairing which I think looks rather 1980s does 1950s in the best way possible!

Royal Copenhagen

This quilting cotton was neglected for many, many years.  It was originally slated to be a pair of pajamas, but seeing as I don't really wear pajama sets, it seemed like a waste of lovely fabric.

And I really do love a toile de jouy print, so it was just a matter of finding the right project.

Eventually I settled on Simplicity 9040.  Now, I am really not much of a fan of an elastic waist, but I figured that the fabric belt would be enough to mask that issue.  And while getting any kind of pattern match was going to leave slim pickings of my yardage, I was determined to make it work and the bodice center front.

Somewhere along the line I decided that adding Rick Rack to the pockets was an absolute necessity, so I had to wait for that to arrive (because it's inevitable that the stash of vintage Rick Rack that I have on hand wasn't quite right for the job).

I don't have any complaints, really, except that the neckline is really, really wide.  But a length of ribbon and a couple of snaps used to make two lingerie guards solved that problem.

This dress is easy to wear, comfortable, and I love the print.

And it only took me two years to post the photos on the blog.  But sometimes that's just the way it goes.  With this warm weather, I should probably wear it before the seasons change.  Or is it just too gauche to wear anything with white after Labor Day?! 

Dress:  Made by me, Simplicity 9040
Shoes: Born
Earrings:  Gift
Necklace:  Etsy

Strawberry Picking

The main reason that this project got pushed to the front of the queue was that the yardage was taking up space on my sewing table after having been laundered.  I had quite a bit of it to iron, and while that task didn't seem especially interesting, it sat there long enough for me to remember that I was waiting for a nice pair of complimentary fabrics in order to test out Burda 6965.  And, perhaps more importantly, I wanted the space on the table back.

As far as cutting on the cross grain due to the 44" wide fabric not being wide enough for the pattern as drafted, it does not appear to have caused any major issues.  So that gamble paid off.

What I will say about the draft is that this skirt is LONG.  I am wearing my 1940s repro platforms, and even with the significant heel height, this garment almost brushes the ground.

The pattern says it is drafted for someone who is 5'6" tall, which just so happens to be my height.  And yes, I am more long waisted than long limbed, but this skirt is still extremely long.  Because of the scalloped hemline, and the fact that you might not want to lose that detail, it is something to keep in mind.  

There are no lengthen/shorten markings, but I might take out about an inch of length somewhere in the middle of those strangely shaped pattern pieces if I make this again.

But since I am quite intrigued about the more circular shaped pieces of the actual vintage pattern from Simplicity that I have in my stash, it is likely that I would make that version instead.

The matching top works well with the skirt, so I am happy with that.  Honestly, the only reason that I made it up was the fact that I wanted to wear the skirt, and with this weather we have been having, a black sweater just wasn't something I was interesting in wearing any time soon.  Turns out, it's a great pattern.  And I would definitely be interested in making up the coordinating skirt at some point in the future.

These 1970s designs are growing on me.  And I recognize that the call back to the 1940s certainly has a lot to do with that.

I am actually thinking that my next project will be a vintage 1940s frock.  I certainly have a length of rayon stashed away (or ten) so I should be able to find something appropriate.

But I did find an old Donna Karan pattern that would work really well with these very strawberry prints, and I think that I have enough yardage left to do just that.  Or is it ridiculous to make two garments back to back with the same fabric?!

Whatever I decide, I am very pleased with this outfit and the fact that I have another reason to wear my silly strawberry earrings!

Blouse:  Made by me, McCalls 8431
Skirt:  Mae by me, Burda 6965
Earrings:  Etsy
Shoes:  Remix "Miranda"

A Bowl Full of Berries

Since I had plenty of fabric available, I decided to make a matching top for my 1970s style swirl skirt.

McCalls 8431 is a recent reproduction of a vintage pattern, and the illustration was an obvious use of coordinating fabric, making it an easy choice to match the multi patterned skirt.  I wasn't entirely sold on the elastic finish on the sleeve hemline, but I decided to go with it.

I did take a wedge out of the bodice back piece (a common adjustment for me), and I also decided to line the bodice front and back with some black cotton voile that I had stashed away for a clean finish.

I added 5/8" to the midriff pieces, ensuring that the back bodice would sit at my waistline, and not slightly above it.  I probably could have added an extra 1/4-1/2", but this is definitely better for my long torso than as originally drafted.

I think it pairs quite nicely with the skirt.  And with no zipper or buttonholes to contend with, this project went together in no time.  Honestly, the most difficult choice was where to place each print.

I really like the way these coordinates came out, and while both patterns are most definitely 1970s inspired, I think the silhouette has a very 1940s flavor.  Which isn't too surprising, I suppose, considering that a large portion of 1970s designs were inspired by a 1940s silhouette!