The Brightest of Jewel Tones

There is very little danger of blending into the background in this outfit!

I do love jewel tones, and bright pink is definitely one of my favorites.

Years ago, I was a bit dye obsessed, and these are two of the items that came of that preoccupation.

The blouse came first.  I decided that I needed a bright pink blouse in my life, and so I made one with a little help from Dharma Trading Co. fiber reactive dye and white rayon twill.  Soon after, I had the opportunity to help test The Ivy Pinafore for Jennifer Lauren Handmade.  I first made the tented silhouette version, and next, this more fitted option.  I had a graphic blue and white print on hand, and the pink blouse came to mind, so I went ahead and dyed the print as well to match, thinking that the two garments would pair nicely.

I did love the original blue and white, so when I stumbled on more of the print at JoAnns, I purchase more, and eventually made this Donna Karan design.  The design (Vogue 1220) looks amazing on everyone.  It's now out of print, but if you ever gets your hands on it, make sure to scoop it up!  

But I am glad that I decided to try a dye experiment with this print.  It may have taken me years to finally wear the outfit, but I love how obnoxious the bright colors are.

It is also one of the outfits that has reintroduced me to my tights collection.  The pink stands out in a sea of more neutral tones, so they mock me every time I open the drawer.  But finally, I have the last laugh as they are an almost perfect match to the bright pink dye.

And it feels wonderful to have finished another project that was set aside for so many years.  Which reminds me, I really need to get back to all the other half completed garments I have tucked away.

Blouse:  Made by me, McCalls 7053
Jumper:  Made by me, "Ivy Pinafore" from Jennifer Lauren Handmade

My Kind of Separates

Last year, I found an amazing black and white floral brocade online at Elliott Berman.  I love textured fabrics, and this one was too hard to resist.

The listing has disappeared, but I believe it is a cotton/poly blend.  Which reminds me . . . I should really write these things down while the information is still available!  

But yes, I loved the print so much I was willing to brave the evil that is polyester!

As it often goes, my initial plans for the fabric changed once I got it in my hands.  When Butterick 6285 was released, I knew immediately that I wanted to make up the skirt and this fabric seemed like it would be a great fit.  It is probably on the heavy side for those double pleats, but with a bit of trimming, it all worked out for the best!  (By the way, the seam allowances on this thing are HUGE - I have never come across another Big-4 pattern like it.)  

The only alteration I made was to swap a shaped waistband for the straight narrow one drafted for the pattern.

Then came the issue of what to wear with the skirt.  I have wanted to make another version of McCalls 7053 for some time, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity.

My original plan was to dye some rayon twill turquoise and have at it, but in the end, I decided to go with fuchsia.  And I am so glad I did - this blouse has already had quite a bit of wear.

And I may have made myself a matching jacket for my fabulous new skirt!  Hooray for separates!

Blouse:  Made by me, McCalls 7053

Skirt:  Made by me, Butterick 6285

Anyone need a napkin?

This blouse is my first foray into McCall’s Archive Collection.  And I know some people think that neck-tie designs have a tendency to look like you are wearing a napkin . . . but I love them!  I suppose slurping tomato soup might present some problems while wearing this particular blouse, but I can work around that.

The description of this pattern includes the phrase “loose-fitting.”  

It may have something to do with my fabric choice (not very drapey) or perhaps the underbust seamline, but I was unable to get the garment on my collapsible shoulder dress form (which is smaller than me).  This was rather distressing.  Thankfully, I can get it on my own body without any issue.  Strangely enough, the sleeves are a bit loose, which may be a first for me.  

But that is what a muslin is for!

I wonder how popular these Archive patterns are since there are no new designs included in the latest catalog release.  What do you think of the newest reproduction collection?

I think McCalls made a mistake not including the original illustrations.  Perhaps they are trying to appeal to a wider audience (although the model photos on the envelope are clearly styled with a retro flair), but the vintage drawing are so pretty . . . why not use them?

Has anyone come across the original 1933 pattern?  I have not been able to find the original online.

But in any event, I am very pleased with the way my wearable muslin turned out, and I definitely plan on making this again.  And in the interest of more readily available 1930s blouse designs, I hope the Archive Collection continues.

Blouse:  Made by me, McCalls 7053

Skirt:  Made by me, McCalls 2698

Shoes:  Oh Deer

Brooch:  Monet

Something Simple

In desperate need of a quick and easy project after this dress and this outfit, I pulled out McCalls 7053.

And I had the perfect fabric for a wearable muslin - just over two yards of a striped fabric I picked up during a fabric swap.

No underlining, closures, or alterations to contend with.

Of course, I ended up hand rolling the hem of the front ties, and binding the raw edges with seam binding, so perhaps this was not the quickest project in the world, but still a whole lot less labor intensive than my last!  Which was exactly what I needed!