The Velvet Hat

This summer, I knew I would be attending the High Style exhibit at the Legion of Honor.

I have been meaning to make a version of Vogue 8276 for years, and this was just the push I needed.  Of course, I was temped to make a whole new outfit for the occasion, but that is just silly when I have so many dresses that deserve a day out.

In June of 2014 I managed to finish this dress for a symphony event, but there was just not enough time to make a hat.  So the pattern was put away . . . again.

Without a specific event, it seemed silly to make such a head covering.  (This style of hat is a little too much for a day at work, even for me!)  

It is perfect, however, for an afternoon at a museum.

Although, a windy day in San Francisco does make for an interesting hat wearing experience!

Dress:  Made by me, McCall 9245

Hat:  Made by me, Vogue 8276

Necklace, Earrings, & Bracelet:  Made by me

Gloves:  Vintage

Shoes:  Franco Sarto

Connect the Dots

There has not been much in the way of sewing happening around these parts.  I seem to have lost all my creative motivation.

But I did manage to get through the photos of this dress.  

The weather has started to turn cold which means this dress will get stashed away in the closet for a few months.  But it will definitely see some wear next year - these Alabama Chanin style clothes really are extremely comfortable!

And as to what my next project will be . . . I have absolutely no idea.

I have been meaning to make myself a new coat for the last couple of years, but never manage to get to it while the garment would be weather appropriate.  And working with heavy wool in the Spring just feels wrong.

A hand sewing project actually sounds rather appealing, but I think I want to take a bit of a break from cotton jersey.  Hopefully a few days of vacation will get me back in the sewing room.

Dress:  Made by me, Butterick 6129

Shoes:  Banana Republic

A Portable Project

It was only a matter of time before I jumped head first into another Alabama Chanin project.

First up was a dye job.  This time around, I had a slightly streaky outcome using Dharma’s Fiber Reactive Dye.  I cannot explain what I did wrong, except perhaps I was trying to squeeze too much yardage in my kitchen sink?  Because I was not happy with the color, I cut the yardage in two and sent one half back in the dye bath.  I actually like the darker color better, so all is well!

The polka dot stencils from the Alabama Chanin website were not quite right (mostly because I was paranoid that my periwinkle leftovers from this top would not be enough to cut the number of appliqué pieces needed).  In the end, I just drew a grid and traced my own dots to create my own stencil.

Since I love this dress so much, I thought it would be worth it to make another version.  The skirt pleats seemed like a bad idea with double and triple layers of cotton jersey, so I swapped it for Sewaholic’s Hollyburn Skirt.

A running stitch did not seem like the best option for the appliqué.  Instead, I pulled out some scraps and re-familiarized myself with how to work a blanket stitch.  I am hoping it will also keep the fraying at a minimum.  

Because I knew that I was going to travel with this project, I tried basting my polka dots in place on a couple of pieces.  This did not work well at all.  The jersey started to curl at the edges, and the hasty basting started falling out when I handled and stitched things together.

What ended up working best was pinning as I went.

And although I did not get as much sewing done on my trip as I hoped, it was certainly nice to be able to work on something without needing a machine!

The many layers of jersey was challenging at times, and my fingers are still recovering, but I sure do love me some hand sewing!

I did manage to ruin three needles on this project.  Top-stitching those seamlines required the use of jewelry pliers, and my tiny needles were not up to the task.  But sacrifices must be made!

I would like to say that these projects have made me less fearful of knits, but I was just in the fabric store today and those super stretchy fabrics still make me very nervous.

Until I get over myself, I suppose 100% cotton jersey is a nice substitute without the crazy stretch.

Except for the finishing . . . look at those raw edges . . . the Hug Snug is getting pretty jealous of all the time I am spending with this knit fabric!

But this process is pretty addictive, and I have a feeling there will be more of these projects in the future.

Minnie Mouse

Here is my finished Sewing Indie Month dress!  I have plans for another version, but at the moment I am still playing catch-up.

I did manage to finish another dotted dress.  Clearly, I am obsessed.

I just cannot get enough of polka dots!

With all the hand sewing I have been doing, the pads of my fingers need a break, so one of these days I am going to uncover my sewing machine and get back to it.

But since the project I left on my sewing table is no longer weather appropriate, I may pick up my knitting needles instead.

And at some point, I am going to cut into that velvet and make myself another Tea Dress . . .

Dress:  Made by me, Sew Over It "1940s Tea Dress"

Shoes:  Colin Stuart

[I received the pattern and the rayon fabric for this project because of my participation in Sewing Indie Month]

Holiday Patterns

It feels like I have not posted here in months, but I am slowly getting back in the swing of things.  I have not touched a sewing machine in almost three weeks (which feels bizarre), but there has been some knitting and hand sewing.  One of these days I will cut into a new pattern, and who knows, it may be one of these . . . 

Butterick 6286

The Holiday Butterick Collection has something for everyone, including some new vintage reproductions.  And they actually have some interesting style lines!  Now if only those hats were included, I would be a very happy girl.  It has been far too long since there has been a vintage hat pattern released.  Hint, hint!

Butterick 6286

The sewn version of this suit is very unfortunate looking on the model, but with proper fitting and some tailoring, I think it has some real possibilities.  Of course, finding three suitable fabrics might prove to be a challenge.

Butterick 6282

This dress reminds me of Vintage Vogue 9127 but with a little less finesse.  The upper pockets throw off the proportions for me, but this one has potential as well.  

Butterick 6282

The blouse and skirt combo from Gertie is cute. Having her model the designs was an excellent idea - she looks so much better than the other model, and the clothing actually fits.

Butterick 6285

The Gertie dress reminds me of this Butterick pattern, although this one has cut-in-one sleeves and I think I spy gussets in the line drawing.

I am pleased to see some new Retro patterns from Simplicity as well.  I love the dress, although it is a massive fabric hog.  Then again, most of my favorite silhouettes are as well.

The 1970s skirt is cute, although nothing jaw dropping.  But since I cannot recall having a button front gored skirt in my pattern stash, I am probably going to add this one to my collection.

These designs are slightly more complicated and interesting than the recent 1960s sun dresses that were released this past year, so hopefully Simplicity will continue to search their archives for more interesting styles.

 And as soon as I find some appropriate fabric, I want to add this 1960s dress to my closet!

What I will not be able to handle is a Retro pattern from the 1980s, although I suppose it may come to that soon enough.  Yikes!

"Pennsylvania 6-5000"

I will be traveling to Warrington, PA (Bucks County) to help with some family stuff for a couple of weeks beginning next Tuesday.  I am not going to have much free time, but if there is a museum or event that is too fantastic to miss, I plan on sneaking away for a day.  

If you are a local and know of any small but fabulous fabric stores or a vendor with an amazing stash of vintage buttons, etc. I would love to be apprised of the situation! 

New York is a possibility, but my time will be extremely limited.  So are there any costume or textile exhibits that just cannot be missed?  Enquiring minds want to know!

[Click on image for source]