Springtime Simplicity & Vogue

The new Simplicity patterns are great . . . too bad their new website is not working.  But someone over there has obviously been watching Agent Carter - and I am just fine with that if it means we get more patterns like this one.

A couple of weeks ago, the Simplicity Facebook page included a picture of this 1960s reproduction.  At first glance, I assumed it was one of their "Jiffy" patterns that keep getting released, and which I do not find very interesting.  But now that I see the sleeved version, I am slightly intrigued.  There is the issue of how wearable this actually is - does that back overlap snap or button in place?  If not, how is that shoulder going to stay in place?  

 And here is a wrap pattern from the 1970s.  It is definitely cute, but I will probably pass.

The blue version of this cutie showed up on Facebook, and I was thinking it was another vintage reproduction (that print makes it difficult to see the style lines).  I am not familiar with the designer, Theresa Laquey, but so far I like what I see.

And I find myself strangely drawn to this pattern.  Is it a waste to attach this kind of overbodice to the dress when you can make a skirt and top that has so many more wearing options?  I kind of feel like it is, but I still like the dress.  If the perfect fabric came along, I might have to give this one a try.

And as for the recently released Vogues . . . there are no new Vintage Vogues.  Boo.  There were no new designs for their last release, either, so I am hoping this is not a sign of no more vintage goodness to come.  That would make me very sad.

But I love this skirt!  Yes, the suggested fabrics are knits, but I think it would totally work in a woven.  The top has some unfortunate darts and a poorly sewn hem, so I am having trouble deciding if I do not like the design, or if I am just distracted by the poor choice of fabric.

Vogue 1486

And Donna Karan is once again singing that siren song.  I cannot imagine wearing this dress, but I really like the dress.

Vogue 1489

Do you have any new favorites?  Are any of the designs tempting you to to break your New Year's resolution to stop buying patterns?  No . . . just me, then.

2015, Year in Review

Butterick 6129 / Butterick 5209
Sew Over It "Tea Dress" / Simplicity 1997

And so ends 2015.

Butterick 6217 & Butterick 4792 / Vogue 4203 & McCall 2698
McCall 7053 & McCall 2698 / Butterick 4792

Looking back at my sewing output for the year, I am pleased with what I accomplished.

Simplicity 4070 / McCall 7185
Wearing History "Smooth Sailing Trousers" / Simplicity 1997

I have felt rather unproductive as of late, but this collection of garments is rather substantial.

Butterick 5209 / Vogue 7630
Burda 109B / Simplicity 8013

It is also clear that I like to play dress up.  As in, my style is all over the place.

Vogue 8276 / Butterick 6022
Alabama Chanin Skirt / Butterick 6217 & Sewaholic "Hollyburn"

For the last couple of weeks I have been thinking that I should try to pin down my look.  Then again, limiting myself doesn't seem like very much fun.  And whatever would that look be?  For the time being, I guess I will stick with whatever suits my fancy in the moment.

Alabama Chanin "Corset" / Burda "Shawl Collar Coat" & Alabama Chanin Skirt
Alabama Chanin "Corset" & Alabama Chanin Skirt / Butterick 6129

Happy sewing, everyone!

The Seventies

I cannot believe I am making (and loving) a design from the 1970s.

What can I say – I love this pattern. 

What I do not like is the required yardage.  This one is a real fabric hog.

Should I ever come across ten yards of suitable fabric, I will definitely make up the full length version.  Or maybe I should swap out another skirt.

I did shorten the skirt by a few inches, partly to save some fabric, and partly because as drafted it hits the leg in a bit of an awkward spot (it is considerably longer than the illustrations on the envelope would suggest).

I would love to see the original vintage pattern directions for the sleeve.  This reproduction uses the sleeve seam as an opening, which places the button and loop closure inside the wrist.  That is not the standard closure for any sleeve I have ever come across, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the reprint has been dumbed down and a dart or placket has been eliminated.

But other than that, I really do love the dress.  It is just that I have learned so much about garment construction from vintage directions, and I wish that information was included with these designs - when I suspect it is not, I get cranky.

What would make me feel a whole lot better is finding ten yards of fabric to make myself another version!

Dress:  Made by me, Simplicity 8013

And now for something completely different . . .

So this was fun!

And surprisingly enough, I really like wearing this dress.  Is it the most flattering garment in my closet?  Probably not.  Will I be abandoning all of my dresses with fitted waists?  No way. 

And I have to admit that it feels bizarre to have a bunch of loose fabric around my waist, but the experience was not unpleasant.  It was actually quite fun to make and wear something so far out of my comfort zone.

The pleats are what initially drew me to the pattern, and they are, without a doubt, my favorite design element.

I did add 3/4" to the torso length so this slightly longer than the original, but if it was much longer, I think the dress would be quite difficult to wear.

The pegged hem also helps to keep the shape interesting.

So will I make another?  I am probably finished with this particular pattern, but I am definitely going to take a second look at garments with little to no waist definition.  And I would call that a successful experiment!

Dress:  Made by me, BurdaStyle 109b

A Flattering Line

Lately, I find myself drawn more and more to these odd sack-like silhouettes from the 1950s and 60s.

But as excited as I am about this pattern, I had serious misgivings that I would love the finished dress.  After all, how many hours of my time do I want to spend working away on something that I am not going to like in the end?  Then again, how am I going to know if I like the look until I finish the darn thing.

Do you have to be shaped like Audrey Hepburn to pull this off?  Some of these dresses are so shapeless, I am beginning to think that a waif-like frame is not required.

But I still feel as though this sort of silhouette is going to look best on someone six feet tall and very thin.

Is this Balenciaga frock inspired by a Miró painting flattering to the female form?  Probably not . . . but it sure is stunning.  And if the garment does not even attempt to flatter the body does that, in fact, make it easier to wear?

It seems like all you really need to wear a sack dress is some confidence.

Should clothing styles be flattering?  And what the heck defines something as flattering?  What do you think?  

[Click on image for source]

Back in the Sewing Room

I decided to try something a bit different for my latest sewing project.  I noticed this pattern on Burda's website a few weeks back - not something I would normally be drawn to, but the design stuck in my mind for days.

The problem was, I could not find the pattern on the site when I went to purchase the pattern.   I searched "pleated back dress" to no avail.

Well, silly me, this is a “Gathered Back Dress.”

Say what?!  Is this some weird translation issue?  Because there is no gathering in this entire garment.  Well, I suppose I used an ease stitch to set my sleeve in place . . . but other than than, no gathering whatsoever.  I think they need some help naming their patterns over at BurdaStyle!

For my underlining, I used black organza.  Because of the dark wool fabric, I thought it might be easier to see white chalk lines when the two were layered together.  It worked great!

Next came a lot of hand basting.

I have had some back luck with printed designs being slightly off grain, so this woven pattern was a nice change.  It is really nice having a constant reminder of the grainline built right into the fabric!

Having worked with a similar fabric for this project, I can say that the underlining was useful for more than just marking my stitching lines.  The back of the wool is easily pulled by my standard presser foot when two layers of fabric are run through the machine.  With the organza covering the loose threads, that problem was resolved.

The only real construction challenge was what to do about those pleats.  The arrows on the pattern suggest that they be folded toward center back.  This is not possible with the way the two center pleats are drafted, so I looked at the online version (the directions are no help).  Turns out, they should be folded towards the side seam – which works so much better!

I debated removing the pockets because this dress is rather sack-like, and I did not want added bulk in the front half of the dress.

But since I was catch-stitching seam allowances in place, I figured I could just as easily catch-stitch the pockets to stay nice and flat.

Although not called for in the directions, I added a lining.  Two of the pleats were removed by folding out the excess ease at the neckline, being careful to leave enough room through the hips as the silhouette narrows.

I suppose I could have redrafted the top to remove those pleats completely, but the bemberg rayon is lightweight, so any added bulk is really not that much of an issue.

I added some width to the neck facing and finished the raw edge with rayon seam binding.

The facing was under-stitched by hand, and the sleeve lining stitched into place.

And because of the extreme pegged hem, I made a facing for the skirt hem.

The only thing left to do is to make a couple of thread chains to anchor the lining to the hem facing and check for any stray basting threads!