Miniature Pattern Pieces

I love the dropped waist of the strapless gown, but really love those sleeves, so I combined the two bodices and kept the full skirt from the strapless design.

But first I had to figure out what to do with a  pattern piece that measures approximately one inch!

These things are seriously tiny.  But it certainly is refreshing to only have one or two pages to print out!

I usually trace bond paper patterns directly onto muslin.  But I was unsure how this whole system was going to work for me, so I hedged my bets, and used some leftover easel paper.

The straight lines were easy, but a couple of the curves (those sleeves, for instance!) were challenging to figure out - I wish there were a few more points of reference in those areas.

That being said, these mini pattern pieces from Éclair-Coupe Paris are genius.  Why have I not tried this system before?!  I cannot speak to the accuracy of each and every size ruler, but just about everything matched up for me.

I reinforced the pivot points with some tape, which worked great.

The next step was lengthening the torso of each bodice piece.  Might as well get those standard adjustments out of the way!

Since these patterns do not include seam allowances, I decided to go for it and try out Susan Khalje’s couture method and thread traced the stitching lines, leaving lots of excess seam allowances to play with.

The next step was to combine the two bodices from the two separate designs.

After matching the waistline of both, I traced off and marked the differences.  The darts matched up very well, which was a good sign!

The massive skirt pieces posed a different challenge.  Those tiny little pattern pieces ended up creating a full skirt that ends about knee length.  Extending straight lines is not a problem, but they do not include the pleats.  That is fine, except the only image I have to work with is a stylized drawing, so I am not very clear on that part of the process!

Now to put it all together and see what happens!

Desperately Seeking Inspiration

Here is the fabric for my gala dress!  It is a silk/wool blend from Paron Fabrics with scattered cherries!!  I asked for four yards at the cutting table, not having a clue what it might become.  It turned out there were only five plus yards left on the bolt, and the cutter gave me the extra yardage for no charge.  What?!  That happened again at Metro Textile . . . no wonder everyone likes to buy fabric in the New York garment district!  (I guess it was meant to be, because four yards would not have been enough for this project.)

The next step was finding a suitable pattern.

I already have a poofy cherry print dress, so my first inclination was to go for something à la the forties, with a long, slim-fitting skirt.  Nothing in my pattern collection was right, though.  I was looking online for days, but nothing jumped out at me.

So I went back to the fabric.  The silk/wool blend has quite a bit of body, so my initial inspiration was just not going to work.  And since cherry prints have a definite fifties vibe, I gave up the fight and decided to listen to the fabric that wants to be a full-skirted dress.

Mrs. Depew Vintage has quite a few reproduction patterns available for download, and I narrowed it down to about six gowns, slept on it, and came back with fresh eyes.  In the end, I could not decided between two of them, so I am using my favorite parts of both designs.  Take that, indecision!

My Color Palette

I have been volunteering for the Marin Symphony Gala for the past six years.  For five of those years, I have made my outfit.  This has become a sort of yearly sewing tradition for me, and an opportunity to pull out all the stops!

This year, my New York trip completely distracted me.

Well, that, and after five years, I have made all of the fantsy-pants patterns I longed to make for a special occasion that I have stashed away.  Usually, I start dreaming up ideas as soon as I finish the last, but that did not happen this year.

So after I got back into the sewing room, I realized there was very little time to waste.

Looking back at my previous makes, it is very clear what my favorite colors are!

So this year I am going to go for something completely different.  A couple of people mentioned “gala dress” when they saw my fabric purchases from Male Pattern Boldness Day – you would think that would have reminded me . . . but thank you for the suggestion!

I am going to go for it and cut right into my New York fabric.  This year I will be attending in black and red, just to shake things up, color-wise (which also happens to match the advertising for the event, so I guess it is meant to be)!

The countdown begins . . .wish me luck!

Miss Modern

Well, not completely modern. 

The skirt is a vintage dress pattern that I love.  I actually wore the dress today and have decided I need to make a Fall or Winter appropriate version.  

One more project to add to the list, which gets longer every day!

I am not exactly sure what made me pair these two designs together, but I am very pleased with the result.

The Cynthia Rowley design is wonderful . . . and those pants look pretty cute, too.  If only I was six feet tall like the model.

There have been quite a few questions about the bra cups I used for this top.  They are Dritz Soft Molded Bra Cups I found at JoAnn Fabrics – nothing special.  I will say that I have used their Molded Bra Cups before and they are like armor.  I prefer something that can actually bend – both for wearing and during construction of the garment!  The Soft Molded version can be trimmed down, which is also handy.

Because the design has under-bust and princess seams, there are plenty of seam allowances to tack them into place.

It just hit me – both of these patterns are Simplicity.  Perhaps the pairing is not so strange after all, even if they are separated by sixty plus years!

Top:  Made by me, Simplicity 1371

Skirt:  Made by me, Simplicity 3224

Shoes:  Hinge

Modern Lines and Cut Outs

One new outfit was certainly not enough for five days in New York.  I found a wonderful end of the bolt blue bird print that I made into a skirt using this dress pattern, but I needed something to match.

As soon as I saw this Cynthia Rowley design I was intrigued.  It definitely has a modern look, but I was attracted to the design.

After a quick muslin with a bit of an extended midriff, it was time to cut into my cotton.

Machine buttonholes are not my cup of tea, so I substituted button loops.

Clearly, this is not a bra friendly design, so I wanted to add one to the top.  

My first choice was not really workable with the center cut out (not sure why that did not occur to me before I tried putting it in place), but thankfully I had another option on hand.

Much better!

And there was a whole lot of interfacing.

I also made a couple of construction changes.  I do not understand lining a garment, only to stitch lining and fabric together before applying a zipper with raw edges exposed.

What else is a lining for, right?!

But other than some odd instructions, I really like the pattern.  I may just have to make another one of these at some point!

Blind Stitches: A Book Review

Before my trip to New York, I was contacted about reviewing the latest book from J. B. Chicoine, Blind Stitches.

Well, my knitting did not get much attention during the trip, and neither did the book – there was just too much to distract me in Manhattan.  But on the journey home, I pulled out the book and settled in for some quality time with the novel, and to rest my weary feet. 

I was absolutely exhausted, but the story line immediately grabbed my attention and managed to drown out the noisy children on the plane ride home.  I made it half-way through the novel before my eyes started stinging with exhaustion (thank you, delayed late-night flight).  Thanks to the twists and turns in the plot I was dying to make it to the end to find out the Solvay family secret, but my eyes were not having it.  By the next day, I needed to know the ending!  

The story is compelling and much darker than I was expecting (I do not really agree with the "contemporary romance" classification).  It reads more like a thriller/mystery to me, which makes for an exciting read.

A book review might seem an odd choice for a sewing blog, but there is a definite tie in - the main character is a seamstress by trade, and there are sewing references throughout the book, as one character's bridal gown is a crucial piece of the puzzle.

This holiday weekend, I pulled the book out again . . . mysteries are always worth a second read, in my opinion - I love picking up all the little clues the author left her readers that were missed the first time around!

If you are looking for your next read, I would highly recommend Blind Stitches as a very enjoyable story with wonderfully fleshed out characters and a healthy dose of sewing added to the mix!

"Talented young seamstress Juliet Glitch has been putting the finishing touches on a wedding dress for socialite, Nadia Solvay. When Nadia’s father dies unexpectedly two weeks before the wedding, mother of the bride, Olga Solvay, a former prima ballerina and Russian expatriate, asks Juliet to hem her son Nikolai’s trousers for the funeral. He has just returned to America from England, where he has been attending a “school for the blind.”

Juliet’s life in the small but elite community of Historia, New Hampshire, is complicated. Her nineteen-year-old brother, Rome, has Asperger’s, and their aunt, with whom they live, raises chickens and hoards junk. After meeting Nikolai, Juliet finds herself drawn to the intense and serious young man who is not what she expected. As Nikolai and Juliet spend time together, they embark on a psychological and emotional journey into family dysfunction and repressed memories surrounding his mother’s defection from the Soviet Union twenty years earlier. Set against the backdrop of autumn 1989, during the Glasnost era, Nikolai’s family secrets crash alongside the crumbling Berlin Wall." 

[A review copy of Blind Stitches was sent to me, but the opinions expressed here are my own.]

New York: Day Five

I had a nightmare the other night.  It was my final day in New York, and I needed to catch the airporter by 5:00 p.m.  But I was lost in the garment district, it was 4:30 p.m., and there was no way I could return to Peter’s apartment, say goodbye to Michael and the puppies, let alone retrieve my belongings.  I ended up chasing the bus from one stop to the next, finally made it to the airport, but was the last to board the airplane.  I cannot remember how it all ended . . .

I guess I am having New York withdrawal.  In reality, Monday was much more relaxed, thank goodness!

Peter and I went back to the garment district for some final day fabric shopping.  There were a couple of fabrics to pick up at Metro Textiles.  We also stopped in at Elliott Berman and I got to meet Eugenia.  The problem?  Too many gorgeous choices.  I had my lovelies shipped back; squishing of Chanel fabric is verboten.

For lunch, I met the lovely Miss Clio.  Have you heard her good news?  And once again, I forgot to take pictures – which is a shame because she was literally glowing.  We had a lovely chat over Thai food, and then walked over to Sil Thread together.  It is not as though I need any more Hug Snug, but I could not resist all of the colors.

They have an entire wall of rayon seam binding in the most beautiful colors.  I never dreamed of such riches!!

On my way home (yes, Chez Lappin felt like my home at this point) I decided to travel a bit out of the way and check out New York Vintage.

This was the first door with a lock and buzzer I encountered . . . oooh, how posh.  It did not seem like a very sketchy neighborhood, but there certainly is a whole lot of valuable merchandise inside.  I am so glad Peter suggested it.  Evidently, there is a curated section upstairs (good to know for next time!).

More examples of self-covered buttons and bound-buttonholes - I am going to have to remember this for a future project.  So many gorgeous vintage treasures!

I wish there had been more time to ogle all the pretties, but time was ticking.

When I returned to the apartment (in plenty of time to squeeze my final purchases into my expanded luggage) I got to meet Michael’s friend.  Even the friends of the partners of sewing bloggers are wonderful.  This community is pretty darn awesome!

And if there was a way of making it work, I would have informed Peter that I was not actually leaving, Tino would be arriving shortly, and we were all going to have a lovely life together, with weekly visits to the garment district, world class theatre right around the corner, and lots and lots of sewing.

All too soon, it was time to leave.  Peter, Willy, and Freddy walked me to my airport shuttle.  My flight ended up being delayed, so I had plenty of time to sit back and think about my adventures.  I was completely exhausted by the time I arrived at SFO, but it was so worth it!  And I had a wonderful welcome from Mr. Tino - I think he missed me!

Now it is back to my humdrum existence, and the daily grind.  But really, life is still pretty good, and I am so thankful for my time in New York City!  And it is great to get back to the sewing room with all sorts of new inspiration.

Oh, and you will never believe it!  I had to laugh out loud when the Fine Arts magazine addressed to my boss mentioned an upcoming exhibit at the The San Francisco Legion of Honor . . .  including pieces by Charles James!!!  I had a feeling this would happen!

So I am glad I did not go back to the Met on Sunday for a second look at those gowns . . . because I will have lots of time to visit them when they arrive in San Francisco next year!

All in all, I would have to say it was an extremely successful vacation!