Thursday, June 24, 2010

Not quite a winner





I will be attending a cousin’s wedding in July in the Napa Valley ( yes, great food, great wine . . . looking forward to it)  It starts at 4 pm,  the ceremony will be outside and it can be very warm there.  So what to make?   I have been looking at so many vintage patterns lately - kind of becoming an obsession so I want something with a bit of retro style.
Here is the fabric I am using.   Yes,  very colorful.  OK, wildly colorful.  But I love color.

Fuschia lime floral fabric

Cotton Sateen, fuschia and green on a white background.  I am crazy about it.  Possibly a bee will find me and go berserk.  That’s a thought.  


I had been looking at this pattern for months.  Simplicity Project Runway 2588 so I decided to make a wearable muslin.    Sleeveless version, with the narrow neckband.   For the skirt I have been playing around with pleats and fullness, so I tried something different on the front of the skirt and actually like it.

Simp2588






To make this dress, I cut out the top pieces, and for the skirt pieces I cut up a dress I had that rarely wore.  Reuse, repurpose, recycle.   Why I felt compelled to conserve this aqua blue cotton pique is beyond me, but as someone who comes from a long line of people who saved string  (some of you know what I am talking about)  it seemed the way to go. And turned out better than expected.  
Here is the finished dress.  I did some minor fit adjustments on my dress form but not many.  I like it . . . but it requires some serious bra strap management.   I have other dresses with this look, slightly cut in armholes, round neck band.  Maybe this one is cut slightly more bare, but my straps show when wearing and I will have to put multiple pairs of strap keepers on the inside.   

Trq pique dress frontTrq pique dress back


                                  And to pull back the proverbial curtain,  here is a photo of the inside. 


Turq pique facing inside



 Not up to my usual standard.  But I have the flu this week, and several projects to sew for clients, and it is hot here and who cares.  I used bias strips of lining fabric for the armholes.  Sewed on the facings and that is it.   Ordinarily I would line either the entire bodice or the whole dress so that no seam showed on the inside.  But for a wearable muslin which may never see the light of day this was just fine, thank you very much.  
I think this dress has potential,  might try the version with cap sleeves.   But not for the floral fabric.  Now I am thinking a simple bodice, maybe cut straight across, with shoulder straps.  July is weeks away.  I have plenty of time to make and reject several more dresses by then.  
And here is today’s SunnyGal Garden photo.  There are some serious issues going on this month in the garden.  
A gopher, possibly a family, creating holes, eating some minor plants and getting perilously near some treasures.  So the battle continues.  But all is peaceful in this corner.  Some very late lillies and a hydrangea.
lily and hydrangea

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Vintage Pattern Obsession

Stop me before I shop again.  Why am I obsessed with vintage sewing patterns?  and is there a group for this problem.  I know I am not alone,  based on the incredible number of blogs, sites and shops devoted to this topic.    My favorite is the Pattern Junkie blog.  


Here are a few patterns that I am currently thinking of making.  They all look great - the one drawback (well there are several)  but the biggest one to my mind is the quantity of fabric they require.  5 1/2 yards is a lot to devote to one dress.  And of course where would I wear it?
But the happy coincidence of my pattern and someone else's need for a vintage style will come along, probably when I am not expecting it.


This one is my absolute favorite.  The short sleeve version in a pale color makes me think of Doris Day in one of her movies, and the long sleeve version in black is so Audrey Hepburn.


   The pattern envelope is in bad shape but the pattern pieces are perfectly usable.  In Size 16 which is a 36 bust.  


My other favorite is this Simplicity,  I love that little collar and the sleeveless version is so cute.  

And lastly, a nod to my earliest sewing days,  I recall sewing something like this back when I was 11 or 12.    The shoes, the flippy curling iron achieved hairstyle - vaguely familiar.


If I get any of these sewn up I will post a photo.