New vacation dress and a new pattern category

What do you call a pattern that is not really vintage but not exactly current either?  I have been pondering this question for a few months and have come up with a category for these patterns which I now title:

Recent Retro: a sewing pattern that is between 5 - 20 years old, dating from the 1990's or 2000's.  Not at all vintage, just something that is not really current but could have timeless appeal or adaptibility. Often found in the bargain bin, overlooked at the thrift shop or garage sale.  Perhaps stored away in your garage or back of the closet, a perfectly good pattern but the styling seems so yesterday.  Something you remember seeing in the pattern books not that long ago. Time flies but is there really anything new in fashion?  

What started this reverie?  I bought the following pattern on Etsy - I could not resist its simple and timeless appeal.  Plus I have such a devotion to the Michael Kors patterns.  Here is the pattern that started my Recent Retro kick, Vogue 2345, copyright date 2000. Twelve years old however to me it seems current, particularly in light of the continuing colorblock trend.

Here is my version, a few suitcase wrinkles showing and maybe not the most fabulous fabric but I made this up on a whim just before leaving on vacation to Hawaii.  The pattern suggested lightweight wool crepe, jersey or double-knit and I had this blue double knit in my stash. Another of my thrift store finds, a 4 yard piece of very nice weight double-knit. For a couple of dollars I bought it thinking I could use it for making test versions of pants but you know I am crazy for the turquoise/black color combo so double knit dress it is.  ( I do have some test pants in the works).

I used a scrap of black ponte knit for the strap and some black knit lining, from cut-out to final hem it took about 3 hours. Instant pre-vacation gratification. This is one of those walk-away dresses,  with most of the interest in the back.

                   
A few construction notes:  I didn't do any topstitching and cut it out exactly as a size 12. These type of halter dresses need a close fit and the finished bust measurement on the pattern is actually 1" less than than the bust measurement for that size, but because of the way the back fits it works out just right. I am still not sure if this is the most flattering dress to wear, but I am a beach bum and love to show off the summer tan so this dress works for me.  On the dressform I see some of the same lines that are visible when it is worn, this was bothering me but further study of the pattern envelope shows the same lines so perhaps it is the nature of the design. I tend to go crazy to get things to be perfectly smooth which is not possible and when clothing is shown in magazine photos they probably have all kinds of crazy pin and tape arrangements going on out of sight.

Recent Retro: what do you think of this new category?  Do you have any patterns that are not quite vintage but still worthwhile?  I have a few more from the 90's and early 2000's that deserve a second look, and perhaps a blog post on how to update them.  (The pesky problem of gigantic shoulderpads!)

As for this pattern, it will make an appearance again next summer, most likely in a print. After all, a 3 hour dress with no fitting required - a winner to me.

Happy late summer sewing, Beth

Vogue 1191 Michael Kors Twist Front Knit Dress

It has been a great Labor Day weekend here, a little sewing, a lot of relaxing and some fun birthday celebrations. Last night was dinner out with family and friends and I wore this dress which I mentioned in my previous post.  Maybe I am changing my opinion a little bit on knits, now that I have successfully sewn 3 knit items this year - more than I have in the last ten years.  My grumbling about sewing this dress did bring out a few commenters who were ambivalent about knits as well, so I can only say that perhaps there is space in my closet for another knit dress, even this very one in a winter version.


Vogue 1191, Michael Kors Knit dress, with one very big change, in that I decided to make it sleeveless.  It seemed like such a perfect summer style and this is definitely warm weather fabric, rayon knit in shades of coral.  

Pattern envelope, showing dress with sleeves, and a look at the back of the dress.  I eliminated the sleeves by making the bodice facing finish both the neckline and the armholes, and leaving the shoulder seams open until the last, sewing the shoulder seam and then hand stitching the remaining opening closed.  This is the technique I use on almost all sleeveless dresses that have a lining.



I did love wearing this dress, and I think it will make it into the suitcase next time I go somewhere beachy - one of those dresses that you can roll up and stuff in the suitcase, and then look relaxed, cool and colorful at cocktail time.  


When I was sewing this I did have some issues with the directions and construction and I was struck by some comparisons with another dress I did this year, the Donna Karan V1159 which also has a mystery twist element that magically resolves into a very pretty front drape. I think my next post will be a "compare and contrast" of these two patterns.  
Here I am, at the end of the evening.  I had wanted to take some pictures when it was still a bit light, as this restaurant might be recognized by movie fans, another Bay Area film location (among so so many).  If you saw the movie Mrs. Doubtfire, with Robin Williams, the long dinner scene where he is bouncing between tables and trying to keep up his disguise was filmed here at Bridges Restaurant.  

Now that I see the dress in a photo maybe it could be an inch or two shorter, perhaps it is stretching a bit.  Also not crazy about the shoes but for now I am being really careful with posture, shoes, how I sit, stand, get in/out of the car and generally just doing everything possible to make sure my back issues continue to heal and not regress.  Enough said!


Since it is Labor Day here in the US I will mention something I read this morning. The article stated clothing manufacture is one of the last remaining industries that still exists primarily with human labor - that to hold two limp pieces of cloth and accurately stitch together is something the human hand can do and machines cannot. Interesting, and something to think about this weekend.


Happy end of summer sewing, Beth

V1191 Kors dress sneak peek and a birthday present to me

In my last post I asked if a designer could be a genius.  The jury is still out on that one, but testing my theory I am making Vogue 1191 Michael Kors draped front knit dress for my birthday dinner.  It is Labor Day weekend here in the US, which means my birthday falls around this time.
Some years on the actual day, causing many jokes about how my mother felt when I was born, ha ha.  Never heard those before.  But actually I have always thought it was fun to have a birthday fall on a long weekend, and usually I am on vacation, so this is the first year in about fifteen that I am at home.  Which is a good thing as I am not quite up to suitcase wrangling or long plane rides.  We are set for a lovely weekend and I have plans for a dinner out with family and friends so I am sewing this dress.  
It is fun when other bloggers give a sneak peek of their projects  - Shannon of Mushywear does this very well, and she recently used this same fabric. Great minds think alike and it is interesting to see a fabric made up in totally different styles.  Here is a look at my work in progress.

That is the pattern piece pinned up behind the dress form.  With these crazy what I call mobius strip pattern pieces, I find it helpful to have the piece there to reorient myself when putting it together.
Here is the pattern envelope, I am doing one design change which is to make it a sleeveless dress as the fabric is more summer than winter and I wanted to wear it now.

My next post will be the finished dress, including how to change from long sleeve to sleeveless.  For some reason I want to write a "compare and contrast"  since I am currently fascinated by these drape and twist dresses.  I made the Donna Karan V1159 earlier this year and these two dresses have some similarities and also big differences in construction and result.  


For my birthday present to me - a couple of books for my sewing library.  They came in the mail yesterday and I spent about at least an hour with the Pattern Magic book.  Now that is genius.  There are so many things in it I would like to try, especially the Bamboo shoot bodice, however I settled on the Twist top as a first project.  Then this morning in my blog reader - Carolyn of Handmade by Carolyn who I admire so much is wearing her version of the top.  Kind of getting me interested in winter sewing! 

The second one is Pants for Real People by Palmer and Alto.  While the photos and styles in their book series may be a bit dated, the information is fantastic and I highly recommend their fitting books.  So maybe I will finally make some pants for myself.

Here is today's SunnyGal garden photo, actually taken in June.  This is my favorite Hydrangea, the big mop head type, which has retained its purple color since being planted there next to the front door.  

Happy Labor Day Weekend Sewing,  Beth