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Still kicking, just not posting! The first couple weeks after Covid I had just enough extra energy to either sew or post about it, not do both, so I went with the sewing. :)
( cut for nattering )
( cut for nattering )
the universe has to balance out somewhere
Sep. 20th, 2020 11:06 pmSewed too much last weekend; had to balance it out by sewing almost nothing this weekend!
I didn't actually mean to be terribly flighty this weekend... but it was absolutely glorious fall weather so I had to spend at least one full afternoon outside, and it was a Tom weekend so I had to catch up on snuggling (45 degree nights are so much better for a damn radiator in bed with you than 80 degree nights!), so my only day to be remotely productive was Friday.
I did intend to be remotely productive; I got my impulse purchase of a yard of orange plaid wool in the mail this week, so thought maybe I could make a new skirt this weekend. I even posted something to IG with a pattern and a gleeful air. And then I actually opened the pattern envelope and discovered that Past Me had decided to try making the skirt at some time in the distant past, because it was not in fact in the envelope. Um...oops? So I spent a chunk of Friday afternoon digging through Piles of Random Crap piled around the sewing room. I did not find the pattern bits I was looking for (they have to be somewhere because I never throw anything out), but I did manage to sort and disappear some of the piles. And I finally just said OH FINE WHATEVER I'LL USE THIS ONE and cut the damn thing out. And sewed one seam. And that was it.
Better than nothing...I guess? I am officially recording my doubts right now that I'll finish anything for Poe, though! Maybe I should focus on making the bonnet before the dress, because then at least I'll have something new...
I didn't actually mean to be terribly flighty this weekend... but it was absolutely glorious fall weather so I had to spend at least one full afternoon outside, and it was a Tom weekend so I had to catch up on snuggling (45 degree nights are so much better for a damn radiator in bed with you than 80 degree nights!), so my only day to be remotely productive was Friday.
I did intend to be remotely productive; I got my impulse purchase of a yard of orange plaid wool in the mail this week, so thought maybe I could make a new skirt this weekend. I even posted something to IG with a pattern and a gleeful air. And then I actually opened the pattern envelope and discovered that Past Me had decided to try making the skirt at some time in the distant past, because it was not in fact in the envelope. Um...oops? So I spent a chunk of Friday afternoon digging through Piles of Random Crap piled around the sewing room. I did not find the pattern bits I was looking for (they have to be somewhere because I never throw anything out), but I did manage to sort and disappear some of the piles. And I finally just said OH FINE WHATEVER I'LL USE THIS ONE and cut the damn thing out. And sewed one seam. And that was it.
Better than nothing...I guess? I am officially recording my doubts right now that I'll finish anything for Poe, though! Maybe I should focus on making the bonnet before the dress, because then at least I'll have something new...
Still puttering around
Jul. 8th, 2020 10:29 amLet's see, where are we...
1950s linen dress: Basic construction on the skirt is done. I covered all the seams with 1/4" twill tape to finish them because I'm an overachiever. After some more inspection of the borked bodice, I've decided to just recut it. If I was short on fabric I'd probably be able to piece and lengthen it but I've got 2+ yards left, it's not worth the fussing. May actually mock it up this time before cutting, cough cough.
Poe: Chatted about Poe planning a bunch with the Usual Suspects online last week and got re-inspired. Thought about starting the (horrible) flounced petticoat and made a very detailed checklist to make myself feel accomplished, but didn't actually start it. Really should get Dude Clothes out of the way first or they'll never get finished! So the goal is to get the vest to a "can I check the fit on this thing at least" point by the weekend, which is when I won't have the body to try it on as conveniently located as I do now! It's pretty close actually...needs buttons/buttonholes, tack down facings, and baste side seams together. Totally doable if I'm remotely motivated.
1950s linen dress: Basic construction on the skirt is done. I covered all the seams with 1/4" twill tape to finish them because I'm an overachiever. After some more inspection of the borked bodice, I've decided to just recut it. If I was short on fabric I'd probably be able to piece and lengthen it but I've got 2+ yards left, it's not worth the fussing. May actually mock it up this time before cutting, cough cough.
Poe: Chatted about Poe planning a bunch with the Usual Suspects online last week and got re-inspired. Thought about starting the (horrible) flounced petticoat and made a very detailed checklist to make myself feel accomplished, but didn't actually start it. Really should get Dude Clothes out of the way first or they'll never get finished! So the goal is to get the vest to a "can I check the fit on this thing at least" point by the weekend, which is when I won't have the body to try it on as conveniently located as I do now! It's pretty close actually...needs buttons/buttonholes, tack down facings, and baste side seams together. Totally doable if I'm remotely motivated.
Should have made a mockup! Bodice is moderately borked. Will deal with this by ignoring it and working on the skirt instead. Made a mile and a half of binding yesterday...half with the print going one direction and half the other. On purpose, so they'd mirror on the pockets and the sleeve hems.
May see if I can get any more work done today but I have a test to write today, so no guarantees.
May see if I can get any more work done today but I have a test to write today, so no guarantees.
I've got out of the habit of posting here, haven't I? Even reading, really...a lot of my former routines have tapered off, and I still just want to crawl into a nice dark hole somewhere and pull it in after me. Mmff.
But, sewing! I finished Robin's somewhat absurd Great War-era hat in time to give it to her at our stitch-n-bitch this past Sunday. It's wrinkly in places I didn't quite want it to be wrinkly but overall I'm pretty pleased with its absurdity! IMO this picture does not do it justice. ;) You can't capture its bigness in a selfie!
On Sunday I couldn't decide what to sew post-hat, so I started something new - a beach coat from a 1950s Simplicity pattern reprint. I am not particularly a Shore Person, but the Imaginary Boyfriend is rather more of a Shore Person, so I actually had to buy a bathing suit this year, and I needed something a half-step up from an oversized T-shirt for a coverup. (Come on, I've got a reputation to maintain here...)
Said beach coat was roundly mocked at sewing day, but some people just don't understand the fun of becoming extra-crispy when out in the sun all day! Hat, coverup, and SPF...mock me all you want but I have no intention of becoming a lobster in the short term, or an old leather bag in the long term. So nyah.
It's mostly done at this point, just needs a button and the hem finished. I made it of white linen (with contrast facings/pockets/waist tie of blue print cotton), because I had it on hand and because lightweight linen = good in hot weather, and only when it was sewn together did I realize I had made a very meticulously sewn lab coat. Hah. Oops. Hopefully it's a cute lab coat?
We're currently planning to go to Ocean City for the day on Sunday, so I may have pictures after that. Possibly.
But, sewing! I finished Robin's somewhat absurd Great War-era hat in time to give it to her at our stitch-n-bitch this past Sunday. It's wrinkly in places I didn't quite want it to be wrinkly but overall I'm pretty pleased with its absurdity! IMO this picture does not do it justice. ;) You can't capture its bigness in a selfie!
On Sunday I couldn't decide what to sew post-hat, so I started something new - a beach coat from a 1950s Simplicity pattern reprint. I am not particularly a Shore Person, but the Imaginary Boyfriend is rather more of a Shore Person, so I actually had to buy a bathing suit this year, and I needed something a half-step up from an oversized T-shirt for a coverup. (Come on, I've got a reputation to maintain here...)
Said beach coat was roundly mocked at sewing day, but some people just don't understand the fun of becoming extra-crispy when out in the sun all day! Hat, coverup, and SPF...mock me all you want but I have no intention of becoming a lobster in the short term, or an old leather bag in the long term. So nyah.
It's mostly done at this point, just needs a button and the hem finished. I made it of white linen (with contrast facings/pockets/waist tie of blue print cotton), because I had it on hand and because lightweight linen = good in hot weather, and only when it was sewn together did I realize I had made a very meticulously sewn lab coat. Hah. Oops. Hopefully it's a cute lab coat?
We're currently planning to go to Ocean City for the day on Sunday, so I may have pictures after that. Possibly.
Vintage not-tea and a walrus skirt
Dec. 12th, 2017 06:02 pmAnd it seems nobody took any pictures of anything, oops. (Well, I took six. They're all of us on the carousel in the City Hall square, and they're all horrible, so. Except I think this one of Robin's kind of adorable!)
We ended up being able to squeak into a last-minute reservation at the much-more-atmospheric-than-the-alternate-option Dandelion Pub (it's easier to make a reservation for 5 people than 8 or 9, who knew?), where we happened to be at a table in the middle of the room, and got stared at by what felt like several dozen people. Come on, vintage isn't THAT WEIRD, people! Must be the hats. Hats freak people out.
The extremely-festive snow did make the walk from the restaurant a bit of a trek; it's impressive how the snow was blowing directly into our faces while we headed both north and then turned east. I think I'd have been happy to do a little more browsing in the Christmas market if there hadn't been quite so much snow... But we did take a ride on aforementioned carousel, since we are all only about ten years old, and then picked our way over to Macy's to see the (slightly creepy animatronic) Dickens Village, the Very Famous Light Show (which was advertised as having the organist play live at that hour but it was all FILTHY LIES, as there was an organist but all he did was sit on the damn bench and take pictures with his lady friend. Well, f you, sir), and for me to wax poetical about the Wanamaker building, because I've been going there my whole life and I love that damn thing.
A full third of the Christmas tree had its blue and green lightbulbs out, though. Ooops. Also, John Wanamaker's meditation room, which has what I suspect are Tiffany glass windows, and which he originally built for his employees to have a space for quiet time to themselves (religious man, but wanted all faiths to be welcome, which is Not Bad for a 19th/20thc rich white dude) was filled with Christmas merchandise. It's on the walk-through to the space where the Dickens Village lives and is usually closed up. Nice for everyone to be able to see the stained glass panels, but...yeesh. (I am not religious, but I do have sensibilities, and crass materialistic bullshit kind of offends them.)
Unless it's a commentary on this country's real religion...but I cannot imagine Macy's having that kind of motivation. LOL.
Aaaanyway. We packed it up after the light show, since everybody but me had a fairly long train ride home (hah! tables are turned this time! usually that's my job). Not the world's most thrilling event, but I hope everybody had a decent time! And the walrus skirt was a hit - I wore it again today and got an amusingly gushy compliment from a lady at the train station.
Stolen from Robin on IG:
(And yes, I still intend to finish up the Horrible Plaid Dress, and either 1/ see if I can make it less horrible, or 2/ write out a very informative post for the general public as to why it's horrible.)
We ended up being able to squeak into a last-minute reservation at the much-more-atmospheric-than-the-alternate-option Dandelion Pub (it's easier to make a reservation for 5 people than 8 or 9, who knew?), where we happened to be at a table in the middle of the room, and got stared at by what felt like several dozen people. Come on, vintage isn't THAT WEIRD, people! Must be the hats. Hats freak people out.
The extremely-festive snow did make the walk from the restaurant a bit of a trek; it's impressive how the snow was blowing directly into our faces while we headed both north and then turned east. I think I'd have been happy to do a little more browsing in the Christmas market if there hadn't been quite so much snow... But we did take a ride on aforementioned carousel, since we are all only about ten years old, and then picked our way over to Macy's to see the (slightly creepy animatronic) Dickens Village, the Very Famous Light Show (which was advertised as having the organist play live at that hour but it was all FILTHY LIES, as there was an organist but all he did was sit on the damn bench and take pictures with his lady friend. Well, f you, sir), and for me to wax poetical about the Wanamaker building, because I've been going there my whole life and I love that damn thing.
A full third of the Christmas tree had its blue and green lightbulbs out, though. Ooops. Also, John Wanamaker's meditation room, which has what I suspect are Tiffany glass windows, and which he originally built for his employees to have a space for quiet time to themselves (religious man, but wanted all faiths to be welcome, which is Not Bad for a 19th/20thc rich white dude) was filled with Christmas merchandise. It's on the walk-through to the space where the Dickens Village lives and is usually closed up. Nice for everyone to be able to see the stained glass panels, but...yeesh. (I am not religious, but I do have sensibilities, and crass materialistic bullshit kind of offends them.)
Unless it's a commentary on this country's real religion...but I cannot imagine Macy's having that kind of motivation. LOL.
Aaaanyway. We packed it up after the light show, since everybody but me had a fairly long train ride home (hah! tables are turned this time! usually that's my job). Not the world's most thrilling event, but I hope everybody had a decent time! And the walrus skirt was a hit - I wore it again today and got an amusingly gushy compliment from a lady at the train station.
Stolen from Robin on IG:
(And yes, I still intend to finish up the Horrible Plaid Dress, and either 1/ see if I can make it less horrible, or 2/ write out a very informative post for the general public as to why it's horrible.)
fking plaid
Dec. 8th, 2017 02:27 pmOkay so I know I don't usually give a rat's ass about plaid-matching but
that's just embarrassing. I really don't think I can wear this...
(Although, in my defense, I couldn't have moved either piece over that half-inch, I was that short on fabric. "O yes I've beaten the pattern layout and yardage estimate!" O HO HO GETTING COCKY THERE ARE WE.)
ETA: And I just tried it on, because it occurred to me that it'd be stupid not to, and HOLY DUMPY SISTER-WIFE, BATMAN. Awkward stumpifying length (yes, that's fixable), too long in the back waist so it wrinkles like woah, and weirdly droopy in the shoulders and upper torso. There's a reason that you only find one picture on Google of this finished pattern, yikes. (And, PS, it looks terrible. That picture is not a lie!)
I do actually think I'll finish it over break, because dude. There are probably unsuspecting victims out there still buying this pattern, and they should be warned off it, so I'll finish it and write a blogger post on it. But I'm not killing myself to finish it for tomorrow!
that's just embarrassing. I really don't think I can wear this...
(Although, in my defense, I couldn't have moved either piece over that half-inch, I was that short on fabric. "O yes I've beaten the pattern layout and yardage estimate!" O HO HO GETTING COCKY THERE ARE WE.)
ETA: And I just tried it on, because it occurred to me that it'd be stupid not to, and HOLY DUMPY SISTER-WIFE, BATMAN. Awkward stumpifying length (yes, that's fixable), too long in the back waist so it wrinkles like woah, and weirdly droopy in the shoulders and upper torso. There's a reason that you only find one picture on Google of this finished pattern, yikes. (And, PS, it looks terrible. That picture is not a lie!)
I do actually think I'll finish it over break, because dude. There are probably unsuspecting victims out there still buying this pattern, and they should be warned off it, so I'll finish it and write a blogger post on it. But I'm not killing myself to finish it for tomorrow!
and a total switching of gears
Nov. 23rd, 2017 11:30 pm1950s! I decided to spend most of my day today pretending I have no homework, and so did some poking through my vintage patterns and fabric stash to see if I could decide what to make for the vintage tea we're having in December.
I was originally thinking of using one of the many "plaiditudes" I bought end of last winter from work (nice weight cotton flannel) or a wool, but then I came across a piece of plaid taffeta I bought some time in the past year in one of those FabricMart sales. It's a somewhat obnoxious Christmas-y plaid - bright red and green, and I'd originally thought 1860s for it, but they only had a 3 yard piece left, that I took anyway (because who can pass up cheap silk taffeta? Not me, apparently), because hey, could work for vintage!
Naturally, the pattern I wanted to use it for, V8768, calls for 4 yards, and I had just a smidge over 3. Who follows pattern layouts anyway, amirite? So I cut the pattern tissue, laid the pieces out on the fabric, squinted, and said..."eh, probably. Might need some piecing, but..." You might not have noticed, but I am unfazed by piecing...
(It's brighter in person...)
Three pieces to be pieced, exactly. Not too bad. I'm doing the joining of pieces by hand, because it's me and I want to. xD Made sure to at least get that big skirt piece in one, so the joins aren't too big!
I was originally thinking of using one of the many "plaiditudes" I bought end of last winter from work (nice weight cotton flannel) or a wool, but then I came across a piece of plaid taffeta I bought some time in the past year in one of those FabricMart sales. It's a somewhat obnoxious Christmas-y plaid - bright red and green, and I'd originally thought 1860s for it, but they only had a 3 yard piece left, that I took anyway (because who can pass up cheap silk taffeta? Not me, apparently), because hey, could work for vintage!
Naturally, the pattern I wanted to use it for, V8768, calls for 4 yards, and I had just a smidge over 3. Who follows pattern layouts anyway, amirite? So I cut the pattern tissue, laid the pieces out on the fabric, squinted, and said..."eh, probably. Might need some piecing, but..." You might not have noticed, but I am unfazed by piecing...
(It's brighter in person...)
Three pieces to be pieced, exactly. Not too bad. I'm doing the joining of pieces by hand, because it's me and I want to. xD Made sure to at least get that big skirt piece in one, so the joins aren't too big!
Went to a Fountains and Fireworks show at Longwood Gardens tonight - it was set to Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition/Night on Bald Mountain, and the slightly creepy drifting clouds in front of the bright moon were just too perfect! An autumn moon on a cool evening is very high on my list of enjoyment, and I got that tonight (yes it's still technically summer so there isn't that crispness in the air you get later in the season, but still, so nice! let me read you my love letter to fall weather...).
I wore one of my new pairs WKD of stockings with an old-ish dress, so I had to document it. ;) Fully-fashioned period-correct stockings appeal to the historian in me, but the fun-colored-seams on stretch nylons are half the price, and I've had to tell myself more than once that I don't have to be period-accurate in my everyday clothes if I don't want, sheesh. (Yes, self, it is okay to wear a hairnet with a 1950s outfit if you want, the world will not end. etc. etc.) Pink seams are decidedly not period, but now that I've bought a pair - OMG so fun, I want them in alllllllllllll the colors!
A shoe aside: yes, I walked all around the gardens in those highly impractical shoes. But it's all paved...! Thus far in my life, I've got feet that have cheerfully worn all manner of cheap heels, for which I am very grateful! These were I think $8 on ebay. (I haven't been buying as many in the past few years, what with working retail so what's the point? but I am totally a Shoe Whore!) Almost always have to have some kind of strap, though, as I have a tendency to walk right out of regular pumps. I learned my lesson after dropping a cute little kitten heel down the stairs one too many times walking up to a second-floor class in college!
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I did actually sew today, too; I hand-tacked down all the seam allowances on the chartreuse bodice and sleeves. Except for the side-back seams, because I think I should re-sew them with a sliiiiiiiightly smaller seam allowance, as I think I used a smaller allowance last time I made this pattern. But this silk is so damn fray-ish! Taffeta, my ass - I knew it wasn't taffeta when it showed up in the mail, and in case I had any doubts, my floor is covered in puffs of yellow silk thread to make me doubly sure. I've never met a taffeta that frayed like that! Fabric Mart, you are lying liars who lie. (If I hadn't been so set on the color, it would have gone right back, sale or no sale.)
I wore one of my new pairs WKD of stockings with an old-ish dress, so I had to document it. ;) Fully-fashioned period-correct stockings appeal to the historian in me, but the fun-colored-seams on stretch nylons are half the price, and I've had to tell myself more than once that I don't have to be period-accurate in my everyday clothes if I don't want, sheesh. (Yes, self, it is okay to wear a hairnet with a 1950s outfit if you want, the world will not end. etc. etc.) Pink seams are decidedly not period, but now that I've bought a pair - OMG so fun, I want them in alllllllllllll the colors!
A shoe aside: yes, I walked all around the gardens in those highly impractical shoes. But it's all paved...! Thus far in my life, I've got feet that have cheerfully worn all manner of cheap heels, for which I am very grateful! These were I think $8 on ebay. (I haven't been buying as many in the past few years, what with working retail so what's the point? but I am totally a Shoe Whore!) Almost always have to have some kind of strap, though, as I have a tendency to walk right out of regular pumps. I learned my lesson after dropping a cute little kitten heel down the stairs one too many times walking up to a second-floor class in college!
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I did actually sew today, too; I hand-tacked down all the seam allowances on the chartreuse bodice and sleeves. Except for the side-back seams, because I think I should re-sew them with a sliiiiiiiightly smaller seam allowance, as I think I used a smaller allowance last time I made this pattern. But this silk is so damn fray-ish! Taffeta, my ass - I knew it wasn't taffeta when it showed up in the mail, and in case I had any doubts, my floor is covered in puffs of yellow silk thread to make me doubly sure. I've never met a taffeta that frayed like that! Fabric Mart, you are lying liars who lie. (If I hadn't been so set on the color, it would have gone right back, sale or no sale.)
modern sewing
Jun. 30th, 2017 11:48 pmToday I was feeling more modern sewing than Victorian, and who am I to question inspiration? (This is why I have an enormous bin full of UFOs, by the way.) I fiiiiinally finished the pin-dot dress for the Reading air show...I have decided to view it as being done well in advance for next year, rather than a month late for this year's show. Ahem.
I also cut out and assembled the bodice for a new dress, out of dark royal blue poplin embroidered with white anchors. It's been tempting me at work for over a year, but I steadfastly refused...til a couple of days ago when I unrolled two sizeable bolt ends when I was cutting it for a customer. Well, fine then. So I bought another yard, and came home with almost 3 yards for $11. Plenty 'nuff for the dress I have in mind! Gathered skirt and plain bodice with cap sleeves, easy enough. Except that I'm a masochist, so I flat-felled all the bodice seams by hand as I assembled it tonight, which made it take a little longer. (Hey, flat felling by hand looks so much nicer! Skirt seams will be felled by machine, because I care but not that much.) Well, you know I like all that fussy little hand-sewing stuff... ;)
And it's getting the 1950s tag, because, close enough.
I also cut out and assembled the bodice for a new dress, out of dark royal blue poplin embroidered with white anchors. It's been tempting me at work for over a year, but I steadfastly refused...til a couple of days ago when I unrolled two sizeable bolt ends when I was cutting it for a customer. Well, fine then. So I bought another yard, and came home with almost 3 yards for $11. Plenty 'nuff for the dress I have in mind! Gathered skirt and plain bodice with cap sleeves, easy enough. Except that I'm a masochist, so I flat-felled all the bodice seams by hand as I assembled it tonight, which made it take a little longer. (Hey, flat felling by hand looks so much nicer! Skirt seams will be felled by machine, because I care but not that much.) Well, you know I like all that fussy little hand-sewing stuff... ;)
And it's getting the 1950s tag, because, close enough.
gardening is dangerous
May. 6th, 2017 11:35 pmI was yanking out a very firmly rooted attempt at a maple tree, and when it gave, I fell back on my butt onto a stump. There is no doubt in my mind that I'm going to have a bruised ass tomorrow. (Yes, you can laugh, I am.) Damn nature!
1950s print voile dress: 6 skirt panels have been turned into 3. Progress! I also tried on the bodice mockup (partly to avoid doing something else), and, shockingly, it fit very well. This doesn't generally happen right out of the pattern envelope. I will say, though, that the line drawings (and the pattern description) show it as slightly off-the-shoulder. Nope, that is very decidedly on my shoulder, thanks. Still cute, but I did want the look of the line drawing, so I just tweaked the angle of the shoulder seam and called it good enough.
Event at the Indian King tomorrow - not one in which I feature heavily, but two of the gang are coming over to crash it anyway - so I dunno what sewing I'll get done tomorrow. I'll just enjoy it not being anywhere near 90F, thank you very much. Silk dress time! Hm, should iron that...nah, I'll do that tomorrow morning. ;)
1950s print voile dress: 6 skirt panels have been turned into 3. Progress! I also tried on the bodice mockup (partly to avoid doing something else), and, shockingly, it fit very well. This doesn't generally happen right out of the pattern envelope. I will say, though, that the line drawings (and the pattern description) show it as slightly off-the-shoulder. Nope, that is very decidedly on my shoulder, thanks. Still cute, but I did want the look of the line drawing, so I just tweaked the angle of the shoulder seam and called it good enough.
Event at the Indian King tomorrow - not one in which I feature heavily, but two of the gang are coming over to crash it anyway - so I dunno what sewing I'll get done tomorrow. I'll just enjoy it not being anywhere near 90F, thank you very much. Silk dress time! Hm, should iron that...nah, I'll do that tomorrow morning. ;)
skirt assembly day
May. 5th, 2017 11:42 pmSince trying on the bodice mockup for the voile print dress seemed like sooooo much work!
I sewed together the voile print skirt lining (white Bemberg rayon, which I love for linings but is UGH so squeedgy) and the air show pin-dot dress skirt (which, as I mentioned, will be lined in lawn, but I didn't intend to flatline it, so might as well make the skirt now) - and since I like to finish the seams on my mid-century clothes, that was twice the seaming and hemming. Flat-felled the pin-dot, French seamed the lining, mostly to check and see if I still hate French seams as much as I used to. (Yes? Still stupid? Indeed. Okay, good, let's move on.)
I'm using V8812 for my WWII air show dress, and the pin-dot is a very lightweight cotton shirting. Yes - it's a 1940 pattern, no, this country was not involved in the war in 1940, if you want to be technical about it. I do not care to be technical about it. (I have a really hard time finding strictly 1941-45 styles that I like enough to sew; they're just not my Thing, and of course I'll wear this as civvies after the event! So I wanted something I actually would wear. I tend to be much more of a New Look-1950s kind of girl, so I had to do some digging!)
And I cut and started assembling the voile print skirt itself - and promptly decided to hand-sew it all. I half-sewed one seam three times, and the fabric was completely uninterested in not being gathered and horrible, no matter what I did. Not entirely surprised by this, considering how wifty it is. I could probably buy lighter weight machine needles or tissue paper to sandwich in the middle...but I have neither of those things on hand, and I've always got needles and thread. ;) It's six gored panels in the skirt so it'll take just a leeetle bit longer than planned! Although I was going to flat-fell the seams by hand anyway...
(And I think I managed to cut the pieces with the print all going in the same direction. Amazing!)
I sewed together the voile print skirt lining (white Bemberg rayon, which I love for linings but is UGH so squeedgy) and the air show pin-dot dress skirt (which, as I mentioned, will be lined in lawn, but I didn't intend to flatline it, so might as well make the skirt now) - and since I like to finish the seams on my mid-century clothes, that was twice the seaming and hemming. Flat-felled the pin-dot, French seamed the lining, mostly to check and see if I still hate French seams as much as I used to. (Yes? Still stupid? Indeed. Okay, good, let's move on.)
I'm using V8812 for my WWII air show dress, and the pin-dot is a very lightweight cotton shirting. Yes - it's a 1940 pattern, no, this country was not involved in the war in 1940, if you want to be technical about it. I do not care to be technical about it. (I have a really hard time finding strictly 1941-45 styles that I like enough to sew; they're just not my Thing, and of course I'll wear this as civvies after the event! So I wanted something I actually would wear. I tend to be much more of a New Look-1950s kind of girl, so I had to do some digging!)
And I cut and started assembling the voile print skirt itself - and promptly decided to hand-sew it all. I half-sewed one seam three times, and the fabric was completely uninterested in not being gathered and horrible, no matter what I did. Not entirely surprised by this, considering how wifty it is. I could probably buy lighter weight machine needles or tissue paper to sandwich in the middle...but I have neither of those things on hand, and I've always got needles and thread. ;) It's six gored panels in the skirt so it'll take just a leeetle bit longer than planned! Although I was going to flat-fell the seams by hand anyway...
(And I think I managed to cut the pieces with the print all going in the same direction. Amazing!)
cocktail dress started
Apr. 21st, 2017 10:50 pmI did get the mockup for my new 50s cocktail dress all fitted, woo and hoo. (As I mentioned, it's to wear to the opera next weekend. I know, opera dress isn't technically a cocktail dress, but as we usually go to matinees I'd feel like a total asshole in an opera gown! People in Philly don't tend to "dress" for the opera, so cocktail dress is even too fancy. But I have some standards, haha.)
I'm using a piece of red/green/taupe striped taffeta that's been in the stash for a million years; I think it was de-stash from Maggie? Maybe? I'd mentally earmarked it for a 1780s/early 90s jacket and petti, but since I'll probably never make that, it didn't feel too blasphemous to use it for something 20thc instead. ;)
It's going to be a very fun exercise in Making It Work - there was a piece just under 2 yards and a piece about 1.5 yards, and I wanted a full circle skirt. Yes, it can be done, by piecing in a line of stripes onto the width of the bigger piece and just cutting out a giant circle from it! Good thing this dress doesn't require sleeves...
I'm using a piece of red/green/taupe striped taffeta that's been in the stash for a million years; I think it was de-stash from Maggie? Maybe? I'd mentally earmarked it for a 1780s/early 90s jacket and petti, but since I'll probably never make that, it didn't feel too blasphemous to use it for something 20thc instead. ;)
It's going to be a very fun exercise in Making It Work - there was a piece just under 2 yards and a piece about 1.5 yards, and I wanted a full circle skirt. Yes, it can be done, by piecing in a line of stripes onto the width of the bigger piece and just cutting out a giant circle from it! Good thing this dress doesn't require sleeves...
