The New Vintage Wardrobe

Yes, I’m sewing this week, but not for myself.  This week is all about Halloween sewing for the kids.  I’m way behind, but I hope to post pictures as soon as the costume are done.

Erin over at http://www.dressaday.com/ has proposed Oct. 29 as this year’s IWaDD.  Visit her blog for more information.  I plan on making a warm dress for the date and I hope to post a picture of my participation in IWaDD.  I hope you’ll join me!

I was hoping I’d have something to share with y’all this week.  I’ve been doing a TON of muslins, mainly trousers.

I started off with Burda 7669.  This trouser has the cut of leg that I’m looking for, snug through the hip, straight from knee down.  The main problem with it is the VERY low rise.  The pattern called for a 4in zip.  They don’t even sell 4in zips.  I know that lower rise trousers are the current style, but I can’t stand them.  I prefer the waist to hit my waist or above.  Higher rise trousers are more flattering, if you have some extra weight because it helps keep the belly flatter, while a low rise lets the flab hang out and you get the dreaded muffin top.  I raised the waist about 2in.  They looked great from the front, but I really struggled with getting the center back seam to follow the curve of my lower back.  After 2 muslins, I moved on to a dark stretch denim.  I spent a lot of time on these, top stitched everything, flat felled seam on inseam and outer seam.  They came out at least a size too big.  Yeah, you need to make them smaller when you a stretch fabric.  I took in the muslin then made them up in a black twill, no stretch.  Yup, those were too small.  I gave up on the Burda and moved on to the new Amazing Fit wide leg trousers from Simplicity.  These fit perfectly right out of the envelope.  However, the leg wasn’t just wide, it was HUGE.  They also have a straight leg in the Amazing Fit line.  I would like to try those.

Then, I worked on dress muslins.  Two vintage patterns, one modern.  Here’s what I learned: 1950’s dresses look frumpy and matronly as soon as you add a long sleeve.  It makes sense, I guess.  Fifties dresses have a long, full skirt and a higher neckline than most modern dresses.  What saves them from being frumpy is a short cap sleeve or no sleeve.  You’re not totally covered up.  The minute you add a sleeve, Polygamy Ranch!  I spent some time looking through the modern pattern websites to see what they have and the only long sleeved dresses I found all have straight skirts.  Yes, they are pretty but not practical for a stay-at-home mom.  Same with suits.  I just don’t live a suit lifestyle.  I have found a couple patterns that might work.  A dress/jacket combo like Vogue 8472 would give the warmth of a jacket with a fuller skirt.  As long as the jacket was washable, it would fit my lifestyle.

Simplicity 3673, worn as a jumper/pinafore.  The problem is that this dress can look too little girlish if the right fabrics aren’t used.   It would have to be in men’s suitings, pinstripes, houndstooth, glen plaid, ect.

The other project I’ve been working on is the great bra fitting excapade.  I bought a new pattern, the Bravo Bra 2 from Needle Nook Fabrics.  The owner of Needle Nook Fabrics is Anne St. Clair and she has been so helpful with every aspect of this process.   I knew fitting the pattern would be a long and tedious process, but once it’s done, each bra will take only 1-2 hours to make.

I have come to the conclusion that my figure type isn’t suited to 1930’s and 1940’s fashions.  Therefore, I’m selling off my 30s and 40s patterns.  Some have already been called for, they have “on Hold” in their descriptions.  They are $10 each, free shipping within the US.  Ask me about international shipping.  Send me a message through flickr, patternreview.com or Facebook mail if you are interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12275674@N08/sets/72157617044503561/

I’ve made some progress on my Vogue top, but have stalled out because I can’t get the odd, keyhole neckline to lay flat.  Mostly, I’ve been working on my mother’s birthday present.  I don’t know if she reads this or not, so I won’t go into it until I give it to her tomorrow.  All I’ll say now is that it’s beautiful and I want one of my own.

I have become just a little obsessed with vintage apron patterns.  I’m surprised to discover that they can go for $5-$50 on eBay.  I was really happy to win this one at a reasonable price.  Since I mostly wear aprons for cooking, hostess aprons aren’t really practical.  BUT, I fell in love with this one.  I added a bib and was suprised at how much work it took to fit it.  I really should have copied it onto paper before I finished sewing this up.  One of the things I like about aprons is that you can use fun or pretty fabrics that you wouldn’t normally wear in a garment or out in public.  This one is a prime example.  The pictures don’t do it justice.  The fabric is stunning, but I am not a big flower gal.  It makes the perfect apron!

Nothing new to report.  About this time every year, I lose my sewing mojo.  This is because I get inspired by all the new fall/winter patterns and fabrics coming into the stores, but know that I can’t wear them for 6-8 weeks.  I have a couple new patterns that should make great additions to my fall wardrobe, once I get started on it.  I’ve made a muslin of the full skirted version of the dress and so far, it looks good. 

I’m still trying to find a good, basic blouse pattern to replace the one that arrived missing pieces.  I think this blouse might work.

What’s fantastic about these patterns is that they are both in my size, no grading needed!  So, ladies, the larger sizes are out there, you just have to be patient!

This week has been muslin week.  I managed to grade and fit 3 different dresses and bought fabric for one.  I think these 3 dresses will be the last of the summer dresses.  It’s time to think about cold weather.

In Mad Men news, AMC has posted a photo gallery of Season 3.  They look fantasic!  There seems to be a change in look for Betty Draper.  She’s wearing more slim cut dresses instead of the full skirts.  I’m dying to see what this means.  In previous seasons, she really dressed the part of a suburban housewife in the full-skirted shirtdresses.  The sheath dresses could indicate a loss of innocence after what happened towards the end of season 2.  Also, at the end of season 2, she was pregnant and there are no pics of her pregnant.  I wonder if we come back to season 3 after the baby is born.  I hope not.  I think vintage maternity wear is sooo cute.  As usual, Joan is fabulous, but the hair is not as bright but I know my monitor doesn’t show accurate colors.  Peggy’s look is a little more grown-up, which we got hints of from season 2.  I am so excited for the season premier!

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2009/07/photos-season-3-gallery.php

Not much going on around here.  I was waiting for a new 1950’s blouse pattern to arrive before starting new projects.  Well, it came and it was not as advertised.  It had a front, the collar and a back facing.  This is the first time in 5+ years of buying vintage patterns on eBay that this has happened.  The seller claims to be looking for the pieces and I hope she can find them.  Well, onto grading and fitting some new dresses, then!

How cute is this?  Mad Men has been stepping up the marketing in anticipation of the season 3 premier on August 13, 2009.  This cute cartoon-yourself thing kept me occupied during a long date with insomnia. http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/  Have fun and please share your avatars with me!

I originally had plan to make several of Butterick 4443, but I lost the pattern and my fitted muslin.  A very kind lady from patternreview.com gave me another copy of the pattern, but I haven’t been able to duplicate the great fit I had gotten with the original.  This dress is a cotton sateen from Hancocks.  The fit is ok, but the shoulders feel too wide.  I need to work on the muslin some more before I make another one.

This second item is a cobbler apron.  It’s a size medium, so I graded up, but I think I made it too big.