Fall Favorites - Big 4 2017 Edition

It's that time of year... the big 4 pattern companies have released their Fall pattern collections. Or, in the case of McCall's, their "Early Fall" collection.   Quite a number of patterns have been released but below are my personal favorites.

I define my style as a little vintage vixen, a little glam, with a splash of edgy to keep it interesting. With that in mind I can totally see me wearing these items to death!

Without further ado...

McCall's 2017 Early Fall Collection Favorites

M7631 Skirt in 4 views

This "Learn to Sew For Fun" pattern is a great wardrobe staple! View B would be my go-to for work in all seasons. Should be a super fast sew, too! I love that about pencil skirts!

Yep, that's it for McCall's Early Fall release. I was very underwhelmed by their offerings this time around.

Next up...

Butterick 2017 Fall Collection Favorites

B6497 Princess Coats in 4 views

I just LOVE a classic princess coat! Especially one with a fur collar! So classic! View C would be my go-to for days I wear skirts and dresses in the fall/winter. I can totally see this in a gorgeous tweed with a reclaimed vintage fur collar.

B6493 Lisette designed faux wrap skirt and blazer

This outfit is SUPER CUTE! Love the little layered look to the hem of the skirt front! The blazer is cute but I feel the split in the sleeves is kind of over-doing it with this skirt. I could totally see wearing it with trousers, though. I'm almost thinking this skirt needs to be done in satin for date night!

B6496 Pieced Jacket in 4 views

I really love View C in this! I can see so many potential combinations to wear with my wardrobe colors of Black, White, Gray, Cobalt, and Red.

B6476 Unlined Jacket in 2 views

I seriously adore View B. That oversized collar just screams GLAM! Done in the right fabric this simple jacket could be a stunner for transitional weather.

Not bad, Butterick! A good selection of items I want to buy this season!

Now onto...

Vogue Fall Collection Favorites

V1555 Tom and Linda Platt Designer color blocked sheath dress

 As I am very busty I don't usually go for boatneck necklines but I have found through experimentation I can do it with either a horizontal color block or, in this dress' case, visual interest that draws the eye away from the bust. This dress is a knockout! I could see wearing it for work or even out on the town with my husband. It deserves great fabric, too!

V1562 Lialia Designer classic coat

 This is such a timeless piece! Great design lines and when done in wool would be a great piece that will last for ages and never go out of style! The back detail is very nice, too. Makes it a bit more tailored to the body.

V9267 "Easy Options" Dress in 6 views

 This dress is the BEST OF FALL 2017!! Seriously, the design lines on this dress are nothing short of AWESOME! It is flattering to nearly every body shape, and it can be made for all seasons. This is a perfect example of a TNT (Tried N True) pattern right here, folks! I am especially loving View F for fall done in wool and leather. I would wear it to death!

V9276 Tafa Designer Topper/Wrap/Crop Jackets

I don't own a single thing like this but these are stunning! I especially love View A and View C. Best thing about them, besides how incredibly pretty they are, is they are reversible!! Love versatility in clothing!

And finally...

Simplicity Fall Collection Favorites

8461 Vintage Reproduction 1940s suit with blouse

 This one is an honorable mention for me. It is gorgeous! Seriously, the epitome of "lady like" as only the 1940s could do for women's fashion. I would have absolutely nowhere to wear this so I likely won't buy it, but it's worth mentioning simply because it is a gorgeous pattern!

8462 Vintage Reproduction 1940s suit with blouse

 I just love the jacket in this pattern. I can totally see pairing this with my jeans and a print top. Such a classic look!

8460 1950s Vintage Reproduction Dress and Jacket or Topper

O... M... G!!! Shut up and take my money!! This is everything I love! I'd have to shorten the hem a bit as I look best when hemlines hit just below my knee, but otherwise this is perfection! Simplicity picked a great pattern to reproduce when they chose this one!

8464 1950s Vintage Reproduction Skirt and Jacket in 2 views

This is so freaking pretty! Just a simple, classic look that can be easily glam or trendy depending on your fabric choices and accessories. Great basics. Again, I'd have to shorten the hemline, but it's a keeper!

8452 1950s Vintage Reproduction Blouse

Literally the only blouse/top I liked out of all of the Big 4 releases this season. Shapeless and horribly unflattering for my figure seems to be the trend they are following in tops right now. Ugh. Hate when that happens! With this pattern, though, it's one I have had my eye on for a number of years. It's been around on Etsy and even as a downloadable pattern on some vintage pattern sites. It is such a neat idea for the top and the end result is a flattering garment with just a few seams! As with most wrap tops I'll probably have to use my trusty safety pins, but it's worth it to have something that is this incredibly flattering for a busty figure.

5227 1960s Vintage Reproduction Accessories

I never have the need to wear a dickie, but the collar/cuffs, and the turban are super cute! I can see making them.

Overall Simplicity has knocked it out of the park this season with their vintage reproduction patterns! I'm so happy they are focusing on leaner silhouettes this season. I hope the trend continues for Spring 2018.

8451 Mimi G Designer Dress and Coat

The only modern pattern I liked from Simplicity this season. The dress is a little short for my taste, but that's an easy fix. Otherwise it's a knockout! The coat is a classic that could be worn with everything. I especially love it in that plaid. Maybe if I find a plaid wool in colors I wear I will make it.

So, those are my favorites from the Fall 2017 collections of the Big 4 pattern companies.  My overall impressions are:
-Vogue was a huge let-down. There were a LOT of really unflattering for anybody clothes offered this season. Quite a few patterns resembled tents. No thanks, I'll pass. I really expect more from Vogue. I'm sure quite a few folks are glad that a reproduction of the First Lady's blue inauguration dress is now available to sew. For myself, I hate the dress. It is very austere and a bit on the dowdy side. I'm just not a fan of the funnel neck neckline at all. It only works if you are built like a toothpick or a size Negative 2 runway model.
-McCall's was a let-down, too. Too many designs I would never wear this season.Of course McCall's is always hit or miss for me.
-Butterick was on par for what I expect from them. 
-Simplicity's modern patterns were just kind of boring to me. It felt like the same stuff redone over and over again for the most part. The cosplay style costumes are about 10 years out of date. Very disappointing. Their vintage reproductions made my jaw hit the floor, though. Very impressed with those!

What are your favorite patterns this season from the Big 4? Let's discuss.

Just like a pill...

Well, more like a capsule... as in capsule wardrobe.

I got the job I interviewed for in January! I'll be a Community Health Nurse working in Infectious Diseases. Part of the time I'll be in the clinic or out in the community doing vaccinations. I'll need a couple sets of scrubs for that work. However, most of the time I'll be at a desk and I'll need to dress business casual. The blessing and curse of losing 50 pounds is that I have almost NOTHING to wear that is business casual. I start my new job on April 2, so I have just over 2 weeks to get a wardrobe together for work. I want to stay as true as possible to the RTW fast I'm participating in, so I figured a smaller capsule wardrobe was my best option.

I browsed Pinterest, Youtube, and blogs around the net for inspiration. I pinned the wardrobes that inspired me most here. First step seems to be picking the colors of the capsule. Here's my color plan:

My neutral will be espresso brown, a very dark brown that easily takes the place of black. My secondary color is a warm khaki/sand color. My accent colors will be olive green and paprika, a spicy orange shade.

Next step is selecting the garments for the capsule based on needs. The general rule seems to be that every outter layer goes with every other piece. As I need nearly everything, here's my list:

2 Suits - Cropped blazer, trousers, pencil skirt in espresso and khaki
1 button down blouse in khaki
1 dress in a print that has all colors
4 blouses - 1 in espresso, 1 in olive, 1 in paprika, 1 in a print of all colors
2 cardigans - 1 in espresso and 1 in paprika
Scrubs - 2 scrub tops in a print of any of the colors and 1 pair scrub pants in espresso

What I have so far:
1 pencil skirt in espresso
1 blouse in espresso
1 blouse in olive
1 cardigan in espresso

What I need to make:
2 cropped blazers in espresso and khaki
2 trousers in espresso and khaki
1 pencil skirt in khaki
1 button down blouse in khaki
1 dress in a print of all colors
2 blouses in paprika and in a print of all colors

What I need to buy:
1 cardigan in paprika
Scrubs

I already have LOADS of accessories that will work with this color plan. I also already have shoes that will work. My plan for the next two weeks is to at least get my espresso suit finished. The skirt I made for my interview will be part of the complete suit. I have lots more of the same fabric to make a blazer and trousers. I also have a few garments that will work to tide me over until I can get the entire capsule complete, I just need to alter them to fit as they are a bit too big now.

I'll be picking my blazer and trouser pattern tonight so I can prep for muslin making tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

She's got legs, she knows how to use them!

I just made you think of a ZZ Top song! Ha!

Well, I finished my first garment for the 2014 Ready-To-Wear Fast and I LOVE it!

Outfit Details
Blazer: Target (Purchased 2013)
Tank: Target (Purchased 2011)
Skirt: DIY
Purse: Vintage from Reneesance (Purchased 2011)
Shoes: Chinese Laundry (Purchase 2010)
Necklace: Orion Designs (Purchased 2008)

I have a job interview tomorrow and had NOTHING to wear that didn't make me look like a little girl playing dress up in her mother's clothes. Seriously, it was a major problem. I really try to look impeccable for interviews. It's my past career life in business and my perfectionist tendencies combined. I had the tank and blazer already. The blazer is a smidgen big but it's totally appropriate. The tank is actually a spanx style tank but because I've lost weight it isn't OMG SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF ME tight anymore.

Originally I wanted to make a ponte knit wiggle dress for the interview, but the fabric I have on hand didn't go well with the blazer. The blazer was a must in my mind so I developed a Plan B. I pulled out Butterick's B5249 and started making a muslin of View A. Shockingly the muslin fit almost perfectly with no alterations! I couldn't believe it. It was meant to be! I have a variety of mid-weight stretch cottons in my stash and decided on my darkest brown stretch sateen. I figured it matched my shoes perfectly, contrasted the tan tank and cream/gold tweed blazer nicely, and I was pleased to see it perfectly matched my handbag when I shot my photos. Yeah, totally meant to be!

On to the pattern/construction details:

Pattern Used: Butterick B5249, View A (OOP, Available on ebay) - An unlined, high waist, princess seamed pencil skirt with belt, flounce, shirring and pocket options.
Size Cut: 16 for the back, 18 for the front
Alterations/Changes to Pattern: I took in front princess seams by 1/4 inch to give me 1 inch less in the front total. Also, I trimmed down the hip curve to suit my shape better as I have lower curves on my hips than the pattern was designed for. I made a 3 inch hem instead of a 2 inch one as the pattern stated because I wanted the bottom of the skirt to hit me mid-knee. I omitted the belt and carriers, but may add the carriers later. I have a leopard print belt that would look amazing with this skirt!
Instructions: Didn't use them. It's a pencil skirt with princess seams... A newbie could do it!
Fabric: Dark Brown Stretch Cotton Sateen from FabricMart (I think) purchased a few years ago. I have yards of this stuff left to make slacks and maybe even a jacket. 
Does it look like the pattern envelope? Yes, except I skipped the belt/carriers.
Will this be made again? ABSOLUTELY! This is now my TNT pattern for pencil skirts. The fit is AMAZING! I'll probably work with adding a lining and maybe a vent in future versions. This pattern is insanely versatile. It's a shame it's OOP!

Construction Details:
I SUCK at sewing zippers with a machine, so I decided to try handpicking the zipper for this skirt as my first time ever trying that technique. It's not perfect, but for a first time ever I'm seriously pleased! Next time I make this pattern I will use an invisible zip with the same technique. I'm seriously out of practice with hand sewing but I thoroughly enjoyed working on the zip while watching Downton Abbey and Sherlock (watching the episodes before Season 3 airs on the 19th).

I used a Hong Kong finish with all the seams and bound the raw edge of the facing. The facing is understitched and I hand tacked it down to the seam allowances on the skirt to keep it in place. I ran out of the darker bias tape so had to improvise by using a shade off, but I don't care, it still looks freaking awesome to me on the inside.

I did a blind hem with my machine. It turned out perfect!

I love how clean this skirt looks on the inside! It looks amazing now matter which way you see it! I did spend a good bit of time and put in a lot of work on it, but the end result is so worth it! I have a skirt that will really last. I know this will be a staple in my wardrobe for a long time! Such a classic skirt!

The whimsical seamstress actually has a plan!

I tend to sew based on whim and rarely finish anything. Sad, but true. I get a rush of inspiration, get through fitting and then realize "Ugh, I hate it!" Rinse and repeat... that was most of my 2013 sewing experience. I realize now that I desperately need a plan in order to accomplish anything. Otherwise I'll just do what I did last year and end 2014 with nothing to wear, again! I am NOT going to let that happen!

Today Patti, one of the other RTW Fasters, posted a brilliant blog post about figuring out what you love to wear and what you need in your wardrobe. Using those ideas (found here) I came up with a plan in 3 minutes. Seriously, 3 MINUTES! I can't believe how fast it was! The idea is to evaluate what you spend your time doing that requires clothing (um, pretty much everything but bathing, folks) and specify what clothing you need for those activities. Here's what I came up with:

Weddings/Birthday Dinners - Cocktail Dress

Plays/Date Night - Cocktail Dress, Skirt/Blouse or Slacks/Blouse

Sleeping - Pajamas and Robe

Working Out - Leggings, T-Shirt, Sports Bra, Hoodie

Interviews - Dress and Jacket/Blazer

Doctor Appointments - Dress, Skirt/Blouse or Slacks/Blouse

Lounging at Home - Knit Top or Sweater and Pants or Jeans

Cleaning House - T-shirt/Leggings/Apron

Entertaining at Home - Dress, Skirt/Blouse or Slacks/Blouse

Errands - Dress, Skirt/Blouse, or Slacks/Blouse

Seasonal Changes - Winter Coat, Dress Coat, Jacket

With that information I can definitely see what I need to have in my wardrobe! Some of them I have already, but not many. Based on what I already have, I need to make the following during the RTW Fast. I will need to buy new bras, sport bras, panties, hosiery and the like, but no actual garments! If I have time I want to try to make my own bras and panties. However, I can't go out in public with just those so I need to focus on my garments first.

1 Cocktail Dress

2 Dresses

2 Skirts

2 Slacks

3 Blouses

3 Knit Tops

3 Pajamas

2 Pants for lounging or Jeans

1 Dress Coat

1 Robe

So I need to sew 20 items! Whew! The cocktail dress is already well in progress and I'm about to start one of the 2 dresses because I will need it very soon. Once I get those done I will be planning when to make the rest of my wardrobe. I want to focus on basics that I can dress up or down as I need to and that can be mixed and matched to give me a variety of outfits.

I also have commissions coming up... A dress for my niece for Easter, a wedding gown for a friend, and flower girl dresses for my own girls to be in my friend's wedding. The wedding is actually in May 2015 so I'll be starting those around November. I'm going to try to get one more garment done in January to make 3 for the month and get as many done as I can in February so that March and April can be focused on the Easter dress I need to make. Then I'll have May through October to focus on everything else left for my wardrobe. Wish me luck, y'all! My sewing machine is going to be going into overdrive!

Summer Wardrobe Plans

Hey everybody! I'm getting ready to send out the patterns to the giveaway winners but I got distracted by seeing summer sewing plans on other blogs. Typical ADD kicking in for me. lol The weather here in Maryland has been increasingly summer-like and I'm realizing that my wardrobe is not well suited for the weather. I need to make a plan for things I need to carry me through the next 3 months or so.

Here's what I'm starting with in my wardrobe already:
Lots of tops and tanks
4 cotton cardigans
3 cotton shorts that don't fit well
1 cotton blend capri pants that are a little snug
2 bathing suits that don't fit
Lots of skirts
Lots of dresses
2 bras that fit perfectly
1 pair of sandals
1 pair of flats
1 pair of sneakers that need replaced
2 pairs of dress shoes

So, considering the above I already see the plan I need to make. I will be attempting to make some bottoms as I love shorts and capris in summer. It gets pretty hot here, especially in late June through July. Less is more, for sure, during that time of year. Also, the pool at my mother in-law's is open and I haven't gone swimming yet because my suit doesn't fit! That's just a crime! I need to make a bathing suit right NOW! I also need some shoes. After I broke my foot last August I haven't been able to wear shoes with flexible soles unless I can put carbon fiber plates under the insoles. I need to figure out what exactly I want and go from there with figuring out what I can find that in to work for my feet. I also need to buy a couple more bras. I finally found one that fits me like it was custom made for me: the Panache Tango II Plunge. I figure buying one a month until I have enough would be good considering my budget.

My tentative sewing plans:

For the shorts and capris I will probably use Simplicity 3435 from the early 1960s. If I use the pattern I will be using views 1 and 3. I have some stretch cotton twill in navy and olive. The navy I have enough for the capris and maybe shorts. The olive I have enough for shorts. I'd like to get some khaki stretch poplin for the bottoms as well. The pair of capris I have are the perfect length for me. I'll be using them with the pattern to make sure the ones I make hit me where I like on my legs.

I have some olive print ITY that is perfect for bathing suits in my stash. Have you seen the AMAZING Bombshell Bathing Suit pattern by Closet Case Files? The blue version is so 1950s glam! My jaw hit the floor when I saw it. It's exactly what I've been wanting to make for myself! I bought it right then and there. I also placed an order with Sew Sassy for lining, elastic and poly laminate foam to make my own cups for support (I just can't find any big enough for my girls). Closet Case Files is also hosting a sewalong. I'll be participating.

If the olive suit turns out well I plan to make a leopard one and maybe a gold or copper lamé one.

So, that's what I think I'll be sewing for summer. Right now on the table I have my Gatsby inspired robe to finish. It just needs the sleeves hemmed and a closure added. I want to do the lingerie I planned to go with it (vintage styled knickers and a bralette or cami) but the satin I bought is a nightmare to sew and I'm not sure I'm up for dealing with it right now. Luckily I have a lacy slip that will match the robe already.

Other plans for the summer include hopefully going to the beach for a weekend with all the kiddos (step-kids, too) and I want to teach my almost 9 year old daughter to sew. I want to start with hand stitches with her then get her a very basic machine to learn on after she gets the hand stuff down. I also want to try to fix my serger. I think one of my loopers is bent. I got the serger for free so I don't want to spend anything taking it to a shop. I figure I like to tinker and figure out how things work so I'll try to fix it. It's already not working right so what do I have to lose? lol  My job is going well. In mid-July I will be switching from day shift to night shift. I've never worked nights before, so it should be interesting. Hopefully I can adapt to it ok.

Do you have any sewing or crafty plans for summer? Or maybe winter if you are in the other hemisphere? Leave me a comment and let me know what you plan to make.

Life at 35

It's been around a month since my last post and that was NOT how I had planned things. My husband had to have emergency eye surgery for a detached retina and helping him, along with picking up the slack while he healed, literally took up almost all of my free time for the past 4 weeks. He has been doing everything just like he is supposed to, and it has helped him recover as quickly as possible. I'm so immensely proud of him! I also home school the girls. Oh, and I started my job this week, so free time was certainly at a premium.

Yesterday was my 35th birthday. Normally for my birthday I host a Tiki Party. With everything that's been going on (Hubby's eye and me starting my job) I decided not to do that this year. Instead I opted for going out with Hubby and close friends for dinner and drinks at National Harbor. I made that decision 2 weeks ago. A week ago I decided I would make myself a dress for the occasion. I scoured my stash and found some rayon challis yardage that I had bought probably 15+ years ago for a dress that never got made, some white cotton broadcloth, and McCall's M6277. I also found a zipper that was right for the pattern and I already had thread that matched the rayon perfectly. What?! I can make a nearly free dress?! Yeah, I was all over that!

Here's what I ended up with:

I love it! It is so incredibly comfortable! It's lined (except those awesome flutter sleeves) with the cotton. It's a good thing, too! Normally the end of May is around the mid 80's (Fahrenheit) but yesterday might have hit 60 degrees! And it was in the LOW 50's by the time we got to National Harbor. I had to buy a jacket after work yesterday! I got this one on clearance for $19.98 at Target. An XL fit me almost perfectly. Just need to shorten the sleeves a smidgeon.

It was gloomy and cloudy and threatening rain all day and well into the night. What a yuck day, but I still made sure I had a wonderful time in spite of Mother Nature. We had dinner at McCormick & Schmick's (it was delicious and I completely overstuffed myself) and then went to Harrington's Pub & Kitchen for drinks and music. It was a great time and I had simply the best company!

I consider myself a strong intermediate seamstress and decided to follow instructions to the letter on this pattern (I almost never do that). The pattern for the dress is rated as Easy. I'd say that is mostly true. Key word is "mostly," though. The lining instructions are a little wonky, and as I'm not extensively experienced in lining, I got a bit confused. I had to unpick the lining at the start of the process but I was able to figure it out. I think the instructions need better pictures of the armhole attachment of the lining for it to be a truly easy/novice friendly pattern. I also had an issue with the neckline (View C's V-neck) completely stretching out of shape in the rayon. There was nothing noted in the pattern instructions about stay-stitching the neckline for that view and it really should be corrected to add that. Otherwise you end up with what I got... a very strangely gaping neckline if you use rayon challis as suggested on the pattern. I ended up purchasing some gold-tone and purple enameled clip earrings and using them as dress clips to convert the neckline from V to a sweetheart style. Worked great as a fix.

I had to make some adjustments, of course. It's a princess seamed dress so it was super easy to do. I had to narrow the back and shoulders a little. I had to add more to the bust. I cut it at an 18 for the shoulders and bust and tapered to a 20 for the waist and hips. I had to alter the hip curve a bit. It was high on the pattern compared to where my hips curve most. Otherwise the waist and hip were perfect. I liked it having some ease and ended up not inserting the zipper because I could slide it over my head without any problem. The belt/sash cinches it just fine. I also shortened it just about an inch or so. It's a great, comfy, spring and summer dress. I'm so glad I made it! The simply best part of the dress is those sleeves. They flow when I walk and swish when I turn. AMAZING! I will probably make a version without the flutter sleeves as a basic, though, with the zipper and a little more fitted. I'll make sure I stay-stitch that V neckline, though.

I sometimes get asked "Do you feel any older?" on my birthday. You know, I literally felt AWESOME. I really believe I improve with age. I'm proud to be 35. I've earned every fine line and gray hair I'm developing. I've had an amazing life and it just keeps getting better.

Mad Men Challenge 2 Complete!

Inspiration: Megan's Orange A-line Dress

Phew... I did it! The deadline for the JuliaBobbin's challenge was extended until tomorrow and I got two dresses made with just hours to spare. Best part is the girls love their new dresses!

Both dresses were made with Simplicity 4927. It's a simple A-line dress sized from Girls' 3-8. The shape and neckline really hearkens to the mid-late 1960s Mod fashion.

For Abbie's dress I had to cut a size 4 for the bust/shoulder area, a size 6 for the waist, and a size 5 for the hip. I cut it to a size 6 length. Her dress was made with quilting cotton yardage I purchased from my friend Angie. She runs Sew-lutions on Facebook and two Etsy shops: Fabric4U and Patterns4U. She is offering a discount in both of her shops to my readers. As a Sew Damned Creative reader you are entitled to 10% off of $10 or more purchases (S/H not included) in both of her shops. Use code SDCREADER when you buy from her on Etsy.

 

Evie's dress was cut to a size 5 in the bust/shoulder area, a size 7 in the waist, and a size 6 in the hip. I cut it to a size 7 length. Her dress is made with cotton yardage I purchased at Hancock Fabrics last year.

It feels good to get this challenge done. It almost didn't happen. Next up I have to alter a bridesmaid gown into something more prom appropriate for a client before the end of the month. In May I'm going to be making some 1920s inspired lingerie for myself for the Great Gatsby Sewing Challenge.  I'll also be making a 1950s cotton wrap skirt to wear with my bathing suit for the Accessory Inspiration contest at Pattern Review. I'm going to enter that into the natural fiber contest, too, as it will be made in all cotton.

Not So Mad After All

I took another break from the Joan dress because we had unseasonably hot temps here in Maryland and our AC is out of commission. Bleh. No desire to sew when it's hot inside like that. Well, it finally cooled off today and I came back to the lining that I had been working on fitting. The fit is fine but I'm just not crazy about the dress now. The square neckline is not something I'm really into (not sure why I even thought I would want it) and I'd much prefer a princess seamed dress instead of a darted one. So, I scrapped it. I still have the uncut shantung that I plan to make a cocktail dress from, but I'll revisit that idea closer to autumn.

Am I waving the white flag on the Mad Men 2 Challenge? NEVER! I have a backup plan after a quick search of my pattern and fabric stashes. I found two semi-mod looking floral cotton fabrics in yardage that would work for dresses for my daughters. I also came across this adorable little A line dress pattern:

Simplicity 4927

Very workable to look similar to mid-late 60's! And I can totally make two of these in the 6 days I have left. I'm going to have the girls pick out their preferred fabric in the morning. I have enough of both fabrics to make two dresses of each in case the girls want the same fabric.

Changing my mind with 6 days left?! Maybe I am a little mad.

I Must Be Mad!

I totally distracted myself last week with making the slip to go with my Sew for Victory dress. That derailment made me feel awesome when it was finished, though, so totally worth it! Now it's time to get back to work on my Joan inspired dress for the Mad Men Challenge #2 (see button on right).

 

 

Last week I got a package from Amazon that had these two books in it:
 

 

I really wish I had bought Fit for Real People (FFRP) when I first started sewing in 2010. It would have saved me so many headaches and heartaches over failed fitting attempts. I inhaled the entire book that same evening it arrived and thumbed through Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing. I'm looking forward to trying out the projects and techniques in Gertie's book at some point but I knew I could apply things from FFRP to my Mad Men dress right now! 

 

After doing 4 muslins of McCall's 2401 (View C) I've totally lost my mind and decided to start over. I'm incorporating the techniques in FFRP with the pattern tissue. The changes I had made to the back already were spot on with what they say to do. 

 

 

My front, though, oh wow... did I ever have it overly complicated! I changed my wing-it approach to their Y Full Bust Adjustment and now I have a pattern tissue that fits my bust beautifully! It took 20 minutes, not 4 muslins, too!

 

 

Victorious! Sew for Victory Sew Along

I decided a few weeks ago that I would join the Sew for Victory Sew Along hosted by Rochelle at Lucky Lucille (check out the button on the right). It's a 1940's themed sew along and I just love that era. I used a 1948 Simplicity pattern to make my dress. Here it is all finished!

I also needed a slip under the dress because the fabric was semi-sheer. My only (modern) full slip was way too short so I ended up making one from a 1940's Advance pattern. Here it is:

My inspiration:  

My paternal grandparents on their wedding day. June, 1938

My paternal grandmother, a woman who I often considered to be a mother more than a grandmother, was one that would never waste anything. She was born in 1920 and remembered the Great Depression. She spent her days in the 1940s keeping up a farmhouse and raising 4 of her 5 kids (the 5th came in the next decade). One of those 4 children was my father, who was born in 1946, so he was one of the first of the Baby Boom generation. I can imagine her wearing comfortable, simple, but kind of pretty house dresses. She'd have her wedding ring on and pretty much no other jewelry. Baubles were reserved for when she left the house. She'd have on her perfume but not have makeup on in the house. If she was going shopping she would never leave without her lipstick on. That's pretty much all she ever wore. She never fussed with all that other stuff. She'd use her Oil of Olay moisturizer and maybe a little blush, but she'd wear vibrant lip color. Usually some sort of coral or red. She was a natural beauty and really didn't need a lot of makeup to look stunning. During that time she had very dark hair, nearly black, and crystal blue eyes.

A little tidbit: Grandma's baby brother died in WWII. He was an Army Private that was in the group who stormed Normandy Beach. He barely made it to land before he was hit and killed by the Germans. Grandma had his Army picture hanging in her living room and when I was a little girl I asked her when Daddy had been in the Army. My dad looked a lot like her baby brother. She told me who it was in the picture and his story. I hope I never forget that memory.

Advance 6333 Throwing Darts at Gathers

So, after a really good sleep I came back to my progress on Advance 6333 and realized that I was just not loving the cup of the bodice. I am very busty and my bust is fullest at the bottom. Adding lots of gathered fabric where my bust is fullest really wasn't looking good. I decided to pinch out those gathers into darts. I added a side dart and three under bust darts.

With Darts

With Gathers

With Darts
Look at that profile! Hotness!!

With Gathers

Looks so much better on me! Heck, it looks much better on Mathilda, too!  Making this sort of design change really affects the finished slip. It is going to be much more fitted now, so I'll need to add a zipper to the side to get in and out of it. I'll need to redraw the cup to incorporate my changes and to give more length to the bottom side to compensate for the dart. Also, I have decided to use bias binding instead of self fabric like the pattern calls for. Just easier that way and I want to add a little contrast. If I have enough of my binding left over I'll just use it for my straps. If not I'll just use the sky blue cotton.

I also got the back worked on today and had to make a slight adjustment to the top because I have narrow shoulders. I also need to move the attachment point for the straps over about 1/2 inch towards the center. The back really did almost fit perfectly right from the pattern.

I cut out the skirt pieces and have basted together the back of the skirt. I'm sure I'll need to add probably 2 inches to the back and maybe more for the front. I hope to have the entire bodice finished tomorrow and then get started on skirt fitting.