SWAP Combos - Part 3

In my last two posts, I posted pictures of all the combos possible with the suiting pieces from my SWAP. Today, I want to finish up my SWAP photos with a few pictures of the dresses and the coat. I realize these aren't really combos, but I really love these pieces and I don't want to hurt their feelings by leaving them out of the fun!

Chocolate brown wool crepe dress (M7888)



















Yellow silk dupioni dress (S7990)



















Beige wool crepe coat (V5630)



















That about wraps up the SWAP 2008 photo shoot. I am really pleased with how it all turned out. Now, over the next few weeks, I will be planning out my spring and summer wardrobe - I can't wait!

A Pleasant Surprise - Part 2

I finished this dress several days ago, but I have been so busy sewing that I haven't had time for posting. I want to share a few pictures, but first let me apologize for the image quality. My camera is on its last legs and I am in the process of picking out a new one, so hopefully my photos will improve!

Full length shot of the outside front and inside, showing silk charmeuse lining. I chose not to line the sleeves on this dress - sometimes I do this if I am concerned that the lining will restrict my arms' freedom of movement. The lining was attached to the zipper area with handstitching. The sleeve, neck facing and bottom hems were covered in seam binding and sewn up by hand.








The quatrefoil embellishment was created by cutting a 2.5" wide bias strip of wool crepe, folding it in half lengthwise (right sides together) and sewing a seam 0.5" from the raw edge. The resulting tube was turned right side out (note to self - invest in a set of Fasturn tube turners) and pressed so that the seam is in the middle of the back. Do not stretch the bias tube when pressing - this "give" is needed to go around the curve regions smoothly. Initially, I tried to shape the quatrefoil by eyeballing it, but I didn't like the uneven results, so I walked away from it for a few days to ponder on a solution. Finally, I had a "light bulb moment". I noticed the quatrefoil was basically two infinity signs (∞) laying perpendicularly over each other. I fired up word and printed off 2 infinity symbols (font size 400), cut one out carefully and taped it on top of the other one at a 9o degree angle. This paper was placed on my ironing board and the bias tube was shaped to follow the outside edge of the lapped infinity signs. I held the fabric in place by inserting pins straight down through the fabric and paper into the padding of the ironing board. When I was pleased with the placement of the bias tube, I steamed the heck out of it (at this point the paper gets very wet, so you can't salvage the design - make duplicates if you need more than one motif) to "seal in" the design. I tacked the fabric together at all junction points and then centred it on the garment. The embellishment was attached to the garment using small invisible appliqué stitches. To complete the look to match the Jacqueline Kennedy inspiration garment, I covered a button in crepe fabric and centred it over the quatrefoil. I am very pleased with the results - I knew it looked good when my husband told me he loved it!

Now, what was the pleasant surprise you might ask? When this dress was complete and I did the final try-on, I realized that something interesting had happened. Although I had started with one dress as inspiration, I actually ended up with a garment that has elements of two of my favourite JK dresses. I discussed the dress to the left in my initial post. The dress to the right was worn by Jackie when she had an audience with Pope John XXIII at the Vatican, on March 11, 1962. I have always loved the austerity and simple, clean lines of this dress - it is so dramatic. What tickled me about this turn of events (that my dress is an amalgamation of the two JK dresses pictured here), is that the date on which I completed my dress (March 11, 2008) was exactly 46 years, to the day, from when Jackie wore her black dress to the Vatican. Cool!

A Pleasant Surprise - Part 1

As part of my SWAP 2008, I was inspired by a pale mauve linen dress, created for Jacqueline Kennedy by Oleg Cassini. She wore it to mass on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1963, in Palm Beach Florida. It was one of the many "casual" garments that Cassini designed for her, in addition to most of her formal clothing. I love the simple lines of this A-line sheath, punctuated by a quatrefoil motif on the upper bodice. It is casual sophistication to the nth degree. She wore this dress with a simple pair of pumps, white kid gloves and a lace mantilla and of course, she looked exceptionally beautiful.

I wanted this look for myself (minus the mantilla - my students think I'm weird enough already!), so I set out to produce my version of this classic dress.

Rather than using linen like the original piece, I choose a very dark chocolate wool crepe for my version, as I wanted to add to my winter work wardrobe. I picked up 5 yards of this fabric during the wool blowout at Fabric Mart and I wish I had purchased twice as much - it has a gorgeous weight and hand. For lining, I decided to go decadent, so I used a chocolate brown silk charmeuse, which was another fabulous Fabric Mart bargain.

I started with a vintage sheath dress pattern that mimicked the lines of the inspiration garment, McCall's 7888. The date on this pattern is 1965, so it comes from the same era. The neck on this pattern sits very close to the base of the neck, so I scooped out the front and back neck to more closely approximate the boatneck line that Jackie Kennedy wore so often. Since this dress was to be a cold weather garment, I decided to use the 3/4 length sleeve of view A, rather than going sleeveless.

After flat pattern measuring, I found that the shoulder was just right, the bust and waist was too big and the hip was too small (nothing new there!), so some adjustments were necessary.

To address the bust, I did a quicky small bust adjustment (SBA) to the princess seam. This entails shaving off a quarter inch from the "bust bulge" on the side front piece and tapering to nothing above and below. See the pencil drawn line on the pattern piece to the right. To remedy the too-large waist, I took it in by a 1/2" on both the back and side front pieces, effectively removing 2" total in this region. Last, but not least, I add a 1/4" to the hip on the back piece only, as I need the extra fabric in back to go around my large caboose!

So, the fabric is picked and the pattern is primed. In my next installment, I will show you the finished garment (inside and out), discuss how I created the nifty quatrefoil embellishment and let you in on why the title of this post is "A Pleasant Surprise."

SWAP 2008

This year, the Timmel SWAP 2008, has had me betwixted and bewildered. Here it is, 20 days since the start date of the competition and only now have I finally settled on a plan of action. I have yet to put needle to fabric. Up 'til now, I just could not get my SWAPping mojo working - every time I thought I had an idea, it fell through. Either the fabrics didn't complement each other or my wardrobe pattern wasn't working. I think however, I have finally figured it all out.

I have been wanting to add some suits to my working wardrobe and creating a SWAP that revolved around interchangeable suiting pieces seemed like a workable idea for SWAP. I wanted each suit to stand on its own, as well as having the flexibility of treating each garment like a coordinating separate. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to use Jacqueline Kennedy (JK) as my inspiration for this wardrobe. Her style is the quintessence of elegance, sophistication and good taste. When I think of classic, timeless clothing, JK always comes to mind. So, I have working for over month trying to get all the pieces to come together on a storyboard. The fabrics had to work together interchangeably and the style and lines of each garment had to complement all the other garments. Last, but certainly not least, the wardrobe had to take inspiration from JK, but work on my body (which is nothing like JK's).

Please note that all garment inspiration photos were taken from the book, Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years. If you like JK and/or 1960s fashion, this book is phenomenal. I first learned of its existence from Carolyn and boy, am I glad I did! Although the book is a bit pricey, it is well worth it in my opinion. The garment photos are exquisite and the accompanying historical info (date and location where garment was worn, designer and fabric) is interesting and useful for the seamstress looking to knock off JK's wardrobe. I have other books on JK, but this one is by far my favourite. The book is broken into several chapters, the most interesting of which are the ones focusing on her influence on 60s fashion. My favourite chapters are "Campaign", "Inauguration", "White House Style" and "Travel". Each of these chapters features several outfits worn by JK during the whirlwind of supporting her husband in his bid for the presidency and the ensuing time in the White House. It is amazing how fresh and timeless most of her choices still appear today. That is the mark of true style.

My storyboard includes a fabric swatch (accompanied by fabric type and vendor), the pattern and the JK inspiration garment(s).


I think I will be sticking with this plan, but if any amazing fabric or pattern jumps into my lap, I may pull a switcheroo - I guess we'll just have to see how it goes! I'm not exactly sure which piece I'll start with first. I am leaning toward the coat, but I want to do the sable collar, like in the original. However, I'm having a heck of a time tracking down good looking faux fur (I don't want real fur - it gives me the heebie-jeebies). If any one has any good sources for faux fur, do tell please.

I am Weak

Okay, so you all knew it was coming. Here's the scenario. Fabric Mart sends out a notice that the whole website is on sale at 20% off. I tried to ignore the email. I tried not to look. I tried to be good. I tried not to add anymore fabric to my overflowing fabric cupboard.

Um, yeah - who am I kidding? I am weak in the face of a fabric sale. Especially when two TDF fabrics that I have been drooling over for the last few days are part of the sale. So, here's the damage:

Gor-gee-ous Double Faced Camel in Plaid - I envision an amazing reversible coat a la Jackie Kennedy. I thinking of using the pattern shown - I adore the version with the ties at the neck and the patch pockets.

















A-maz-ing Cashmere/Angora/Wool Blend in Chestnut - I want to make view B or view C of the vintage pattern shown below. So pretty!



















Hey, what's two more pieces of fabric at this point?

A Formal Affair - Part 2

Yesterday, I started talking about my black brocade party dress. After altering the pattern to get the back scoop that I desired, I cut it out and sewed it up. The only thing I did different this time was sewed slightly smaller seam allowances (1/2" instead of 5/8"). The other times I have made this dress, I used stretch cottons and the brocade for this dress has no give, so slightly smaller seams seemed prudent. Here is the result:



















Remember, this dress was to be my muslin. However, I liked it so much, I decided to wear it to the party. Also, I could not find the right fabrics to recreate the inspiration dress. Now, if I ever find just the right lace, I am all set.

A bit about the party. As I said, it was a 18th birthday/debut party for a student that I taught this past semester. I knew the party was to be formal, but, dang, was it ever amazing! There were 416 people in attendance. The young lady entered, flanked by friends and family holding candles, and then performed a waltz with her boyfriend to start the evening. There was hors d'oeuvres, a 6 course meal, dessert and a massive dessert table later in the evening. The birthday girl, her cousins and her friends from school put on a show that lasted around an hour. It was like a Broadway show - there was singing and dancing, all in different costumes for each number - it was phenomenal. The kids worked for a year to put this together.

I can't even begin to imagine how much this whole event cost her parents. From what I was told, this is a major rite of passage in a Filipino girl's life and often the girl's parents will start saving for this event on the day she is born. My student looked like a beautiful princess (she had 2 different outfits for the evening - a pink ball gown and a pale blue beaded tunic/pant ensemble) and she carried herself so well. I was so proud of her!

A Formal Affair

A few months ago, I was invited to the 18th birthday party of a student. It is a huge formal affair - a "debut" party. I was so flattered to be included in amongst her friends and family - it is such an honour. Unfortunately, I didn't have a dress to wear. Yeah, I know what you're thinking "What is she talking about?...She just did a complete formal wear SWAP." I know, but here's the deal. I already wore two of the dresses to school functions and most of the other pieces are more for winter formal events. So I decided to create a new dress.

I wanted something formal, but comfortable, appropriate, but a bit daring. I searched through oodles of vintage dress images I have saved from the internet and found inspiration in this dress from Vintageous:
I love the high neckline in front, the slim waist and hip, the full skirt, but most of all, the low dip in the back. I decided to attempt a muslin for this dress using a TNT pattern. I don't have many TNTs, but this dress is so flattering that it has been altered to perfection and made 3 times now, with many more to come. The pattern is McCall's 5042:


















In the past, I have made both view C and view D, in stretch cottons. These two dresses are so comfortable and flattering:



















Looking critically at the pattern, I noticed it was almost perfect for my inspiration dress. The only alteration needed was to draft a new back bodice to create the low scoop. I traced out the central back bodice and fudged in what looked like a good scoop.

I looked through my extensive fabric stash to find some appropriate wearable muslin fabric. I found a 2 m length of black silk/rayon brocade that I bought on a whim, but never quite knew what to do with it - now, I knew what to do with it. I lined the bodice with black Bemberg rayon.

Tomorrow: the dress and party reminiscences...

It's a Plaid World

I was on my way out the door to do some accessories shopping (shoes, bags, jewellery, etc.) at the local outlet mall and I asked my husband to snap a picture of me in my latest creation. So, for your perusal,
Gotta love linen, eh? Wrinkles and all, linen is still one of my my favourite fabrics. And my latest love, seersucker fabric - it just screams summer!

ETA: Gaylen pointed out that I look a tad disgruntled in the above picture - I look grumpy because at that moment it looked like it was about to rain on me. Gaylen also mentioned the absence of Simon. So, here's another picture (pardon the blurriness) which remedies the prior two problems. Look, a smile and a sweet pooch - for what more could you ask?

Simplicity 3887 & McCall's 2101

Pattern: Simplicity 3887 & McCall's 2101



























Size: S3887 comes in sizes 8 to 24 - I made size 8. M2101 comes in sizes XS to XL (4-22) - I made XS.








Fabric: Rust plaid seersucker for the top and rust linen/cotton blend for the cropped pant. Both fabrics are from Fabricland.











Project Photo:



















Comments:I have made the pants before and when I'm looking for a quick, comfortable, easy pair of pants, this is the pattern I usually use. This pattern does not produce the most fashion forward result, but when I'm in a hurry and need a fast fix, this is a great pattern. I tend to only make these pants if I know I'll be wearing a top out to cover the elastic waistband. A word of caution - this pattern runs large in my opinion. I usually use an 8 for my pants, but the XS (4-6) was roomy enough for me.

This is the first time I made the top and I chose view C. It went together very quickly and the result is quite nice looking. My only alteration is to cut 3" off the bottom, as the top fell at a bad spot on my hip. Although I am fairly long waisted for my height, this top was too long as is. I am pleased with the length now. I would not wear this top without the belt - it looks too much like maternity wear otherwise

Conclusion: All in all, this was a quick and easy outfit. I am behind in my sewing and I am in dire need of some summer clothes. I was able to complete both pieces (from layout to cutting to sewing and finishing) in about 6 hours. This will be a nice, cool addition to my summer wardrobe. I will certainly make both pieces again.

Cafe au Lait - Part 2

Pattern: McCall's 3489 (copyright date 1955)

Size: size 12 (bust 31", waist 25", hip 33")

Fabric: coffee silk dupioni from Fabricland








Project Photo:
















Comments: Since I had already made the muslin for this top, all systems were a go to make the SWAP version. As usual, I underlined/lined this top with silk organza using my TNT method (see the inside of the top in the above right photo). The back of this top is created using a single pattern piece. The front however has two pattern pieces - a lower bodice piece and an upper bodice/neckline piece. The neckline is interesting, as the upper bodice/neckline piece is pleated once horizontally to create a boat neckline.

There are armhole facings, which give this area a nice, crisp finish, especially after they were tacked down, by hand, to the silk organza underlining of the bodice.

There is a side zipper that is installed upside down so that the left side seam opens completely. This is a nice feature that allows the wearer to easily get in and out of the top. Although the instructions called for a traditional zipper, I chose to use an invisible zipper instead.

The bottom is curved front and back, creating a pseudo-shirt tail hem. This is a nice finish which creates a top that looks nice tucked or untucked.

Conclusion: This is a great vintage top. I love the high neck and the fitted waist. It looks really nice with the matching skirt. The two pieces together have such a quintessential 50s look, without looking like a costume. I was originally concerned that this outfit would look too matchy-matchy bridesmaidy, but it doesn't (IMHO). I love that I can wear the top and skirt together or separately - it really expands my wearing options. This outfit also looks quite nice with the Rucci jacket over it.

Cafe au Lait

Pattern: McCall's 3489 - copyright date 1955

Size: size 12 (bust 31", waist 25", hip 33")

Fabric: coffee silk dupioni from Fabricland








Project Photo:














Comments: This is the second skirt for my SWAP. The fabric I used is a silk dupioni in a luscious coffee colour - the photos do not do it justice. The skirt has ten panels, each with a vertical dart in the centre of the panel. I chose to line and underline each panel prior to stitching them all together. This lining/underlining method is one I use quite often and I have described previously. It provides such a nice clean finish on the inside and it beefs up the dupioni fabric - basically it makes for a much more luxurious garment. The skirt has a side invisible zipper closure and a small waistband. I did a double fold hem (which is described here) that falls just below the knee cap. All finishing work on the waistband and hem was done by hand, as I feel it provides a higher end look to the finished product.






Conclusion: I really like this skirt and I think it will look great with the matching top that is still in progress. I ran out of silk organza underlining for the top and I am waiting (impatiently) for Thai Silks to deliver more. What I like best about this skirt is that I can see dressing it up for formal events and also dressing it down for work. This promises to be a very versatile piece of clothing.

McCall's 3489 - Skirt

Pattern: McCall's 3489 - copyright date 1955

Size: size 12 - bust 30", waist 25", hip 33"

Fabric: dark coral linen rayon blend from Fabric Mart








Project Photo:
Comments:
This is the muslin for a skirt that I will be using for my SWAP this year. My previous post was for the top that coordinates with this skirt.

The skirt consists of ten panels. Each panel has a central waist dart to minimize bulk around the waist. I flat pattern measured the skirt pieces and it seemed like the skirt should fit unaltered. After sewing all the darts and then connecting together all the panels, the skirt was about 2" too large in the waist. At first I couldn't figure out how my flat pattern measurements could have been so misleading. Then I realized that the rayon/linen fabric must have grown during the assembly process (I guess there really is a point to stay stitching!) When I attached the waistband (which had been stabilized with interfacing and therefore, had not grown), I eased in the excess skirt fabric and the size problem was fixed. I shortened the skirt by 6" to get the hem to fall just below my knee. This is a nice length on me and it results in a nice proportion for a full skirt like this - any shorter and the fullness of the skirt looks too wide, any longer and it becomes matronly.

To give the skirt some added interest, I top stitched all the panel seams and all the dart seams. The hem was done by machine and was stitched twice, with a separation of 1/2" between stitching lines - this makes the hem a slight bit stiffer, which causes it to stand away from the body a tiny bit, which is a nice look for a 50s style. I love the the look of top stitching on linen and linen blend fabrics.

Conclusion: I really like both the top and the skirt. The skirt especially is quite flattering with all the vertical lines. I have begun work on the SWAP version of this outfit, so look for the finished product soon.

McCall's 3489 - Top

Pattern: McCall's 3489 - copyright date 1955

Size: size 12 - bust 30", waist 25", hip 33"

Fabric: dark coral linen rayon blend from Fabric Mart








Project Photo:
Comments:
This is the muslin for a top that I will be using for my SWAP this year.

When I first pulled the pattern out of the envelope, I was leery of the size of the bust darts. I knew I would never need that much room. However, I decided to sew the pattern unaltered. I had a large amount of the coral linen/rayon fabric, so I decided to throw caution to the wind and just dive in. If the first top was a wadder, so be it - I had more fabric to use for a second attempt. After the top was assembled, everything fit perfectly except for the bust. I could pinch out approximately 1" across the entire front. The bust area was so large that I could fit two balled pairs of socks into the front of the top. I knew the silhouette for women in the 50s required large breasts and a small waist, but this was ridiculous! To remedy this problem, I traced out the pattern (I don't like to cut up my vintage patterns) and did a SBA (see my last post). Using the altered front pattern piece resulted in a top that fit quite nicely. I'll talk more about the construction when I review the SWAP version.

Conclusion: This top, along with the matching skirt (which will be reviewed soon) will make a really nice spring/summer outfit to wear to work. I really like the silhouette of this pattern. I am ready to tackle the SWAP version of this top now.

Oldies, But Goodies

I love patterns. I really love vintage patterns. I especially love patterns from the 50s and 60s. I think my love of patterns, all patterns, evolves from my need to create and to dream. I can't always get in front of my sewing machine, but I always have time to thumb through my pattern stash. I get an instant feeling of hope and a vision of what could be. I may never actually make a specific pattern, but I can fantasize about all the possibilities it represents. What fabric would play up the design to its best advantage? Should I add piping? Should the piping match or contrast with the main fabric? Would topstitching add a certain je ne sais quoi? Where will I find the perfect buttons? Is this the pattern from which I will create a garment that will make me taller, slimmer, prettier and more stylish? If the pattern is vintage, it only adds to the appeal for me. The 50s and 60s has always seemed like a simpler, more appealing time in history. With just the flick of my needle, I can be a go go girl, a Pink Lady, a Hollywood bombshell, June Cleaver or Agent 99. With the just the right pattern, I could be more demure, more fanciful, more mysterious, more elegant - well, just simply, more. I can spend hours in this kind of reverie and I can't imagine a better way to spend an afternoon.

Here are some of my favourites that I haven't posted before. These inspire me and ignite my imagination and passion for all the possibilities:



So, tell me folks, what do you imagine when you look through the pattern books?

I Love it When a Plan Comes Together ... I Think

Gaylen (who, by the way, has the some of the cutest pooches on the planet) asked me if I had a SWAP 2007 plan published somewhere and I realized that I had sort of roughed out some ideas as to the direction of my SWAP, however, nothing was set in stone. Well, like a diligent little SWAPper, I sat down yesterday and put together a plan (actually I have been agonizing over this for about 2 months now - sometimes my anal retentive nature gets the best of me).

I decided to do a dress SWAP this year, as have many of the other contestants. Since I have a reasonably large stash of vintage patterns, I decided to create the entire SWAP using these patterns. Also, since I have a need for a Prom dress (I chaperon Prom at the high school where I teach) and some other dressy clothing, I decided to do a vintage evening wear SWAP. I believe I will call it "Glam, Bam, Thank-you Ma'am". Now, I reserve the right to change my mind as I go along, because after all, I am a woman, but I think this plan is the plan.

I will provide all the interesting details for each piece as it is completed. In many cases, I was inspired by a great vintage garment I've seen for sale on eBay or another website. For now, here are the basics (the pattern, its description and the fabric photo):

Dress 1: Butterick 8020 (copyright date unknown) - "Scoop-necked, cap sleeved, Empire-princess dress has a swinging skirt, bowed empire band." - rust silk dupioni and copper ruffle knit


Dress 2: Butterick 9690 (copyright date unknown) - "Full skirted dress with surplice bodice, shirred shoulders and a set in cummerbund." - black poly eyelet (purchase from Timmel)


Dress 3: Vogue 4209 (copyright date 1961) - "Circular skirt joins fitted bodice at waist-line. Low front neck-line, higher in back. Short sleeves." - orange silk dupioni & beaded embroidered silk


Dress 4: Simplicity 7990 (copyright date 1968) - "The underlined dress with lined bias midriff stitched to surplice bodice and gathered skirt has back zipper." - mottled orange/brown/green satin with sequins and embroidery


Jacket 1: Simplicity 4123 (copyright date unknown) - "Lined jacket has kimono sleeves...and button and loop closing." - mottled orange/brown/green satin with sequins and embroidery


Jacket 2: Vogue 2934 (Vogue Vintage Model - Original 1950 Design) - "Lined jacket, slightly below waist, has straight front and flared back, funnel neckline and three-quarter length sleeves with deep cuffs." - black faux Persian lamb & black silk dupioni


Bottom 1: Simplicity 3881 (copyright date unknown) - "Misses' half circle skirt ... is street length." - black silk dupioni


Bottom 2: McCall's 3489 (copyright date 1955) - Ten gore skirt with darts at waist and waistband. - coffee silk dupioni


Top 1: Butterick 6886 (copyright date unknown) - "Brief, 'n scooped 'n sleeveless." - flocked lace knit


Top 2: McCall's 3489 (copyright date 1955) - High-necked, sleeveless, fitted shell OR Advance 9111 (copyright date unknown) - "Shirtwaist blouse." - coffee silk dupioni


Top 3: Simplicity 1954 (copyright date unknown) - "The "Dutch-Boy" look right out of Paris. Cropped lined jacket has bracelet length kimono sleeves, buttoned stand-away collar, shaped buttoned trim band at lower edge of back." - lightweight black wool with floral embroidery