This week I really need to get my muslin finished. Nothing yet to see here, just a lot of tracing and prep work. And Esteemed Sewing Assistant helping out.
Category Archives: 1950s
What I’m Working on This Week: Advance 8647, the Bridesmaid Dress
In some fit of sewing responsibility, I finally went back to what I really should have been working on since about a month ago: my bridesmaid dress. I’m going with the bustier/sarong version from the late 50s.
I also finished McCalls 5805, and still need to take decent pictures of it.
Special Occasion Sewing: Bridesmaid Dress
One of my friends is getting married in the summer, and I need to make a dress. I’m trying to narrow down the styles/patterns for it. I have it narrowed down to three:
McCalls 7488. This is one of the most unusual dresses in my pattern collection. I plan to remove the gathers from the waist and convert them into darts.
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McCalls 6604. Another really interesting pattern, with double scallops.
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McCalls 5395. Basic sheath dress.
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My first pick so far is the double scallop dress. Any ideas?
What I’m Working on This Week: McCalls 5805, Bodice
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I can only sew once a week these days, so I’ve been working on this slowly but surely. I lined the bodice with cotton broadcloth. I still need to serge the edges and cut the skirt.
What I’m Working on This Week: McCalls 5805
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I was looking through my stash and I found this interesting dress pattern. I plan to make View A, with the pouffy skirt, and to add pockets.
Sewing Inspiration: What I Should Be Sewing
It’s been way too busy here with holiday parties, trying to work on my portfolio, trying to catch up with freelance and trying to have a social life that I haven’t been sewing. So here are the things that I should be working on:
Vogue 7538. This was the coat pattern that I should have been working on, but productive sewing has promptly trailed off after October or so.
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I really like peplum dresses and need to make a proper one.
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I’ve made at least two versions of this, one in pink and one in yellow, but find them both to be unwearable as they aren’t that flattering. The colors are also way too bright and make me feel really self-conscious. It’d be nice to make a wearable version.
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Another pattern with an interesting corset-type design that I have yet to sew.
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The color-blocking on this version looks a little extreme, but I think it might be interesting if done with tone on tone colors.
McCalls 3730: Black Denim Suspender Skirt
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I finished this way back in early October, but only had a chance to take photographs of it now. You might be able to tell by the errant leaves on the floor that it’s getting cold out there, but hopefully my outdoors photo spot will stay until the winter.
I made another version of the suspender skirt, this time in black denim with white top-stitching. This version gets a lot of use and is very comfortable.
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It definitely looks just like the pattern.
What I Should Be Working on This Week: Vogue 7538
We had a freak snowstorm yesterday, and the temperatures here are starting to drop. I’ve been distracted by Halloween sewing and 60s dresses and Hurricane Sandy, and I’m starting to get back on track with my Fall/Winter plans.
After many failed muslins, I’m abandoning the Gertie coat and working on Vogue 7538, a shawl collar coat that looks similar enough. The collar isn’t cut in one piece and there are princess seams everywhere, so hopefully fitting this coat won’t be so bad.
What I’m Working on This Week: McCalls 3730, Again
Threading up the old Featherweight.
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I really liked the last suspender skirt project so much that I’m making another one.
The Casual Suspender Skirt
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Pattern used:
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Fabric: Lightweight blue denim, $5/yd, 2 yds
Pattern: McCalls 3730
Year: 1956
Notions: two covered buttons, one invisible zipper, $1
Time to complete: 3 weekday evenings
First worn: I haven’t worn this yet
Wear again? Yes!
Total price: $11
I wanted to emphasize the casual nature of this skirt, since it’s made in light blue denim, so I paired it with a jersey t-shirt and flats.
I’ve wanted a suspender skirt for a long time, and finally got around to making it. However I don’t own a lot of unsaturated colors, so I had a hard time trying to find something to pair it with.
For the most part I stuck with the pattern, but added some changes:
+ shortened the hem
+ adjusted the waist and hips
+ tacked on the suspenders to the covered button instead of making a buttonhole, since making a buttonhole through 2 layers of fabric seemed cumbersome
+ changed the back slit to a back vent
+ adjusted suspender length
+ hand-sewn the inner waistband facing so it wouldn’t flap around when wearing it
+ serged the seams
( crossposted from Sew Weekly )