Category Archives: finished project

Transitional Fall SWAP: Sencha in Cotton Voile

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Front view.

Front view, #2.

Fall Version
Blouse: homemade, cotton voile, Colette Patterns Sencha
Pants: homemade, gabardine, Wearing History 1930s repro pattern
Cardigan: H+M

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Front view.

Front view, #2.

Back view.

Summer Version
Blouse: homemade, cotton voile, Colette Patterns Sencha
Shorts: homemade, gabardine, Wearing History 1930s repro pattern

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I finally finished my Sencha in blue floral cotton voile. I drafted a peter pan collar and lowered the neckline. This is part of my Summer/Fall SWAP, and is my first experiment with transitional pieces and I think it’s working out fine so far. It’s an exercise more in styling the same piece to produce different looks for different seasons, which is interesting.

Finished Project: Cap Sleeve Dress, 1940s inspired, self-drafted

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Front view.
Back view.
Closeup. (You can see my poor layered hair trying to do its best and blend in.)

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This was so hot this weekend (about 104 degrees) that I barely did any sewing. Most of this dress was made in bits and pieces over the week, sewing an hour or half an hour on it here and there. I used some cotton voile that I had in my closet in this Spring, in a print that felt vaguely 40-ish to me. I have three more pieces of cotton voile left, and am trying to use up most of them before the summer ends.

I drafted this dress from my bodice block. I have many patterns that have cap sleeves but somehow there’s always too much ease there for me to fit properly. I drafted cap sleeves with a center back seem, and grafted on a four-gore skirt. I made a muslin to check the fit and inserted a center back zipper. I love cap sleeves as a vintage detail, and will definitely use the bodice block in more variations.

Simplicity 3000, 1960s Cheongsam: The Dress With Many Technical Problems

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Front view.

Side view.

Closeup view.

Closeup of frog closure.

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Pattern used: Simplicity 3000, circa 1960s

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Pattern: Simplicity 3000, circa 1960s

Pattern Sizing: Bust 35 1/2, half size. (Pointless since I had to size the bodice by using my bodice block.)

Description: 1960s cheongsam.

Did it look like the pattern envelope when you were done sewing it? Yes.

Fabric: Red and gold brocade for the body.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I read the directions, then disregarded them since they didn’t make any sense to me.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I really like the frog closures.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made? Yes!

Sizing issues: Firstly, the pattern I bought was too big for me. I had to make so many changes to the bodice that I just ended up taking my bodice block, transferring the front pieces to it and fitting it that way. I forgot to take into account the sleeves (now too big) and the collar (also too big), so I had to omit them in the end. I wish it had sleeves, but the omitted collar worked out well since the body pieces already have a high neckline. I used an invisible zipper for the center back.

New techniques learned: This was my first time doing piping. I put piping on the sleeveless seam parts and on the frog closure parts. I did not have a proper piping foot, so I was using my invisible zipper foot, which was a pain. The piped pieces would get stuck in the invisible zipper foot’s teeth. Then I found my non-invisible zipper foot and used that, and it worked out better.

Other notes: The brocade was really slippery and very hard to work with. I serged the seams whenever I had a chance to, since by touching it it would just fray.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I don’t know if I need another cheongsam dress, so no. I would recommend it to others though.

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Unrelated note: My hair is finally long enough to set and look remotely vintage, but I miss my hair. Hair always grows so slowly when you’re waiting.

Stealth Project: Wearing History Shorts, circa 1930s

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Back view.

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Front view.

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Alternate side view.

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View of shoes and toes.

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I needed a pair of shorts to wear to a Fourth of July barbecue over the weekend, so I made these high-waisted shorts in a span of two days. They are very comfy and are approaching granny-chic, but I’m fine with that.

Construction notes: I’ve made the trousers before from the same pattern, and just altered the leg length for shorts. I used leftover navy blue gabardine and a leftover button from my last project. I used cotton sateen as interfacing which was a bad idea, since the waistband came out too bulky and my machine messed up my one and only buttonhole. The button was big enough to hide my mistake though, and it’s still very much usable.

I don’t know if I’ll make another pair or shorts this summer, but if I do I plan to put in pockets.

It took an entire month and my hair is straight-ish but I finally managed to coax my hair into looking like something vintage-related. Slowly but surely.

McCall’s 3646, circa 1950s

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Front view.

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Back view.

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Side front detail view.

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Back button belt detail.

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Pattern used:

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McCall’s 3646, circa 1950s

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I finally finished McCall’s 3546 last week. This is my first time sewing a 1950s pattern. The bodice and skirt were cut as one piece, and I made everything as-is, with no modifications. The hardest part about this pattern was cutting out the pieces, since the pieces were very long. Definitely an adjustment from my more fabric-saving 1940s patterns that I’m more used to.

Style notes: This is my hair as it is. Not overly modern-looking, but not overly vintage either. The last time I tried to set my hair it was way too short, layered, and uncooperative, but I’ll try setting it again for the next sewing project.

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Pattern Review

Pattern: McCall’s 3646, circa 1950s

Pattern Sizing: Bust 34, size 12

Description: Sleeveless 1950s wiggle dress with a huge collar.

Did it look like the pattern envelope when you were done sewing it? Yes.

Fabric: Navy blue gabardine for the body, white gabardine for the collar.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? My favorite part is the huge collar.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made? I changed the order of construction. I made the buttonholes last, not first. I omitted the facings on the shoulder and used bias tape instead. I serged all the seams so they’d be tidy. I also shortened the skirt to knee-length for me because I am short.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I will sew this again, but maybe draft a set of sleeves for it next time.

Finished project: Butterick 6287

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Dress: homemade
Shoes: Cork wedges, thrifted

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I finished this 1970s Stevie Nicks inspired dress over the weekend. My pattern review is below.

Pattern used:

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Pattern: Butterick 6287, circa 1970s

Pattern Sizing: Bust 32, size 9

Description: Junior and Misses dress. Semi-fitted V-neckline high-waisted dress, has flared skirt two inches above knee or three inches above ankle, flutter sleeves and front brad trim at neckline and double wrap tie braid belt.

Did it look like the pattern envelope when you were done sewing it? Yes, but I made adjustments.

Fabric: Lightweight cotton with a good drape.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I didn’t read the instructions.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? My favorite part is the flutter sleeves.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made? I left out the braid along the neckline and the braided belt. I also omitted the zipper at the back. This dress isn’t as fitted as I normally make things since there is no zipper anywhere, but it fits over my head just fine.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? No, I would not sew it again just because I don’t think I need two 1970s style dresses in my closet. I will recommend it to others.

Finished Project: The Tulip Dress

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The Tulip Dress
Bodice: self-drafted, Skirt: Simplicity 4254, circa 1940s

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I started this dress last week and finished it before summer was over, thankfully. I only had 2 yards of this cotton tulip print and wanted to make the most out of it. I have a few more summer dresses to finish up and then I’ll be sewing a season ahead again soon for Fall 2011.

Finished Project: Vanilla Layer Cake Dress

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Vanilla Layer Cake dress, 1950s inspired. Self-drafted.

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I started this dress five months ago. It certainly didn’t take five months to make, but a lot happened in five months. I used a lightweight textured cotton and lined the bodice top. I trimmed the sleeves with yellow lace. I still have no idea if I can pull of circle skirts but I definitely feel like a princess in this dress.

Finished project: DuBarry 5390, circa 1940s

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Pattern used: DuBarry 5390, circa 1940s

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Fabric used: Cotton voile, in orange floral

Pattern notes: I made this pattern 3x already and won’t be reviewing it thoroughly. These are my notes that are particular for this version. I ran out of fabric for the skirt part and had to go back to the fabric store for 1 yard of fabric. Lesson learned! Don’t skimp when buying fabric just because you can save $7. This project took twice as long because of that. I inserted an invisible side zipper that took twice as long because I was watching Angel and not paying attention. However mishaps aside, this is my favorite version of this pattern so far.

Hollywood 1412: circa 1940s

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Pattern used:

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Hollywood 1412: Franken-Suit, circa 1940s

Project Details:

Pattern: Hollywood 1412, circa 1940s. I used 2 other patterns to replicate the look found on the envelope: Burda 8155, a modern pencil skirt pattern, and DuBarry 4390, my TNT (tried and true) 1940s shirt-dress pattern.

Pattern Sizing: Size 16, 34 bust. However this was missing the entire bodice top (and was replaced by a much smaller looking bodice top with a different collar and facing altogether.)

Description: Jacket with skirt and peplum.

Did it look like the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except for my modifications.

Fabric: Mystery polyester/cotton (?) that I got the last off the bolt of at the garment district last month. It has wonderful drape and I can’t stand singeing a piece to check for fiber content.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, had I chosen to read them.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I can’t say, since the bodice was from DuBarry 5390 and the skirt was from Burda 8155. I do love the peplum and I think it’s very flattering.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: This pattern was missing the bodice and was incomplete. For the skirt I used Burda 8155, a modern pencil skirt pattern, and for the bodice I used DuBarry 4390, my TNT (tried and true) 1940s shirt-dress pattern.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I don’t think I need another one of these in my closet, but if I did I sew this one again.