Wednesday, July 28, 2010

rats.

Foiled again. I started out Monday afternoon working on that lovely madras 1960s sundress, remember? Well, as things in my life have a way of doing, everything about this project went south right at the finish line.

Here's the cute pattern, very similar to my previous 1960s sundress, so I expected good things. It's Simplicity 5445:


I used a fabulous white/aqua/navy madras print from Hancocks (lovely, silky feel. And on sale this week!) and white bias trim. I was making view 3, but with the trim from view 2.

See my booboo?


It's a rather large one, but even I didn't notice it until I was topstitching the skirt placket. I sewed the entire left front skirt on upside down!!! ARGH. And I took my time to carefully match the plaid when cutting too. Note how well I did on the bodice front matching the plaids.



And all that meticulous topstitching of that TEENY TINY bias trim!


It was perfect, I tell you!

Other than the extreme mismatchy plaid of the FRONT skirt. Had it been the back, I might have been able to live with it. (Probably not. Even though there's a ton of RTW out there with mismatched plaids.)

Sigh. I've lost the gumption to pick it all out and flip the skirt right side up. In fact, its a bit wrinkly in these pictures because it was wadded up and ready for the circular filing cabinet. But I thought you all might enjoy it, just the same.

And the pattern is wonderful...all fitted and bullet bra pointy boobish (a silhouette that works well for me. Ahem.) I'll be making it again, I've no end of wonderful cotton prints. I hate that bias binding in the 1/4" size though. Very tiny and fiddly to work with (Amanda, you must give me pointers!) I have 5 more packages of it in a variety of colors that I now feel obligated to use of course.

Next, I'll be taking a break from sundresses that likely won't get a ton of wear for what's left of this summer (although it is steaming hot today. Don't let those beautiful blue skies in the pics above fool you. The heat and humid, heavy air take your breath away if you walk outside.) Instead I'm tracing off and doing a tiny bit of alteration to this 1940s ebay gem:


I have the perfect fabric too, a dead ringer for the white spotted cotton in the cover illustration. I'll be making a short sleeve version, without the ruffle. And maybe use some vintage lace to trim the square neckline.

The pattern has the sweetest, awesomest notation on the flap. It reads:
"Finished white dotted swiss blouse, August 15, 1946" and
"Finished lawn blouse (nightgown) March 12, 1945"

I LOVE vintage pattern notations! Do you think she made the lawn blouse from an old nightgown? It would have been right in the middle of hard rationing of fabric goods during the war. Don't you wonder where Nelda is now?

I have to say, one of my favorite notations is a 30s/40s pattern with "Angie" written in the top corner, specifying which dress "Angie" wanted. I always thought my name was of more recent popularity (the 1970s?). I've never seen it on any vintage ephemera before.

I hope you're all staying cool and having better luck than me on the sewing homefront! I'm off to eat a Subway flatbread chicken sandwich and watch my lover Clark on Smallville.

Shut up. He does too love me.

13 comments:

  1. Ok a) bahahahhahahah (pointing finger and laughing some more) ahah ah ahha.

    I like it when others make my foolish mistakes look typical.

    b) so just to be clear: you are saying that a fictional tv character (half your age) is, in fact, in love with you. Yes? You're saying that? You see my eyebrows arched in sarcastic disbelief, right?

    YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, MISSY.

    my word ver. is "worcutfu". I'm pretty sure this is something I've had to eat at the local Thai restaurant. (If so, it was tasty)

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  2. I think you should unpick it and fix it, it's wonderful otherwise. I have that pattern, too. I cannot wait for the 40's blouse, though, those notes on the covers are to die for. I love seeing them, makes them more personal. My favorites are newspaper clippings used for replacement pieces, like facings, from WWII.

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  3. Why not make a crazy sort of applique and apply to that area of the skirt to call attention to it as though you planned it that way? Or you could send it to me. lol! I hate that feeling of spending so much time on something and finding out there's a big opps! I understand the not wanting to pic it out, but DON'T throw it away! Put it aside for a while if you don't like my suggestions and see if you change your mind about undoing it.

    You do wonderful work. I like seeing what you are doing. I've collected a lot of vintage patterns, but most of them are not my size.

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  4. I'm sorry your dress didn't work out - it looks like it was shaping up to be fabulous... Although, I'm glad I'm not the only one whose projects are getting messed up!

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  5. @beangirl. Why yes, smarty pants, I think I am. :P And he's not HALF my age...he's like, oh, 15 years younger. If its good enough for Demi...

    ps. Tom Welling is only 6 years younger than me, so there. nanner nanner.

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  6. You are not alone! Last weekend I sewed the two back pieces on to the two front pieces of a skirt inside out. Discovery was quick and disaster was averted, but the time, the time was wasted.

    Look forward to seeing the Nelda.

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  7. Okay...he really does love you! *LOL* Who am I to burst your bubble! Though I'm gonna chalk this one up to the heat & humidity...heatstroke...ummm heat exhaustion...y'know what I mean! *LOL*

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  8. whatever, Miss Cradle Robber. (I left you an email AND a comment on my last post-- so there.)

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  9. Thanks for sharing your idiot sewing moment: we all have them, and misery loves company, right? It's too nice a dress to toss, so just set it aside for a few days. It will be worth redoing, even if you can't face it right now (a feeling I am way too familiar with).

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  10. It's just not fair - sometimes bad things happen to good people - and it was going to be so lovely!!! I think your blouse is going to be really pretty and will turn out perfectly.

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  11. DOH!!! I hate when I do stuff like that! Gave *us* all a good laugh but I'm sure you weren't laughing at the time. Just fix it dammit! It's too cute to be wadded up and thrown in the trash! Or send it to me and I'll fix it and wear it! LOL!
    P.S. I love the little notes on patterns, too! That blouse is really lovely.

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  12. Oh drats! Such a lovely dress. I think you should put the dress in time out for being bad, then unpick it over the winter when you have time, finish it and have a lovely new sundress come the Spring.

    Enjoy what's left of your summer. g

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  13. Oh no! Sounds like something I would do. I bet it'll be lovely if you ever decide to revisit it.

    And you're too funny :)

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