Saturday Projects...

Favorite pin this morning:

source

It's vintage, long sold (via Etsy) AND it's suede, not one of my faves to wear.  BUT...can't you see it in linen with self-fabric bias trim instead of the "macrame" stitching??

Idea file, people!!  This is going in the "to make" pile.  Because...it's awesome.

But not today. Today I'm going to be blasphemously cutting into a vintage baby slip that has beautiful eyelet trimmings and the tiniest handstitched tucks you've ever seen, and is of the softest white cotton ever. 

 

The "fancy band" portion of the skirt is gorgeous.  All of that beautiful work, tucked away in a trunk or closet, never to be seen again seems rather pointless and sad.  So I'm going to make something new out of it. 

All of you vintage clothing purists out there should probably avert your eyes. If it makes you feel any better I only gave about seven bucks for it at a flea market years ago.  

I have another vintage piece that I'm trying to figure out how to use too, a beautiful lace and batiste slip.  It's frothy and awesome.  The waist measurement is approximately the same as my right thigh.  So, skirt refashion isn't in the cards.  

But possibly a top of some sort?  Or use the elaborate pieces of insertion and tucking and batiste in a new garment?  There are repairs to be made if I intend to use it "as-is".  Nothing for my bottom half would work, even if my waist suddenly shrunk to the size of my right thigh, we're talking about a 100 year old piece of fabric and lace...it would never withhold sitting and friction.  But a top...that might work.  

If I never, ever wash and dry it.  ha.  Handwashing. Dry flat. Forever.  

But first...baby slip cutting-up-ness needs to commence.   Wish me luck.

Vtg Dubarry 6043 - pt 1

I know I was just posting about something else a few days ago, but while I was pulling out some batiste (to use for mulsins) I ran across this wonderful vintage cherry print I bought off of etsy last summer:

Isn't it awesome?  The cherries are the perfect coral-ly pink and the stems/leaves are grey.  I tried to ignore it or put in the "queue" and tell myself I'd get to it after the turquoise seersucker, but it kept after me.  So...change of plans!  I have 3 yards and it is 35" wide, so pattern consideration was a bit tricky.

I didn't have quite enough to do a circle skirt (so close though!  About 5" short!!)  I decided on this Dubarry, since I had planned to make it anyway, and the yardage factor is right:

A simple sundress, and I actually bought some red and white small print floral to make it later this spring anyway.   Today I altered the bodice pattern.  I used plain old pivot/slide to add 1.5" to the front & back, and after a tissue fit, went back and had to do another pivot/slide for an additional 1". 

 Well. Technically, the width is perfect and the bust dart is in the correct position, and the bust fullness was perfect too.  That's where perfect ends.  The V was OK, and the point where the straps attach fine, but under the arm it was a hot mess!  I almost needed another side dart to take up about 1.5", and from the strap point to the armsceye, another 1" of fullness could be pinned out.

I pinned away all the extra and carefully wiggled out of my muslin, planning to adjust the pattern piece.  That dart is a new one for me (is it a French dart?)  I think it has promise, but on laying my pinned muslin over my pattern piece I was at a loss as to how to proceed.  I checked it against the first pivot/slide piece too, to see if I just over-graded (which I tend to do), but nope.  It was clearly too narrow through the waist & bust.

To be honest, I was getting tired at that point (with no garment yet started and such a long way to next weekend).  So...I cheated. I traced off my last pattern (the wonderful yellow gingham McCalls 4115) and altered the neckline by overlaying my Dubarry pattern.  Here's the new pattern piece:

I had to guess at how low to make the center V, so another muslin is in my future! To be honest, I don't think (once the garment is constructed) that the finished bodice will look all that different than the original pattern.  Maybe my body just needs the additional darts in this bodice to achieve a good fit.  I'm ok with that, I already know it fits!

Coming soon...a 1940s Pink Cherry Sundress.  I can't wait!

anthro shirt: still in progress

I had to set this one aside for a few days in order to preserve my sanity. The collar band/front placket/ruffle treatment I envisioned was giving me FITS on finishing. I almost ruined it at least 4 times.

So of course the prudent thing was to step away until I could see clearly again. Here's where we are now:
We have ruffles! And a collar band attached, albeit a little worn and ragged around the edges (but really, who's going to be that close to my neck?)

Here's a picture showing just how "off" the front neckband is going to be. See that weird dip? Yeah, I'm past the point of caring now! :)


I decided on double ruffles and I folded the placket to the outside (the reverse of what you would normally do). I'll topstitch it into place, hopefully later today. Then I have sleeves and handstitching on the collar, hemming, and I'll be done. Still sounds like a lot so no promises it will be this weekend. Just picking this unfinished thing up each day and looking at it wears me out!

Honestly the only thing spurring me to finish it at all (by now I would have tossed it normally!) is that the fabric is gorgeous AND vintage, and darn it, the ruffles are looking super cute.

I did cut out that Vogue skirt I mentioned, and altered the tissue. It will need a muslin before I can cut into the blue linen though. I had to grade up and there are several pieces that need checked. Maybe I can find the energy to do that too.

Meanwhile, I've filled those empty (avoidance) stitching hours with some machine embroidery! I haven't done much of that since getting the Mac about 15 months ago. I have been having a ball planning some holiday decorating & gift projects. Here's one stitching up right now:



The design is so cute, a primitive snowman hat embroidery design from Heartstrings Embroidery. It's called "All Flakes Welcome". I think it will become a pillow for my couch, but I also need a mantel scarf, a door hanger, and some new kitchen table accessories would be nice too! I'll be sure to keep you updated on this project too.

Have a great weekend!