Something New

I am a pattern- a- holic.  I obsessively buy them though I have boxes and boxes of patterns.

Some new ones:

I only have one other original 1920s pattern so when I saw this on Ebay with no bids I grabbed it.  I do have an a 1920s themed event that I go to in September so maybe I can make this up instead of wearing the same dress again.

A new late 30s pattern.  Isn't it yummy?  I have traced this one off already but have not yet started on a muslin.

Fiddly Bits

This evening gown not only has the challenge of being made in the evil and slippery silk charmeuse but it also has a lot of fiddly bits. 

Like the sleeves.  It took me hours when muslining this bodice it took me hours upon hours to figure out how to sew the sleeves.  They are cut into the back bodice piece and hellishly artfully wrapped around to the front bodice to create the sleeve.  Sounds easy.  It isn’t.  The cut on piece is oddly shaped and I just could not wrap my head around it.  Of course, the instructions made the process as clear as mud!

Due to the lapse in time between msulining the bodice and working on the real deal, I had completely forgotten how the sleeve from hell was constructed.   A few hours later, the light bulb went off and I came up with this:

Isn’t the sleeve rather sweet?  Hats off to the designer who thought it up

Other fiddly bits include the shirring mentioned yesterday and interesting “facings.”  The  facing only covers the shirring and you have to cut into the fabric to fold it down.  If you don’t cut far enough it does not work; if you cut too far you have a hole.  Ask me how I know!  Luckily the collar covers my patch.  Oh yeah, attaching the collar, another piece of fiddly hand sewing.

You Say Shirring; I Say Gathering

Do you know what shirring is?  

I certainly didn’t until working on this dress.  I thought it was something utterly complicated and rather intricate.  What I found out is that it is just multiple lines of gathering perhaps done with a lot more precision than a typical gathering stitch.

Mmmm purpley 

This dress has “shirring”  at the neck and on hips.  After having a little stress out session on what shirring actually was, I got down to it.  I tried to be precise both the start and end of my stitching lines.  I also tried to keep the lines straight.  I tend to be more than just a little haphazard in my gathering.  The stitch line waving all over the seam allowance.  So it took some concentration to make the shirring precise.

I think I did a good job.  Though, I still keep referring to this as gathering.

Going Slow ….or Doing the Easy Stuff First

I was seduced by that darn silver metallic thread again for topstitching.  I have had this stuff for ages ….why am I so enamored now?

After whipping out the cocktail dress, I wanted to start slow on the evening dress, so I start with the collar.  For interfacing I went the vintage route of just using muslin as interfacing.  It was perfect for the collar.  Just the right weight.  It added stiffness but was still pliable.

Collar pieces done.

Then the dreaded topstitching.  The thread kept breaking but I persevered. 

I also did the same muslin interfacing and topstitching on the belt.

All I Need is a Hat

The 1930’s dress is done.  YAY!! For a relatively painless make.  That hand basting saved a lot of trouble.  Though I do think the collar area might be reworked; I am not happy with how it lays.  I can say I am pleased with how it turned out!  It is exactly what I envisioned.

It looks ok on the dress form but it really looks better on.  I thought the skirt would not be nearly as full as it turned out to be because the skirt is quite full.

Some details.  The hem is hand rolled as are the sleeves.  The v neck collar thing was hard to put on.  It took me longer to get that thing (not sure what to call it) on the dress than it took to make up the dress.  I do like the button accents on the pintucks and the sleeves…ah the sleeves are perfect and much better than the cape sleeves. 

Check out the buttons!!
Love that detail

Back view

What would I do differently?  The v neck thing I think needs be sewn starting at the v each direction.  I may try that because the left side is rippling.  Otherwise, the only thing I can think of is making the FBA just a tad bigger.  The bodice fits but I like a little looser more modern fit.  Amazingly, that is it!

Side

Now, I need to get some pictures of me in the dress.

Resolved

At least I hope all of my computer issues are finally resolved.  Ever since the power went out in a wind storm on December 1^st, I have been having significant computer problems.  Basically, the computer has been not working more than it has been working.  That makes blogging tough since I cant download my photos onto my work computer.

A flippy little number made with
a modern pattern....ooohhhh bad
of me, I know

However, it now seems that the problem has been fixed ….something with the hard drive.  Let’s hope so.

Without further ado….yes I have been sewing.

I whipped up this skirt while manning a costume repair station at a local Doctor Who convention.

I also started this dress a typical 1930s cape sleeve dress.  But, I dont like the cape bit, I think it is too young looking for me.

Using this fabric:

Perfect for a 1930's dress

Silk chiffon, a favorite of mine but so hard to sew….

But more to come on this little dress.