Pinking Shears

Bargain! Vintage pinking shears, £2 in a charity shop!

Custom Dress

I am so excited to be making a custom dress for a lovely lady in the States. Here are the first set of pattern drafting pics. I really want to get cracking on this quickly. I'm looking for a lightweight wool or wool-type synthetic mix (suiting material), so if anyone can recommend something, please let me know.

This is the dress I am basing it on- beautiful draping with a retro feel. I have marked on bust, waist and hip lines to give me an idea of where to split the basic block I have drafted for her.

This is the bodice section- I will cut this in fabric today and see how it works, as paper doesn't give a true representation of the drapes.

This is the mid-section. I have included photos of how to 'slash and spread', for those of you interested in pattern adaptation. I have marked on where I want the extra fabric (across the whole panel) and the spread it evenly, sticking it down onto a paper backing (see next photo).

This is how it is looking currently. It will look much better in fabric. I think the mid-section may need raising a little and the bodice section shortening, to reflect the design better.

Thoughts and suggestions greatly appreciated!

Pennsylvania Purchases

✂ Fabric, Fabric, Fabric! Wow, what an amazing array of fabric shops in Pennsylvania! This is a selection of the purchases I made out there.

Checks and Seersuckers from JoAnn

Repro feedsack fabrics from Intercourse (Zooks)

Vintage-look fabrics from Strasburg

More vintage-look fabrics from Intercourse (Zooks)

Thrifted Ikat and patchwork square (Pennsylvania Dutch Country)

Stunning!

I forgot to add this stunning dress to my list of findings yesterday: it is a vintage-inspired, silk dress by Toast. It was such a bargain; I dread to think what it cost new. I am seriously debating whether or not to sell it. I'm in love with it, but have no place to where it :( ... Someone take me to a ball...!

Broadening horizons...

So, years ago I collected costume. Then I sold most of it, because I thought it was wasteful to keep it in an attic where it was hardly ever looked at. I thought it should belong to people who wore/ looked at it more than me (and I wanted the cash!). Since starting up my business venture (still very much in its infancy, I'm afraid to say), I have researched the vintage fashion industry in more depth and discovered that it is absolutely vast! I knew it was big, but not mahoosive! I don't see why I can't diversify my Etsy shop to include vintage clothing and sewing patterns. Plus, this will bring traffic to my store (hopefully), encouraging people to take a look at my handmade sewing patterns.

Here's what I found today to list:

Two 1970s, cotton, shirtwaist dresses

1948 Needlecraft book

Flying Suit Pattern

Funky, 1960s coat pattern

Vintage Vogue #3

Yoke in broderie anglais and bodice in chambray with red top-stitching:

Placket added to pattern as an alternative to the lapped centre front provided on the pattern (I will write a how-to-make-a-placket post shortly).

I added three pintucks to the hem of the skirt- these are actually bigger than pins, so just tucks! I topstitched them in red to keep with the red/ white/ blue theme.

Almost finished! Just making some decisions about binding, pockets and belt:

Vintage Vogue #2

I chose to use chambray, broderie anglais and a fine white and red stripe cotton for detail. Some initial sketches to show how I arrived at my adaptation:

Adapting the pattern. I stuck the shoulders together to redraft into straps. I had to add some paper towards the neck and take it away from the shoulder- you can just about see the new stitching and cutting lines. I then cut the pattern into two again, but lowered the shoulder seam onto the front bodice, as I wanted to see the broderie anglais creeping over.

I then drafted a yoke onto the front and back pieces. I added seam allowance onto the yokes and bodiec pieces where I split them.

Beginning construction:

Vintage Vogue Competition

I am entering a Vintage Vogue competition via Sew Direct. You start with a current pattern from the Vintage Vogue range and adapt/ customise/ modernise in any way you like. I am using V1171 and going for Steven Alan/ APC/ red, white and blue inspiration.

Collection of images I'm drawing inspiration from:

Adapting the pattern to fit the shape/ silhouette of my adapted design:

Sewing Competition

This is a great opportunity to be creative: adapt/ customise/ modernise a vintage Vogue pattern (as November 2009 Vogue issue) and enter the competition. Great prizes. I'll be having a go!