Screenshots from Ballet Shoes.  Thank you, Netflix, for the suggestion.  You weirdly know my taste in fashion.

My little 1930s dress is done after much tweaking!  I don’t have a lot of experience with bias and I guess if you don’t cut it perfectly on grain there will be a bit of wonkiness to be dealt with.

At first I hesitated to use such a busy print with this dress because you wouldn’t be able to see the that mid-section detail.  But I really wanted this fabric in the same silhouette so I just went for it.

Originally the dress was the same length as pictured on the envelope but after photographing it I thought the proportions would be better if it hit above the knee; because otherwise it kind of pulled me down (does that makes sense?).  I also decided to go with a more simple sleeve that was also bound at the hem.  I had to make the front of the armscye much deeper so there was some trial and error there.  The collar turned out way too short and I didn’t have enough fabric to cut out a newly drafted one so I made do; I turned the collar around (it just fit better that way) and left a gap on the front.  The fabric is actually more rosy than pictured but to get a closer match in the photo my skin turns out too pink for some reason.

In the first view I fashioned a bow by safety pinning 2 pieces of ribbon to the shoulder seams underneath the collar.  But I can wear it unadorned too.

And belt it!  There was not enough fabric to make a belt (unless I piece it together) so a skinny leather one it is.

I would totally make this again though next time I’ll take out about an 1″ in the midsection, horizontally, to raise the hipline up, and use a solid fabric or one with a more simple print.  Maybe something slightly sheer with a lower hem.

While letting the 1930s dress I’m working on “grow” on the hanger, I made this dress from Simplicity pattern 2360.  (Last summer I made this dress from the same pattern except with a collar instead of the flounce.)  I’m not a fan of polyester or poly blends but grass green and white gingham at $2.50/yd was too tempting to pass up.

Even though I’m between an 8 and a 10, I cut out the size 4 after seeing how much ease was in the finished garment.  This worked out really well (about 2″ of positive ease).  I’m not sure everyone should go down that many sizes–especially if you have boobs: remember this is a pullover style so you must be able to slip it on!–but as many of you know there is often too much ease in commercial patterns.  If the pattern gives you finished garment measurements (often written on one of the main pattern pieces, or sometimes on the envelope) I would check them out and compare them to a similar garment you own that fits well.  I find, as a petite person with my particular build, loose-fitting styles make me look like a shapeless brick if there is too much fabric.

I did not have to make any alterations except I took up the waist 1/4″ and cut down the flounce quite a bit; it’s half as wide at its widest point (at the shoulders).  If this has been silk (like georgette) or a a cotton-silk blend (like voile) I could have gotten away with trimming down the flounce just a 1/2″ or so (to scale it down for my frame) but the fabric, while thin, has enough body to make it stick out.  Plus in this print the wider flounce was looking a little too ’70s country pinafore to me (and not in a good way).

I made the sash too but it also would look nice with a skinny tan leather belt.  I highly recommend this pattern–and it’s still in print!

Edited to add:

Oh, I can’t believe I forgot!  One more thing I did differently in this pattern: instead of sewing on the elastic per the instructions I created a felled seam inside the waist using the seam allowances.  Then thread 1/4″ elastic through the casing and sewed it up.  Much neater.

Oddly enough I’ve started making a coat.  The past few years spring has been relatively mild and drawn out so I don’t think it’s too late to make one.  It’s not a heavy coat anyway.  It’s a dark greyish-brown (seal brown?) cotton velvet that will be lined in a matching jacquard fabric (though the sleeves will be lined in a contrasting fabric, probably some kind of silk).  Surprisingly the coat fits my dress form which is about 2″ bigger in the bust but again, it’ll be lined and worn over other clothes.  I’ve tried it on with the sleeves sewn in and when I crossed my arms there was a comfortable amount of fabric in the back…I wouldn’t want it any tighter.  We’ll see.

So, the sleeves.  I’ve had some issues with setting in the sleeves, especially with the alterations I made (naturally), but then remembered (from my costuming days) that I should hang the sleeves on the form and pin where I think they should go (like shown).  Then slipstitch them on and try on again for fit.  So far that technique is working out much better.

The pattern is Vogue V8211 (out of print).  As you can see I’ve completely omitted the middle section.  The torso on the pattern is so long, and mine is quite short, there would be a lot of fiddling–and I don’t like that!  So, buh-bye midsection.  And the collar will be different too, something twenties-inspired that I’ve already started drafting.

Another sewing project I’m working on, Butterick 5076:

A 1930s juniors’ dress.  Folks, I love this pattern.  I haven’t had to do a lot to make this work which is great.  It’s not a true bias cut but some of the pieces’ edges are cut diagonally on the grain; I basted the pieces together and am letting the dress hang for a couple of days.  Oh well, not the instant gratification I was hoping for!   But if all works out I can see making more from this from the nice, drape-y floral fabrics in my stash.  These frocks would be perfect paired with wooly cardigans and clogs or Mary Janes.

20% off everything in both shops with coupon code “SPRING2012″ now through Saturday!

Fable Handmade Goods on Etsy
The Fabled Needle on Etsy

I’ve added fabric and hankies from my personal stash to my Etsy (Vintage) shop.  This stuff is not easy to part with but I’ll never make use of it all and my stash is literally busting at the seams.  I’m hoping this stuff will go to good homes!

I hear it’s going to rain this weekend and I really, really hope it does.  Man, has it been dry this winter (much like the last 2 or 3).  I plan to stay in, make some Banh Mi wraps, hot chocolate (as usual) and work quietly work on some things.

Happy Weekend!

I don’t usually collect vintage underpinnings with the exception of pretty little slips but I couldn’t pass up this lace.   And I got it as kind of a Make Do and Mend experiment: because I was rather hesitant to actually wear these, yet wanted to (such a nice alternative to a mini slip), I decided to replace the gusset.   (In general, I simply have no desire to don vintage underwear, swimsuits, etc. unless I’m certain they were never worn.  So that’s why I plan to make my own, projects I’ll surely share here.)

So I used whatever fabric I already had.  Obviously, I didn’t have ivory-colored fabric that matched the tap pants.  But I think the green is fun, and since I don’t plan on wearing these out and about as regular pants, it’s fine with me.   It was really easy too: I just cut out the gusset around the sewn edge, cut a piece of green charmeuse based off the original (but 1/4″ bigger all the way around), and then tiny zigzagged the new gusset onto the pants.

There’s a part of me that wonders if my mom would be concerned that I’ve gotten to a place in my life where I’m salvaging old underwear but hopefully it doesn’t seem too crazy!

I think hearts are still my favorite shape, since I was a kid.

Stitching this up I followed the same formula as I did for my Little Prints dress.  I’ve been hoarding these hearts hankies (the main one in the front and the the cut up one on the skirt’s sides) forever!  This time I incorporated some of my ultra delicate white hankies into the frock for a super subtle ombre effect (reddest hankies to white).  Petersham (rayon grosgrain) ribbon for the straps, easy peasy.

(Dang, my hair is so long!  It hasn’t been this length in quite a while.)

Just popping to let y’all know that my Etsy shop remains open but I’ve closed The Fabled Needle shop, at least for now.  There are many reasons, including that there is no love lost betwixt me and Zen Cart.  It’s really just easier for me to manage one thing while I figure out my next steps, which includes a Lucy doll pattern.  Yes, I’m really going to make one (started already, actually) but I don’t have any date to give you yet.  With everything going on in life I just need to accept the fact that I cannot update my shop as often I’d like at the moment.

I do have another shoe-refashioning to post soon, stay tuned for that!

(The orchids were grown by my sweet, 87 year old neighbor.)

Remember when I said that I was fine with the sleeves ties of this dress being kind of (too) longish?  Well I guess that was a lie because I kept thinking about those dang sleeve ties after I posted about them.  That is actually a really great thing about taking photos of your work: you see things (aka problems) you would normally miss otherwise.  And overall I thought the dresses were a bit too plain although simplicity is what I was going for.

So back to the drawing–sewing–board!  I re-cut and sewed the sleeve ties and added a slouchy little pocket.  Much better I think.  Now it looks finished.

The denim dress needed a little extra love too and got a sassy heart-shaped pocket added to it.

Sorry, this detail pic out of focus; my camera did not want to cooperate with me.  Just wanted to show the stitching a bit close up.  The opening is in fact reinforced (like I did with the pocket on this skirt) but that’s done in navy thread so it would blend in with the fabric.  These photos were snapped after I washed the dress and you can see the edges now have that nice, faded rumply-ness you see on jeans.

Did you have any grand plans for the weekend?  I’ll be playing housekeeping catch up for part of it since I was out of commission last weekend.  But I hope to get to some alterations: I’ve got some lovely (and very girlie) vintage dresses that need to be hemmed and repaired.  And a sweater to continue working on before spring really takes hold!