One Hour Dress, 1924

I just remembered I had this booklet last night! I think I tried it a few years ago, but didn't understand it so I gave up. I did some poking around the internet looking at people's made-up versions and THEY ARE ALL GORGEOUS! So now I have to have one, too! :) But here is where I am in a bit of a sewing lull. I'm a legal student and that has to take precedence over sewing. This week was homework-light so maybe I can start something this weekend.

Another thing I want to make is Gertie's dirndl skirt:

Yes, I bought her book. I got it used for $10. That's another blog post, though!

"New" Pattern Round-up!

Did some etsy shopping tonight. Got me some beauts:

Nice to buy some real vintage goodness instead of a modern reproduction! :)

Ill-Fitting Samples

One thing that sometimes puts me off a pattern on the "Big 4"'s websites is the terrible fit on the models. Here is the best example:

Burda Shift Dress. I really hope this isn't supposed to look like this :/ Shift dresses do not have a literal waist, but it is defined by darts and the cut of the fabric. This just looks like a hospital gown. I wouldn't buy this in a million years.

Vintage Vogue is the same:

Vintage Vogue 8811. What is that sleeve? Lol. It looks so baggy, frumpy, and shapeless on her. They can't (at least) pin it to fit better? Is this to appeal to modern buyers who are used to shapeless modern clothing? I don't understand! The illustration on the pattern is a much better example of this dress:

And don't even get me started on that "1940"!!

Dress #2 Simplicity 1609 -- Retro 1960s Jiffy Dress

I made my second dress of 2014 already! I made Simplicity 1609, which is a reissue of a 1960s "Jiffy" dress. It took me from noon until 3:30 to complete so I guess it was "Jiffy", lol.

The pattern:

My version:

That center seam was a little awkward once I sewed it all up. If I make this again I will put that pattern piece on the fabric fold, but to see how I could make it look a bit less weird I pinned a strip of white bias down the front. Haven't sewn it on yet:

Well, I've done two dresses this year so far. Of course, I'm on a sewing swing right now. I'm sure I'll hit a lull at some point, but until then I will continue to chronicle what I'm doing right here.

Dress #1 Butterick 4790 -- Retro '52 Walkaway Dress

For my first dress of 2014 I decided to make everyone's favourite (sarcasm) dress, Butterick 4790 The Walkaway Dress. You either love this one or you hate it. I'm mixed. Here's my final product:

Let me start by saying I'm not a huge fan of circle skirts. I thought it was OBSCENE that this dress took 7 yards of fabric and I always look like a right dillweed in a full circle skirt -- hence why I avoid them. This pattern, Butterick 4790, is also crappily designed and has some weird fit issues. I made it a size smaller than suggested just so it doesn't bag and gape. I know all of this because I had made this dress before in May 2009:

So, it's a circle skirt and has poor fit. Why the hell did I decide to make it again? Well, I like making this dress. To me, this dress is ridiculous and there is no better way to make it than with some over-the-top fabric! I had that Norman Rockwell fabric sitting in my drawer for a couple years. I had five yards of it thinking I had just enough -- LOL! I ended up having to buy 2 more yards to finish it. I would have liked to have taken a lot of the fullness out of the skirt, but my skillz are not that advanced yet so I opted to shorten the skirt instead to right above the knee.

The version I made in '09 is full length. I wore the '09 version out several times. And every time I felt like I was carrying around a bedsheet instead of wearing a dress -- the back skirt is heavy and it pulls. I ended up literally carrying it so it didn't pull. Unfortunately, I only have one photo of me wearing it in the wild from 2011. I was 20 lbs heavier and looked quite matronly in the dress:

Hoping the shortened length lets up on some of that pull!

In the end, I admit it's a fun dress to make and wear! It really does have to be made out of some outlandish material or I just don't see the point in making it at all -- since it's not really my aesthetic and the fit is bollocks.

1933 Fashion Inspiration

Brought to you by Glenda Ferrell and Helen Vinson. 

10 For 2014 Challenge!

2014 is the year I'm going to make AT LEAST 10 dresses. I decided on 10 because I start college on Monday so I won't have has much time as I've had over the month-long winter break I've been having. I want to make a dress from every decade from the 1920s to the 1970s. I might even purchase and make a WW1-era blouse (I love them!) I will not count my 1970 dress as 2014, since I started it in 2013. To start 2014, I've already purchased some fabric. It hasn't arrived yet:

The flower power design is definitely going to be made into a painfully stereotypical 60s shift dress. The bugs I have not decided on yet. It's crying out for something 30s/40s conservative, though. I like taking conservative vintage styles and making them out of "vulgar" fabric! Ha!

Unknown Mail Order Pattern #9023, ca. 1970

I finished my cute 'lil 1970 dress! I used this pattern:

To make this dress:

I first made the front with the slashed-in pockets, but they looked awful (not too experienced with that!) so I redid the front and sewed only one pocket on top. I could not get the other pocket to look straight for anything! I sewed all the buttons on top and put snaps inside to close it. I thought making buttonholes would just make it look sloppy. I also shortened it a little -- the slightly longer length actually gave it a matronly "Thelma Harper" look on me and that's NOT a look I want...lol. I'll probably make the bow with a safety pin backing so I can wear it if I want or not. I thought it might be too busy with the button that close.

My first version with the slashed-in,welted pockets took me FOREVER to do and it was just too difficult. I could not get the fabric to lay right, so I said EFF THIS and did it the 30s pattern way. Top pockets are always a win! :) I wanted to sew up something today, but I had JUST NOT ENOUGH fabric for everything I wanted to make. So I wrote this blog update!