January dress plan: rocking the lobster print

The B-52s concert is only 2 weeks away, so I need to start the dress this weekend, as the following Saturday I have a baby shower to go to, and I don't want to be finishing this dress the day before I need it - I've done that far too many times and it's no longer an exciting buzz but a dread of not finishing.

Last year a mid 20th century vintage button stash was passed on to me by historical costume friends who thought I could use it. At least one of the buttons in these will be perfect for this fabric. As I can't remember pre-shrinking the lobster print - thinking I did isn't certain enough - I'll try to do that tomorrow, and hope the predicted showers don't interfere with it drying.

Hopefully I can squeak this dress in as finished before the month ends, but at least it's not going to add to my UFO list.

I'm fairly sure that I'm going to use this bodice, and the multi pleated skirt of my Strawberry Dress. I really like all that fabric in a skirt.

Sewing project completed at last - waiting from back in January

Way back in January I was dithering over a 1920s dress for the Roaring 20s festival.  A dress that I didn't finish then cos I got some virus and the start of my missing sewing mojo (which would normally have me power through regardless).

What I didn't blog about was the dress I started making back then.

I borrowed this OOP Vintage Vogue pattern #2535 from a bestie.

I found some black rayon in the stash, and got enough of this embroidered border silk/cotton to use on the lower band with a straight hemline.  I used the plain top half of the silk/cotton to line the sleeveless bodice.  I'm planning to do a shaped hand rolled hem, following the lower edge of the embroidery. 

Inspired by reading this blog post by witness2fashion on 1920s Accessories: what's missing? I'm also going to gather the centre front line of the cape collar because with my boobs it just doesn't look quite right, and I'm thinking of placing a 20s-ish brooch over that. I also have a giant peony fabric flower that I'll put towards my left shoulder to draw the eye up towards my face. 

I'm not going to look my prettiest because I'm a short stout woman and not the ideal figure for 20s, but I'll look fashionably dressed and that's what counts.

Oh, and I finished the dress earlier this week, and am wearing it to a 1920s lawn party on Sunday.

Cutting out the March dress in March

Inching my way to productivity, I also got my March dress selected and cut out in March.



I selected the Anne Adams 4843 and the red/black vintage print and will use the contrast black for the lapel collar.  I compared the bodice of AA4571 with the AA4843 and although the pattern size is 22.5 & 26.5 respectively there was a change in size numbering so that there's 1 size difference.  Other than being one size larger and having neck not shoulder darts on teh back there wasn't any difference between the two bodices in regards to size so I simply used the 4571 bodice with the 4843 skirt pieces. I cut the hips wider as I'm concerned about sitting ease, better to need to take in than be faced with too small. Especially after my Lilly Rose disaster.



Oh and I'm going to stitch darts under the bust not leave them as tucks. I need skimming under the giant boobs of doom, not extra fabric fluffing out to resemble a potato. I'm going to make three-quarter sleeves and stitch a shaped cuff in black on it (no extra volume) to work with the black revere. And zero pockets.  Me and pockets aren't a thing.

Cutting out the February Dress in March

I got to the point of having to do the intitial fit alterations  height + FBA (full bust alteration) on my January dress pattern and balked.  Doing it properly is the only way it's going to work and I just wanted something simpler to sew. So in March I finally got my February dress patternwork done and the dress cut out.

I'm using Anne Adams 4571 with my strawberry print fabric and a green undercollar.  I tried navy or raspberry and it just looked drab. The pale green and yellow would make me look ill, so I went for the green.  I might even have buttons in stash, once I find some old shirts that I was going to patchwork a throw blanket from. If I can't find them quickly then I'll buy some new ones tomorrow. Done is better than procrastinating.


I added 1cm at the side seam cos it seemed like a snug fit, added a 4cm FBA and made the mock up.  I ended up having to do a square shoulder alteration, adding 2cm at the shoulder edge (1.5cm on the back, 0.5cm on front) tapering to zero a the neck. I also had to do a narrow shoulder alteration of 1.5cm and raise the underarm by 1cm. Plus lower the bust point and shorten the dart as it finished far too close to bust point.  It looked better to move the underdart ending too, but not  necessarily shift the darts closer to the side seam.

Sewing from the 70s- pattern not fabric

I've got a hello kitty nightgown to make, and then I want to finally make a 70s wrap dress for work. But with three quarter sleeves instead of these.

I'm  a bit of a loon, cos I'm going to enter the PatternReview plus size contest.  I started filling the pattern review template - getting that bit done early. I also compared this pattern to a knit wrap dress I've been wearing for about 8 years now. I was startled that this pattern is bigger in a couple of areas, eg back width. But as i filled in the template I looked at the back of the envelope to the body size (not finished garment) measurements.   

The envelope size is 42, and I was expecting it to be sized for a 42" bust, but nope just read the back and it's 46" bust, 39" waist and 48" hip.  I might just do an FBA, take in the upper back/shoulders a little, leave the hips larger and sew it up.  In a knit I can just take the side seams in if needed. I'm going to add tie belts to the dress itself, and not include waistline casing for elastic - am shuddering at the thought.

Another fabric for a vintage summer dress

OK, not the only thing.  At the end of December I bought this piece of brown cotton satin with a duckegg & cream print.  I needed to get fabric for the collar cos I realised it's perfect for the wrap 1930s New York dress pattern.  The olive foliate print I had been planning to use was impossible to find a matching plain, except in white. I looked for a few years and not only does white not suit me, I figured it shows marks to easily for someone as clumsy as myself.

The choices of plain duck-egg or mint were un-inspiring. They looked flat and dull, and not right for this lightweight fluid cotton satin, and then one of the shop assistants suggested the quilting micro dot fabric. It works really well and is a lovely soft and spendy cotton.  This metre of fabric cost 75% what my 4 metres of brown print cost - ok that was ridiculously cheap for Australia, but still. meeep



I also got some black for contrast collar on my red/black print cotton. Red was meh, white a no-go-zone.

A flower will NOT mark the spot

A couple of months ago I started sewing another summer dress version of Lilly Rose.  The print fabric was from my stash & bought on hols during a fabric shop tour with my Brisbane posse. The plain fabric bought earlier this year to go with it.  The skirt is assembled and the back darts stitched.  Thought I'd cut out the sleeves but hadn't - so I must find the shirt pattern I've taken them from.

What ground production to a halt?  Realising that I didn't want a flower on either (or both!) bust point like a target.  Who needs their clothing to say "look at my acreage".


So on Saturday, at the Australian Sewing Guild group, I stopped procrastinating and traced the full front bodice pattern onto see through non-iron interfacing. Next I placed the full pattern on myself and marked BP (bust point) on each side. Only to startle when someone said to look out that the ink didn't bleed through onto the top I was wearing. Yep, I was a bit tired & silly yesterday. 

Then with a full pattern piece I could cut a single layer piece after shifting it around to make sure it was on grain and dodging both BPs.


Having made sure that there isn't a target on either ... a + marks the BP spot.


That's pretty much all I did all day, I was tired and thought I was bound to make a dumb mistake if I stared sewing & cutting.  If I got this wrong I still have enough fabric to cut another bodice piece as well as the sleeves.

the older dress pattern, from the stash

For the curious, this is the pattern I bought the bundle for, it's an un-marked mail order pattern, for a 48" bust. I'll need to narrow the shoulders more than I would if it was my size, but it might make a nice dress for at home in a lawn. Maybe, but as it's not what I'd wear to work then it'll have to wait a little longer.



Look at those step by step sewing instructions on the pattern envelope! 9 steps in total with no pictures

summer dresses I might make - 6 each of fabrics and patterns

I've looked at my stash & vintage patterns (as I've failed to live up to my vintage pattern pledge this year) to see what my options are.

Here's a pic of my 6 vintage patterns of choice, and 6 dress lengths I already own. They're not in any particular order, except the top 2 patterns are in the mail to me. 

I've let my subconscious think about it which fabric and which pattern.  The top left pattern gets the martini fabric; the top right pattern gets the 4th teal/navy trefoil print and maybe the red + black print; middle right pattern gets the top splodgy print; bottom left dunno really maybe the olivey print; the bottom right gets the flowers on  black? maybe.

I may not use all patterns, but I want/ need to use all fabrics.  I can't buy another dress length until 4  of the 6 pieces are made.  Must shop the stash first!

the next dress is almost cut out

I've already cutting out the next dress from this pattern - using stash fabric this time. I've not yet cut the bodice front - you can see why I need to make sure there isn't a target on each bustpoint.

MAGAM: February gets a dress

I've already got a plan for February's MAGAM - a superhero themed vintage dress, for a friend's party.

I'm not sure if you'll guess which character it will be, but the pattern I'll be using is the Lilly Rose. I've had it for 18 months, and finally taped the pieces together last year while my knee was in a brace. Sheesh, I finally found something I resented about sewing. I'm hoping Lorna will provide the option to print on A3 paper, not just A4. See ... months later and I'm still whinging about it.





Editing on 16thFeb to add fabric photo:

paper tiles+ sticky tape

I'm trying to do something sewing every day - the past 2 days that's meant half an hour each day sticking a tiled pattern together. I really find this tedious, which I wasn't expecting. So tedious I'm unlikely to use a downloaded pattern again, unless it's a small item.

Today I'll cut out the pattern pieces so that I can start the alterations. I think this is why I found it so blerghhhhh - I always have pattern collage wtih alterations so to me this was a pointless collage even though it resulted in a pattern. I think if the overlap had been greater (even though that would have resulted in more pages) and had been able to line them up through the overlap it wouldn't ahve been fine, but my printer margin was at least 6mm or 1/4" bigger than the overlap so I had to use a ruler to ensure it was done properly. Maybe I'll have a pic of the next stage for you.