The Last of the Summer Roses: an 80s pattern

While I was taking a blog break, I did a bit of sewing. Not a huge amount, but I made a couple of summer dresses to add to my closet. The first one was this 1987 McCalls 3220, a pattern I thrifted a while back. 

The very trim dress is hiding on the pattern cover, you only see past the boxy dull jacket when you look at the line drawings. This kind of simple silhouette is one of my faves, especially the cut on drop sleeve, so I grabbed some rayon from the stash to try it out. I've had this fabric for a few years but heard that roses were in fashion again this summer so thought I'd better use it ;) 

This was quite an easy make. I had to make a few length adjustments, and I cut it at 14/16/18 like usual, which gives me most of the circumference adjustments that I need. The bodice and skirt are cut separately and an elastic casing added at the waistline. There is a back slit at the neckine but I find I can pull this over my head if I'm careful so may leave it off next time and just lower the neckline slightly. 

There are pockets, of course! This fabric is so soft and lovely to wear, and I really like the way it fits. It doesn't pull in any part of the dress, and yet covers the underarm area well so there is no bra flashing.

I like this length, and may just have to make this one again with more old rayon in the stash. It works well under a jacket as well, although a few wrinkles may appear at the shoulder. Even though I'm not as keen on florals as I used to be, the strong colours and larger print do it for me here. 

Anyhow, very pleased with this one. I really do love 80s patterns! And I finally got to take some pictures at a location I've been meaning to use for a while, the entrance to Upper Queen's park, near the theatre, where some old cast iron dogs were installed many, many years ago. They used to grace the entrance to a grand home belonging to a local doctor - you can find the story on the fascinating StreetsOfStratford.ca if you're interested in that kind of thing! 

September Plans!

After taking a blog break for August, I'm raring to go in September! In August I took some time off, did some sewing related shopping, made a few things, culled my pattern and fabric stash (a bit anyhow), and generally enjoyed relaxing. I made a couple of dresses, which will be shared here soon, and am halfway done my last summer dress for the year.

But now I have Plans! 

I tried to set up a plan for the fall using the Design Your Wardrobe process by Seamwork, which I've done before. I ended up having much the same concept; my colours are still jewel tones with black and white neutrals, and I like a "tailored comfort" vibe, not too tailored, not too 'flou' either. My last DYW Pinterest board still kind of captures what I want. 

To this end, I went through my stash as I was culling and came up with a few ideas - besides my desire to finish a couple of projects I cut out last fall! I have a dress and jacket and a couple of tops to finish in my UFO pile, then I want to tackle some of these. 

Butterick 6127 

I've wanted to make this dress for a while, it was on my Make Nine list in 2023. I think it will be a great fall dress in the original magenta houndstooth I planned on using then, but I also have a solid cobalt cotton that might work. 

Burda 103-03-2021

Then there is this Burda dress which is on my Make Nine list for this year! I have a soft green glen plaid that will be perfect for this one, and would really like to get it done for this fall. 

And to take me on into fall sewing, I want to get moving on the Jasika Blazer pattern I bought a year ago, including the sewing course, and even have fabric and lining for it ready to go. I've been feeling intimidated by this but if I take it slow over the next few months maybe I can do it! 

I think that's plenty to think about for the fall, and I know there are always things that pop up in between my plans to fill in sewing time!

And don't forget -- there is always the Fall Edition of the Literary Sewing Circle, coming soon! If you need another sewing project to add to your list...

Weekend Review: Vogue & Butterick's Designer Sewing Techniques

 

Vogue & Butterick's Designer Sewing Techniques
NY: Simon & Schuster, c1994.
126 p.

I'm back from my August break -- and one of the things I did during August was visit many thrift stores, discovering fun new sewing things, like this sewing book from the 90s. 

I love reading books from the 80s and 90s. The illustrations are so fun, and I enjoy the retro feel. This book was actually quite good in content as well, and had a focus I hadn't expected. It's written as part of the Sewing Today series, tied to the show on PBS at the time. It talks about various popular designers, and then features some of the designer details they are known for, showing techniques for how to incorporate these yourself. The instructions and photos are really clear and I found some cool ideas to explore further. 

The designers they feature fully with interviews/images are: 

• Donna Karan
• Calvin Klein 
• Linda Allard for Ellen Tracy
• Claude Montana
• Geoffrey Beene 
• Victor Costa 
• Todd Oldham 
• Bill Blass 

And there there is a little blurb at the end about Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld, and Belleville Sassoon, just to show off some more techniques.

Following each, there is a bit about some of their notable techniques, like pockets, linings, closures/buttonholes, set in sleeves, bias binding, hems, waistlines, patchwork, zippers, tailored collars, lace, denim, and more. I found this an enjoyable read, with a variety of useful tips, interesting designer highlights, and great photos. There is a list at the end of all the Vogue and Butterick patterns used to illustrate the book, all out of print now but so intriguing to look up, including a Karl Lagerfeld Vogue jacket which I am sure is probably going for a fortune on Ebay these days ;) 

I especially enjoyed the section on Todd Oldham, who I wasn't as familiar with as some of the others, and his use of colourful patchwork and novelty buttons. I think a lot of his styles would be in fashion again now. And they certainly give sewists some ideas! A really fun book that you can also look through via the Internet Archive if you are interested. 

Summer Holidays, Blog Break!

Photo by Luke Dean-Weymark on Unsplash

Hello loyal readers! Just a quick announcement that I will be taking a blog break for the month of August.

 I may pop up on IG now and again but I'm taking some time away this summer. 

I will be back in September with new projects, book reviews, and our Fall Literary Sewing Circle round, late in the month. See you all then!

 

Style 4037, Take Two

I first made a dress from Style 4037 in 2018. I wear it constantly - I think it's my favourite dress! It's comfortable, summery and I feel good in it. 

So when I was trying to think what to make with this precious fabric I won from Minerva in a contest, I decided to remake this dress. 

I love the print and it's uneven enough that I didn't have to worry too much about matching it up across the bodice seams or on the patch pockets. It's a flowy rayon, although this Minerva exclusive print is also available in other substrates (I'm eyeing some linen...). 

I always like a square neckline, and it suits this print well. I made this version longer than my first one, partly because longer skirts are in vogue currently, and partly because I love the flow of this fabric around my legs! 

There were not supposed to be any difficulties with this one; I made it the same as my last one, taking in a 1/2" at the front neckline and reducing the fullness of the back skirt by half. But it was a bit of a comedy of errors: the bodice was far too narrow, even though I thought I had cut it exactly the same as my last (perfectly fitting) dress from this pattern. I didn't want to waste my fabric so I inserted a 2" band in the centre back - due to the print it doesn't look like an insertion at all, thankfully! Then I stitched the bodice to the gathered skirt backwards, and since I didn't think patch pockets on my behind would be much use, I unpicked it and tried again! 

But I finally finished it and really love it. It took me a while to finish  - I cut it out and then stalled on it, due to my slowed down sewjo and also due to being distracted by clearing out my pattern stash (it had to be done!) And mistakes while sewing always make me put it aside for a bit, too. 

But the pattern is pretty easy if you don't make silly mistakes! I have been repeating patterns this summer as a way to get my sewjo going again. But after a couple of these easier projects, and a look through my entire pattern stash, I'm starting to feel like I want to sew more regularly again. I will still need to go through both my fabric stash and my current wardrobe to streamline those as well, and then I think I'll feel more on top of what to sew next. 

Do you ever feel stifled by just having too much and not knowing what to do next? I really want to be intentional about purchasing, making and wearing so that I don't get myself into these bouts of analysis paralysis! The good thing is that I absolutely love this fabric, and am so happy that I've made it up with a pattern I also know I love. 

Patch pockets on the front!

Weekend Review: The English Understand Wool

  

The English Understand Wool / Helen DeWitt
New York: New Directions, c2022.
69 p.

I kept seeing this novella mentioned by book bloggers and instagrammers so was delighted to find it in a library collection. I read it in one go; it's only 69 pages, but a pleasure from beginning to end. 

17 yr old Marguerite has been raised with strict standards. She lives in Marrakech, had music lessons, bridge lessons, knows clothing and is taught to avoid mauvais ton at all costs. She's also been taught to treat one's servants well, give them opportunities and pay well, and to give them the month of Ramadan as a paid month off. During which time she and Maman travel to England for wool tweed from the Outer Hebrides (to be made up in London), Ireland for linen, and Paris to their dressmaker. But this year, their Ramadan travels do not follow the usual routine. 

Maman disappears, and Marguerite is the centre of a press frenzy that leads to a publishing deal for her tell-all. But just as the English understand wool, Marguerite understands that she must take care of herself first. Her lessons from Maman serve her well. 

This story was clever, really funny, and full of digs at publishing culture and the super rich. "The English Understand Wool" is both the first and last line of the story, and this reliance on always getting the best required by the circumstances is a theme throughout. There is discussion of fabrics, fashion and dressmaking as well, and the Thai seamstress set up in Paris by Maman plays a key role - as Marguerite notes, men never think about a seamstress. This was an entertaining read, definitely recommended as a light, clever amusement.

Cover Designs! #37: Dear Mrs. Bird

 

Cover Designs is a feature in which I try to match up the outfit on a book cover with a dress pattern and sometimes even potential fabric matches as well.

Today's pick is Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce.

Summary from the Publisher

London 1940, bombs are falling. Emmy Lake is Doing Her Bit for the war effort, volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services. When Emmy sees an advertisement for a job at the London Evening Chronicle, her dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent seem suddenly achievable. But the job turns out to be typist to the fierce and renowned advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Emmy is disappointed, but gamely bucks up and buckles down.

Mrs Bird is very clear: Any letters containing Unpleasantness—must go straight in the bin. But when Emmy reads poignant letters from women who are lonely, may have Gone Too Far with the wrong men and found themselves in trouble, or who can’t bear to let their children be evacuated, she is unable to resist responding. As the German planes make their nightly raids, and London picks up the smoldering pieces each morning, Emmy secretly begins to write letters back to the women of all ages who have spilled out their troubles.

This retro inspired outfit could be put together fairly quickly - you could use the Astoria Sweater pattern by Seamwork to sew up a knit top; you'd just have to shorten the sleeve to get this look! It even has a nice ribbing at the bottom to copy this cover image really closely. 

The skirt is a crisp A-line and could be replicated with the Liesl & Co. Garibaldi Skirt, in the mid-length view. This is an easy sew and a great fit for big prints like the cover image, since there are no front or back seams to worry about! 

Finish up your look with a nice pair of pumps and some fun upcycled typewriter themed jewellery!  

Enjoy this charming story with its vintage flair and make yourself a bright vintage inspired outfit to wear while reading!