Vogue 9022 x 2

Another repeat pattern! November is 'Nother month I guess ;) I first made this Very Easy Vogue 9022 in 2014, and really loved it. But my mom came to visit and tried it on, and looked so great in it that I gave it to her. But I started to miss the dress so have remade it -- exactly the same dress, in the same colour & material -- a red ponte that is similar to the original, but a little heavier weight. 

And the biggest change was that I had to adjust the sizing just a little more to fit right! My pattern only goes up to Medium, so I had to grade out to about a large in the hips; I added just a smidge more this time around. I also added a touch of shaping to the back seam to add a 1/4" more width across the posterior. I think it worked out. I also shortened the sleeve as usual, since I prefer a 3/4 length -- that also helps to fit it on to your fabric since a long cut on sleeve like this can eat up the width of a fabric.

I liked it so much the first time that I've also repeated the styling this time around: I am wearing the same necklace (bought when I was in Kyiv in 2008) and the same pair of shoes.

One of the best features of this dress are the pockets. They're made by folding over the lower part of the side panel (cut in two pieces) and attaching it to the upper half to form a pocket with only a fold at the top. It gives a nice soft rounded edge to the pocket which I think works especially well in a ponte.

This pattern really is as easy as advertised, at least in a knit. Because it's a stretchy fabric, I left out the neckline back opening that is part of the pattern when using a woven (yes, it's one of those patterns that tells you that you can use a woven or a stable knit). I also removed the walking slit since the fabric is stretchy and ends just above the knee. 

When you do it this way it is pretty quick! Just make sure your pockets are basted down perfectly even before sewing in the centre panel. This dress is honestly like wearing secret pyjamas. It's like a work appropriate Slanket. I really love it, and can't wait another 5 years to make another version. I think a different colour and maybe even fabric would be great ;)

Do you have a favourite comfortable pattern that you repeat, or are planning to repeat? What do you like to wear on these colder days?

Burda in October Gold

I think this is the fastest turnaround I've ever had between receiving a Burda magazine and sewing something from that issue. This easy tee is #115 from the October issue of this year! I traced it off last week, simple since there are only 3 pieces, and sewed it up from a piece of lightweight knit in my stash that I wasn't sure what to do with.

I only bought the fabric because I thought the print was faintly Egyptian in tone - those leaf shapes or something about it caught my eye. But then I found it also matched a fabulous painting that's on show at my library right now ;)  (artist is Kevin Kemp)

I wasn't 100% sure that I'd like this top, since the front is much shorter than the back, and I don't often like to highlight that area of my body. But once I put it on I realized it was fine, and the shape is really a nice flow from front to back. I did add 1.5" to the length both back and front though.

And one of the best parts is that it is super swishy when you move! I think the fabric is perfect for this; it's light but not super stretchy, and has a solid hand despite the thinness of it.

The pattern itself was not hard to make. I traced off a 44 but should have made sure that the neckline was narrowed to about a 40 before cutting. I got a great piece of advice from a fellow Stratford Garment Guild member at our meeting last week, though -- add a neckband and it will both help stabilize the neckline a bit and add some bra strap coverage. Good thing I have a few bits of the fabric left to get a band from.

The cut is really fun, incorporating sections that jut out at the side bottom of the shirt. These pieces drape but you can see how much fabric is there when it's held out. That's the swing for you.

I can't stop swishing in this one! For a Burda pattern it was pretty easy. I am wearing the sleeves scrunched up at all times so might go back and shorten/narrow them a bit as well. The pattern instructed you to set in the sleeves, which I thought was a bit bonkers, so sewed them in flat and then sewed up the long side seams. If you also want to do that, just be careful at the angle where the sleeve joins the body - it's a tiny bit awkward but easier than setting in a stretchy sleeve.

I used a very narrow zigzag to stitch this one together, even the hems. I could have used a double needle for the finishing but didn't bother. With a bit of a gentle press, all the hems and the neckline lie smoothly anyhow.

Another fun Burda top to add to my files! I enjoyed wearing this.

Weekend Review: Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler

Some Girls, Some Hats & Hitler / Trudi Kanter
NY: Scribner, c2012
272 p.

This was an unusual read -- a memoir first published in 1984 in England, then rediscovered a decade or so ago and republished. It follows the life of Trudi Kanter, an Austrian milliner who used her business to escape Hitler's incursions into Austria (after many struggles). 

It has a different take on WWII; Trudi is very focused on her business and her relationship, not so much on politics or social action. This story is about her. She's a regular person trying to keep her head down and not get involved in everything that's going on, rather, she wants to keep her life the way it is and continue her sewing and hatmaking without any disturbance. 

Unfortunately for her, being in the midst of Germany's invasion and being a Jewish woman, that doesn't happen. 

The story is full of incidents told clearly and plainly -- how she talks her way into a buying trip outside of Austria even when travel is restricted, how clients in England assist their escape, and how her parents stay in Austria thinking it can't possibly get worse (they do eventually get out). She describes her workroom and the women in it, and the way that some of them remain loyal to Trudi despite everything, and some not so much. The discussion of her business and the day to day work, and her own clothing as well as her husband's outfits, is of course of great interest too. 

I've seen some readers mention that they felt this was too 'lightweight' to be a proper WWII memoir, but I think that might be a bias against fashion as a serious topic coming through. Trudi does not hide the difficulties they faced, but she does use her connections and her own chutzpah to get them out of the country before they face any deportations or camps -- so that there is no element of that level of suffering here. That doesn't make her story any less compelling. 

The style is also very good. It moves along quickly, it has an intimate tone that draws you in, and her observational skills are finely honed. People leap to life in her words. The final chapter or so, describing their postwar life in England as businesspeople and refugees, is not quite as intense or complex, but hearing about how Trudi got them back on track after being displaced makes you admire this tough woman who could take care of herself. 

I thought it was a good read, another viewpoint via a personal account of those years from someone outside of Germany but still caught up in the growing disaster. If you're interested in millinery, women in business, the Austrian experience of German invasion, or a look at people with all their flaws showing, this will interest you.

Literary Sewing Circle: a roundup of projects

I so enjoyed this round of the Literary Sewing Circle! There was lots of good book talk, here on the blog and even some on Instagram and Pattern Review. I know there were many people reading who just didn't quite get a project done, so if you're one of them and you finish your project sometime, pop a link in the comments!

Today I wanted to share the projects that were made by deadline. There were a nice variety of inspirations used and some gorgeous fabrics too!

First let's look at the project that won the random prize draw: this beautiful top by Sara in Australia. She used a Japanese pattern book and some gorgeous fabric.

Then there was Lori from Frivolous at Last, with this great Japanese print Rachel Top from Jalie, inspired by Nao's anxious fish flops in her stomach.

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I made a thing! It's been a long sewing dry spell, but I cracked it with this @jalie_patterns Rachel top. What a fantastic pattern! Quick sew, amazing results. This is also my make for the #LiterarySewingCircle hosted by @sewmelwyk of Following the Thread. We read A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, which was a great read, and those koi fish represent the slippery fish the main character feels flopping in her belly when she's feeling anxious. You can read more about it on my blog (link in bio). #sewing #Jalielife #JalieRachel #handmadewardrobe #thanksimadeit #ilovesewing #reading #sewthebook [Image: Lori stands with hand on hips wearing a teal blue top with red-pink chrysanthemums and koi fish on the fabric and a sewn-in sash at the waist. She is looking to the side and smiling.]

A post shared by Lori Bee (@frivolousatlast) on Nov 5, 2019 at 3:22pm PST

And Sarah took her inspiration from Jiko's powerful character, and made some red pants representing the New Woman of Jiko's youth.

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It doesn’t get much better than reading AND sewing! This year @sewmelwyk selected “A Tale for the Time Being” for the #literarysewingcircle. My entry is these bright red pants which were inspired by Jiko, Nao’s Buddhist grandmother, who describes herself as having been a New Woman. New Women embraced modernization and rejected restrictive gender roles. One way this was shown was by scandalous pants wearing! One popular style was the beach pajama which I attempted to recreate using the @truebias #emersoncroppants as a base. Fabric is a vintage wool (I think) from a giant estate sale haul. As usual, making pants was a pain, but as I was making them I was channeling my inner Jiko “perfection, imperfection, same thing”, “love pants, hate pants, same thing”. Thanks for organizing,Melanie! I really enjoyed taking part! #sewingandreading #imakemyclothes #sewcialists #handmadewardrobe #memade #pantssewing #sewfancypants #sustainablesewing #sustainablefashion #literaryinspiration #sewtogether #sewfrugal #greensborosews #ncsews

A post shared by Sarah (@a.little.quiet) on Nov 11, 2019 at 9:26am PST

Dale made a glorious skirt from digitally printed fabric, inspired by Ruth and Oliver's trip to the mainland on the ferry.

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My #literarysewingcircle project is inspired by Ruth’s trip to ‘The Liver’ with her husband. Flying into Vancouver Island a few years ago in a smaller plane gave me an opportunity to see all the little coves, boats, and sailboats along the coast. This is an incredibly simple skirt made from a lovely digital print. It is terribly out of season now (hello, Winnipeg) but I’m looking forward to wearing it in the spring. #ataleforthetimebeing

A post shared by Squirrel Sox Sews (@squirrelsoxsews) on Nov 12, 2019 at 5:48pm PST

And finally, I made my Sushi Cat Terrace Dress by Liesl & Co, inspired by the lovely cats in this book, and then squeezed in a Chrysanthemum print lace top as well, which evoked the Japanese feel and kind of reminded me of elements of the cover, too.

Look for next year's first Literary Sewing Circle round sometime in late January/early February. See you then!

Black Floral Butterick 6450

This dress was on my list of plans for November, and I am delighted that I managed to finish it! I love this black floral rayon twill that I picked up recently. It's fairly lightweight but I thought that with some tights and a sweater I might be able to wear it past fall into winter as well -- since we've had winter appear already quite decidedly. 

I have been going through my fabric and pattern stashes lately trying to match up possibilities. I have far too much fabric right now so am trying to make as much of it up into useful garments as possible! This one jumped out at me as a great match so I went with it. 

This is rated as an easy pattern, and it is. There are no bodice darts -- rather, it's gathered at centre front neckline and at the waistline as well. There are simple shapes and pieces, though the neck binding could be a little fiddly if you've never done it before. 

Neckline gathering is a little lost in this print but it's a great feature!

The waist seam is elasticated, although there is also a zipper in the back. There needs to be to get this over your head, since the neckline is quite high and fitted. And the skirt is cut in four pieces, with a centre front and back seam, so hanging it to let the bias relax before hemming is a must. 

The flaw in this pattern is definitely that there are no pockets included. It's a full enough skirt to put some pockets in without concern, so I used my basic pocket pattern and added side seam pockets. I usually make the opening about 4" below the waist but you can measure and see where you prefer your pockets to sit, and then just stitch them in at that level.

I made View B, the blue version. The photo image doesn't do this pattern any favours -- it fits the model poorly and somehow looks baggy and too tight at the same time. I'm not sure how this pattern could be easily adjusted for a larger than B cup; I don't have to make FBAs so don't quite know how you'd do it in a gathered bodice like this one. Maybe that would fix the fit issue with this model. 

In any case, I shortened the bodice by an inch, and also shortened the sleeve by and inch & a half. I think I could have left that extra half inch in the sleeve, as I didn't account for the blousing. But I like the look and think it's a cute dress. I probably would have added an inch to the length if I'd had enough fabric, but as it is I used up most of my yardage with this dress. 

I like the wintery colours of this dress -- somehow it looks quite holidayish :) Though the fabric is lighter weight than fully winterized, accessories will help out there. And it's so soft and swishy to wear! I really do like the easy process behind this cute design. And I really liked the details of the gathered neckline and the adorable shape of this sleeve.

This one is both cute and comfy, and I adore the fabric. One nice note about it is that is a rayon twill, manufacturer name of "Lana". Since that is my sister's name, I feel even cozier wearing this and thinking of her :) So glad I had time to work on this dress this week and wear it on a day that is milder than the last few!

Weekend Review: Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book

Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book / Gretchen Hirsch
NY: Abrams, c2016.
236 p.

Another mix-n-match sewing book! These were really popular a few years ago -- all the titles I've reviewed this month are a couple of years old and seemed to appear around the same time.

This one is by Gretchen Hirsch and falls thoroughly into her aesthetic of vintage fashion. It's all dresses (right up my alley) and the mix and match aspect comes from the way that all 23 dresses are designed to work together. She explains that the shapes and the ease of the patterns are all drafted to be able to switch bits around and still have the patterns work together. Honestly, in this book, I like so many of the designs that I imagine switching things around would mean I would take forever over these patterns! 

The back cover provides a good overview of a strapless evening style, a pink fitted day dress, and a casual fit and flare day dress. This shows the range of the styles in this book.

There are a lot of variations in the book, and if you're into the more fitted vintage looks you'll do well. This peplum dress with the large neck bow is quite charming -- I can see this being suitable for work, depending on where you work, or broken into two pieces and the top worn more casually.

This dress, on the other hand, just screams day in the sun. Can you see this one on a picnic, or a vintage-inspired stroll through cafés and shops?

Honestly, though, these two are among my favourites in the book. The plaid one because I just love the fabric and the print matching! And that cute collar. I do like a bottom-of-the-knee hem as well.

And this one because I love the colour, the shape, the neckline, the little bow at the neckline -- well, just everything about it. If I only trace one pattern from this book, this is the one for me. 

It's a very visually inspiring book, as you might have noticed thus far. But it's also pretty full of useful info. The interior pages have charming illustrations, like in Gertie's other books, and there is a lot of really helpful detail given on vintage construction techniques, fabric choices, and so forth in the first half of the book. Honestly, for a newer sewist interested in vintage styles, just this part would be worth buying the book for, even without the great patterns that follow. 

The sizing runs from 2 -16, or 32" to 46" bust and 36" to 50" hip. There are four pattern sheets in the back with all the elements to put together to make the various styles.

Now, I haven't yet made a dress from the book, but have heard that there were some issues with the sizing of the patterns, so do be careful to measure the flat pattern before you start anything. I'll report back when I get one made. But as an engaging book full of 23 different dresses to look at and imagine making, I enjoy this one! 

Dresses are really my wheelhouse so I have a fondness for all three of the dress pattern books I've shared this month. Do you have a favourite? Is there another title that I just must find? Share any tips! 

A Floral Top for the Literary Sewing Circle

Today is the last day for posting your project in this round of the Literary Sewing Circle! I finished one more item that I'm including as a sewalong project, since the print reminds me so much of Japanese florals.

I'm repeating another pattern, the Burda Swing Top (115-11-18) that I recently tested out in a stretchy black polka dot knit. I really liked the outcome of my first test so remade it in this stretch lace. Of course, because it's a lace I also had to make a shell to go under it (the Sorbetto) in an appropriately rust-toned stash fabric.

I adjusted the pattern for this top slightly from my first attempt. I moved the shoulder gathers out toward the shoulder seam by about 1/2" on each side, as I found them too close to the neckline in the original version. I added 3" to the length of the pattern when I traced it, but this time I wanted it a tiny bit shorter so didn't add any hem allowance when I cut it out. But I didn't account for the weight of the original black knit as opposed to the lightweight nature of this lace, so it is a bit shorter even than I had planned -- this lace does not pull down on itself at all. It's still a good length, but the difference in fabric is something you might want to keep in mind if you try this out yourself.

I'm wearing it with a bright skirt (Vogue 1247) which I also made for this outfit, from the remnants of an earlier Burda dress. I thought this skirt would pick up the blue/green tones in the floral print of the top.

I also had the perfect thrifted necklace to go with this outfit. Love when that happens - not only is the colour right but the beads are very smooth and won't snag this lace!

This was a pretty simple project, since I'd just made a tester version. There weren't many changes to this pattern other than small adjustments to suit my preferences. With the slightly lesser stretch to this lace though, I could have made the lower sleeve just a smidge larger. But I do love how the motifs did match up at the cuff ends!

This is an unusual outfit for me, made up of three items that are all repeats of patterns I've made before. I don't repeat many patterns, mainly because I have a huge pattern stash and just want to try them all -- but when something works, it's worth making again. I'm going to try to get more use from my patterns by reusing the ones I really like, and this is a good start.

I hope you will be sharing a Literary Sewing Circle project this time, but if not -- you are still welcome to go back and read all the posts and comment on them if you decide to read our title in future. I've enjoyed my two projects this time, and look forward to the next round of the Literary Sewing Circle that will begin in early 2020.

Repeating Patterns: A Skirt & A Sorbetto

Over the last week I've been working on an outfit consisting of multiple patterns I've made before. My recent Burda Swing Top (#115 11/18) was so much fun to make that I wanted to repeat it in the fancier fabric I had in mind for it all along -- but in order to do that, I'd have to make a couple of pieces that would match the fabric, both in colour and style.

I wanted a straight skirt and a shell to wear under the top, since the fancy fabric for that is a lace.

I went with the infamous Rachel Comey Vogue 1247, which I have made once before. This time I also used leftover fabric from my recently made Burda 6381. This boucle-like fabric is so pretty I wanted to use it up -- and it did use every last bit of it to cut out this skirt. Of course, I did add 6 inches to the length of the skirt as it is notoriously mini!

I had to adjust the sizing somewhat; since I still have my first one I was able to assess it to see how to adapt the fit. I cut it at 18 (the largest size in my pattern) and added about 1/4" at each side by the yoke seams to give myself more hip room. I also shortened the darts by 1/2" each. It's all done except for the skirt hook & eye as I couldn't find the one I thought I had ready for it -- I'm just going to unpick one from an old skirt I haven't worn and reuse it.

I decided to line it, as this fabric really needs a lining. I cut an interior shell with no horizontal seams by overlaying the pattern pieces, and instead of darts, sewed tucks into the lining. Then I basted the lining to the top of the skirt before sewing on the waistband. I also used the lining material for the extra pocket piece to reduce the bulk of the pockets.

My dress form is a little thinner than I am, since I haven't padded her up yet, but even though the skirt looks loose on her, it is a perfect fit for me! I am really happy with it.

Now on to the top -- it's my old stalwart, the Sorbetto by Colette Patterns. I needed a sleeveless shell for this purpose so this is the first sleeveless make in all my Sorbetto variations.

I had the perfect shiny poly in my stash that I'd planned on using for the back of a waistcoat which never got made -- so grabbed it for this. There was *just* enough to fit a sleeveless Sorbetto in. I used French seams to reduce fraying and instead of sewing down the box pleat I sewed an inverted pleat down about 2.5" from the neckline.

The released box pleat on the inside looks so nice I might use that option on the outside of the next Sorbetto I make!

While I won't wear these two alone like this as an outfit (I don't wear sleeveless tops like this usually) I will wear them with the top they are made to support. Which should be shared here soon!

I can wear a lot in my wardrobe with this skirt. I also think I could wear this shiny Sorbetto under a cardigan or blazer in future. I enjoyed trying new versions of these patterns I've made before -- the fit on both of them is much better than previous iterations.  Having these standards in the stash means that when I want a particular shape I can rely on these kinds of patterns. And I got to use up more stash fabric! A win all around.