10% off Beautiful Summer Fabrics

Over the next 2 weeks I'll be posting more tutorials, pictures and pattern notes for our current sew-along. As we're close to finishing this sew-along I thought I'd post an update on future sew-alongs.
During June and July we'll be covering Vogue 1044. I can't wait: they'll be pintucks; horsehair braid and pretty summer fabrics.  



 

My fabric for next month's pattern is this gorgeous floral print from Sew Scrumptious' basics range: tiny pink flowers with little blue butterflies and love hearts on a cream background. I wanted a print that wasn't too busy as I didn't want the pattern to detract from the pintucks. A very pretty fabric which is reasonably priced at only £6 per metre; price was important as this vintage dress requires a large amount of fabric. It's 100% cotton with a width of 112cm/44 inches.

 

Sew Scrumptious are well worth a visit for 2 reasons: firstly, they have an array of really beautiful prints that are perfect for summer dresses; secondly if you're one of our readers you can get 10% off all fabrics just by typing 'GRACE' at the checkout! Click on the badge below to save 10% on all your summer fabrics.

 

I've a bit more sew-along news regarding our August pattern: Vogue 8804. The bad news is I've had to change the date when I'll be covering this pattern: insted of starting in August we won't start this sew-along until November. However the reason for this is such amazingly good news I hope you won't mind. The wonderful Claire Shaeffer, who designed this fabulous pattern, is publishing her accompanying book 'The Couture Cardigan Jacket' on the 15th of October! I'm sure you'll agree this is well worth waiting for. 

  

Vogue 8804     

 

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Dressmaker's Buttonholes Tutorial

Beautiful buttonholes can make a garment; with the right preparation and patience they really can be perfect. 



Despite the absence of a post last week I have been making progress on our sew-along: I'm just behind on my updates! This vintage tutorial is to accompany our sew-along and relates to pattern instructions 8 and 14.

Tester

No matter how many buttonholes you've made always make a test on the fabric you're using; the tester needs to accurately represent the actual buttonhole so ensure it's the same thickness (usually double) and includes interfacing if applicable. You can clearly see the difference in quality between my tester and the buttonhole below.  

 

Final Buttonhole

 



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What's a girl to watch whilst sewing?

No More Patrick

The obvious answer is 'The Great British Sewing Bee' but it's finished. There is of course the irresistible 'Mad Men' which has inspired many a seamstress. High on my list of sewing companions is Miss Marple. Whilst the irrepressible Marple is no style icon she is frequently surrounded by village ladies who are beautifully turned out. If you like vintage dressmaking you'll find lots of inspiration from the cast of:

The Vicar's Wife

Distraught Nanny

Brother and sister: village newcomers

 

The nanny: we all dress like this to pop to the shop.

Awkward teenager turned debutant

The nanny in vintage glamour pose

The wife or the nanny?

 

Afternoon tea

Shooting chic

There's also a plot but I'd watch it for the dresses and sets alone.



As it's the end of the month it is time to reveal our pattern and CD book winners:
Pattern winners: Jane Christy and Elicia Holden
Congratulations ladies, if you could email me your address, along with your choice of pattern and size, I'll get your prize out to you.

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Perfect seams: sew-along update

              

Sewing perfect seams is essential to dressmaking and there are lots of seams to sew at this stage of our sew-along. There are short cuts but the process outlined below will guarantee you a perfect finish every time.



Pattern instruction 1: I prefer not to interface right to the edge as this helps to reduce bulk at the seams. Although we will trim seams, the top seam (interfaced) is usually left larger than the others.



Pattern Instruction 2: If you have a tried and tested way of stitching and pressing darts it's best to stick to what you know. However if you're new to darts or find you're not getting a smooth dart why not try this 1950's advice:

Pattern instructions 3-8: proceed as directed.

Pattern instruction 9: I would not secure the pockets until you have completed pattern instruction 12. Even with accurate pattern markings, it is difficult to ensure that the pockets will be perfectly aligned until you can see how the dress hangs on your figure. It may even be necessary to alter the side seams at this fitting stage, and that could impact on the position of the pockets. After completing pattern instruction 12 you can baste the pockets in place, try on the garment and check that the pockets are balanced on your body before machine stitching them on.

Pattern instruction 10-12: proceed as directed.

 

 

Once you have completed your bodice the pattern advises staystitching the neckline; you also need to staystitch the armholes to avoid seamlines stretching.

 

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Perfect Pattern Choices

These vintage dresses look great in the pattern catalogue but will they flatter my figure?

 

What do you do when the new season's patterns come out? I used to eagerly flick through the pictures and pick a few that I thought looked good. Over the years I realised that I was probably approaching the whole process the wrong way round. Rather than responding to what was on offer I began to start the process by thinking what works on my body shape. With the availability of patterns online, both new and vintage, we are spoilt for choice: we can have whatever suits our figure and the garment's intended use. With this in mind, when I use comical patterns I decide what I want and then set about finding it. Rather like the weekly grocery shopping: we all know the pitfalls of going to the supermarket without a list.
I'm sure you're familiar with the 4 basic body shapes, and there are lots of 'rules' about what you should and shouldn't wear depending on your shape, whatever your size balancing proportion is the ultimate goal when selecting a becoming pattern.

Consider the 4 basic body shapes and then the 4 basic dress designs, how can each one be adapted to suit each shape? Which of the chemise designs would be best for your shape? If the answer's none! sketch out a chemise that would work for you.



Although you will find that one of the 4 basic dress designs suits your body shape most readily, all of the 4 design types can be adapted to suit all of the four body shapes. Below is the basic princess style adapted for all four body shapes. The adaptations are so effective it is not easy to spot which is the hourglass figure (it's not the lady second from the left).

When considering body shape do remember that you need to consider how the profile and back will work, not just the front view.

In identifying what your ideal pattern types would be it's also worth undertaking some of the following:

• rummage through your old photo albums, what outfits have looked good on you?
• go to a huge department store and try lots of different shapes on, even things you wouldn't normally: sometimes we form and hold opinions about what suits us that might need rethinking. When you go take a notebook and camera: in the changing room you can photograph yourself wearing the garments and make notes about fabric composition and the placement of darts. Once you're back at home analyse what elements are becoming: basic silhouette, colour, collar/ neckline, hem/ sleeve length;
• do you have any garments in your wardrobe now that generate complements; look for patterns that are similar to this. If the garment is old you can simply unpick it and use it to create your own pattern.
• Sketch lots of different silhouettes onto a croquis of your figure to see which shapes help to create a balanced proportion.

In reality the back of pattern envelopes will give you a much clearer idea of how the pattern will work for you; the colours, fabrics, model, lighting and editing of the photo draw us away from the information we really need to know: what are the garment's lines?



Once you've considered some of the above you're certain to find perfect patterns for you.

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Vintage Design Inspiration

I thought I'd share some dresses that have been inspiring me recently. I am in the process of designing my 'perfect' summer dress pattern, with this in mind I have been scouring my old source books and been reminded of how fabulous Jerry Gilden dresses were; although some of the credit must go to Sayde Weinberg who was responsible for designing many of the most popular pieces.

 

I have finished the final illustrations and am now drafting and redrafting. Once the pattern is finished it will be freely available to anyone who would like to put it to the test!



Vintage Dressmaking Tutorial Series: Marking

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This week's vintage tutorial is on marking your fabric and comes from Clothing Construction by Evelyn Mansfield. Clothing Construction is a book I refer to again and again; it is 445 pages of vintage know how with plenty of photographs illustrating the techniques covered. Having referred to, and applied, much of the advice given I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Those of you who are part of our sew-along may find this vintage tutorial useful as we are at the marking stage. Despite my foray with tailor's chalk I have returned to thread tracing for marking the main fabric of our current sew-along but I will certainly use tailor's chalk to mark the lining. This tutorial obviously assumes the use of vintage patterns which did not generally have seam allowances included in the pattern. Clearly, before marking seams we need to cut the seam allowances from the pattern we're using (1.5cm, with a 5cm hem). I wish modern patterns didn't have seam allowances included, I simply can't see the benefit.
As you will see from the tutorial below, stay stitching is vital. On our current pattern I have stayed all curved edges and all pieces cut on the bias; the book advises doing this after marking but I always like to stay stitch before marking: I have a cautious nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are having trouble finding information on a particular dressmaking technique why not put this book to the test: email me in the question and hopefully the answer will be in the pages of this book.