Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving With the Bantam

   

         The most recent thing I've made is the Bantam dress, which is a Merchant and Mills pattern. Its a shift dress with bias binding along the neck and arms and a slight racerback. Super simple and easy to follow; there aren't any darts or pleats. It is longer in the back by about 2 inches (intentional design of course). The only changes I had to make to my size 8 was the bust (it was gaping under the arms which means the pattern was probably made for a person with a larger bust) and I put the binding on the inside rather than topstitching it onto the front as suggested. I did get to wear this to Thanksgiving dinner. Since I live in MS, it is no surprise that the high was 60 degrees, and summer dresses can still be worn in late November. Once again I used a cotton that my grandmother gave to me, which has floral designs stitched over the already printed pattern.

The whole outfit.

     I think my next plan is going to be the Colette Crepe, again. That was my plan in the summer and we all see how that did not happen. If that doesn't happen I'll probably just post some commission work, whatever comes to me at the time. Or my brother's Henry costume. The jerkin is almost finished; I just have buttonholes and buttons to place. The Great Coat is another story, so it may be a while before it makes an appearance.

Happy (Late) Thanksgiving and Happy Sewing!

A Novel Idea: Some Phryne Inspired Sewing

When planning for the next post, I had thought that the Henry VIII costume would be the next topic, but I keep running into issues. It seems that velvet doesn't hold a gather very well when that seam has to hold the weight of decorative bits. It frays so easily and out pops the gathering threads, absolutely and completely. I got one sleeve onto the great coat before it completely unraveled, but alas, the second has been another story. However, the jerkin is finished and the doublet is fairly close.

Lately I have come up with a rather novel idea (you'll know how punny I am in about 2 seconds). Why not make a collection of garments inspired by fictional characters? First is a 1920s Phryne Fisher coat (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood), ideally made from a pink champagne-colored and sequined fabric, definitely lined with blush silk or something. However, that's expensive and my grandmother conveniently gave me some oriental looking fabric that definitely looks like it would have fit into the fascination of  Western fashion with the Orient-inspired styles in the 1920s. Definitely a gorgeous fabric.

The pattern I ended up using was part of the Merchant & Mills Workbook Link.

I ended up using the pattern called the Heron Top which is a wrap top. Very easy to follow. My only complaint is that the measurement for the longer tie is much too long, and if that's my only complaint, then it has to be pretty well done pattern. As far as my own mistakes go, the two front pleats are not even and the wrap shell keeps peeking up from under the collar in the back. Features I was really satisfied with: I now have a gently used Bernette for Bernina which has a properly working zig-zag stitch which means that I don't have a single raw edge on the inside. Also, this project gave me good practice with pivot points on the collared neckline of which I am sorely lacking. Lastly, I centered the medallions on the back. I usually forget to pay attention to things like that, but this time it was hard to ignore with such a vibrantly bold pattern.

I thought I would include the pivot points since I had not done them before. Above is marked and uncut. Below is after I cut into the point, so that I could attach the collar facing to the actual top.

The book's example.

Next on the current list of "Novel Idea" works would be an ensemble inspired by Mma Ramotswe  from The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. That one is still in a state of machination. After that would be a Jane Eyre inspired dress which would also fulfill my sewing dare from gilliancrafts.

Everyday Wear "Dress D"

So, you know that feeling you get when an idea of yours is about to come into fruition after some long hard work. Each component is inspected and placed with deliberation. Very satisfying. You also know that feeling you get when you remember that either you or the pattern did something stupid and you are now x to the infinite degree steps beyond that mistake. Well, my dress/I did that this time. There were ruffles and a strange pattern indication that led to my tucking of the neckline between the center front and ribbon bound ruffles as a solution to a gaping neckline.
I decided to use some fabric that my grandmother gave to me several years ago from a dusty storage bin sitting around her house. It is a particularly fragile and sheer cotton, most likely a consequence of the age and humid storage conditions. When I pressed and steamed it, I could smell the antiquity of the fabric. Hopefully, you are familiar with the smell of old fabric. I had such high hopes for this garment, and it did not yield what I expected. It was't that disastrous, just not what I wanted.
The dress in the book:

I decided to add ribbon; I thought the exposed seam was a little ugly with contrasting thread.

Something you can't see immediately in the pattern and picture she gives is that the front is a solid 3in shorter and the dress lengthens towards the back hem. I really liked this feature and that it is accented with the huge pleat.

The strange mess I am still not satisfied with. The collar could use some work. 

The huge pleat that I ironed the daylights out of. 

I also placed ribbon along the  collar-neckline seam to hide my pitiful topstitching...

I have found that I am taking more time in projects these days, and enjoying the process more, contemplating method and how to correct mistakes. It is so much more enjoyable than rushing through something and having quick satisfaction of instant gratification that may or may not have mistakes littered about it. The feeling of that just seemed more evident to me this time around.

In other news I have taken up a Sewing Dare from gilliancrafts. I plan to do it within a month, and I think I shall challenge myself to line it as well as add tulle to fill out the skirt of Crepe a bit since there is not a fastening to present itself as an...obstacle.

Yesterday afternoon I made a delightful trip to Joanne's to forage and purchase Renaissance fabric for my brother's Henry VIII costume. Astonishingly, they were purchased for something much less than what I had predicted. (This got me thinking about the quality of seams made possible by sergers. I have being pondering the purchase of a serger for a while, and I believe it may be happening within the month. Any suggestions would be welcome.) I also found some cobalt, gold, and crimson brocade with a dragon motif that my mother purchased as a thank you for making Will's madrigal costume and it will most likely be formed into a dress before the close of the summer. :)

If you haven't heard/seen this yet:

Happy Sewing!

Summer is Coming

On Good Friday I pulled out the light blue Robert Kauffman linen blend I got from Fabric.com and decided to make the wrap jacket-ish piece in the front of the Everyday wear book. However the sparkly idea of using linen completely blinded me to the fact that the light blue wrap that ties in the back might look, well, like a hospital gown. When I finished, I decided to let the hem of the sleeves out a bit. Still not right. So then I added lace to the sleeves. Better. It really didn't help that the original pattern tied in the back, so I cut one tie to about two-thirds the length it was and let the ties lie across the front of the garment before tying at the side. It gave it a little more shape than a hospital gown. I'm ok with it now, but jewelry and hair really make the difference when I wear this, I think. I'll say I'm going for a minimalist, feng-shui feel when I wear sandals with it, and minimalist chic with heels. Even after is has seen several wears and wardrobe combinations, I'm still ambivalent towards it.

On the up-side, it has pockets.

I really enjoyed working with linen again, especially since it did not involve pirate/Shakespearean shirts. The stiffness and weight made things so easy. The excess of unnecessary wrinkling made sure to balance that out, though :)

When my family came over for the Easter weekend we made a family trip to McKay's used bookstore. If there is something the Gatewood family loves collectively, its a used book store. Of course, they had a sewing section, which was dwarfed by a colossal amount of books on knitting. I found a book on lining things and one on drafting a party dress. "Whoa, there. Isn't that a little ambitious for your current level?" I thought. "Meh. I can dream. $3.50 is hardly something to argue about, anyway."

I have also graduated and have begun the Great Job Search. Although I have applied to several jobs, one is particular as a grant writer's proof reader and office assistant looks right up my alley. Application opens in early June, so I'll be spending this week brushing up on grant-writing and preparing a resume. It does feel a little weird to move back home to a considerably smaller town without those who I have become closest to over the last few years. Time to carve out a new space for myself. I will definitely have time to work on writing and sewing with a more committed attitude until I have saved enough for my Masters degree.

I have also begun to read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking and The Song of Fire and Ice series upon which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Both of these books are satisfying to read: I'm getting back into my old fantasy groove and reveling in my introversion in an extroverted society. Life is good. I have also decided to purge my room, so that it looks more like a bedroom than a storage unit. Until next time,
Happy Sewing!

Spring Break Sewing: More Patterns

After paying my last bill to my school, I decided to celebrate by buying a few patterns that I have had my eye on for a while. Two are from Colette Patterns (Crepe and Peony) and the book is Clothing for Everyday Wear - Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori (link in the side bar >>).
 I don't have enough fabric for the Colette patterns which I was hoping to crack open first. "What about schoolwork for your final semester?" you say. "New patterns," I say. Just kidding. I'm still working; senior project is growing and becoming more tangible, and in two and a half months I'll walk myself right across that stage. Patterns, almost-there-English degree. Indeed, a time for celebration (and hard work :) )
The patterns:












I've also got a picture to add of my brother in part of his mock up jerkin:

We'll definitely be making the skirt a little shorter.

I had some time a few weekends ago to make a dress out of the new everyday wear book (Dress X) and I am still not sure what I think of the outcome, especially since I've never really thought of cowl necks on summer dresses. Its different, but not bad, and still very comfortable. The fabric is awesome, one of my favorites to work with so far. I bought it over Christmas break in hopes of making some cigarette pants, but the idea of another dress seemed more appealing, especially after getting patterns in the mail. It's a little wrinkly because I wore it out last night, and the pictures are fuzzy because the camera on my phone is dying, but you can still see what's going on. I actually had to take the waist in, which I did not expect because most Asian patterns are too small for me. but the rest of it fit well, especially the length and placement of the dropped waist. It even has cutesy little pockets.

I also found out that to use or not to use quilting cotton for your own apparel was actually a debate. So, spurred by the idea of branching out in textile and tactile experience, I bought some linen and charmeuse for a few other projects in this same book, but this in no way discouraged my love of cotton, which is much more my price range than most apparel fabrics anyway. Expect a light wrap jacket in grey-blue linen and a Colette dress in charcoal charmeuse in the next few weeks.

Happy Sunday and Happy Sewing!