The reason your dress made with a vintage pattern doesn't fit right is probably one of two things:
1. You neglected to add shoulder pads or do the necessary alterations to eliminate the need for them.
2. You are not wearing the proper foundation garments that women in the 50s would have worn under such dresses.
Keeping those things in mind, you should probably make a muslin (using the wonderful techniques described in Susan Khalje's Bridal Couture, which is a book everyone should own) and expect to do some altering. Also, sizing is different in vintage patterns. You may be a 10 in stores, a 14 in modern patterns, and an 18 in vintage. Deal with it and always always go by your measurements instead of what size you THINK you are. I promise it's better this way, even if you end up taking something in. It's always easier to take in than to let out. :)
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Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Inspiration!
Grosgrain is doing a guest giveaway, and I have to say that I really like this jewelry aesthetic. I only hope that whatever I end up doing will be as charming and creative as The Brass Hussy.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Sequins!
I have a party to go to in December, not four weeks away. Because it is, as I like to call it, the Final Gasping Death Rattle Party of Doom for this particular group, I feel the need to wear something FABULOUS. My association with this group began, really, with a photograph of me in a red velvet strapless dress. Now. Lest we get all annoyed at me, keep in mind that it's the only time I've ever worn it and a friend was practicing her photography and wanted to take a picture of me in it. Besides, it doesn't even fit me anymore...sadly. And even if it did, I would feel terribly inappropriate wearing it to this party, ESPECIALLY after having made such a point of keep myself covered at every party.
So. Yes. I want to wear something red and fabulous and sparkly to this party. I want to look awesome in pictures. I want to not look like a drag queen. I want to get my hair done and wear pretty makeup and rhinestone earrings and silver (or blue!) heels. I might even want to impress a date, should the opportunity arise.
I have a couple of patterns that will work for what I want (McCall's 3944 view B, OOP Simplicity 9213 view B with sleeves, or McCall's 2681 view A with a shiny top) but I'm having the WORST time finding fabric! If I find something that is perfect, it's also $200 a yard or comes from Thailand and will take three weeks just to ship. I don't want to use the glitter-dot sequins at the fabric stores even though I will as a last resort. I've been trawling eBay and Amazon to find something workable that won't break me and I've had a small amount of luck but not much. The most I'm willing to pay at this point is $20 a yard, and I LONG to live near Mood so this wasn't so much of a struggle! I can't even find the special order book at JoAnn--I think they've hidden it or discontinued everything but the Casa matchy-matchy fabrics. blar.
Perhaps on my lunch break I'll have some luck. And, if all else fails, I'll just use the cheesy American Knit glitter-dot stuff and hope it doesn't look too cheap. I'd really like to have an evening gown that isn't costumy for those (very few) Occasions I can see myself attending in the future.
Ideas? Throw 'em at me!
So. Yes. I want to wear something red and fabulous and sparkly to this party. I want to look awesome in pictures. I want to not look like a drag queen. I want to get my hair done and wear pretty makeup and rhinestone earrings and silver (or blue!) heels. I might even want to impress a date, should the opportunity arise.
I have a couple of patterns that will work for what I want (McCall's 3944 view B, OOP Simplicity 9213 view B with sleeves, or McCall's 2681 view A with a shiny top) but I'm having the WORST time finding fabric! If I find something that is perfect, it's also $200 a yard or comes from Thailand and will take three weeks just to ship. I don't want to use the glitter-dot sequins at the fabric stores even though I will as a last resort. I've been trawling eBay and Amazon to find something workable that won't break me and I've had a small amount of luck but not much. The most I'm willing to pay at this point is $20 a yard, and I LONG to live near Mood so this wasn't so much of a struggle! I can't even find the special order book at JoAnn--I think they've hidden it or discontinued everything but the Casa matchy-matchy fabrics. blar.
Perhaps on my lunch break I'll have some luck. And, if all else fails, I'll just use the cheesy American Knit glitter-dot stuff and hope it doesn't look too cheap. I'd really like to have an evening gown that isn't costumy for those (very few) Occasions I can see myself attending in the future.
Ideas? Throw 'em at me!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Update:
It's not that I haven't been busy, it's that I've been busy with other things. Also, I often forget to take pictures of what I'm doing so that the two people who read this have a reference point.
I have a few projects in progress right now--well, more than a few, but just a few that I'm close to finishing.
I'm crocheting afghans for my niece and nephew with yarn they picked out all by themselves. It's been interesting; I've taken to calling The Lad's afghan the "Amazing Technicolor Afghan" because there are, I kid you not, 7 different colors that don't necessarily match. He chose them, though, and my sister and I figured out a way to make it work with stripes. I got done and realized that it wasn't as wide as I wanted it, so I went back to the store and picked out two more colors of yarn. I hope he likes it. Charlotte chose a really lovely pink-cream-brown variegated yarn which I'll do in wavy stripes, or "tripes", as she calls them. She loves tripes. I hope to have those done by Thanksgiving so I can ship them to the kids. When Baddest Baby in the Land is a little older, I'll have her choose yarn as well.
I did the finish work on a Megara costume for my friend's daughter. It took me a couple of hours to figure out how to make the hip sash stand out like it does in the cartoon, and I think I swore in my head a couple of times, but it turned out pretty cute. I even used Sculpey for the funky swirly buttons--I just made half-inch thick snakes that were about 3 inches long and rolled them in a spiral like a cinnamon roll. Poked a couple of holes with a darning needle to make them into buttons, baked them, painted them gold (with one of my three different bottles of gold acrylic paint), and sewed them on this morning between 6 and 6:30. No, I don't normally get up that early and sew, but I think it's good for me and I am thinking about making it a habit. If I can sneak in half an hour in the sewing room every morning, I'll get a LOT done.
I'm making a costume for my friend Anna. Last night, I was able to serge the skirts for both the underskirt and the dress (too lazy to do real seams) and get the rest of it cut out. Tonight, after my callback audition, I'll do the boning, throw the bodice together, and figure out the half-elastic/half-waistband finish for the underskirt. If I'm really lucky (and don't keep breaking serger threads like I did this morning), I should have the basic thing banged together before 11 tonight and completely done for delivery around 8:30 or 9 tomorrow night.
I finished piecing (in less than 30 seconds) the miniature quilt I started when I was 17 or 18 and all I have to do now is find some thin batting, a sturdy embroidery hoop, and quilt the darn thing.
I purchased this lovely thing because I only have four crochet hooks, but many knitting needles "inherited"--acquired because my mom had them but I'm the only one in our family who actually knits--from my grandmother. I hope to start doing more crochet because it's pretty easy for me and I like yarn. More knitting too. I had wanted to knit a sweater by the end of the year, but the only way that will happen now is if it's a baby or doll sweater. ha ha.
I found the perfect pattern to use up some of my fancy scraps that have been sitting in a box forever (the birds and ornaments) and plan to put some together and use up some fiberfill that's just been hanging around in the sewing room.
There are also a couple of dresses I started over the summer that NEED to be finished soon. They're both within a couple of hours of total completion, and then I need to make three long skirts for winter, not to mention the numerous knee- to mid-calf-length skirts I have fabric for.
Wish me luck...
I have a few projects in progress right now--well, more than a few, but just a few that I'm close to finishing.
I'm crocheting afghans for my niece and nephew with yarn they picked out all by themselves. It's been interesting; I've taken to calling The Lad's afghan the "Amazing Technicolor Afghan" because there are, I kid you not, 7 different colors that don't necessarily match. He chose them, though, and my sister and I figured out a way to make it work with stripes. I got done and realized that it wasn't as wide as I wanted it, so I went back to the store and picked out two more colors of yarn. I hope he likes it. Charlotte chose a really lovely pink-cream-brown variegated yarn which I'll do in wavy stripes, or "tripes", as she calls them. She loves tripes. I hope to have those done by Thanksgiving so I can ship them to the kids. When Baddest Baby in the Land is a little older, I'll have her choose yarn as well.
I did the finish work on a Megara costume for my friend's daughter. It took me a couple of hours to figure out how to make the hip sash stand out like it does in the cartoon, and I think I swore in my head a couple of times, but it turned out pretty cute. I even used Sculpey for the funky swirly buttons--I just made half-inch thick snakes that were about 3 inches long and rolled them in a spiral like a cinnamon roll. Poked a couple of holes with a darning needle to make them into buttons, baked them, painted them gold (with one of my three different bottles of gold acrylic paint), and sewed them on this morning between 6 and 6:30. No, I don't normally get up that early and sew, but I think it's good for me and I am thinking about making it a habit. If I can sneak in half an hour in the sewing room every morning, I'll get a LOT done.
I'm making a costume for my friend Anna. Last night, I was able to serge the skirts for both the underskirt and the dress (too lazy to do real seams) and get the rest of it cut out. Tonight, after my callback audition, I'll do the boning, throw the bodice together, and figure out the half-elastic/half-waistband finish for the underskirt. If I'm really lucky (and don't keep breaking serger threads like I did this morning), I should have the basic thing banged together before 11 tonight and completely done for delivery around 8:30 or 9 tomorrow night.
I finished piecing (in less than 30 seconds) the miniature quilt I started when I was 17 or 18 and all I have to do now is find some thin batting, a sturdy embroidery hoop, and quilt the darn thing.
I purchased this lovely thing because I only have four crochet hooks, but many knitting needles "inherited"--acquired because my mom had them but I'm the only one in our family who actually knits--from my grandmother. I hope to start doing more crochet because it's pretty easy for me and I like yarn. More knitting too. I had wanted to knit a sweater by the end of the year, but the only way that will happen now is if it's a baby or doll sweater. ha ha.
I found the perfect pattern to use up some of my fancy scraps that have been sitting in a box forever (the birds and ornaments) and plan to put some together and use up some fiberfill that's just been hanging around in the sewing room.
There are also a couple of dresses I started over the summer that NEED to be finished soon. They're both within a couple of hours of total completion, and then I need to make three long skirts for winter, not to mention the numerous knee- to mid-calf-length skirts I have fabric for.
Wish me luck...
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
No Taos for me, but a stroke of genius:
Short story: They had to cancel the spinning workshop because of lack of interest. I guess my interest wasn't enough to make it happen. :) I'm fine with it.
Stroke of Genius That's Probably Been Thought Of: What about fleece insoles? How easy would those be to make? They'd make my Danskos extra comfy and warm...and they could be something I'd never wear on my body, like pink camouflage...
Stroke of Genius That's Probably Been Thought Of: What about fleece insoles? How easy would those be to make? They'd make my Danskos extra comfy and warm...and they could be something I'd never wear on my body, like pink camouflage...
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Back to Taos!
I'm going back this year for the Taos Wool Festival, even though (due to previous engagements) I'll miss the Festival itself. I'm ok with that, because I discovered the Great Basin Fiber Arts Fair not too far from me. I'll go to that with my sister to get my vendor/color/touching everything fix and take a one and a half day spinning workshop (cleverly titled "Yes, You Can Spin!" so as to give confidence to someone who kind of spun once on a drop spindle, and very badly) in Taos.
I'm really really excited. I've always been secretly fascinated by spinning wheels and wanted to know how they worked, and now I feel this drive toward learning everything I can about textiles and fibers and how it all goes together. There is a very real chance that a spinning wheel is in my not-so-distant future...especially if this keeps feeling like learning to felt last year: familiar. Unnervingly familiar. I remember fulling my felt, my arms and shoulders and back starting to ache, and suddenly realizing that it didn't feel like something I was doing for the first time; it felt like something I'd somehow always known but forgotten. If I show an aptitude for spinning, I have to Do Something with it somehow.
A smaller excitement is staying here and driving through that beautiful country.
I'm really really excited. I've always been secretly fascinated by spinning wheels and wanted to know how they worked, and now I feel this drive toward learning everything I can about textiles and fibers and how it all goes together. There is a very real chance that a spinning wheel is in my not-so-distant future...especially if this keeps feeling like learning to felt last year: familiar. Unnervingly familiar. I remember fulling my felt, my arms and shoulders and back starting to ache, and suddenly realizing that it didn't feel like something I was doing for the first time; it felt like something I'd somehow always known but forgotten. If I show an aptitude for spinning, I have to Do Something with it somehow.
A smaller excitement is staying here and driving through that beautiful country.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Finished!
I finished and delivered the dress on Thursday night (August 13).
I ended up doing a bagged lining, which is tricky and, quite honestly, hard to explain (I'll try later, if only to have it make sense to me), but I did it Wednesday night and it turned out beautifully. I almost cried. Except that I realized on Thursday that the lining was sagging after I'd hand-sewn the lining to the zipper. I had to make an 8" slit in the back seam, pull the hem of the dress through, unpick it all, and then cut the lining shorter by about 1/5". Totally nuts. The dress looked like a big tangled mess while I had it all up on the counter, but I managed to tuck everything back in and when I shook it out, it was the right length and the lining was laying quite nicely. I quickly pressed it (one of the advantages of underlining is that your fashion fabric doesn't wrinkle nearly as easily as it could have), sewed a hook and eye at the top of the zipper, and prayed that it would fit.
Emily tried it on for me and JulieG and it DID fit. She looks so pretty in it! We were so excited that it looked that good that I think we were almost crying. :) Emily's getting married!
I'll post pictures soon--I have to sync my phone and find them--but my sister just graduated with her MA in Humanities and my grandma and other sister are in town. Grandma is leaving for home (Seattle) in a few hours and I really need to spend time with her; she's the only grandma I have left. :)
Toodles for now!
I ended up doing a bagged lining, which is tricky and, quite honestly, hard to explain (I'll try later, if only to have it make sense to me), but I did it Wednesday night and it turned out beautifully. I almost cried. Except that I realized on Thursday that the lining was sagging after I'd hand-sewn the lining to the zipper. I had to make an 8" slit in the back seam, pull the hem of the dress through, unpick it all, and then cut the lining shorter by about 1/5". Totally nuts. The dress looked like a big tangled mess while I had it all up on the counter, but I managed to tuck everything back in and when I shook it out, it was the right length and the lining was laying quite nicely. I quickly pressed it (one of the advantages of underlining is that your fashion fabric doesn't wrinkle nearly as easily as it could have), sewed a hook and eye at the top of the zipper, and prayed that it would fit.
Emily tried it on for me and JulieG and it DID fit. She looks so pretty in it! We were so excited that it looked that good that I think we were almost crying. :) Emily's getting married!
I'll post pictures soon--I have to sync my phone and find them--but my sister just graduated with her MA in Humanities and my grandma and other sister are in town. Grandma is leaving for home (Seattle) in a few hours and I really need to spend time with her; she's the only grandma I have left. :)
Toodles for now!
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