NVL 1081 Three Hour Beret instructions

Hi everyone! I've just finished the PDF version of my Three Hour Beret. This post is the detailed instructions of the beret. I though this would be easier.

The three hour 40s beret is a five piece cut away beret hat with optional top bow.

Pattern pieces:

-Crown Tip

-Side Crown

-Knot

-Back Strap

-Bow

Materials needed:

32"+ material 1/2 yard

32"+ interlining 1/2 yard

Headband 1" grosgrain ribbon 1 1/4 yard

Lightweight cotton

Cotton batting

This pattern has 1/2" seam allowance. Every mark is important for construction, so before removing the pattern from the material, mark carefully with tracing wheel, tailor's chalk, or thread markings.

If using light-weight fabric, such as jersey or crepe, use a sheet cotton with lawn for backing for interlining. If using a medium-weight fabric such as pique, linen, or fine flannel, use muslin for interlining. If using heavy material, such as milliner's velvet, or heavy wool suiting,

use lawn for interlining.

-Printing out the pieces.

With the pattern, the best way is to print two sheets of the pages with the crown tip

and crown side.

Cut on lines and piece accordingly.

Suggested layout on fabric.

When laying out fabric, also lay interlining over fabric and cut together.

*Special note*

It is suggested to interline the back strap on the fold for stability of the band.

Construction of beret.

Cut out fabric and mark appropriate markings on fabric.

Baste the interlining to the corresponding fabric pieces.

On crown tip, from center of piece, to the back, sew dart to end marking.

Press to one side.

On crown tip, notch in 1/2" at marking.

Using center marking on crown tip, match side crown and pin together.

Sew to notch in crown tip, then pivot and sew until 1/2" of meeting end of piece.

Cut away the pivot fabric.

Notch the sewn line evenly around.

Turn beret right side out and press inside seam.

Take grosgrain ribbon and line it against the inner seam of the side crown

leaving 1/2" extra overlap.

Remember to leave open the marked spaces for the back strap to fit into.

Sew on ribbon and turn under edges.

If you want a bit more leeway with sizing, bring down the ribbon slightly

so the opening of the side crown is larger.

Face the back opening of the beret with grosgrain ribbon.

Miter the corner and sew in place with ribbon on correct side of fabric. Turn under and pin in place. Press flat then hand stitch down. Also, hand stitch down the sides of the crown tip seam allowance where they meet the pivoted seam.

You can cover that section with ribbon if desired. Once had sewing is complete, set aside.

Fold and sew back strap right sides together.

Turn inside out and press flat. Insert strap ends into openings on side crown.

Pin into place.

Match markings on back strap to those on the ends of the crown tip. You may also want to fit this on a bust and adjust as needed. Once placement is to your liking, sew the strap ends in place and hand stitch the back of the strap to the crown tip.

Set hat aside.

Padding.

To give the hat its volume, a roll of padding is needed.

Make a rectangle on the bias 14" long and 6" wide.

Add cotton batting and roll batting to about 1" thick.

Whip stitch together tapering the ends.

Mark center of batting and match center marking to inside of beret.

Tack into place and tun beret right side out.

Smooth padding out for nice shape of beret brim.

Bow.

Fold fabric for bow in half and sew one short side and the length together. Turn bow right side out and press flat. Fold under opening side and hand stitch closed. Using markings, hand baste crosswise on fabric and pull together and knot.

Fold over the markings to touch center mark and baste together.

Set aside.

Knot.

Press matching markings together.

Turn over and fold under seam allowance on longest sides.

Hand sew knot to center of bow.

Hand sew completed bow to square in center of crown tip, or arrange it where you like.

Wear hat and make people jealous.

Catalog Sunday

This Sunday I have more Chicago Mail Order from 1937.

I just love these dresses!

Overalls are finished!

Man, nearly a week with no posts. Sorry about that. I lost a freelance gig then got another one that's been taking up my time, and I'm glad for it. Don't get me wrong, I love the sewing, but rent is awesome.

But I did have some time to do some hand sewing.

I stitched the bib to the pants and presto, instant overalls!

I've put the pictures on NVL.

I also put up more images of my tweed beret and my tailored jacket.

Thanks!

I didn't forget about you all....

Now that my jacket is complete and my brain is not interested in doing any overly complicated projects, the rest of this month I'm going to revisit some things that are near completion that I haven't finished or forgotten.

First off is my overalls.

As you all remember I wanted to try something to make the bib detachable. Well, I failed. It's not going to work. I attempted to sew in two jacket zippers but that was a bust, so I'm just going to attach the bib and just wear them as regular overalls. I'll post the conclusion shortly.

My next back burner project was my skirt of many, many, many, many gores.

I set this one aside because the zipper I put in it didn't have a self locking head and every time I wore it the zipper slid down. It took me a while to get that zipper in, and I'm going to have to rip it out and put in a new one. I'm not looking forward to that at all.

Lastly I'm going to complete my homemade girdle.

Other things just came up so I didn't finish it.

I have all the pieces and I'm ready to do the final parts.

That's my schedule for the next few weeks.

Catalog Sunday

Today's catalog is Chicago Mail Order summer 1937.

Enjoy!

I can make a tailored jacket in a week!

Though I don't recommend it.......to ANYONE!

Don't we look like some steampunk crime fighting syndicate?

The Tweed Pub Crawl was a hit! We all looked rather fetching and got a lot of stares. There were about twelve of us at any one time. It so happened the crawl was the same night of the LA Art Walk, which happens monthly, so we were in a sea of hipsters and getting a lot of looks and smiles and compliments. It was fun.

The crawl got to me early though. I only went to 3 bars, but the crawl ended at 4. I wanted to Ginness it all night, but the first two bars only had it in bottles (A SIN I TELL YOU!) and not on draft. At the third bar, I got a cocktail and there as I was looking to my right. Ginness on draft! *$#%!!!! The cocktail was good (I had a Sazerac).

But back to the jacket.

As I was finishing it yesterday and working on the button holes, I decided to change it up a bit and do worked button holes.

Now, that's just button holes by hand, but I used cotton embroidery thread for decoration. Because the tweed was a bit loose, I machine made the button holes for reinforcement first, then used the colored thread.

Each button hole is different. I wanted to mimic the flecks in the tweed, so I used about 5 strands of thread at one time.

They went fairly fast and now I don't have to worry about the button holes getting raveled or worn as quickly. I did a thread shank for the buttons and all was good in the world.

I'm quite proud of the jacket, and for my first time, despite some minor things I would change (The sleeves are a bit long on purpose, I hate cold wrists), I'm very happy with the fit. It will make a great everyday LA winter jacket. Its warm, small, and close fitted. I know it's nowhere near professional, and a pro would probably laugh at my effort, but I'm very pleased with this process and when I get my brain out of scrambled egg mode, I might make another one way, WAY down the line. :)

The book I used as a guide was quite helpful, but knowing that I like to make sure I do stuff right, I looked in a few of my resources.

My Du Barry sewing book was one, that's where I took the worked button hole idea from. I also looked in my big and VERY useful sewing book. This puppy has a nice section on coat making.

Also...after I finished the coat, I looked to my leftover tweed and thought, "Do I have enough time to whip up a hat? Alright, Ill just sew for three hours, and if it's finished, its finished."

Finished it.

Hat was a HUGE hit. One lady almost ripped it off my head! Just made it from my trusted altered beret pattern. Quick and easy. You have no idea how hard it was NOT to make this thing two-tone! I had to constantly NOT do it! It's a sickness I tell you, a lovely, lovely sickness.

So that's my tailoring adventure. I plan to have more final pictures of the jacket and hat on NVL in a day or so.

I sincerely appreciate everyone on the words of encouragement and such during this crazy never attempt again in a week process.

Do any of you have any questions about my process?

I'll answer them in another post.

Can I make a tailored jacket in a week? Last Day!

Last night before I went to bed I flipped the facing pieces outright.

I pressed open the seams then notched the corner of where the lapel starts.

I slightly folded the seam on the inside of the jacket.

When I got to the lapel, I worked the fold so it was slightly tucked behind the front of the lapel. Then pressed the heck out of it. Then I went to bed.

I had a good sleep, and got up refreshed. It was like it was meant to be. The lining just dropped into the jacket. I hemmed the back of the lining, tacked the sleeves in place and whip stitched everything together. Took an hour.

I cut a way some of the fold on the front of the jacket when I hemmed it.

I didn't want the bulk. I'm sure there was a more artful way to do it, but I just cut away some of the fold and did some stay stitching on it with my machine.

Gave her a final press and took all the pins out.

Now all I have to do is add the button holes!

I even have the perfect buttons, classic and understated.

I'll post the final of the jacket tomorrow!