New Pattern Day Yay!

Thanks for all the feedback, ladies. Ive decided to give it a go with my newest repro pattern, the same one I made my dustbowl dress from.

Thanks again!
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Opinions wanted.

As I progress with my repro line, and, well, Ill use any excuse to draw, Ive had a couple of gals who know me ask, "Why don't you redraw the pattern drawings? You have them all over your site, why not?" Huh, thats a good idea. I did want the fashion illustrations to be a bit larger gals, and the original drawings are *so* not my style. So I got out my vintage fashion illustration book, and started to sketch.

Now, this is VERY rough, and as the book says, 'your drawing should sell the dress', I started with this day dress.

What do you all think?

**edit**

Im thinking this...

Clothes make the woman.

A bevy of recent project updates.

I finished the bolero, and man, am I loving it.

As usual finished images are on NVL.

Took some photos of my recent DuBarry encounter. They are my favorite patterns.

Got around to taking pictures of one of the dresses in my r line. This pattern is so super cute. Im working on making all the patterns in my repro line. This one just happens to be a great summer frock.

*whew*

Maybe now I can sleep.

Butterick 8847 bolero progress

It was already cut out so I decided to overlock it while I had dark thread in the machine.

I was a bit concerned because even though I only sized this one up a couple of inches, I didnt do a mock up. So I pinned the shell together and tried it on. It fit real well, but I moved the darts over some.

The pocket may have to be smaller because of it, but Im cool with that.

I also deepened the front darts a bit for a tighter fit about the waist. I also pondered on a bit of embroidery but then I though that might interfere with the pockets.

The fabric is a nice navy wool, and the lining will be an ecru linen to stiffen out the shape of the bolero.

This may be finished by tomorrow. Yay!

DuBarry 5355 blouse progress pt 3

Alright, Im done. Well...I have to hem the sleeves which I shortened, but the major fit issues are done. Boy am I glad I revisited this. I have a habit of just letting stuff sit in my closet once I make it the first go round, and I made a resolution to not do that. So here is me not doing that. Also fixed the hem on the skirt, so this thing is ready to go.

The back, which I shortened a full 2" fits like a dream now. Also, the peplum was not the pain to adjust I believed it was going to be. Here is a pile of the mess of an alteration. As you can see, its not as easy to make out, bit I know where everything is!

I took in each side of the garment 2" beneath the arms, and about 1" in the front around the belt. I also finally added the snap fasteners and its ready for wear, well, once I hem the sleeves.

My next project Im thinking about making the skirt again.

I have some fabric from the mid 40s, 7 yards of the stuff, that I dont know what to do with. Im thinking about just the skirt.

Thoughts?
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Evening gown final

My Cicada gown this past weekend.

I finally finished my first floor length gown. Well, nearly floor length, I decided to make it this long at the last minute, and had to do some real maneuvering with the fabric.

I used my repro pattern for this one. I thought it was a great fit!

I had this image in my head, a picture from my 40-41 winter Sears catalog. The bolero the ladies are wearing I have an idea for too, already cut out,

I just didnt have enough time to finish it.

Im gonna use view B. I LOVE those pockets on the shoulder dart *drool*

This dress had been in planing for weeks, but so much stuff came up and well, it had to take a back burner. But Im glad its finished and it looks so cool.

This is all that was left over, scraps.

For the underdress, I used the same pattern I used for my depression era dress. Ha!

Finished details can be seen on NVL.

My silhouette is all off in this dress. Not because of the dress, but I decided to revisit an old cincher I had, and my girdle kept sliding down, eliminating my waist, and giving me this boxy shape. So now I know what I have to do, make my own cincher.

DuBarry 5355 blouse progress pt 2

Its too big! WAHHHHHH!

I mean I totally made that mock up to fit supreme, but when I finished it out of the crepe, it just grew I suppose. Its too wide on the sides, and Ive got about 2" too much drape in the back. I wore it to a cocktail party as a test run, and people liked it, but I knew how I wanted it to fit.

I need to chop the blouse by 1" around the front and sides and 2" in the back. I also have to take out the belted back and take it in at the waist, but Im leery because the hips do fit so well! Ah crud. But thats the ebbs and flows of sewing. I dont mind because at least this time I know what is wrong with it, and Ive made a resolution not to have non repaired items in my closet.

It should take about a day to fix. I dont think thats too bad. My biggest concern is the peplum. I have to dart it deeper, and I faced it (I loved me some facing) so I have to be careful when darting so as not to make he facing pull and make the outer fabric droop.

Give me a few days, Ill get it together.

Also, my hem was WAY off. So having not used my hem market, I KNEW it felt wrong. Last night after wearing it, I let down the hem, and did it up right. I adore the skirt, so having a great hem is crucial to me. Marked and ready for sewing. Im quick about that.

See how far off I was by the fold?!

Aw crud I say again!

DuBarry 5355 blouse progress

Well it was late when I decided to work on the blouse for the pattern.

I just had to adjust a few things but not too much. As usual, the neck is always cut wider than the fit I like so I adjusted that accordingly.

I cut out a mock up from some old fabric and as my sewing partner slept by my feet, looked at the clock.

It was too late to baste it by machine. My sewing machine is loud and I started this at 1:30am, so I just bit the bullet and basted the thing by hand.

It didnt take too long, a little under two hours, and that included all the gatherers and adding the peplum too! I just had my thread at the ready, my iPod on, and went into a stitching zone.

I folded the fabric over the needle with my right hand and used my left to slide the fabric back on the needle. I love mindless work. I get to daydream...

I am kinda proud of myself for doing this by hand. A lot of sewing books I have say to baste your actual dress by hand and adjust fit from that. Umm...naw. I can write notes on this one, and I have in the past. Its the doing the whole thing by hand that I consider a personal achievement.

The fit is dead on, and Im so happy with it. I did have to cut down the front of the arm hole, but I end up having to do that a lot anyway, no big deal in the slightest. Now I can cut it out and knock out the final.

I do plan on making this a belted back, but for the sake of the baste, I didnt think I needed to.

I plan to wear it Saturday! It will look fantastic with the skirt. I have a feeling I may make the top a few more times.

DuBarry 5355 skirt progress

Well, the "I'll finish in one day" skirt turned into two days. Dont they always?

Tailors tacks of the pleated front.

The waist band is a bit wider as the pattern has it than I line, so next time I think Ill make it smaller.

This rayon blend crepe was a bear to work with, but after I resized, and had to take in the waist again, I managed to get a good fit.

The front all put together.

Inside joined with front sides.

Skirt right side out.

Generally when I resize something the first time its too snug around the hips to my liking, but this one worked out rather well. I have an 11" difference from my hips to waist, and it can be a real pain when fitting. It drapes great, and the front pleat s dont pull. Not too shabby for doing this with no instructions.

The waist, again, was my biggest problem. Because I sized the waist up about 2" larger than needed, I cut down about an inch and then basted the waist and gathered the difference. One reason was this fabric has stretch, and I didnt want to stretch it out at the pleats (which it does not, yay!) also, I thought it would help with drape, which it did, yay again.

I do need to work on the hem, so I got out my trusty hem marker (I love that thing) and used it.

The top is next, and Im really looking forward to the set complete. The good fir of the skirt gives me great encouragement. Ill post finished pictures of the skirt when the hem is fixed on NVL.