Great Gatsby Sewing: Completed Dress

Hello Dames and Gents! I finally got a wiggle on and finished up my Great Gatsby dress. Remember the fabric and pattern? Well here she is!

Horsefeathers! This Pattern Had Me All Balled Up! 

I was forewarned before purchase that the pattern instructions would be minimal, but I had no idea what was coming my way... Past Patterns gives copies of the original instructions, and in the case of this 1921 pattern, about half of it was gone. 

This would give any doll the heebie jeebies! 

I was missing 3 of the 11 pattern pieces, descriptions of what each pattern piece was, and quite a bit of the instructions for assembling the dress.

Now You're on the Trolley!

I started by putting the pattern pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle, trying to figure out where the missing pattern pieces were and what went where. I spent one hectic hour thinking the neckline was actually a bust dart! I had a good giggle over that when I realized it.

The best I could figure, I was missing:

1. The belt.
2. The neck tie.
3. The third piece of the promised three-piece skirt. The two pattern pieces I had wouldn't allow it to close at left-side front.

I ended up drafting 1 & 2 (which was fairly easy since they're just rectangles!) and then adding on to the skirt front for #3 so I wouldn't have an additional seam.  Then I did two muslins to make sure the fit was right. 

I was also lacking a button placement guide, so I marked where the buttons should be while I had the dress on me. Then I made a silly mistake - I went back and evened out the distance, forgetting that my bubs will require a bit more spacing! So two of the buttons are slightly squeezed together. Those are the types of things you miss when you just follow a pattern, so I was excited to learn something new there!

Attagirl!

It was nice to stray away from strict following of instructions for a bit and get my wheels turning. It was also good reminder for me to avoid sewing garments with quilter's cotton, no matter how appealing a print is. I think it loses a bit of its luster because of it. I still think it's pos-i-lute-ly hotly totsy! 

PS- I hope you enjoyed the bit of 1920s slang I threw in! 

Circle Skirt Inspiration

You can probably deduce from this one and this one that I really like circle skirts. Similar to shirtwaist dresses, they are a staple of my wardrobe.

A little while back, I stumbled upon 365 Vintage Days. A woman from Finland (I believe her name is Sylvie) decided to accept a challenge to only wear vintage clothing from March 2011 to March 2012. She was having so much fun doing it that she just kept going. She posts photos of her outfits very frequently for us all to have a good drool over.

In particular, I was struck with how much I liked the circle skirts that she would pair with matching, brightly-colored blouses. I  love coordinating separates.

Some Circle Skirts from 365 Vintage Days

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AREN'T THEY WONDERFUL?! I really and truly had to stop myself from posting more here. She's been collecting vintage for over 20 years and has amassed a spectacular collection. I would like to know her secrets to staying the same size for 20 years so she can continue wearing all these beautiful pieces.

Fabric 

I was feeling so excited at the thought of dozens more circle skirts in my own wardrobe that I went out and got some more fabric. Exactly what I needed! Here's a peek of things to come.

Atomic Burst. 

Pink linen. Thinking of doing horizontal stripes in black ric rac. Jumbo ric rac no less! I dream big.

Isn't planning for projects one of the best things about sewing? It's so exhilarating. Now I must get back to Great Gatsby dress sewing. I'm nearing the home stretch! 

The Sewing Machine, A Girl's Best Friend

A bit of fun for your Friday. The "Sewing Machine" from the 1947 film "The Perils of Pauline" with Betty Hutton.



A bobbin a bobbin, a peddle a peddle... I hope your sewing machine isn't wearing you out like poor Betty Hutton! Happy weekend sewing!

A Tale of Two Patterns: Butterick 5895 & Simplicity 2195

Behold, my first pair of pants! And a lovely 1950s blouse.

The Pants

The pattern is Butterick 5895, a high-waisted pant created by Gertie for Butterick. I used a wool gabardine in black for the fabric. 

I must tell you, I was terrified to sew pants. I figured they'd come out all wonky and I'd be grappling over fit for months. I was wrong - these were a dream to sew! I only had two small alterations, which were easy to spot thanks to my body graph. 

1. I took the waist in an inch. Normally, I add an inch to the waist, but I went up a size on these pants to get a good fit in the hip. 
2. I had to take in the right leg a little bit, because of Slim. 

I got some denim to do a lighter version for summer because I like these so much, and eyelet cotton to do the blouse that's also in the pattern. So hooray for pants!

The Blouse

The pattern is Simplicity 2195, a 1950s blouse pattern. I got the fabric from Hart's in Santa Cruz, and it's reproduction Feedsack Cotton (!). 

I've noticed in the past few weeks some other sewing bloggers that have an obsession with stitching up blouses like these, Handmade Jane and Tasha of By Gum By Golly. I think I might be similarly addicted... I already have fabric for a gingham version that I can monogram and a sleeveless version in another reproduction feedsack! 

Creativity is Contagious, Pass it On! 

Don't be afraid to sew pants, people! I can now say for certain it's not nearly as scary as you have built it up to be in your head.

Great Gatsby Sewing: Fabric and Pattern

Happy Great Gatsby Premiere Day! In honor of the occasion, I thought I would share with you the fabric and pattern I am planning to use for Miss Crayola Creepy's Great Gatsby Sewing Challenge.

I had mixed feelings when I first saw this challenge. 1920s patterns are notoriously unflattering on curvy girls with their dropped waists and rectangular shape. I decided I'd spend a bit of time looking for something, and if I didn't find it, I'd call it a day. Here were my criteria: 

1. It needed to be from the 1920s to fit with the theme. 

2. It had to be flattering, so likely something with a seam at the waist or I could tie at the waist. 

3. I wanted to be able to wear it for more than just watching the movie. I love a good costume as much as the next gal, but I wanted to make something I could wear more than once. So likely not something fitting for a Gatsby soiree! 

Pattern 

Past Patterns 8340

I found the pattern through Past Patterns,  which is a fun little company I haven't bought from before. Here's the pattern description from the original, "Ladies' house dress, closing at left side of front, with sleeves in long or short length and a three-piece gathered skirt in slightly raised waistline; pocket and separate belt."

It meets my criteria perfectly, and I love the sailor-esque collar. Plus, I get to do fabric-covered buttons! 

Construction should be interesting for two reasons: 
1. I was warned before buying that the pattern had "minimal instructions", and they weren't lying! Nothing like a bit of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants sewing to make things exciting. 
2. The measurements are a bit crazy, and definitely don't match my proportions. 38" bust, 26-1/2" waist, and 42-1/2" hip. Definitely not the standard. So I'll be making some changes to the pattern for sure!  

Fabric 

I decided to go with a cotton fabric so it would be light and comfortable for spring/summer. I also wanted something a bit geometrical and a print that was a bit more subdued. 

Black fabric will be used as contrast.

I actually had a hard time getting the fabric for this. The pattern requires 5-1/2 yds of 36" fabric, so even with translating it to larger widths, it's quite a bit of fabric. I though I had found something perfect online at Hart's, but they called me to say they were short on fabric, so I had to start over. I'm pretty happy with it in the end! 

Are you going to see the movie this weekend? I was an English major, but I'm kind of apathetic about the book. It just doesn't tickle my fancy for some reason. I'm looking forward to seeing the film, but I'm definitely not one of the avid fans!

The Starting Point for Getting a Good Fit

Fit is one of the most exciting and challenging things about sewing. A well-fitting garment can make you look like you’ve lost 15 pounds, and it can also really improve the polish of the garments you construct.

So how do you do that?

Introducing the Body Graph 

The best book I have found to help me understand how to fit garments is Fit for Real People. It’s got lots of great details around modifying patterns for particular fitting challenges. It all begins with helping you understand how your body is different than what pattern companies design for.

Buy this book. Look at all these happy women and their properly fitting clothes!

The big  pattern companies like McCalls, Simplicity, Butterick, etc. basically use the same sloper (a master pattern with no seam allowances) for their patterns. In order to get a good fit, you need to understand how your body compares with the “ideal” that they have designed for. You can do this with the body graph.

How to Make a Body Graph 

The book has great step-by-step instructions with illustrations. Here’s a general idea of what to do:

1. Trace your body onto a large piece of butcher paper. 
2. Mark a few key points:
   (a) Top and bottom of head
   (b) Shoulder
   (c) Waist
   (d) Hip (where your thighs join, also mark the widest part of your hip if this is different)
   (e) Knee
3. Divide your body up based on these key points. In the “ideal” body, all these are equally distributed. 
4. Start comparing your body to what the pattern company’s design for. There is a wonderful worksheet in the book that walks you through it step-by-step. You’ll be looking at things like the width of your body at certain points, the slope of your shoulders, etc.

What I Learned About My Body 

Now is the part where I reveal quite a bit about my figure in hopes of helping you understand this.

Here is my body graph:

Notice something right away? 

My Left Leg is ¼ of an Inch Bigger than my Right Leg! 

Readers, let me tell you, I never even knew this was the case. Even looking at my legs now, I can’t really tell the difference. But, boy does it matter when you’re fitting clothes. Take exhibit A here, a pair of pants I am currently working on (Butterick 5895).

See that? Excess fabric because Slim is so thin. 

All I had to do was take in the leg a little bit on my right side. Ta da! Now I’ll have a great fitting pair of pants.

I Don’t Have Broad Shoulders, I Have Square Shoulders

I always thought I had very broad shoulders. So much so, that I would stay away from puffy or fluttery sleeves lest it draw attention to them. Turns out I have been operating under a misapprehension!

The shoulder slope the pattern companies are designing for is 1 5/8 inches. I have a ¼ inch slope to my shoulders! This makes them square. The shoulder width is 4 ¾ inches, mine is 4 ¼ inches. So mine are not broad. So now I have no fear about wearing things like the lovely Colette Taffy and looking like a linebacker.

I am Short-Waisted

According to pattern companies, your waist should be mid-way between your underarm and where your thighs join. I have 18 1/4 inches between my underarm and where my thigh join. So here’s an image that will show you the differences between me and the ideal:

If you’re more than 1” above or below the “ideal” then your short or long-waisted for your height. I am short-waisted.  I like wearing high-waisted skirts and pants because it allows me to accentuate the thinnest part of my torso. I also find it to be more comfortable because it matches the shape of my body!

How You Use This 

Going into any project, I know up front that I will have changes to the pattern based on my body graph. Things like:

1. A full bust adjustment. The major pattern companies design for a B-cup in the “ideal” form.
2. Shortening the waist.
3. Adjusting the shoulders to account for my squareness. 
4. Taking in the right leg a bit on pants. 
5. Etc.

See? You’ll have to make adjustments based on each of these items in order to get the garment to fit you properly. Fit for Real People also includes great instructions for how to make each of these changes.

A Caveat for Indie Pattern Companies

Indie pattern companies don’t work off the same slopers as the big ones, so you’ll likely have to make different adjustments. At least you understand your body enough to know what that might be!

For example, Colette Patterns designs for a C-cup instead of a B. I’ve found Gertie’s patterns from her book always require narrow shoulder adjustments for me, and I don’t usually have to make those changes for the larger pattern companies.

An Ode to Chubs 

In closing, I will leave you with a limerick in ode to Chubs, my left leg.

Oh Chubs, you throw things off kilter
It’s a wonder I don’t just change to a quilter!
Because of my body graph
I can just laugh
Instead of being bewildered!

New Look 6587 with a Ric Rac Flourish

Happy May Day! I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but in Texas it's already getting pretty hot. That means it's time to start the sundress sewing!

It's a little bit tough to tell in some of these pictures, but I've included ric rac all around the neckline of the dress, as well as at the pockets.

Isn't it fun? Fabric-covered buttons also make me giddy. Really and truly. I'm sure you're starting to notice that I use them any chance I get. 

The fabric is actually a Ralph Lauren Cotton. It's slightly heavier weight though and I think intended for home dec. I really liked using it though because it gave a little bit of stiffness to the flare of the skirt. 

I really enjoy this pattern. It's has princess seams, which I like the fit of much better than plain 'ole darts. It also has a nice flare at the skirt. It's just gathered with basting stitches all the way around and then attached to the bodice. All in all, it feels like a 1950s house dress to me. 

The weather was very muggy on the day we took these pictures, so I had my hair in curlers tucked away for the better part of the morning to make sure it didn't fall! 

Also, let's pause for a moment to talk about how much I needed a parasol. I mean, right? 

Toodle loo!