Better late than never

You’re probably tired of hearing about my Easter shawl by now, but this week, on the fourth Sunday of Easter, I was finally able to wear it. Words fail to describe this yarn knitted up, but oh is it lovely to wear! I like the pattern even more now that it is blocked as it lays nicely on the shoulders; I would like to knit it again sometime in a different yarn.

If you’ll excuse the windy Wyoming day, here also is a picture of my Easter dress with my new shawl.

I originally made this dress for Easter 2005, when Silly Boy was a newborn. This was back when I was using Wild Ginger software to draft many of my patterns, though all I can remember about this one is that it was a dress with shoulder princess seams. I had inserted invisible zippers into the front seams for nursing access; they opened from the bottom and while this worked, it was clumsy enough that I never wore the dress often. I wore it a handful of times while Silly Boy was a nursling, and once or twice while nursing Baby Boy.

Anyhow, being as the fabric is a swishy silk crepe de chine (fabric.com, probably), it just seemed wrong to leave the dress hanging in the back of my closet. I removed the front zippers and sewed those seams shut. I added waist darts and took in the side seams slightly because I no longer needed the extra ease for nursing. I also removed the sleeves, recut them, and set them again. They had been 3/4 sleeves but were always too snug on the forearm. My last step was to redo the hem, as the added darts had affected the hem. Now. . .finally. . .I have a dress that is worthy of the fabric.

A couple observations on modesty

This month month we celebrated Easter and our church also witnessed baptisms on two separate Sundays. This means, among other things, that I’ve seen more skirts and dresses than usual. Two in particular stand out in my memory, perhaps because I think this was the first time I had seen either lady wear anything other than jeans. But they also stand out because viewed together, they inadvertently made the point that the longer skirt is not always the modest choice. In this case the lower calf length skirt was snug fitting and slit to the mid thigh on one if not both sides. On the other hand, the knee length dress was gently flared with an even hemline. It was quite a bit shorter, yet it still offered more coverage.

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed I prefer to wear longer skirts. There are several reasons for this, not the least of which is that they best suit my old fashioned tendencies. But I have my practical reasons too. Even hot days in Wyoming start out cool enough that I want more of my legs covered. Also my legs are short even for my height, which means there is a very fine line between knee length and indecent. . .especially on windy days, of which we have plenty. Finally, a longer, fuller skirt makes it easier for me to chase small boys, sit on the floor, and get in and out of the Suburban without having to worry about accidental immodesty.

I love to draft

The more time I spend drafting my own patterns, the more I love the process and (usually) the results. There’s something so satisfying about beginning with a set of measurements and a sketch and ending with a wearable garment!

I already posted briefly about the denim skirt I made in January, or at least about the drafting process.

I’ve worn it several times and like it very much! That said, I honestly had no clue how to draft the back yoke. . .let’s just say my wild guess didn’t quite work. I’m going to be looking for help in fixing that, though, because I have a piece of khaki twill and I’d like to use the same pattern. I also should make the zipper an inch longer, but otherwise the fit is just right and I love the bit of flare below the knees.

Inspired by one new skirt, I decided to make another new skirt before our Nebraska trip. I’ve been trying to reduce my stash lately and I had a skirt sized remnant of burgundy french terry.

This time I went for a basic a-line with a tiny bit of flare at the hem. I decided to use the side seam pockets from Kwik Sew’s Easy Sewing book. Although my terry is fairly lightweight, I used a scrap of quilting cotton to reduce bulk.

For me, drafting patterns is all about trying new things and finding out what works–0r what to change for next time. In this case, the only change I would make is to use slightly wider elastic in the waistband. I wore this skirt for both of our Very Long Driving Days and it was perfect. Warm, comfortable, and wrinkle-free.

August sewing

I spent a bit more time sewing this month, probably because I knew I would not have much time to sew once we start school next Tuesday.

• 1931 Magic Bias Slip, drafted using these directions and some leftover lightweight white cotton. I love the pattern, but my fabric doesn’t have enough drape to wear under a dress so this ended up in the nightgown drawer instead. I’m keeping my eyes peeled for a suitable silk or perhaps rayon, as I really could use a new full slip. I used 14″ squares (with 3/8″ seam allowances) and probably will use 13″ squares or a 5/8″ seam allowance next time. I also shortened the skirt 3″, but that was because I had a limited amount of fabric to use.
• Another linen half slip using my self-drafted  four gore pattern.
• 1944 Housedress, using this Decades of Style pattern. I used size 34 above the waist and 36 below. With a couple minor fitting tweaks, and any number of style variations, I can see this becoming a staple pattern for me. I need to both raise and shorten the shoulder seams and then adjust the sleeve accordingly (while I’m at it, the sleeve has an odd flare). I am kicking myself for forgetting to check the length of the shoulder seam before cutting out my fabric because that’s a common alteration for me! I did raise the front neckline a precautionary 1″, but ended up not needing it. Ah well–easier to trim off excess than add more fabric. Favorite parts: the neckline facing turned to the outside, and the just-right amount of fit and flare.

• I think I sewed the first swag in July, but August is when I finished the living room window treatments.

September sewing will probably only be our circle skirts, even though I have pattern and fabric laying out to make an LBD. No surprise–that B is for brown and not black. And I’m sure it will be longer than the standard LBD, but the bottom line is that for several years I have wanted to make a basic but dressy dress that could work for weddings, funerals, church, and more. . .by changing out the accessories worn with it.

Hints of history

As some of you already know, Twirly Girl made her own Easter dress this year. She cut it out right before my trip to Indiana, but still this made for a rather agonizing Holy Week. . .she does come by her procrastination honestly. . .but as I said while nagging cheering her on last week, she has one less fair project to worry about in July.

She used the same Hint of History pattern that I used for her pink dress earlier this year. The blue linen (and white trim) were left from Baby Boy’s sailor suit last Easter so we only needed to purchase the white linen. There were some challenging moments for her (that procrastination came with a healthy dose of perfectionism), but she really did a very good job! She also learned several new skills: how to sew a collar and a placket, making buttonholes, applying bias binding, and hand stitching the hem.

Speaking of procrastination, I finally cut my dress out the day before Palm Sunday. I know! (said in my best Sybil Fawlty voice) I also used a Hint of History pattern, the Lace Insertion Dress with Drawstring Slip. I used an ivory handkerchief linen for the slip and chose my size based on my shawl collar dress. That fit well except that I decided to do a narrow shoulder alteration for the dress itself; I may redo the slip armholes later. By-the-by, the slip pattern would make a lovely summer nightgown and I will be watching for a breezy yet opaque cotton to use to that end.

My dress is a lightweight linen in orchid, not one of my usual colors but it was too lovely and springy to resist. That same size is a bit snug in the dress itself, at least while dressing: the neckline barely fits over the head in spite of the buttons on the left shoulder and it requires some wiggling to get the waistband to the waist. Once on, it is fine. . .in fact I wore it all day Sunday.

Please excuse the odd expression on my face! I would love to tell you I was looking at something riveting, but I was just trying not to think about the fact that the neighbors were outside while Larry was taking my picture. Anyhow, as you can see, the design of the dress is fairly simple: it’s the lace that makes this dress. I used a 2 1/2″ wide lace, a bit narrower than suggested on the pattern but keep in mind that I also needed to shorten the skirt 4-5″ so it is a matter of scale (as well as a matter of finding affordable-yet-lovely lace!. . .Swiss Cluny from Farmhouse Fabrics, for the curious). This led to a fair amount of head scratching when it came time to sew the waistband, since the lace only goes most of the way around (there is lace in back as well, but as in front it stops 3″ shy of the left side seam). I did, finally, get it done, and while I was hand hemming on Holy Saturday I was not up past my bedtime.

November sewing

• Sleevesaver bib for a baby shower gift.
• Covered composition notebook, gift for a dear friend.
• Blouse for me, Ottobre 5/2007 #1 with the sleeves from #2 (which are a rather fun design!). This is my third, final, and favorite 3/4 sleeve blouse sewn this fall. The only fit-related change I will make next time is to move the front waist darts about 1/2″ towards the center front. I have actually used this pattern before; I added back the 2″ in length I removed for that blouse. Fabric and buttons were both from stash; the buttons were probably a SewBaby assortment and the quilting cotton was left from my eBay endeavors in 2006. . .sorry, she was too cute to keep to myself!

And my new blouse. . .

• Another Sense and Sensibility Regency Dress for Twirly Girl, this time purple finewale corduroy. I am pleased to report that I still remember how to dye fabrics! The snowflake print was a PRR coop purchase and the solid probably was too. We took some of the fullness out of the sleeve cap; I wish I had done it differently but the girl is happy so I’m not about to rip out sleeves. I’d have to set them again! I took these pictures when she tried it on for me to mark the hem, which was stitched last night while I watched cheesy ’70s tv shows on Netflix. And look! I had the perfect buttons, picked up on clearance some January years ago.  . .

Sewing plans for December include another gift or two, but also I hope to sew a new winter dress for myself too.

Wanted: time turner

I’m sure I’ve mentioned my fondness for the Betsy-Tacy series before, and here I go again. I enjoy reading the stories, of course, but it has always been Lois Lenski’s illustrations that make me long to live the stories too. I like the Edwardian styles from the early books; I adore the soft feminine styles of the later books. They draw me in because they are almost-but-not-quite suitable for modern wear, and sometimes they can be made wearable, as in the two dresses I have made so far from Sense & Sensibility‘s 1912 Kimono Dress.

However. The dress that I would most love to sew (and wear!) is Sense & Sensibility‘s 1910s Tea Gown. Yes, here is where the time turner is needed. No, I wouldn’t want to live in the 1910s, except perhaps for a day–I would miss silly things like my contact lenses or my Bosch mixer. But I do so wish that this pattern had been available to me when I was young enough to have occasions for something as elegant as a tea gown: it could be a simple dress for graduation day, a timeless dress for a special dance, even an elegant wedding gown. I have no regrets, of course, that I am already happily married. And perhaps some future day will bring me an invitation to a ball or tea worthy of such a gown. Until that time, I’ll have to be content imagining Miss Mix sewing just such a gown for Betsy to wear. . .

Wordless Wednesday

July sewing

• I finished my 1912 Kimono Dress–and I love it even more than my first one! With hindsight, kimono sleeves were probably not the best choice for semi sheer fabric, since they ended up being lined along with the rest of the dress. However, the sleeves are still cooler since I shortened them (the pattern has 3/4 sleeves). I also had to cut very carefully to make the dress as long as I wanted and ended up adding a seam to the center back of the bodice (and was not able to avoid fabric flaws on the skirt). The fashion fabric is a lightweight embroidered cotton; I believe fabric.com called the color latte or mocha. . .which is kind of funny because I used tea to dye my cotton lining to match, thus making this the “coffee, tea, or me” dress! The embroidery is in a vertical stripe pattern, but I cut the front inset and the belt with horizontal stripes for visual interest. The pattern is very easy to assemble and the bodice seams are all neatly concealed; my only issue was with the sparse directions for the front inset. I’ve worn the dress several times this month but kept forgetting to take pictures. So if you look at my dead grass, you will understand why I am squinting instead of smiling today–that Wyoming sun is hot! Which makes it the perfect day for a cool and comfortable dress.
• Self drafted eight gore linen skirt for me, which I already shared.
• Started on the quilt for our bed–I think I’ve sewn 50 out of 125 partial blocks. Or something like that–the end result should have 25 blocks, and each block has 5 sections. You do the math.
• Two pairs of shorts for Baby Boy, both from Ottobre 3/2008 #7, size 92. He always seemed to be out of shorts so I went stash diving and pulled up a couple remnants. One pair is twill printed with kangaroos playing soccer; the other is striped denim. I think both came from Wazoodle years ago, but I’m not sure! I was able to sew them assembly line style and used the same red topstitching thread on both pairs. I did leave the back pockets off the twill shorts since he only uses the front pockets–and they would be lost in the print anyhow. I cut both front and back denim pockets on the diagonal for added interest.

I’ve now found a sure way to keep myself out of the sewing room: start a quilting project. I like cutting out all the pieces (thank you Mr. Rotary Cutter Inventor!) and I like making the sandwich, quilting (or tying), and binding it. Piecing bores me to tears. All those short straight identical seams. . .no gathers, no darts, no zippers. Yawn. Nonetheless, I like the idea of making the quilt myself that goes on the bed that I share with my beloved, so onward I sew! I did more or less accomplish my goals for the month: finish kimono dress, perhaps make a skirt, and start on our quilt. I wish I had gotten more accomplished on the quilt, but most of my sewing time this month was combined with supervising kid sewing. I also wish I could finish the quilt in August (it’s on my list of “summer projects”) but that’s not likely at this point! Instead I’ll aim for having the quilt top assembled before we start school in September. I also cut out a pair of knit not-nursing tops for myself (Ottobre 2/2007, of course) that will sew up quickly once I find time to spend in the sewing room.

June sewing

• Mother-daughter Romantic dresses.
• Swimsuit for me using the new Fresh Modesty ebook. I’ll write a review later once I actually wear it and have a picture.
• Mending for Drama Boy–patched the seat of an otherwise good pair of jeans so they can at least be worn for mowing, and also repaired his favorite pair of pajama pants.
• Full slip for me from pink silk jersey (well aged stash). I didn’t have a pattern so I combined the tank top from Ottobre 2/2007 with the half slip from Kwik Sew’s Beautiful Lingerie book. Very easy sewing–shoulder and side seams, neck and armholes finished with decorative elastic, and blind hem stitch to create a scalloped hem. It’s deliciously comfortable under a dress, although is too warm now that it’s suddenly turned hot this week.
• Remade a rather old half slip of mine (too small, lace half gone, and elastic completely shot) into a “new” half slip for Twirly Girl. I offered fresh lace for the hem, but she chose a scalloped hem like my new slip.
• And I’ve nearly finished another 1912 Kimono Dress. This time I shortened the sleeves and used the neckline with inset. I did use two layers for the skirt this time–because my fashion fabric is semi-sheer. I thought about making the overskirt shorter, as shown on the pattern, but decided against it. I still need to make a belt before Larry marks the hem for me.

I did it! I actually accomplished all of my sewing goals for June!!! And then some. Now, once I finish the kimono dress, I really need to stop sewing dresses for myself for awhile! Except that quilt shop sale yielded the perfect fabric for a vintage 1940s pattern I won on eBay. . .drat. I also have yardage for a couple summer skirts, and. . .oh, you get the idea! Except for perhaps *one* skirt, I really don’t need any more summer clothes this year. So for July, my goal is to mostly put aside garment sewing and either start Christmas gifts or that new quilt for our bed. County fair is at the end of the month, though, so I will also be busy helping Boy Genius and Twirly Girl with their projects.