Vintage Butterick 9269

The latest frock, Butterick 9269, view b, the bodice in black linen/cotton blend and the skirt in stretch sateen snake, both fabrics are from Spotlight.
Purchased belt, as they say.

I scooped out the back and front necklines 1.5cm each, after looking at the pattern piece and thinking it looked as though they were too high. I think it was a good thing I did as it looks like the pattern illustration now. It would have been too high. I shortened the frock a lot. As drafted this frock would be nearly down to my ankles. After much pinning and photographing, I decided it looked best hemmed above the knee. I find it easier to decide hem length from photos rather than from looking in the mirror. Anyone else find that?

This is an unprinted pattern, and very fragile, so I traced it. Ugh. I hate tracing unmarked patterns. Trying to figure out which holes mean darts or are just grain line holes. No nice dark lines to trace over either. (I put sew-in interfacing over the pattern to trace).

Vintage Butterick 8861, literally

A fairly literal interpretation, I admit. I doubt the original was meant to be made in comfy cotton elastane though (think thick leggings or yoga pants material). The ribbon ripples like that when I move, but looks worse in the photos than in real life I think (hope).

Black hides the front bodice pleats, but they're there.

I sewed the front bodice and skirt pieces together, then the back bodice and skirt, then joined them at the shoulders so I could sew the under sleeve and side seams in one pass. I knew I'd have to remove the ease making it in a stretchy knit, and it was easy just to whoosh it through the overlocker to remove the excess.

Betty Jo

Long time no post, but I have been sewing, knitting, beading and travelling. Just not posting.

The Fabric Store kindly emailed $20 discount vouchers to customers (on purchases of $50 or more), so I went in and bought some large-scale houndstooth cotton/poly knit. I went through my patterns looking for something I hadn't made yet, as I recently realised I was making the same favourite patterns over and over. (I'm looking at you Stepfrock.)

I decided on McCall's 6568 here:
Here is the finished result:
and on me:
(sorry about the dark photo, it's been very gloomy in Sydney this week)
This was a very straight forward, easy pattern, especially in a stable knit fabric like this. I didn't put in a zip, as there is enough stretch in this fabric to pull it on over my head. I also changed the front skirt gathers into two darts.
I've named her Betty Jo, after the name written in pencil on the pattern. Love that!

Here is a better view of the fabric, although it is a bit darker than this in reality:
I sewed two buttons on the neckband for a bit of interest:
Here is a little frock I made recently for a friend's 3 year old daughter. It's Japanese quilting cotton. Little one loves owls!
I used my usual pinafore pattern, New Look 6578. I really need to branch out a bit.

1961 evening frock test

I have been invited to a formal occasion! Oh boy, have I been waiting for this day! Frockortunity!


I have this lovely blue and silver brocade, given to me by a manager at work. Her mother-in-law passed away last year, and sewed for most of her life. This manager kindly thought of me and gave me about 6 shopping bags of fabrics dating back to the 1960s! There are some nice ones (and some dud neon 80s ones too); this is one of the gems. Nice and sparkly!

I am testing patterns to make a 60s cocktail/evening frock...this is McCall's 6030.
I used the rest of the vintage fabric I used for this frock.
(That back strap is going to need a scoliosis adjustment, whoops. Didn't even notice until I saw the photos. I didn't do any adjustments to this pattern, but it needs the straps narrowed just a smidge I think, and there's a bit of wrinkling in the lower bodice that needs seeing to)

What do you think? A contender for the brocade?

Garbage bag couture

The lovely Livebird asked in the comments if I would post more details of the 'artfully tied garbage bag' pattern I bought at the fifties fair. There are only two pattern pieces, and one small page of instructions. I might make this out of some cheapo fabric, because it looks like one of those frocks which could be amazing...but is just as likely to turn out unwearable. (I recommend clicking on the pattern cover picture to look at the illustration of the woman's face. Hilarious.)

If you try it Livebird, let me know!