New Look mash up

 This is New Look 6968 with the neckline and facings from New Look 6736  because I love those facings.  Finish the neckline and armholes in one?  Yes please!  The facings stay put with just a tack under the arms too, which is fab. 

 The fabric is vintage from my stash, I'd say early 60s because I have patterns from that era with very similar fabrics illustrated.  Also it was very narrow, so even though I had 4 metres, it took about 3 metres to make this frock.  I wanted a waist seam, because I thought it would suit the vintage vibe, so instead of just making 6736 again, I franken-patterned.  

I put the zip in the mid back like my last 6736.  I like not having to muck around with the top of the zip at the neckline.  Looks neat, still easy to get on. 

I used one of my vintage belt kits to make a self belt.  Buy these kits when you see them people!  They are awesome.  It adds to the vintage vibe, no?  (Oops blurry pic; but does remind me of a Monet, so I'll post it anyway)

Pics above show it on me with and without the belt.  The belt makes it I think, even though it is well camouflaged.

Starting a new frock

I bought this fabric at Fabric-a-brac.  It was marked as silk, but I think it may be rayon.  I did the burn test but it had characteristics of rayon and maybe acetate according to this chart.  It really doesn't matter to me as it was reasonably priced and I love the colours and painterly smudginess.

I'm making it into Sewaholic's Cambie frock.

I've made the lining already, as a sort of muslin (thanks for that suggestion Moggy) and apart from pinching a little bit out of the back neckline (I always get the gapes there), all systems are go.  

Also, the lining is already made now, yay!  I only have 2 metres of this narrow fabric, so I am not doing the pockets, just a regular A line skirt.

I've cut into the vintage fabric, which I always find easier to do if it hasn't sat in the stash too long.  (If I don't use it fairly quickly after purchase it seems to become part of "the collection", sigh)

I'm stitching this on one of the featherweights, and pinking the edges. Even though they'll be hidden in the lining, I still don't like the idea of edges fraying in there.  Hopefully I'll have some time to sew this up this weekend.

I have a couple more TNT frocks to show too, I just have to take the photos. 

Vintage vogue 8728

This vintage vogue reissue pattern...

Plus this vintage cotton fabric (from etsy)...

Made this dress...

I changed the waist gathers to four pleats on both the front and back, because I prefer pleats to gathered waists. I made my own bias binding for the neckline, first time ever! With a bias maker it was easy.

Belt or no?

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?

Fifties Fair 2010. Kittyhaul!

It was the Fifties Fair today at Rose Seidler house, hurrah!

(I've been playing with the hipstamatic app on my new iPhone, which explains the above photo of the house. If you are into such things you must get it, it's super fun)

Moggy and her Mr J came along; I finally met Livebird and the Curmudgeon; a grand time was had.

I bought a nice scarf:
I couldn't resist these vintage fabrics, frock lengths:
and this is what I wore:
I made this frock last Saturday night while watching the election coverage. The frock was finished on the night, unlike the election. (Moggy has an uncanny knack of making me look like a robot in photos. I don't know how she does it. She's done it before. I honestly don't know what I was doing with my hands here.) Anyway, I used this 1962 pattern (not 50s I know. I'm a rebel):
I didn't have enough fabric for the panel, which is actually sewn all down the front of the frock. Intweeging.

Vintage Fabric Heidi

It's been a long time between posts; I've been sewing, just not fast enough to blog about it.

I finished the final iteration of Heidi today.

She fought me all the way.
I've been working on this frock for weeks! The fabric was slippery and recalcitrant, and it just wasn't fun. I got through the ordeal by working on her in short bursts, giving up and closing the door of the sewing room when I felt ready to throw the whole thing in the bin.

I even made a self-fabric cummerbund too. I think you can tell by my posture in the cummerbund pic that I'm not thrilled with it! I think this version of the frock looks better without a belt:
The cummerbund took ages too, because of the naughty fabric. Sigh.

I lined her in bright pink cotton poplin, inspired by the little bit of pink in the fabric:

I'm pleased with the final result, but she shall sit in the wardrobe until I'm over the ordeal of making her. Also until it warms up enough to wear her. I might even warm to the cummerbund with time, but I'm not counting on it.

In the chilly weather, my thoughts turn to knitting. I love sitting on the couch with a nice warm knit!

This is what I've made:
Big Bad Baby Blanket: from Stitch n Bitch, in an acrylic from Spotlight:

Sludgy green ribbed lace bolero, for Ms Mog, who says she loves it and wore it already so maybe she doesn't lie:


Yarn is "Classic" 100% merino (colour Guava) from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

I'm knitting another, more complicated baby blanket now. More on that one later.