Remember this one? I entered it into Made By Rae’s Spring Top Sewalong and it’s made it into this week’s Top of The Tops. Exciting enough on its own, but now there is a chance it could earn some real fabric dollars too. Which thrills me deeply. Enough to get past the squeamishness of self-promoting. So if you haven’t voted for your favourite yet, there’s still time to pop over to Rae’s today. I won’t lie, I’m kind of, sort of really hoping it might be mine (letter E). Is this getting awkward? There’s still two whole weeks of Spring Top Sewalong left, time enough to get inspired, whip up a top and chuck it in the pool. The flickr Pool. And if you need some inspiration there’s no shortage so far…
How old is too old to play dress-ups and make-believe? Somehow, I don’t think you should repress these kind of things or they might return with greater zest! Honestly I’d happily spend my days sewing wiggle dresses and scouting the streets for interesting locations to get into character. Though this time there is a purpose to all this hamming up… Julia Bobbin’s Mad Men Dress Challenge. Where did those six weeks go? Today is the big reveal so head to Julia’s for a vintage swoon fest.
So here she is: a historically correct, wiggle dress made from this vintage pattern. As it was my first dealings with such a beast, I had no idea what was in store. I’m pleased to report that firstly it came with a nice old person smell. And secondly, there was nothing wild and outrageous about the construction, or instructions. Everything was pretty much the same as today’s patterns. Except for features like this collar. It’s gigantic, and um…reflective. Where ever you go, you get studio lighting on your face. Nifty!
Fabric: Cotton ‘Deer Valley Antler Damask’ in Taragon by Joel Dewberry, from here. I really thought that lining up this design would be a challenge. Have a look at the picture of my behind, don’t be shy… there’s a seam right down middle-back of the skirt. Hard to tell?! A pat on the back for Matchie Matcherson. Maybe this print has magical liner-upy qualities… I didn’t even try and match it at the waist and it still works.
Adjustments: Moved hem from calf to knee length and once again sheared it into a wiggle shape at the bottom.
Notions: Self-cover buttons with collar fabric.
Location: An older suburb, brimming with rickety fences and antique shops with ready-to-borrow props out the front (see suitcase).
Vintage Accessories: Nana Alma’s gloves from the 60’s, mum’s necklace and, including me, it’s a three generation outfit. Naw.
Rather than choose just one inspiring Mad Men dress I went for the oh so fabulous wiggle silhouette. Though of all the ladies I feel this number, with it’s shape and colours, belongs to Joan. So while it’s unlikely to make it to very wearable status it’s still nice seeing it hanging in the closet waiting patiently for a Mad Men themed party. What a challenge! From scouting for vintage patterns, finding era appropriate fabric and playing dress-ups, it was thrills all the way. I feel I’ve brought a little piece of history to life! This must be where sewing gets nerdy.
…I’ll leave you with some Mad Men-esque drama from the ‘trailer’.
Have you ever saved a special fabric for a special project only to have it not go especially as planned? Frustration stations. This was not meant to be a skirt. Not it was not. It was supposed to be a lovely multi-seasonal Darling Ranges dress in one of my absolute favourite thrifted cottons and it was supposed to come together without a hitch. Only I cut a size too small in the bodice. Why? I don’t know! If anything I go up a size in the bodice due to amazon woman shoulders but this time I threw common sense to the wind and cut the same size all over…hmmm. I was pretty close to finishing the whole thing when I realized she was going to be a little snug and a little low in front. Not good low either, freeze the gals off in winter low. But fret not, this tale had a happy ending…
…after I hacked off the bodice, folded the rest back down and under, added elastic at the back, buttons down the front and suddenly it turned it into a very wearable Darling Ranges skirt. Arguably the best feature of this pattern are the cute- as-pie little pockets which I figured made it worth selvedging. And you know what? I’m glad I did, I’ve hardly taken it off! The wardrobe is crying out for separates.
Rather conveniently, the lovely Megan is holding a Darling Ranges Dress sew-a-long very shortly. I think I’ll be concentrating extra hard in the lesson on ‘choosing your size’. Who knows… at the end of it I might even have a whole dress! Golly!
It’s come to my attention lately that nearly the entire collection of brand Wiksten has made it across into my Pinterest ‘style’ board. The clean lines, understated elegance and effortlessly feminine clothes sums up exactly what I’m channeling in my very wearable hand-made wardrobe. So it’s very exciting to be able to get in on the action, at least in pattern form, with the Wiksten Tank pattern. And speaking of in on the action, I’m chucking this baby into the Spring Top Sewalong pool where it can make friends with Kristen’s lovely plaid version.
On a recent thrifty outing I grabbed this lonely Target blouse for about two bucks with the Wiksten pattern in mind. It says polyester on the label and I can only describe the print as a sort of early 90’s geometric tribal confusion. I’m pretty sure it will get to see the light of day more in its new form.
The pattern’s French seams come out beautifully but I think I’ll steer clear of this sort of fibre again…it’s so slippery and synthetic that no matter how ferocious I was with the iron, it didn’t press flat. Note wavy bottom hem. Whoever said a good workman never blames his tools, was not a sewer. Wavy hem or not, it’s very wearable and feels so effortless, so Wiksten, mmm. For a little extra detail I placed the pattern on top of the blouse just over the edge of original button placket. Marvel at the stealth of the placket stealer.
You can always rely on kids to bring you back to reality. I made a mini blazer for my littlest boy, who is 17 months. And when I say made, we know that’s really code for slaving away, pouring love and sweat into it. I just loved it! And it looked ridiculously cute on him in the one minute he wore it before writhing about on the floor like a dolphin in a net. Funny, he had the same reaction the other day when I put him in overalls, which I thought were pretty loose and unrestrictive as clothes go. He just clawed at the shoulder straps and bleated. I think it must be the feeling of anything weighty or restrictive on him. Fusspot! So it seems stretchy/ light clothes are the way to go. I’ll just take my blazer lovin elsewhere, thank you very much.
Fabric: The circus fabric I bought from Etsy from this seller and it was listed as ‘3-ring-circus’ in blue and I think its a linen/ cotton blend and possibly Kokka. The lining is thrifted denim which was also used for the self-cover buttons. A great thing about this pattern is how much fun you can have with customizing and this time I went for a contrast colour for the collar instead of piping. Equally dapper and a different look altogether.
I'm Sophie. Seeker of Sewing Highs. Join me, as I whoop-whoop zipper flys and cry over shrunk fabric. Our destination: the ultimate hand-made wardrobe.
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