B4919 almost done

Here it is on the dress form (sorry the picture is so blurry):

I still need to sew on the hooks and eyes and hem it.

Coming back to life...

Sorry Vintage vixens, but lost many weeks due to caring for incapacitated husband waiting for back operation. I think we're easing off of emergency mode and while he recuperates slowly, I'm hoping to get back to my Vintage Vogue Adele Simpson soon.
Love your work, darlings!
Chanel No. 6

Progress, at last!

Today I figured out why I had stalled - fear of cutting the fashion fabric. Which, of course, is silly.

Having talked myself out of this state of mind, I have cut the fashion fabric and started construction. I decided to line the dress with the lime green muslin I had made, for 2 reasons: the fashion fabric is a light cotton and needed some stability and opaqueness; and I forgot to draft new facings when I altered the pattern.

I am up to inserting the zip - a job best left for another day I've decided. Then I can finish the armholes and hems. If I can keep up today's momentum into the next few evenings, I might be able to wear my new dress to work before the week is out. I just hope this lovely, sunny, warm weather we've had over the weekend holds until the dress is done!

Why I haven't Finished

I had to shelve all my projects due to very catastrophic life changes.

A work in progress

Here's what I've got thus far

I'm unthrilled with the construction of this, really. It's just not up to snuff. But to save it from being a total wadder, I had to just wing it. The sleeves disappeared and it became a tank top. Which doesn't suck too badly, I guess.

The skirt is still in pieces. I drafted a yoke for the top of the skirt but somehow, I've gotten a wee bit larger in the nidsection than my dressform. Ahem. I'm blaming it on Valentine's Day. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The crinoline/fluffer was pretty OK if time consuming to make. I ended up watching "Marigold" with Ali Larter to pass the time whilst I gathered and pinned and gathered and pinned. 111 minutes worth. Give or take a couple of fastforwarded song/dance scenes. As Bollywood musicals go, this one was a B- for song/dance and an A- for story/plot. There weren't any real surprises, but then, Bollywood movies tend to follow a very formulaic standard.

The crinoline isn't hemmed yet, but it will be soon. I've got to address the yoke fitting first and then attach the skirt and THEN hem the crinoline. I estimate that this project will get finished around Friday. I'd hoped for it to be my Easter frock, but it's not looking hopeful. We'll see...

The BEST part of this was the buttons and buttonholes. I did those while watching Herculues and the Lost Kingdom on Netflix. Each button is precisely placed and the buttonholes were perfect fits. YAY!

MIA - Still working...

This pattern has been extremely challenging. I'm still working on the bodice/blouse. It's been a total pain in my tush. Construction is going sloooooowly and the level of detail that I normally use is falling by the wayside in an attempt to just FINISH this thing.

How about those mitered corners?

Soooo... how about some evidence of participation? Here is a photo of my first muslin for the 1930s jacket:

Apologies for completely forgetting to get a photo of the back of the jacket! This was finished in February, but I never got around to taking pictures until recently. And even though it's taken me so long to get to, I don't even have a second muslin to show! What a terrible sew-alonger, right? Anyhow, the pattern is for a 36" bust, which isn't too far off from my own measurements, but the jacket is still pretty baggy and shapeless, so I'll be taking it in, and possibly re-drafting the arm-hole area as it's super baggy there. I'm absolutely determined to get this done even if it means doing it in little bits over a period of months in order to save my sanity (I hate mitered corners and didn't realize this jacket features four of them until sewing the mock-up...). But thanks to all you sew-alongers for being a source of motivation, and I'll be posting a second muslin here in the coming weeks if it's still open for posting :)

I have not dropped out

I'm hoping to finish my dress this week. I have sewn together the bodice, bodice facing, and skirt. What's left to do: sew bodice and facing together and turn; sew skirt to bodice; sew in zipper and hooks/eyes; hem.

I got stuck last week when I started thinking I should finish the seams, something I have never done (learned to sew at my mother's knee, and she never bothered with seam finishing). I'm still on the fence about it; I'll see how I feel when I next sit down at the machine.

Givenchy Finished !

Finally.

Multiple diversions (read other sewing projects) before completion.

Things I did/learned along the way.

* Vintage patterns are for very skinny waists. Always make a muslin. I did muslin the bodice. Thank goodness. This pattern would have been up under my bust. I lengthened the bodice.

* I used a cotton/poly and lined/underlined with silk organza for some body. It was the right amount of poofy. The bodice I underlined with charmeuse. The pattern called for facings. Facings are a nightmare! I would line before face. Just a personal taste.

*The pattern required a satin ribbon for the waist. I thought this would be too prissy (me who loves ruffles) and thought the same fabric sash would be be understated. I cut it on the bias.

* I love the wide neck. Some clavicle is good. I think in a silk dupioni or satin duchesse in a solid color, this dress would be really pretty.

* I enjoyed the Sewalong. It was perfect for January and just the right amount of kick needed to get the job done!

                                                            Happy Sewing All!

Du Barry 5766 - Done! Ta Daa!

I almost had this completed by the deadline (last night), but was just too tired to try to finish.  I hemmed and sewed buttons this morning.  I'll post a pic of me wearing it later this week.

This was a fun project.  I REALLY like the dress, and I think I will really enjoy wearing it this spring and summer.  It fits well (IMO) and feels comfortable.  The fabric is just the right drape.  I have more vintage patterns from this era.  I need to dig them out and start working on them.

I still have a more detailed post on my blog.