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!

Slow and steady

I have made some, but not much, progress on my 1970’s dress. Since my last post I have made a few tweaks to the muslin and I am now very happy with it. I am also satisfied that the riding up in the back was from me putting my hands on my hips and not smoothing the skirt down again, rather than a fit issue per se. The lime green lawn I’m using for the muslin is so light I think it clung to my underwear.

Over the next week or so I intend to transfer the markings from the muslin to the (traced) pattern, and then I will use the lime green lawn to underline my dress. Which brings me to my fashion fabric choice: I have decided to go with a cotton print featuring large green and blue flowers. Truth be told, I chose this fabric in part because I already had a long green dress zip in my stash, and also I want to be bolder and more daring in my sewing choices, and this will certainly be bold. I asked Ant Queen for her opinion, and she agreed that it will work in the sleeveless style, but if I had added sleeves it would be a bit over bearing. I am so pleased with this choice, I am already imagining other pieces to make that will go with it, as well as garments already in my wardrobe.

Muslin pics

I finally found time to be pinned in to my dress muslin and take pics yesterday afternoon.  There are a full set over at my blog, but these 2 I think show where I am up to. 

Front of the dress

side view

There were not too many adjustments to be made after all. I took it in by about half an inch at the long side darts and the shoulder seams. I think the fit is fine for a summer dress. I am going to lower the neckline by about 1.5 - 2 inches. I don't find high necklines comfortable, nor do I think they are flattering on me.
I am not sure whether the bunching at the back here is a problem with the pattern/fit, or if bunched it up when I put my hands on my hips for the earlier photos. You can see we only pinned the hem up at the front. I will make the shorter hem adjustments on the pattern before I cut the fashion fabric.

Greetings and salutations

Having signed up as soon as I heard about the sew-along, it has taken me a while to post, but better late than never, right? I have hatched and scratched a few plans for this project and have settled on this Simplicity 7509  from 1970.

A year or more ago a friend helped me to fit a muslin of it, and I never got back to it, so this sew long is the perfect motivation. However, I have lost about a dress size since then, so I will be working on the muslin some more before I upload pics.

I am not 100% decided on fabric yet. I have some lovely royal blue linen that was gifted to me by a friend, but I fear there will not be quite enough. I will try some creative pattern laying laying out, but if I can't make it work I might use a russet red cotton that is in my collection.

Finally a decision - Vogue 2263

Looks like every one has been busy making progress on their vintage garments. Sadly, the only progress I've made has been in my mind.  Which happens to me quite frequently.  I confess that many times I'll plan an entire project - from pattern alterations, to fabric choice, to order of construction, to finished garment - completely in my head before I even pull the pattern out of it's envelope.  That's not to say that I always do that.  But this time I did and now I'm a bit behind schedule.

First of all, let me properly introduce myself. I'm Sharon, from the blogs Sharon Sews (I know, real original, right?) and Patternaholic.  I've been blogging for about four years and sewing forever. Well, not really forever, but it has been quite a few years. 

For this vintage sew along I've chosen a lovely 1970s dress by Donald Brooks - Vogue 2263.   

"Donald Brooks, the Coty Award-winning designer has won great acclaim for his own definite theory of fashion - that clothes should be infinitely less important than the woman wearing them. His lines are pure, uncluttered and classic in shape. He is also known for his mastery of elegant detailing."

I'm using a heathered purple semi-sheer wool knit (70% wool 30% polyester) from Fabric Mart Fabrics.   The design is underlined and I was not sure what to use as an underlining for a semi-sheer knit. I have black tricot on order and I'll see if that does the trick. Otherwise, I'm open to suggestions.

This pattern was chosen for the neck, waist and wrist tucks - love 'em!  I'm thinking to make it look more modern I may add an exposed zipper down the back. 

And lucky for me this lovely pattern is already my size so no grading for me. Yay!

Now I must get back to my pattern alterations so I can get busy with my muslin.