*, construction, Everyday Wardrobe, pattern

Vogue Cape V9288

December 9, 2019

I made a cape! I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a cape before, so this is a little out of my comfort zone for modern daywear, but it’s a lot like wearing a big blanket and I appreciate that part. And I love the 1960’s vibe of it. Best of all, everything came from my stash except for the buttons and thread! (and I got a good deal on the buttons!)

I used a modern Vogue pattern, V9288, and made it up as-is without any fit adjustments. I did change some of the construction, though, which probably takes this garment out of the “Very Easy” category. 😂 (I pretty much always manage to make every project more difficult than necessary.) I made the view A length version, but included a belt like in B/C.

My fabric is a lightweight wool check, which was just dreamy to work with. Living in SoCal I don’t get the opportunity to sew with wool nearly as often as I’d like! The fabric drapes beautifully, but is very thin, so I added a rayon satin lining to help keep the wind out. I wanted the pockets (of course!) but I wanted them to blend in as much as possible, so I hand slipstitched them in place instead of topstitching. Oh! And I added lining to the pockets too, to help avoid them stretching out over time.

Initially I made machine-stitched buttonholes, but I didn’t like how they turned out, so I did hand-stitched buttonholes on over the machine work (which actually provided a nice base for the handwork). Pro-tip – always start at the bottom of the garment for work like this, so that your messier first attempts aren’t at eye-level!

As mentioned above, I added a rayon satin lining. I also decided to add an interior belt loop to the CB of the cape, because it’s not attached any other way and I don’t want to risk losing it.

The rayon lining is a tight weave and is stable, but the wool can easily stretch, so I added a stabilizer to the shoulder/sideseam of the wool to help support it.

And finally, a close up shot of the vintage carved belt buckle. It’s been sitting in my stash for years, just waiting for it’s chance to shine!

Do you wear capes? Do you have any tips on how to wear them without feeling terribly awkward? 😂

*, 19th Century, Historical Fashion, Outings, pattern, Regency

Little White Regency Dress

May 24, 2019

When I was writing up my post about my green Regency spencer, I wanted to link to a post about my Little White Regency Dress, but realized I had started it but never published it! oops. 🙂

I have wanted a white Regency dress for years and years, and last year finally got around to making one. I love having basic pieces that can be styled different ways, and I think I’ve maximized this one to the utmost!

I used Past Patterns #031, and it definitely lived up to the hype. This is such a good style, and I see why the pattern is so popular. It goes together well, is comfortable, and flattering on just about everyone.

Saundra Ros Altman’s Past Patterns #031: Circa 1796-1806 Lewis & Clark Era: Empire Gown

My version is made with rayon, which is a little drapey but is nice and lightweight. Not HA, but I’ve never yet had anyone comment that the fiber isn’t accurate to the period. It’s hard to tell in these photos, but it’s a white on white stripe, which gives it a little character without being distracting.

Jane Austen Evening, Pasadena, January 2018

You can see now why I wanted a little white dress! Just by changing up my accessories, I can have a dramatically different look. It’s a perfect blank canvas for all kinds of styles, for daytime or evening.

*, 19th Century, Historical Fashion, pattern, Regency

Green Regency Spencer

May 22, 2019

I have projects to share! I’ve been working on so many other things lately (like the new Bon Voyage Sewing Podcast!) that I’ve gotten a little behind on updating this blog. So now I have a little catch up to do!

In my last post I showed how to fit a bodice, and today I want to share the “finished” jacket! “Finished” gets quotes because it is wearable, but I plan to endlessly add trim to it. And maybe closures, so I don’t have to use safety pins every time I wear it. 😉

Green Regency-era spencer first worn to the Jane Austen Spring Assembly with the Historical Tea and Dance Society.

I made this green spencer using Fig Leaf Pattern #216 for the body and Laughing Moon #130 for the sleeves. I decided to simplify the sleeves because I had a limited amount of fabric and time, and really wanted to focus on the trim. It’s green silk taffeta, lined with brown silk taffeta, and interlined with linen to give it a nice body/weight. The collar is machine tailored, and I did the trim on it before sewing it together because it was easier.

I made self rouleaux trim by hand, which is absolutely nuts, but also looks great. I only managed to get the collar trim done for its first outing, but I plan to add more over time to the front, back, and sleeves. It will probably take me YEARS to finish! If I ever do!

Joining bias strips, using receipt paper as a stabilizer

*, Fitting, Historical Fashion, pattern, Regency, Sewing

How to Fit a Bodice

February 15, 2019

Last night I started fitting a late Regency-era spencer, and I snapped some photos of the process. I LOVE fitting. It’s my favorite part of sewing, but of course fitting on one’s self is hard. I use my Uniquely You foam dress form with stays and all the underpinnings to fit garments for myself, and it works really well, even better than the dress form does for modern clothes. (But at least modern clothes have fewer foundation garments, so fitting on myself is a little easier/faster.)

I’m using the Fig Leaf Patterns® 216 Velvet Spencer, c. 1818 pattern, which I’ve admired since I first spotted it. So far I like it quite a bit – pieces seem to match, thorough instructions, etc. These fitting changes in my photos have nothing to do with the quality of the pattern – they are quite minimal fit adjustments and are normal for fitting any garment to a unique body. (My only complaint is that she doesn’t do PDF patterns, which means I don’t get my instant gratification and have to wait a week after ordering for the pattern to arrive!)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/616096838/fig-leaf-patterns-216-velvet-spencer-c?ref=shop_home_active_20&crt=1

I cut out a size 12 mockup based on the size chart and pinned it together to do a quick check, and it’s the right size. The back looks good, but the front needs a little help. This is just the back and 2 fronts, no other pieces are involved yet.

Step 1: Align Center Front. To do this, I unpinned the dart, put CF where it should be, and redraped the dart. You can see this created a little gapping at the neckline.

Step 2: To eliminate the gapping, I unpinned the shoulder seam and smoothed it out and repinned, which means the front and back shoulder seams are out of alignment, so I’ll have to add more to the front neckline to true that up. (looking at the photos, I realized I could have pinched out that excess like a dart, and then removed the excess from the pattern. I might go back and do that, because it’s probably easier than futzing with the neckline.)

Step 3: After addressing the CF alignment in step one and the shoulder/neckline in step 2, it’s time to look at the armhole. There was quite a bit of strain and the armhole is too far back for me (because I have terrible 21st century posture, not the shoulders WAY back posture of the early 19th century). So I redrew the armhole and clipped the curve to release the tension. There is still a little strain, but I don’t want to go too far at this stage. I’ll check it again in my fashion fabric, and I might interface the body to keep that shape and prevent it from collapsing.

Step 4: I futzed with the dart a bit more and called it good. I’ll probably drape that dart on my form when I get to that stage in my real fabric.

I didn’t make any changes to the back piece or the sideseam (other than lowering the armhole height a bit). Now I plan to adjust the front pattern, recut, and baste the front and back together. Then I will check the collar, and after that, the sleeve.

Historical Fashion, pattern, Sewing, WWI

Past Patterns #9384: Ladies’ Three or Four-Piece Skirt: Circa 1917

December 20, 2018

We’re finally at the end of this Teens costume series! Today we’re going to look at the Past Patterns #9384 Ladies’ Three or Four-Piece Skirt.

With this skirt pattern, we’re back into the category of “only for the brave”. Like the Past Patterns’ Princess Slip pattern, this skirt pattern is a single-size repro with copies of only the original sparse instructions and pattern markings. I found an ad for this pattern in the October 1916 issue of the Ladies’ Home Journal, but unfortunately there were no fun fashion illustrations of it to share.

As a reminder, Christina (in the pink) and I used this same skirt pattern in our outfits for the Great War Gallop. And in looking through my old photo files, I found pics of the version Lauren made AGES ago! (Circa 2011?) Christina and Lauren both made version A, and I made version B.

Since I made view B, I used pieces 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. I should have also used piece 4, but I got so wrapped up in trying to figure out how the belt worked that I forgot it also had a waistband, so I wound up doing an overcomplicated internal waist facing instead. Oops!

Skirt Side
Skirt Back
Skirt Front

Waistband hook, snaps, and buttons for closures. The snaps are not mentioned in the instructions ANYWHERE, so it took me a while to figure out how this placket closure should work.

Waistband interior construction. I attached some heavy-duty waistband interfacing to the brown petersham facing, which provides a really excellent level of support. I also added stay-tape to the sideseams for additional support. An original would probably use a skinny twill tape for support on the sideseams, but this modern stuff is what I had in my stash.

Pocket Detail. I cut 4 of the pocket pieces to make a double-sided pocket, so that the face of the fabric is visible on both sides when the flap is folded down. I did mine as a patch pocket and the flap is not actually functional.

Skirt in Progress. I’m not normally so diligent about things like thread marking, but this time I was very glad I did it. It made the snap and button placement MUCH easier to do accurately. I wasn’t completely pleased with the shape of the skirt at this point – it was too long and not full enough at the hem, even with a petticoat under it.

Sleeve wigan as hem interfacing
This was a BEAST of a hem to sew, but I’m pleased with the final look!

In order to remedy the soft hem, I found some sleeve wigan in my stash and added it to the skirt hem. I was worried it might be too stiff, but since it is on the bias I think it gives just the right amount of support!

Historical Fashion, pattern, Sewing, WWI

Folkwear Armistice Blouse

December 10, 2018

Christina, Charlton, and Beth at The Great War Gallop

We’re finally done with undies and can finally look at the real clothes from my Teens costume! About half the women at the Great War Gallop used the Folkwear Armistice Blouse pattern, which was both amusing and also interesting to see how they all came out. Christina and I (in the pic above) were complete pattern twins, and used the same blouse AND skirt pattern! She made the skirt with the overlay drape, and I did the version with patch pockets.

I actually made this blouse last summer for Costume College to wear as part of an “adventurer” outfit, but I didn’t finish my jodhpurs in time, so the blouse has gone unworn until now. My recollection of making it is a bit hazy, but I remember it going together fairly easily, and the pattern has modern step-by-step instructions. Now that I’ve spent more time researching the Teens, I believe this pattern is a modern interpretation of the period style and neither the fit nor the construction are 100% accurate, but it is very close and is accessible to a modern sewer. If you can make a modern blouse, you can make this.

As with most everything I make, there are still a few finishing details that are still unfinished! Because it’s worn tucked in, I never hemmed the bottom edge, and the back gathering is secured with a safety pin instead of the cute little belt that it’s supposed to have. I will probably eventually add the belt but never hem it.

I do wish the center panel were a little higher – it looks okay in these photos, but my chemise & slip are constantly threatening to peek out the top. And I don’t love the wide neck (which is exacerbated by my using too-heavy interfacing), but seeing that most everyone’s versions have a wide neck made me feel better about mine. But overall I’m pleased with it. I’ve wanted to make this blouse for many years!!

V is for Vintage

Vintage Sewing and Lifestyle

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