Spring Jacket Pattern

Last week at a thrift store I saw a nice brown linen jacket.  I tried it on but it didn't fit me --too small.  Before I even got home I knew exactly what pattern I was going to use to make my own version...this lovely 1940's one!  I'm going to make the tie one with the long sleeves.  I even bought some brown linen on sale a couple of weeks ago (last year's leftovers).  The thrift store jacket was unlined with Hong Kong seams.  I intend to copy it.  Don't look for it for a couple of months --I'm overloading my "to do" stack lately!

READY!

If I were the nail biting type I would have chewed my nails down to nothing this week.  I am ready for the men's shirt sew-along!  I was so tempted to cut out my muslin yesterday, but I didn't.  I told myself it's a sew along --not a sew by yourself.  (Plus Peter has started reprimanding people for starting early!)

To keep from jumping ahead I'm doing some preparing and some other things that just need doing.  My sewing table has been cleaned and dusted.  The machine is oiled and even has a spanking new needle in it.  On the back of my sewing chair is one of my husband's shirts that was too worn for the thrift store, so I took all the buttons off to reuse and will keep the shirt handy for reference.  I have my modern machine set up on a different table ready in case I need anything on it.  I can't imagine that I would need anything on it, but I'm READY.

I also picked out a female version of a man's shirt, so I can get a little something for myself out of the sew along.

I'll keep busy this weekend with finishing a few UFO's --probably sewing them on my Featherweight which hasn't been run in a month and could use the workout.  I also need to fix my padded dressform.  I tried to cram a 1960's dress on it to photograph for a later blog post; the dress was too small and I knocked one of my dressform's boobs slightly askew.  Looks a bit off, so I need to tend to that.

Old Home Ec Lessons Die Hard

I gave up sewing clothes when my boys were small.  I made quilts and knitted.  It was only a couple of years ago I got back into making my own wardrobe.  When I sat down at my sewing machine with that first top sewing lessons from decades ago came right back to mind.  Truly like riding a bicycle.  While I can't remember what I went to the store for unless I write it down, I can remember Home Ec lessons like which way I'm supposed to sew.  I wonder  --does anyone learn directional sewing anymore?  Or is it an outdated notion?

I found a book, The Bishop Method of Clothing Construction, last year at a used book store and bought it for some of the details in the back.  As I read through it I realized this was my Home Ec sewing class in one book!  And it details directional sewing.  I'm sure all of you know it for staystitching as in the above photo.  Even modern directions show that.

But there is also a directional method to sewing seams together.  The photo should enlarge if you click on it (and if it's not too blurry) you can read the rules and exceptions.  I learned most of this, and old habits die hard.  You can see how the shoulder seam is to be sewn from the neck edge outward.  I still do this...always.   I also sew the sleeves like shown --but the rest?  Nah!  See that fitted waist that should be sewn into the waist first in one direction and then the other?  No way.  I'm a Lazy Susan.   So, while many of my lessons I absolutely learned to heart, some got chucked out the window.

I Like This Pattern...After I Change Half Of It

Do you ever find it amazing that you have over a hundred sewing patterns but when you want a specific (and simple) style you don't have a pattern for it?  I do!  I want the most simple of all vintage tops: the little kimono sleeve fitted top which usually buttons down the back.  But do I have a pattern for what I have in mind?  Almost.  Sure, I could buy a new one or even a new reproduction one of it, but I'm a bit on the cheap thrifty side.  Why buy when I can alter what I have?

This Butterick 9601 has close to what I want.  You can't see it well on the pattern models; you have to look at the diagrams for it.  I made a quick tracing of the pattern.  (Those yellowish spots on the envelope are mold and an instant asthma alert for me --I always trace these type patterns quickly!  And store them sepatately.)  On my tracing I made some changes.  I scooped the neck down some and instead of waist darts I want tucks for a more casual feel.  I also decided I didn't want to fool with buttons down my back and would put a side zipper in instead. 

I sewed up a muslin to check out my changes and see if I could get it over my head.  The tucks were fine but the neck was terrible.  It came much too far out on the shoulders --past my bra straps.  I hadn't even changed that area so the original has a wide neck.  The bust darts were too high also.  The photo above is the front of the muslin.  I took the muslin apart and redid the front.  I keep my muslins and use them over again when I can.

The revised pattern.  The second muslin is a nice fit.  I fixed the neck, took in the bust and waist, added at the hips, and lengthened.  I don't have any photos of it since I was all goose bumpy while trying it on.  Now on to the real thing.  In blue for a change!  Not green!

Also, I'm thinking this is a little Hepburn-ish (Audrey, that is), so I'll include it in the Hepburn/Hepburn project.

Only Someone Who Sews Would...

...spend a couple of hours cleaning buttons!  Unless maybe they were a slightly nutty button collector.

Last week when I needed mother of pearl buttons I had plenty to choose from.  That's not even half of them in the photo!  My mother loved to collect pearl buttons.  When she was bedridden she gave them to me and even told me not to wait but take them home that day.  I did.

She kept them in one of those hardware type things that has little plastic drawers.  Not really aesthetically pleasing.  I took them out of it and, at the time, put them in a plastic bin.  Last week when I needed some, I noticed how grimy they felt, so I washed them!

Some of the buttons are quite beautiful -and remarkably hard to photograph  --their iridescence doesn't show well.  I always liked the giant two holed ones in the photo.  I wanted mom to put them on something but she never did!  Now I'll have to think of something to put them on.

The ones on cards I left alone.

I've gone a little crazy in organizing.  I have them divided into categories:  two hole, four hole, shanks, black pearl, dyed ones, and fancy ones. 

Some of those are even divided into subcategories --you'd think I was still snowed in, but I like organized stuff. 

Since I like looking at them I'm putting them in old and new canning jars on a shelf.  Funny enough, when it comes to regular buttons I hardly have any.  My sister ran off with all those.

1970's Dress and Grading

I don't have many patterns from the 70's, and the ones I do have aren't my size.  Take this dress for instance.  I like it, but it has a 37" bust.  I don't mind grading up or down one size but down 5 inches?!  No, thanks.  I'm working on grading another pattern down (one size) this week.  Which way do you prefer to grade:  up or down?

Edwardian Camisole Finished

Folkwear's Edwardian Underthings camisole was not only easy to sew but quick!  I'm done, and it was a fun and relaxing project!  I feel sort of sewing refreshed if that makes any sense to you. 

 Everything went together beautifully.

I did make a few changes that I discussed here.  My mother would have had one objection to my camisole --I didn't use any entredeaux!   In finer vintage garments the lace never touched the fabric.  The entredeaux was between the two.  Oh well, I didn't have enough of the stuff and I didn't want to spend anything on it.  It's fine without it.

Woe!  The only problem I had with this project was with my Elna.  It started making a strange noise (sort of a whine) from the motor area and the tension on the underside of the fabric went loopy.  I have no idea what it's problem is.  Needless to say, I'm a bit upset --I always do my heirloom sewing on my Elna.

Sewing the Edwardian Camisole

The instructions for sewing the Folkwear Edwardian Underthings camisole are pretty straightforward and easy.  I made a few minor changes as I went along, such as sewing the insertion pieces.  The instructions say to do a straight stitch down the sides and then trim away the fabric on the back leaving 1/4 inch edge which is then turned under and straight stitched again.  That's fine if you only have a straight stitch machine, but for this type sewing I pop the Elna out onto its table and use the zig zag.

I stitched the lace down with tiny zig zag stitches then turned it over and trimmed away the fabric on the back of the lace --super easy.

The camisole is supposed to have three tucks together, but I was feeling lazy and didn't want to sit and fold precise tucks.  I put a twin needle in the Elna and made pintucks instead.  I did one each down where the three tucks were marked and then put two in between those.  A nice and easy alternative.  A pintuck foot might have made this even easier but mine is broken.

I steamed the pintucks and think I should have taken my photo before I did this --they were more crisp!

One of the other fun things to do with this project is pour out some pearl buttons and pick the ones I want.

Time For More Vintage Style Undergarments

For some reason I find sewing vintage undergarments relaxing.  I don't know why; I just do.  An added bonus to this sewing is I don't have to buy any supplies except a spool of thread.  I inherited two bins of lace and I already have several yards of cotton lawn.  (I also have several pieces of my mother's $25 a yard Swiss batiste.  She saved it for special things and left a stack of the stuff.  I don't have room for saving fabric for posterity, so I'm going to be cutting into it soon!)

I'm going to make Folkwear's camisole/corset cover out of the Edwardian Underthings pattern.  I've got my eye on that petticoat for later too.  Part of the fun of this project is picking out the laces.  I plan on using that middle one for the insertion pieces.  It's not as wide as what the pattern calls for but I don't have any that width and I'm not spending any money on this --it'll work.  I also don't have enough matching laces to run around the neck and armholes.  So they won't match --still not a problem.

Trying Again, Rocketeer



Old Photo of my Rocketeer

The Singer 500 Rocketeer.  A lot of you might have read of my exploits so far with this sewing machine.  Not good. There seem to be decidedly separate groups about the Rocketeer from comments I've read:  those who love it and those who hate it.  Nearly everyone agrees that it's a beautiful looking machine.  I'm still undecided about the love/hate thing.  So far this machine hasn't worked very well at all for me.

I understand my Rocketeer's quirks and can live with them.  And I replaced its foot controller for a better one.  But the Rocketeer kept stalling after I lifted my foot from the controller and then tried to push it.  The machine would whine and not go until I twisted the handwheel to get it moving.  Tiresome. 

I refuse to scrap this thing as a dud --yet.  It's my only vintage zigzagger (besides the Elna) and has some features I'd like to try out (that my Elna doesn't have).  So off to the Yahoo Vintage Singer group to have a look in the files about Rocketeer's motor.  They have a step-by-step guide with pictures for replacing the motor brushes and cleaning the motor --exactly what I want!  If you go looking for it, it's listed in the files as "Cleaning the 401 type motor" (same thing).



Underneath the Rocketeer

I was a bit nervous about opening this motor.  I'm more acquainted with the potted motors of the 15-91 and 201.  As it turned out, this motor was, in my opinion, much easier to work with.

Rocketeer's motor

The above photo is the motor out of the machine.  I got the brushes out next, and they were very worn down. 


Cleaning the brush holder

 You can see the brushes lying there --they're the things with springs on them.

I didn't get a photo of the commutator.  If you look in the motor you can see it --it's the copper bit.  After this shot my husband (who took the photos) helped me with the commutator (cleaning it) and we both ended up with dirty hands and didn't take any photos.  After he cleaned his hands he took the next one of me putting everything back together.

I put new brushes in. 

Everything went surprisingly easy.  The kind of easy that makes me nervous that something must be wrong --after all, nothing is that easy.

Once Rocketeer was wired back up, I gave it a tentative try.  It stitches.  I don't want to jump ahead since every time I think this machine is working it doesn't, but it seems to actually be working right.  It even sounds different.  It's a real whiner.  It sounds so bizarre to me (not at all like my other machines) that I wondered if anyone had ever commented on it and did a search.  It turns out that Brian at BrianSews did write about the sound of his Rocketeer and said that it reminded him of a remote control car.  Exactly!  That is what it sounds like!

I'll keep trying it and see how it works out.  If it behaves I might even put it back in it's cabinet instead of it sitting on a shelf with a dust cover.

A little extra note:  Please, don't write to me asking how to work on motors or electrical stuff.  My knowledge is limited on this stuff.  Most people don't want to give information on electrical things in case someone makes a mistake and tries to hold them responsible.  Try looking at the Yahoo Singer group or one of the other vintage sewing machine groups they have.  That's where I learn everything.  Here's a post on someone else's site about cleaning one type of sewing machine motor.  It's not the 401/500 one, but it might give you an idea of what's involved.

The Year of the Shirtdress

Shirtdress.  Shirtwaist.  Shirtwaist dress.  Whatever you want to call them, they're perfect casual dresses.  Exactly what I want, so I'll be making some this year.  After combing through my patterns I discovered I have a few shirtdress patterns, but none of them are exactly what I had in mind.  That often happens to me.  I do like the Advance one above, but I'll be grading that bodice up a couple of inches (more in the waist!)  I have a couple of 1960's dresses that don't have button fronts but are the look I want.  I might have to redo them with some facings down the front.

Antique Thread Advertisement

An antique trade card advertising J. & P. Coats thread.  I guess the Victorians liked this sort of thing.  It's very similar to another card I posted before of dogs reading.  

The First Wadder of the Year...Almost

Sigh...what can I say?  The very first thing I've sewn this year, a 1947 peplum blouse from Simplicity 2027, and it isn't going well at all.  (I know it's winter, but I'm tired of it.  I'm looking forward to spring and intend to start sewing for it now.)

With good intentions I made a muslin.  Yes, I'm going to make muslins this year instead of just pinning the paper pattern together and trying it on --especially with vintage patterns.  I wanted to check on the size of the waist and get an idea of how the kimono sleeves would look on me.  The following shot is dark and blurry but I'm pointing at the excess amount of fabric puffing out at the front of the shoulder.  This shot was after I took some of the excess out already.  I know there has to be some extra fabric here for movement, but there was too much.  If anyone knows how to take the extra fabric out of this area on a kimono sleeve, please, feel free to comment on it --I guessed my way through it.  I didn't attach the peplum to the muslin since I thought I could tell how it would fit without it.  (Wrong!)

The waist seemed fine, so I cut the blouse out of some soft cotton shirting fabric.  I liked the red striped one on the pattern envelope and had a similar blue stripe.  I made my first mistake here but didn't realize it until later. 

Everything seemed to be going well until it came time to attach the peplum.  I had skimmed the instructions before I cut out the top but neglected to pay attention to what I was reading.  The instructions say to clip and stretch the peplum to fit the waist.  Stretch?!  I knew exactly what that would do!  It pulled my top's waist in just enough for it to be too snug. 

I tried it on and looked in the mirror.  From the front fine but snug at the waist.  (I haven't finished the neckline bias facing or the bottom.)

But, oh, the back.  That peplum seemed to have far too much pep.  It stuck out.  I looked at the envelope again and discovered my first mistake.  I had two peplum blouse patterns on my sewing table and had confused them.  The one I used was supposed to be made with much more drapable fabrics, such as satin and crepe.  The other one could be used with cottons.  I originally had a skirt on when I tried on the top and was so disappointed, but I put skinny jeans on for the photos and the peplum didn't seem to stick out quite so much then.

That's more bias strip facing hanging out.

I really didn't want to wad this so I took the peplum off, let out the side seams a wee bit, let out the back peplum seam a smidgen, and sewed it back on with some finagling along the way.  All technical sewing skills.  By the end it wasn't too tight and was salvagable.  I don't have any finished shots since it's still not done  --the details.  I'm so tired of it though it might be spring before I finish it.

Award and a Project

First I won another blog award to my surprise.  It's the Sylish Blogger Award and was given to me by Ady from Crafty Ady.  (I really like the farm animal quilted playmat she posted today!)  While I am completely flattered I don't have time right now to fulfill the requirements of sending it on to 15 other bloggers.  That takes work! 

Here are some blogs I've been reading lately:
Pattern ~ scissors ~ cloth
Glamour Daze
Tanit-isis Sews
3 Hours Past the Edge of the World

On another note, I've seen the Hepburn/Hepburn Project by Rhinstones and Telephones on other people's blogs and was always interested in it --but never joined.  Since I've already cut these trousers out to make again:

...and they remind me of Katherine Hepburn's style, I might join in.  If I could dress like either Hepburn then I would deserve a stylish award!

A Somewhat Cloche For The Snow and Some Really Red Lipstick

As you probably know the cloche is my favorite hat.  With all the snow expected here Sunday night I decided I needed a warm winter hat.  Although I've knitted dozens of hats I've given them all away except for one tam that I kept for myself.  I wanted a winter cloche...so I searched online and found a free cloche pattern.  Unfortunately, you get what you pay for.  The hat in the above photo is about the best I could do with this pattern without more modification than I care to do.

It just isn't quite a cloche.  The top is wrong.  The brim is wrong.  It's almost there but not. It's supposed to have a strap around it but after holding the strap up to it, I didn't think it helped so I left it off.  On the site where I got it many people had complained that the hat pictured is not made from the pattern --so obvious.  Also many complained about how big the brim is.  Before cutting my fabric I made a quick mock up out of some plaid from a skirt I just finished to get an idea of the brim:

A bit too big, methinks. 

I think I might like a plaid cloche now though.  I also think I might invest in a real cloche pattern, such as these on Etsy.  They look better drafted.

To make the black one I cut the brim pattern in half. 

Now for that lipstick...What goes better with a cloche than red lipstick?  (Nothing).  It's Revlon's Really Red Matte lipstick.  I'm usually much more timid with lipsticks and only bought this for fun, but I rather like it.  It's the only makeup I'm wearing in the photos.  I'm finding that with my dark red hair changing to more brown and getting whiter strands that my normal makeup isn't what it used to be.

I forgot to mention the black hat is made of polar fleece.  This was the first time I've ever used the stuff.   Meh.  It is warm though.

And did you notice the snow?  Lots and lots and lots of snow!

The 1980's Wrap Skirt Pattern

The above pattern was one of my favorites in the late 80's.  I made the pleated one shown in gray in a linen for summer and wool for winter -(back when I could wear wool).  I also made the other version shown in red in a tweed wool too.

I was cleaning out the cedar chest awhile back and found the black wool skirt at the bottom.  I loved this skirt:

A pleated wrapped wool skirt with a slip and tights was incredible warm when I was running around the campus.

I tried to pull the skirt around me.  Ha!  Those buttons and buttonholes weren't even close to meeting up!  I had a 22 inch waist back then.  I remember always being on the go with school and work and eating on the run.  Now with having had kids and eating I'm a bit bigger.  My husband says I look better now and was too thin.  I have to agree.  In retrospect I must have looked like a lollipop.