Result!

It is done! My dress/suit is finished. I have, once again, sort-of copied a photograph of a gorgeous 1950's outfit. 
I've done that a couple of times now. I don't really know when I started it. It's not like I don't have ideas of my own... Maybe it is just one of the lures of pattern making: It's so easy to follow the observation "that is pretty" with "I could make that". Of course, really making it isn't always as easy.

In this case, the jacket was a bit of a struggle. I agree with everyone who said that it was likely a one-piece pattern which should be draped to get that interesting shape. However, I only have one of those standard, adjustable dummies which does not really have my shape. And, most importantly, it hardly has shoulders (that is fairly common among dressmakers dummies and I consider it a big issue). I also don't have a human body double or a greatly talented draper at my disposal. So, I couldn't try draping. Flat pattern making was the only way.
After my "toiles" post, I actually made another raglan version with a two piece sleeve which curved forward a bit. Although it went some way towards getting that forward slump, it didn't really do the trick. In the end, I thought it edged towards being over-engineered.
So, I went with the half-kimono sleeve version.

I didn't use interfacing in the sleeve hems. I agree with those of you who mentioned some serious reinforcement would be need to make them stand out like that but I want to be able to wear this in real life, not just have it as a show piece. 

The dress was much simpler. I made a skirt with six gores, slightly tapered at the front and side seams, flared from mid-thigh at the back seams. This also allowed me to put some real waist shaping in the dress, something you often loose a bit in patterns for knit fabrics. 
To avoid bulk, I made the bodice from some fairly thin viscose jersey and finished its edges with fold-over elastic (used with the matte side out). 

To keep and enhance the before mentioned waist shaping, I put a short invisible zipper in the side seam at waist level and made an inner waistband.

That waistband is just a piece of soft elastic which closes with a lingerie hook-and-eye at the same place as the zipper (the left side seam). I determined its length by measuring the waistline on the pattern pieces and tacked it in place on each of the vertical seams. The effect is subtle but it works. And, to my surprise, it isn't uncomfortable. It is probably not recommended if you have a lot of soft flesh around the waist though. 

I'm glad I kept going with this pattern. It may not have all the sculptural beauty of the original, I still think it captures some of that charm. And comfortably so. Who would have thought? 

Not... quite...

Obviously, I should have made a toile. Such an unusual shape, randomly drawn with just some reference to the sloper... No guarantees of success. At all.

But I had more fabric than I needed anyway and it was cheap. As cheap as anything I might use as muslin. So, I just went for it. I cut both dress and jacket and just started sewing them.
The dress will need some serious tweaking too but that mostly comes down to taking in the hip curve. 

This is what the jacket looks like. It is not without some good points but on the whole... bleh. 

The main problem is the neckline. High and tight necklines are quite period correct for the 1950's but this garment shouldn't have one. And I've never been a big fan of that particular feature anyway. 

I may or may not have placed the button a bit too high. I'm not sure but I really think it is above the bust point on the model as well. I may lower it a bit but I don't want to put it on the bust point. 
The real issue it the cut of the neckline itself. It should have been a LOT wider. And I should have drafted the real shawl collar after all. A fairly wide one with enough room in that outer edge to roll over gracefully. 

Then there are the sleeves. Although mine are wide they are nowhere near the statement of those in the original picture. I thought I couldn't really make them any wider with the kimono sleeve like curve under the arm. Now I look at the picture and see that there hardly is a curve there at all. There's a very short vertical bit and then there is the bottom of the sleeve. I can make that.

And then, there is the bodice itself. I had noticed the forward tilt of the sleeves in the picture and guessed it might be achieved by taking in on the front seams. I didn't really know how to draft for it right from the start though. 

Now, my jacket has clearly too much bulk at the front, at chest height but between my body and arm. Bulk which doesn't go away by pinning the overlap a bit tighter (that just causes pulling lines). I think I could take in the front bodice, which is looking too wide anyway. This would bring the sleeves in a bit and reduce bulk. I may have to add a little ease at the back to compensate (I am now sort of obsessed with center back ease because I know my upper back muscles are growing because of the climbing). And some part of the messy fit at the top will go away anyway with the wider neckline...

I think I have plenty of clues to try and alter the pattern. Or rather, make a new one using the old one as a starting point. And this time, I will make a toile.

It's just a shame I don't like wearing those tight necklines otherwise I would call this a wearable muslin. Especially because I already made a perfect bound buttonhole.

Jacket sleeves

If you follow this blog on Facebook, you may have seen this picture already: 

There has been quite a bit of progress on my new jacket! 
Since then, I've made a lining and now I just have to attach that, make buttonholes and do all those little bits of finishing which always take way more time than you'd expect. And I think it is looking good! The skirt should be quite simple: A half circle should do the trick. I'll just have to give it some serious time to hang out before hemming. This fabric is shifty on its own (which is why I block-fused the entire jacket using a very thin knit interfacing)...

This time, I thought I'd be clever and have a bit of a chat about the pattern before showing off the finished garment (because that often leads to questions about the pattern). 

As mentioned before, my inspiration was this picture. 
The darted lower bodice is pretty standard. You will find a shape like that in many patterns and, when drafting your own, you take it straight from the sloper. The notched collar is hardly unique either. I did a full-on jacket collar draft because I like that but you could probably get a result like in the drawing with a simple convertible collar as well. 
The stand-out feature of this design is the yoke. With the sleeves and pocket flaps grown on. I love unusual takes on fairly standard shapes, which is exactly what this is. 

At first, I thought it would be easy to draft this using my kimono sleeved block (I've made that based on the normal sloper, to speed up the drafting process for dresses with kimono sleeves. It's for a fairly fitted kimono sleeve with an underarm gusset). As soon as I got started, though, I found a problem. Proportions.
In the drawing, the lower bodice is long and lean and it is 'crowned' with that nice yoke and pocket flap arrangement. The pocket flaps look like they are right at the apex of the bust and the yoke seam is a straight line. On the kimono sleeved block, that isn't possible. A straight line at or just above bust level would end up in the sleeve. And I thought a curve would be rather noticeable.

Instead, I went for a different option, constructing the yoke-and-sleeve more or less like a raglan sleeve. So, I took the upper bodice pieces from the standard sloper and grafted those only the normal sleeve. To keep that rather soft, flat shoulder line, I put them on a bit under the sleeve head (never recommended in  pattern making instructions but I know my slopers and the result I want). 
With this drafting choice, several practical considerations came together: To make a sleeve like this properly, you need to preserve the lower part of the armscye. To achieve that and get the bust seam at the right height, I lowered the armscye by 2 or 3 centimeters. That should also help to get the looser look around the upper arms and improve the room for movement when combined with a small alteration on the sleeve. That particular sleeve treatment is something I explained in this post.
With the yoke-and-sleeve done, I studied the picture carefully for the placement of the pocket flap. To keep it from making the sewing more difficult, I just used a 1 cm seam allowance for the flap (the flap curled up when I took the picture).

I've tried the jacket on and the sleeves actually still look pretty slim but I can move properly. The proportions on the body look fine so I guess I should put the difference in the sleeve shape down to the inevitable issues you get when converting a drawing into an actual garment. 

Putting the ease for movement in the sleeves was not uncommon in 1950's suits though. These images come from the French Elle magazine, the collection special for autumn/winter 1953. 

These suits are quite different in style from the one I'm making but both have very fitted bodices and fairly full sleeves. It's a very clever feature really. Not only does it set off that super-slim bodice, it also means the wearer can still use her arms. I won't look quite so wasp waisted in my suit (not without a corset... although these model might be wearing some rather hard-core underpinnings themselves) but that is kind of the effect I am going for myself.

(P)interesting

A short while ago, I mentioned joining Pinterest. As I announced, I 've been adding images and creating new boards gradually and I'm not even close to half-way through my magazine collection yet.

And yet, certain patterns start to emerge... Of course, some things, like the amount of images in each issue of a vintage magazine have nothing to do with my preferences but other things are pretty telling.

I knew I liked skirts with flounces. That's why I made one. And they were among my reasons for liking the years 1949 to 1951, and starting with adding those. But really, there is some seriously lovely stuff there. I know I already made a flounce dress, but I may need another. Or a suit...

And then pockets. Like many seamstresses, I like my clothes to have pockets. I also like pockets to be a design feature. And I'm not afraid of wearing a garment with eye-catching hip pockets. But there's such a selection, even just in those few years I've looked at now. And I love so many of them.

And after that, there are other things I didn't even particularly know I liked. The lovely fitted suits with blouse-y backs which Dior made in 1950 for example. And styles for which I haven't even come up with a category yet. 

I guess I'm just a sucker for the minor trends of the years after the introduction of the New Look. Which almost makes me accuse myself of fashion history snobbery but I swear it isn't. These are things I picked because I love them. Of course, when I get on to the later 1950's, there should be more full-skirted dresses (when fabric restrictions disappear) which I also love. However, as a pattern maker, I'll always be drawn to both clear lines and clever inventions and in the years around 1950, there were so many of those. Even if the 'general public' might not recognize any of these as "typical" for their time, I know they are that and more and I can enjoy them (this was a reason for me to be disappointed with the "Fabulous Fifties" exhibit at the The Hague Gemeentemuseum two years ago. Too much of a broad sweep of an era which has so many fascinating smaller and shorter-lived trends).

I know many people complain about Pinterest being a terrible time-suck (and of course, I'm not a very active user) but for now, I'm happy I put it the effort. It has helped me to go from vaguely knowing what I like to a clearer picture. A picture which may get more complete as I upload more images, from more years. Or it may get diffused, of course. Either way, I think I'll like playing the game for a bit longer.

Oh, and obviously, you can follow me on Pinterest to explore all those vintage trends yourself.

Vintage inspiration for him?

Two years ago, I made this spring/summer jacket for E. Since then, he has worn it about every day when the weather was right for this kind of garment. The buttons holding the long epaulettes came off a couple of times, it faded a bit in the laundry but otherwise, it performed admirably. Until last week, when he got a big tear on one of the sleeves. 

Serious damage to the fabric which compromises the integrity of garment is kind of a damning thing, in my opinion. It's time I made him a new jacket. 

It will be in cotton again but I'll be using the thinner and sturdier stuff which I've used for trousers as well, rather than this twill. It will be black(ish) again. And, knowing how and when he'll wear this jacket, I think I will base the design, again, on the casual jacket block, rather than the more confining (especially at the shoulders and upper arms) formal blazer block.

I used that same block for this winter coat for him, which I made to be sort of semi-fitted.
I've tried a blazer block in the past but I have never been completely satisfied with its fit and I've noticed E prefers the more casual shape for every day wear.

So those are my practical considerations. Now, it's just a question of style. How do I want my man to look? Keeping his usual dress sense in mind, of course.

As you know, I love looking at vintage fashion images for inspiration. And thinking about a jacket for E, I remembered something I thought I had seen in 1930's magazines.
The following images all come from the book "Every day fashions of the thirties, as pictured in Sears Catalogs".

I like the trench coats. I was kind of considering a look like that. I'm not sure about it though. Ironically, considering the background of the garment (the original versions were worn by British army officers in the Great War), I think E might not see it as a contemporary garment for a young(ish) man. After all, we've seen random trench coat interpretations for women all our lives. For men, we only see the occasional, very traditional version. Often in beige and worn by an older gentleman. 
I still think it's a true classic that may be in for another revival soon, but is this something E would wear?

Then, there are the sporty jackets of the 1930's. They're fun, and the back treatment with the pleat is what I was looking for. However, the overall look is clearly not for E. Wearing one of these requires an entire vintage style wardrobe.

These jackets on the right come closest to what I thought I remembered: A fitted blazer with an 'action back', a back pleat to provide ease of movement. I'm sure I've seen more of these on coats and jackets for sports and hunting. This is the most common version, with a center back pleat and a waist seam. Two single pleats further towards the sides is also possible and in classic British hunting attire, you will also see carefully tailored tweed jackets with a pleat in the armscye.
The jackets in this image don't quite have the outdoorsy vintage sportswear look I remembered though. From the front, they look like any other jacket.
Maybe I should search my actual vintage magazines...

And, as I mentioned, I know I shouldn't use a fitted blazer block with high sleeve heads.

So far, I think I will fit the casual jacket block a bit closer at the back, make the single pleat action back and style the front of the thing a bit like this:

To be honest, I don't like making cargo pockets or any other style of patch pocket with flap. It's just a lot of work for something so simple. However, for E and for the kind of jacket I'm imagining, it just seems right.
It will be another week or so until I will have the time to start drafting anything like this, so I'll have plenty of time to consider my options. What do you think: Use vintage inspiration, or don't? 1930's or some other era? 

Ahoy!

What's not to like about wide legged, high waisted, sailor front jeans? (a little spoiler: If you are a devotee of low-rise skinny jeans and would answer this, rhetorical, question with "everything", this post may not be for you...)

Obviously, there's nothing not to like about a good pair of 1930/40's style jeans. I know there's a popular reproduction pattern out there (by one of the big four, with a side button closure) which has been used by many a seamstress to create lovely vintage style trousers, but, being me, I just had to go and draft my own.
I have made trousers with wide legs before, but so far, they were always based on a normal trouser block which meant they were fitted at the crotch and seat. This time, wanting to get that retro look, I chose to use the easy fitting block (which is normally used as a base for things like pleated trousers). This means added ease both in width and length at the crotch, seat and lower hip.
Which makes for a very comfortable pair of trousers.

I used the same fabric as before. I'm really glad I managed to get this pair cut out of the remaining yardage.
Unlike before, I decided to go all-out on classic golden yellow topstitching this time. These jeans have flat felled seams throughout in thick topstitching thread.

The shape of these is simple: a fairly loose fit at the hip, a high waistband and long, straight wide legs. There are bound pockets with buttons and button loops at the back and the scoop pockets at the front are integrated into the front closure. 
That closure, in fact, was rather easy to construct. I've made plenty of fly fronts and I've stopped thinking of those as difficult a long time ago, but to be honest, the sailor front was less fiddly.

I really like the look of these trousers in a bit of retro styling, with a blouse or top tucked in, like in these pictures (which reminds me: I should really make some more blouses). 
Fortunately, E was willing to take some pictures last Sunday, when the weather was still nice. In the yard behind our apartment, they made these flowerbeds last winter. Now, there are these lovely new plants there and stepping stones. It makes for a much better decor  for a photoshoot than before.

I got distracted...

Again.
It seems that whenever I say I'm going to make something, I loose interest and decide to go and make something completely different. And it's no different this time.
Last month, despite knowing I kind of needed another pair of trousers and some  simple tops, I was all set to start on a stripey vintage style dress. Life got in the way and nothing was done. Then, I made a shirt for E and discussed making him a new pair of trousers as well. And mentioned in passing that I should actually start working on a light coat or casual jacket for him too because the old ones are starting to look a bit tired.
I won't even list the many other more or less nice things I have been thinking about making in that same time. There a just too many of those.

This weekend though, I finally had enough time to actually get started on a new project. And, maybe to no-ones surprise (certainly not to my own) I decided to go for something I enjoy designing, drafting and sewing: a sort-of 1950's style dress. 

This is the rough sketch for it. Little cut-on cap sleeves, button front, side zipper and a slim skirt with a feature I always find intriguing when I see it in vintage fashion illustrations: Pleats which are 'buttoned on' the front of the skirt. Mine will have pockets in the tops of those pleats. I'm still figuring out the best way to construct those on the inside but it's just too good of an opportunity to miss.

I'm using this a somewhat coarsely woven but fairly thin cotton. It's a bit denim-like although it's a plain weave. The interesting thing about it is that it's woven with pinstripes but has this bold pattern of flowers and foliage printed over it.
And I thought I'd play to the denim-effect by using these silver-coloured buttons.

I've just started sewing. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish it in the coming week.  

The teens

Thank you for all the nice replies to my previous post! I'll post about subjects like that again.
Today, I've got more pictures. Proper vintage fashion this time… Oh no, actually, it's antique fashion (100 years old, or more). The following pictures were all published in Journal des Dames et des Modes in 1913 and 1914. I don't have original magazines. The pictures come from a late 1980's compilation. 

I'm fascinated with these styles from the 1910's. It's so easy to think about fashion history moving from the S-curve, through World War I, straight on to the flapper dresses and bare legs of the 1920's. In fact, there is this really interesting time of development and experimentation in between (probably not so unknown anymore now, thanks to Downton Abbey).

This magazine must have focussed on high fashion. There are some designs credited to Poiret himself and, in general, the looks are luscious, opulent and quite modern in silhouette (modern for the time, of course).

There are plenty of hobble skirts and very few clearly defined waistlines.
In drawings, these looks are so endlessly elegant. I'd love to find a pattern from a design like this, just to find out what it actually looked like on a real person.

Finally… that 30's dress

It's really finished! In the end, I didn't line the dress, I'll make a full slip later.

As you may know by now, from my previous posts about this project, I didn't use an actual 1930's pattern for this dress. Instead, I took inspiration from the wonderful images in magazines from the era. 
One of the advantages of owning several magazines, spread over most of the years of the decade, is that you get to see the progress of fashion over time. That way, I learned that there were no shoulder pads in dresses before 1932 and even in that year, fullness at the shoulder was more often achieved by gathering than by stuffing the sleeve head. Also, in 1930, waistlines were still just a bit below the natural waist, they gradually rose during that year, to reach the true waist by 1931. At that time, the commentary in the magazines thought the dresses were very fitted but in fact, all bodices still had some blousing above the waist. The completely streamlined effect didn't really show up until about 1935… At least, in the Dutch issues of Gracieuse magazine. And in the French Petit Echo de la Mode.

Anyway, like those early 30's dresses, mine doesn't have shoulder pads. It has raglan sleeves and a satin cowl neck bodice with pleats. It fits at the natural waist at the back and rises to a point at the front (like so many original 1930's dresses). The basic shape of the skirt is straight and ever so slightly flared but from the side front (at both sides) a more flared piece is inserted which runs all the way to center back (like I sketched here). The skirt is probably a bit short for a 'period' look but should work just fine for the twenty-first century.

The silhouette is still quite new to me even though the dress is very comfortable. 
When getting ready to take these pictures, I became very aware of the fact that I don't have any 1930's style hats or shoes or glasses (I've never seen women wearing glasses in neither drawings nor photographs from the era anyway). And I don't have a matching hairstyle nor any idea as to how to manipulate my long locks and fringe to imitate those semi-cropped curls. Not that I mind about that usually, but I do like to present a pretty picture when showing of my new dress for the first time ;)

I've been looking at those 1930's magazines a lot lately and I quite like them. So, there may be more garments inspired by them in the near future.