vintage pattern pledge Archives - Handmade by Carolyn

a tart for tartan

17/09/2016 12:53 pm \ 50 Comments \ Carolyn

Och aye! I’ve made this big, swirly tartan dress, and I absolutely LOVE it! I know it‘s kinda crazy and huge-skirted and possibly a bit over the top, but you know what? it’s also extremely comfortable and cosy, and so swirly and swishy. The instant I finished it and put it on I immediately felt simultaneously relaxed, like I had put on a warm comfy dressing gown or something; but also a bit chic as well. The big feminine skirt with a nipped-in waist does that, but I really like how the volume below is balanced out by the mannish style shirt top with cargo pockets and flaps, and a notched collar.

Hehe, actually while I was making it I did worry a little bit that it was going to look exactly like a dressing gown! but once I put it on I was instead happily reminded of 80’s Ralph Lauren, and even Spandau Ballet. Remember To Cut a Long Story Short? big big fan here. HUGE fan. I still know all the words off by heart; and that film clip transports me right back into breathless, happy teenagehood all over again, and wearing this dress totally reminds me of that clip and that joyful time in my life; the over-the-top, big, blowsy, romantic 80’s era. So I”m very happy. And, can I say? there’s something about a big wide dramatic skirt that really brings out the poses in a person. Not to mention twirling… put a big skirt on a girl and just watch; you just can’t help it but break out into a coupla twirls.

#awkward!! Yes, well; obviously most of us don’t actually twirl very often. Twirling is something of a fashion blogger contrivance… although if I do want to get in a bit of highland flinging I am all set. 😉

More realistically, it still looks pretty awesome when you’re striding briskly along the street too, and this? I do a LOT.

When making this I had an image in my head of an actual dress like this from an 80’s or maybe 90’s editorial, I swear it was a Ralph Lauren… so of course I wasted many hours searching and searching and searching to link to it, and do you think I can find a picture anywhere of that maybe-Ralph Lauren dress??? NO. The closest thing I could find is this maxi-dress, which isn’t it.

Anyway: Fabric; soft, cotton flannelette, tartan shirting from Spotlight. The same stuff I used to line my Tosti jacket, in a different colourway. One side is slightly fluffy, the other side is smooth and flat. I put the fluffy side inside. This is the opposite of how I used it for my Tosti jacket, which has the fluffy side out! Or… since it’s the lining, is the fluffy side therefore in? hmmm, that’s a puzzle! Navy blue buttons from Fabulous Fabrics.

Pattern: Mum had given me some of her old patterns, including this great Vogue 1147 shirtdress with multiple variations, from 1993. I thought it perfect for that vision of the big skirted, maybe-Ralph Lauren, maybe-not dress in my head. It’s not in my size, but the three nested sizes made it fairly easy to downsize a bit. I made view B, at far left.

The skirt pieces, bodice pockets and flaps are all cut on the bias; bodice and sleeves on the grain. As much as possible, I matched the tartan. #madpatternmatcher This was easy in the bodice and sleeves, and the pockets which please note, are exact mirror images… however! That skirt.…! I love how the centre seams in the skirt have a nice, fairly even row of white diamonds and am fairly happy with how the lines join up at the side seams… this took some careful pinning and only a wee bit of fudging… 😉 Those side edges did not have the same profiles and combine that with an asymmetric tartan…! *hair-pulling stuff* Anyway, the matching turned out pretty good, spot on where it counts, and so is reasonably satisfying 🙂

I cut the sleeves long, then stitched an ultra-wide wide hem. This is then turned up once in a wide cuff, and secured with invisible hand stitching 1cm inside the fold. I did it this way because the underside of the fabric is different from the right side, quite fluffy! and I wanted the smooth side to be on the outside of the turned-up cuffs.

Because the skirt is on the bias, I let it hang up for a week to let the bias drop a bit, and it did! by quite a lot in some places. The hem is hand stitched.

I also made a sort of belt… this helps to pull the waist in. I only made this actually because of my year of totally handmade, meaning I can’t grab one of my nice leather ready-to-wear belts, and I really think the design NEEDS a belt. But now I’ve made it I LOVE how it blends invisibly into the dress so perfectly! It’s basically just an interfaced waistband, with an inside button and two buttonholes. One buttonhole is for the start of the evening, before dinner. The outer one is for when you decide you do want to have dessert after all. Comfort dressing, at its finest!

Details:

Dress; Vogue 1147 from 1993, tartan flannelette shirting
Tights; my own pattern black stretch, details here and my tutorial for making your own custom fit tights pattern is here
Shoes; made by me, details here

Posted in: sewing, Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, dress, vintage pattern pledge, Vogue 1147

Perry Ellis skirt, sort of

16/10/2015 9:36 am \ 42 Comments \ Carolyn

New skirt.
The above picture is showing what I actually wore out and about today… please note the far less glamorous shoes than featured in the remainder of this post!
Pattern; Vogue 1521, a Perry Ellis design from 1985.
Fabric; taupe and white silk/linen mix from Fabulous Fabrics, with a crisp and rather dry and paper-y texture to it. The taupe was purchased as a remnant, and I added the panel of ivory onto the bottom edge. I added it underneath the hem, leaving a little overhang of the brown, so it looks more like an underskirt than a pieced addition. Pockets are cut from some nondescript cream-coloured cottony stuff, from a bundle of scraps Mum gave to me.

So; this is another thing to fit in with my vintage pattern pledge; only my version is terribly unfaithful to the original design. It is supposed to have an absolute truckload of pleats up the top there. I got halfway through making it, pinned the pleats and all and I and suddenly just hated it, and veered whimsically off and away for a random new look.
But, I’m still counting this as part of my vintage pattern pledge 🙂 … not because it’s almost the end of the year and I’m running out of time to fulfil it … 😉 well, okaaaay, there is totally that! 😉 Anyway technically these are all the pattern pieces cut out right and they’re all joined up in the ordinary way and all; just that instead of multiple pleats there is just one giant pleat both front and back. I wrapped the extra width back upon itself, folding the same way on both the front and the back. And bought it into my waist more with some discreet darts along the top, both front and back, and overlapped the R side pocket with the front pleat a little bit too. This worked out quite well, I think.
Moral of the story; if you’re hating where something is going but you really do want it to work, because you really love the fabric and don’t want to waste it, or can see some potential in there somewhere … DON’T GIVE UP! There will ALWAYS be a way to make it work out!
Being that it is so unfaithful to the original look, is this a cheat on my vintage pattern pledge? Meh, I’m not angsting over whether I’m sticking to the letter of the law all that much. Generally speaking I prefer an avant garde skirt over a safe one.

I maintained the L side pocket closure, which I’ve always though was a brilliant closure/pocket combination deal. I should do these more often! And instead of button/buttonhole I sewed on some long tweed straps, made from sewing up a scrap of bias cut piping tweed that was wrapped around a bundle of fabric I bought at the Morrison remnants sale a few years ago. It’s very nice tobacco-brown tweed and I always knew I’d like to use it featured somewhere in a thing. I really like how it its rough matte texture looks against the smooth dull sheen of the silk.

Wanna see something funny? here is my 20 year old self wearing the top I made for myself using this same pattern, thirty years ago. I know I made both the top and skirt when the pattern was first released, but strangely I can’t remember any of the details of that first skirt! A bit sad too; I know there are loads of things from my younger years that I’ve forgotten, simply because I have no photos of them.. Here, I’m visiting a rose garden in Pinjarra with my mother and grandmother. I totally would not remember that outing without the photo. It’s sad how much of our memories are only cemented in later years by the existence of a picture, to jog them.

Project happiness factor; given my rising hate for it halfway through (bad) followed by serendipitous ad-libbing and eventual satisfaction (good) I’m awarding this one 8/10.

Details:
Skirt; Vogue 1521, a Perry Ellis design from 1985, taupe and ivory silk/linen
Top; my own design; blue jersey dyed black, details here
Shoes; low sandals are 2 baia vista from Zomp shoes… high black are Diavolina from Zomp shoes

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: ancient history, daily outfit, skirt, vintage pattern pledge, Vogue 1521

blue Issey Miyake trousers

28/09/2015 7:27 am \ 49 Comments \ Carolyn

To complete my Issey Miyake trilogy; the trousers.
Pattern; Vogue 1693, an Issey Miyake design from 1986.
I used a navy blue cotton drill from Spotlight, buttons from Fabulous Fabrics.
Hmmm, navy blue again. Can’t explain it but I’m a bit mad for it right now. Navy; so hot right now!
When I finished these and popped them on; I felt quite happy and positive about them, thinking they looked pretty sharp. A bit reminiscent of sailor’s pants, which pleases me a lot. And wide legs are IN IN IN. One of my favourite pieces in the Paris autumn/winter collections was Dries van Noten’s super wide leg pants; slouchy, relaxed, oversized trousers in the plainest of plain khaki cotton chino. So comfy, so practical, so unfussy, so damn chic. I saw, and I wanted!
So I strutted out confidently to my husband to show him, anticipating a comment along the lines of, hey super cool pants! or something like that. Ha! his reaction: hmmm VERY eighties, aren’t they? His tone was not the tone of a man who thought the eighties had anything worth resurrecting, fashion-wise.
*pop*
Bubble burst.
Hmm, well, yes; no denying that they are, most definitely, eighties. A full-on ridgydidge piece of authentic eighties, right here. But I’m an eighties girl. Owning that. And anyway I reckon this shape is pretty NOW too!

In eighties speak we used to say gauchos, but the hip n’ happening term now is culottes, whether rightly or wrongly? They are very wide at the waistline and pulled in with four big pleats, held into place with buttoned arrowhead tabs to nip in and define your waist, so have that little something different and interesting about them. They also have satisfyingly deep slanted front pockets, like all the 80’s and early 90’s Vogues used to have.

Some technical bizzo: the instructions left some parts a little bit shonky/half-done; I went back and unpicked a few spots so I could re-do/overlock to neaten it up inside when I realised that was the case… Also, the construction of the waistband was a little strange, and so I modified it slightly; instead of hand-stitching the short edges of the waistband facing, I wrapped it around over on the outside of the waistband and front, machine-stitched the side seams, then pulling the front back through so the front is all nicely enclosed between the waistband/waistband facing. This results in it all being far more securely stitched together. I still fell-stitched the lower edge of the facing though.

Finally though, I couldn’t be happier with the finished product! so I’m deducting just one point for the dodgy waistband construction issues.
Happiness factor; 9/10

Details:
Pants; Vogue 1693, navy blue cotton drill
Top; Nettie Tshirt with breast pocket, Closet Case patterns, details here
Shoes; bensimon, from seed boutique

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, issey miyake, trousers, vintage pattern pledge, Vogue 1693

Issey Miyake blouse

23/09/2015 3:35 am \ 50 Comments \ Carolyn

Continuing my trip down nostalgia lane, I’ve made the top from my 1986 Issey Miyake pattern; Vogue 1693…

Fabric: a lightweight, fully embroidered cotton voile in pure-as-the-driven-snow white, a remnant from Potter’s Textiles. I had barely enough fabric to squeak out the pattern pieces, and had to lay the belt and front bands across the grain. Since they are interfaced I don’t think that’s going to affect the efficacy of the blouse too drastically. Lack of fabric forced me to cut the armhole facings from a different white cotton from my stash, provenance long forgotten. White buttons from Fabulous Fabrics.

I’d half forgotten how much I love this blouse pattern but it all came flooding back over me in a happy sentimental wave during the construction of this new blouse. The finishing instructions are wonderful with a truly great attention to detail that you rarely see in a pattern any more; all raw edges are neatly hidden away, either under flat felled seams or neatly turned under and top-stitched down on either side of a seam.

The style is also very much my cuppa tea; loose, asymmetric, interesting. It closes with just two buttons on a gently diagonal crossover front and two crossed belts at the back pull the blousiness in to the small of the back and help define your shape quite nicely.
Happiness scale; 10/10 Say no more!

Details:
Blouse; Vogue 1693, embroidered cotton voile
Trousers; own design, very old, white linen

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: issey miyake, top, vintage pattern pledge, Vogue 1693

mustard Issey Miyake skirt

18/09/2015 3:28 am \ 55 Comments \ Carolyn

I’m scratching a long-standing itch by making something from this 1986 Issey Miyake pattern; Vogue 1693 … see, I’ve used it once before, when it very first came out! to make a skirt and the top for myself. I wore that outfit to a number of 21st birthday parties with my then brand new fiancé, now my husband 🙂 There’s probably a picture lobbing around somewhere of me wearing it, just don’t know where! perhaps in a few of our old schoolmates’ dusty old photo albums shoved in the back of a cupboard somewhere. My first skirt and top from this pattern was in a sateen with a rather psychedelic splotchy print of bright yellow, purple, a bit of bright orange and I think, splashes of black thrown in there. I remember being extremely proud of it, haha! I used to wear it with hydrangea purple court shoes, or pumps. We used to call them court shoes back then.
So, I think maybe it’s ok for me to claim this as a vintage pattern! and item number three going towards fulfilling my vintage pattern pledge… to make five items from my vintage patterns.
Fabric; a loose woven, slubby wool blend from Tessuti’s, Melbourne bought during a holiday over there with my Mum and Cassie. A bit rough in feel, but in a beautiful, high quality way, if that makes any sense at all; quite thick, probably too thick for the design in retrospect and it was a little difficult to make it work with the pattern, Almost cried a few times when I thought I’d ruined it, but managed to wrangle it into submission eventually. Major relief when it all worked out. I used the hammer a few times to flatten some of the more bulky layers down thinner, so they would fit under my sewing machine foot.

Perfectly matching buttons from Calico and Ivy.
Technical notes; all seams flat felled as per the pattern.

To avoid bulk in the waistband, the inside edge was cut along the selvedge, and this is not folded inside the waistband but left out inside the skirt and topstitched down from the right side, stitching in-the-ditch. I also cut the overlay against the selvedge and left the selvedge edge out along the edge of the turned in facing. Same reason as the waistband treatment; to reduce the bulk of having a raw edge turned under.

Also HongKong bounds edges for an inside side edge and the hem, again to avoid as much unnecessary bulk as possible. For this, I used a beige/light honey coloured poplin voile to make bias binding. I bought about 2m of this a few years ago and have almost used all of it in HongKong binding for various things… need to get some more, asap!
Happiness scale; 9/10 at having another of these skirts, since the pattern is a sentimental favourite of all time for me. It lost a point due to my struggles with the fabric, but if I had to do it all over again I would probably still want the skirt in this same fabric. Feels great on, and like skirt and pattern were meant for each other, like star crossed lovers or something like that, go figure. Next time I will choose something with a little less bulk though.

Details:
Skirt; Vogue 1693, slubby mustard wool blend
Tshirt; self-drafted, white/grey stripe cotton jersey, details here
Shoes; Diavolina, from Zomp shoes

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, issey miyake, Sienna, skirt, vintage pattern pledge, Vogue 1693

that 70’s show

19/07/2015 5:09 am \ 48 Comments \ Carolyn

I dragged this dusty, cobwebby ol’ 70’s skirt from outta some trunk in the attic… hehe, just kidding.
It’s new 🙂
A chocolate pleather, A-line, midi skirt was high on my mental list of things to make for myself this winter and I’d bought all the fabric etc… then I somehow got chooffing along happily, oh yeah went away a coupla times too, then got bogged down in several other, quite involved, longer term projects, and just suddenly realised we are halfway through winter and I still hadn’t made it, ha! So yesterday I got cracking and whipped it up quick sticks. Done!
Technically speaking; this is the second thing to go towards fulfilling my vintage pattern pledge to sew up five of my vintage patterns this year. The pattern is Simplicity 7308, hailing from 1976. I say “technically”, because this is like the very plainest of plain, classical of classic patterns you could possibly imagine; so… Am I cheating on my vintage pattern pledge by using this? I feel like maybe the purpose of the pledge is to get you acknowledging some the more obvious and recognisably vintage styles, in which case this one is a cop-out! eeeep sorry! I promise that some of my other vintage pattern plans are definitely of the more dated variety! Maybe I’ll make up an extra vintage pattern, to make up for it 🙂

Back in its day, this could likely have been made up in beige, or tan suede, maybe pale blue denim or possibly a large scale plaid on the bias. In my memories my Mum had a blue denim skirt just like those… Can you just imagine? Instead I’ve used a very NOW fabric; a deep chocolate fake leather. At the first stirrings of winter this year, the fashion column in our local paper advised all who cared that leather and leather details were the absolute dernier cri for Perth fashionistas. My brain seems to have latched on the idea, since several of my newer wardrobe additions have gone this route; my moto jacket, my cow skirt, and another skirt I’ve ig’ed but is still in the works.
Clearly I’m a lemming.

failed twirl. gawd knows why I even attempt this nonsense. at least it shows the skirt in motion…

Nuts and Bolts: a plain A-line, midi-length skirt, side seams and a CB zip, pretty timeless and possibly very boring. I eliminated the CF seam since I have an irrational grudge against them in a skirt, placing the CF on a fold. The width of my fabric also allowed me to widen the flare by just a touch, both front and back.
Fake leather is from Spotlight, all other materials from Fabulous Fabrics. Lined with chocolate polyacetate lining fabric and with a waistband of black silk dupion leftover from my cow skirt.

Details:
Skirt; Simplicity 7308 from 1976, chocolate pleather
Bodysuit; the Nettie by Closet Case patterns, black stretch, details here
Tights (not seen); own pattern, orange stretch, details here
Scarf; own pattern ivory wool, details here
Boots; Sempre di, from Zomp shoes

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, Simplicity 7308, skirt, vintage pattern pledge

pale pink Issey Miyake skirt

23/05/2015 4:22 am \ 58 Comments \ Carolyn

Why a pale pink skirt,
I hear you cry?
why not a pale pink skirt,
is my reply.

Poetry. Nailed it.
Sorry. I’m in a silly mood and obviously having trouble thinking of intelligent-sounding stuff to write…
Ok. So, at the beginning of the year I pledged to sew five items from my vintage patterns… this latest effort is my first; woot!
The pattern is Vogue 1384, a 1984 Issey Miyake design. 30 years old is pretty “vintage” yeah? yup I reckon so.
I’m slightly amused at myself that I signed up actually since a few years ago I was so allergic to the very word “vintage” and could not hear it without an involuntary eye roll. I was like, o gawd, so done-to-death!! I should say I wasn’t against any thing vintage, in itself, in fact I love antiques, and old things. It was just the word “vintage”. Hehehe. I must be mellowing somewhat.

Anyhoo, back to The Thing: my cool new skirt. Or should I say, my skirt of a very very cool design. As we can usually expect from Issey Miyake, it a quite unique, intriguing and interesting approach to a skirt; being a few oddly shaped rectangles cut, spliced and resewn together at seemingly random places, and boom; you end up with an asymmetric skirt. Fabulousity!

I know, and I agree; creations made from “vintage” patterns can be a little annoying to read about on blogs, thanks to the patterns being so rare and hard to come by. Not very helpful; and sorta inspirational rather than aspirational. I’m sorry!
I used a heavenly soft pink poly crepe from Fabulous Fabrics, the same fabric I used for my other Sea Change top. So the two make another matching skirt/top set, should I desire to wear them together. But I think it will go with lots of other tops in my wardrobe too.
The pink poly crepe is on the sheer side, so I lined my skirt with ivory polyacetate fabric. I managed to cut the lining as just one piece: I worked out how to do this after sewing the skirt pieces together and could see how the skirt “worked”, so to speak. I spliced the skirt pieces together at the relevent joining points and marked and sewed in the waist shaping darts at the top. It ended up looking kinda like a big quarter-doughnut shape. Then I just included it in with the skirt when sewing on the waistband at the top. Simple dimple.

The waistband is of matching, pale pink silk dupion, also from Fabulous Fabrics. I chose this because it is nicely stiff, inflexible and very stable, which is really good in a waistband for a skirt like this. While the floaty, ripply, slithery poly crepe is really lovely for the skirt part of the skirt, it is not the slightest bit stable. And this is very much a waist-defining skirt design, for which a structurally sound waistband is imperative.
Some skirts are loose and flowy all over and are ok sitting low on the hips in a casual bohemian way; others need support, and the waistband is it. This design is firmly in the latter category.
Summary:
What do I love: the asymmetric shape, and the random waterfall-y ruffle-y thing falling down into a handkerchief like hem at the front. Divinely floaty fabric in the heavenliest soft pale pink.
What don’t I love; it’s nearly winter here and I’m going to have to put it away for a few months. Boooo!
OK, I have nothing else remotely intelligent to add; so, until next time, amigos!

Details:
Top; the loose drape top, modified, from drape drape by Hisako Sato, linen cotton jersey. I discovered a little hole while I was putting this on this morning, aaagh! Immediate emergency darning ensued! I love this top!
Skirt; Vogue 1384, pale pink poly-crepe
Cardigan; I also wore my calico cotton cardigan today…
Sandals; Zomp, from Zomp shoe boutique

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: daily outfit, issey miyake, skirt, vintage pattern pledge, Vogue 1384

2015 plans

10/01/2015 7:47 am \ 30 Comments \ Carolyn

Hello!
I’ve been thinking about my 2015 wardrobe requirements and sewing plans for this year. To be honest I was kinda shocked at the sheer number of things I sewed last year, and not in a good way! It wasn’t lost on me that my favourite projects for last year were also the ones upon which I lavished the most time and thought. So I’m thinking that to slow down, take my time, be more mindful; would be both a rewarding and sensible thing to do. I mean, I have clothes. Quite enough really. But I still want to sew. So it makes sense to concentrate on making fewer, but more individually labour intensive things, with an eye to provenance, longevity and quality of finish.
You know that word of the year thing? I haven’t had one before but it’s a fun concept, yes? Anyway I’m giving it a burl. This year I wish to be more thoughtful in my sewing.
My on-going pledge to abstain from RTW will continue, so there may be a certain amount of maintaining-my-basic-wardrobe kind of sewing happening too, but I still would like to stretch myself with a few new patterns and skills. It would be cool to make a few more Pattern Magic things. And shoes! And some Alabama Chanin sewing, which is definitely an exercise in slow thoughtful sewing!

Also, and in the same vein, last year Nicki of this is moonlight contacted me about participating in her one Year one Outfit project. You can read all about it on her blog; essentially the project involves making for yourself an outfit using all materials sourced and produced locally. Obviously this does not mean simply visiting the local Spotlight store! but at a much more grass roots level. So for me, finding Western Australian farmers and sustainable producers of their own yarns and/or fabrics, and making a high quality outfit using only these. This also pertains to all dyes and finishing touches! The only thing I think maybe we can give ourselves a pass on is thread, since I think the only threads we can get here are Gutermann’s. I’m pretty excited about this project and my brain is already buzzing with opportunities. This one should be quite a challenge!
I’ll just give one clue as to just one of my ideas, contained in an instagram I posted late last year from my friend J’s farm in Cunderdin… 😉

Also;
I was quite inspired by Lauriana and Sue‘s vintage pattern journeys of last year. The vintage sewing pattern pledge is conceived and hosted by Marie of A Stitching Odyssey, and I only wish I’d thought of joining in last year! Whatevs, this year I’m IN.

During 2015, I hope to sew up at least five of my vintage sewing patterns.

So, I shall see how I go! Some of these things might overlap.
Oh, and also this year, I will join in with Anne of Pretty Grievances‘ Jungle January for the first time; it’s in its third year so what took me so long?! and hopefully Zoe‘s Me-Made May, as per usual.
wrt the former; my Jungle January fabric is flapping on the line, drying, as we speak! um, should that be type? read? anyway all I shall reveal for now is that it is totally different from the expected, mwahaha. 😉
To be appearing here, very soon…