Even More Mango Spoils...

Another pair of dungarees!

From Simplicity 7782 This time I made View 5, the difference being elasticated ankle cuffs.  The fabric is floral corduroy on a lemon marl background and was purchased from Goldhawk Road.  It is faced with dark cream cotton.

For this version, I added complimenting piping along the yoke edges front and back. The piping is made from 15mm satin ribbon - rather tricky to do but worth the effort!  I used the same shade of green as the ribbon in the top-stitching details along the centre front and back seams and side seams (below).  I also omitted the buttons. My machine doesn't do buttonholes very well and I had a play with doing bound buttonholes using the same ribbon as the piping but it was way too tricky with the narrow width. So I opted for snaps as an experiment. 

With the exception of where the facing joins the outer garment, I used flat-felled seams (centre front and back, side outside and inside seams, and where yoke joins main body).  These dungarees were started in July and only got finished today because I got a bit frustrated with the side seams.  When I picked them up again yesterday I was horrified at the sewing of the first side flat-felled hem. I think the worst sewing I have ever done, so bad I questioned whether it was me who had done it!  Needless to say, it was unpicked and resewn.

I use this seam finish a lot in children's clothes and costumes so I am used to it. However this was the first time I've used it on children's dungarees and I realised that it very tricky getting these narrow tunnels of fabric flat on the sewing machine bed.  I ordered a pair of flat-fell feet for my machine (shown above), hoping that they may provide a magical answer!  The feet arrived last week and I used the wider one (6.5mm)  for this task.  It was rather awkward to get right to begin with, I think I almost have the hang of it now. In any case it allowed me to complete all my flat-fell seams.  I also found it helped to use the free arm and gather the sewn trouser leg along it as I sewed. (The sewn fabric goes straight out of the back of the foot but then skews to the right to gather on the free-arm). I noticed that my seams are a lot flatter with the foot, it kinda wins me over on that benefit alone.

The elasticated cuffs and top-stitching on side seams.  The hem is folded twice so I can let it down as Miss Mango grows.  The pattern uses casing but the double hem is sufficient to do the same task for now.  All I have to do now is persude Miss Mango to try them on. She is getting very particular about what she wears and the last pair of dungarees remain a firm no.  Sometimes even if she screams while I dress her she is okay after the clothing is on. With those dungarees, no way, she's trying to peel them off again.  Kick in the teeth, much!

Something Old, Something New(ish)

It strikes me that pattern companies are onto something great with the retro/repro lines they are doing.  I recall reading on the Vogue website that they are always interested in suggestions for patterns to recreate from days gone by (and not just 40s and 50s but favoured 60s and 70s too). You must be willing to part with your pattern for a while so that it may be copied but it is returned and you get  a few freebie patterns in return, not a shabby deal. 

Quite what the criteria for selection is I am not sure, marketability is obviously a list topper, but the patterns all seem to be pretty samey, a selection of 1950's  full-skirts and wiggle dresses with minor bodice and finish differences. But as vintage pattern enthusiasts we know there is a plethora of much desired patterns out there that would surely have us running to pattern shops in droves if they were re-released.  Take this one for example that I was recently outbid on. I adore it, I am a self-confessed jumpsuit junkie. I could draft it myself from a dress jumper bodice and a pair of slacks but the idea of the trousered jumpsuit patten from the '50s, its such a rare item to see. Of course I am disappointed that it won't be gracing my collection, but with the winning bid coming at £36 (yes, that much!) it was never to be!

Simplicity seem to be the only pattern company going the slacks route and a sharp-eyed Debi (My Happy Sewing Place) recently discovered that their 3688 pattern is a bit of a fraud for the original didn't actually have a slacks pattern included, it has been incorporated on the re-release (click link for her post).  Hmm, naughty tactic but good on them, authentic slacks patterns are hard to find, or rather, not so hard to find if you are willing to part with a fair few pounds for them!  So BMV, lets have some slacks and gorgeous 30s louge pyjama pants pretty-please?

Who's drooling with me? Want it? Just £35!

Next on the wish list, 1940s/50s styles swimsuits.  Who wouldn't want to own that pattern? Incredibly feminine, figure flattering and with sufficient coverage to ensure the disguising of hips and thighs and any other bits we swear wobble too much!  The originals always sell well, again they are few and far between. A repro could be just what we need.


One of the most satisfying things as a vintage pattern collector must be coming across a reproduced pattern and thinking "I own that - the original!".  I hear that an original copy of the Walkaway dress (re-released as Butterick 4790) could earn you quite a lot of smackeroos if you came to part with it.  Last week I came across Butterick 6174, a 1999 release of a 50s pattern, it was familiar, I could swear I owned it but I would have remembered it being a retro pattern, so quick stash visit and hello Butterick 6001! Purchased for a bargain £3.11 plus shipping! Of course it is tiny and I will have to grade it up to use it but there-in lies the beauty of the repro pattern, modern multi-sizing! 

You look familiar...

Hello pretty bargain!

A quick visit to the Butterick website made me smile, I also own in original form this cutie:

And very nearly bought this original recently:














So over to you, dear reader.  Which patterns would you like to see in reprint?  Or would you prefer to own the original masterpiece?

Awesomeness! The Simplicity Sewing Book

I love my vintage patterns, I do.  Among the gems on my vintage book shelf are The Singer Sewing Book and this one, the Simplicity Sewing Book.  It's a great reference for all things vintage pattern related including (very usefully) sizing, fitting and period clothing features such as collars and sleeves, as well as reference for hair and make-up and just for its vintageness - a reflection on history.

Even the front cover is thrilling, the beautiful housewife in her stripy apron bestowing her sewing know-how on to the next generation (who looks far too old to be her daughter!).

Then an encouraging foreword on making us "look our prettiest"

Look at the stapling in the side.  Now the real coup for vintage pattern junkies, a measuring and fitting guide from the same era.  For more excellent advice on choosing vintage pattern sizes go to Gertie's blog here.

Now, I hope you find that useful!  Here's some more tips for you...

I notice two things, firstly the ridiculously tiny waists and secondly that last dress is the same as the too-old-to-be-her-daughter girl is wearing on the front cover.  Now for more tips, don't forget your colour, presenting the grandmas of Colour Me Beautiful...

 

Aren't they a freaky looking bunch?! Here's another useful page for you.  I thought novelty fabric was something that snowmen or easter bunnies printed on it.  Apparently in 1953, this was novelty fabric:

I'm creating a page on my blog especially for this book and will be adding some more sections (collars, sleeves, etc) that you might find of interest.  Isn't it lovely :-)  I'll leave you with this:

Project: Simplicity 9064 - Designer Fashion- Misses' Evening Dress in Three lengths - 1970

At the time I was I playing with plaid for my walkaway dress, I also made up this dress from the below pattern.   The original pattern was for a rather swell looking evening dress but I have turned it into something that could be worn day or night.  The kind of thing that you could wear to the office and the add some jewels to go out after work in, say if you didn't want to carry a change of clothes.

 

Its a very straight-forward simple design. the pieces are cut in the fabric, then in the lining and these two layers are stitched together in individual pieces and then stitched together to form the dress as opposed to having the dress and lining separately.  I chose suit-weight polyester in dark navy (I've lightened the photos below to make it clearer) and replaced the metallic braiding with blue and green tartan ribbon around the bodice line and neckline.  The ribbon quite subtle and pretty but now when I look at the dress I'm tempted to take it off and replace the bodice ribbon with daisy chain, what do you think?