A Change To The Wedding Guest Dress...

A few months ago, I wrote about a dress I wanted to create for my nieces wedding this June. Though I've been thinking about it for a long time nothing has been done! And yes it is now less than 2 months away!

  

In that time, I changed my mind again on what pattern I wanted to use. That Diane von Furstenberg Dita dress (above) that first caught my attention initially led me to a similar pattern, New Look 6244, that happened to be one I had always liked. I bought it and was prepared to make it. However, just during regular maintenance on my Etsy pattern shop and checking out the competition (not really, just looking at stuff I can't buy) I came across a pattern that REALLY matched the inspiration dress, Vogue 8070 (2003).

Even though it IS an exact match, I realized then that it might not be as flattering as I wished. In the time since I wrote this first post, I changed my desired look from appropriately dressed cute aunt to slinky single. I wanted more 1929 uneven hemlines of the handkerchief, high-low, and asymmetrical variety styled on Hollywood film sirens and less of those with by the average woman. Note: For some great research and images on these go to the witness2fashion blog.

Well, while searching for a specific vintage Vogue evening dress pattern for a stranger on Instagram, I shocked myself by coming across yet another Vogue pattern exhibiting some of the same elements along with those additional va-va-voom points.

I don't really have to say anything, do I? Vogue 2745 (2003) is PERFECT!

Amazingly, it has the same v-neckline, gathered shoulders, bias skirt with inset panels, handkerchief hemline, and a slip to be worn underneath. However, it's still different, the neckline is sleeker with no overlap and a darted bodice, the back is no longer a duplicate of the front and is more open. The slip is the biggest game changer here as it is far more fitted than the one from New Look 6244. While the bodice of that slip was horribly unfitted with no structure to support the bust, this one is darted and is actually self-lined, which will be very appreciated as the dress will need to be worn braless. If created well enough and in the right fabric, the slip could be worn as a dress on its own.

Next steps: Selecting fabric for the slip and starting a muslin.

Links:

Surprise! Actually Buying Fabric With a Purpose!

Images: composite image by @sewandstyle_

Hmmm, Which One To Buy?

  McCall's 7551

  McCall's 8164

I could also buy both and graft the perfect bib of 8164 to the adapted wider legs of 7551. But I don't even know when I would get to making these. Is it worth having another project breathing down my neck?

I am also the strongest advocate of practical dressing, so really, two pairs of overalls, aka Satan's playsuit? What is happening to me?

Update: As it turned out, while searching Etsy I found a copy of McCall's 7551 and put in my shopping cart while I was debating if I was even going to publish this post. Weeks later, it was still there and numerous searches on Etsy and eBay found no other copies of it available so I chose to see it as a sign and received it two days ago.

I don't know when it will happen but I no longer have an excuse not to make these. In fact, my copy is also a larger size, so I have no excuse ever.

Images: FantasyLinen.com, ASOS.com

Pattern Purge and Purchase Possibilities!

My Etsy shop, Metamorphpursuit has reopened!! Right now there are over 30 patterns there, more will be added over the next two weeks. I have Vogue designer patterns from the 1980-90s, vintage Advance and Simplicity patterns from the 50-60s, and various others. Go check them out using that new widget to the right!

Buying that small group of patterns at Hancock Fabrics; no matter how cheap they were, still made me feel guilty for all the others I own and haven't used. This inspired me to finally finish a project I started two months ago when I came across a vintage store that had a booth devoted to thrift and antique fair supplies; vinyl bags, stickers, tags, and display stands. I bought myself some 9" x 12" plastic zip bags* after I saw how they packed their own vintage patterns. Instead of getting a bag that just fits the average sized patterns they used much larger bags and placed the pattern perpendicularly in the middle and wrapped the ends to the back and used archival tape to anchor the two sides together. I took a day and wrapped most of my patterns, including all the vintage ones, the oldest, my T-N-T (most used), and the ones I finally decided to sell.

Covered vintage patterns and ex. of what happens without preservation.

I made sure to use the new bags and my original 6 x 9 plastic protectors to make sure that all the vintage patterns have some kind of coverage. Unfortunately, without protection, some of my older pattern envelopes have become crispy, as you can see above. In those cases, I have carefully removed the folded instructions and pattern and placed them in the bags individually so that future damage to the envelopes will be minimal.

This protect and purge session ended up freeing 70+ patterns that I realized I'm either never going to make because of the style or a size I will never fit into again and the idea of reopening up my Etsy store was definitely the way to go.   

To make those elimination decisions, I used this ranked order of criteria:

1. Could I still see myself wearing these items still (or ever) since some patterns had been inherited from others? I had to see these patterns fit into my current and future wardrobe.
2. Could the size range of these patterns fit me? (I'm currently a size 14/16 and I could see being a 12/14 again but I had unused patterns from high school when I was a 6-8!)
3. Do I have the patience or motivation to undertake this pattern? I had some Vogue designer patterns rated Advanced in the mix.

For years, I've kept a photo inventory of the staggering amount of patterns I owned on Flickr. There will always be a few that I keep for sentimental reasons, but once I moved the ones chosen for sale to a separate album my inventory numbers changed drastically:

Vogue: Group of 62 condensed down to 37.
Simplicity: Batch of 54 scaled back to 28.
McCall's: Lot of 31 shrunk to 17.
New Look: Cluster of 21 reduced to 15.
Butterick: Set of 15 decreased to 9.

So from a quantity of nearly 200 patterns I now have a much more usable group of 106.

Of course that still doesn't include the 20 or so downloaded PDF patterns I may also own. But, baby steps, baby steps...

* For archival purposes, make sure they are 2 mil uncoated polyethylene bags.

Where Joan Holloway-Harris Laid Her Head

Originally written 08/13/2010 on my other blog, Shelterhome.

With season 6 updates!

The last ever season of Mad Men has aired. While looking at all the retrospective articles, episode recaps, and fashion commentary, I also saw more pictures of the show's sets. With Joan Holloway-Harris' departure from McCann Erickson, a lot more of her scenes were staged in her little pink apartment. Even though most of the articles mentioned above spoke about how the characters had or had not changed in the last 10 years, one thing that did not change was her home. When I first put together this post, Joan was still a newlywed. Now, despite all her life changes in the past ten years and the fact that now her little boy and mother share the space, it miraculously looks the same. Check out some new pics and updated commentary (in blue) below.

Well, come on in! Welcome to the apartment home of Greg and Joan Harris (nee Holloway), wonderfully sourced and styled by the talented set decorator Amy Wells, production designer Dan Bishop* and their design teams at Mad Men.


It is definitely girly, all done up in coral pink and seafoam green. Or in other words, shades of red and green. You do remember that the former Joan Holloway got married during the Christmas season, right?


Add in some cream, turquoise, gold accents, robin's egg blue in the kitchen, lavender or lilac in the bedroom, and you have Joan's complete interior color scheme for her amazing pink apartment.




So, let's start with that sumptuous floor pillow Joanie is lounging on above. This would be easy to replicate with some damask fabric and the same kind of trim which can still be found at any fabric store, some 30 decades later. How about a mix and match of the two below from Wrights trims?




 

In this view, we can see the green graphic patterned drapes alongside shorter cream or eggshell colored sheers; a gilded oval mirror, candle sconces, and her cream painted dining set with cane back chairs. Notice that her walls are in a deep coral (or salmon) and that the trim is that color that landlords still stick you with today, Antique White/Apartment Beige (or as it's called in the U.K, Magnolia). At least she has the wall-to-wall seafoam green carpet to augment her color scheme.

• The painted piece near the dining table stands in for a bar and seems to have a faux shagreen finish on the sides and gold detailing. Anyone know what this piece is called or what the furniture style is?

• Gilded gold round coffee table with inset glass resting on three chunky legs.

General Electric refrigerator for S. 3 and newer one for S.4

• Season 3 had the most adorable refrigerator ever! It took quite a while to source this one! Luckily, it was distinctive because of the vertical handle, separate freezer compartment on the bottom, slightly raised middle section on top and the deep channeled detailing down the center. It looks like it could be either a General Electric Deluxe PB6-40 or just a B6-40. Now whether or not they kept the same designs for years, may mean that this model is as old as the 1940-50s. Perhaps MM noticed that too because Season 4 shows a different, less-cute refrigerator.
  
  

  

  Season 6

• Season 6 shows an even newer refrigerator, in bright blue! What was Joan doing to those things? That seems to be a lot of wear and tear in just ten years.

• Remember those nubby sofas? What was that fabric and why was it so hard to clean?
• Here we see a coral armchair in a different style than the cream damask club chair seen in the earlier picture.
• I love that pale wood TV cabinet on hairpin wire legs and the lovely turquoise bowl/ashtray on top.
• Also do you notice the painted street scene? A very similar one is seen in her new office this season, I wonder if she brought it from home or bought herself a new one?

Season 6

• In season 6, Joan still has the same sofa. It is over ten years old and still covered in the same fabric. I find it hard to believe that with the huge increase in her salary this was never replaced. Every other character on the show has changed homes, some numerous times. However, Joan not only did not move but she had never changed anything in her apartment except a kitchen appliance or two? Puh-lease.
• Those turquoise drapes do not seem to have faded and the carpet has changed from a pale seafoam blue to cream, despite there being a child under ten living there.

Season 6

• Gilded faux bamboo bar cart with turquoise and gold tipped glasses. Of course, this made it to season 6!

• An unique folding buffet tray for appetizers. I used to have a wooden sewing basket that was constructed just like this. Here's one by Karoff that I found online at A La Modern. I'm tempted to believe it's the same one that Mad Men bought. Others can still be found on eBay and Etsy.
  

Karoff buffet tray

• A better look at the abstract patterned barkcloth curtains at the back of the room next to the plant.
• A closer view of those nubby, uncomfortable sofas? We had two otherwise lovely Danish armchairs recovered in that fabric (almost the same color too) when I was a teen. They originally were in tufted black leather...le sigh.
• Notice Joan's gold-tipped tea service and canape server. You can tell that she studied entertaining from her copy of Emily Post.
• I wish we could see those hanging light fixtures better though.

Red pearl Crucianelli accordion.

• I found many similar looking Italian-made Scandalli models before I could find a picture of a Crucianelli model like Joan's. Isn't it truly gorgeous?

Update: Picture of Joanie's bedroom, just ignore the exhausted diva in her jammies.

Lookee! Here's Joanie's color scheme from a 1952 print ad for DUCO paints from DuPont.

Images: Courtesy of Tom and Lorenzo (Thank you SO much guys!), A La Modern, AMC, Retro Renovation

*Links to two online versions of Etiquette: in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home, 1922.

** He's a VCU alum too!

In The Details: All the Caped Wonders

And now, some light distraction...

Capes are an item of clothing that has always been in the fashion sphere. They began as practical cloaks to protect from wind, rain and other elements and have now evolved to a true fashion accessory, not really worn to stave off the weather, sometimes just to enhance an outfit, and above all, be cute.

Vogue 9479

I saw this gorgeous cape pattern and I thought it was truly amazing looking. I love how the side front arm openings are disguised as a seam detail that would only be noticed when an arm is thrust through. What a stylish way to deal with a practical function.

Here it is again on a recent Fendi coat with a similar armhole hidden in the seam detail that also involves a tuck secured at the shoulder that hides the opening inside the resulting pleat. This picture was from the July 2010 issue of Vogue Italia.

McCall's 9028

This double-breasted beauty from McCall's uses the more commonly seen welt pocket treatment for the armholes.

Simplicity 8353

A truly funky cape for the mod chick of style. Included in this ensemble pattern, this cape has rounded edges, decorative edging and reversibility, check out that faux fur or fleece lining on the plaid one. Loving the goldenrod vest and skirt outfit on the right with the thick ribbed turtleneck. Check how the pleated flares, knee socks, loafers, and go-go boots on the left truly catch the era. This pattern is easily available on Etsy.

Vogue 7451

This pattern provides a more formal adult version of the cape. This one provides you with angled exterior patch pockets for keys or lipstick and the raised collar is a bit smaller. This one, when made to floor length would be perfect for evening.

Simplicity 7858

Another elegant formal cape with high collar and simple vertical slits for the arms. The bonus of this pattern is that is included is an adorable square-necked, empire-waist A-line dress or gown. Oh to live a life when this pattern was considered a practical purchase. This pattern is also everywhere on Etsy if you want it, just make sure to compare prices and get an appropriate deal.



Vogue 8145

Vogue #8145 is another vintage 1960's elegant cape/coat pattern. More detailed, this beautifully flared cape with a shaped standing collar, raglan shaping, side front button closing, and side front slits. Because of the slits, the tie belt holds in the front panel at the waist and allows the back to hang full and free. This one has a little Dr. Zhivago feel to it, no?

Butterick 3261

I adore the bell shape of this one. The short cape is decorated with mitered trim around the vents fashioned for arm mobility while the long version incorporates large patch pockets.

Images: Vintage Pattern Wiki, Tom & Lorenzo, Carynification, Catnip Hill, SewBettyandDot

Frustration Breeds Craftiness

Frustrated about my delayed sewing project this weekend, I just moved on to another project.

Like many, I have become obsessed with Pinterest and have been pinning things like crazy. I noticed a few people have created so-called "Made From Pinterest" groups, where they hope to actually follow through on their inspiration pins. Well, I went and made one of my pin projects real.

As seen in my Pinterest and Flicker pools:

Sally J Shim tutorial, Oslo necklace by Le voyage creatif

My versions


Though this kind of necklace is REALLY easy to make and I had the materials for a few months, I still dragged my feet. You see, I really wanted to make a necklace like these but couldn't figure out how to approximate the fired enamel look of the beads. Well, since I had enough beads to do that project later, I instead decided to try the natural look.

The final is made of two strands of 1/8" black satin ribbon while the practice one is made of inferior white twine (the ends frayed badly). Both necklaces used the same decorative metal beads and wooden ones in three different sizes from Ben Franklin.

The making is SO EASY, but I did refer to this tutorial by Sally J. Shim.

Images: Sally J Shim , Le voyage creatif, my own scans

2011 in Review

I noticed many sewing bloggers did a year-end review of their projects. For some reason, I didn't feel up to doing that (it's not like I have SO MANY items to show) If you want to see them all in one place just hit the imadethis2011 tag in the column to your right.

Last week I saw the year end post that Caitlin did at The Story Girl, where she listed things in her life she experienced instead. I like that idea, so here is my 2011.

Movies:

In this past year, I have seen over 25 movies through Netflix or in the theaters. I have a Netflix account where I receive 2 DVDs a month, but that's not where all these come from. No, a good friend of mine has been treating me to a movie a week, knowing that I have no money for entertainment. The highlights of this year:

Despicable Me - I actually want to own this one!
Bridesmaids - I laughed...I cried. Seriously. I did.
The Hurt Locker - Brilliant.
Drive - the staging and atmosphere was fabulous. The gore, just a bit too visual.
The Muppets - Perfect movie. No doubt.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Can't wait to see the next two installments. Rooney Mara is truly mesmerizing.

Books:

Because of my lovely local library (half a block away!) I have read even more Agatha Christie novels (total is now 35+) and have read vintage sewing books that I otherwise would not have discovered.

My enrollment at VCU has allowed me to read glossy expensive books on designers and fashion history books.

I reviewed Little Green Dresses and then received a free copy from the publisher!

School:

I finished three classes (topics: global ethics in world religions, eastern world religions and local Richmond architecture) during 2011 by attending all three semesters, gaining an A in two classes and a B in one. Just one more to go!!!

Sewing:

I participated in the Colette Patterns Fall Palette Challenge which morphed into a wardrobe plan that I am using for fall 2011 through to spring 2012.

I completed 10 clothing items, more than I thought I had. I happily can say that I wear most of those items all the time. I also repurposed two prior makes into things I would wear. I also made 6 infinity scarves and three necktie eyeglass cases as X-mas presents.

I researched and then took comprehensive body measurements to assist in fitting all my future garments. That knowledge has already helped me out with my dress and my coat.

I acquired two vintage sewing manuals, Better Homes and Gardens Sewing Book and Designing Dress Patterns through Alibris.com

I was reunited with my mother's old Kenmore machine, which my sisters and I thought had been sold or given away. Guys, this was the machine I learned to sew on.

Music:

This year I have discovered Florence and the Machine, Claire Maguire, and Mumford and Sons.

Life:

I was in my very first car accident right outside of my office on the way to work. I was hit by someone running a red light. My car suffered quite a bit of damage, Luckily I suffered none, though I still flinch at some intersections. Strangely, while waiting for the cops I could not stop thinking about how much the guy who hit me looked like Joel David Moore, Colin the "squintern" on Bones.

I experienced the largest earthquake ever on the American east coast. I was outdoors sitting on a wooden picnic bench and felt the sustained vibrations go up through my body. It felt like a train was passing just a few yards in front of me with the bench and trees vibrating along with me. What a unique sensation!

I relaunched my Etsy shop, Metamorphpursuit with a new banner design I created in Powerpoint. I also designed labels and business cards to brand the store.

I completed my stint writing profiles of fashion's important designers for Colette Patterns and their Coletterie blog.


So on to 2012, a year which will reveal its own mysteries and adventures. Happy New Year!

Vintage Patterns In Etsy Shop!

I just entered a few of my vintage patterns into Metamorphpursuit, my shop on Etsy. There are a few skirt patterns, a sheath dress, a perfect little Jackie Kennedy/Oleg Cassini-inspired suit, and a set of women's pajamas from the 1940s. You won't believe the low prices!

Please go and check them out here.

Open For Business!

As you can see to your right, my Etsy shop Metamorphpursuit is back up and open.

I made a new header


(which I made in Powerpoint...who knew?)

and added 20 or so new patterns. In a few days, I will have ALL of the patterns I mean to sell in the shop. While the store is still heavy on 1980-90s patterns I am also including some more recent ones (from the 2000s!!) as well as some from the 1950-60s, courtesy of the Ruth Harvey pattern collection.

I spent this last weekend getting everything organized and ready. So, please check it out.

Metamorphpursuit at Etsy.