Look Ma, I'm In Vogue Magazine!

The Vogue Patterns catalog, that is!

See this pattern here?

Vogue 9106

Look a little closer...
 

 

That's my line credit for having lent McCall Patterns my copy of vintage Vogue S-4305 now reissued as Vogue 9106. They thanked me with this mention and five patterns of my choosing. See this earlier post for details.

The reissued pattern was released with the recent Spring patterns. I am so excited as it's now possible for me to make this dress for myself as my copy was not in my current size. I have been in love with the pattern illustration for years now. However, seeing the versions made up, the magic is a bit diluted, the prints chosen hide the most important details; the sections of gathers under the bust and on the skirts sides. I'm also confused about the type of net crinoline they used with the dresses. I feel they went too stiff or too big when I always imagined the skirt falling a bit more organically.

I also noticed that on the models, the gathers were not properly below the bosom but directly on them and the waist was a bit high. I'll have to check and perhaps add length in the torso for my version.

Invisible above, right?

Now about those five free patterns. You will not believe how stressful it was making those choices. There were only two givens and then there were about 6-7 others jockeying for the other three spots. I ended up with two dress patterns in shapes I don't already have (Vogue 8665) or could not have drafted on my own (Vogue 1234 from Sandra Betzina.)

  

Then I chose two made-for-knits top patterns (loving me some knits right now!), one with interesting raw edge seam finishes, Vogue 8925...

 

and another that is a substitution for one that I really wanted that had the same type of seam finishes. Strangely, the current Vogue 8952 is almost identical to an earlier Vogue release from alice + olivia, Vogue 1261. The designer pattern went out of print before I could buy it. During this selection process, I happened to notice that the tops were the same shapes and styles (the cowl neck, both raglan and dolman sleeves), the only difference being the absence of raw edged seams on the designer versions. However, I plan to apply the similar finishes from Vogue 8925 to the non-designer pattern versions.

My last selection was another given, Vogue 1411, the unique Sandra Betzina knit pants pattern that I want to make immediately in multiple colors. Check out that crazy seaming!

Vogue 1411

So, now, all I have to do is wait patiently. It's already been six months so what's a few more weeks?

Just another reminder, if you have any amazing vintage Vogue, Butterick or McCall's pattern (especially from when they were just called McCall) please consider lending them so that reproductions can be made. All you have to do is email images of those patterns to the McCall Pattern Company in care of leslies@mccallpattern.com If your pattern is selected, they will then contact you about sending the paper pattern to their offices. I thank you in advance!

I Am Honored...

to have received the coveted Liebster Blog Award from KC at The Sewcratic Method.

Thank you, KC!!!!
Since the creation of this award the available blogs with less than 200 followers are quickly disapearing as everyone immediately clicks over to check them out, so instead of searching for blogs that haven't received it yet, I am bestowing it on the most recent blogs that I have found.* The 5 blogs I chose to award are:

Girl meets wolf
Experiments and Accidents
Cloth Habit
The Muslinette
Sown Brooklyn

Congratulations everyone! Keep sewing and we will keep reading!



Before I even published this email about the Leibster, Diane of The Blue Gardenia gave me the Very Versatile Blogger award! Thank you so much!

My list of 15 bloggers again consists of recent discoveries:

Closet Case Files
Cloth Habit
Experiments and Accidents
Four Square Walls
Girl Meets Wolf
Lucky Lucille
Madalynne
Sewin' Steady
Sown Brooklyn
The Muslinette
DaughterFish
threadsquare
Toferet's Empty Bobbin
True Bias
Zilredloh


* When I discover a new blog, that means I also pretty much read all of their old posts too. So, yes, I've been very busy!

Check Out Chuck At Colette's

The architectural master of fashion, Charles James is profiled on the Colette Patterns blog today. Please enjoy!

Sewing Plans This Weekend

• Hold a photo shoot for my latest two projects, Butterick 5429 and vintage Butterick 2564.
  


• Make up the McCall's 5686 bodice muslin in a larger size.
  


• Make up a muslin of the Vogue 8701 bodice. Yes, I'm buying it tonight, I couldn't help it. The pattern is still on sale and I just can't stop thinking about that dress . Also, wouldn't it be better for the gray plaid since it has darts instead of princess seams?
  


• Make a pair of flannel pajama pants. Why put those off just because they're easy?!

That's it. I'm not going to push my luck. See ya next week and happy sewing!

By the way, the Colette Patterns blog posts for December are focusing on four of the great fashion innovators of the 1930s and 1940s, so don't forget to check those out every Wednesday.

Coco at Colette's

This week at the Colette Patterns' blog I explored the designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. It is illustrated with more of these pictures by Karl Lagerfeld. Really!!

Check it out here.

Images: (left) silk evening dress, 1927; (right) chiffon day dress, 1922. From Chanel by Harold Koda.

Hanging at Colettes

Hey, guys!

I have great news. I've been reading a lot about fashion designers lately and I've found a way to put that knowlege to great use. Perhaps you already know but I've been submitting little posts on certain designers to the lovely Sarai of Colette Patterns and she has graciously published them on the past two Wednesdays. Please join me as I learn more about the heavy hitters of fashion's past.

Tomorrow's entry will be female designer, Madeleine Vionnet, most famously known as the developer of the bias cut.

Go See My Sewing Space at Blue Gardenia!

My sewing space is featured today as part of The Blue Gardenia's Sewing Spaces series.

It's funny how she talks about how organized my project drawers in my armoire are. Yes, they are always that organized but what you didn't see was the top half of that armoire. Inside there is real scary! Thread, zippers, buttons, fabric scraps, all the materials needed for my stuffed animal projects, and more, overflowing. One day I'll organize it enough that I can open the doors in front of company. Ha!

And Away I Went...

My road trip two weekends ago into Pennsylvania was highly successful!

I saw:

• Sister's 1 and 2
• my freshman college roommate, SK-B
• her 3-year old son, for the first time
• an episode of Mad Men when it actually aired (I don't have cable)
• a new-to-me IKEA in Conshohocken, PA
• movie costumes actually worn by Bette Davis, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, etc.*
• an Amish buggy and horse
• lots of cows and horses
• a half-size race horse masquerading as Sister 2's year-old "puppy"!

I drove:

• through 5 states (VA, MD, DE, PA, NJ)
• and put over 500 miles on my car
• during a holiday weekend and had no traffic problems at all!

I also received from my sisters a Coach bag (used) for interviews, a wooden egg sock darner, multiple yards of white eyelet fabric, and about 10 issues of More magazine.

Oh, and while I was away I was mentioned on awesome Australian blog I Wanna Frock and Roll All Night. Moggy took my suggestion and made the Sew Stylish One-Hour Dress. I would love it if anyone who has made that dress would post about it, for it really is a quick and satisfying sew. A great first sewing project.

Viva la roadtrip!

Note: Michener Museum costume exhibit post coming up as soon as I get my pictures uploaded!