The “I Love You” Apron

I am dedicating this weeks sewing to my husband of thirteen years, Mark.

He is so great.  He is a humble man.  He takes our marriage seriously.  I appreciate how hard-working and responsible he is and how he loves our boys.  That I was able to stay home with them for seven years and that we have a lovely home.  He doesn’t mind my mad op shopping and the mess in the sewing room.  Well, he minds sometimes!

Waiting for my man

He works really hard as a Tiler – making other people’s homes absolutely beautiful.  Those tiles behind me he did them – aren’t they great!?  And he let me have exactly what I wanted – to go with our recycled country-style kitchen that I designed.  I had to wait a long time for him to do them but it was worth the wait!

Last time I made one of these novelty aprons I swore never to make another one!  But how irresistible are the hearts?  And it seemed like the perfect use of this Cherry Print fabric that has a quite a clichéd fifties look to my eyes now, but that I adored when I bought it a couple of years ago.  It was good to use up some of the pink Ric-Rac in my stash and the Rose Print and  that was left over from my “Coming Up Roses” Gypsy Blouse, which is still one of my favourite items of clothing.

Sorry about the heavily airbrushed legs and fake tan.  No, actually  I’m not!  This week I learn how to do that on Pic Monkey (photo editing software) – I might get them out again for you!
Let’s see if he reads this:  “I love you Bubba!”

The “Baz and Catherine” Flapper Dress

The Facts

Fabric: Cotton Foulard from Spotlight $40

Pattern: 5700 from an unknown company 50 cents

Year: Circa 1980′s

Notions: Art deco glass diamante buttons from the stash.

Time to complete: 4 hours

First worn:  For the photos

Wear Again?:  Saving it for Bali, Indonesia

I wasn’t going to bother taking part in the Sew Weekly’s Gatsby week for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, my idea of Gatsby fashion is skewed more 20′s than the 30′s frocks Mena and her friends wear to the Gatsby Weekend.  I feel I know almost nothing about 1930′s fashion except for bias cut satin evening gowns, and there is no way I am going there!

Secondly, there is nothing less flattering that a drop gathered waist on a woman with heavy hips and thighs.

However,  the Sew Weekly contributors’ efforts for Gatsby Week were so inspiring that I thought I’d have a crack at it!  Also, a few months ago, scenes from The Great Gatsby movie were shot at St Patricks Seminary in Manly  – half an hour away from my house in Sydney – what an opportunity!  With a house full of international guests – I was keen to work in a little photo shoot to a spot of sightseeing with coffee!  The stars aligned, I found cloche hat, and I even managed to get my hair bobbed in time for the photos!

The Seminary can be seen early on in the trailer, with its ivy covered walls, it has undergone a dramatic transformation into a castle in post production!

I was thinking of buying the famous 1920′s One-Hour Flapper Dress but I am too stingy to pay for what is a very simple pattern!  So a few weeks ago I was pleased to find this very ugly-looking 80′s dress.  I thought it would probably work – when you have been patternmaking and sewing for years, you develop the skill of being able to see how the pattern pieces go together and what they will look like.  Beginner sewers – take heart, this takes time.  This patterns wins the prize goes for worst pattern illustration ever.  I saw that there were no shoulder pads to give that exaggerated shoulder line and I knew it wouldn’t sit like that, or do I just have broad shoulders!?  I eliminated the centre front button placket and cut it in one piece.

I extended the sleeves, following the angle they were on, and sewed just to the end of my shoulders.   All the edges and hems were sewn with rolled hems.  I wanted a floaty sleeve, with an open top arm seam.  We are going to Bali next year.  The Balinese are unimpressed by the display of armpits – I hope this dress will be acceptable – light  floaty and no visible underarm! I finished them with a pair of little art deco glass diamante buttons from the stash.

A trick for minimizing the hippage, I recommend is to give it a good press, with the focus on the gathers.  I wanted them to sit flat – rather than billowing out – adding volume where none was welcome.

This fabric was wonderful to sew – it is a very fine twill weave – perhaps a foulard.  I realize that the fabric is more 50′s in feel than any other era- but that is my thing isn’t it!

My dad took the photos for this shoot.  We were up against it.  It was windy again and the camera’s display is broken – so he really couldn’t see a thing – He did pretty well though and was very patient to take 250 photos!!  Mum was great  at directing the photo shoot.  Thanks Mum and Dad!

I am sure you know that Australian Film Maker Baz Luhrmann, Director, and his wife Catherine Martin, Production Designer, are creative collaborators in this movie.  Baz with his amazing vision and kooky musical inspiration and Catherine with her incredible attention to detail – I salute you.

The “I know it’s silly” Dress

My reality is that I don’t really have anywhere to wear a LBD, or a BBD in my case given that I am a size 16 and just under 5’10 (175cms).

The reality is that I have a tonne of washing to do every week.  My husband is a tiler – he gets absolutely filthy every day.  You can imagine, dust from cutting hundreds of tiles, glue, grout and building site filth come home with him.

We have two washing machines and two clothes lines.  Don’t forget the two boys.  My laundry mountain is only obliterated a couple of time a year!

So I was thinking about how silly it was that I was prancing about my courtyard taking these photos, with my clothesline in the background – mocking me with its “I’ll be seeing you later!”, while wearing my big black 50′s dress with it big petticoat underneath.

But you know what?  After weeks of fulfilling everyone else’s expectations of me – two weeks of running the kids around for the holidays, one day spent at the hospital after Noah had a terrific trampolining accident and put a tooth through his face (he’s all better, now thanks to the plastic surgeons), it felt good to do something for me.

This was a UFO – I think I started it first four years ago – it was my the first attempt using a 50′s pattern   I decided I would use some of the wool that had sat around since my student days – and that yes, it would be a great idea to use some for a toile!  Lookey, lookey – perfect fit – love that!

This has become my favourite dress pattern  and I have made a the skirt many times (omitting the front pleat).

The best thing about this dress IMHO is the “Bosum” piece, it is a Crescent shaped piece which is gathered and gives you a little “more” in that area if you are lacking!! The skirt also covers all my flaws. The little cap sleeves are kind to plump arms. I believe it is the perfect dress for pear shaped women!

To finish it I had to overlock all the seams, insert the zip, and bind the neckline and sleeves.  I did the binding in a Cotton Lycra Sateen – it’s not sitting quite flat – but I can live with it.

Thanks to my lovely friend and sewing buddy, Toni for help with the hem – we decided we should buy one of those chalk puffer hemming devices.

The 1950′s Whimsey I am wearing is a present from my friend Rozie, she bought it for me on my Birthday from Mint Condition for $25 – bit of a bargain. I love the little birds on the veil.
So now I have a black dress on standby for any occasion – not silly at all is it?

The Facts

Fabric: Wool from stash from a million years ago and some Cotton Lycra Sateen $14.95/m

Pattern: McCalls 9400

Year:  1950′s

Notions: Zip

Time to complete: It’s been years!

First worn: For the photos

Wear again: Can’t wait

Total Cost: I’m calling it nothing

Australiana and Americana

How great is this fabric?! I saw it recently in Lincraft. I am into indigenous art forms in a huge way.

It feels very 50′s to me, with it’s dull, earthy colour palette.

It was $14.99 a metre and I had to leave it there at that price – as I had a little splurge on Esty last night. Just a few U.S. accessories for my 50′s Fair outfit. I really hope it’s warm! I froze last year!

They had a whole story in this theme – for the quilters.

Have you noticed that these type of prints languish in shops for a while?

Cultural cringe perhaps?

Now I am kicking myself for not getting a metre or four!

Will have to be content with a string of small parcels arriving in the mail from the States right!?

The “Magpies and Blue Skies” Skirt

During the middle of my photo shoot – i.e. me with camera set on self-timer and using a chair on the trampoline as a tripod, a magpie broke into my house. My youngest son was panicking and screaming as it flapped about trying to get out – I opened a latch on a window and shoved the glass, but the window was stuck so I broke the glass and knocked over a vase of flowers!   He made such mess pooing (the bird not my son) from one end of the house to the other, on the carpet, on a book, on clean washing!  Argghh I could have wrung his neck!  Luckily I didn’t cut myself and there was no serious damage.

So I am not smiling in these photo – I am fuming!

I bet you are fuming too because, guess what – I have made this boring skirt three times!

Oh yes, and it’s even a UFO so all I had to do was take off the too small waist band and re-attach because its taken me making this skirt three times to work out what my waist measurement is!

We are careering towards the end of the kids second term and we are tired! I work three days during school hours and there are speeches for 6 year olds (ridiculous right??) and projects for 9 year olds. The laundry is piling up around the place and its been wet all week so it is taking over our living spaces!  Oh yes and my husband is at work for the twelfth day straight!  First world problems right?!

Being grateful helps me when I am whining so here goes; I have a garden where Birds of Paradise are in  flower, the Sydney sky was blue for the first time in days, for the photos, my camera has a self-timer and this skirt is finally finished.

I really like that print. It is the exact colour palette of one of my Dads 1960′s Hawaiian shirts that I used to wear when I was a teenager. It was a remnant so I didn’t have enough to make a dress and I wasn’t even able to piece together a top, despite quite a bit of time spend trying – which is probably why I abandoned this for 6 months – hours of sewing getting me nowhere is incredibly off-putting.

I might get some laces for some platform shoes from the scraps – we’ll see.

If I were going on a lovely tropical holiday or a Tiki Party  – this is the kind of thing I’d like to wear.  Dreams are free!

Oh and I found a tripod at an op shop for $12 this week – score!

The Facts
Fabric: 3m Cotton Lycra Sateen at $12.99 per metre
Pattern: Skirt from McCalls 9400 – without pleat/underlay
Year: 1950’s
Notions: Zip, Button, Waistband interfacing
Time to complete: 4 hours includes unpicking
First worn: For the photos
Wear again? Yes, a lot I think
Total Cost: $39

What’s new Spotty?

I recently checked out Spotlight‘s offer for Autumn. They have some Wool Coating fabrics 80% Wool and 20% Nylon (which gives the fabric increased durability).

They also had some Wool Flannels – which were made in India – and quite coarse looking – but ok for jackets etc.

But as always what got me going were the Cotton Lycra Sateens! I love these – they look great made up, sew together easily and drape beautifully – perfect for 50′s style dresses, and that hint of elastomeric fibres (Lycra or Elastane) makes them comfortable!

Lets feast our eyes!

Yay! How good are these babies?!  I love the brown roses – but I have a piece of vintage wool challis in almost identical tones, (Daisy print, not roses) so I left that one there.  I bet it’s there next time!  Not many people can wear that colour.

Um, I am not loving these as much, but I like the one second from the left.

I find these ones quite Nana-ish – what do you think? The one with the purple rose is a bit 50′s looking – but it’s not great.

Here are my picks!

How gorgeous. Two of my favourite things: Polka Dots and Roses – Yay, under the terrible light Roses actually looked Olive green and the background grey-ish. It’s all tones of brown actually.  I will do a blouse out of that.

This was the one that made me gasp! Is it not gorgeous?  I love it and I bought four metres for a shirtwaist type of dress. Good isn’t it?!

Don’t know what’s happened to all the lovely floral prints – maybe we’ll see some in Spring/Summer. This is definitely moody – suits my personality just fine!

Which one do you like?

Oh and by the way, I have been blogging for a year!  I know!  I can’t believe it!  So watch out – I plan to do a giveaway each week this month, some patterns and bits and pieces.  And thanks so much for popping by and subscribing!

I am so grateful that you are here.

Trish xxx

The “Fools Rush In ” Two Seam Top

Now I am quite a goody good, I suppose you’d say.  I don’t like getting in trouble.  I follow the rules pretty much.  But when it comes to sewing I am quite the rebel.   Instruction sheets – pah – I know better, do the zip this way – no thanks.  If I can think of an easier way I’ll do that.  Recommended fabrics – I’ll be the judge.

But when Casey tried out this pattern and advised that it was meant for knit textures, I wish I listened.

Pink is not really my colour.  I like it for pyjamas, but it doesn’t suit me.  But when I found this lovely painterly 50′s-ish rose print, I thought – that will be just the ticket!

I am glad I only spent an hour sewing two seams – which sounds like slow going when you count them! But I wanted to finish them nicely – because it’s a sheer fabric.    Casey said turn and catch stitch.  I wonder if she has washed her one yet?  I was taught that hand sewing does not hold knit fabrics.   It just falls out – now that is a rule I am not willing to break!

This top is difficult to put on, pulls uncomfortably over my arms and falls down constantly, needing readjusting.  On me it is unflattering – too bulky at the front.  And I couldn’t drive a car in it – fail!

Still, I really like the concept and would love to make it up in a knit fabric, perhaps in a stripe – would be fun.

The pattern is intriguing as it uses really little fabric and does produce what is a cute little shrug – if you need such a thing to wear to your next summer wedding or formal event!

I recommend you take Casey’s advice – that girl knows her stuff.  And remember – hand sewing is not recommended!
The Facts
Fabric”  Thrifted Polyester Georgette $3.50
Pattern: Self Drafted based on Simplicity 4538
Year: 1950′s
Notions: just thread
Time to complete: 1 hour – a record!
First worn: April 2012 for the photos
Wear again? Nup!!

Source: google.com.au via Trish on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Trish on Pinterest

I found the back of the pattern envelope in Flickr here! And I coulden’t have done it without that – thanks!

The “She’s got issues” Dress

I made this dress back in December, and wore it in January back home in Wellington New Zealand – when I met the lovely, lovely fellow tall girl Kat of  Modern Vintage Cupcakes.  You may have seen the photos on her blog of our meet up for coffee, sunshiny waterfront photo shoot with gelato, followed by the walk home to my folks place.

I apologise for the photos – while some are very beautiful – they don’t show the dress that well.

There’s the infamous Wellington wind blowing up our skirts!

FIRST ISSUE: Not enough fabric

I bought the last piece on the roll – I thought – great that will make a nice skirt.

Then I became obsessed by the above pattern – and would have loved to find a similar border print – nothing on eBay except swimwear fabrics and other uglies. So this stripe (is that what you would call it?) fabric had to do. It was really wide so I convinced myself there was a dress in there – waiting to get out!

I had to piece together bits of fabric to get the bodice out of the fabric I had left.

SECOND ISSUE: The pattern

The pattern was teeny tiny – I should have thrown it away and used something that fitted me.

THIRD ISSUE: The fit

It looks weird, like it’s creeping around my body. The side seams of course don’t match up either.

FOURTH ISSUE: The wrong undergarments.

I purchased a black strapless bra, not realizing at the time that it is some kind of super duper booster bra! Now, I don’t have nothing to start with, so that didn’t help!

I haven’t worn it again – I might give it another try sans push-up strapless stupidity – before it feels the wrath of my pink unpicker and is transformed into the skirt it should have always been.

And Kat, well she is a bit shy, surprising for a girl with hair as blue as Wellington’s sky on a good day! But by the end of our walk she told me that she was expecting! I felt so special that she shared her secret with me. It made me forget my dress issues immediately! She is going to be a wonderful Mum!

Here is my spring palette, I hope this dress falls into it – the oranges and brown are not exactly correct but I doubt anyone will notice!

By the way, I am standing in front of one of the remnant building of Wellington’s early China town – cute isn’t it!

 

Vintage style fabrics

It was 1991, I was studying Fashion Design – I got a part-time job at a fabric shop.  The manager there was a hard taskmaster – let’s call her Deirdre.

With a whole team of newby fabric sales assistants we had the biggest opening sale Wellington’s ever seen.  There were ladies desperate to buy cheap dupion silk and they were five deep around the counter.  scary stuff.

We had to  re-merchandize the whole store – often.  We were trained in the correct  display the rolls of fabric by draping  it so the customer doesn’t have to pull if off the roll to see it, neatly, and no trailing yarns showing. Broken rolls were not allowed.   That store had to be immaculate.

Each Friday night I used to spend time stroking the Liberty lawns and wools, I mean – tidying the display.

We were all very relieved when one day Deirdre got sacked.

Back to now.  The buyers at Spotlight have been doing a decent job in catering to the trend for all things vintage.  Here are some of their picks:

Isn’t this so reminiscent of Orla Kiely’s  amazing 70′s influenced textile designs?

Check out these fabric designs which come labeled with as 1930′s.

They look a little table cloth-like to me – but may suit blonde haired gals for dresses?

This art deco style rose print is very pretty:

This is a sweet print, labelled 1930′s but I feel the colour are more 50′s in style.  Got the wrong label perhaps?

But lets not talk about what a complete mess the stores are in.  Deirdre would have had a fit.

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Prints for little kids, and big ones

Spotlight has some very cute 50′s reproduction children’s prints at the moment.  Aren’t they  irrisistable?  They were hiding in the quilting section – why should the quilters have all the fun?

Whee!  Looks like fun doesn’t it!

Sorry it’s a bit blurry – but you get the idea

And this is the one that came home with me.  You are looking at next year’s summer PJ pants – Yay!