October in Review...

Sewing wise, October is not that spectacular, more spooky.  And not in a fun kind of spookiness. 

Image source:  Greener Kirkcaldy

My sewing mojo has been on hiatus for what seems like forever.  I'm not kidding.  I've seemed to have lost my desire to challenge myself in the sewing room.  Sure, there has been some sewing happening.  I've become content with sewing basic beginner level projects.  

And even with that I've managed to sew a few bloopers into my projects.  Not only that, I've seem to become content with mending projects.  I know, scary!  😲  Hopefully, next month the sewing table will become a less spooky place and will find some creative activity.

Happy Halloween to those who celebrate the Feast of Junk Food & Festive Costume Making.  If you have a chance, check out the Costume Contest over at Pattern Review.  There are some adorable costumes that were made.  

Happy Sewing!  

Rescue Sewing: Vogue 9268 & 9057

About two years ago I made a second version of Katherine Brenne's Vogue 9268, a pullover dress.  I tweaked the pattern by using Marcy Tilton's Vogue 9057, a top pattern for the rounded neckline.  I was quite pleased with how the neckline turned out but I didn't wear it as much as I thought I would because I didn't make the best fabric choice.  Don't get me wrong, the fabric is a fantastic cotton knit that I found at Marshall / Northwest Fabrics.  

This is a perfect example of how fabric choice does matter on how a garment will look.  I should have know better that the waterfall design on the dress would work better with a fabric that has a softer drape.  I finally got around to fixing this dress into something that I can wear by chopping off the excess fabric from the sides.  And now I have a wearable dress.  

Hmm, I wonder what I can make with those discarded hip flaps?  

Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

I've often said, "I'm not a quilter."  And I said it again this week.

I've convinced myself that my brain doesn't work like a quilter's brain.  Quilters are an enigma to me.  It sounds ridiculous doesn't it?

Image Source:  Dream Quilt Create

That is how I felt this week when I found myself in conversation with a die-hard quilter. She was trying to convince me to join her church quilting group. I told her that I'm more into garment sewing to which I got that glazed over look in her eye. This happen just before we both shared why we don't engage in each other's hobby. What struck me was that we had the same reasons for not being in garment sewing or quilting. It's like trying to solve the great debate of cats vs. dogs.  

Image source:  Dogs vs. Cats

No comparison, right? It's just a different animal. But I will admit that it has me thinking about that conversation quite a bit this week.  No, I'm not thinking about taking up quilting.  But it does seem to have a growing presence in the retirement community.  From the conversation, I don't think it really about making quilts rather it seems to be more about a social outlet.  And there you go, sewing whether it be garment or quilting just boils down to community.   And that's a good thing.

In other sewing news, McCall's released there Winter / Holiday collection today.  There are two patterns that caught my eye.

McCall's 7999, where were you months ago?  Lol.  Seriously, I'm happy to see this winter staple finally make an appearance.  I don't need one at this point.  I'm happy with my latest version and I do have this vintage Burda International pattern still waiting to be made up one day.  

I just have to locate my sewing mojo.  The other pattern that caught my eye is for another project that I don't need nor will I be sewing.

But I do think it is cute.  A cape with a hood.  The only thing that would make this perfect would be a hidden interior pocket to hide keys.  Oh and perhaps in a double faced knit!  I'm just looking forward to read the reviews on these ones.  

That's all in sewing new today... 

Happy Sewing!

Bloglovin' Issues

Earlier this week I wrote a blog post for National I Love Lucy day.  It has since come down because I noticed something strange on my Bloglovin' page where my original post appeared.  It seems that someone has replaced it with a link and photo to something completely different than I posted.

Please do not click on this as I fear that it can be spam or something else.  I've tried to delete it from the Bloglovin' page but can not as it states that the post is associated with another blog profile. I have tried to contact Bloglovin' but they have not yet done anything to resolve this issue.  I've removed Bloglovin' from my blog page in hopes that it may help and prevent anyone from clicking on the post.

I hope that Bloglovin' is able to clear this issue up so that I don't have to shut down the blog and start anew.  Unless someone else has experience something similar and can offer some advice.

Winter White Skirt: OOP Butterick 5790

I know that a winter white skirt is not the most practical piece of clothing that I can make on a weekend where we're recovering from a significant amount of slushy wet snow. But I made one anyway.  

I had a small piece of this fabric in the stash, just enough to sew up the pull-on skirt. For this project, I pulled out an out-of-print (OOP) pattern, Butterick 5790, from back-in-the-day (circa 1998) when I was a much smaller size.  

I placed the place-on-the-fold line two inches away from the fold to cut a skirt that fits my more generous hip size. Yup, that means no pumpkin pie this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Or maybe there is enough stretch in this one that I can sneak a piece?  

The Stats

Fabric:   1.3 metres

Elastic:  0.80 metres of 2" wide elastic

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 5790

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushions, iron, ironing board, clapper, sewing machine, walking foot, serger, threads, scissors, thread clippers and tea.  

Happy Sewing & Thanksgiving to those celebrating this weekend!  

Cozy Cotton Knit Dress: OOP Vogue 8939

I'm so thrilled with how this one turned out, I don't even mind that it's a pink dress. 

I've revisited out-of-print Vogue 8939 with hopes that I would get the width of the turtleneck right this time. I'm thrilled that I can pull this one over my head without any struggle. I lost the turtleneck pattern piece to the D5 size combination and I have been tweaking it with the piece from the AX5 sizes. I probably added about 1 1/2" to a width of a size 12.  Other than this, I shortened the length of the sleeves (it's still a long sleeve dress) and lengthened the hemline seven inches.  

Now lets talk about the fabric! It's a sweatshirt knit with some drape, not that stiff sweatshirt knit that you can find. It was actually a remnant piece. I did consider making another long cardigan with Butterick 6495 but I'm so glad that a dress won that debate. It really is cozy. And with all that gorgeous snowfall blanketing the landscape this evening, coziness is just perfect.  

This fabric was pretreated with a tumble through the washing machine and dryer. It will be a hand wash and hang-to-dry item going forward.  

The Stats

Fabric:  1.9 metres

Interfacing:  1.2 metres of Knit-N-Stable tape

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 8939 (Vogue Wardrobe)

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Pins, pin cushions, tailor's chalk, scissors, thread clippers, cutting table, measuring tape, measuring gauge, clapper, sewing machine, iron, ironing board, walking foot, serger, threads, chai tea and cookies.  

Happy Sewing!

Charity Sewing: McCall's 8548

There was a request recently in the church bulletin to help out a refugee family with children clothing and I thought it was the perfect time to break out vintage McCall's 8548 once again. The request was for newborn to age 2 boys clothes.  

My wrist has been acting up so the thought of sewing this type of baby clothes is out of the question right now but I was able to manage a pair of pull-on pants for an age 2 young lad.  

This grey coloured cord fabric is heavy enough to keep a wee lad warm with the upcoming colder weather. Would you believe they're calling for snow tomorrow? Insert a happy dance here to celebrate the end of allergy season. 

Plus the first snow fall is so pretty. But I digress...

My hope is that these pants will keep the little lad warm in the upcoming season.  

The Stats

Fabric:  1 metre

Elastic:  1" wide

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, pins, pin cushion, measuring tape, measuring gauge, sewing machine, threads, serger, thread clippers, seam ripper and coffee.  

Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

To be filed under sewing bloopers.  

Vintage Simplicity 6851 is back on the sewing table because I sewed the buttons and buttonholes on the wrong sides. At first, Mama R said she didn't mind because she loves her new robe but when she went to put it on last night it didn't feel right. She wants me to close the buttonholes, move the buttons and then make new buttonholes. It breaks my heart that I made this mistake and that I feel I've ruined this project.   

I did something this morning that I never thought I would do. I left a sewing Facebook page because I just couldn't stand all the negative and insulting political comments. Usually, I'm pretty good at filtering all the rhetoric out but this morning I thought why am I reading this?   

Sewing and talking about sewing is supposed to be my joyful space. If that is what people think is what makes America great, belittling others, (in a sewing group none-the-less) I want no part of it.  

I agree with you on this one.  I'm leaving the group, one that I really enjoyed being a part of, because reading political insults about other countries is not why I joined.  I hope you all have a great weekend and start being kind to each other. 

And this decision was based on the negativity over someone's post over vintage hooks and eyes. Seriously.  Hooks.  And.  Eyes.  But it honestly wasn't this one post or one individual's post. It was a reoccurring occurrence over several posts and posters. I just wanted to be part of a sewing conversation where people would

and encouraging. 

So, talking about kindness, I'm going to take that into the sewing room and work on some charity items on this rainy weekend. I'm going to sew some little boy's pants. Sewing little wee clothes always puts me in a good mood.  

Happy Sewing!

What's in a Word?

I posted a picture of my latest project over on the Simplicity and McCall's page and when I woke up this morning there was a whole debate as to what it should have been called. Apparently, many didn't agree with my description that it was a robe. It wasn't just mine, I quoted the description on the pattern envelope. 

Some thought it should have been called a duster. Others considered it housecoat. But the consensus amongst the commenters was that it wasn't a robe. I relish in these comments. I love words and how fluid and regional their meanings are situated. And then I thought about how I would would define this project if there was not pattern description to define it. I would have from my own historical perspective called it a housecoat. Which got me thinking why and what's in a word? Apparently, there is some history behind these words.  

Is it a robe?  

According to the Simplicity pattern description, here in North America, fifty-three years ago it was considered a robe. But I can see were the debate comes into play when doing an online search for robes. Most current online retail options for robes show a loose-fitting garment that is held closed by a tie belt. Not one current option showed button closures. Of course, this could be a sign of the times when manufacturers cut corners when it comes to garment details.  

Robe, circa 1960s {source}

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, in the definition of a robe as a "dressing gown" dates back to 1854. And a robe defined as a long loose outer garment dates as far back to the 12th century.  

Is it a housecoat?  

Several commenters also piped in and claim this to be a housecoat. According to Dictionary.com this term was first recorded during the years 1915-20 referring to a "woman's robe or dress-like garment in various lengths, for casual wear around the house." Other sources claimed that historically a housecoat was worn over another garment.  

Housecoat {Source}

Is it a bathrobe?  

It could be argued that this is a bathrobe. According to Dictionary.com a bathrobe is defined as "a long, loose, coat-like garment, often tied with a belt of the same material, worn before and after a bath, over sleepwear, or as leisure wear at home."

Vintage Bathrobe {source}

Is it a duster?  

According to many of the commenters from the United Kingdom, the consensus is that is a duster based on what their mothers had referred to a garment like this one. Historically, a duster referred to a long, lightweight overcoat that was worn to protect clothing from dust of the open road. The duster as a garment moved indoors and became a "knee-length to long lightweight women's overcoat or smock." Dictionary.com defines a dusters as a "light-weight housecoat."

Duster {source}

Although, I can see how others would define this according to their vision of how the garment will be worn, I'm going to agree with Simplicity's vintage description on this one. It's a robe. The wearer of the garment intends to wear it at home after their bath and prior to going to bed. I'm not saying that any of the other definitions couldn't work depending how and where the robe / housecoat / bathrobe / duster will be worn. I'm just saying that I'm going with robe on this one.  

Happy Sewing!  

To Bed with Roses: Simplicity 6851

This project is to be gifted but there was a moment or two that I considered running off with it for myself. I might have to revisit this pattern and make another one someday.  

It is made with vintage Simplicity 6851, circa 1960s. The more this project came together the more smitten I became with the design. It looks like a simple robe but it really is engineered well. The elbow length bell shaped raglan sleeves has a generously sized sleeve facing. I really appreciate the shape created by the bust dart starting from the raglan sleeve seam downwards instead of the traditional bust dart from the side seam. And those pockets are a lovely size for a robe.

I was asked to shorten it and then upon the first fitting I was asked to make it longer. Thank goodness there was enough fabric left!  That is why there is a seam show in the lower portion of the robe. The centre front high round neckline was lowered 5/8" and tapered to nothing on the side.  This didn't affect the facing piece and still left a lovely shape.

The green buttons were discovered in the stash, left over from another project. The floral print fabric is a 100% cotton discovered in the quilting section of the fabric store. It was pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine followed by the same in the dryer and a good pressing before being cut out.  

The Stats

Fabric:  4 metres

Interfacing:  1 metre fusible

Buttons:  6 - 5/8" buttons

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, iron, ironing board, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, ruler, measuring gauge, sewing machine, walking foot, buttonhole foot, screwdriver, buttonhole cutter, threads, serger, hand sewing needle, scissors, thread clippers and tea.  

Happy Sewing!