Stash Busting: Reversible Girl's Dress / OOP Vogue 1455

I think the last time I made a little girls' dress with out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1455 I claimed that I would be retiring this pattern.  Well, it's come out of retirement for this stash busting project.  

I forgot how much fun it is sewing this dress pattern.  I adore that it is a reversible dress even though it does take up a lot of fabric, I think it is cute.  I like the playful bubble hemline and the options to change the ribbons on this dress.  It's just a fun pattern with creative opportunities.  

All of the fabrics have been in the stash for years.  The blue floral sateen fabric was recently used for this little girls' dress and made its way into the stash approximately 2019.  The orange cotton contrast has been in the stash for about the same time, since 2019.  The strawberry print has been part of the stash since 2017 when I used part of the yardage for an apron.  And the other white contrast fabric has been in the stash since 2020 when I made this shirt.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  4.6 metres

Ribbon:  2.4 metres

Buttons:  4

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 1455

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, pins, pin cushions, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, measuring gauge, sewing machine, buttonhole foot, regular presser foot, serger, threads, hand sewing needle, tailor's wax, iron, ironing board, screwdriver and tea.  

Stash Busting: Art Full Scarf

If it weren't for the Pattern Review Stash Busting contest on right now, I might not have dragged this fabric out of the stash yet.  I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, it's been in the stash for around twenty years.  I picked up 2 metres of it on a trip to Toronto.  There were once plans to use it as an overlay piece for a dress.  And then incorporate it into a pullover top.  It just sat there while ideas floated around as to what it should become.  I really like the print and wanted to showcase it some how.  

In all honesty, turning it into a scarf is the most practical thing.  I first thought to sew the ends closed and the stitching didn't quite look good.  Because of the fraying it would be best to work with a French seam and the sheer polyester fabric was a bit challenging.  So after a length of stitching, the seam ripper came out and I turned to my Janome serger for some help on this one.  

I removed one of the needles, adjusted some dials and got to work on a roll hem.  Everything was going perfect until I tried to trim one end with the serger.  

My sweet Janome was not having anything to do with that plan when some excess width got caught in the bottom needles.  Luckily, I was able to cut into the tangled mess and set the almost completed scarf on the cutting table for some trimming before finishing up this what should have been an easy peasy, done-in-no-time project.  The corner tails on the rolled hem were trimmed down and given a dab of Fray Check to prevent unraveling.  

Project Details

Seams:  None

Seam Finish:  Rolled hem

Fabric:  2 metres

Pattern:  None

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, thread clippers, Janome sewing machine, seam ripper, screwdriver, Janome serger and a good kick in the pants from Pattern Review to stash bust this one.  

Happy Sewing!

Stash busting: Girl's Floral Dress / OOP New Look 6493

 

It is as if this fabric has been hanging out in my stash waiting to be sewn into a cute little girls' dress.  Unlike the previous project, this fabric with this pattern, out-of-print (OOP) New Look 6493 is a perfect match.  

The dress is made straight out of the envelope in a size 5.  It looks long but then I might not be the best judge.  It has been a long time since I sewed a size 5 garment for a wee little girl.  This will be gifted and my fingers are crossed that this will fit.  But I digress.  OOP New Look 6493 is a keeper, it's well-drafted and the instructions are well-written.  I really like that the dress bodice is self-facing and the generous amount of gathering.  This will be a cute dress for twirling.  

The fabric is a cotton sateen with a wee bit of stretch.  I picked it many, many moons ago and it was already pre-treated waiting to be turned into something.  The yellow button and the orange elastic used for the loop in the back were also stash finds.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch, 4.0 gathering stitch

Seam finish:  Serged skirt and hem, interior bodice pieces were pinked.  

Fabric:  1.5 meters

Button:  1 -- 7/8" button

Pattern:  New Look 6493

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Flip board paper, markers, paper scissors, cutting table, scissors, measuring tape, weights, measuring gauge, pins, pin cushion, basting tape, elastic cording, hand sewing needle, silk thread for hand stitching, Janome sewing machine, Janome serger, threads for the sewing machine and serger, thread clippers and audio book.  

Happy Sewing!

Change of Plans: OOP Vogue 9091

Quite awhile ago, the black denim was laid out on the cutting table ready to be cut and sewn into a denim jacket when I realized that there was enough fabric to sew a pair of culottes.  And that is when plans changed.  Seven years ago I made culottes using out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 9091.  I liked them and have been meaning to revisit this pattern.  Yes, that's in the past tense.  I no longer have the original pair due to fabric pilling.  Discovering that there was enough black denim to revisit the pattern, it seemed like a change in plans would be a good idea.  It will be something that I can wear now and when the season changes and the winter boots come out.  

I cut this project out weeks ago and it sat there waiting to be sewn.  Procraftination, plain and simple.  Finally, they are done.  

The fabric is a 100% cotton denim that I found at Northwest / Marshall Fabrics many, many moons ago.  I picked it up with plans to sew a pair of black denim boot leg jeans prior to the pandemic and before there were thoughts of a black denim jacket.  That was also before I started cutting into the yardage to sew facemasks at the start of the pandemic and before face masks were readily available for the general public.  And then there was no longer enough yardage for the boot legged jeans.  The fabric sat there waiting for another project to appear.  It was, long ago, pretreated and ready to cut until the idea of sewing OOP Vogue 9091.  

It proved to be the wrong fabric choice.  The pattern fabric suggestions include a light-weight denim and this is not light-weight.  Maybe I should have made a denim jacket after all?  But I digress. It was back to the sewing machine to close the pleats.  

With the pleats tamed and stitched down, I feel that I can wear this out in the public sphere.  

The pattern, OOP Vogue 9091, what's not to love?   This pattern is well-drafted.  Please don't let my poor fabric choice deter you from trying out this pattern if it's on your wish list to make.  

I did make a few changes.  The pockets were cut but in the end I decided to leave them off.  An inch was added to the side seams for some extra ease after comparing my body measurements with the pattern.  It ended up being too much and I took it in a half presser foot width and then take in some more from the waistband tapering off towards the first notch.  The culottes were hemmed with an inch and a half hem.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam Finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.8 metres

Lining:  0.2 metres cut, but not used.

Basting tape:  0.2 metres

Zipper:  8" invisible 

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 9091

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushions, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, measuring gauge, scissors, iron, ironing board, Janome sewing machine, Jeans sewing machine needle 100/16, regular zipper foot, invisible zipper foot, walking foot, regular presser foot, screwdriver, Janome serger, threads, thread clippers and a hand sewing needle.  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!  

No Pattern Needed: Cell Phone Protector / Cover

With an idea, tools and supplies anything is possible.  

Once the idea popped into my head, this project took less than an hour from start to finish.  There was no pattern needed.  I just needed a ruler and the cell phone to measure, trace and cut out some left over cork I had sitting in the stash.  

The interior is filled with cardboard for protection and there is a sleeve to slide the cell phone into before it folds over like a book.  

It's secured closed with a Velcro™ strap that wraps around.  There is nothing fancy about this project, just practical sewing and trying to use what I have on hand.  

The cork fabric was locally sourced at Northwest / Marshall Fabrics many moons ago.  It is left over from a handbag and eye glass case project.  I'm unintentionally creating matching cork accessories.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Fabric:  0.20 metres

Velcro™:  5 cm strip

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, ruler, cardboard, pen, scissors, sewing machine, walking foot, thread and coffee.  

Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today: Issey Miyake

The Toronto Star is reporting that Issey Miyake passed away.  Rest in peace.  And thank you for all the sewing inspiration over the years.  

This is sad news for the sewing community, one of the many communities that will miss him.  His sewing patterns for Vogue Patterns, now considered vintage, are works of art and a wonderful awe inspiring journey in sewing.   

Decades ago I made out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 2748 in a linen fabric and did some decorative stitches along the zipper edges and bust darts.  It was during a burst of creativity inspired by the pattern and a new Janome sewing machine I recently purchased.  That project, the fit, the excitement of sewing on that beautiful sewing machine with decorative stitching, it turned me into a Miyake fan.  And there were other sewing projects that followed.  A fleece wrap made with OOP Vogue 1476 was like wearing a blanket.  It was way too long on my barely five foot frame but I loved it and the pattern is still sitting in the collection with a thought of one day revisiting it.  There were other Issey Miyake patterns that brought joy during the sewing process.  Issey Miyake's patterns are nostalgic sewing at the best.  

Perhaps, it might be time to break out one of his sewing patterns as a tribute.  

Monday's Mending Pile

Mending work appears at the ironing board, otherwise they would most often go unnoticed.  

These linen pants, Vogue 1642, are a wearable toile and have been a summer staple since they were made three years ago.  A small hole was starting to appear on the side just under the pocket opening.  

If there was a generous amount of ease the side seam could be taken in a bit this would have been a quick fix.  That was not the case so the next option was to patch.  

These labels were used on microwave cozies back-in-the-day and proved to be suitable patch material.  

Some basting tape before topstitching it place and these pants are saved for many more wears.  

Next up a small hole on a shirt back.  Hmmm, patch this with a small length of seam binding or perhaps the darning stitch on the sewing machine?  I'm thinking the patchwork on this one too.  

Happy Sewing!