Vintage Sewing Pattern guest blogger!

This post has previously appeared on Kerry's blog, Kestrel Makes, as part of the Vintage Pattern Pledge month of July #vpjuly guest blogger extravaganza! Well, that's what I'm calling it, anyway. I was totally astounded at being asked! Anyhow, it lets me ramble on about my favourite vintage decade for sewing patterns, the 1980s.

One day I was just browsing through Ebay, as you do, when I came across a sewing pattern I’d used as a young sewist in the 1980s. I just had to buy it! I’ve found and bought other sewing patterns that I bought and sewed in the 1980s and this has led to me developing a love for 1980s sewing patterns. Perhaps this could be a new sub-category of the Vintage Pattern Pledge, ‘Blast from the Past’…patterns you’ve previously owned, sewn and re-discovered!

This particular pattern is Style 4824 with a copyright date of 1986. There are collar and sleeve or sleeveless options so it’s quite a versatile pattern. The first and only time I sewed it, I made View 2 in a rust coloured poly-cotton fabric that I also used for the self-covered buttons. The shirt did actually work well in a poly-cotton and I wore for quite a few years.

These 1980’s patterns make me think back to what was happening and what I was doing at that time. It was quite a decade of change for me growing up then. In 1986 I was in art college and having quite frankly, a rare old time. I remember going along to weekly art college discos wearing what I thought was a very cool combo of Doc Martens and (very) mini-skirts, dancing along to a varied and eclectic range of music, including The Communards ‘Don’t leave me this way’, Doctor and the Medics ‘Spirit in the sky’ and Farley Jackmaster Funk with ‘Love can’t turn around’. Alongside this chart music they also played much cooler non-chart stuff too, especially James Brown, Louis Prima and Stevie Wonder. What can I say? I was young! It was the 1980s!

So, back to the sewing in 2016. One thing about using vintage patterns is that sometimes they have been used before. This one had. The descriptions said the size 10 had been cut out but the cut off bits were there. They were…but not all of them! I pieced all the bits together that I could and did a ‘best guess-timate’ of the missing bits, which seemed to work out fine, thank goodness. Just something to be aware of but it’s all part of the charm and sometimes challenge of sewing used vintage patterns!

I cut out the size 14 and added 2 inches to the body length. I also did a 2 inch FBA. Next time I make this, and there will be a next time as this is a lovely fitting garment, I would add an inch or more to the length of the sleeves, they’re just a tiny bit shorter than I’d like. I’d also add some width to the sleeves as they are a shade too fitted for my liking (I blame my swimmer’s arms!).

The fabric is a John Kaldor print 100% polyester bought from John Lewis in Edinburgh. This was quite a risky purchase. I like the mix of subtle grey stripes in the background but yellow….that’s not a colour I’d put near my face but sometimes a ‘diluted risk’ is worth taking. I think it’s worked well in this case. Yellow and grey…a very 1980s colour combination too!

I was very surprised at how challenging this shirt pattern was, much more than I expected or remembered it to be. The shawl collar with its back neck seam and the gathered front is tricky to sew and get right. I have a new respect and admiration for the sewing skills of ‘young me’ in tackling such a deceptively complicated garment! 

I wanted to make a more challenging pattern from my surprisingly favourite decade of the 1980’s (who’d have thought!), something just a bit different from the batwing sleeved tops I absolutely love, adore and can’t get enough of. This ‘Blast from the past’ has certainly lived up to that…and there’s another Vintage Pattern Pledge ‘Blast from the past’ from 1980 coming up soon on my blog. Love the music from that year!

A Sutton blouse

Oh how I love this top! I love absolutely everything about it...the length, the depth of the neckline and how it doesn't flop forward into a 'wardrobe malfunction' if you lean forward, the fabric, the finishing, the hi-lo hem and yes, the challenge it gave me. More of that later. So there we have it, I really like this pattern...*hovers over Publish button'...but...I know you'd like some more details so here we go.

This is not a picture heavy post, by the way. I took these photos a few weeks ago on the Sutton's inaugural voyage outdoors so I just need to get the bloomin' thing blogged! I've washed and worn the blouse twice already.

I've had my eye on the True Bias Sutton blouse pattern for a wee while and then there came a time when I thought I needed some more summer top patterns as the ones I have feel a bit same-y. Yes, dear readers, I purchased the PDF.

I already had 2 metres of this 100% polyester John Kaldor 150cm wide fabric hovering at the top of my 'to sew' list but no pattern leaping out at me until the Sutton.

This pattern takes quite a reasonable amount of fabric. I can't remember if I cut a size 10 or 12 but the fabric requirement for both sizes is around 1.6m and I lengthened the body by 2". I didn't make any other adjustments to the pattern. Basically I used up most of those 2 metres I had.

The neck edge is finished with bias binding made from the fabric. It has kimono sleeves and a yoke so there are huge possibilities for 'doing your own thing' with this pattern and ending up with very different garments each time. I particularly like this version with a lace yoke so you may see my version in the future.

The challenge for me was that it's constructed throughout using French seams. Hey hey, that was a surprise! I've never sewn French seams before but there's nothing like having to just get on with it so I slowed right down and...followed the pattern! Who knew that would work out so well, ha ha! Accuracy (and following the instructions too) was the key when you're sewing teeny-tiny seams and not the hefty 15mm seam allowance I like to charge my way through in a cavalier manner. Having said all that, because you're sewing each seam twice, it does take a little longer to sew up than 'normal' but you're also aware that you're sewing a good quality garment. I found the whole process very satisfying. All of this careful sewing has resulted in a lovely top that fits really well. There will be more!

Chrysanthemum print top

Well...when I say chrysanthemum I probably mean it's quite a stylised version but it was the cerise pink that swung it for me! It's easier to see closer up.

I just had to bring out the cerise somewhere and adding bias binding to the neck seemed the right thing to do. This fabric is fine so I drafted facings for the neckline too and this provides enough 'body' for the rest of the top to hang from. I used Simplicity 1364 again and the fabric was bought from John Lewis, perhaps in their sale but I can't remember. 

I have added some width to the back pattern piece and I think I need to review how I've done that. In fact, I'm thinking I should start from scratch with how this pattern fits me and how I go about making fit adjustments. Basically, I'm discovering that with swimming I've developed back muscles (and arm muscles too) and clothing often feels tight across the upper back. I added width (2cm?) to the back pattern piece and I think that was perhaps too much. You can see the too-wide shoulder seams in this photo. 

Good pattern matching though! There is a zip in the back seam, just for info! The pattern is one I've made so many times before. The fabric is a 100% polyester, probably John Kaldor and is good quality. Do I love this top? Not really. Why not? I don't know...I will wear it but I know it won't be the first thing I reach for in the wardrobe. But there you go, some you win, some you lose in a way! 

Another Jalie cocoon cardigan and some bamboo pjs

Hi everyone and how are you all getting on this weekend? Sewing up a storm, I hope! I've decided to continue dealing with the blogging post backlog by telling you about something interesting followed by a plain, everyday basic. So here we are!

First off is the exciting thing, another Jalie Cocoon cardigan I've made before here. For this one I removed the length I'd added in the grey one and added another inch or so to the sleeve length. It's a good pattern and I will very likely use it again.

I like the grey version but I like this burgundy one more, I think because of the colour. I just love burgundy. Or wine. Or merlot...whatever you like to call it! It's a John Kaldor Isabella fabric. It has 20% wool, and then something like 85% viscose and the rest is lycra. Or thereabouts. Not cheap fabric at about £18 per metre and I bought 2 metres, I think, but it's worth it for the quality of the garment at the finish. It's standing up very well to what has been already quite a lot of wear!

The sleeves and the neck edging is finished by bands. Now, the only thing about this pattern is the band at the neck. I don't know if it's me, my shape, but it was gaping terribly with excess fabric at the back of the neck. It was perfect everywhere else so I know I haven't over-stretched it elsewhere.

So, I decided to add two darts which correspond to the shoulder seams so the look like they're intentional darts. Just two darts solved the problem, you might be able to see them in the photo.

So, that's the great burgundy cardigan and now onto the plain, bamboo pyjama trousers. I need a pair of these to replace similar RTW ones I threw out last year, they were worn out. These will be worn with one of last year's Vintage Pattern Pledge garments, my nightshirt.

The fabric is bamboo with a small percentage of lycra. The fabric feels lovely but the black colour seems a little less dense black than I would want. I used Kwik Sew 2811 pyjama trousers. I added two channels and put two pieces of elastic at the waist instead of the one channel indicated by the pattern. They've turned out very well and I'm pleased with them.

So that's probably enough for one blog post. I want to put all the things I make on my blog so it also means the less interesting basics have to be posted too. I love looking at what other people make on their blogs and hearing about any problems they've had so hopefully you'll enjoy the basics too. Have a great week, everyone!

A lacy top and a print top

Hi everyone and I hope your weekends are going well and full of sewing loveliness! As I said in my last post, I've been sewing up a storm but I've built up a bit of a backlog of unblogged items. Here are two tops made from the same pattern, New Look 6217 that I've used before here. Interestingly, Hand Made Jane recently blogged about this pattern being a right corker. The secret's out folks, buy yourself a copy of this pattern now!

I love this top pattern! It takes very little fabric to make a lovely grown-on sleeve top. Here's the first of the two tops and it's made from a John Lewis remnant of John Kaldor fabric, about 80 cms long by 150cm wide costing just over £4. Bargain! When I cut it out  I didn't bother with the centre back seam or the button loop closure, and cut both back and front on folds.

I did simple turn up twice hems for the sleeves and the body hem. For the neck edge I used some black satin bias binding I already had in my sewing heap of haberdashery. I think it's 25mm wide bias binding I wanted the contrast of dark colour at the neckline. I thought about using green bias binding but I'm not so sure I'd be able to find the exact colour match so just stuck with the black.

I really like this top and it's something quite different from me, a bit more out of my comfort zone in the cream and green colours that aren't my first choice colours. It's good to get out of a rut sometimes, isn't it? I finished this top on a Saturday late afternoon and wore it out to dinner that night. That's a good sign!

The second top was a bit more of an experiment. I bought the black lace last year in a John Lewis sale and bought a metre. I think it was about £7 for the metre. I hadn't a clue what I was going to make with it but thought I'd buy it for bit of a 'fun challenge'.

I bought a metre of cream cupro lining and pre-washed it so it felt silky. I used the cupro as an underlining for the black lace and treated the two layers a one layer. I overlocked inside seams and used some black satin bias binding to hem all the edges - neck, body hem and sleeve hems. I machined the bias binding and then hand-stitched the edge on the inside f the garment.

So far I haven't worn this top yet, but I've got a feeling I'll probably wear it next weekend. I love how this has turned out and would like to make another lace/cupro lined version but in a different colour of lace. Must keep on the lookout for some coloured lace...!

This is a great pattern and if you like the style, it's very fast to cut and sew up unless you add variations to it like bias binding around hems etc. but it's a great basic style to work with. Expect to see more of these in the coming few months! Have you got a great basic pattern that you love to add variations to?

A new jersey top for the New Year!

I bought this John Kaldor fabric in the John Lewis sale recently but I've also seen it online elsewhere. It's a man made fibre, probably polyester, but it's a good weight and has a good amount of stretch. I think I paid £8 a metre and bought 2 metres. I hadn't decided which pattern I was going to use but I just liked the colours and design. That's enough of a reason for me to buy fabric!

You can see I'm wearing my Named Jamie jeans that I FINALLY got around to hemming the day before yesterday. Anyway, back to this top. I was browsing through my patterns and found this one, Simplicity 1463 that I made once before here. About time I made a second time, then! I always take a note of the alterations I make to a pattern and note the size(s) I cut out too so I can recreate/not make the same mistake twice!

This time I added another inch to the length so that's 3" I've added to this pattern. That seems about right as it's drafted for someone 5'6" tall and I'm 5'9". I also made the sleeves longer by cutting the length for the largest size. These tweaks have improved the wearability of this top and I'll keep them for a future version. I'm really happy with this top and I've already worn it once. It's sitting in the washing machine waiting to be washed, so that's a good sign!

I don't make New Year resolutions. Why make changes only at the start of the year when you can make them anytime? It's a good time for reflecting on the past year though, and what you'd like to do in the coming year. I have got a few vague things I want to work on with my sewing. I want to sew something in silk, improve my fitting generally and...I'm going to make a swimsuit in the near future. That'll be a challenge! My trusty Speedo is getting a bit baggy after a year's service so that's a sure sign the lycra has been eaten away by the chlorine and it's on borrowed time. I need a replacement but it takes me ages to find a new swimsuit. I try on about 25 before finding one that has the body length I need. So there's no choice, if it fits, I buy it.

I've already bought the (unfortunately boring black) fabric and powermesh (for the shelf bra) from Edinburgh Fabrics but I didn't buy enough elastic, or the correct width either so until I get back there, the project's on hold. If this swimsuit is wearable and I'm happy to be seen in public wearing it, I'm going to buy some lovely bright, patterned fabric so my instructor is dazzled by the pattern and can't see my swimming mistakes! *deluded*