#SewVintageSeptember - Simplicity 6804 - 1985 blouse sewing pattern PART 3

I have finally got my modelled photos of the blouse I made for #SewVintageSpetember.  It is Spring here and we have had some lovely days and today when I planned to wear my new top to get photos it is cold and blustery and winter is back!  So the photoshoot was done and then back into winter clothes afterwards. (boo!)

So not many words but photos ...

The obligatory shot of the back (with the wind whipping up my hair!)

Tea anyone?

Ciao for now...

PR Wardrobe Contest 2020 - Piece 1 0f 10 - The StyleArc Richie Knit Tunic Dress

I decided to start with a relatively simple sew to get some momentum going.  Nothing like a finished item to make you feel you are going to make it to the end! 

 

The StyleArc Richie dress in a jersey purchased from Spotties recently.  I had planned to use a pretty aqua rib knit picked up from a bargain table, but the fabric was narrow so the pieces would not fit no matter how much I tried.  The fabric I ended using is this one.

It was on a 30% sale and I would call it denim coloured rather than navy.  It feels like it will be quite hard wearing but has a soft cottony feel on the inside.  The pattern only called for 1.25m but I bought 1.4m so had enough wriggle room even with lengthening the dress a little.  It curls like the dickens so a lot of pinning and then sewing on the sewing machine before overlocking.  

Their is an option for a chest pocket and I decided to add it as the fabric/ dress combo could be very plain otherwise and decided to add a further bit of bling by cutting some heat transfer vinyl on my Cricut machine into a heart shape with the words be kind, a good thought to use on this dress made during Covid times.

Neckline...

For the moment it will be only shots on Diana but as the contest gets toward the end I hope to do a modelled photo shoot of all the pieces.

Frock...

Ciao for now!...

PR 2020 Wardrobe Contest - Part 1 - The plan!

I had started planning a new wardrobe to sew for Spring / Summer when I saw that Pattern Review are hosting a 10 piece wardrobe contest.  I took the plan I was putting together and used it as a basis to fit in with the Contest rules.

The official rules are:

1 -Sew 10 unique garments during the contest period. The garments must be as follows:
Make 1 Topper
Make 2 Bottoms
Make 2 Tops
Make 1 sewn accessory 
Make 4 Free choice (top, bottoms, topper, maximum of 2 dresses or 2 jumpsuits or 1 of each, maximum of one additional accessory)

2 – All of the items must form a cohesive wardrobe.

It took a bit of thought and planning but over a few days this is the plan that came out.

Some of these patterns I have sewn before and others are new to me.

The fabrics are mostly from stash.  I did buy some fabric to make the bag (that's the blob in the top row!)  Some are remnant pieces so I may have to sub other fabrics in if there is not enough.

The photo below shows on the top the knit fabric for the cardigan. The next row are the fabrics for my three tops  (Liberty print, blue rayon crepe and a floral print rayon) 

and the last row are the bottoms (denim-look bengaline, light beige ponte and dark brown bengaline).

In this photo is the topper fabric again with the two dress fabrics.

I know things are going to change as I go along.  I have just noticed the aqua fabric for the Style Arc Richie tunic is quite a narrow cut so it may be the first one subbed out.  At the moment I am preparing the pdf patterns (cutting and sticking).  The contest starts on the 17th so more mad sewing to happen soon...

Anyone else considering joining in or sewing along?

#SewVintageSeptember - Simplicity 6804 - 1985 blouse sewing pattern PART 2

 I have finished the 1985 vintage blouse started last post - Simplicity 6804 from 1985.

Notes on the make - 

• I made it two sizes smaller than the pattern sizing indicated on the pattern.  No finished measurements were given on the pattern so I flat measured at bust height and determined my preferred size from that.
• I shortened the pattern by 3 inches.
• I didn't love the way the shirt tail hem was finished.  Front and back finished separately then side seams sewn.  To get it all to match you need to mark the start of the side seam / start of the hem curve better than I did.  I had to fudge it a bit.

Other than that I am pretty happy with it and of course the weather has got too cool to want to wear a short sleeve blouse so modelled photos will come later.

So not much more to say, here are the photos...

Front shoulder yoke gathers...

Back shoulder yoke gathers... gathers for miles...

I did not have green buttons but had fun with the thread instead...

So I live in hope I will get modelled shots some time.  If you are on the hunt for your own vintage pattern or just love looking at them then please check out my Etsy shop for vintage and OOP patterns - SusysSewingEphemera.

I think the Wardrobe Contest on PatternReview.com will be my next sewing challenge...

Ciao for now kittens...

#SewVintageSeptember - Simplicity 6804 - 1985 blouse sewing pattern PART 1

On instagram I happened upon  a new challenge running for September that really caught my attention, SewVintageSeptember.  As I said last post I would love to sew a 1960's vintage frock and my interest in vintage has really piqued since I opened an Etsy shop selling vintage and out of print patterns.

I wanted to be involved but did not have a 60's frock pattern lined up yet so checked though my stash (including my shop) and pulled a pattern from my shop.  It is Simplicity 6804 from 1985.

The description of the pattern reads: Top-stitched shirt gathered to yoke has front button closing and notched collar. V.1 has bias bands on pocket and sleeves. V.2 has pockets and flaps, tunic length. V.3 with shirt tail hem has extended shoulders and long sleeves tapered to wrist. (Wrong side of fabric shows when sleeves are rolled up.)

I had a fabric that reflected the View 1 picture.  A printed polyester bought from Super Cheap Fabrics.

I love playing with a plaid and this pattern has all the grain line markings so you can lay certain pieces on the bias.  I chose to sew View 1 but with View 3's shirt tail hem.

The final bust measurement was not listed on the pattern like I am used to from current patterns, so I flat measured the pattern pieces at bust level to work out how much ease was in the pattern.  Well, as you would expect from this style of 80's pattern, there is heaps of ease.  I did sew my own clothes in the 80's (and bought a lot as I had my first real job) and do remember wearing some very loose / baggy tops but I think that suited me in that era and I was slim so they hung in the right kind of way.  Now that kind of ease is not the look anymore and I am not the young slim girl I was then, I decided to go with less ease and cut the pattern on the line two sizes down from the size indicated by my bust measurement. I also shortened the top by a full 3 inches.

I am taking my time and spent yesterday afternoon cutting and prepping. This afternoon I started sewing and thought I would get further through the make than I did but the pattern has quite a  bit of detail and I am enjoying that.  First up is the pocket.  If you could see a close up of the cover photo of V1. it looks like there is just a bias cut tab only where the pocket is but I realised they had pattern matched the pocket to make that top pocket band stand out.  I do enjoy a good pattern matching challenge!  The fabric being a polyester does not press so well so took me longer to put this together than it should have and it is not as precise as it could have been working with a natural fibre but I am happy with the outcome.

Pinned...

then sewn...

The front and back pieces are both gathered onto the yoke and I considered using the burrito method to make the yoke but with the difficulty of telling front from back in this fabric and with three lots of gathering I decided to use the method used in the pattern which gives an enclosed yoke but requires hand stitching to attach the yoke facing to the shoulder seams.  I am quite happy to hand sew but if you don't like it, look up the burrito method and it can be made entirely with machine sewing while still giving the lovely enclosed yoke finish.

So this is how far I got today...

Obviously I am blogging a current make.  While I did promise to blog some of my recent previous makes, this challenge got me excited and I also wanted to provide more detail while I made this shirt.

I also want to tell you about the sale I am having in my Etsy shop in line with this challenge.  All the vintage clothing patterns are 20% off over this week-end so you can perhaps find a pattern to join the challenge too.  Otherwise please feel free to jump over to my shop link to look at the lovely vintage pattern covers!  I love the cover art of vintage patterns, don't you?

Link to shop - SusysSewingEphemera.etsy.com  I rarely do a sale in this shop so this is your chance to get a bargain and hopefully sew a vintage item too.

Next up I will show the finished shirt, Ciao for now, kittens....