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...
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....
Nice to see you resume blogging. The shirt is looking good. Nice fabric
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