"New" addition to Pinhouse (and a new blouse)!

Hello, stitchers!

I have exciting news :) I have finally got hold of a dress form (of sorts)!
I've been wanting one for as long as I've been sewing, but never found one that I liked the price tag of.
Then suddenly, an old beat up gal from the late 50s showed up, and I couldn't just leave her out in the cold. Yes, she is stained and a bit crumpled, and in desperate need a new stand and some TLC, but I think she is just lovely and charming!

The only story I have on her is that she used to belong to a seamstress working professionally.
The date 28.11.1959 is written on the dress form stand, so she is a mature lady of nearly 60. I cannot find a size on her, but she is stamped 4 in the neck. She is quite curvy, with a 39" severely pointed bust and a 26" waist, and the shoulders of an Olympic swimmer! She is made from some strange kind of lightweight material. If cardboard and felt had a lovechild, this would be it!

She matches my bust size, but I will have to pad out her trim waist, sadly (or start wearing a corset myself). She is somewhat adjustable, she is assembled with some kind of metal rivets, and there are punched holes at regular intervals on the waist and hips for different size settings. I've never seen this type of dress form, and found it quite interesting.

So what better way of introducing her, than to give her her first modelling assignment? (I've decided she will be my bad-hair-day-stand-in. Oh man, is she going to be busy!)

This is my latest version of the Style #3410 pattern I  first made last summer. Although I loved the finished blouse, it was too short in the body, and the polyester fabric was VERY static and clingy and drove me nuts. I wanted to make a new one with the long sleeves option and with some adjustments to the body for a better fit. I cut the pattern before Christmas, hoping to wear it over the holidays, hence the color. Obviously, that didn't happen but instead ended up in a bag. I finished it just in time for Constitution day 17th of May. The fabric is flowy viscose. A pain to cut, ok-ish to sew, but a pure joy to wear. (I do apologise for the photos, red is not easy on my camera, apparently.)

I think the curved seam on both front and back is a nice detail.

I am really happy with this one, but I am wondering if it would be even better with fish eye darts in the front. It is a bit boxy, but then again it is meant to be tucked in. The style is soft and feminine with the gathered details, and I love the longer, slightly "bishopy" sleeves. They reach just below the elbows, perfect for me, cause I'm always rolling up my sleeves without even noticing.

The plan is to sew a skirt to go with it. Skirts are hard for me, but it needs to be done. Do you have a favorite style of skirt or a favorite pattern?

Style #3410 - a flowy blouse

Hello lovely folks!

Since deciding to start on a Victorian outfit, my energy and motivation to create has gone through the roof! I am currently working on my corset, and it's good fun :) I might have some progress to show in a few days.

But I did actually sew something in the more gloomy days of late August, there just hasn't been a chance to photograph it before now. This is Style pattern #3410 from 1981. Usually I avoid the 80s like the plague, but this pattern seemed to be something that would work in 2015, too. Besides, it's a bow tie front and I looove those!

Some mean looking ladies!

The fabric is a poly crepe chiffon, and I bought it thinking it was something else. I am terrified of chiffon, and it's shiftyness, so I was rather stunned when I got home and actually read the label! But I said to myself, how will you ever learn if you never try, and so I decided to make a blouse. I went slow, and I was quite pleased that it went so well. It was tedious to cut, as I didn't double the fabric, but luckily the small grid-pattern in the weave helped me keep the grain straight(ish). Besides, being a crepe makes it a bit less slippery.

The pattern is just five pieces, and the construction is very easy. No darts or shaping, and I am glad this fabric is very drapey. A bit stiffer and it would look very boxy. I used french seams everywhere possible, and it is wonderfully clean looking on the insides. The armcyes are not too wide, and there's no sideboob/underwear flashing (yes, I know you can see my undies through it, but nevermind :)

If I do make up this pattern again, I will add some lenght, because with jeans like this it is a little short (or maybe get pants with an actual rise!!!!!!!!), but then again, it is meant for tucking into a skirt. I might throw in some darts, too, for good measure. The fluttery sleeves are fun and really cute, but I am tempted to make another with the mid lenght sleeve option. It is more fall-appropriate. Actually, the arm/shoulder construction on this pattern is really nice, the sleeve piece(s) form a yoke front and back, and looks great in real life. The gathers on front and back is also an elegant touch.

The hardest bit of it all, was the tiny rolled hem on the sleeve edges. Oh man that was fiddly stuff!
I did those by hand, and they came out great, in the end.....yay for small victories!

Best of all, I used three glass buttons from my late Grandmothers button-box. Just to think what these old buttons has seen, and now it is my turn to carry them around. I love them :)

So, I will call this a success. I love wearing this blouse, and it looks super with skirts.
Do you have a favorite blouse pattern? Please share, if you know of a good one. I am trying to ditch the t-shirts...

So long, folks!

New shirt and the closet-shrinking skirt!

Hey all!

So I finally got to photograph my petrol skirt I made a few weeks ago. We got a surprice snowfall the day before yesterday, which gracefully covered all the mud in our backyard. And that spells great lighting!

Since I finally found the shirt pattern of Win (Simplicity #2195), I wipped up another one last weekend, to wear with the skirt. I used the same fabric for this version as I did the first one. It's just some really cheap cotton canvas, which is great to work with and suits everyday clothing. The big plus for me is that it comes in so many lovely vibrant colors, and has no right and wrong side. Again, I picked one of "my recommended colors".

Sorry for the blurry photo.
I need a manned camera!

I love this new shirt, it turned out even better than the first, and now I don't have to dread making buttonholes anymore. Bertha is a champ with her automatic buttonhole function, and they come out perfect every time! Yay!

The skirt however, has fallen from grace. It seems to have shrunk in my closet. I could barely eek it on over the shirt! I haven't been running much the last few weeks, due to a ankle sprain that won't quite heal. It could be that I need a kick in the backside, so the darn skirt will fit again. I'm sure it will work out eventually.

On another note, I am in full swing with my Ceylon dress. The pattern is traced and cut, now on to the muslin! Oh, and EASTER BREAK IS HERE!!!!! Yeehaw!

Pink power! (Simplicity #2195)

Hey everybody!

I hope you are all doing well, and looking forward to easter break. I know I am!
I just love the longer days, the milder temps and not having to scrape ice off my car in the mornings.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!!

These last weeks since getting Bertha the sewing machine, I have been in a creative wirlwind of planning, and procrastinating. Funny enough, I do not seem to posess the imagination to use anything from my stash. A part of it are fabrics very precious to me, that I am saving for the perfect project (sound familiar?) but for the most part my entire stash seems to be made up of weird, overly-floral stuff in unflattering colors. I think what I am getting at, is that I think I have evolved. I am starting to find my likes and dislikes, but also put down some more thought in what I am making.

Lately I have been reading a bit about colors, and which of them suit different people.
Since I am to cheap to splurge my fabric funds on getting a color analysis, I have come to the conclusion that I have a cool complexion, classified as a winter type and should keep to cool color tones.

source

I find this stuff rather interesting, and decided to try out my new found knowledge.
So, I made a shirt!

I made version 2.
The pattern comes with embroidery-transfers
for monograms!

This is Simplicity #2195 from 1957. I gotta tell ya, I love this pattern! It has the easiest collar construction I have ever tried, and it just looks great. If anything, I would have liked it even more if the collar was bigger (but that's what the 70s are for!). A simple under-collar is first easily sewn to the bodice, and then the interfaced front facings and collar are stitched on in one swoop along the collar edge. I was so pleased with it, I nearly cried a bit. The rest of the shirt went together very smoothly, even setting in the sleeves went perfect on the first try, which never happens!

Neat and easy collar-construction,
with bias bound finish.

The shirt has front and back tucks. I like them on the back, but the front ones add some pouf that I am a bit unsure of. As demonstrated by the pattern cover art, this blouse is for tucking into skirts and pants, and then the front tucks will make more sense. Next time, I think I'll tinker with them and maybe make them into fisheye darts.

OMG. I look like I've had a case of wine.
Cool shirt though.

Perfect sleeves, loose  fitting
and comfortable.

The sleeves was also brilliant to make, no cuffs or other nonsense, just folded up and slipstitched on the inside. They are the perfect length I find, as I always keep pulling up my sleeves on sweaters and shirts, when cooking, sewing, knitting. No need here, as they're never in the way.

Top stitched yoke, and gathers at the back.

So, what do you think? Do you think this color suits me? It really is a very vibrant cool toned color, and I get instant energy from it. I intend to give my other colors a try, too:)

More muslin stuff.

So, powering on with the play suit!

I know muslins are not the most interesting of topics, but at least for my own sake I like to have some place to think out loud and maybe get some input on the fit of things.
So here it goes :

This is size 16 right out of the packet. Overall it is ok-ish, but on the right hand side of this photo there is some fabric pooling under the arm. I think maybe I should add a small dart to the side there. I am not wearing the "era appropriate" undergarments, so I will try that before I make the alteration. I don't know if adding that dart will change the fit/movement  of the sleeve though...

I feel the fit around the arm is ok, not restricted in any way, but I do wonder if I should add a small inch to the shoulder as the sleevehead sits too far in (if that makes sense). If you look at the top photo, the side without the sleeve attached, shows that the seam should go where the fabric ends.

There is some pulling from the collar towards the armscye and I think adding a bit to the shoulder would help with that. The front facing has fusible interfacing added to the whole piece, so it is a bit stiff with the muslin fabric so I struggle with getting the collar to lie nicely at the collarbone area (the "flappy" collar itself is not interfaced). I am hoping it will be better with a softer cotton. Or maybe I should go for a lightweight linen? Any suggestions?

I am happy with the back. The shirt isn't supposed to be super fitted, but I really think a small dart in front sides will give it a better shape. I also shortened the sleeves about 1.5". This is summer wear after all :)
I might add a little bit to the length of the bodice, as I feel that, for instance getting in and out of a car will have the shirt untucked. Constantly stuffing your shirt back into your shorts is not a ladylike activity....

Speaking of un-ladylike behaviour, I've turned into a snot factory. Yes. I've gotten the flu, people.
Sewing, running and knitting has ground to a halt. I really hope it passes quick, I don't have time sitting around, producing mucous....

Have a bug free week, y'all!

Wearing History Smooth Aviator blouse!

Hello all!
Some time ago, I ordered some cotton fabric from Spoonflower. It is designed by Charlotte over at Tuppence Ha'penny . Long time ago I saw her blouse and wanted one!! I just had to find the right pattern for it.

The Smooth sailing blouse pattern from Wearing History is one that I really like. I used it for my birdcage blouse, and got to thinking it would be awesome with spitfire planes too!
When I found this adorable RAF sweetheart propeller pin on Etsy, the deal was sealed. I had to sew a blouse for it!

Isn't it just lovely??

I wanted the blouse to have a touch of 'uniform', something suited for a lady of the RAF. So the giant puffed sleeves originally in the pattern had to go. I trimmed off  3/4" of the sleeve heads, and made shoulder pleats to get an outward puff instead. I had to play around with it, but I think it looks rather smart. I also added a little buttoned down shoulder tab, for added 'masculinity'. I drafted my own chest pocket, which also was meant to have a tab, but I decided to just keep it plain.

Pleated shoulder and tabs.

The fabric is the cheapest option on Spoonflower, I didn't have any experience with them, so I just ordered this to try out. It is computer printed for you when you order, so there's a 2" edge all around your fabric piece that is NOT printed, just plain white. The fabric itself was rather narrow to begin with (110cm) so one should really take this into account when ordering. It felt  a bit stiff at first, and didn't soften much in the wash, but it didn't bleed much, so I am hoping the color keep up with wear. It creases easily, and get pin marks like nothing else, not to mention if you have to rip a seam. So I tried to keep errors at a minimum.
If I order again, I will try a better fabric :)

(Do your buttons, tart!)

When I came in from my photo session, I noticed I have one button undone on all the pictures. Oopsie.
It was getting dark, so these are the photos you get :) Also, if I was to change anything about the blouse, I think the pocket should be placed a bit down, and more to the side. Oh well.

All in all, VERY happy with this blouse! It turned out just how I wanted it to. Also it was much quicker to sew up second time around, and that helps a lot (and keeps the cursing and swearing to a tolerable level). I must be improving! I have this fabric in green too, so there will be more Spitfires!

The birdcage blouse!

I really got my blouse sewing mojo on lately!
Just as well, as I am seriously lacking separates in my closet.
So here's my latest make; The Birdcage Blouse!!

It is made from the Wearing History Smooth sailing blouse pattern, a 30s style blouse.
It has short puffed sleeves, with turn up, bias cut cuffs, a large pointy notched collar, a fitted, yoked bodice with tucks in the back. Gathering on shoulders and on the back, and small front pockets (that I totally forgot to install!)

The fabric is 100% cotton, also a remnant I found for cheap. I just can't resist a good novelty print, and this was just too cute to pass up. It is birdcages on powder pink, with different colored birds in them, and cute little hearts scattered around. Some of the birds are neon colored, but that doesn't show in the pictures.
I wanted to persuade my two budgies to pose in the pictures with me, but they were not having it, so here's just me..

I am sorry for the semi blurry photos, I really struggle getting good photos alone with my tripod and remote as we have crappy lighting indoors, but you get the general idea.

This blouse was easy and quick to make, and I really like the style. It is perfect for casual wear, and novelty prints. I read some reviews on the pattern in advance, and some said that the sleeves was tight, so I just cut them the next size up from the size I was using. No problem!
As a matter of fact, this is the first thing I have made that didn't involve any seam-ripping, what so ever! What??! Can it really be?
I guess it means I am coming along... :)

I suspect more of these blouses in the near future! Such a great pattern, and fit.

Have you tried any of the Wearing History patterns?
What did you think of them?

Meow!

Hello good people!

I am back, with my newest make!
For your viewing pleasure is a pussy bow blouse made from Simplicity #8738, printed in 1978.
The fabric is a light cotton I found in a remnant bin for about 1£, and it was just enough to squeeze out this cute blouse.

The pattern is one I got in a small lot off a Facebook group, for a couple of £s earlier this summer, and when I saw there was going to be a Bow Neck Sewalong hosted by Seamstress Erin, well... I was good to go!

The pattern was VERY tatty... I had to totally restore it, before it could be put to use. If someone told me it was cut by Stevie Wonder, I would not bat an eyelid. (No offence, Stevie, but we all know you're no good with scissors..). On several pieces the seam allowance had been cut off, and they were also severed at all "lengthen-here" lines, so it was quite the puzzle.

I went for View 4, with short sleeves.

The construction was actually great. The back yoke piece is self faced, and made the inside lovely and clean. The instructions was clear and easy to follow, and the bow collar was so easy that the whole shirt was made up in just a few hours spread over a couple of days. None of that usual collar-crazyness!

I found the perfect buttons!! Can you see the little pussycats?
So cute!!

When it was time for sleeves, I decided  to use the same pattern pieces as I did on my first blouse.
There was not enough fabric for long sleeves, besides I really liked those little puffy ones with the pleating, but I wanted pointy cuffs this time.
To make a long story short, I went about fusing on interfacing, and cut the ends of the cuff pieces at an angle, only to find out that I was actually suppose to fold those pieces and so - they were ruined.
I was sure I could make new ones, and rummaged through my scraps. Oh no. Not a single piece big enough for even one of the cuffs, so it was time to get creative! I managed to cut out six narrow strips about 5" long, three of these were joined together and used as binding. I figured, since this was a bow blouse, some more bows couldn't hurt, right? So, ta-dah!! Bowed sleeves :)

I really like this blouse, but I think I need to put some darts in it, because it is HUGE! I have become accustom to 40s sizing, so a size 16 usually mean a 34" bust. This pattern, however, is from the late 70s, so the amount of ease is enormous! The fact that the bust size of 97cm (38+ inches), is printed on the envelope, totally escaped my attention... I blame my enthusiasm. Heh.
The color is really fresh, and to my recollection, I have never worn yellow before. So it was a positive, and cheery change in my wardrobe.

Pussy bow blouses are fun to wear, and I really want more of these. But i might look for a more fitted style next time. This one was great for getting my feet wet with these cute blouses. I would also like some in a more "dressy" fabric, but for my first go this everyday cotton was just the ticket!

The sewalong runs till the end of November, so there is still time to join, if you haven't already ;)

Bow neck baby!

                                           

I just wanted to share a great little sew-along I found recently over at Seamstress Erin.
It is scheduled for November, and the theme is bow neck blouse!
Follow the link to see how to participate :)

I love pussy bow blouses, and have a couple of patterns, but have never quite gotten around to make any.
So needless to say, I'M IN!

It would be a nice easy project of instant gratification, after all the struggles I had with the Little Horror dress.

So, are YOU in???  Come on, and join the fun!

My very first blouse!

As you may have noticed, I claim to sew, but yet there are still no documented finished garments on my blog.
I thought it was about time to change that, so I present to you my first me-made blouse!
It is made from Simplicity #4813, printed in 1953.

I made this a couple of months ago, after seeing the pattern made up on someone's blog (sorry, I am memory-challenged). Since I didn't yet own any nice blouse patterns, I wanted to give this one a try. It is frequently for sale on Etsy or Ebay. It has interesting tab details, a front pocket, yoked back with a nice big pleat and tab, and a cute Peter Pan collar.

It was easy to make, but I struggled a bit with the narrow rolled hem that is supposed to curve up by the side seams. They were a bitch, but I managed to produce something I can live with...
I also ran into problems when attaching the collar, somehow it was too long for the neck opening, so I had to carefully shave some off of the back piece neck line, kind of scooping it. It worked out fine :)

I also think I had too much wine when attaching the cuffs, they're on backwards.

Backwards (fully functional) cuff!

The cuffs are also self drafted as I wanted them rounded like the collar. Besides, the first ones I cut out from the pattern, was too short, and I like to have blood circulating in my arms :)

The blouse is comfy and easy to wear, and would probably look even better tucked in, but as of now I only own stupid pants and the shirt is too short to stay down in them. But for casual, I like it like this. Maybe I some day get around to sew a skirt that I can wear with this one :)

Oh, and I also almost ruined it after it was nearly finished. I was going to pink the seam allowances, and actually cut a hole in the back. Doh!! But I am nothing, if not creative, so I made this elegant patch on the back. Chic, non?

If you are going to screw up, do it near the centre ;)

So, it is safe to say, I am a total amateur, but then things can only improve :) I am happy with this blouse, and it taught me alot!

Happy as a clam ;)

Have you ever tried this pattern? Or do you have a favorite vintage blouse pattern to share with me?