Completed Project: Waves Print Dress

This was a relatively speedy project for me! The total time spent cutting out and constructing was a little over 2 hours....because I didn't have to construct or hem the skirt!

I used an early 1980s pattern for the bodice, which is made from black ponte knit (the best knit fabric in the whole wide world to work with, by the way!). It has puff petal sleeves and I added a white embroidered floral collar to brighten up the bodice. The skirt is actually an upcycled vintage 1980s rayon skirt that I thrifted a while back. I love the crazy squiggly waves print and the bright primary colors! Altogether, a quite satisfying project for a very time-strapped person like myself!

Completed Project: 1970s Wide Leg Trousers

So I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I will probably only be updating this blog whenever I complete sewing projects which, at my current sewing rate, will be about 1x per week. I'm just in love with posting on my Tumblr blog, which I actually do daily, so check me out over there if you'd like!

My latest completed project is a pair of wide leg trousers that I made from an early 1970s Butterick pattern designed by Betsey Johnson. I think the design was actually inspired by 1940s-style trousers but with a much more exaggerated silhouette for stylin' 1970s seamstresses. :) These were really simple to make: several top stitched pleats at the front, a 7" zipper at the back, and a wide waistband with a button closure. I used a slubbed black and white rayon/linen blend fabric that I scored from a local thrift store for $4.00.

I'm really happy with how they came together. I'm obsessed with high waist, wide leg trousers (just as I'm obsessed with 1970s fashion in general) so I have 3 more (different) pair in my sewing queue waiting to be made. They are so comfy and breezy and perfect to wear up until it gets really hot during the summer!

1960s Fashion Inspiration: Who Are You Polly Maggoo?

From Criterion: After nearly a decade as American Vogue‘s most subversive fashion photographer, William Klein made this wild, pseudovérité incursion into the world of Parisian haute couture. Elegant, scathing humor ties together the various strands of this alternately glamorous and grotesque portrait of American in Paris Polly Maggoo (Dorothy MacGowan), an Alice in Wonderland supermodel who becomes the pinup plaything of media hounds and the fragmented fantasy of haunted Prince Igor (Sami Frey). Klein’s first fiction film is a daring deflation of cultural pretensions and institutions, dressed up in brilliant black and white.

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This is one of the penultimate fashion movies of the 1960s. According to William Klein, Dorothy MacGowan retired from modeling after this movie was released. The amazing Peggy Moffitt also puts in a few cameos (see below). All screen caps were done by me - please enjoy! Please click on the images for a closer view - it's worth it!

Miss Dandy @ iNDie Boutique - Downtown Springfield

For those of you who live in Springfield, I dropped off a few new designs at iNDdie today:

Dress made from the unholy union between an upcycled 1980s "bedazzled" t-shirt and 1970s Holly Hobbie fabric.

Simple vintage floral print blouse with silk dupioni bias binding around the neckline.

1970s-style top made from argyle print knit fabric and raspberry ribbed knit.

1980s wrap skirt that I didn't make, but I did applique the 1960s screen printed doll illustration onto the front!

French New Wave Treasury @ Etsy

I've been using Etsy since 2006 and finally got around the creating a treasury this morning. The theme is French New Wave cinema:

Be sure to click on the screen capture to see it full-size. Also, here's the link to the actual treasury!

Images from Collection Elegance Paris, 1966

Here are a few images that I've scanned from Collection Elegance Paris - an amazing fabric catalog from 1966 which features all sorts of gorgeous designer clothes. What's really neat is that there are swatches for every single piece of fabric shown in the catalog - everything from Irish linen to Italian wool! And these fabrics were insanely expensive for the time - $12.50 per yard for Italian wool in 1966!

Model striking an iconic 1960s pose.

Lovely suit in teal linen with a polka dot blouse.

The scalloped collar on this jacket is to die for!

I love the matching green hat, large green glasses and floral brooch.

Such a pretty pink pleated dress!

White double-breasted coat with green piping = LOVE.

On the sewing front, I've been busy finishing up a few UFOs (unfinished objects). Most of them are projects that I just lost interest in halfway through, but I'm tired of the clutter so my goal is to finish them by the end of the month! There is a blouse from a Simplicity Cynthia Rowley pattern, a 4-panel skirt from a 1970s pattern, and a 1940s blouse with a bow collar. I will be posting them as I finish!

Completed Project: 1970s Floral Brushstroke Dress

Here it is: my first completed sewing project of the year! I used Butterick #4393 (a 1970s Jane Tise young designer pattern) to make this dress which has a shaped yokes, a casual, flared silhouette and 3/4 length puffy sleeves.

I was originally going to make the blouse, but I decided to make the dress since my wardrobe is severely lacking in them. For the yokes, collar, front tab and cuffs, I used grey cotton shirting from Jo-Ann's. The sleeves and body are made from lovely vintage 1960s floral brushstroke print cotton fabric that I found at a local thrift store for a mere $2.00! I used a fabric-covered button for the front buttoned tab.

Although it has a pretty unstructured fit, this was quite complicated to make, mainly due to the self-lined yokes, puffy sleeves (TONS of gathering), side seam pockets and topstitching. The construction put many of my sewing skills to good use.

Here is a scan of the pattern - it is definitely a keeper!

New Year, New Sewing Goals

Shame on me for letting my blog sit idle for a whole month! In my defense, the holidays were insanely busy (as always) and I have been kind of preoccupied with my Tumblr blog, which has been a fun place to post numerous scans of fashion and sewing photos that I have collected over the years. Plus, BurdaStyle has a really fab blog over there too!

So it's a new year and, as usual, a new year comes with new goals - new sewing goals to be specific! I've already finished my first project of the year - a dress made from a 1970s Jane Tise sewing pattern (which I will post tomorrow). So I'm well on my way towards my new goal of finishing at least 2 sewing projects a month. This may sound super-easy to many of you but, as a mom to a newly walking and talking toddler, it's pretty difficult to find the time (and the momentum) to sew anything more complicated than a skirt.

A second big goal of mine is to start creating and posting sewing tutorials here. I already have lots of ideas jotted down in my journal. Many of the tutorials will involve working with vintage and upcycled clothes and other materials. Tips on how to thrift and sew on the cheap will be a big factor in these, so please stay tuned!

My third goal is to continue posting photos of my personal style & outfits, at least 2x per week. I think I've actually posted 2 photos since I first stated that I was going to do this several months ago. Time to hold myself accountable!

And, lastly, I want to spend more time visiting other sewing and fashion blogs. Inspiration and admiration are great motivators! If anyone has any suggestions for some fantastic sewing and fashion blogs to check out, please let me know!