Weekend Review: Creative Embroidery: mixing the old with the new

 

Creative Embroidery / Christen Brown
Lafayette, CA: C&T, c2023.
159 p.

I picked up this new book on creative embroidery via my library; Christen Brown is a well respected and prolific embroiderer and author, and so I was intrigued. 

The book itself is quite well done. It has 19 project ideas, 3 step-by-step projects, and a ton of inspo pictures. The approach in this book is to use your 'stashed treasures'. By this, she is referring to vintage buttons, lace, doilies, trims, notions, hankies and more. If you love Victoriana or country styles, you may really connect with this book! 

Unfortunately the projects are a bit too fussily vintage and whimsical for my own style, but even if I'm not intending to copy any of these actual projects, I still enjoyed reading the book. The techniques are interesting, and alongside the photos and projects, she includes a stitch guide (pretty standard but well illustrated) and of more interest to me, there is also a guide to using trims and buttons in new ways. 

This covers rickrack flowers, zipper embellishments, braids, rosettes, yoyos and more. And the button section shows different stitching and combos to really use buttons creatively on any project. These guides take up a large part of the book and are useful to anybody who can adapt them to their own kinds of projects. Brown is an expert on embellishment and it really shows here. 

There is one simple project from the book that I am planning on adapting however -- she has used vintage buckles and ribbons to make bookmarks, which I think are so cute, especially since I have quite a few old buckles in my stash from thrift store trips. She puts buttons on the ribbons, which makes them unusable as actual bookmarks, so I'd simplify and just use a nice flat ribbon or fabric scrap.

Anyhow, this was a book I enjoyed and sifted out some interesting ideas, despite the style of the stitching and projects not really being my thing. It's a well designed and thorough book, however, so if it is YOUR thing, you will love it. Fun to browse through in any case! 

More (and Theoretical) Make Nines

IF I were going to make even more sewing plans, I have enough that I want to make to fill up multiple MakeNine grids. But I don't want to overschedule myself with things to make, I like to go with the flow of inspiration when it comes to my sewing. Nevertheless, these plans are awfully entertaining to put together, so I'm just making a couple more of these grids for fun.

IF I had decided to make a sewing plan just with my Burda magazine TBS (to be sewn) projects or from my stack of vintage patterns, they might have looked like this! 

From l to r, and top to bottom, here are my what-if Burda plans:

1. 104/03/2021 - dress

2. 102/09/2022 - sweater

3. 112/01/2022 - cropped blazer

4. 120/11/2020 - dress

5. 106/09/2022 - vest

6. 119/01/2022 - dress

7. 114/01/2022 - dress

8. 117/12/2022 - skirt

9. 116/09/2019 - blouse

And as for vintage/retro patterns, I have a fair number! This year, for some reason, blouses are catching my eye. My lists are usually all dresses but there's a mix of tops in this potential plan. 

Some Blouses

Some Dresses

And the Blazer from this one!

How about you? Do you make multiple plans just for the fun of it? I hope I can get at least one item made from all my real and potential Make Nine grids this year. But as always... we will see how I feel as the year goes on :) 

Garibaldi Skirt in vintage cotton

As mentioned previously on this blog, I'm one of the members of the Liesl & Co. Advisor's Circle this year. So, every now and then I take one of their patterns and make something with a bit of a twist to it. One of the new Fall patterns is an A-line skirt with 3 length options, a waistband or facing option, and some wonderful deep pockets, even with a side zip. It's called the Garibaldi Skirt, and it's my latest project! If you want to check out the original post on Liesl's blog, you can find that here.

So I decided to finally use a piece of fabric I've had for ages; my aunt gave it to me years ago (probably about 20 years!), found somewhere on one of her many travels. It's long and narrow, with this large print along one side. I knew I'd have to use it crossgrain to use the pattern but didn't have a clear vision for it. But this pattern suddenly made me remember this fabric and I knew it would be perfect.

The Garibaldi has no front or back seam to break up a print – the zipper is in the side seam. But unlike many skirts with a side zip, this one also has pockets, a must-have for me! The pattern pieces fit onto the print perfectly, with just a bit of care to get the pattern placement right. But because I am so short, I didn’t get much of the solid black at the top of the fabric. But the knee-length version was the one that suited me so I went with it.

I used a vintage invisible zip from my stash (the first one I’ve ever seen that has metal teeth!). This zip was only 9″ long, while the pattern calls for a 12-14″ one. To give myself more room, I installed the zip only on the skirt portion, not into the waistband as the pattern directs. I then stitched a large hook and eye onto the waistband portion. If I'd thought ahead a bit more, I might have added some overlap to the waistband and put a button in, but this works!

The other change I made was to add a lining. This fabric is a fairly lightweight cotton, and it sticks to itself very easily. I thought a lining would solve any issues with bunching as you walk and also add some body to the fabric. I used some basic black lining and just cut the front and back pieces of the skirt from the pattern. I sewed this on in my favorite way to line a skirt – I stitched the lining to the zipper opening, then flipped it inside and basted around the waistband. I then sewed the waistband on and hand-stitched down the inside of the waistband. It might take a little longer, but I really like the control I have when I do it this way, and the finish is very clean and neat.

I love the fit of the skirt. I didn’t have to adjust the pattern much once I’d chosen my size according to the pattern; sometimes, I find skirts hard to fit with my hip/waist ratio, but this was perfect. There are two small darts in the back for shaping and somehow it all worked for me. I love the waistband version (there is also a waist-facing option), and the pockets are just right, nice, and deep. I’m so pleased to have found the perfect pattern for this admittedly unusual fabric.

Weekend Review: Sewing with Vintage Linens

 

Sewing With Vintage Linens / Samantha McNesby
Iola, WI: Krause, 2003.
128 p.

I picked up this book from my library because I do like upcycling and thrifting, and love the idea of reusing old linens -- I already use sheets and tablecloths in my sewing, but this book takes on a little more detail in using old quilts, embroidered linens and so forth. 

The book is mainly focused on household items, like pillows, footstools, totes, hanger covers etc. But there are also elements that will be useful to garment makers, like using linens to make children's clothes or covered buttons. And the techniques are useful to adapt as you see fit. 

It starts out with an introductory chapter on how to select appropriate linens -- what to look for and where to find them, and well as cleaning and caring for your finds. Then the the next four chapters cover different types of projects: Embroidered Accessory & Handkerchief Projects, Cutter Quilt & Sheet Projects, Vintage Clothing Projects, and Scrap Projects. There are a variety of ideas in each, although small quilts and pillows do play a large role. There are a few ideas that I haven't seen before, but a lot of these kinds of projects are everywhere on Pinterest these days. 

The last chapter is an interesting one on techniques and this is where I think a lot of the information can be carried over to whatever project you can think of for yourself. She discusses painting on fabric, photo transfers, aging fabric by dyeing, fading or bleaching, and includes tips on quilting. There are some interesting ways these could be used. 

I think the book is nicely organized, with a good number of projects shown. The illustrations are lovely and just looking at them is inspiring even if the styles of many of the projects are a little outdated in some ways. Look beyond the exact fabrics used in the examples and you can come up with some modernized projects using the ideas but updating them to your own colour and print tastes. 

I enjoyed investigating these ideas and think this book is still relevant especially if you have a shabby chic or Victorian-esque aesthetic. 

Cover Designs! #25: In West Mills

 

Cover Designs is a feature in which I try to match up the outfit on a book cover with a dress pattern and sometimes even potential fabric matches as well. Today's book is a tale of community and friendship, set in an African American community in North Carolina, ranging from 1941 to 1987.

As the publisher shares:

Azalea “Knot” Centre is determined to live life as she pleases. Let the people of West Mills say what they will; the neighbors’ gossip won’t keep Knot from what she loves best: cheap moonshine, nineteenth-century literature, and the company of men. And yet, Knot is starting to learn that her freedom comes at a high price... Otis Lee is eager to help. A lifelong fixer, Otis Lee is determined to steer his friends and family away from decisions that will cause them heartache and ridicule.  In West Mills is a magnificent, big-hearted small-town story about family, friendship, storytelling, and the redemptive power of love.

This glorious yellow dress could inspire a couple of different makes, depending on what you focus on. A great fit for this design might be Butterick 6055, a vintage reprint. 

This one is quite similar -- just add a tie to the collar, and leave off the pockets and you've found a very close match. Contrasting collar and sleeve trim are easily added as well. If you're not such a fan of yellow it also looks lovely in other springy shades, like the one on this model. 

However, if you're more intrigued by how the collar appears to be a traditional sailor collar, you might want to go for this Square Sailor Collar dress -- it's by AliceInCosplayLand, so the pattern images are a bit unusual, but the dress is a close match, if you reshape that front collar a bit and use the short sleeve view. 

Of course another option might be to just use a favourite short sleeve V-neck dress that you already have a pattern for, and just add on a removable sailor collar -- there are lots of patterns for these standalone collars in cosplay world, and this one by SandraVee Cosplay has just the right shape to match our cover image here. That way you can also change up the look of your dress and get more wear out of it, too!

To get the right sunny summer tone of this cover image, though, you could go for a clear yellow cotton-linen like this one from Spool of Thread.

Or if you felt like fancying it up a bit, you could even go for a swishy, luxurious 4-ply silk from B&J Fabrics. 

Just pick up some bronzey toned contrast fabric for the collar and trim and you'll be walking off the front of this book! 

Weekend Review: Gertie Sews Vintage Casual

 

Gertie Sews Vintage Casual / Gretchen Hirsch
NY: Abrams, c2014.
224 p.

This is another entry into the sewing series by Gretchen Hirsch, blogger, designer and owner of Charm Patterns. I picked this older book up on sale to add to my sewing book collection, and it's a cute book. Lots of mid-century charm here, and unusually for Gertie, it even includes pants -- not that I will be likely to make them, since I don't usually make pants ;)

This book follows the same structure as her others. It's even bound the same, with coil binding inside a hard cover and lots of bright colours, photos, and vintage sketches too. It opens with a section on sewing casual clothes, particularly instruction on sewing knits, and guidance on pants sewing and general fitting. You'd think casual clothes/sportswear would be simpler to sew than fancy dresses, but really it's not. Lots more techniques to learn and practice here. There's even a section on patternmaking -- adding collars, cuffs, pockets, pleats etc. and changing up necklines and hems, for example. 

(photos via Gertie's blog)

The second part of the book is the patterns. There is a super wide variety in this book. There are 3 tops and a sweater, 2 skirts, 3 dresses, and one basic pant with many variations. Each of these patterns has variations that change them significantly so in all there are about 24 separate looks to make. They are chic and cute designs that fit in with Gertie's retro aesthetic, and the models are varied too, it's not just Gertie this time. 

The sizing runs from 2--16 (or B32/W24/H36 to B46/W38/H50) and seam allowances are included on the patterns. The patterns are all on folded sheets in the back of the book to be traced off. I like how the basic pattern for each is traceable, and then the variations within each chapter show you how to alter and redraw style lines to create new looks. I think that this might make sewists more comfortable with doing this kind of pattern manipulation on other patterns they may own. 

This collection is more everyday wear friendly than her other books, at least for most people. I like the casual dresses since those are often my go-to for everyday. There is a simple knit pencil skirt that I may test out for my first project from this book, since I'm really into the skirt suit look this year. This was enjoyable to look through, and there is also some historical info (and movie recs) in the first half which is really interesting too. I liked this!

Weekend Review: The Vintage Pattern Selector

 

The Vintage Pattern Selector / Jo Barnfield
Hove, UK: Barron Educational, c2013.
192 p.

I picked this up in the library -- the cover and the concept were appealing. You can tell it's a little old now -- patterns are included on a cd in the back of the book. I haven't tried one yet, but I am planning to printat least one off to test the sizing and drafting. 

I found the book's concept interesting; it's laid out by garment type - dresses, skirts, blouses, coats, pants, lingerie, and accessories. Each section highlights a couple of examples of different eras and what the original items would include, and then shows images of a modern interpretation plus pattern. There really isn't much content, though, for what I might expect from a book like this. A lot of it is about the modern take on the vintage concept, there's not very much detail on the vintage itself. It's kind of a page or two of bullet points on both ends, and lots of pictures of current outfits. 

The book ends with a section on basic dress construction, and also includes some vintage specific sewing instructions like making a side placket for a snap closure, or creating nice flat bows for belts and trim, or even making shell trims. But overall I wasn't sure who the intended reader was. The information given on the vintagey topics is pretty elementary, but the sewing instructions seem to assume a bit of knowledge in the reader. 

The primary issue I have with this book is the sizing. According to the measurement chart at the back, standard sizing here runs from S - XL (or B/H of 32/35" to 38.5/41"). But I am sized out at XL. My bust measurement corresponds to somewhere between a L and XL but my waist and hip are bigger than the biggest size on offer. I don't think there are many sewists who would find this tiny size range useful or appropriate. 

I am going to print and measure one of the patterns, and try it out so I've actually tested one of the designs here -- likely the 20s slip as it's simple and straightforward and will be a good test case. There are a couple of cute patterns included, but with the sizing issues and the scant instructions, most readers will likely just move on to one of the many vintage inspired pattern lines out there these days. Charm Patterns, Decades of Style, or even actual vintage patterns, will have more to offer, I think. 

Leopard Print Burda

As I've mentioned before, I am currently taking the Burda Teacher Certification Course. It's been pretty fun and I feel like I'm learning some new tips and tightening up some of my techniques. As part of the class there are four projects to be graded; the latest one is Burda #128 05/2011, a vintage style dress that isn't something that would have caught my eye normally. 

Part of the reason I wouldn't have made this for myself outside of this class is the poofy gathered back. I guess in a lightweight voile or rayon it might look nicer, but I used a cotton sateen from my stash. I hoped it would be lightweight enough for the style, but the back did poof out far more than I liked. 

Since it was an assignment, I made it strictly by the pattern directions, only changing things for sizing purposes (ie: grading from 42 at shoulder/bust and 44 for waist/hip like I usually do with Burda). There were a few issues -- I only had a 14" invisible zip in my stash, not a 16" as called for, so a bit of wiggling is required to get it over my hips. But the zip was a vintage one and an absolute match so I went with it. 

Also, when the main dress was done, prior to attaching the collar, I tried it on since I felt like the neckline was enormously wide. I was right. Thank goodness for the raglan sleeve -- I took a 1/2" wedge out of each sleeve seam, and another 3/4" wedge out of the centre back seam. Then it seemed to fit around the shoulders nicely. I adjusted the collar pieces accordingly, and then attached it. 

After I took the photos of the dress for class purposes, I attacked it once again to make it wearable for my tastes. This meant removing the giant poof in the back. I unpicked the back waist seam and measured to see how much I'd need to remove; it was nearly 6.5"! So I took a wedge from the centre back seam, 2" on either side of it tapering up to nothing at the top of the seam. Then I pinched out two darts which were each just a smidge over 1" each. I basted these all down & then basted the waist seam too, and tried it on.

I found that the width was okay but I also had to take out some of the length -- good thing it had all been basted! I tore out the waist seam again and pinned a wedge of nearly 1.5" in the centre of the bodice tapering to nothing at the side seams, kind of like a bit of a swayback adjustment. When I basted that and tried it on it seemed just right. So happy! I like the flat back a lot better. 

This dress was made from all stash -- fabric and zip. I was delighted to be able to finally use this firey fabric and also that I had perfect matching burgundy scraps in my stash for the collar, and a pale orangey vintage zip too. I actually like the shape of it and was able to get the fitting right after all that fudging :) 

This has a definite vintage vibe, and I think I kind of like it. I may just finesse that back a bit more and make sure any remaining bulk is completely smoothed out. But I do think it's perfectly wearable now. I enjoyed the challenge of making something I wouldn't normally choose, and making it strictly by pattern directions -- at least in the beginning ;) I have one more pattern to make in this course and then it will be complete!

Even took pictures in this light dress with snow on the ground,
 just for you ;)

Weekend Review: The New Butterick Dressmaker

The New Butterick Dressmaker

NY: Butterick Publishing Company, c1927

309 p.

This week we're heading back to the 20s to investigate a book of instruction for the home dressmaker. The New Butterick Dressmaker is a volume focused entirely on garment sewing, with no extra crafty stuff that many household compendiums contained at that time.

This book also has an introduction by Jacques Worth, who at that time was, with his brother, running the House of Worth in Paris. He talks about how to make smart clothing and highlights what he thinks is the keynote of French fashion: Fine Workmanship. It is very period and entertaining.

The book is broken into chapters that cover most of the details of dressmaking, from hems and buttonholes to fine finishes and fitting. There is a short section near the end on maternity, layette and boys & men's clothes, and another on clothing care, covering cleaning, mending, & restyling as well. But the bulk of the book is on the details of sewing. 

One of the things I found most interesting because it is so specific to Butterick patterns of the 20s, is the beginning chapters on selecting a pattern and making it work for you. They go into great detail about the Butterick Deltor, a new phenomenon and their unique selling point -- it was basically a set of pattern instructions telling you how to sew the garment, which was a change from the basic outlines of shapes with punched holes that made up most earlier patterns. But many of the step by step tips on how to use a pattern still apply, especially to newer sewists using pattern instruction guides for the first time. For example, they recommend reading it all through before beginning, circling your view on the instruction sheet, only taking the pieces you need out of the envelope, and even suggest tissue fitting. It was really interesting to read the process that a sewist of the time would have gone through when choosing and buying patterns and fabric as well. 

Their patterns had "Outlet" or "Let Out" seams -- wider seam allowances on the seams most likely to be used for fitting, and the fitting chapters cover this as well as many other common alterations like lengthening and shortening, adding width to the hips or sleeves, FBAs (by a different name) and so forth. You'll learn how to properly make buttonholes, facings, plackets, ruffles, seam finishes, hems and more. It's amazing how much is covered, actually, and can still be used today. The illustrations are line drawings and are charming, everyone in long straight 20s shifts & bobs. There is even clear information on how to lay out and cut your pattern, though if I had a cutting table as huge as the one in the illustration I'd be a happy person ;)

This book also suggests keeping a place for your sewing machine to always be out and available to make it likelier that you will sew, although there isn't as much detail on how to set up a sewing room as there was in the 1947 book I shared last week. 

My copy was .50 cents from the thrift store, and it was certainly worth it; I received hours of entertainment and solid info as well. My copy has tucked inside a Certificate of Warranty from Eatons department store for a sewing machine purchased by Mrs. Scranton of Hamilton, Ont in March of 1930. I'm assuming she also received this book at the same time. I love finding those kinds of ephemera, it's so evocative.

But, and you know there is a but, this book would be so much better if they'd just left out the chapter on colour when they were talking about choosing patterns and fabric. It is absolutely dreadful, reeking of racism, sexism and classism, as well as some very dubious scientific claims! There are absurd statements like the idea that "savages" prefer oranges and reds because they aren't as common in nature, while the "civilized" person prefers greens to suggest nature in their grey cities. Or that lower classes will like bright hues while the more educated and refined person prefers subtler shades. As to the objection that some highly educated people do use bright colours, it is stated confidently that this is because those particular cases are due to colour blindness, not a flaw in this reasoning! Seriously, stated flat out. 

The most bonkers part of this chapter lies in the claim that too much of the same colour causes physical damage to the eye tissues and thus the need for colours to change every fashion season, to allow the eyes to recover. What??

In any case, other than the distasteful opinions in this chapter, the rest of the book is factual, clearly outlined and informative, as well as being a really interesting period piece. If you come across a copy, it is worth exploring. Or, if you like reading online, the Hathi Trust has the full scanned volume available -- so check it out if this discussion has made you curious about this 93 year old sewing guide!

Weekend Review: The Standard Book of Sewing (1947)

The Standard Book of Sewing / Drucella Lowrie
Garden City, NY: Nelson Doubleday, c1947.
237 p.

I'm starting off this month's weekend reviews with a charmer: this 1947 guide to home sewing, which has pretty much everything you need to know in it. And who is it for? Well, everyone, really.

It was a joy to read this book -- full of 40s advice that is surprisingly current today (at least some of it) and lots of delightful illustrations too. I love the things covered in this small book; it ranges widely and I imagine was very useful to women setting up their sewing in the past. I found some good tips for today, as well! 

There are 14 chapters, starting with Sewing Equipment and Elementary sewing (covering basic stitches and techniques), and then moving to Practice Sewing, projects for rank beginners to get the skills down before moving on. In the introduction, there is something I haven't seen in other books of this kind -- a quick discussion of how your sewing space should be set up. Lowrie recommends that you have a space to leave your sewing machine and materials up and available so that you will sew more often and easily (doesn't that sound like something we hear on blogs today?). There is a very organized plan shared for this, but in 1947 they were definitely less focused on consumption and stash, as the space is very small and tidy. 

There is then a section in the middle on patterns -- how to use them, how to select them (and this is where the retro attitude comes through, with advice on how to select the right pattern for body shape and age), how to measure yourself, and an interesting inclusion of thinking practically about your lifestyle and location to choose the right patterns for your sewing. This is followed by a chapter of fabrics; different kinds with their properties and uses -- though of course in 1947 there weren't many of our everyday knit and performance fabrics we use now. There is advice on which fabrics suit which styles, with, again, a discussion of size and age in regard to clothing style -- but also fabrics that suit times of day and occasions. This middle section of the book finishes with a short chapter on colour; theory as well as matching colours suitably to age, size and style. 

Then the book really gets into the Dressmaking part of things, with a long section on sewing for yourself, covering the preparation of fabric and pattern, fitting, construction details and finishing touches. This starts with a quick nod to "Your Attitude to Sewing". I think we can still agree with Lowrie on this part! 

The style is succinct; she is giving an overview, with enough information and detail that someone who is vaguely familiar with sewing but hasn't done much can follow along and teach themselves. It is to the point and covers many areas of sewing. I really enjoyed seeing all the techniques that were considered modern and chic in 1947.

There are also chapters that follow on sewing for children and basic tailoring, I assume because the expectation was that a housewife would be sewing for her entire family. An additional short chapter briefly suggests ideas for items that can be usefully sewn for the home itself, many using scraps. 

But an element of this book that I think sewists today might be really interested in is the focus on renewing and maintaining your wardrobe to make it last, both functionally and stylistically. There are three chapters, Dress Decoration, Restyling and Remaking, and Miscellaneous Sewing, which all focus in some way on home sewing sustainability. 

Dress Decoration goes over ways to personalize your wardrobe through embroidery, applique, smocking, or trimming - whether ready made or made yourself. While this isn't necessarily about sustainability, these techniques can be used to personalize your wardrobe to make it reflect you better and also to freshen up older clothes if you want to change things up and get more wear out of an old dress. Replacing trims, adding embroidery, or refashioning with new panels could extend the usefulness of a dress you already have, or help to refashion a thrifted one. 

The chapter on Restyling and Remaking goes into this concept in more detail, talking about these kinds of restyling ideas and things like lengthening or shortening hems and sleeves, caring for your clothes and all sorts of darning or mending ideas. Lowrie does warn a sewist to do what is basically a cost-benefit analysis before embarking on remaking projects, though.

 

The book closes with a quick look at Miscellaneous Sewing -- ideas to use your scraps, from quilts with your basic cottons to ideas like braided rugs or table mats using your dressweight scraps. Fancy fabrics like velvets or silks can be used to make hats or bags, other pieces can go into children's accessories or doll clothes. She has many ideas to inspire a frugal sewist! 

You can probably tell that I really enjoyed this book. The 40s style, the illustrations and the surprising relevance of much (not all) of it was entertaining and even useful. I've discovered that Drucella Lowrie also published a book in the 50s called "Restyling your Hats" which I am sure has much of the same flavour as this one. If I ever come across it in my thrift store travels I'll be sure to pick it up too, even though I don't wear hats often and only own a handful. Her approach to sewing is too irresistible to pass by. If you get a chance to read this one, give it a try. Definitely a flavour of the past about it, but lots of practical and thrifty advice alongside of a focus on women sewing for themselves. Recommended :)