Books!

I went shopping this afternoon at some of my favourite used book stores, and made some great finds.

The Complete Book of Sewing by Constance Talbot. Copyright 1943, revised 1949. This one looks to have just about anything you might want to know about fabric selection, construction methods, and sewing for the home. It's chock full of beautiful vintage illustrations and black and white photographs. Even if I didn't sew this would be interesting historically.

Vogue Fitting by the Butterick Company. Copyright 1984. While the colour photo gallery at the beginning is very, very eighties, the actual information is timeless, and helpfully illustrated. A cursory flip through has already turned up several fitting tips that will be quite helpful. I have a feeling this one will be open on my sewing table more often than on the shelf.

And finally, Needlework and Cutting Out by Agnes Walker. Fifth edition, dated 1907.

I doubt I will use this as an actual manual, but how could I resist an edwardian sewing book? It appears to be a book for sewing teachers, and has instructions on how to give lessons on different techniques.

The best part of this one is the hand scripted note in the front, presenting it as a gift to Mrs. M. Green.

It says "Presented to Mrs. M. Green by her co-workers as a token of love and respect toward her, owing to her leaving her native land for British Columbia", and is signed by eight of said co-workers and dated August 20th, 1908. I wonder who Mrs. Green was, where she had moved from, what she did (presumably something to do with teaching sewing, but who did she teach?).

Not a bad haul for just under 30$ :). I find it interesting that they are each separated by approximately forty years. Maybe I can eventually fill in the gaps, a study by decade of what was thought pertinent knowledge for home sewers.

Also, I finally decide on a pattern for the plaid shirt. In the effort of not ending up with too much bulk in such a warm fabric, I'm going with the '69 Simplicity. First though, to drag my sewing machine to the shop for a look over. After breaking a needle on my last project (and having to take the plate out to track down and remove the broken needle end), it has decided to make a not very happy sound when stitching, and I don't want to risk damaging anything even more by using it anyway. Should be good for some funny looks on the bus.

decisions, decisions

I desperately need more blouses. Skirts are so tempting to make, and then I end up with nothing but lovely fancy skirts paired with t-shirts, not good. In my stash is this pretty pink/black/grey plaid, just calling out to be made into something while the weather is still cold enough to  wear it.

wouldn't this be great with a black pencil skirt?

This is definitely up next on the cutting table, I'm just having trouble deciding which of these shirts it wants to be. The Smooth Sailing blouse from the ever talented Lauren at Wearing History?

very Katharine Hepburn

Or the short sleeved version of this Simplicity pattern I got from my grandmother?

c. 1969

On the one hand, if I use the first one, it will give me the chance to work any kinks out of the pattern before I make it up in a fancy gold fabric I have waiting in the wings. On the other hand, my grandmother's notes on the second one indicate that it won't need much tweaking (it evidently fit her, and we're pretty much the same size and shape), and as this is my first try at either inset sleeves or a collar, not having to worry about the rest of it too much would be nice. I had meant to pick one and start cutting it out this morning, but too much procrastinating (and watching Muppets Tonight on my computer) has left me with no time, so it looks like I have till tonight to decide. In the meantime, here are my outfits for the first two days of me-made-march:

top adapted from butterick 3906, self drafted corduroy jumper

the circus skirt, new look 6599 blouse

Circus skirt finished, woo

One broken machine needle later, the stripey skirt is finished. It reminds me a little of the circus, ha ha. In a good way.

finished, if not ironed

And and extra picture of the full length. I'm standing on a chair because I was too lazy to find another place to set the camera.

the socks say "right foot" and "left foot"...

Stay tuned for what's next (as I haven't decided yet, ha ha.)

Tools!

Look what I got in the post today!

grommet setter and hole punch

Now I have no excuse not to continue with my corset making project... Not that my procrastinating is likely to be stopped by a lack of excuses, ha ha. The under-bust corset pattern I am in the middle of making is almost done (hopefully), but getting it to fit just right is so tedious that I had to take a little break.

most recent mock-up

No, the finished product isn't going to be orange (although maybe one day... Hmm...).

Teaser skirt-in-progress picture:

stripey

And now back to work, getting this sucker finished for work tomorrow, and the beginning of Me-Made-March.

This should be interesting

As I was sitting here trolling sewing sites (well ok, lets be honest and say while I was procrastinating about doing actual work), I decided to take part in Me Made March. This may prove a little bit challenging, as I only have about 5 things each to put on the top and bottom parts of me. But hay, incentive to get with the sewing! My pledge:

'I, Sarah from http://sarahsewing.blogspot.com/, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-March '11. I endeavour to wear at least one self made piece of clothing each day for the duration of March 2011'

Wish me luck! Now off to start sewing myself more options, quick. Up next, I'm attempting to make a skirt along this line,

plaid formal wear!

out of this lovely heavy weight satiny material I found on etsy a month or so back.

cranberry and gold (swoon)

If my calculations are correct, I'll have plenty left over for a coordinating... something or other. We'll see what it wants to be when the time comes :).

...And the jacket

The sun-dress has a matching jacket, which I actually finished on wednesday night, but didn't get pictures of until right now.

I coordinate, fancy

I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, and the pattern was so simple (a few hours from start to finish, not bad at all) that I may have to make a few more in other colours. Cool summer nights, you shall not thwart my dress wearing! Ha ha.

bonus picture of the back

This dress and jacket where my first experiment with using french seams. Why did this take me so long?! So neat, so pretty, so much less work than encasing everything in bias tape. Thanks to Gertie for her great french seam tutorial, or I would still be doing straight seams the sucker way.

back jacket seam and darts

Snow day = Productivity

Work told me not to bother coming in, as they will likely close early anyway because of the snow (eight inches and counting). Which gave me time to finish this lovely new sun-dress.

 

ooh, so summery

Made from a crisp light cotton from Hawaii (c.o. my step-mother, after many years in her stash) and some lightish cotton twill from the remainder bin. The bodice is lined with a white cotton broadcloth I had lying around. The pattern is a re-released vintage design I had been itching to try out.

love the original illustrations!

No real alterations needed, although I left out the neck strap interfacing and the featherlight boning in the bodice back.