Checks & Plaid for My Archie

It has come to my attention that I have not introduced Archibald (aka Archie) on my blog, which is definitely an oversight!  He has been on my Instagram account a few times, but it is high time he had a blog post to himself.  And since I just made him some cold weather gear, it seemed like the perfect time to formally introduce him around these parts.  He came into my life in May, and he is a complete love bug with a rascally disposition that keeps me on my toes!  I am not sure about his age, but he is somewhere around 1 or 2 years of age, and according to Embark, he is 47% Chihuahua with a fabulous assortment of other breeds, including Poodle, Pomeranian, Pekingese, Cocker Spaniel, Min Pin, and a dash of Cattle Dog (I suspect that's where the freckles come from), Pit Bull, and Dachshund.  I always wanted a Pittie, and now I have my own pint sized version.  Like me, he is pigment challenged, has a tendency to freckle, with short legs and a long torso - he is definitely my son!

And now for the doggie jacket info . . . I pulled out a couple of patterns, and ended up choosing Simplicity 2695 to start.

To complicate things, I decided that I would quilt my own fabric.  I also decided to allow myself to only use items that were stashed.  

The cotton gingham is leftover from this dress, I always have red cotton scraps around these parts although I couldn't tell you specifically which project they were used for, and the poly batting was, in a moment of madness, used to quilt this skirt.  I still can't believe I quilted those huge skirt pieces by machine without going mad.

The quilting on this relatively tiny bit of fabric is far from perfect, and I thought I was going to have to put the whole thing on hold due to a lack of velcro, but I did manage to finish it.  I think that Archie looks rather charming in the ensemble.

There were a couple of things that I thought could be modified, so I found some leftover flannel and decided to make another version before I forgot the changes that I wanted to make to the original.

I scooped out a bit at the side of the main body piece, and flattened out the underbody straps for a bit more clearance from any wayward urine streams (the joys of clothing a male dog).  I also moved those straps forward by about an inch, and I ended up doing the same on the quilted version since they are finished and then stitched into place and it was an easy fix.

I do have a few other suitable patterns, so I should probably try one of those next to see if the shape suits Archie better.  But for now, he has a couple of options to keep him cozy!

Now if only I could figure out a better rain jacket situation since everything seems to be catering to a Frenchie body type and I have no idea where I would find rain resistant fabric options that I would actually want to cut and sew.  Also, if someone could let Archie know that he won't melt in the rain, that would be great, because he is NOT a fan, and I am not sure he believes me.

Jackets:  Made by me, Simplicity 2695

A Hollywood Classic

I was gifted a handful of vintage patterns from a friend who thought I might like them, and lucky me, there are quite a few really special ones that are going to work for me!  First up is this classic shirtdress style from Hollywood Patterns.  While this particular pattern is not on the Vintage Pattern Wiki, and I don't think that the copyright is noted on the pattern envelope or instructions, it definitely fits with the classic 1940s style.  

While I haven't worked with that many Hollywood Patterns, I am quite fond of all of the ones that I have made, so I thought it was a good place to start.  And thankfully, the pattern was complete.   There was a significant tear on the bodice front, but it was complete, so I just traced a copy to ensure I didn't do any further damage.

And like so many vintage designs, there are plenty of elements to love.  First, we have a few lapped seams for the back midriff piece that extends into self-fabric ties at the front.  And of course, it's hard to miss those pleats!

The pattern suggests bound buttonholes (be still, my heart!).  But interestingly enough, it has them constructed after a large portion of the dress is already stitched together.  It also does not mention interfacing, but since I was using a drapey rayon, I decided to add a bit of structure to make those bound buttonholes a bit easier to construct.

And if I make this up again - I do love the long sleeved version - I would begin with the buttonholes to make it easier for myself.

Raw edges were finished with rayon seam binding, per usual.

And there were some hand finished bits.

I even found some lovely vintage shell buttons that were a perfect match, and I had the exact  number needed stitched to an old piece of cardboard.  I just love when that happens!

I didn't add shoulder pads, but I did want those puffed sleeves to stand out, so I added a bit of cotton covered netting to the area to make sure the silhouette looked right.

Archie approved of the dress, as do I.

The hips were slightly more fitted than expected, but that is the ideal 1940s silhouette, so I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. 

This project turned out great.  It's always fun when the fabric and design end up working so well together.  And while it may take me some time, I do think it would be nice to have a long sleeved version added to my collection of vintage reproductions.  But for now I have a few cuts of wool coating calling my name.

A Novel Idea

This was one of those last minute sewing projects as the Summer weather was threatening to disappear but I felt the need to make just one more sundress.  

I knew that I wanted to try a new pattern as I have a huge amount of warm weather dress patterns hanging around making me feel slightly guilty for not using them.  

McCalls 7950 fit the bill, and I don't need much of an excuse to work with a fun novelty print, so that was an easy choice once I came across the cotton stashed away in a bin.

One thing I will say about this pattern is that the instructions/construction is rather lacking.  I am not sure how many people would be comfortable wearing the tie front versions without the addition of some kind of closure.

Looking at the pattern itself, I suspect that this view was added in last minute as a second bodice option to give a different look rather than the standard button front, princess seamed bodice.

And certainly, the cute tie front was what drew me in.  I probably wouldn't have given this pattern a second look had it not been for View A.

The dress itself is rather loose fitting, and there is no additional shaping to the lower half of the bodice, which would be fine for Views C & D.  

I didn't think much of it until I had an almost completed dress, only to realize that it wasn't very wearable as it was drafted.  Darn it!

But I loved the print too much to give up on the dress, so I added a pair of bust pads to hopefully give the bodice a bit more shape.  That definitely helped, but the ties still didn't make the situation feel all that secure.

In the end, a simple hook & bar stitched just under each tie extension did the trick.  And with those small changes, I now have an easy to wear dress perfect for the warm weather which has most definitely disappeared!  Oh well, there is always next year . . .

Dress:  Made by me, McCalls 7950
Earrings:  Made by me
Shoes:  Bernardo "Veronika"

A Ghostly Figure

I finished my Halloween version of the DVF Wrap Dress just in time (although I never manage to get things posted here in a timely fashion).

And overall, I am extremely pleased with this pattern.

Other than the sleeves being quite oversized, and the facings being a bit too wide, this is a very good approximation of the 1970s originals that I have in my closet.  And those are easy fixes.

The 100% cotton jersey that I was able to find was thinner than I would have liked, and I was concerned how that would affect the finished dress.  I am happy to report that it worked just fine.  Sure, it wanted to roll along the edges a bit during construction, but other than that, it really didn't give me much grief.

I am also excited to add a new silhouette to my collection of Halloween themed frocks.

I have a few 1950s inspired silhouettes with knee length skirts, so this makes for a fun change.

I will absolutely be making this pattern again, it's only a matter of time, and finding a suitable fabric choice.

There are a couple of rayon/spandex blends that I have stashed away, but I would rather find something without the added Lycra or spandex.  Then again, it might be fun to compare and contrast what I like more or less about either textile choice.

This pattern has been a very popular one, and I think it is well deserved.

Sure, there are a lot of wrap dress pattern available, but there is something extra special about this one.  And if you don't love the collar and cuffs, you can always skip those bits if you feel like it gives too much of a 1970s vibe.  I happen to love them!  But adding or subtracting those elements along with changing the length of the skirt and fabric choice makes the possibilities almost endless.   

I could definitely get behind a mid-calf length version worn with boots, or a knee length dress with a fabulous pair of platform heels.  But I really do want to make at least one coat this year, so I should probably get my mind headed in that direction before the seasons change again.

Dress:  Made by me, Vogue 2000
Earrings:  GlitzOmatic on Etsy
Shoes:  Nina "Serena"

Fantasma

I finally got around to purchasing the Vintage Vogue reproduction Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress pattern that everyone around the interwebs has been making.

And since it was October by the time I got around to actually making the pattern, I decided that the perfect wearable muslin would be my annual Halloween themed frock.

I have a couple of vintage 1970s DVF wrap dresses in my closet, and they are generally made from a cotton/rayon knit jersey with a decent weight to it.  The fabric does not have any spandex in it, and I think the reason that they are so universally flattering is that particular textile choice.

Now, finding a cotton/rayon blend jersey is not something that I was able to do in 2024, which is a shame.  However, I did stumble across this adorable ghost print 100% cotton jersey on the JoAnn website.  Go figure.

It's definitely a thinner material than the originals, but I figured it was worth a try.

I did make a couple of changes to the pattern, such as interfacing the facing pieces instead of the bodice and skirt fronts . . . along with my standard fitting alterations of lengthening the bodice and taking a wedge out of the back bodice.  I will also note that the given facing pattern pieces are quite a bit wider than they are on the vintage ready-to-wear versions.  I cut off about 1/4" while serging the facing edges, but when I make this again, I will probably go ahead and significantly narrow the facings.

I also ended up serging extra bits like the front seamline that attaches the facing as well as the seamlines on the waist ties to keep the cotton jersey from rolling (this cotton really wanted to roll along the edges).

I also placed my topstitching closer to the edge than is suggested by the pattern and my vintage originals.  It just felt right for the print. 

The pattern itself is rated as a "Very Easy Vogue."  The dress does go together very easily, and quite quickly.  (I always forget how quick it is to sew garments with knit fabric.)

That being said, I wouldn't suggest this to an absolute beginner with no garment sewing experience as it might be a bit overwhelming.

One other alteration I would suggest is narrowing the sleeves if you want them to resemble the pattern illustration.  If you look closely at the photographs of the reproduction dresses on the models that are included on the simplicity.com website, you can see that there is quite a bit of ease through the sleeve.  That is not how the illustration and the vintage model photos are drafted, and my ready-to-wear versions are also quite form fitting through the arm, right down to the sleeve cuffs.

I also ended up serging about one half inch off of the length of the skirt.  The pattern suggests taking up a 3" hem, and I knew that I didn't want to do that and have to deal with all of the excess fabric from the shaped pieces.  If you want a full length dress, you may want to lengthen the skirt pieces.  In heels, and with what would have been a 2" hem taken up from the skirt as drafted, this dress doesn't quite hit the ground on me, and I am only 5'6" tall.  

Yes, this pattern uses quite a bit of fabric, but if you want the full length 1970s maxi dress experience, you won't want to shorten those skirt pieces unless you are petite.

Overall, I would highly recommend this pattern.  It doesn't get much more classic than a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress.  Do I agree that she "invented" the wrap dress?  Absolutely not!  But it's a garment that you can throw on with minimal effort and look completely put together.  There is a reason this silhouette is still popular fifty years later and doesn't even look "vintage" to most people.

As for my ghosty print version, I am very pleased with my choice of fabric, and my finished frock!