... Because I'm procrastinating self-evaluation.

 A vintage portrait neckline blouse is up next. It's not Vogue. It's not VoNBBS. It's not the early 1950's....but has the correct neckline and the correct sleeves. The waistline darts can be converted later into pleats. The biggest style differences between the VoNBBS (Vogue 7630 -1952) and Simplicity 1590 is the addition of the peplum and the front button closure. Neither of these are deal breakers for this project.

I'm going to make View A and redraft the front for a FBA to a D-cup. I have a piece of lightweight summer cotton with a circular chenille design for the project and some simple plain white buttons.

Below is a photo just before cutting. The pieces redrafted are the front bodice for a FBA and the front facing has some length added to it because of the FBA. Otherwise, I'm going about this "as directed" by the pattern instructions.

The Next VoNBBS Project - The Chemise Dress or the Portrait Neckline Blouse?

I've been thinking seriously about the next VoNBBS project. I've completed the two projects that are based on rectangular pattern pieces and now I must jump off the cliff into pattern making or rather pattern reproducing and adjusting because...well, look at our lovely Miss Vogue 7231, she hasn't eaten since 1951.

The two easiest patterns for beginning pattern drafting will be the Chemise Dress and the Portrait Neckline Blouse.

I'm very tempted to start here with Vogue 7231 because is looks so modern. We are still wearing this shape today. Here's a modern pattern for essentially the same look. Although, please Vogue be careful of your fabric choice and construction before using the sample as the pattern photo.

However, after looking at the general shape of the pattern pieces from the original pattern, I'm doubting myself.

For heavens sake, look at them. There's not much there. There is nothing to hang a T-square or triangle on. There are few discernible points to begin with ...center back and front and a slight indication of a front bust dart, but other than that the pattern lacks definition. I think this could be very easy to get very wrong very quickly, especially since the fabric in my stash is a plaid. I want to show off the bias cuffs but the rest of the dress had better match. Being off grain will not be acceptable on this project. I think a solid fabric might hide these fundamental  pattern errors and I wish to avoid them at all cost.

Vogue 7630 is the other choice, a little blouse. Its pattern shapes are far more recognizable when compared to my pattern drafting textbook. The neckline could be very tough to get right...until I remembered this post. See it there right in the middle, I have it! It's in my pattern stash ....a portrait neckline blouse... a retro portrait neckline blouse! This will be the way to go.

....Actually, anything to delay cracking open that textbook and evaluating myself next to fashion industry standards.

Vogue 7436 - 1952 Final Evaluation

The Slim Skirt from VoNBSS is finished. It's a straight skirt. This silhouette has become a wardrobe staple over the years. There are hundreds of pattern choices for the home sewer. There are shorter ones and tighter ones. There are patterns that are pegged at the bottom rather than straight. Pick one that suits you and sew!

For this project, I got a small taste of draping instead of pattern cutting and I found this rather freeing from the "rules and regulations"of the pattern direction sheet. I also found that I had to keep my wits about me and not finish some parts of the garment before others. There must be an order to the process.

The garment finish is rather good on this garment. I'm pleased. It is fully lined. The zipper in hand picked and the hem is well padded and invisible from the outside of the garment. All seams are finished. I'm not pleased with the waistband interfacing. Let's just say I don't have many choices here and it shows. Overall: A-

The waistband of this skirt is a little tight. I learned something about the interaction of ease and turn of the cloth with this project. Also, don't sew while the plumber is in the house! You will not try things on as needed and adjust when needed. The moral of the story is clean when there are people working on the house and sew when everyone is gone. Fit: B

Choice of Materials: A+    Actually, this couldn't have been better. The houndstooth is a classic weave. The black and white is timeless. The wool was forgiving and easy to work with. I couldn't be happier with the materials.

Style and Wearabilitiy: A-  The tight waistband limits the wearability a bit...but three pounds and that will go away. The style is as wearable today as it was in 1952. This should be wardrobe corner post for many years to come.

Overall: A-

Vogue 7436 - 1952 The Slim Skirt - Top and Bottom

 I can't bore you with endless construction details for this project. The reason is simple. I got involved in this project and didn't surface to breathe until I was nearly finished. I just didn't think about photos until it's too late. Here are a couple photos of the nearly finished skirt.

 Draping was the way to go for me on this project. I was able to adjust pleat and dart arrangements for my specific problems without feeling I was violating some unwritten rule about following a pattern religiously. I blame my 8th grade home economics teacher for this. I still don't mix my blueberry muffins without hearing that woman's withering comments. But that's another post on another blog, maybe with my analyst.

Above is the top of the skirt and the center back seam. I left it extra wide for "extra pounds, " later...let's hope not. The wool is finished with black bias tape and the zipper is set by hand with a prick stitch. The entire skirt is lined.

 Below is the bottom of the skirt or hem. I've interfaced the hemline with some muslin to pad out the the turn of the hem so I don't get a sharp crease. There is bias tape applied to the wool and the hem will be stitched in place by hand with a catch stitch. The lining is hemmed separately with a deep double fold hem for extra weight to prevent riding and bunching.

Vogue's New Book for Better Sewing - Vogue 7436 - A Slim Skirt

After completing the first VoNBBS project,  the Full Gathered Skirt, without much trouble in the pattern drafting department.  What I really mean is that I knew I couldn't get into much trouble with three rectangles. It's time to choose a project that isn't a complete rectangle...well almost. It's a rectangle with a kick pleat on the back seam.

The pencil skirt is a fashion icon that is still in our wardrobes today. I have several of them and I wear them constantly. Who's not to like another? ...especially one in houndstooth plaid, just like the photo...okay, okay... the photo plus 40 pounds.  I gathered up my materials and started to ponder the benefits of cutting another rectangular pattern. Then after overdosing on multiple old "Project Runway" YouTube clips, I ran away with myself and draped the silly thing.

Honestly, who needs patterns? We can imagine for one afternoon that we are something we are not; skilled at this. Here's the first look at the draped skirt.

A Circle Skirt in Plaid.

Can I do a circle skirt in plaid? It certainly has been done before judging by the number of images in Pinterest. Here's my choice for the fall. It's a cotton gaberdine with an uneven plaid in many fall leafy colors. I think I should be able to wear just about any color with this skirt.

I spent a lot....I mean a lot of time hand basting the plaid at the seam line. The narrow lines needed to match and there was not any room for error.

The photo is of the basted zipper, but you can see the plaid match at this seam clearly at this point. I'm very happy with the result so far.

The finished skirt with a vintage chunky knit sweater. Thanks Mom! Popcorn ball sweaters are right on trend again!

The Sandra Lee Circle Skirt - An Elizabeth Reid Design

 The solution for my fitting problems turned out to be very easy. A circle skirt eliminates all gathering at the waist and give plenty of fullness at the hem. I did change the usual circle skirt draft is a very slight way. Can you see it?

Here's the finished skirt with the usual wardrobe pieces a tee shirt and cardigan. This skirt worked very well this summer. I wore it twice as often as the VoNBBS's full skirt.

Back to 1952 - Vogue 7375

Remember this skirt. It's from VoNBBS and my interpretation of pattern Vogue 7375, the full skirt. When I made this I had some serious reservations about the dirndl skirt silhoutte and my figure type. Although, the skirt was a successful sewing project, I personally believe that this style has limited appeal for me because of the amount of fullness in the gathers at the waist. It's successful only because of the lightweight gingham fabric. I really like full skirts but I wanted to be able to use a larger variety of fabrics, for example a poplin or mid-weight cotton.

So I put my thinking cap on and came up with one of my first "drafted from my head and personal sketch" garment. I want a full hemline and a plentiful skirt length. I needed to eliminate fullness at the waist and lengthen my torso length. Finally, the garment had to be easy enough so that a sewer, who like me relied for years on commercial patterns, would be confident enough to give it the old college try.

The answer was easier than I anticipated and here's preview of the some of the features of the finished garment.

Simple over-locked seam finishes on the crisp 100% cotton fabric.

A side seam zipper that goes all the way through the waistband thus eliminating the bulky lap and button.

 A narrow twin-needle machine stitched hem.

Fabric self faced waistband 

Next time...the finished garment!

Vogue 2758 - The Finish

 The sleeves, cuffs and closures went  smoothly for this project and here's the finished blouse on my dress form along with the previous project, the corduroy skirt.

Time for some self evaluation on these two items.

Garment Finish: The corduroy was definitely easier to work with than the blouse fabric and it gave a nicer finished garment. Grade: Skirt: A  and Blouse: B+

Fit: Skirt waist is a little tight. This is surprising as the denim skirt was just fine and I cut the same size. (No! The scales haven't changed in the upwards direction.) I think the denim just had more give and I must have stretched the waist seam when sewing it. The blouse fits very well, especially through the bust. I'm very pleased with the drafting of this pattern. Grade: Skirt: B and Blouse: A

Choice of Materials: I find the corduroy, even though it's fine wale, is a casual fabric. I don't think it goes particularly well with the more dressier blouse fabric. Perhaps, the mistake made is that the blouse needs and nice wool tweed or wool flannel pencil skirt and the corduroy needs a Shetland wool knit sweater or casual patterned tee-shirt. The choice of materials is fine if you consider each piece individually, but not correct if they are to be worn as an outfit.  Grade: Skirt: B and Blouse: B-

Style and Wearability:  I addressed this a bit in the previous paragraph. I like both these pieces, just not together. I need to think about how each of these will fit into my fall/winter wardrobe. This will need to wait until I put the summer things away. I think the skirt will blend in just fine, but the blouse may need some help. It will need at least a neutral pencil skirt to go with it specifically. Perhaps, I will get lucky and have forgotten something that I already own that will be perfectly suited for it. In the meantime, I'll put a note on my future project list. I graded the skirt above the blouse because I more than likely have some else to wear with the skirt, the blouse on the other hand may need another sewing project to get the most wear out of it. Grade: Skirt: B and Blouse: C

Vogue 2758 - Collar

Finally, the collar and front band stitching is finished. I'm a little disappointed the collar points are not as crisp as on a shirt, but this fabric has enough stretch in it that I was afraid of pointing them completely out of shape. I guess I'd rather fail on the side of too little than too much.

Simplicity 2758 - Darts and Front Bands

 What a pleasure it is to simply cut an appropriately drafted blouse. Kudos to the pattern companies that are drafting C and D cup patterns. Here's the blouse bodice front and back assembled and ready for the details. I can tell already that this will fit nicely. The fabric is quite soft and not holding a nice crease, so "crispness" is going to be hard to come by in this project.

 Front bands are the bane of my existence. Once these go wrong, collar stands go wrong, collars go wrong... I should just stop here at this step. So jumping off into the details of shirt making and having David Coffin's book on "Shirtmaking" at my elbow, I proceed carefully and baste, baste, baste. Taking my time with marking tends to help tremendously.

Yippee! Nicely done front bands. There is hope for the remainder of this project.