Summer Liberty: Vogue 1308

We're still in summertime down here - and February gets really sticky, so it's not too late for a new sleeveless top in a light and gorgeous Liberty cotton.

I think it works with this black skirt, but I imagine it'd work with a something flared too.

Posing at the side of my house is so embarrassing. My nextdoor neighbours haven't said anything to me yet; I cringe to guess what they must think - perhaps:

          such a waste of the battery on that camera!

but more likely:

          what revolting narcissicm! 

 

Oh dear. Let's move right along.

*** Note to self: Fix mop!

The pattern is Vogue 1308, a summery little neck to ankle jump suit.  Although the idea of a silk jumpsuit seems strangely compelling to me, I have to admit it would be completely impractical for my harried (you know, just the working mother stuff) life. I guess I may still make the jumpsuit one day - perhaps for a retirement disco party? :-) 

Obviously I've only made the loose-fitting (absolutely no darts!) top from the jumpsuit, and I've left off the back ruffle. To turn the bodice into a top I compared the pattern pieces to a RTW top that I like to wear to work. I added about 10cm in length and widened a little from the waist down to account for hips. Very easy.

This fabric is one from my Sydney Sewing Social splurge; a grab for colour from Tessuti's remnant table. 0.85 metres at half the usual takes it to $19.10, minus a 15% discount for the Social means a total of about $16.25. The pattern was on sale at Vogue patterns in the US, and including shipping I guess it cost me around $7... everything else used (thread, bias binding) was a leftover.

The colours look more 'true' below, and you get some of our February sky, in-between downpours:

Sorry for the terrible ironing effort - it looked OK on the hanger in a darkened room, honest!

I've only used Liberty Tana Lawn once before (another Tessuti remnant used in this really imperfect '40s top), so I'm not an addict, but I do know the patterns and colours are spectacular, and I do know the fabric feels beautiful, fine and light, and it seems to work really well in hot weather.

Below you can see the lightness of the fabric - and sewing details on the front ruffle:

Neckline and armholes are finished with (green) bias binding, and since the top is loose enough I skipped the recommended centre back zip and have an opening that will end in a small press stud at the top.

Pre- press stud - not following the pattern instructions.

Next up I need to answer some tricky questions from Hazel (thank you Hazel, I'm getting there but I'm a bit stumped on a couple of them), and share The Skirt From The Dress That Didn't Want To Work.

See you anon, Gabrielle x

I Heart Chloe: V2465 (OOP) makes a sweet top

This little top is my latest completed project - I feel like I've been a pretty lacklustre blogger and commenter lately, but there have been a lot of distractions round here. School went back, and I went back to work. We had some asbestos removed (scary) and then roof renovations, and meanwhile the weather has been pretty close to non-stop rainy except when it's just threatening rain with a low grey sky (where is our Sydney summer? I know we had one pleasant Sunday, but is that IT?), which does not go down too well when the front part of your roof is off and the latest tradie didn't know how to put a tarp on properly.

All the brown muck you see out there came off the roof I guess.    

Let's get back to the subject.

When I saw this pattern for sale I barely hesitated. It's a Vogue Paris Original, and I'm pretty sure it's from the mid 80s (around when my mum made me a formal dress in a similar shape... I should show you that one day, but it wouldn't even fit on my dressform). I'd never seen this pattern around before, but I thought it looked like it would be gorgeous in a pretty silk, with a coordinating slip underneath. That's not what I've made though, is it!

You can see the pattern in my smug little mitts below: 

Well that's because first up I had to confirm the pattern's credibility and sizing, isn't it!

I made the bodice as a little top with one of my Tessuti remnant sale pieces of fabric, a lovely lightweight great quality cotton. I don't know about everyone else, but when I make up these "test" garments, I still like to do it carefully with the hope that the end result will be a valuable wardrobe addition. So I went to some pains to match up the pattern over the button bands with the fabric of the front bodice. I didn't have enough fabric to get a match down the side seams but I think centre front is a place where matching or not matching a pattern is most striking... and I am seriously chuffed with how well the matching has worked.

Yes I know it's buttoning on the wrong side, but if I'd done it the proper way around the matching wouldn't have been perfect. I am not at all bothered that my blouse does up like a man's, to be honest.

Surprisingly for a little cotton blouse, it earned me TWO separate, unsolicited compliments when I wore it to work the other morning. The fabric is interesting up close, isn't it!

The sleeves are double layered, which means no sleeve hems:




Here are the stats:

Total cost = $41
$35 pattern (big gulp. Must have been really sleep deprived as I normally prefer a $10 max!). I really had better use this one again
$5? fabric from Tessuti's remnant sale last year
$0 thread (a couple of already half used spools)
$1 small pack of vintage buttons from my stash

Total time: 5 hours
Approx 20 minutes cutting out
About 4 hours slow-mo sewing* and pressing
About 10 minutes arguing with my sewing machine about sewing buttonholes 
About 40 minutes of hand sewing where the inside layer of sleeve attaches to the bodice, + buttons

Here's some of that hand sewing on the inside of the sleeve:



* Slow-mo sewing : I often sew on a very slow setting because I don't really have enough light in my sewing corner and I really hate unpicking the mistakes I make when I sew fast.  I'm also trying to savour the process...

A little Liberty

This is one of the *other* little tops from Simplicity 1403, well and truly OOP but widely available on ebay and everywhere else. Wish I'd realised that when I bought it - I might have gotten the right size for myself!

Late at night, so as usual, excuse everything including my closed and weary eyes. And nearly inside out neckline.

proof that the neckline is alright

The fabric is a small remnant of Liberty Tana Lawn - Fairford it's called, and I think it might also be OOP as it seems hard to find. The pattern only needs about 0.6m of wide fabric for this little top - I had 0.7m and I was able to lengthen the top by a couple of centimetres as well as cutting out generous facings for the neckline. Very useful to have a stashbuster in your pattern repertoire, n'est-ce pas?

I haven't sewn with Tana Lawn before but I think this will be a perfect weight for our sultry summer days. 

As with that jersey top from the same pattern I had to make this pattern larger. I think I should have made it larger still.... overall it has worked out as I wanted though.

Thanks to Sherry's tutorial, my invisible zip which is contained down one side is my best yet!  I still have a ways to go before I can be relied upon with a zip though :-(

I guess I will have to practise, so I will just have to keep sewing.
  It's my duty!








I don't know what it's like in your house - maybe there are no little monsters, or maybe there are some but they know about going to bed at a reasonable hour and then staying in bed all night! If mine get up tonight I will see if this picture can send them back to bed:

go to bed!

PS Is there a really exhausting (shouting, arguing, crying) 4 year old version of "terrible twos"??? If so, when can we expect it to end?