Das rote Kleid – The red dress

Die November-Challenge beim Historical Sew Monthly war ein steiniger Weg – auch wenn die Aufgabe denkbar einfach war: etwas Rotes sollte genäht werden. Da ich seit zwei Monaten eigentlich durchgehend friere, wollte ich eine lange gescheute Hürde nehmen, mich an elastische Stoffe heranwagen und eine Strickjacke nähen. Der Schnitt sollte der von der blauen Jacke sein, die ich bei Sewing by the Sea genäht hatte, es hätte also alles recht glatt gehen können. Wenn ich passenden Stoff gefunden hätte. In den Läden fand ich nichts schönes Rotes, und zwei Bestellungen aus dem Netz waren ebenfalls nicht von Erfolg gekrönt. Ohne Anfassen isses eben doch nix. Dafür war mein Budget für diesen Monat gründlich ausgereizt, weitere Stoffkäufe kamen also nicht in Frage.

November’s challenge for the Historical Sew Monthly was a thorny path – although the task was actually quite easy: make something red. Since I have been freezing the last two months I wanted to take a hurdle long shied, try my luck with elastic fabrics and sew myself a cardigan. The pattern was to be that of the blue jacket I made at Sewing by the Sea, so everything could have gone real smooth. Provided I found the right fabric. I didn’t find anything beautifully red, and two orders via the internet weren’t crowned with success either. It just isn’t the real thing without touching the fabric. On the other hand I really had spent my budget for this month, so more buying of fabric was out of question.

So going through my stash and I found remnants of this dress:

So stöberte ich durch meine Vorräte und stieß auf einen Rest von diesem Kleid:

Ich hatte es für meine standesamtliche Trauung genäht, hatte lange nach dem Schnitt gesucht, aber so richtig gut gefiel es mir dann doch nicht. Die Fülle im Oberteil und die Puffärmel sind irgendwie nicht meins – abgesehen davon, dass ich zur Zeit ja späte 1930er sowieso nicht trage und das schräg zum Fadenlauf zugeschnittene Rockteil nicht gerade gnädig mit einer erwachsenen Figur umgeht. Aus den Resten hatte ich in Noer schon eine Bluse genäht und beschloss nun, das Kleid zu zerlegen und etwas daraus zu machen, das ich dann auch wirklich tragen würde:

I sewed it for my town hall wedding, had been after the pattern quite a while, but in the end never really liked it. The fullness in the top and the puff sleeves somehow don’t feel right – apart from the 1930s not being what I am wearing these days and the bias cut skirt not being particularly flattering for the mature figure. Of the remnants I had made a blouse already and now decided to take the dress apart and make something out of it I would really like to wear:

Ich hatte im Fundus auch noch einen zartrosa Rest von irgendetwas Kunstseidenem und wollte daraus ein Unterkleid nähen, an dem der Rock befestigt würde, so wie hier:

In my stash I also had a light rose rest of something rayon-y and wanted to do an underdress with the skirt attached, like here:

Aber der Stoff lud sich ganz ekelhaft auf und klebte auf ganzer Fläche am Körper, so dass ich den Plan fallen lassen musste und einfach einen Bund am abgeschnittenen Rockteil anbrachte:

But the fabric was extremely clingy, so I let go of this plan and just attached a waist band to the skirt:

Das war ziemlich schnell erledigt, und glücklicherweise musste ich nicht einmal den Saum neu machen – er ist hinten ein kleines bisschen länger als vorne, aber das finde ich eigentlich ganz hübsch so.

Das ganze zweiteilige Kleid gefällt mir ausgesprochen gut, und wenn es auch nichts dazu beiträgt, aktuelle Lücken in meiner Wintergarderobe zu füllen, könnte ich mir vorstellen, dass es durchaus das Zeug zu einem Lieblingsstück für den norddeutschen Sommer hat.

This was done quickly, and happily I didn’t even need to redo the seam – it is a little longer in the back than in the front, but I think it quite pretty that way.

I really like the whole two piece dress, and even if it does nothing to fill the gaps in my winter wardrobe, it might become a favourite piece for the northern german summer.

The Challenge: Red

Material: Viskose

Pattern: my own

Year: about 1927

Notions: 1 snap, 1 zipper

How historically accurate is it? I am not too sure about the zipper in combination with a rather soft, delicate fabric. Otherwise I think it fine.

 

Janet’s blouse

Die Aufgabe im Historical Sew Monthly für den Oktober lautet: Heroes – Make a garment inspired by your historical hero, or your historical costuming hero. Nun tue ich mich ein bisschen schwer damit, von Helden zu sprechen (meine norddeutsche Seele …), aber natürlich gibt es aber auch in meinem Leben Menschen, mit denen ich mich verbunden fühle, die ich bewundernswert oder einfach total interessant finde, und zu diesen gehört schon lange Janet Flanner:

October’s challenge for the Historical Sew Monthly is called: Heroes – Make a garment inspired by your historical hero, or your historical costuming hero. Now I’m not too comfortable with speaking of heroes (my northern german soul …), but of course there are people I feel connected with, whom I think admirable or just really interesting, and one of these has been Janet Flanner for some time now:

 

Janet Flanner

Sie war Amerikanerin, eine von vielen AusländerInnen, die Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts nach Paris kamen, um dort ein freieres Leben zu finden. Das Bild, das uns Hemingway, James Joyce und die Fitzgeralds vom Paris der 20er überliefert haben, ist ja vor allem von wilden Partys, sexuellen Abenteuern und jeder Menge Alkohol geprägt. Für die Frauen, die es nach Paris zog – Gertrude Stein und Alice B. Toklas, Djuna Barnes, Berenice Abbot oder Colette, um nur einige zu nennen – bedeutete die Freiheit dort aber neben der, zu lieben, wen sie wollten, vor allem auch die, zu arbeiten: als Schriftstellerinnen, Künstlerinnen, Verlegerinnen, Fotografinnen usf. Es muss eine ungeheuer anregende und interessante Atmosphäre dort geherrscht haben.

She was american, one of many expatriats, who at the beginning of the 20th century went to Paris, to find a free life. The picture of Paris in the 1920s passed on to us by Hemingway, James Joyce and the Fitzgeralds is one of wild partys, sexual adventures and a lot of alcohol. But for the women drawn to Paris – Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, Djuna Barnes, Berenice Abbot or Colette, to name just a few – freedom meant, besides the freedom to love whom they wanted, mainly to be able to work, as writers, artists, editors, fotografers etc. It must have been a wonderfully inspiring und interesting atmosphere there.

Solita Solano und Djuna Barnes

Jante Flanner kam 1921 mit ihrer lebenslangen Liebe und Freundin Solita Solano nach Paris, und sie war Journalistin. Von 1925 bis 1975 hat sie für The New Yorker aus Paris, später auch aus dem übrigen Europa berichtet – über kulturelle und politische Ereignisse, Tratsch und Mode, über Personen der Zeitgeschichte. Sie ging während des Zweiten Weltkrieges nach Amerika, wenn auch schlechten Gewissens, kehrte aber nach der Befreiung zurück, um über das Nachkriegs-Europa zu berichten, z.B. über die Nürnberger Prozesse. Sie muss sehr hart gearbeitet haben, oft unter schwierigen Bedingungen, und hat doch offenbar immer darunter gelitten, “nur” als Journalistin, und nicht als Schriftstellerin erfolgreich zu sein. Ihre Texte, unter dem Pseudonym “Genet” veröffentlicht, sind auch heute noch sehr lesenswert, vielseitig, klug, oft mit feiner Ironie. Sie beschreibt und vermittelt ausgezeichnet das Lebensgefühl, die sich im Laufe der Geschichte wandelnde Atmosphäre ihrer Stadt. Ganz sicher hat ihr dabei geholfen, dass sie nicht nur Teil der intellektuellen Avantgarde war, sondern vor allem ihr Leben lang intensiv Freund- und Bekanntschaften pflegte.

Mehr über sie kann man in ihrer Biographie nachlesen: Brenda Wineapple: Genet – a biography of Janet Flanner, New York 1989, oder in diesem sehr netten Buch, in dem ich erstmals über sie stolperte: Andrea Weiss: Paris war eine Frau – Die Frauen von der Left Bank, Rowohlt 1998 – oder man liest einfach ihre Porträts oder Kolumnen selbst.

Janet Flanner came to Paris in 1921, with her livelong love and friend Solita Solano, and she was a journalist. From 1925 to 1975 she reported for The New Yorker, from Paris and later from the whole of Europe – on cultural und political events, gossip and fashion, on personalities of contemporary history. During WW II she went to America, not without a bad conscience, but returned after the liberation to report on postwar Europe, e.g. the Nuremberg Trials. She must have worked very hard, often in difficult circumstances, nonetheless always suffering from being “only” a journalist, not successful as a writer. Her texts, published under the name of “Genet”, are still worth reading today, varied, clever, often witty. She describes and conveys vividly the spirit, the changing atmosphere in her city. It surely helped, that she wasn’t just part of the intellectual avantgarde, but all her live laid much effort in her friendships and acquaintances.

You can read more about her in her biography: Brenda Wineapple: Genet – a biography of Janet Flanner, New York 1989, or in this very nice read, where I came upon her the first time: Andrea Weiss: Paris was a woman, San Francisco 1990 – or you just read her portraits and columns.

 

from: Brenda Wineapple, A biography of Janet Flanner

Tja, und nun zu den Kleidern … Es heißt, Flanner sei immer äußerst elegant gekleidet gewesen. Die “offiziellen” Bilder, die ich von ihr kenne, zeigen sie auch so: in schlichter Eleganz, eher streng als verspielt, gerne auch etwas maskulin. Es gibt außerdem einige Fotos aus dem privaten Bereich, auf denen sie beispielsweise Hosen oder Rock und Pullover trägt. Das bekannteste Bild von ihr (ganz oben) ist übrigens ein Foto von Berenice Abbott und zeigt sie im Kostüm für einen Maskenball. Ich habe mich jedenfalls an die Großstadt-Janet gehalten und, da für ein Schneiderkostüm (meine erste Wahl) die Zeit nicht reichte, eine Bluse genäht, die, denke ich, ihrem Stil entspricht, ohne meinem allzu fremd zu sein:

Well, and now to clothing … It says, Flanner would always have been highly elegantly clad, and the “official” pictures I kow of her do show her like this: in simple elegance, rather severe than playful, sometimes masculin. There are some private fotos, too, which show her, e.g. in slacks or in a skirt and sweater. The picture of her, that is best known (see above) was, by the way, taken by Berenice Abbott and shows her dressed for a fancy dress ball. Anyway, I took to the Janet of the big city and, because there wasn’t enough time to do a tailored suit (my first choice), I sewed a blouse, which would suit her style, I think, without being too different from mine:

Ich habe dafür nach Langem mal wieder ein modernes Schnittmuster benutzt (Vogue V8772) und war erstmal ganz erschlagen und etwas beunruhigt von den unendlich vielen Passzeichen und der detaillierten Anleitung. Da Schnittmuster aus den Zwanzigern meistens keine oder minimale Anleitungen haben, bin ich eher so Freistilnähen gewohnt. Die Taillenabnäher habe ich weggelassen, Kragenband und Maschetten etwas schmaler gemacht und natürlich den unteren Saum verändert, und all das hat ganz gut geklappt. Ich hab es eigentlich gerne ein bisschen weniger hochgeschlossen, aber wer weiß, ob ich im Winter nicht noch dankbar dafür sein werde …

I used a modern pattern for this (Vogue V8772), after quite some time, and was rather puzzled by all the markings and so many instructions. Since pattern of the 1920s mostly have none or not much of an instruction, I am rather used to sewing freestyle. I omitted the waist darts, made the neckband and cuffs a little narrower and of course altered the seam, and all this went quite well. Actually I like it a little less high-necked, but who knows, I might be thankful for this in winter …

The Challenge: Heroes

Material: pure cotton

Pattern: Vogue V 8772 with some alterations

Year: I think it quite timeless, but will wear it as part of mid-twenties outfits

Notions: buttons, thread

How historically accurate is it? Very, I think.

First worn: not yet

 

Das Gänsblümchenkleid – The Daisy Dress

Wer sich in den Zwanziger Jahren für den androgynen, sachlichen Look nicht begeistern konnte, der hatte eine ebenfalls hochmodische Alternative – das Stilkleid, auch Robe de style genannt. Es ist vor allem mit dem Namen der Modedesignerin Jeanne Lanvin (natürlich aus Paris) verknüpft, die diese romantischeren, femininen Kleider mit schmaler Taille und weitem Rock entwarf. Der Stil lehnt sich deutlich an die Mode des 18. Jahrhunderts an. Zwar sitzt die Taille eher tief, der Rock konnte aber vorne und hinten abgeflacht sein, und manchmal wurde er sogar von Paniers gestützt, ganz wie 250 Jahre zuvor. Hier ein eher extremes Beispiel (aus dem “Fashion sourcebook 1920s” ed. Charlotte Fiell):

Und ein alltäglicheres, ohne Reifen (aus “How to make dresses the singer way”):

If, in the twenties, you weren’t so keen on the androgynous, factual look, you had a very fashionable alternative: the picture dress, or robe de style. It is, most of all, connected with the name of Jeanne Lanvin, who created these romantic, feminine dresses with slender waist and wide skirt. The style recalls the fashion of the 18th century. Although the waist is rather low, the skirt was sometimes flat in the front an back und might even have paniers, just like 250 years ago.

Für beide Varianten gilt allerdings leider, dass man unfassbar rank und schlank sein muss, damit sie getragen richtig gut aussehen. Vielleicht galt das Stilkleid auch darum vor allem als passend für junge Mädchen und Frauen, aber das Problem hat man natürlich generell mit Mode der Zwanziger Jahre.

Unfortunately for both types the rule applies, that you had to be extremely slender to make it look really well. Maybe that is one reason why the picture dress was regarded appropriate mainly for young women, but of course this is a general problem with fashion from the twenties.

Den Stoff für mein Kleid hatte ich schon vor Monaten als Rest gekauft: ganz leichte und weiche Baumwolle in Braun und Zartrosa. Da ich kein Panier basteln (oder tragen) wollte, musste die Fülle im Rock durch die Stoffmenge entstehen, und so ist das Kleid  sozusagen komplett doppelt – innen rosa, außen braun. Für die Stickerei habe ich auf einen schon erprobten und bewährten Stich zurückgegriffen. Sie hat genau die Farbe des Futters, auch wenn sie hier eher weiß aussieht.

I had bought the fabric for my dress months ago: very light and soft cotton in brown and rose. Since i didn’t want to make (or wear) paniers, the fullness of the skirt had to come out of the amount of fabric, so the whole dress is actually double – rose on the inside, brown on the outside. For the embroidery I used a proven and tested stitch. It has exactly the colour of the lining, although it looks more like white here.

Für das Oberteil habe ich den Schnitt meines Hochzeitskleides etwas abgewandelt, der Rock besteht einfach aus den gekräuselten Stoffbahnen. Mit soviel Stoff zu arbeiten fand ich sehr ungewohnt und gar nicht so einfach.

The pattern for the waist is taken mainly from my wedding dress, the skirt is just the gathered lengths of fabric. It felt unfamiliar to work with so much fabric, and wasn’t always easy.

Das Kleid ist eines der am saubersten verarbeiteten Kleidungsstücke, das ich bisher genäht habe, und darauf bin ich ein bisschen stolz, auch wenn es nicht sonderlich kompliziert in der Konstruktion ist. Und es trägt sich auch wirklich ganz wunderbar – ich hab schon lange keinen weiten Rock mehr getragen, und es ist natürlich herrlich! Ob ich mich so richtig schön darin finde, ist allerdings noch nicht entschieden. Mal sehen, vielleicht gewöhne ich mich ja noch dran.

This dress is one of the tidiest garments I have made so far, and I am a little proud about that, even if there wasn’t anything very complicated. And it is really nice to wear – I haven’t worn a wide skirt for a very long time, and of course that’s great! Still, if I am going to like myself in it I have not yet decided. Maybe I will get used to it, we’ll see.

 

The Challenge: Historicism – Make a historical garment that was itself inspired by the fashions of another historical period.

Material: pure cotton, several meters

Pattern: my own

Year: about 1924

Notions: thread, embroidery thread

How historically accurate is it? very

Hours to complete: I don’t know really. Two weeks now and then, maybe?

First worn: to a garden party (in September, what an indian summer this year!)

Herbstliche Blumen – Autumnal Flowers

“Pattern – make something in pattern, the bolder and wilder the better” – so heißt die August-Challenge beim Historical Sew Monthly. Hm, ja. Ich bin nicht so gut mit Mustern, mit wilden schon gar nicht, und auf Bestellung einen bestimmten Stoff zu finden ist ja auch immer nicht so einfach. Letztlich wurden es diese Blümchen auf ganz leichter Baumwolle.

“Pattern – make something in pattern, the bolder and wilder the better” – that’s the challenge for August at the Historical Sew Monthly. Well, yes. I am not good with patterns, not to speak of wild ones, and to find a special fabric just when you need it, isn’t easy either. In the end I went for these little flowers, on very light cotton.

Eine Bluse ist es geworden, und ich hatte nicht nur Spaß beim Nähen. Mein Grundschnitt ist irgendwie immer noch anpassungsbedürftig, ich habe wieder mal den Ausschnitt viel zu weit gemacht und musste eine Blende einsetzen, was auch nach mehreren Anläufen nicht so richtig toll gelungen ist.

It is a blouse, and it wasn’t all fun sewing it. My basic pattern is still in need of adjustment, once more I cut the neckline much too wide and had to set something in (for which I don’t know the english word, sorry). I made several attempts, but it still isn’t marvelous.

Ich wollte aber schon seit längerem mal so eine blusige Bluse nähen, mit dem engeren Bund, und das hat auch ganz gut geklappt, wenn das Ganze nun auch etwas kürzer und weiter geraten ist, als ich eigentlich vorhatte. So passt sie nun allerdings sehr gut in die frühen Zwanziger Jahre, als noch nicht alles so ganz lang und schmal sein musste.

I had wanted to make such a blousy blouse for quite a while though, with the narrower waistband, and it worked all right, even if the whole thing is a bit shorter and wider now than I had planned it to be. Actually it’s very early twenties now, when everything had not yet to be all longitude and slimness.

 

Ich bin auch mit den Ärmeln noch nicht so ganz glücklich (zu lang? Zu weit?), hatte aber keinen Nerv mehr, daran noch länger rumzufrickeln. Ich hab die Bluse aber heute getragen und stelle fest, dass sie mir schlussendlich doch gut gefällt. Ich mag die Farbkombination, der Stoff trägt sich angenehm, und die Bänder haben eine alltagstaugliche Länge. Also – alles andere als perfekt, aber sehr tragbar.

I am not altogether happy with the sleeves (too long? Too wide?), but really didn’t feel like spending more time and energy on it. But after wearing the blouse today I have to say I do like it anyway. It’s a pretty colour combination, the fabric wears nicely, and the length of the streamers is manageable. So – not a masterpiece, but good to have.

 

The Challenge: Pattern

Material: pure cotton, with flowers and without

Pattern: my own

Year: about 1923

Notions: yarn, two buttons

How historically accurate is it? very, I see nothing unsuitable

Hours to complete: many, over a month’s time

First worn: today, for work and play

Das Hochzeitskleid

Leider musste ich die Juni-Aufgabe des Historical Sew Monthly überspringen – “Travel” hieß die, und ich hole sie jetzt gerade nach. Für den Juli stand aber eine andere auf dem Programm, und die passte wie die Faust aufs Auge: “Monochrome – make a garment in black, white, or any shade of grey in between.” Da ich vor zwei Wochen geheiratet habe, war klar, was das sein musste: mein Hochzeitskleid.

Unfortunately I had to skip the challenge for june of the Historical Sew Monthly – it’s called “travel”, and I am doing it now. But for july there was another one and it just couldn’t be better matched: “Monochrome – make a garment in black, white, or any shade of grey in between.” Since I got married two weeks ago it was obvious, what this was going to be: my wedding dress.

 

 

Als Vorlage diente dieses Schnittmuster:

Letzten Endes ist aber doch eher wenig vom Original übrig geblieben.

It is based on the above pattern, but in the end there was little left of the original.

Geändert habe ich zum Beispiel die Ärmel, die nicht geschlitzt sind und sich nach unten weiten. Die Taille saß dem Schnittmuster nach extrem tief, und es gab an den Seitennähten Raffungen für mehr Weite im Oberteil. Das war irgendwie sehr unvorteilhaft, und ich habe dafür Brustabnäher eingefügt, außerdem nach einigem Zögern Abnäher im Rückenteil, um die Taille etwas schmaler zu machen. Das habe ich bisher in keinem orginalen Schnittmuster gesehen, allerdings gibt es ja sehr wohl Abbildungen von figurnahen Kleidern, und irgendwo muss diese Form ja herkommen. Die Taille hat jetzt außerdem eine Neigung nach hinten unten, parallel zum Saum, der ebenfalls vorne etwas höher liegt als hinten.

I altered, for example, the sleeves, which now are not slit and widen towards the hem. The waist was extremely low, following the pattern, and the side seams were ruffled to provide more bust width. This was very unflattering, so I made bust darts instead, also – after some hesitation – darts in the back to narrow the waist. I haven’t seen them in any old patterns yet, but there are of course illustrations of figure hugging dresses from the midtwenties, and somehow you have to do it. Moreover the waist has a slant back- and downwards, like the hem, which is higher in front than in the back, too.

Verbunden mit diesem Kleid ist eins der besten Geschenke, das ich überhaupt je bekommen habe: Die Mutter einer Freundin ist Schneiderin und Modedesignerin, und zur Hochzeit bekam ich ein Coaching für das Nähen des Brautkleides geschenkt. Ich war also dreimal bei ihr und konnte mit ihr den Schnitt optimieren, Abnäher und Säume abstecken, und insgesamt jede Menge lernen. Zum Beispiel war ich unglücklich mit dem Rockteil – es hing vorne und hinten relativ glatt herunter und die ganze Weite sammelte sich an den Seitennähten. Das hing mit dem Fadenlauf zusammen, und letztendlich hab ich dann die vordere Mitte im Fadenlauf zugeschnitten, aber die hintere Mitte schräg dazu, so dass der Rock vorne eher glatt liegt, aber an den Seiten und hinten schöne und gleichmäßige Wellen schlägt.

Connected with this dress is one of the best gifts I ever received in my whole life: The mother of a friend is a seamstress and fashion designer, so I got a coaching for sewing the wedding dress. I visited her three times and could do pattern alterations and fittings with her, and just learn a lot. I was, for example, unhappy with the skirt – it was quite flat in the back and front, all the width gathering at the side seams, which obviously has to do with the grain.  The front of the skirt is now cut on the grain, the back on the bias, so it is rather flat in the front, and the sides and back do nice and even waves.

Die wunderbare Schneiderin kam dann auch zur Hochzeit und schenkte mir ein großes Stück altrosa Samt, den ich bei ihr bewundert hatte, und Glitzerzeug dazu. Das sieht mir sehr nach Material für ein Weihnachtskleid / die Dezember-Aufgabe aus.

The wonderful seamstress came to the wedding and gave me a piece of pale pink velvet, which I had admired at her place, and some glitz. Looks very much like a christmas dress / the december challenge.

Um noch etwas zum Material des Kleides zu sagen: Es ist aus Microsatin, was wahrscheinlich nicht hundertprozentig authentisch ist, wenn es auch in den Zwanzigern natürlich Kunstseide gab, und auch die Spitze und der Tüll für Schleier und Ärmel sind aus Polyester. Die Spitze sah eigentlich so aus:

Wie sich herausstellte, war sie viel zu breit und schwer, um sie einfach so an Ärmel und Schleier zu nähen, also habe ich die Motive ausgeschnitten und einzeln an die Ärmel und das Kleid genäht.

To say something about materials: The dress is of microsatin, which probably isn’t fully period accurate, although of course, there was rayon, and the lace and tull are polyester, too. The lace actually looked like in the picture above. I realized it was much too wide and heavy to just sew it to the sleeves and veil, so I cut out the motives and sewed them one by one to the sleeves and bodice. There wasn’t any time left to do the veil, so it just stayed as ist was.

Für den Schleier blieb dann allerdings keine Zeit mehr, so blieb er wie er war. Der Kopfschmuck ist übrigens eher nicht authentisch, die Blüten sind aus lackierten Draht, nicht aus Wachs. Aber er passte trotzdem sehr schön dazu, finde ich.

The headpiece by the way is not period correct, the blossoms are made of lacquered wire, not of wax. But it fitted in nicely nevertheless, I think.

The Challenge: Monochrome

Material: Microsatin, lace, tull

Pattern: this reproduction pattern with some alterations

Year: mid 1920s

Notions: thread

How historically accurate is it? Quite, except for the materials.

Hours to complete: many

First worn: at my wedding – a very very happy day!

 

Sewing by the sea and HSM #3

Last weekend I spent in heaven. That is, at Schloss Noer near Eckernförde, with 33 other sewers (and mostly bloggers), invited by Alex of MamaMachtSachen. From thursday to sunday afternoon, time galore for sewing and talking and sewing and taking a stroll to the sea and sewing and sewing and sewing. It was great! And made me aware of how good it is to get out of the closet and share and communicate. And how very important it is to me to have enough time for sewing. After this I made a plan: I will reserve one evening each week for sewing, make an appointment with myself, time to look forward to, and don’t end up on the sofa instead, no matter what. I do hope this will work, although I’m afraid, tinkering all by myself won’t be the same after all.

My original plan for this weekend and this month’s HSM challenge had been to sew a coat. The challenge is called:

Protection – make something to protect yourself (from weather or injury) or your clothes (from soiling etc.)

Several coats were sewn at Noer and it definitely would have been a good idea for me to tackle such a project with so many helpful and experienced sewers around. Buying fabric still isn’t done though, so I decided, protection from the chill of a summer’s evening is protection allright. And sewed a suit jacket.

The fabric came mostly from my Sunday Best Dress, which I made about a year ago. The skirt was easy to narrow, but the blouse was really big, due to breastfeeding and generally recent childbirth. So I took it apart, and together with the remnants of the fabric I had enough to make something new from it.

The pattern I used was this:

It is, obviously, for a dress, but I bought it because of the tuxedo collar, with the intention of using only the upper part. It was a size larger anyway, so I just assembled it as it was – and it worked and fits quite well. I forgot to make the facing of the collar a bit smaller than the upper part, so I had to tack it down around the neck to keep it from rolling up. The only other issue was, that, although I had already lengthened it, the finished jacket still seemed to be too short. I added a strip all around the hem, which looked fine at the back, but the lower ends of the turned back collar weren’t convincing at all. At home again, I came up with this idea to make the thing look more intentional:

So in the end I’m very happy with this! It passes very well for an early 20s jacket, is nice to wear and fills an actual gap in my wardrobe.

The Challenge: Protection

Material: viscose crepe, rayon for lining

Pattern: reproduction of an original pattern from the early 1920s

Year: ca. 1923

Notions: thread

How historically accurate is it? The fabric is not, I think, the rest is fine – so: about 90%

Hours to complete: about seven oder eight hours

First worn: not yet

Apart from the jacket I made two blouses at the sewing weekend, both of remnant pieces of fabric, from a dress and a pyjama respectively. One after my basic long-sleeved pattern, with a sash and a buckle:

And another one after the One Hour Dress-scheme:

Rich booty! And a wonderful weekend to feed on!

More reports on Sewing by the sea: here.

HSM #2 – Tucks and Pleating: Hattie’s Dress

This month’s challenge is:

Tucks and pleating – make a garment that features tucks and pleating for the shape or decoration

And my inspiration was this picture from german Vogue, August 1929:

The caption reads: “Mrs. Allan A. Ryan, junior, chosen by Cecil Beaton as the embodiment of the beautiful blonde American.”

I used a viscose fabric I had had in stash for some months, which proved to be a good choice, with a crepe-like feel and very drapey, though capricious. Too impatient to deal with well-known basics like basting the edges, I was rewarded with a neckline that grew larger by the minute. I added vertical seams in the front and back (fortunately barely visible) but in the end couldn’t get around inserting a strip around the neckline. It turned out okay, although taking a closer look makes it obvious, that this was not planned originally. But Mrs. Ryan’s elegant sash wasn’t easy to add to this, so I decided to fake it altogether, using a vintage buckle for the faux bow.

By and large this blouse has a more casual and sporty feel than its model, and it reminded me of wonderful Hattie from “Sweet and lowdown”, so that’s where it got its name from. I like it.

Now I have always wanted to make a typical twenties’ two piece frock, with the skirt attached to a vest, and being thrifty with my fabric I just had enough left to give it a try. I made a simple slip like the one for the last challenge of 2015 and sewed the skirt to it:

 

(Again, the slip doesn’t go on my dress form, so it’s pinned to it – the straps are not double.)

Pleats on either side:

The whole dress:

And this is what I’d really like to know: How do you make a pleated skirt (an extremely popular design in the twenties) without loosing the slim shilhouette? Especially pleats that open up at the waistline like these. I made another skirt this month with one pleat in the centre front, from top to bottom, as seen in many fashion plates – apart from being very unflattering it gives the skirt an unmistakable A-line shilhouette. Looks rather 70s. Starting the pleat below the lower hipline, everything’s fine. I’m really at a loss, so if anybody out there has an idea how to handle this, I would be grateful for a hint!

 

The Challenge: tucks and pleating

Material: viskose for the dress, rayon for the slip

Pattern: my own

Year: about 1926

Notions: thread, an original buckle

How historically accurate is it? very, as far as I can say.

Hours to complete: about a week’s time snippets

First worn: last sunday to church and a family gathering

HSM #1 – Procrastination: Trying Trousers

This is the first challenge of the Historical Sew Monthly 2016:

Procrastination – finish a garment you have been putting off finishing (a UFO or PHD) or make something you have been avoiding starting.

Well, procrastinate I did. Not the sewing, I finished this in the first week of January, but I just didn’t get round to writing about it, so my first entry for this year is, alas, late.

I made a pair of trousers. Trousers are unquestionably practical, when you spend a lot of time with a toddler (i.e. on the floor or at the playground), but I never liked to spend my precious sewing time on something so unexciting. Moreover, the few attempts I have made over the last years, with original 1930s or modern 30s style patterns were not crowned with success, waist and/or crotch just never turned out right. So I thought it a good thing to finally make another serious attempt – it can’t be so difficult!

I used the Smooth Sailing pattern by Wearing History, which I have owned for years but never used – I was never really convinced of the pleats in the front and the turn-ups; feels too Rosie-the-Riveter-y for me. Still I read many positive reviews about it and I had it in stash. Our moving house has made any purchases inopportune for the time being, so I used a fabric from stash, too, a blend of something or other, non-soiling, crease-proof and not very pleasant to touch, but not a bad choice for something that might turn out as a toile after all.

The pattern worked fine. The trousers fitted perfectly without any adjustments, the waist is high and the crotch low enough, and the fabric looks nice in them. Since I lined it, it is not too uncomfortable to wear. I am still no great fan of the pleats though (and went without the turn-ups anyway), so I will try another pair without these, maybe for the Gender-Bender-Challenge in April. All in all: not a favourite, but a good step on the way.

The Challenge: Procrastination

Material: I don’t remember – cotton, I think, but with a lot of something else in it, and polyester lining

Pattern: Smooth Sailing by Wearing History

Year: about 1938

Notions: thread, zipper, 1 button

How historically accurate is it? The pattern and fit is quite accurate, the fabric most certainly is not. So maybe 70%?

Hours to complete: three evenings

First worn: a couple of times yet, at home

HSM #12 – Re-do: Pretty in peach

A quick post for the last garment of 2015 – we have been moving to a new flat two weeks before christmas (with room enough for a permanent place for my sewing machine – jay!) and still don’t have any internet, so I’m now at a friend’s place to post this. It would be a shame to miss the last challenge, and I am happy to have managed it, even if it was just a quick and easy sew.

I thought my HSM-start with the flanel bloomers rather poor, so I decided to re-do the first challenge, foundations, and make a 1920s slip. Please excuse the bad picture – the slip does not go on my dress form, so I had to pin it to it.

The pattern consists of two A-shaped panels and the straps. Because the rayon resisted any pressing, I took silk for the straps and the binding, leftovers from a 1930s nightgown I made some years ago.

The Challenge: Re-do

Fabric: rayon and silk

Pattern: my own

Year: about 1925

Notions: thread

How historically accurate is it? Very, I think

Hours to complete: two evenings

First worn: not yet

So – this was the Historical Sew Monthly 2015! I am quite proud I actually did all of the challenges. Sometimes I wished I could have made more elaborate and glamourous garments, but I probably wouldn’t have finished them, so I guess it was allright the way it was. Many of the things I’ve made I have worn a lot, and above all it was a slow but thorough approach to 1920s clothing – which is to be continued beginning tomorrow. Following the challenges and their deadlines helped me to get things done, and besides it did a lot for keeping me sane during the year at home with my children … I love them dearly, but to have something else to plan and think and ponder about, and realise these nice things just for myself really was good!

I’m looking forward very much to the HSM 2016, many thanks again to Leimomi, and a very happy new year to you all!

HSM #11 -Silver Screen: Isobel’s blouse

It was clear from the beginnig, that my model for this month’s challenge would have to be something Downton Abbey. Since I discovered the series some years ago, it has influenced me a lot. For one thing I was very focused on the 1930s until the show (re)awakened my interest for earlier periods and historical sewing in general. The other major inspiration is about generally making an effort for my appearance – everyday, and including hats. It is so much nicer to leave the house well and elegantly dressed, even if it’s only to buy nappies. Of course I don’t always feel like it, but if I do it nevertheless, most times it makes the day a better one.

Now that the series has reached the 1920s, I generally like Lady Edith’s style best – her wardrobe is elegant and modern, yet very feminine. But after measuring up the available time for sewing and the opportunities to wear some of her beautiful ensembles or dresses, I decided to go for Isobel Crawley instead. Her attire still has this more practical and, well, middle-class appeal, and much of it would be fine for everyday use today (at least for me). What I finally decided to go for is this blouse:

I enjoyed doing the embroidery on the brown dress in September (although I’m afraid the dress will have to undergo some major transformations, before it will be actually worn someday), so I liked to try some more of it.

After I did several shortsleeved blouses and dresses based on the One Hour Dress pattern I tried my luck with combining this with a longsleeved tunic pattern, which originally had bust darts. It did work, but not especially well – the back and the front are out of balance, the back is very full and there’s some bagging  on the side seams, too. I think, someday I will have to seriously go into the basics of pattern drafting after all. But the fabric is very nice, rayon with a silky feel and drape, and I love the colour.

Taking a closer look at Isobel’s embroidery I realized to my disconcertment, that the pattern consisted not only of the geometrical parts and flowers and leaves, but of rather big insects too.

Now, I am not phobic or something, but I din’t feel I would really enjoy stitching these, so I decided to make my own sketch. This felt, like the mixing of colours I did for the Honeymoon Dress, very much like foreign territory and it took me some time to get started. In the end I came up with a simpler design, and this is how it turned out:

 

I used copy paper to transfer the pattern to the blouse but was afraid the lines would show afterwards, so I used blue one, which unfortunately was barely visible on the fabric – ending up doing much of the embroidery without a pattern anyway.

So although this blouse was another learning piece constructionwise, I enjoyed making it, and I think it’s beautiful!

The Challenge: Silver Screen

The Onscreen Inspiration: Isobel Crawley’s blouse from Downton Abbey

Fabric: rayon

Pattern: my own

Year: ca. 1926

Notions: thread, embroidery thread

How historically accurate is it?: very accurate, I think.

Time to complete: about 10 days

First worn: not yet