Thank you and good-bye from Sew Indigo's blog

On the eve of a new year I feel compelled to tidy up loose ends. This sadly neglected blog is one of those loose ends. In the past year or so, I've been moving in a different creative direction - actually back to my first loves - art and colour. It's not a surprising as I have studied colour and design in the past and ran my own colour consulting business for years. Lately, I've been taking art classes - both online and in person which has taken me to wonderful places and where I've met wonderful new friends.

© Suellen Tomkins

Of course, I'll continue to sew. After all I have this fabulous stash of fabrics and patterns waiting to be made. I'll also continue to lurk in 'sewing blog land' to see what everyone's up to.

Lastly and most importantly, I want to thank you for reading and commenting - it's been great fun. You'll still find Sew Indigo active in other places.....

My Etsy store continues to have wonderful vintage patterns from the 40s - 60s and who doesn't love a fabulous vintage pattern? And such a great way to revive and personalise a piece of fashion history.

Sew Indigo has a facebook page which has also been a little inactive but will be reinvigorated in the New Year featuring vintage patterns. You'll find my vintage patterns and other pins on Pinterest and my art and life on Instagram.

Once again thank you. A happy and healthy New Year to you all.

Swedish Winter

Swedish Winter by sewindigo featuring a lace biker jacket

Urban casual

Urban casual by sewindigo featuring rhinestone jewelry

Vintage buttons

My mother collected and sold vintage buttons when she worked in the antique business. I've been lucky enough to take over her wonderful collection.

I think they make a wonderful, individual addition to a handmade garment.

 I'm listing them on my Etsy shop for those of you looking for buttons. Here's a couple of my favourites.

1940s glass buttons with painted flowers

1930s enamel Viking ship buttons

Inspiration Board: 60s inspired cross over cocktail dress with kitten heel and coat

Retro cross over cocktail dress by sewindigo featuring narrow shoes

Retro cross over cocktail dress

Retro cross over cocktail dress by sewindigo featuring narrow shoes

Sculptural clothing exhibition - Croatia

While enjoying the sights of Sibenik, Croatia today I stumbled upon a small design space with a clothing/wearable art/sculptural clothing exhibition "bauhaus Plese" by Zagreb based artist Tihana Miksa Perkovic. 

I couldn't get much information (the exhibition brochure was in Croatian) about it but it looked fabulous, so I grabbed a few photos. There were pieces made from plastic bags, burnt lace fabric and fabulous knits amongst other things. Enjoy!

Let's talk dress forms

When I took up sewing again, I wanted a dress form to help me with fitting and hemming garments for myself. So I went looking....bear in mind I live in Australia and choices are be limited.

The easiest ones to find here are the Singer adjustable types (or similar) which I'm sure would have been fine but it just looked and felt like plastic. Also they are not inexpensive, so I didn't really want to buy it just because it was a readily available option.

Singer Adjustable Dress Form

Moving on, I read alot about making a duct tape dress forms like this one. The big advantages are that it's cheap to make and will end up much closer to your body shape than the one above. But you'd have to make it, fill it and mount it, etc, etc and I don't really have the patience for this. They seem pretty popular.

Making duct tape dress form - Threads Magazine

There's versions like these from Fabulous Fit which allows you to pad out a standard form to better match your shape. I like the idea this option because if you loose or gain weight you can alter the standard form by removing or adding padding (within the limitations of the standard shape of course). Also it's pinnable which I think is a big advantage. All for a price.

Fabulous Fit Dress form

Fabulous Fit Fitting System

The one I liked the sound of the best is  My Twin Dress Form. You make a plastic cast of your body and then pour moulding material into the cast for a replica of your body shape - kind of like a foam version of the duct tape model. Sounds time consuming but it could be worth the effort.

My Twin Dress Form

What did I end up with? Well I was in budget mode and bought a "vintage" version online which I really like from a cosmetic point of view, it has character. It does have some adjustments but it's pretty limited and is less than ideal for fitting. So I may have to go looking for a better solution again soon.

Front view 

Back View

Do you use a dress form? If so, what kind and why? Any recommendations?

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Red Sheath Dress Revisited

Remember this dress that I laboured over for week? It was my attempt at introducing couture techniques into my sewing. As promised, here's me in the dress instead of the dress form (better late than never). Apologies for the quality of the photo - as you can see it was taken at night.

Dinner in Venice

Also as a postscript, I washed the dress in a washing machine and being cotton it came out looking pretty crumpled. I wasn't feeling too confident about how if was going to iron.Well, I'm pleased to report it was an absolute dream to iron - this was unexpected.

I can only put it down to the construction.  Specifically the use of the interlining and how the lining was inserted into the dress. So apart from being so easy to wear, it's also really easy to care for - the extra effort was definitely worth it.

Movie costumes - The Tourist

A few nights ago, I watched Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp in The Tourist (2010), mostly because it was set in Venice. I didn't care for much for the film but was intrigued by the costumes.
I was undecided about whether they worked well or not but they were interesting. They seemed a bit try hard and a little old for Jolie but I was curious about them and they did look luxurious.

The costume designer was Colleen Atwood who has had a number of Academy Awards for films like Chicago and Alice in Wonderland (by Tim Burton).

A dress inspired by authentic Irene (1930s costume designer) costume and a modern day addition of the mocha wrap

A draped silk evening dress was an original design

This outfit was tailored from a vintage find

An original Charles James dress - my favorite

A white evening jacket tailored by Saville Row

The accessories - jewelry, gloves and shoes (mostly Ferragamo) gives the film and the costumes a very expensive look. What do you think?

Colette Clover capri pants

Making capri pants, and in particular this pattern, has been on my "To Do" list for a while. I've never made pants before and these looked so simple and cute. I thought "why not?" - if it works out I can make it in all sorts of colours. Well, not so easy....

First, the fabric: French navy cotton with 2% spandex. Affordable fabric in case things do not go well. Originally I was going to line these pants - what was I thinking?? I gave this idea up quickly. 

I made a toile (terrible initial fit) and attended a class to adjust the pattern for a better fit, had to make major modifications, made a second toile, modified this and then finally cut the fashion fabric. All good? Nope. The garment sewed together well but the fit was awful - no photos necessary - it looked like ill fitting jodhpurs. The unfinished garment is lying in pieces in the sewing room. 

I'm not even going to pretend to know what went wrong. My only guesses are...
- they are pants
- they are fitted stretchy pants
- the toile was made in non-stretch muslin, maybe it should have been made in fabric with the same degree of stretch
- I "self fitted" the second toile - not ideal

I think it's salvageable - I really do but I'll get help. If I can get the fit right, I think they could become a good staple garment. 

Not sure I'm too keen about sewing pants again though. What about you?

Have you taken a blogging break?

I did. It coincided with a holiday and then it drifted along for longer than I had planned. Oops.

Let's face it, it takes time, care and thought to create a interesting or useful post. And then there's the accompanying photos to consider......

This blog started as a chronicle of my return to sewing with a splash of vintage patterns talk as I discovered them.

Recently, as I've had less time to sew, I've had less to say about my projects. So while these projects slowly re-emerge when time permits and as I work out the direction I'm going (things change), I will to focus on all things vintage (patterns).

What do you think about blogging breaks? Do you take them? If so why? Do your blogs change focus as your interests change?

Inspiration Board: 1950's evening gown

1950's evening gown by sewindigo featuring platform heels

Inspiration Board: Schiaparelli and Prada

Schiaparelli and Prada - Possible Conversation by sewindigo featuring prada dresses

This is an Polyvore Inspiration board I collected as part of a competition to celebrate The Met museum's exhibition of Shiaparelli and Prada. I didn't win anything but I still like the items in the board, so I thought I'd share... 

Fabric shopping in Italy

A little while ago I was lucky enough to spend two fabulous weeks in Italy. High on my "To Do" list (crazy I know) was fabric shopping. I had been warned that the fabric was expensive but I was determined to buy Italian fabric in Italy and so I did.

First stop:
Casa Del Tessuto, Rome
www.casadeltessuto.com

Street entrance

This place is enormous. There are bolts of fabric two stories high with everything from fine silks and wools to home ware fabrics. A word of advice, have a pretty good idea of what you want before you get there otherwise it's completely overwhelming. And be prepared to ask for what you need because it impossible to see the fabric without help. Also be prepared for the prices especially for silk and wool.

Next stop:
Casa dei Tessuti, Florence
www.casadeitessuti.com

view as you walk in the front door

While Casa Del Tessuto feels like a warehouse, this lovely store is a step back in time with lovely old fashioned service. The service is very personalised which can also be a little intimidating if you're just browsing but the fabric are gorgeous. They have the most wonderful selection of lace and linen. Once again be prepared for the prices, they are much higher than I'm use to.


Last stop:
small fabric store, Milan (sorry, can't recall details - not helpful, I know)

This was a stumble upon small fabric store in the fabulously upmarket shopping district near the Duomo. Again, the prices were up there so I immediately gravitated towards the remnants on sale and snagged a delightful piece of Italian made silk blend fabric.

If any one else has some tips, I'd love to hear about them for future trips.

Inspiration Board: 1930s/40s glamour loungewear

1940s loungewear by sewindigo featuring pink slippers

A word about housecoats (also known as dust coats) - not too glamorous sounding are they? But don't confuse them with the everyday "dressing gown" we know now. In the past, dressing gowns were  associated with male clothing. Housecoats were a feminine item, popular in the 1940s. They were used to put over day clothes to protect them when doing chores in the home, hence the long sleeves and longer hemlines.

Housecoats were usually made of a lightweight fabric or sometimes quilted for warmth and would fasten down the front with either a zipper or buttons.  The red housecoat in this board is by Mainboucher from 1950s (in the Met Museum). Hardly a frumpy style "dressing gown"! The McCall housecoat pattern is from 1939.

Overtime the purpose of the housecoat changed and women starting wearing them in the evening when hosting guests. The term housecoat is rarely used now has merged with the dressing gown into a unisex item worn at home. 

The Duchess of Windsor as a designer

While the controversial  Duchess of Windsor had a reputation as a woman of style, I never knew she was a pattern designer. Did you?

From the late 1950s and well into the 60s, the Duchess of Windsor worked with the Spadea pattern company to design patterns. Spadea patterns have a reputation of being some of the best pattern produced in the 20th century and worked with a number of American designers and celebrities over the years. If you're interested, you can find an excellent overview of the history and design of Spadea patterns here.

Here's some examples of the Duchess of Windsor patterns and I think if you look back through some of her photographs they definitely reflect here sense of fashion.

one of mine from 1960

1963

Fitting a commercial pattern: Pants

Recently I  attended my second class on fitting and modifying a commercial pattern. Last time it was a dress, this time pants.

I have wanted to make the Colette Clover pants for sometime - so cute and versatile but I was intimidated mainly because they are PANTS and they are fitted! Plus I've never made a pair of pants before.

Source

So best to get help from professionals - I'm glad I did. So, I completed a muslin (in calico) based on the sizing on the chart I thought. Not good - too small around the hips and way too low at the back. Also there's something strange going on in the crotch area of the pattern and it was a bit full at the front.

Source - not my pants btw

So quite a few modifications needed and a second muslin will have to be done. Having read other blogs on the Clover pants, fitting this pattern (or maybe all pants) can be an issue but when people get it right, they seemed to be happy with them.

My suggestions:-
- definitely make a test garment (ideally in a similar stretch fabric)
- Colette as a series of blogs for her Clover Sewalong which includes fabric select and fitting - definitely worth a look

Despite making the muslin in calico (I couldn't find any cheap fabric with the right stretch), I will be using fabric with stretch for comfort. So I'll be checking the fit again in the fashion fabric. I want to include stretchable interlining in the pants to help minimise the stretch fabric growing as I wear it (I hope). And I'll be lining them for luxury and comfort. This could be overkill but I'll see how we go.

I've found a thick French blue cotton with some stretch which will be excellent for my first attempt. Fingers crossed.....

Finished garment: Vintage red sheath dress

You may remember I finished a couple of courses recently:-
- Susan's Khaljie's online The Couture Dress course
- Fitting a commercial pattern course

I decided to apply what I had learned to a vintage sheath dress pattern I'd collected some time ago. It ticked all the right boxes for us curvy girls:-

• the bodice and skirt darts allowed for figure flattering fitting
• the skirt was not quite pencil straight so was hip/thigh skimming
• the 2 side slits allowed for ease of movement
• there was a nice V neck feature at the back of the dress
• there were some subtle tucks at the waist making the stomach area more flattering
• I left the overskirt option off but having seen the dress, it could be quite cute in the right fabric

So to the fabric and construction:-

-source-

• Fashion fabric: Red/black digital print cotton with a subtle sateen finish. Originally I was thinking silk but I chose a lower cost option so I could test the outcome and also wear it more often. I also wanted a slightly retro look in the fabric
• Interlining: lightweight cotton (not my best choice as it did not have great body and was difficult to handle but then I did want a washable option)
• Lining: Red poly acetate - cost related choice again but it was a pain to handle (especially during cutting and marking)

Not the greatest photos but I promise to post photos of me wearing the dress...

Front - boat neck fitted bodice

Side view

Side view - hand inserted side zip

Back view - V neckline

Here's what I learned:-

• After the muslin fitting, I spent ages adjusting the muslin (darts etc) and reassembling the toile to make sure I had the fit correct. It was worth it. It was so fantastic to have a garment that fitted regardless of size or shape. It make a huge difference
• I followed Susan's assembly techniques pretty much to the letter. Hand basting, interlining, inserting the lining by hand - the whole nine yards. Again, it was so worth it - the dress is an absolute dream to wear! The interlining and lining makes the garment feel more "substantial", "luxurious" and comfortable to wear.
• I enjoyed the handsewing! Not so much the thread tracing but inserting the lining and zip by hand was easier than I thought and you get more control. Even prick stitching the lining so it didn't roll past the fashion fabric was really satisfying to do. 
• I will absolutely use this muslin pattern again. I could use it to adjust the front neckline for variety. Because the shape is so classic - it lends itself to variation in fabric and some alterations eg. sleeves.
• I learned lots of patience and I can still hear my other half say "is it worth it?" The answer is "yes, absolutely!".
• I've resolved to make fewer garment (not than I'm a prolific sewer anyway) but make them better. I'm aiming for a couple of garments a season. 

How do you feel about the garments you make? Which ones do you enjoy wearing often or make again?

My Sewing (and Knitting) "To Do" list

I'm not a "Do To" list kind of person. I tend to flit from project to project depending on what takes my fancy at the time.

But....I started one on this blog. Mostly to give me visual inspiration and keep me focussed - I get distracted easily by other possibilities.

You can  find my list on this page (we're heading into winter now). I'll continue to add to it but the main purpose is to  do a good job on things on the list and not get too ambitious. Let's see.....

Do you have a "To Do" list? What projects have you got planned for the upcoming season?