Celebrating Victory!

Hi everyone,

My Sew For Victory project is now complete !

( Another building hall picture…I originally wanted to have a little photoshoot outside, but in the pouring rain ? No thanks !)

To celebrate Victory, what’s better than music ? Well, it just so happens that the fabric I chose for this is music-themed ! I found it on Spoonflower and it was designed for a « History of jazz » contest that took place a few months ago. Guitar, piano keys, double bass, drums, sax, trumpets, clarinets…there’s a whole big band on this fabric, perfect for a 1940s/mid-century soundtrack !
Well now, on to the patterns and the details.
I used Colette’s Ginger skirt pattern, and the size 6 fit me with almost no alterations. I just slashed-and-spreaded the skirt pieces to make the whole thing a bit more flared, and I also just lengthened it a little bit for a more (or so I hope !) period-appropriate length. I also made my left back waistband pieces longer, in order to have an overlap which allowed me to put a skirt hook-and-eye closure at the waistband.

I also tried to include more vintage-ish details, such as patch pockets …

Hey look, I can actually put my hand in the pockets now !

Another pocket detail. These buttons looked pretty cute to me, but on second thoughts I think they look more 70s than 40s…Could anyone confirm that ? If it is so, I guess I have to train my eyes at identifying vintage buttons…

…A hand picked lapped zipper, instead of the invisible zipper the pattern called for…

Please be kind, as it was only my second time inserting a lapped zipper ! I actually made a first go at it with my sewing machine, and I think I would have left it as it was if I had been sewing a solid fabric with a same colored thread. But the orange thread showed a little too much for my taste on this fabric, so I went for a hand picked lapped zipper. It’s not perfect – either I lack training, or handpicked is just better for non-lapped, centered zippers – but I think it still does the trick...

…and bound seams.

(picture coming later)

So there you have it – a jazzy Ginger ! I hope the weather gets better soon so I can actually wear it !


And for now, I’ll leave you with a picture of my faithful sewing help :

No, Kitty. Nothing is going to hatch from that pincushion, no matter how long you sit on it…

Sew For Victory : in progress!

Hi everybody, here's a little update on my Sew For Victory project! It wasn't easy to start (not due to the pattern itself but rather to my tight schedule...), but it looks like we'll finally get there on time!

Come on. Go ahead. HAVE A GOOD LAUGH at this awesome fabric I'm using for a muslin! I guess is was originally intended to make bed sheets or duvet covers for kids, but it also happened to be close enough in terms of drape/body, to my fashion fabric. And it was cheap.

Self-drafted patch pockets with flaps. I know, my pocket flaps are half disapearing under my waistband and in the side seam, and I could hardly put three fingers in my pockets. But don't worry, I made new pattern pieces and the final pockets should allow me to use them for realz.

And here's my first attempt at a lapped zipper! A bit wonky but I think I got the gist of it. Anyway, I'll probably end up making a hand-picked lapped zipper, as I always trust my hand-sewing more than my sewing machine when it comes to being precise. And hand-sewing is all the more vintage, don't you think?

I actually completed this muslin this weekend, and I'm pretty happy to say it seems to fit without any alterations apart from those I had already made - lengthening the skirt and slashing-and-spreading to make it more flared. I did'nt get much sewing done over this Easter weekend, between eating chocolate and attending a B-movie festival taking place in my city, but I still managed to trace my pattern and cut my fashion fabric...and as the Ginger skirt is a quick make, I hope I'll finish it before April 30th! Fingers crossed!

Hortencia has flowered!

Or should I say, it was finished a week ago, blocked 4 days ago, and finally worn 3 days in a row! (and I'm so happy with it I'm making rhymes, how cool is that!)

Quick and dirty picture taken in my building's hall, just before going to work...please forgive the bad light and my "just-fell-out-of-bed-wheres-my-cup-of-coffee" face, I'm actually REALLY happy with it!

So, this is Andi Satterlund's Hortencia pattern, made in Cascade 220 Heathers in the Mallard color.
No real difficulties whatsoever, just had to use 5.5 mm needles instead of the 5 mm the pattern calls for, and start over again a few times to pick the right number of stitches at the sleeves and collar (anyone has a tip to pick up just the right number of stitches?).
A few little mistakes (in the ribbing on one of my sleeves, and in the collar because the cable/tube got separated from the needle and I had to put all these dropped stitches in place...twice!), and although I like the cropped look, it's really on the short side (if I make another one, I'll probably make it just a bit longer so it hits at my actual waistline, which is slightly lower thant this!), but nothing to prevent me from loving this cardigan as it is!
I learned lots about increases and decreases, short rows, and even working with the magic loop (for the sleeves' ribbing)!
However, as the weather is getting warmer, maybe the time for wearing wool cardigans will soon be over...nevermind, I'm already thinking about knitting something lighter! I can tell you, a Miette will be cast on very soon!

Sew for Victory skirt : buttons inspiration

Currently looking for some buttons to put on my future skirt's pocket flaps, but I can't seem to find anything very exciting in my city's shops...
So I made a Pinterest board with what I found online :

Follow Juliette MIJEON's board Buttons inspiration on Pinterest.

Do you have more ideas of online places where I could find more cute, vintage-y looking buttons?

Lucky Lucille's Sew For Victory 2.0 : I'm in!

Look what I got in the mail last Thursday evening...

The pattern was not part of the parcel, I bought it a long time ago (2 years ago maybe) and haven't done anything with it yet. But will you look at that fabric...!

Well hello Spoonflower goodness! And right on time for me to join Sew For Victory 2.0!
You may not see it very well on the picture, but this design by Celia Forrester actually consists in a Picasso-esque mixture of music instruments parts - guitar, keyboard, drums, trumpet, saxophone,double bass...now that's what I call a loud print!
So, yes, I'm going to turn it into a Ginger. It's not a vintage pattern or even a reissue, but I plan to make a few alterations to give it that 1940s vibe :

• lengthen it a little (if necessary) so it hits just below the knee,
• maybe slash and spread the skirt pannels to make it a bit more flared,
• add patch pocket with flaps and buttons to match the fabric (have yet to find these...)
• make a lapped zipper. I'm feeling a bit anxious about this as it will be my first, and is the waistband not going to prevent me from installing such a kind of zipper? If anyone could give me some advice about it, that would be great!

Well...I'll keep you updated on how it goes!