And talking of the Jif Lemon Dress…

The final mention of the Fall For Cotton challenge… The video of All The Makes is now up at Lucky Lucille’s – hooray!

I’m at 2 minutes 51. It’s the unadorned version of the dress, of course, but I still think it’s a good dress.

Presenting… The Jif Lemon Dress – Updating the Fall For Cotton Jiffy Dress

I said in the original FFC Finished post that I wanted the appeal of this dress to lie in the embellishment. I’d posted about decoration back here, and I knew after writing that post, that I wanted it to be those citrus appliqués. I didn’t want mad colours, so it was a case of sticking to one citrus fruit only, and as soon as the phrase “Jif Lemon” popped into my head, the colour scheme was set!

I made up one dummy run lemon slice, as soon as I had my felt. I didn’t have any embroidery thread in the right colour, so I just did it with white cotton and a plain running stitch, and I wasn’t taken with that effect- I worried that the edges would get fuzzy. But it gave me an idea of how the dimensions would work, and I could gauge how many I’d need to make, for my dress’s hem. Then I tried one using cotton perlé embroidery thread (Again. I like that stuff, its shiny!) and with a whip-stitch, and that felt better.

I cut out 14 of these slices. I wasn’t too worried about making them identical, but I wanted them to look broadly similar. It was boring and repetitive to sew the pieces together, but as with all such boring repetitive jobs, you just have to be able to watch tv while you’re doing it and keep the overall goal in mind.

Then it was a case of sewing the slices onto the dress- another repetitive, boring task! I’d done my calculations for how close to each other they needed to be, and how far up (they needed to clear the hem, as I didn’t want to muck up my lovely zebra print binding). I’m quite proud of how neat they are inside.

The dress is now a bit more zingy, and a lot more me. The weight of the lemon slices gives the hem a liddle bit of swing now. It’s odd, because they didn’t feel heavy before I sewed them on. I suppose it’s all a matter of distribution.

Again, I seem to have alighted on a colour that I would never normally consider wearing- the bright yellow felt that I got cheap on Ebay was waaaaaay out of my normal colour palette. For that reason, the appliqués are all on the hemline, nowhere near my face. It doesn’t look too strong because of the white. I really like how they’ve come out. I have to acknowledge to myself that this year has been a strange one for being attracted to yellows and oranges. It started back in February when I was in Cairo, and ended up getting one costume with yellow as the main colour, and one in black, red & yellow. And I kept spotting cute shoes in orange and yellow. And then there was the You Mean I’m Wearing Orange?! Skirt last month. I’m not sure if this is a long term trend for me. We’ll see…

Some of my Fall For Cotton Favourites

So all the queens of the last minute are posting their photos on the Fall For Cotton Flickr photo-stream, in time for today’s deadline. And I love so many of those challenge garments, but it’s not really feasible to post all of them. These are some of the highlights for me.

This is an unashamed picture post, and I hope that none of the owners of these photos will mind me promulgating them here on my own blog. If anyone has any problem with me hotlinking to their flickr photos or blog, I will happily edit them out. If they’re posted here, it’s because I really liked their make, so it’s honestly intended as a compliment, but I understand that they aren’t my pictures to share, and it’s your call.

First, I do appear to love a shift dress. This one is the Marnie Dress by Sew Classic. It’s a really elegant, and sexy-as-all-get-out wiggle dress, and the lace print fabric is so pretty.

The Marnie Dress

And talking of pretty fabric, how about this AMAZING print. I love the green and all the over the top Indian patterns. This dress is by Allie, from Through the Alley. And click here for her blog post about this dress, including the best detail- a little back bow.

And here comes another slinky dress, this time by Milena of the Home Blues. I love the autumnal print on this dress (blogged here).

Love those falling leaves!

Moving on to frocks of the less saucy variety, I fell hard for this black & white number by Katie Kadiddlehopper. Check her blog post for the full benefit of this fifties fashion print fabric. I love how she’s used the black for contrast.

Monochrome Gorgeousness

This dress & jacket suit is by Melanie of the Seed of 3, and is just adorable. See here for the blogging of it. I also love how Melanie’s accessorised with a pale pink hair ribbon- sweet!

Polka Dot Sweetness

There were a couple of tops that caught my eye. The first is another monochrome black & white number, from Elena Knits,  blogged in more detail with more photos here.

More black & white goodness

And I love the blouse that Tasha of By Gum, By Golly, one of the founders of Fall For Cotton, made. I particularly love the red buttonholes.

Isn’t this lovely?

There were a few makes from people who don’t seem to have a blog (if I’ve got that wrong, do please let me know and I’ll be happy to link)

40sVintageMama posted this fab cowboy print skirt:

Yeehar!

Woolbothy posted this snuggly looking zip top:

Doesn’t that look great for the autumn?

And as ever, I’m unable to resist a gigantic floral print!

You’ve gotta love a gigantic floral print!

And last, but by no means least, here is a selfless make, for the gentleman in her life, by Sanna of Space Dices. If you read Finnish, you could find out more about that make here.

A very stylish shirt

All the FFC photos are here, if you want to check out all the challenge garments that I haven’t posted about! And there may well be more last minuters, because I guess the challenge is still open until midnight USA time.

The Black Jiffy Dress – the Fall For Cotton Just in Time Post

I was using Simplicity’s Retro Jiffy Dress pattern, 1609, and plain black cotton drill. I wanted the appeal of this dress to lie in the embellishment. However, the embellishment isn’t going to be happening in September, unfortunately. It will happen soon, just not in time for the FFC deadline.

I adapted the pattern by adding an FBA, lowering the neckline slightly, and lengthening the hem, because I’m not 22 any more, and I can’t get away with flashing that much leg! And I wanted this to be work-appropriate.

Stuff I did that was new for me:
This was my first FBA. I researched it like billy-oh, and I think it came out ok.

Also I did a toile for the first time in my life, although I’m determined that the toile will become a wearable garment in its own right shortly.

And I hand-picked the zip. I was worried that my hand-sewing wouldn’t stand up to the rigours of actual wear, but actually I think it’s looking robust and I’m happy that it will bear up. I will do this again. I like the control that it gives me.

Stuff that stressed me at the time:

I did the toile, and made the resulting adjustments to my pattern and nevertheless I *still* had to adjust the dress again once I had started sewing it. I don’t mind that it got more adjustments, because that makes it a better dress. But I found it annoying at the time, and that reflects my basic desire to get things made quickly. I try to be patient, I try to remember that the seam-ripping and re-sewing is all part of the whole process. But inevitably this bugs me.

I usually have a To Do list for each sewing project, so that I can tick off all the things as I complete them. This To Do List just seemed to get longer & longer. I started out listing things like “sew darts”, “sew front seam”, “sew shoulder seams”, etc. Then as I got going, I kept realising that “sew front seam” also meant that I needed to neaten the seam edges, so I had to add a new To Do item for the neatening. And some of the darts needed neatening, so I had to add an item for “enclose dart seam edges with the bias binding”. Then there were all the “resew top of front seam, and re-neaten” type items! I need to chunk down my To Do Lists a lot more!

The bias binding I used was pretty but not really very practical. It was too wide, really for the arm & neck binding, and it certainly wasn’t bias-stretchy enough. So the more curved parts of the neckline & armholes are not as flat as I would have liked. And I will know next time, to be more careful about cutting bias binding narrower- it’s all over the shop! You live and learn…

What I love about this dress:

Stealth Zebra Print! I got this zebra print bias binding a while ago, and realised it would go perfectly with this dress. So I used it for neatening the raw edges of the darts that needed it, and for the neckline & arm holes, and for the hem.

This dress reminds me a bit of a black linen dress I once paid about £80 for, it’s just shorter. I spent about £15 on making it, so I’m happy with that comparison! I’ll be even happier once I’ve got the decoration on it that I’ve got planned.

And now for the obligatory goofy shot! I’m channelling Una Stubbs in Summer Holiday!

Eeeep!!! Fall For Cotton Panic!

How many days left before the end of September??? I’ve done NOTHING on this dress since I cut it out about 10 days ago.

So I decided I needed to get my act together PDQ and I am now getting it sewn. But it’s black, and the bulb in my sewing machine has gone (or the connection for it has gone- whatever, it’s not lighting up) so I’m having to concentrate *really* hard when I’m sewing, and let’s not even talk about having to unpick & resew.

And it’s dispiriting to remember that a simple instruction like “sew the front seam”, which sounds like you can get it done in 45 seconds actually takes a good deal longer, because of neatening seams and checking the fit and resewing and pressing…

But I’m doing it.

And I’m doing it properly. See? Neat seams. I do feel like I’m almost learning Sewing Patience.

Neat Seams FTW!

Wearable toile

I got started on the actual sewing of the teal dummy run dress. There are a few adjustments, as one might expect, but the FBA seems to have been successful, in that the dress accommodates my upper curves suitably, without messing with the armhole- so YAY! for that! My bust dart is gigantic, though, and could probably be moved up a centimetre or two.

I needed to take in the top of the centre front seam, and add an extra back neck dart to make the top bit of the dress fit nicely. I must have a big curve between my shoulders and neck, because I had to do the same thing for the Blue Floral Dress, although I made that adjustment through the zip placement. So that’s important for me to remember for the future. I also need to taper down the hips.

I had cut the neckline a lot lower than the actual pattern, because I’ve got a thing about high necklines- they make me feel very uncomfortable, but actually, I reckon I can add back an inch or so, without difficulty, on the actual dress.

I was trying the toile on with the zip opening pinned up, and could get in & out of the dress without difficulty, so I could forgo the zip, if I really wanted to. But dammit, I got a teal coloured dress-length zip for this, and I’m going to use it! And the same goes for the actual dress.

All the alterations have been marked onto my traced off pattern, ready for use on the actual FFC dress. This toile dress won’t count towards the Fall For Cotton Challenge, because it’s a stretch cotton, so it’s got some lycra content. But the fabric for the actual dress is 100% cotton, as required.

And I’m a good blogger and I know that you’re supposed to add pictures, but honestly, it’s really difficult photographing yourself wearing something pinned together and inside-out and still make yourself appear even half-way attractive. So I wasn’t going to make a song & dance about this, and I’ve just cropped it to kingdom come!

Jiffy Toile- pinned

Now that I know it’s going to work, and I know what I’m changing, I’ll be sewing this dress together, so that I’ve got the shell of it set up. But I’ll be leaving the finishing of it until after the actual dress is made, because that’s the important Challenge garment that I need to get done by the end of the month.

Pattern Futzing

I’ve only gone & done my first FBA!

I’ve spent a good part of this evening sellotaping lots of bits of tracing paper together and crossing out lines, and making new ones. I won’t know if it’s worked until I start actually sewing stuff together, obviously, but I’ve done a tissue fitting, with the darts all taped into position, and so far, it’s looking like everything *ought* to work. At least it’s a good starting point. Everyone keep their fingers crossed for me.

I’ve also added a lot more markings on the pattern pieces, for my own information, like where my waist is, where my hips are.

I’m not showing photos of myself in my undies and paper on the internets, so you’ll have to make do with pictures of my poor mangled bits of tracing paper. Poor and mangled they may be, but they are going to make me an ACES dress!

Futzing with the pattern

Project Fall For Cotton is Go PLUS some thoughts on Embellishment

The shopping trip for Fall For Cotton supplies was mostly successful*. I’ve got the fabric and notions for making the actual dress (I decided to go with the 60s Jiffy Dress). The fabric is a plain 100% cotton drill, so that’s all in order. I also got some gorgeous teal stretch cotton sateen* for doing a dummy run dress, which hopefully we’ll all be able to call a wearable toile.

I wasn’t able to get the Jiffy dress pattern at Fabricland (boo, because they had a sale on) and they suggested I could try John Lewis, but they didn’t even have that pattern in their book, so once I got home, it was off to trusty Ebay, where I was able to secure the pattern, so that was successful. I love Ebay, it’s better than Harrods for being able to buy Anything. I should have the pattern by Friday, which would mean I’ve got everything I need in time for the official Start Date of Sunday. I won’t actually start any cutting out or sewing until then, but I do reserve the right to futz with the pattern before the official start date, to get it to fit me.

I’ve gone for plains again. And again, I’m going to go down the route of Embellishment, though as yet I haven’t made any final decisions on how or what.

As to the what, there are several options I’ve been mulling over. Firstly, I am toying with the idea of some kind of Mondrian effect.

Piet Mondrian, Composition with Yellow, Blue, and Red, 1937–42 Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mondrian_CompRYB.jpg

This thought is ever so slightly inspired by the scooter helmet my Dad had in the sixties, which he painted himself with Mondrian checks! He was a bit of a mod in his time, my Dad.

Or I could go all Mary Quant Daisy.

The spirit of Mary Quant Image source: http://www.maryquant.co.uk/corporate/index.html

When I was trying to source this image, I went to the Mary Quant cosmetics site, and guess what? It’s all Mondrian-inspired!

Then there’s this image, that I found on The Purl Bee, via Pinterest:

Citrus Coasters Image source: http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/6/23/mollys-sketchbook-citrus-coasters.html

OK, so they’re supposed to be coasters, but I think they could look stonkingly cute on a 60s style dress. They’ve got a sort of Tiki vibe about them. I’m not sure if that’s an authentic “of-the-era” influence, it’s maybe more 50s than 60s, but even if it isn’t, it’s very stylised, which *is* a 60s thing, and I like them, which is far more to the point.

I did have an idea of a kind of Aladdin Sane lightning flash, but I scuppered that one fast, as I want this dress to be suitable for work, and somehow that seemed a bit over the top. Whereas Mondrian checks, Mary Quant florals and Tiki citruses are all perfectly reasonable office attire. That’s right, isn’t it?

So the actual design of the decoration is still undecided, as indeed is the method of decoration. I’m keeping my options open on apppliqué embroidery or beading. I’ve definitely been missing the fun of beading since I stopped making dance costumes for myself. Especially as I’ve been watching the work in progress of one of my bellydance costume-making inspirations and heroes, Ozma of Japan. I’m satisfying my costume-making urge by making a skirt & accessories set for a friend, but it’s only lightly sequinned, and it’s a bit like drinking decaff- it’s got all the appearance of making a costume, but without the real Hit.

Aaaaaaanyway, reeling this post back to the original point… I’m really liking the thought that I can pretty up my makes in a way that is totally individual and unique and beautiful and special, all through my own SKILLZ!

* Edited to add: I would like it on record that I was *very* disciplined in my shopping, and I manfully resisted the lure of aubergine linen. But it has been Noted for Future Reference.

FFC ideas

I’ve just finished hemming the You Mean I’m Wearing Orange?! Skirt, and it looks pretty damn good, though I say so myself! I’m going to have a stab at getting it photographed tomorrow. But until I’ve got nice photos I’m not doing the final post on it.

So now, I can focus on the Fall For Cotton Challenge.  I’ve got all sorts of ideas flying around, and as usual when I’ve got lots of things in my head confusing me, I’m writing those things down. I find it helps me, because it gets those things out of my head.

Recapping the challenge terms:
1 – It has to be made from 100% cotton.
2 – It has to be vintage style (from 20s to 70s), meaning you can use either genuine vintage patterns, or reproduction vintage patterns, or modern retro patterns, or even modern patterns, to get the right look.
3 – Sewing starts 1st September, the challenge ends 30th September.

I don’t want to make a garment that I’ll end up not wearing, because I’m not made of money, so whatever I make needs to fit into my functional wardrobe. I don’t have a vintage wardrobe, so whatever I make, it needs to be fairly classic, and not look too costumey.

I toyed with the idea of making a pencil skirt, but threw that one out, partly because it’s basically just another straight skirt, so not much of a challenge and it would be a cowardly option, and partly because it’s just too similar to the Sew Weekly Reunion skirt I’ve just finished- I want to do something different.

The 70s are still too close for comfort- I can remember my childhood and adolescent wardrobe only too well, and it ain’t a pretty thing. The forties and earlier are too costumey for me, and won’t fit in with any of my other clothes, but I think I can absorb a certain amount of 50s or 60s influence. I’m looking at retro style patterns, since I don’t have any actual vintage patterns to hand. I’d love to make a huge fouffy fifties sundress, but it is the “Fall” for cotton challenge, so that’s not very realistic. Even with an Indian Summer, England in September requires more autumnal inspiration. Also, I’m starting a new job in September, which will require me to dress more “officey” than I’ve been used to, and my office wardrobe needs a boost.

I’m looking quite strongly at the Simplicity Jiffy Dress, Simplicity 1609.

Jiffy Dress

This dress seems well within my abilities. It’s cute,  but I think it CAN work for the fuller figured lady, because it’s got really simple lines. I think I’d want to make it plain, rather than patterned, or keep the patterning quite subtle, but who knows, I might get inspired if I see something fabulous that would make this dress rock. Plus, Fabricland have a half price Simplicity Patterns sale!

I was thinking that in order for this to be a true challenge to me, I should try and address one of my Issues, namely buttonholes, by trying to make a blouse of some sort. This would be a real challenge to me. I’ve looked on Ebay for actual vintage patterns, and there were a couple that look reasonably straightforward, but they’re all TINY, and the patterns would need serious grading to get up to anything resembling my size. There’s the possibility of using Simplicity 1590, which is quite a pretty retro pattern.

Peplums ahoy!

But I’m not sure about that peplum. Maybe I could just make it a bit smaller? I can appreciate it’s a nice feature, but it’s just too much flapping about for my liking.

My third option is to stick with the frock idea, and just make it in more autumnal weight fabric, rather than summer style fabric. I’ve already got Butterick 5748, which is pretty as a peach. I’d be going for the more simple version, because I don’t want to have bows and stuff on a work dress. Obviously with the charming English Winter approaching, I’d need to invest in a load of cardigans to wear with it, on account of it being sleeveless.

Butterick retro frock

And finally, there’s the option of a pattern-free circle skirt. I’ve done a short circle skirt already, the Squares and Triangles Circle Skirt, using the full width of a wide piece of fabric. This would be a longer length skirt, and would be more along the lines of a poodle skirt. It would be another opportunity for embellishment, and I’ve got a couple of ideas for that- nothing firm yet, just *not* a poodle. That would be too Grease for words!

So there you have it- lots of ideas, and I’m aiming to go fabric/pattern shopping on Tuesday- Fabricland have a 10% off offer on Tuesdays in August so I’m going to take advantage of that while I’ve still got Tuesdays free- I’ll be a wage slave the week after that. I’m hoping that I find fabric that will inspire me towards a particular direction. And even if I don’t use these ideas for the Fall For Cotton challenge, they’re still all good ideas and I can use them some other time.

If anyone reading has any particular views one way or another, or can think of anything else I might want to consider before committing myself to a specific project, all input would be most welcome.

Fall For Cotton Sewalong

Having signed up for the Sew Weekly Reunion challenge (and enjoying that challenge so far), I’m embracing the whole challenge ethos and I now appear to have signed up for another one, the Fall For Cotton Sewalong. That’s another button to be added to the sidebar!

It’s a September Sewalong, starting on 1st and finishing on 30th. The rules are that you use 100% Cotton fabric, and that you make a garment from your favourite vintage decade. Thankfully you’re allowed to use retro patterns, as I’ve not actually got any genuinely vintage patterns at my current disposal.

I’m not yet 100% sure what I’ll be sewing- I usually have to find the fabric to inspire me! Part of me wants to go for a huge skirted 50s dress, but my rational head is reminding me I *need* some sensible office clothes, so I might end up going for a pencil skirt instead. Or *maybe* this is the time I challenge myself to conquer my fear of buttonholes and make a blouse… I’ll update once I’ve found the supplies that send me in a specific direction. Another trip to the shops is beckoning!

I’m not doing it for prizes*, I’m just doing it to challenge myself. Who knows where this one will go?

* Just as well, as I ain’t going to be winning any!