Wrap dress / yukata remodel

I've been wanting another wrap jacket. 

 I used to have a Saf T Pockets Journey jacket (version one, in black crepe polyester) that I wore every day to work, and sadly terminally ventilated in a smoking accident 

(quit three years ago this spring).

Smoking is dangerous, kids!

I guess the best description is a woven cardigan.

The knit ones get saggy in the pockets eventually.

And I am all about the pockets

I have a Bryn Walker cream linen one, without pockets.

Haven't figured out how to add pockets to it yet.

So..

Bonus points for promotional giveaway yukata from Yomiuri Giants that spouse got at baseball game back in the 80s.

Boy, we've beaten that Ikea duvet cover to bits

I was drafting a pattern for a yukata that I made for Thing Two (Formerly Blondini), 

and while looking for that linen wrap for a model, found this black thing and there was my material.

I worked too fast for photos, but generally this was a Bryn Walker sleeveless asymmetrical lightweight black linen wrap dress, that just gaped and I never wore it.

Like this one, but in black.

So I will make it be what I want.

I cut off the skirt for yardage.

I picked out and let down the hem, and had enough for sleeves (it was really long).(go back and look at that photo. There's a lot of fabric if you cut it at the hipline) (I'm short)

 I think most of this project involved unpicking seams. 

That does seem to be the alteration job. If you can enjoy picking out hundreds of stitches, you have a future in alterations.

I love my seam ripper. Search on Etsy or Ebay for seam ripper. The points on these (parts from Penn State Industries) are forged stainless steel. Yum!

Attached sleeves 

Black does not photograph well. It just doesn't.

Chopped

Lengthened the sleeves (and gave them a weightier hem) with black linen with white thread plaid (thanks Pac Fabrics for enabling my shopping experience by being open after work!)

Sort of an homage to the foldy sleeves on this

but not quite this

And added more of the same as a weightier hem (camouflage for polka dot interior pockets)

I'm making the usual zipper foldover pockets. Sewn separately and stitched into the side seam and tacked in to the body/plaid hem fabric. They will be covered by that plaid hem material at their bases. plaid is so light absorbent, I could topstitch on it and it would not show. but the bulk of the pocket contents would.

Made pockets

Glued and sewn zipper stop ends

Lined it up with the side seam and machine stitched it

Folded up the hem over it

Handstitched hem over pocket

I look weird to me without my glasses. And yes, it needs ironing. Hey, I ironed the sewn parts!

Wearing results: the side pockets are too far to the sides, so I will jimmy some more in a little closer to the front. Otherwise it works well. Sleeves are long enough for warmth, short enough for driving. Spreads wide enough to 'dibs' two seats at the  Ballyhoo performance of "Spring Awakening"

Ah, the other reason why I didn't wear it: it was always deeply wrinkled. Well, now it will be
charmingly deeply wrinkled.

And I'll wear it to work. Cause it gets chilly in the office in the morning, before the server heats it up. 

And then it's Otter Pop and bathing suit time.

McCalls 8062 Vintage 50s Blouse

It's that time of year!

I put up a string of photos on Instagram of different vintage patterns that are pretty much the same pattern. Partly because I had bought all of them with the same intent of a low yardage blouse, and partly because I really would like to come up with a new blouse, and early 50s vintage is where my mind travels.

click on the photos to make them bigger.

It says novelty cotton right in that list! (it also says corduroy)

Have you ever had a corduroy blouse? 

I'm not saying it doesn't work, but it has to be a really nice corduroy.

for those who like a side zipper, this will squeak out under a yard with facings.

mail order blouse, no number. These instructions and the Japanese pattern books are going to get a post of their own soon

I don't have a waist anymore though. That will be apparent shortly.

April 2016

I traced the vintage McCalls features onto the newer McCall's to speed up the resizing process. I decided to go with the sleeveless version because I really liked the squared off armsceye shape.

It has no bust darts. Since I have no bust, this usually works for me. It seems to be that it should be cut on the bias to get away with that dart free effect, but it's not.

Square!

And of course, I decided to go plaid.

I did not write on the original: this is a copy of the cover.

One way to guarantee the plaid matches all the way around it to cut out the pattern as one piece from front edge to front edge, make long darts resembling the side seams and wherever you take darts. 

I went downstairs before work to take this photo, and while it lacks much information as a photo, I can assure you that the pattern piece lacks just as much. I cannot photograph pencil lines that are not there: I winged it. That it would be wrong to leave out this information as a full report of this make, that is certain. And that the visible back dart (right corner) is in a better place than the one I put in.

This technique allows me to use the selvage and these markings and tags from this Javanese sarong yardage (from Value Village - someone had dumped piles of these great plaids). This 'unbroken' section of plaid weave is a feature of many of these sarong; it's woven that way, not tucked or stitched. It just fits with open sections to spare before the shoulders. 

In my next life, I will get the plaid to match on the shoulder seams as well!

Getting to this took about a week.

And I did the 'fat thread in the bobbin' bottom up topstitching

and the facing folds over so it all matches all the way around

And this is where it stopped. I did the buttonholes and sewed the first button, and then, before I could get to the body fisheye darts, I stopped.

And this is how it hung on the rack since June 2016.

Sewed the first button and then hung the rest on a safety pin.

I had made the damn buttonholes!

I think I ran out of Vintage Pattern month and Summer.

So, in honor of July as Vintage Pattern Pledge Month, I put the darts in and here we are.

Uh oh. Clipped the dart before I tried it on.

Took all of two minutes.

Should have taken longer.

You know, I've posted less flattering photos of myself on this site. So the part where I'm pointing out how those darts in the back are too low and too deep and I cut INTO THEM so I'm stuck with the shirt pooching up on my backside?

Yeah, that.

We really do not have many neutral backgrounds in this house.

But still. I like it. The fabric is crisp and lightweight, but not transparent.

I like it as a plaid as well. I'll open up the darts and mend the slashes.  

Wonky topstitching a speciality!

I am getting bagging in the high chest/armpit. This may be a feature more than a bug, as the rest of it fits as well as a box shaped woman can expect. The armscye fit the chubsters just fine, and I don't want to open them up any deeper as exposure is not something I'm hoping for.

But check this out

I bought this solely for the instructions

Shoulder pleats! This might help deal with the bagging.

And I have a lot more plaid!

And one more week of the month!

And a night free without family obligations!

Words to live by