What was that bit about jobs that require new clothes? Warming Them Up For The Novelty Wardrobe

The overalls were a little unexpected for the office, but the Ophelia's are pretty cute and corduroy, so they passed muster.

I started a new job and there's not been a lot of sewing going on. 

Mostly what I need to do is warm the office wardrobe up slowly, and then I can start wearing the usual wardrobe. I've been sticking to black pants and low interest patterned knit pullovers. It's still winter, so not much call for tshirts and dresses.

The Mom Job Wardrobe could be anything I felt comfortable in, with a mind to not clashing too much when I left the house. A large amount of novelty fabrics were worn.

And when I had this same job twenty years ago (no shit, the exact same job in the same office for the same company, all new staff and software to learn), it was a pretty loose wardrobe. When I was hired, the office was wide open, so you had to look acceptable (office casual) from head to toe. So when we moved to this location with a little more privacy from the street, the team wardrobe turned to tshirts and jeans and a jacket you could toss over your Motorhead or Pee Wee Herman shirt.  Look adult from the waist up.

Right now the prevalent office clothing is knit pants, plain knit sweaters and tops, and that one person who wears dresses and heels wherever they go. 

I plan on returning to my traditional garb by summer, with a nice version of this v8559 Tilton to throw over when I have to present as normal (or it gets chilly).

It's a pretty simple shape (and I'm not a big fan of setting in sleeves in knits, but I will do my patient best)

It's worth a gander on the internets to admire the various versions of this pattern. Plus Ann Smith pops up, which always makes my day. She is my sewing inspiration.

I did hem fifteen more things for the choir, now all I need to do is find the time to deliver them.

I did negotiate a day off to go to SewExpo, which I wasn't sure I would get to. I am sewing a Sew Powerful purse to donate, because it's a great project and I'm that kind of gal. 

https://sewexpo.com/classes-events/events/charity-events/

https://sewpowerful.org/
This is the part of the video that explained to me why the back is in two pieces
https://youtu.be/mIhZW1DT5bs?t=911
Watch this video all the way through before you cut your fabric. There are some differences between the pattern and these instructions, and while I prefer drawings to videos, this is somewhat clearer. Needs section titles, but who am I to judge?

I'm not taking any classes, just going down for a half day to peruse the usuals. I need some zips and some faux leather that won't stink up the joint like the Joann's continues to do.

And maybe a Pendleton scrap piece.
And a scone.

Downloadable Goodness from the digital collections (boy, that's a clickbait title, now ain't it?)

Online goodies galore!

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&key=Machine%20sewing&c=x

this page takes me to 

this page

https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/digital/collection/ArkExt/id/11801/rec/1

which you can download

DAMN I love the internet

I got here looking for

which wandered into my view on Ebay.

Description : 

SEWING PRIMER, WITH SONGS AND MUSIC. For Schools and Families.

by Louise J. Kirkwood (Author)

Songs?

https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/childrens/search/searchterm/Exhibit%20checklist%2014.9/field/staff/mode/exact/conn/and/cosuppress/

Oh yeah

Now I need someone with a keyboard to help with this.

Making dress shields

The name for this post, on the photo file, is: It's the Pits, but I just can't make that be the headline.
Because some of this is referencing other folks' thinking, which is NOT the pits.
It's a link party, because they did it better than I can

https://historicalsewing.com/how-to-be-a-shield-maiden

I read a lot of 'let's make our own' and this one makes the most sense in terms of construction and materials.

(I found the original source, but yes, I discovered this image on Gertie's page)

I had no idea Kleinert had such a stranglehold on the market of pits.

http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/10/lets-talk-about-sweat.html

I like Gertie. Fight me. She gets people to sew. Her books are well considered additions to the canon. And she's funny.

"Reader, I was not Sure"*

This however takes the cake. 

https://thompsontee.com/blog/how-to-make-dress-shields-at-home/

It's an advert for tshirts, with a sewing tutorial as carrot.

All of the things they mention "scissors" "ruler" "pencil" you need are affiliated links to Amazon. 

Clever!

They get bonus points for sweat related links on their pages.

Here are my jacket shields. Lining and flannel.

Made a moon shape.

Cut them, stitched them, 

I had thought about making them this way

That is, cut a couple of squares of flannel, and pin them/attach them with snaps on the bias over the bottom of the armscye. If I were in a real pinch, this works (I've seen it done on costumes, pinned into place) but I am making a set for one jacket that will fit it and feel nice.
I think it was Kenneth King recently who wrote about a sleeve that feels nice to slip your arm into.
And I admit that is guiding my thinking on this. So mine are a little overdone.

my cardboard pattern is in the center.
I took it's shape from the underarm seam on the target jacket, but I'll wager it will work for any of mine.

I sew them together in chains, same for serging the bottom edge.

I pinked the top seam of each after I sewed the pairs together,

Fold them over the jacket seam and pin at the edges.

I only pinned through the seam allowance, and after I took this photo, undid this pin so it angled away from the center and towards the shape of the armscye. Just one on each side, nothing on the sleeve or body seams (you could). And I could put snaps in, but I was in a bit of a hurry and I think my arm will hold that shield in place against the seam. And if it doesn't, I'll come back and fix it AND this post to reflect that.

The finished product. No top seam under my armpit, no top stitching, no flat feld.

Boom, done.

Yes, the idea of making dress shields for that one jacket is great. And I do wear that jacket a LOT. Although it's Sag Harbor label, it's soooo Chico's Chic, and makes me Instant Grownup. Chenille upholstery fabric. 

I shortened it, and hemmed it with ribbon to finish it nicely, give it a little reinforcement, and cover up some nasty mended fraying action

And yes, I am sewing myself something similar, but it's taking too many toiles to get done in a reasonable amount of time.

Which is fine. Everyone needs a hobby hole.

*Jane Eyre has a go-to joke construction here. Reader, I cannot resist it.

Habit Patterns from 1954

As you have noticed, the internet is full of things.

https://archive.org/details/HabitPat1954

Helen is a trained monkey. Barbara doesn't need your pity, she needs a friend.

The narrator is a scold.
Discuss

That's what I found before I found what I was looking for.

Ithaca Maven on IG posted this

And having found a few similar pamphlets, found this one.

https://archive.org/details/CAT87204360/page/n1/mode/2up

Same author, same work, previous publication year in 1945

If you're looking for these booklets, a source like the Internet Archive will probably have them. I could not locate this one just by searching on the author or the title, I gave in and went to archive.org and found two copies, scanned and ready to read.

The internet is full of things, but you have to be prepared to look in a couple different places. I also search on eBay and Abebooks and Amazon, on a couple of different variations on the author or the title. Ephemera has golden contents. Particularily pages 18 - 21, if your sleeves are misbehaving.

https://ia800407.us.archive.org/25/items/CAT87204360/farmbul1964.pdf

She said gusset. Hee hee hee