Swiss Dot Love

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming... and I'm in love!!!... In love with my vintage swiss dot fabric!

Don't get me wrong. I love my husband and children too. But the swiss dot is fulfilling such a wonderful desire. It's the desire of fabric that sews up beautifully. It doesn't stretch or slip, it doesn't fray, it gathers like a dream and drapes gracefully. ...sigh... I love being in love.

This fabric is such a joy to work with that I've hard a hard time walking away from this project. Sometimes I work out of order from the instruction. I've done so with this project, starting with the skirt. I just wanted to get a feel for how the fabric handles, and I always run a few test scraps to adjust the tension.

Because the fabric is very light weight, if the sun is behind you, well... so I decided to make a simple skirt lining. I chose a beautiful tissue weight 60% linen/40% cotton blend. I wanted something simple that would add a bit of structure (so the skirt wouldn't hang limply) and provide modesty, not fight the shape of the skirt and remain cool and breathable (since this is obviously a summer dress).

Sure, I could wear a slip. But this is a classy dress and I felt it deserves a proper lining. The linen/cotton worked perfectly. I simply cut the pieces identical to the skirt, only one inch shorter, then basted it to the top waistline. Doris is modeling the skirt, although it's not gathered. But it does show how nicely it hangs.

After finishing the skirt section, I began the bodice. It's pretty straight forward. The only thing I had to watch with this fabric is when the needle stitches into a dot. The dot gives a bit of resistance to the needle and gets punched down slightly into the feed dogs. This was easily rectified by placing my fingers to the outside and bottom of the presser foot, just to keep the fabric taught and to prevent the punching.

The detailing on the bodice is oh so feminine. The back neck is actually seamed rather than having a tie or closure. Pleats are pressed at the back neck seam which makes the fabric go to into flattering and gentle folds down the front bustline. The front neckline has a hemline that is folded, hemmed and then edgestitched.

The bottom of the bodice bustline is gathered. Boy does this fabric gather splendidly! After gathering, it is attached to the midriff section. I took my time pinning and sewing this distinct curve. The bustline and midriff are the main design features and most visible so I want my stitching to be extremely accurate for a smooth and crisp line.

After that, I made up the back bodice. It has two skinny darts, just enough to add shaping. The back is then seamed to front at the sides, leaving the left side open for the zip below the dot.

I tried it on and I'm thrilled that fit is coming out perfectly. I knew from my initial tests of measuring the pattern pieces and holding it up that it would be close and require minimal tweaking. But to need nothing... did I mention that I'm in love?

I finished to this point on Saturday. Sunday we went to Six Flags Great America and had a blast! I did type up a blog entry yesterday, but when I hit publish, I got an error message and lost my post! At that point, my sewing time was ticking away so I left the post for today (which I will copy before trying to publish).

I'm nearly finished with the dress (I finished the bodice facing and attached the skirt) and have been thinking about the jacket. Yesterday, I felt that I was running out of time (because of the impending move) and would have stop with the dress only. Today, I want to make the whole ensemble. However, I've changed my mind about using the blue swiss dot for the jacket (with the tan contrast).

Instead, I ordered an ivory linen/silk blend fabric from Thai Silks. I'll use that for the jacket, and still use the tan dot dress fabric for the collar and cuffs. The dots are in fact an off-white ivory opposed to pure white. I don't know if that's how the fabric was originally made or if it's due to aging. I think the ivory linen/silk will add a real touch of class - well, that's the idea any way.

Moving On

I can't stay idle for long. Idle without a new project to begin, that is.

The PR Vintage Sewing contest is underway. I had so much fun participating last year. It's incredible to see what old patterns people have lurking in the depths of their stash. Even more, it's fun to see the glorious garments that are made from them.

Last year, I entered two items in the contest. This year, because of our impending move, I'll only have time for one. The task of deciding what to make out of what has been tough. Of course, that's all my own doing because I want to make everything!

I've been going round and round trying to decide which one to make, and of course, with what fabric. Many patterns were pulled out and sprawled on my cutting table. An equal amount of fabric came out from closet. All were placed side by side, shifted and mulled over again and again.

I kept going back to McCalls 9333 from 1953. It's a classic halter dress with jacket. I have many fabrics that I think would look gorgeous sewn up in this pattern. But I kept going back to some sweet vintage fabric: swiss dot that I'm fortunate to have in both blue and tan. It's a beauty of a fabric, 100% cotton, lightweight and slightly crisp. I washed it, worried that the little fuzzy dots would flake away. But they remained in tact and when ironed, a lovely subtle sheen came out of the cotton.

I started to cut the pattern today. It's always fun. Every vintage pattern brings questions and speculation that make my thoughts drift away. Whoever previously owned this pattern made the jacket only; the dress was still factory folded and uncut. It made me look at the jacket in a bit more detail. More often than not, it's the dress that is made leaving the jacket untouched. Somebody recognized the smart details of the shawl collar, cuffs and buttoned front. I wonder what fabric she used? Where did wear it? Was it for a special occasion or a good, smartly styled jacket meant for regular use?

I have more of the tan swiss dot than the blue. My plan is to make the dress entirely in the tan. Time permitting, I'll make the jacket in blue with tan for the collar and cuff contrast.

After I cut the dress, I went ahead and took pictures of the RTW Real Silk Dress/Jacket that was similar to the poly imposter I found the other day! Thanks so much for all of the fun replies! Apart from being a hoot, it's a great way to knuckle down and learn more about fabrics, weaves and manufacture.

Will the Real Silk Please Stand Up!

You know the drill. You tell yourself it's just a quick stop to the fabric store to pick up some thread and zipper for the latest project. That's all you'll get... until you wander around and start looking at the fabric and stumble upon something that's on sale that you simply can't pass by.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. During said latest fabric store excursion for thread and a zip, this particular fabric caught my eye. At first glance, I thought it was silk. When I picked it up, it felt like silk. In fact, it turned out to be 100% polyester. I was a bit disappointed because I really like natural fabrics and the recent Silk Only Contest at PR got me in the mood for this wonderful and diversified fabric.

Still, it was interesting. I liked the hand and since it was on sale, I dropped it into the cart. During my drive home, I thought about my new fabric and pondered what I might make out of it. Maybe another vintage party dress or even a suit.

Then it hit me like a brick wall. I know why I like this fabric so much! I actually own a RTW jacket/dress made out of a 100% GENUINE silk that is remarkably similar to the poly. Trying to remain focused on the remainder of the drive home, I came home and shot immediately up to my sewing room. (My husband thought I had gone on a spending frenzy at the fabric store and was trying to sneak stuff in. That's a story for another day.)

I put the fabric down and got the silk garment from my closet. Oh my! It wasn't identical, but it sure was similar. I held the new fabric, I held the silk jacket/dress. I ran the new fabric through my fingers, I ran the silk jacket/dress through my fingers. This polyester impostor was so like the silk! Even the hand was samey, from the texture to the drape.

I'm not an expert on fabrics. I've never even done a burn test. Can you tell which is which? I know it's a bit unfair, since you cannot handle them (and I need better lighting for sharper pics). Maybe I'm just inexperienced and naive in fabric fiber identification... but here they are:

Which fabric is the REAL SILK - "A" or "B" ? Stay tuned for the answer.

Calling All Dress Detectives: Vintage Vietnamese Dress? Or What is It?

Since I had to occupy myself with things other than sewing today (too much going on to start a new project today- hubs on the go, house showings, yadda, yadda), I thought I'd talk about this very unique dress.

I often poke around at my local Goodwill. Last week I wandered on over when I vacated my house for a showing. In the dress section, I came across this dress. I got kind of excited about it. At first glance, the orange and brown pattern jumped out as 60's or 70's and oh so groovy. When I took the hanger off of the rack for a closer inspection, I saw that on many levels it was not "regular groovy" on many.

First, was the fabric. It's a sheer organza with that bit of sparkle. Could it be silk organza? Second, is the design. It has an oriental styling with it's Mandarin top and collar. The waist is nipped and the full length skirt flares with two tall slits a the sides. It looks designed to be worn over something else.

Most intriguing of all, however, are the label, the size and the workmanship. The garment looks handmade. It's actually quite simply made. The front is all one piece, as is the back. The sleeves are cut in, with a longer, lower sleeve sewn in at the biceps. There are vertical waist darts at the front and back and then horizontal bust darts at the front. You can see pen markings on the inside at the darts (it's transparent after all). The stitching is uneven and wonky all over.

The label says (and I can't recreate some of the letters/punctuation) "NHA MAY - Van Cri - 98 TO H THANH SAIGON". Saigon? My brain raced when I read it. Didn't Saigon stop being called Saigon in 1975 when it became Ho Chi Minh City after the fall to the North Vietnamese? What was this dress?

I held it and pondered. The organza felt like it could be silk. Or was I imagining that now because of the label? The price tag was $4.99, so I had to try it on.

To my disappointment, it was small. I'm not talking a-little-bit-snug small. I mean so incredibly small the arm of the dress didn't get past the bicep on my arm. I know I'm not supermodel thin (who is, besides supermodels?). But this was nano small.

Even so, I couldn't walk away from it. By now, I was so intrigued by this dress I had to have it. Did this dress really come from Saigon pre-1975? It would explain the groovy orange and brown colors. Who made it? Is the label's NHA MAY a Vietnamese seamstress or a company? How were clothes manufactured in Vietnam back then? Would it explain the basic construction? Were clothes like this manufactured as a response to military troops to purchase as gifts for loved ones back home? Did a soldier buy it for a loved one back home or perhaps, did a soldier come back with a wife? A soldier might not know about size, hence explaining why it's so small. It might also explain why it has virtually no wear and tear (...it was too small for dear Betty). On a completely different spin, could some girl have made it in home ec back in the 70's, and stuck a label on, stolen from some unused garment knocking around the house? The truth is, I simply don't know.

The dress opened so many exciting questions that I HAD to have it. My father was a Vietnam Veteran and I wish I could show it to him somehow to see what he thought.

But since that's not possible, I post the dress here for all of you to see. It's so small, it doesn't fit Doris so I had to take pictures of it on a hanger (I measured the dress' waist - it's 24"!) I hope it's as interesting and exciting for you as it is for me. I also hope that we can all be Dress Detectives and maybe find some answers to this lovely, and most likely, vintage dress. What do you think?

The Sari Dress is Finished

I did it today! I did it!

It's such a good feeling when you finish a project, isn't it? With all of the moving stuff, I wasn't sure at the onset if I'd be able to do it. I wrote up the review on PR and entered it in the Silk Only Contest.

For the last two days, I worked on the overbodice lining. The lining is constructed the same as the overbodice, then is attached at the neckline, bust front and the armholes. Then, it's turned right side out. The side seams are opened out, right sides put together then joined. When it's back in place, the seams are on the inside.

The midriff was seamed at the right side; lining is constructed the same way, then basted at the sides and bottom. At the top edge, it is pressed over at the seam allowance, which is slipstitched into place.


I love to see a lining put in place. It gives the garment so much shape and it really begins to look finished. They're so nice and smooth and you know you're on the home stretch!

Once the linings were in place, the overbodice and bodice were attached. The bodice is completely open on the left side and it fit PERFECTLY in the open edge (below where the seam ends) of the overbodice. Don't you just rejoice when things line up?

After basting the left side and bottom edges together, I joined the bodice to the skirt. This was straight forward.

Even the zipper went in easily. I made a decision to only fuse interfacing into the skirt part of the zipper opening. Admittedly, I was nearly in a sweat over that. But the bodice already had four layers of fabric: sari/organza - dupioni/organza and was quite thick. Thankfully, it turned out well. However, I do not advocate eliminating fusible interfacing on zippers! I think I just used up my Get Out of Jail Free card.

For the hem, I used hem tape because of the extreme fraying. I pinked the edges prior to stitching the tape, then blind hemmed around. Because of the pleat, the seam must be opened, pressed and clipped at the spot where the hem is turned up to. Once hem is stitched in placed, re-press the pleat. Amazingly, this works!

I'm happy with the end result. I was wary about whether or not I'd be able to work with such a slippery and fragile fabric. Underlining is a must and it's amazing how much strength and structure it provides.

This is going to be another busy weekend... One of my closest girlfriends is coming over in a little while. We grew up together (Girl Scouts, etc.) and about once every other month, she comes over and we work on sewing projects together. While the speed of our works on these nights isn't spectactular, we do manage to get motivated and catch up with each other!

Happy Friday!

Feeling Loopy

For Christmas, I asked for a variety of sewing gadgets: bias strip makers, a mini rotary cutter, a pin cushion (after knocking over my pin box for the gazillionth time) and a loop pull. Santa delivered!

Yesterday, I finally had the opportunity to use the loop pull. All I have to ask is, how on earth did I survive for so long without this thing?

I strayed away from items with straps or substituted cord for button loops. The bodice of the sari dress has straps. It's a shame that the over bodice in the view I'm making covers them up (if you did the other view with a sheer overdress, you'd see them).

Not only did I make them, but I did so with the dupioni, underlined with the organza. The long edge is seamed, then a second, reinforcing seam is stitched 1/8" out. These hooks really do work. If you don't have one, go out and get one! Within moments, my straps were easily turned.

Ironically, I ran out of the champagne colored bobbin thread just as I stitched the last little edge of the strap closed; only perhaps a yard of thread was left on the spool. This will be just enough to hand sew the straps in place. So often, we pull our hair out or moan and groan for running out of things at the most inopportune moments. I felt it was necessary to point out that sometimes, things work out just right!!!

I also got the overbodice lining cut, darted and seamed, then sewn in place. I love making linings. It makes me feel like I'm getting to the home stretch of a project. However, this is where I made a big mistake. When I finished seaming the neckline and arm seams, I realized: I put the right lining side to the wrong overbodice side!!!! Holy gaff Batman!!! I was so mad at myself! In my defense, I was squeezing my beloved sewing inbetween cleaning for a house showing and birthday and anniversary preparations (today is our son's birthday AND our anniversary). I didn't take the time to "check twice, sew once".

After the cursing subsided, I started to laugh at myself for such a mindless goof. In fact, I felt relieved. This project was going way too smoothly. That makes me nervous. When things too well, I'm kind of waiting for the whole project to spontaneously burst into flames. This error restored my faith that it is a normal project and I can now calmly proceed to the finish line. After dinner, I returned to my sewing room and put the lining in the correct way, then called it a day.

I probably won't get any sewing done today. It's gorgeous here in Chicagoland. We'll likely potter around outside and I'll bake a birthday cake this afternoon. Sewing will resume per "normal" tomorrow.

The Cumberbun

Well, I didn't get any sewing done today. Not only did I have a showing yesterday, but two popped up today. I'm no June Cleaver; she made housekeeping look so natural! Maybe if I start to dress like her, the cleaning will fall in line. You know... look the part, act the part, then you shall be? Yeah, right!

Anyway, about the cumberbun. I constructed it yesterday and only have to sew on four hooks and eyes. It is seamed one side, with gathering at both openings on the other side. I underlined this piece as well because dupioni frays and needs strength.

Prior to gathering, one side is seamed and the edges of the other side are pressed over at the seamline RIGHT sides together. Then you stitch at the top and bottom edges and turn right side out, and you hem the side in place. Then the top and bottom edges are narrow hemmed.

I'm one of those people who actually likes to narrow hem. I've read many posts by people who dislike this step. To me, it's a little like magic, going from something with no shape and tatty edges, to a piece (or section of a garment) to suddenly looking finished. You can really get an idea of the final product. Pressing the little hems down seals the deal!

The gathering is quite straight forward. I stitched 1/4" from the side edges and both sides of the seam. These are then to be gathered to four inches. I actually had an "ah ha" moment at this point! I began fiddling with the gathers (you can lose a lot of time fiddling with gathers) to get them to the right length and stay. Then "ah ha"! I thought to myself: "Self, the gathers will be sewn to 'seam binding ribbon'. Just cut THOSE to four inches, pin and pull!"

I pinned the hem tape (although I think twill tape would have been sturdier?), adjusted the length and sewed into place. On the side, I sewed directly into the seam. When looking at the wrong side, the stitching is a bit wonky... I'll need more practice to keep stitches in gathering straight, even though you can't see it on the right side.

Hopefully I'll have a reprieve from viewings tomorrow so that I can progress some more over the weekend!