Since I’ve taken up sewing more seriously, I’ve stopped buying thrifted or new clothes, with the exception of the few things I can’t make (socks, tights, undergarments, shoes). I accumulate clothes at a slower pace and I think more about each piece of clothing that I make, but it is a worthier time investment. My goal for Self-Stitched September is to wear one handmade item of clothing every day, and to catalogue it in outfit posts.

I’ve been participating in this covertly. It’s already almost the end of the first week of September, but I haven’t had a chance to post my outfit photos yet.

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I didn’t think I would be participating in the Lady Grey Sew Along at Gertie’s site, but I am. I bought my fabric, lining and interfacing over the weekend. This is my first time making a coat, so this should be interesting.

Front view.

Side view.

Side/back view.

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Pattern used:

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I recently finished these High Waisted Pants from Simplicity 4886. I’ve made this pattern twice before, both in capri length. I used cotton/polyester, interfaced the waistband, and inserted an invisible zipper on the side.

I don’t know if I like cotton/polyester (or anything with polyester) as much as I do natural fabrics. This version is still very wearable, but these aren’t as comfortable to wear as the capris are. I also need to move up the inseam a little bit if I’m to make these again.

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I’m an aspiring seamstress by night, but during the day I make iPhone apps. After sewing many vintage patterns, not too often I am presented with something like this:

Vintage fabric bolt sizes come in many more widths than ours do today. I often found myself buying too much fabric. Based on the square area of fabric needed, I calculated how much fabric it would equate to using our modern day bolt size measurements.

I also added two extra screens that calculate total price based on price per yard, and convert meters to yard and yards to meter.

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What it does:

Convert fabric sizes.

Convert meters to yards and yards to meters.

Calculate total price based on price per yard.

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Where to get it:

FabUnits is available here, for free.

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Fall is coming up, so my next project will be these High Waisted Pants. I usually prefer sewing dresses since they are so fun to make and embellish, but pants are very practical.

Another front view.

Yet another front view.

Side/back view.

Closeup of button.

This is my first time doing a collar and set-in sleeves.

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Pattern used:

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DuBarry 5390 Pattern Review

Pattern Review: DuBarry 5390, circa 1940s

Pattern Description: Misses’ and Women’s dress. Blouse and skirt joins to an inset belt. Dress buttons in front below the collar. Patch pockets trims front of blouse. Bishop or short sleeves are used. Fig. I: collar, front edges, pockets and inset belt are trimmed with saddle stitching.

Pattern Sizing: This was a 34 bust.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? The dress has a very iconic 1940s feel to it, more so than other 1940s dresses. I like the clean lines with on excessive or unflattering gathers.

Fabric Used: Cotton.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: Since buttons are expensive here, I omitted the buttons going down the skirt. I liked the shirtdress look so I kept the buttons on the bodice. I inserted an invisible side zipper. The skirt was a four-gored skirt that matched this pattern’s four-gored skirt. I omitted the pockets on the bodice since I think those are generally unflattering. I also omitted the inset belt since I didn’t think it needed it.

This was my first time sewing a collar or set-in sleeves.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes.

Conclusion: I love DuBarry.

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Personal Style
This is how my hair is when it’s not set in curlers overnight, and I think I’m fine with it this way.

This should be renamed the DuBarry Fan Blog. I’ve never gotten the feel that a dress fit the 40s more than those from DuBarry patterns. Perhaps it’s because DuBarry patterns have less design ease, or seem more flattering from the start and require less adjustment (for me, at least). I recently acquired this two-piece set, DuBarry 6008.

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Any pattern can be fit and perfected in the flat pattern tracing and muslin stage, but some with more work than others. When making dresses I try to get sizes that are equal to my upper bust measurement, but with vintage patterns there is no multi-size, and one can’t be too picky. Failing that I just buy whatever strikes my fancy, trying to keep within one or two sizes larger or smaller than my measurements to minimize the amount of resizing, and work it out during the flat pattern tracing stage.

Below are some pattern companies and my experiences with their sizing.

Simplicity – Most of my 40s patterns are from Simplicity. For most of these pieces I’ve had to resize severely, and measurements that should fit were too large. Perhaps it’s the design of these patterns, but gathers by the waist and shoulder (common to Simplicity 40s patterns) aren’t very flattering for me. I had good luck with this skirt, but that could also be because I’ve adjusted the pattern. I shouldn’t complain though — my basic four-gored skirt is from a Simplicity pattern. I yet have to make a Simplicity pattern that I love, but I haven’t ruled this out entirely. Perhaps I just need to be more stringent with the fit during the muslin stage.

Anne Adams – It fits a little better than Simplicity, but still a little large. This might have been the design ease on the bodice, but I will definitely be more particular during the muslin stage in the future, since I like fitted bodices.

DuBarry – This is my favorite so far. My latest project is a DuBarry shirtdress, and it fit pretty well from the start. It’s also the only dress which to me looks iconically from the 40s. I’m about halfway done with this one, and as I assembled the bodice the dress already felt very 40s.

McCalls, retro reissue – This is a modern pattern, and I’m fairly happy with the fit, but it took a lot of fixing to get here. The pattern pieces were still very large when I cut them based on my measurements.

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DuBarry 5635 is very similar to the pattern I’m working on, DuBarry 5390. I don’t have this pattern, but it wouldn’t be too difficult to base it on DuBarry 5390.

This was my first time sewing a collar.

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Pattern used: I drafted this pattern myself, based on my reference photos of Alfred Shaheen’s work.

Pattern notes: I used a Hawaiian looking turquoise linen. I’m pretty happy with the fit. I only wish I’d made this sooner since there isn’t much summer left.