3263: The Destination (for now)

So, when I made the button up shirt with the madras and doll print, I was hoping I'd have enough of the doll print left to eke out a hacked Burda 7831, but, no.  I almost set the last piece of the doll print aside for patchwork, but then, no.  I still really wanted a simple little shirt made from it, something I could wear under a cardigan.  (Why was the vision of a cardigan so strong?  Dunno.  But it was.)  And that's what prompted me to figure out fit adjustments for Simplicity 3263.

Although...there still technically wasn't enough of the doll print left, so I shortened it by 3½" 

 

 It works.

3263: Tweaking

 I made some of the changes mentioned in the previous post and ended up here

 

 The changes did help!

3263: The Hacking Begins

I re-acquired a vintage pattern I'd once had, in what is nominally my correct current size, and I was...not happy with how it fit out of the envelope.  I resolved to try tracing and altering the pattern, and then did not do that for a few months.

Here's the first try

 

I probably spent as much time trying to decide which fabric I'd be OK with not working out as I spent making the first round of pattern edits—which turned out surprisingly promising.  Still not sure about that print.

Return of 3263

Over a decade ago, I happened upon an amazing selection of vintage sewing patterns in a thrift store.  Most of them were immediately put on eBay, but I did keep and make several.

My favorite was Simplicity 3263, from 1950.  It was a simple shell shirt pattern, with some interesting double dart details.  The original owner (Betty Rose--she had written her name and address on most of the pattern envelopes, and I was actually able to look her up and learn a bit about her) had extended the sides of the pattern, and I cut it that way the first time I tried making it, and I liked the way it fit. I made the shirt a few times, every one extremely cute.

Eventually, though, I gained enough weight that the vintage size 14--even with the modifications--was just too small, so I sold that pattern, too.  Years later, I developed a sudden nostalgia for it--I considered trying to recreate it by hacking some other patterns (I am not up to making a personalized block), but I couldn't get a result that I even wanted to test.  I looked at what options were for sale, and even managed to find Betty Rose's old pattern for sale on Etsy.

I let the interest fade, but it jumped back recently, and I found a vintage size 18 (B36) version of it on eBay--for more than I usually spend on a pattern, but not bad for a vintage pattern, so I got it.  That was also around the time I got the die cutter, so I was distracted by that for a while.  But! I finally tried making the size 18!

 It's a little large!  But I can work with it!

For the love of jars

I sewed a (relatively) quick thing today!

Yes, it's a Halloween print 20 days before Christmas.  La la.

I used vintage Simplicity 3263 again, and paid attention to the grain of the fabric more than to the print, which I only notice is a bit of a problem now that I'm looking at the photo while making this post.  Eh, I don't think it'll be a distraction when it's worn, especially if cardigans are involved.

Just used a solid black thin cotton (plus medium weight fusible interfacing) for the facings, which were cut from the main pattern pieces, instead of following the directions for separate facings for neckline and arm holes, and I once again did things Very Wrongly to get the facings attached (only I sewed the armholes before the neckline this time--no idea if it makes any real difference to the ease of this approach, but he brain tries to say so.)  Edge stitched around the neckline and armholes, lapped zipper on the left side.

Nothin' fancy, but somethin' finished, so yay.

*tumbleweeds*

Yes, I know, no-one reads this, so no-one noticed that I haven't posted for a long time.  Not to sound whiny, but I've been low-grade sick since December, which might be the reason I've put on juuuuust enough weight that none of my tried'n'true patterns fit properly, which can kinda destroy the desire to sew things with those patterns. (We have acquired a second-hand Xbox 360 and Kinect, so I've started using those for exercise and dance games, when I don't feel too icky.)    A thing that also happened and is probably related to other aspects of feeling no motivation:  My Dad died just before Thanksgiving.  So.

I've only sewn three clothing things in that time (I did sew a few teacher gifts--but no photos--and surprisingly few doll items.)

This simple shell is made from two cotton prints sent to me by a doll friend, using vintage Simplicity 3263

This is made with my heavily altered New Look 6217 (I fused the front pieces into one, with a really deep dart.)  I bought the cloth in a thrift store, but I think it's currently available in JoAnn Fabric.

I still can't decide if it's ~cupcake cute~ or ~aggressively quirky middle age woman~  Go Me on the pattern matching, though.

The last thing I sewed was an experimental mash-up of a couple patterns...which didn't end up the way I envisioned...which is only a technicality, since I can barely get the thing zipped right now.

It was eked out of right around 2 yards of a (thrifted) border print.  I do think there's still potential to the idea, although who knows if I'll ever try it again.

And I cut out pieces for a wearable muslin of a skirt idea I've had for a while--a bias swirl skirt, but compensating for the fact that the 'real' pattern I have is way too small (I wanna lose weight, yes, but not that much weight), and I wanted a more extreme angle to the swirls.  I might be able to convince myself to start sewing it together today...

Settled in & Sewin'

So, after the 'excitement' of ceiling repair and room relocation, I finally felt like sewing human-size things this weekend.  (Doll-size things have been sporadically sewn since moving to this new room.)

I started by shortening a thrifted skirt and repairing a torn dress, then, at around 3 o'clock on Saturday, deciding hey, there's black thread in the machine, why not go ahead and make that simple shell shirt from that mere yard you bought of the witch cameo print from JoAnn Fabric's Halloween selection this year? (OK, maybe the thought didn't exactly flow like that...)

I used Simplicity 3263 (from 1950) again

this time going with view 4,  without the collar detail.  As I mentioned, I had only one yard of the print--it's possible I could have also squeezed the collar out of that yard, but, honestly, I wanted to have a bit of the print left to use for other projects.  That means I used a contrast print for the facings, too...and I made the facings all-in-one pieces, which I attached in a variation of the WRONG WRONG WRONG way I detailed before (I sewed the arm holes first this time, which made the 'flip it right-sides-together without actually turning it inside-out' bit at least seem easier...although...there's no physical reason it actually should be...)

And here it is!

I tried making a lapped zipper again, and, like many other vintage sewing enthusiasts, I think I may be a convert.

I haven't tried it on yet, letting my previous experiences with this same pattern bolster my confidence about little things like 'fit.'  Besides, I don't have a skirt that I think would look just right with it.

I may have to make that, too.

Sewing Vapor

Well, vapor print.  Well, no, actually, it's a marbleized kinda print.

Anyway.

I used Simplicity 3263 from 1950, view 3, which is the same thing I used for the bodice on the last dress I made.

 This time I made it as a shirt and followed the directions.  Mostly.

Lacking Enthusiasm

I decided that the next thing I would sew should use that wax cloth I recently thrifted, and maybe ignore the instructions on a "never made by me before" vintage pattern, too.

This vintage pattern, from 1950

Which I used as the bodice for a dress.