Here's another example of mid-90s Erin sewing. I can't remember where I got this fabric, although Unique Thrift is a good bet. And I can't remember what pattern it was, but I'm pretty sure it was a New Look that was chosen specifically because the yardage I had was so narrow and short.
This was also from a period where I was trying to serge EVERYTHING, so the seam allowances are not what you would call generous. I gave that up pretty soon.
I wish I'd been patient with this fabric and not jumped so fast to sew it into something, anything. I really love it (and the buttons, which I'll probably salvage for something else — they're opaque blue glass and really lovely). I can think of all sorts of things I'd rather have done with it than this dress!
Also, while I'm being all Complainy McDisgruntledpants, the sleeves are too long and I didn't even get it to hang straight on the mannequin.
Here's a closeup of the bodice:
And the fabric:
See what I mean about the fabric? Sigh.
And, can I just say — you guys have been AWESOME about the new wiki. The number of articles has tripled in just one day, and several other sellers have thrown their images into the ring! (I'll update the list of sellers and links later today, I hope.)
The best part about the wiki — the one I forgot to emphasize yesterday — is the ability to assign categories to the patterns. Even if you don't feel you can upload images or create pages, please feel free to EDIT the pages to include new categories (way down at the bottom). That way we'll get pages like this one! Won't that be cool?
I am so tempted to spend the rest of the morning uploading images from my hard drive, but, sadly, actual work is calling. Once you start making new pattern wiki pages, it's totally addictive … give it a shot!
A Dress A Day 
ALAS. sigh–none of these fashions you like are good for those of us with squatty little hourglass shapes. Oh, to have a looong waist and something to put a belt around….
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The new wiki is FAB, and, yes, Erin, highly addictive…!An idea- how about if anyone has actually made a “real world” garment from any of the patterns on the wiki, they upload a photo of their efforts? Would that work??
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The new wiki is FAB, and, yes, Erin, highly addictive…!An idea- how about if anyone has actually made a “real world” garment from any of the patterns on the wiki, they upload a photo of their efforts? Would that work??
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Dear Fiona — thanks! I would encourage folks to link to photos of their real-world garments in the reviews/blogs sections … or we can add another section for ‘real world’ photos, whichever folks would find most useful!
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I actually really like this dress — it looks like it would be really flattering!Couldn’t you just shorten the sleeves (and maybe change the collar a bit — that’s what i’d do), and wear it with attitude?
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I had a favorite 80’s dress in fabulous colors, great fabric. After the dress was outdated, I cut the bodice off and turned it into a skirt. The skirt was out of style pretty quickly, so I cut a vest out of the skirt. Had to line it, because the fabric was flimsy. But, great fabric and new garments can be salvaged from a not-so-great dress. Be bold, Erin!
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That’s funny that you’re so dissatisfied with the dress; I guess I’d have to see it in real life, but the first thing I thought when I saw it was, “Wow! That’s lovely!” Aside from the skirt part being crooked on the dress form, it looks perfect to me. (And I just assumed it would hang straight on a person.) I especially love the midsection. Also: THANKS for uploading the 6737! I’m totally illiterate in making things work in computerland, so I couldn’t figure out how to make my name be something linkable so people could contact me to tell me they have it for sale, but at least I can watch it now and see if someone posts a link for its sale.AND: to weigh in on Fiona’s real life photos suggestion, I think it would be FABULOUS to have a spot in there for people to post their images. It would help a lot, I think, for others to visualize how the pattern ends up. I’ve recently noticed a lot of comments on here from various readers about the shapes of the models in the drawings versus real life bodies and having scoliosis and yada yada. So it would be a really great way to see the translation from drawing to real life (like that one orange and plaid Peter Pan collared dress from a few months ago). Of couse I’m thinking like a craft magazine editor on this one, so take my comment for what that’s worth! ; ) (And besides, if it’s too much trouble to make the program do that sort of thing, letting people post links probably suffices.)
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re categories on the wiki: should “Vintage Sewing Patterns” be one of the categories or no? I noticed it’s in the page you made for B6015, but not your more recent pages. Maybe not necessary because the wiki itself categorizes all the pages as Vintage Sewing Patterns? (yes, I’m addicted!) I like the real-life photos idea too–I love seeing different interpretations of the patterns.
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Erin you brought up an interesting side issue about the serger – I don’t have one, as I haven’t really learned to use one yet, and I honestly don’t know if I should get one. Is there a pros/cons discussion somewhere for them? I want one because its a sewing gadget (and Christmas is coming), but I don’t see myself sewing each of my seams twice – once for the real seam to then check the fit, and then again with the serged edge. Right now I line everything, which sort of makes up for not finishing seam allowances. Are they really worth it?
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Your blog is absolutely wonderful! And as a long-time shopper and fan, can I say how much I adore that you’re supporting Trashy Diva by linking it?
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That is great fabric! I have had good luck with my serger, but, have found it to be most useful in making kid outfits. I think most dresses still need regular seams with the serger as a seam finish. Best use for a serger is to use it to finish the ends of new fabric before pre-shinking, no threads to clean up.
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Oh my. I just got the pattern for this very dress on ebay. Knee-length shirtdress with pointy collar, vertical back darts, back seam, full buttondown front, underbust gathers at a slightly curved up empire seam, skirt with front princess seams. All but the 3/4 sleeved version of the dress use less than 3 yards of 45″ fabric. Your dress is hauntingly familiar; are you sure it was a New Look? My pattern is Style 2708, sizes 8-18.
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You make something amazing like this dress and then complain it’s not quite right? You are such a perfectionist! LOL.
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You make something amazing like this dress and then complain it’s not quite right? You are such a perfectionist! LOL.
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Karen, I think people who make more kids’ clothes and knits and who do more fancy rolled hems and suchlike enjoy their sergers more than I do mine. I keep threatening to put mine up on Craigslist …
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Thanks everyone for the serger tips! I’ll leave it off list for Santa, but maybe for my next birthday…
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