Sunday, June 2, 2013

French seams

It has been years.  Decades perhaps.  However.


This is a yoke seam with built-in pocket, from a vintage Vogue pattern.  The pattern instructions specify French seams.  Mine are definitely not as small as Vogue wanted me to make them (1/8") but they are not too bad and the inside of this shirt is definitely as pretty as the outside.  In the end, it may be more so.  I have yet to make the buttonholes...

The last time I made it, it was the 70s and this pattern was new and fresh.  The Sewing Lawyer was yet to become a Sewing Law Student.  I am (again) making view B at top right.

I found a tiny scrap of the original fabric.  Chinese silk brocade, with tiny woven birds.  Fabulous stuff, found in (if memory serves) Fanny's Fabrics in Regina Saskatchewan.  I wish I had more of that silk.

This version is made of lightest silk and cotton blend, purchased in Montreal during PR Weekend in June, 2010.  I hauled it out of deep stash thinking it would look great with my cashmere skirt.  Now I'm aiming more squarely for summer wear.

By the way, did you notice the somewhat rumply white fabric upon which my new airy version of V2281 was resting?  It's 100% linen, 3.5 metres.  It is pretty beefy and, realizing the futility of trying to maintain its crisp smoothness, I tossed it into the washing machine and dryer to soften it up.

Some of the linen is destined to be a pair of summery cropped pants.  The rest ... perhaps a skirt?  Any suggestions as to what silhouette I should aim for?  Don't be shy - give me some ideas!
Posted by at
Labels: ,

7 comments:

  1. annieJune 2, 2013 at 4:54 PM

    Just read a great tutorial on prepping linen from Carolyn at diaryofasdwingfanatic. Might help w/ the wrinkling. That's her experience at any rate. I do love white linen pants.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nancy KJune 2, 2013 at 5:26 PM

    If you don't want the linen quite that wrinkly, you can try this tip from Marcy Tilton. She washes the garment without spinning it. Then hang it up and smooth out the pants or what ever it is and air dry. No pressing. I am making some linen pieces this year as well, and a pair of white linen cropped pants are on my list too. There is something quintessentially summer about linen, wrinkles and all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. a little sewingJune 3, 2013 at 7:47 AM

      What a great idea to skip the spin cycle - that makes sense.
      I will do that the next time I am prepping linen.

      Delete
  3. Anne-MarieJune 2, 2013 at 9:40 PM

    Les coutures françaises sont de loin mes préférées. J'aime le fini impeccable et le confort qu'elles procurent. Ce chemisier sera certes un pur délice à porter. Quel bel imprimé! Il vient de chez Couture Elle ? J'ai hâte de voir le tout terminé.

    ReplyDelete
  4. badmomgoodmomJune 3, 2013 at 2:45 AM

    I wear this bias linen skirt often:
    http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2013/05/themefriday-sewing-space.html
    and also seen here:
    http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2012/08/fifo-or-lifo.html

    It's just a knit yoke with a bias A-line skirt. Very easy to sew and easy to wear.
    I copied the hem finish (simply serged, then a 1" bias strip sewn over the serged edge) from a similar Eileen Fisher skirt.

    It works well w/ medium-weight linens.

    If it is beefier, then perhaps a straight skirt w/ pockets (like jeans or chinos, only a skirt)?

    ReplyDelete
  5. donnaJune 6, 2013 at 8:24 AM

    Is that a young Christie Brinkley modelling the shirt?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tia DiaJune 10, 2013 at 8:28 PM

    The silk is very pretty - so summery! I just made a lovely a-line skirt for my eldest daughter from Burda's April 2013 issue. It's got one seam at the CB, so I guess it's some kind of circle skirt. And friend just recently wore a white linen knee-length skirt with a similar design that was so simple, chic and summery. You can see the Burda pattern here: http://www.burdastyle.ru/model/2013-burda-4-122

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)