Quilt Coat

     This post’s project is a long-time dream finally come true…and it has turned out to ever more wonderful than I ever imagined it could become.  Here is a winter weather item that actually makes me look forward to the colder season!

     For a good number of years, refashioning damaged or unwanted quilted pieces of all eras, sizes, and usages has been a strong trend, so this idea has been on my mind for far too long.  I had to eventually try such a thing out for myself!  Thus, I was ecstatic when an old bedspread of ours needed to be downgraded from being in our sleeping quarters to the scrap pile due to some tears, holes, and stains.  The opportunity to sew my own quilt coat had come.  This plays into the theme of my previous post (here) where I talked about how to give a glow up to something you already own so that it can benefit you in some positive way at no cost to your wallet.  Here is another fine example of my point! 

     My quilt coat is also another example of something I am very proud of that was made just before the end of last year, just like the dress from my last post, as well.  Yes, I will be catching up on 2022 projects for the next few posts, so bear with me.  The bedspread I used was not antique, but perhaps about 15 years old and had just been decommissioned earlier in ’22 .  Then, when the “Sew (Outerwear) Together for Winter” sewing challenge was announced for November, I realized I now had an impetus to take on this coat project asap.  The bedspread did take up a lot of room in my fabric stash area and I wanted to instead see it taking up useful space in the closet in between being worn on my back. 

     It was amusing how our son was quite confused, in a way unlike for any other project he has seen me make, when he saw me trying my coat on for the first time.  ”Wasn’t that from your bed?” he said disturbed.  Nothing is safe in the house now that I am branching out to sew with other things beyond fabric.  Anything really can be material.  I have made a few bed sheet dresses (posted here, here, and here), so maybe that was the beginning point for where I am now at.  Who knows…maybe next I will be cutting up curtains!  Sewing is a slippery slope to finding all sorts of fun and creativity.

THE FACTS:

FABRIC:  a cotton quilted bedspread

PATTERN:  Simplicity #4032, year 2006

NOTIONS NEEDED:  I had all I needed on hand – thread, vintage bias tape packs, a hook and eye, and one covered button blank set

TIME TO COMPLETE:  This coat took me a total of 6 hours from cutting out to finish.  It was completed at the end of November 2022

THE INSIDES:  cleaned up and zig zagged over for no fraying edges (as you can see in the picture at left)

TOTAL COST:  Nothing!!!

     Now, let’s get into some terminology before I dive into talking about my actual coat.  A quilt isn’t always for the bed but a bedspread is always quilted.  Key differences between a bedspread and comforter is the level of warmth they provide.  Comforters are made to provide insulation and warmth during cold months, while bedspreads are much more lightweight and breathable making them ideal for warmer conditions.  Meanwhile, a blanket is a generic term that refers to almost any bed covering thicker than a sheet, including quilts, duvets, and comforters. Confusing, am I right?

     This is why – for as much praise as I will heap upon this creation and as much as I love to wear it – this coat does not keep me warm, only cozy in the winter.  It is great for transitional seasons like Fall and Spring when it is moderately chilly.  However, anything near to actual cold temperatures and all the terminology listed above explains why I lose all my body heat.  A quilted bedspead is breathable, and a good outer layer, but does not keep me insulated.  The benefits it provides on a bed in a heated house to keep me snug on a chilly night do not work the same when out in the elements.  There is nothing with this coat to actually keep my body heat from escaping and giving me a chill when I spend too much time out in the near freezing temperatures.

     I must admit, though, that I am sensitive to being cold, and am not one to survive the winter season in a heavy sweater, light jacket, or exercise hoodie.  I need an actual puffy, furry, or woolen winter coat.  Worn alone as the sole outer layer, this is comfortable for me only for chilly weather.  It is a fancy equivalent to a heavyweight sweater.  Luckily, my town has a great variety of temperature swings all year round and I can wear this on our mild ‘warm-up’ days in the heart of January.  Yay!  I have been keeping this coat out of the closet where I can see it because I am not over the beauty of it but also I want to keep it as available as possible. 

     If I would have lined my quilt coat, this issue of its warmth factor would have probably been either resolved or partially amended.  Yet this bedspread was reversible and is just as pretty underneath as it is on top.  All I had to do was make sure I kept my inner seams clean and the inside of my quilt coat was guaranteed to be lovely keeping it unlined.  Besides, why complicate things?  There is a beauty and benefit to keeping things simple.  After all, this was my first go at the quilt refashion, and so I didn’t know how this project would sew up or if it would turn out, or that it may need a lining.  After years of paying attention to how other makers finish their quilt coats, I have seen both lined and unlined ones almost as equally.  It really doesn’t matter either way.  The beauty I appreciate with every quilt coat is their individuality…no two are the same and each one is as uniquely a work of art as the person who made it.

     My first quilt coat ended up being better than what I had hoped for as it is, even with the reduced warmth level.  Yet, even if it hadn’t ended well, the experience I had making it is everything.  I have worked with a pre-quilted cotton batting fabric before, both times as a lining layer for warmth – first for this 1940s jerkin vest and then inside this Burberry style plaid coat.  I found that a real quilt was actually much easier to sew and work with than that material.  Now that I have one quilt refashion under my wing, I have realized all sorts of tricks (which included having to pull out the old, bunched up stuffing from around the seam allowance) and taken many mental notes.  I don’t regret anything here (which is big for as hard as I am on myself) and feel very happy with my methods, but next time I am prepared.  Yes, I will be taking another go at this at some point in the future!  Now I just need to wait for the next serendipitous quilt acquisition to come my way, and in the meantime work on some more little projects for the rest of the quilt scraps.  I’m considering a historical inspired vest, a purse or tote bag, and maybe a sunglass case.  We will see!

    The pattern I used was something I have been badly wanting to try out since it was released in 2006.  That is awhile to wait on trying out a pattern, right?!  It is every bit as wonderful as I had anticipated it would be.  I chose view A.  The overall coat’s sizing was perfectly spot on, the various options for different collars, hem panels, button closings, and added details are all appealing, and it was so easy to make.  I highly recommend this pattern and see no reason why it needs to be a “fleece only” design.  A nubby boucle, and mid-weight suiting, or even a sweater knit I think would all suit this pattern.  If using a fabric other than a fleece, however, you do need to figure out on your own how to finish the edges.  I chose a thin ¼ inch vintage 1980s pack of matching blue bias tape along the collar and hem edge.  No interfacing or fiddly facings are even necessary here, as my quilt coat is entirely one layer.  I will definitely be coming back to make another view of this pattern in the future.

     I wanted a pattern with minimal darts and simplified lines so as to let the quilt paneling shine and this pattern was perfect for fulfilling my requirements and giving me room for creative placement.  Two out of the four quilt corners became the chevron sleeves.  The collar was cut from the edging border.  The decorative round middle part of the quilt was centered over the back panel.  Finally, the front body pieces were cut from one of the four large medallions that were around the center of the quilt.  It was quite a balance to try to find a creative vision that complimented overall yet also avoid the stains and tears in the quilt.  I had to draw a few of my own balance marks and points of placement to try and find some symmetry as I was cutting out each piece single layer.  I am head over heels with the intricacy of combining the curves, the points, and straight lines.  My math loving heart is pleased with all the geometry. 

      My styling inspiration was 1984 Ralph Lauren.  He had his winter collection that year to have cozy sweaters, romantic blouses, and quilted blazers and skirts.  His was the high end interpretation of the frontier or prairie look that was popularized since the late 70s through other lines such as Betsey Johnson, Jessica McClintock’s Gunne Sax, and Laura Ashley.  I wanted to channel that in a small degree.  I was happy that I actually had a ‘me-made’ skirt already made to perfectly call to mind the Ralph Lauren aesthetic.  The skirt has been posted already (here).  It’s a favorite staple piece from my wardrobe, so much so that it is starting to both fade and wear out by now! 

To complement the aesthetic, I am wearing a reproduction Victorian blouse, complete with a dizzying amount of pintucks and lace, which I bought in the 1990s along with the floral abalone shell brooch at my neck. My earrings are a little something I made myself in the 90s, as well.  They have sterling silver ear wire and a duo of blue glass seed beads above and below an orchid tone fiber optic bead. They were a drop earring which was simple and sweet enough to ease me in dangling earrings as a teenager!  

The dog chewed a few holes in my quilt but it is still usable! Check out the label I made.

     This refashion has helped me gain a greater respect all the vision and the time that goes into quilts.  I have not yet made a quilt beyond a small basic one made of squares of scraps leftover from the dresses and costumes my mom made me as I child.  I sewed this little quilt as a preteen simply for my dog’s enjoyment.  Neither am I inclined to make a quilt myself at the moment, but we do have my husband’s Grandmother’s old quilt frame…so who knows what is in my future!  I do have enough scraps of fabric, for goodness’ sake! 

For now, I am content to admire all the existing quilts out there, and keep my options open for the possibility of another quilt refashion in my future.  I still prefer quilts to be on a bed where I can both fully appreciate their warmth and their details can be on display.  However, now that I know what can be done with a damaged one, I will be more than happy to rescue any quilt that has seen better days and needs a new lease on life. 

Star Wars, Pinball, and Year 1974 Cozy Layers

The title might seem like an odd combo, but bear with me here…it is all connected, at least to me with this newest outfit.  In this post, I’ll proudly reveal myself to be a big fan for the decade of the 70s and its amusements – something that many vintage bloggers as well as those who lived in that decade seem to generally not share in common with me.  As one who is at the age to have totally missed that era, I can feel a connection to the decade of disco music, pinball machines, bell-bottom pants with platform shoes, and Star Wars because all these things played a big part in my parents’ lives.  What they were “in to”, I saw in old pictures, records in the basement, and clothes or memorabilia in a forgotten closet – and all that was cool and interesting to me.  Parents are interesting anyway, right?  Reasons given, I’ll move onto what I actually made.

Inspired as I was to make things for Allie J’s “Cozy Layers” Social Sew #8, I might have went a bit over the top here.  Anyways, let me present my 1974 waterproof jacket, easy 1974 knit flared jeans, and a draped sweater vest.  Whoever says winter dressing is no fun hasn’t worn these kind of garments!  These pieces are so fun and warm…and handmade;)

THE FACTS:

FABRIC:  Pants – a cotton polyester blend brushed double knit in what looks like a denim finish; Jacket – a olive green snakeskin print vinyl with a knit backing, a poly micro suede and a basic polyester for the lining, and a fleece sandwiched in between; Vest – a poly cotton blend sweater knit for the draped front and the leftover poly micro suede for the back

PATTERNS:  Pants – McCall’s #4052, year 1974 (love the whole play suit separates – lots of options here); Jacket – Butterick #3914, late 1973 to early 1974; Vest – Simplicity #1588, view A, year 2013

NOTIONS:  I only used what thread, interfacing, and other notions from on hand.  The pants button came from the stash of Hubby’s Grandmother so it might be vintage.  I only bought a metal jeans zipper for the pants.

THE INSIDES:  Most seams are bias bound on the vest, the pants edges are left raw, and the jacket seams are covered by the lining.

TIME TO COMPLETE:  The vest was finished first on November 21 after only 3 or 4 hours, the knit jeans came second being finished on November 22 after 3 or 4 hours, and finally the jacket was done on November 28, 2016, after about 15 hours.

TOTAL COST:  The denim knit was something I bought about 5 years back so I don’t remember where it came from or how much I spent for it.  All of the rest of the material for this outfit was bought about 2 years back when there was a Hancock Fabrics store closing, so it was incredibly dirt cheap.  In all, not much fabric was used here – 2 yards of each fabric, except for ½ yard of the vest sweater knit, and voila!  Look what I came up with!

I won’t bore you too much detail in this post about sewing and construction details because not only are there three me-made garments here, but also one of them was tricky and complicated (the jacket) while the other two (vest and pants) were super easy.  I must say I am very pleased with all the patterns, especially the vest and pants.  The jacket is great, too, don’t get me wrong, and surprisingly warm for being a not-too-heavy of a weight.  My only reserve is that I am doubtful whether or not I paired the right fabric (the vinyl) and pattern together.  My hubby makes me feel better by saying that the material would have been hard to work with (and it was) no matter what pattern I’d have chosen, but this style is uniquely neat especially with the raglan sleeves.  The vest is more of a novelty item, but I am realizing it will go with more than what I first thought, mostly because I like it so much!  However, one can never beat an easy creation that looks so good and fits so great, so the jeans are the ultimate winner, especially for being so basic and versatile.

I will go over each item briefly to comment of the fit and anything I changed.  First comes the vest.  I made a straight size small and found that I should have graded a size up for the hips the same way as I do for regular garments such as blouses and dresses.  The neckline of the draping were taken in by an extra inch to make for less of a droopy wrap, purely personal taste.  A facing of the micro suede used for the back was drafted from the pattern for the neckline edge.  I found the back of the vest to be quite long, ending at the bottom of my behind…not flattering.  So, to vent my frustration waiting for our Thanksgiving guests to arrive, I unpicked the bottom hem and re-sewed it 2 inches shorter in the back of the vest.

I love the texture and interest of this vest, besides the fact it is a wonderful weight to wear.  It keeps a chill out of my middle but yet the lack of sleeves keeps me from over-heating inside stores and homes.  I’ve always associated vests with the outdated 80’s things (like boxy front-halves of a weskit) that I wouldn’t be caught dead in, but now that I have a fashionable vest, I may have to re-think the value of this kind of garment for winter layering.  The funny thing is, this vest made in this desert sand khaki color, with its rough texture, and criss-cross design totally reminds me of the outfit for the lead character “Rey” in the 2015 Star Wars movie, “The Force Awakens”.  I know it’s not exactly the same thing but I believe you can definitely tell where I see similarities.  This vest, though modern, also reminds of the creative and interesting, bold but relaxed style that see in 1970’s dressing.

My idea to whip up the pants was spawned of all my ideas from and of the vest.  All of my previous pants have all been made of woven fabrics so I went for a thick denim knit sitting all lonely and forgotten in my stash for the last 5 years.  Now I’m glad I never sewed it up into a dress like I had originally planned because these 70’s pants are way hotter…oh, and comfy.  Everything I love about vintage 1940’s trousers is combined with my love for the 70’s here – full and wide legs, true waist, chic styling, and perfect fit.  Add on a body skimming booty and less excess fabric around the thighs and welcome to the disco era.  My favorite part is the lack of both the conventional waistband and the front placket here, replaced with a simple loop and button above the zipper.  It makes for a very clean look that’s so easy.  The instructions showed to sew in a ribbon waist, but I used some wide non-roll navy elastic instead and I think this turns out much better and is a better (and more forgiving) fit.  The best part?  These pants are a perfect fit for me without a hair’s breadth of change…go vintage patterns!

These pants make me feel very tall, skinny, and all legs.  This was the 70s ideal body type anyway, and I like the feeling because in reality I normally think of myself as short, not skinny enough, and definitely not very leggy.  I kept a very long hem on my pants so as to wear my new 4 inch platform strappy heels.

After making year 1974 pants, I remembered a project waiting in the wings downstairs for the last several years.  This, together with the thought of another cozy layer to add to the 70s gloriousness, and I reached for the jacket project.  This was rather an exhausting project that I don’t know I was ready for, but it should see much use in the next few months, starting immediately.  There are some things I wish I could have made to work out better, but I am just proud at my first official coat and my first sewing with this kind of vinyl.  I do love the slightly golden sheen to the snakeskin print and the waterproof protection without looking (and sounding) like a plastic raincoat.

The most stressful part of sewing this coat was the thought that I only had one shot to get things right…unpicking and re-stitching wasn’t really possible here because once a hole is made, it’s permanently going to be there.  Also, the vinyl was sticking to all the metal parts of my machine so I had to sandwich a layer of wax paper around the coat’s seams at almost every stitch so it would glide under the presser foot.  This wax paper method worked like a charm, and was easy to take off, it just was something else to add to the difficulty level.  So, in total not only did my stitching have to be accurate, and I was limited to my use of pins for seams (reverting to clothes pins), but I had to sew between wax paper.  This coat must have given me at least one grey hair.  My only change was that in lieu of gathers under both the front and the back yokes, I made my own pleats – two ½ inch ones on each front and one giant box pleat down the center back.

My two giant pockets are lined in a remnant of a 1970’s curtain which I had on hand from a buying someone’s small fabric stash at re-sale store.  It was so bold and fun, I also added bright green bias tape to finish in inner edge.  No one will ever really know it’s there, but I like how the print makes me smile whenever I see the funky brightness inside my pockets.

I still don’t know how to close the coat – any suggestions?  I don’t like it belted and it is warm enough that a little air actually feels good.  I’m beginning to think I should just leave it open and casual.

1974 is an interesting year for me to channel.  My dad graduated that year from high school and (among other things that happened) he became a lover of the pinball machine.  Every chance we could as I was growing up, my dad and I would hover over and eye up every pinball machine, with the occasional dropping of a quarter to do a real play.  I always saw my dad as a champ at the game and he still enjoys playing when he can.  Luckily there are some game lounges around in our town nowadays that are much more respectable than those of the pinball culture 40 years back.  1974 was also the year the California Supreme Court ruled that pinball was more a game of skill than one of chance and overturned its long prohibition, opening the way for general acceptance of this form of amusement nationwide (info from here).

So much of this outfit is due to the influence of my dad.  He still has some of his 70’s bell bottoms, though he got rid of his platform shoes, trench jacket, and elephant pants years back.  Now his daughter has her own version of what he used to wear, sorry dad!  He loved Star Wars and bought me many of the toys and even watched the movies from the roof of their house on the drive-in screen which had been up the street.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree I guess.  Star Wars is still around on screen, and the 70’s style is coming back today, and retro amusements are just as fun, so it’s hard to resist re-visiting my dad’s past with my own handmade twist.  This one’s for you, dad, hope you don’t shake your head at this…just smile.

And now for some Star Wars light saber fun with my own son before bed time…

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“Atomic Jacks” 1955 Set of Redingote Jacket and Dress

I’ve sewn it again…here is another look-alike to the fashion of the corrupt character of Whitney Frost on Marvel’s TV show “Agent Carter”, Season Two.  This time I have an outfit to show you of a dress and redingote jacket, inspired from episode 8 “The Edge of Mystery” to be precise.  I am so proud at how this outfit turned out better than I’d imagined it for myself, and it’s so wonderful to wear!  I even found an eerily similar silk scarf and leather-like driving gloves, all vintage, to properly complete my Whitney outfit.

Both garments are absolutely great, however the dress was a bit overwhelming to make as it had a huge amount of ease on top of generously large fabric-hogging pieces.  The jacket is so amazing I want to convince everyone they need to brace themselves for the challenge of making this pattern – the most lovely design of outwear I could possibly want.

Be prepared for some dramatic poses, and a disturbing crack down my face opening up a force to be reckoned with…just like the villainess who wears my inspired outfit.  Yeah, it sounds weird to put myself in the shoes (through an outfit) of a megalomaniac with powers from another dimension, but Whitney Frost, like many women, was on a quest for purpose and respect…she just went down the worst path imaginable.

THE FACTS:

FABRICS:  The Dress: a Gertie brand 100% cotton sateen, The Jacket: a 100% Kona cotton for the exterior, a basic poly lining for the inside, a buff poly satin for the pocket flaps and belt, and a 100% cotton for the bias binding. 

PATTERNS:  The dress comes from an original 1955 Advance #7095 pattern and the jacket comes from a Vintage Vogue #8875, a re-print of a year 1955 and 1957 pattern (originally V#4771).  The pocket flaps were added on from an original year 1948 pattern, McCall #7354.

NOTIONS:  I had the interfacing that I needed, as well as the dress’ thread, zipper, and packaged bias tape, but the jacket needed thread to be bought and I made my own bias tape.  The buckle is from my stash and it is vintage carved shell.

THE INSIDES:  All nicely finished.  The dress has all bias bound seams and the jacket is fully lined.

TIME TO COMPLETE:  Both the dress and the jacket were a bit time intensive.  My dress was made in about 10 hours (not counting maybe three hours for cutting and laying out) and done on June 8, 2016.  The jacket was made in about 30 hours (with about 4 hours for cutting and laying out) and finished on July 1, 2016.

TOTAL COST:  The dress took so much fabric (5 something yards) I’m not sure of the total anymore, but I think it is about $25 to $30.  The jacket was less because half of my supplies (the lining, satin, organza, and some thread) were on hand so my total for 4 yards of Kona cotton on sale with one yard of a remnant for bias tape comes to a total of about $23.

First off, I need to vent…this is not a costume, in the particular definition of being something for cosplay, stage, theater, or an out-of-place garment.  It is clothing I want to wear in my modern living (the jacket is something I needed, actually) and was merely inspired by something on television to go the extra mile for a great outfit.  That’s good, right?!  I kept my outfit similar in shape, color tone, and style, but it is according to my own taste and personality because I intend to wear these pieces in my daily life, such as out to dinner, vintage shopping with friends, or to church.  However, I will admit this would be perfect for the next in town cosplay event and it is fun to understand a character by stepping in her shoes, besides feeling like I could be a part of my favorite television show (see the television still at left with Wynn Everett playing Whitney Frost).

To top off the irony of my rant, the Advance pattern envelope actually calls it a “costume dress”…don’t understand why.  This is an original pattern to make what looks like a very normal mid-50’s dress, albeit quite poufy.  I’m assuming the use of ‘costume’ here is meant in the term of “fashion of dress appropriate to a particular occasion or season or a set of garments to put together an outfit.” Honestly, this all confusing grammar particulars.

Of all the weird things I’ve found in pattern envelopes, the Advance pattern had double pieces, as if someone bought two.  Why just double of the bodice, the skirt side panels, and collar pieces?  To further complicate the mystery here, the skirt double pattern pieces were cut in half, like the previous maker intended on cutting those on the fold, and sliced accordingly.  All the pattern pieces are the same size as each other, so why buy another just to cut two pieces in half?!  After all the unnecessary pieces, the pocket top band is missing, and there is one of everything else.  Was somebody making a lining?  Oh the stories these patterns could tell…

I expected the dress pattern’s fit to be normal or at least semi-generous, but this Advance dress had the most unexplained extra ease of any pattern I’ve made.  It was like a gi-normous fabric monster.  The skirt pattern pieces were so huge, I had to taper off several inches on each side of all of them and they are still incredibly full.  Several inches had been taken out at the bottom hem because it seemed evening length long, and also to help fit everything in.  I had bought 4 yards already and still realized I did not enough for all of the pattern pieces.  To top things off, I miss-cut on one piece and had to frantically search amid town to find the last remnant so I could finish my dress.  As it turned out, I hacked off 6 more inches from the hem to get my dress the length you see and even sewed up the duo of giant pockets (which I didn’t add), so I guess I sort of wasted a bit too much fabric here.  The pattern I had was technically in my size but I did add in 3/8 inch so I could have a little “just-in-case room”, but I ended up taking out a few inches all over any way, distributing it between the panels.  The empire waist down is still kind of generous on me but I can only take so much in before I give up on reaching that “perfect fit”.  What was the deal?! 

For all my saying how huge the skirt pieces were, this dress is such a feminine, swishy, perfect-for-twirling outfit made even better with my full ruffled petticoat underneath.  My petticoat does not remotely fill the skirt out though.  The wide, oval, shoulder-to-shoulder neckline does balance out the vertical seamed skirt, compliments the waist, and creates a lovely 50’s silhouette which I think works for me.

The ‘anchor’ of the dress is of course the dramatically subtle collar-like neckline.  It was quite fiddly, time-consuming, and difficult compared to the rest of the dress.  The combination of a curved, interfaced, skinny strap, faced with another piece and attaching to the full dress with four gathered sections, too, was stressful, requiring lots of pins and slow stitching.  The front tabs end at the same place at the neckline, which was also tricky, then flipped under one another

Whitney’s dress had a remotely similar neckline collar, except hers was folded over (free hanging) and tied in the center front.  Her dress has quarter sleeves and center bust gathers while mine has is neither, but our dresses do share the same skirt shaping.  Also, her dress was a solid purple in some sort of jacquard (in maybe rayon or silk) while mine is not, but I prefer the printed cotton sateen to stay true to my taste.  Besides, the children’s’ toy jacks that are on my dress are a nod to the Agent that aims to get on Whitney’s “good” side to reach what he wants – Jack Thompson.  Furthermore, my outfit is titled atomic because a faulty A-bomb is the catalyst for the events in “The Edge of Mystery” episode and the reason both Whitney and myself are in an empty, forgotten dirt patch.  Hence, the “Atomic Jacks” title is now explained.

This style of dress seemed to be a common design around 1955 especially with the Advance line but also seen through other companies.  For some examples, see Advance 8296 (pic at right) or view Advance 6915, Advance 8047, Butterick 6988, McCall’s 9647, all 1953 to 1956.  I find it funny that so many dresses look alike in a handful of years almost to the point of being boring.  One could buy only one of this style dress and tweak it to copy all the other releases.

Compared to the neckline, the dress from the empire waist down was just single layer fabric and incredibly lightweight, so I unhappily found out it liked to creep up on me and wrinkle in terrible horizontal folds around the natural waistline.  I had to get creative to combat this bad behavior of my dress.  What I ended up doing was sewing down about 8 inches of skinny ¼ inch ribbon to the dress starting at just below the waist to below the waistline, with a long tail of ribbon hanging down tied at the end to a weight of a ¾ inch washer.  I did this in three places down the two front skirt seams and down the center back skirt.  The weights don’t really get in the way of my legs because I keep them over my frilly ruffled petticoat and they are totally removable because they are tied to the ribbon ends.  The weighted ribbons help the waist stay smoother instead of wrinkling up and nicely keeps the dress in place on my shoulders.  This is probably the most unusual fashion fix I’ve come up with but it totally works.

Now, the jacket is an awesome pattern which makes for a silent showstopper.  A redingote jacket is guaranteed to be awesomely special.  The 50’s were the hurrah for the redingote, although you do still see a few in the 60s, too.  Wearing a redingote is the most fashionable way to have a coat on yet still show off your clothes underneath, besides being so complimentary to the waistline.  (More history on the redingote can be found on this ‘Witness 2 Fashion’ post.)

For this pattern, everything matched together beautifully, the fit is engineered brilliantly, the sizing seems right on, and it is nicely unique.  Yet, it is tiresome to make and quite challenging…there are eight tricky corners in total to make.  (See the pic at right which shows three views of the angled corners, inside and out)  Once I started on the lining I wanted to give up on the jacket and swear I couldn’t sew another one of those funny angle/tight point corners.  I’m not even talking about the wraparound collar, either.  Yet, as I was making this, I could tell I was going to love it, and the promise of a rocking outfit (as well as a very rainy coming weekend) gave me the guts to suck up my distaste and finish the jacket.  I’m so glad I did.

There are just a few things I did to the pattern to make it slightly easier to sew.  I did not change any of the design (besides shortening the jacket hem by 4 inches).  My ‘tricks’ here merely have to do with construction changes to achieve the same result as compared to what the instructions show.  First of all, I disagree with the need to do so much cutting down of all the curved seam allowances.  I did not see any noticeable restriction to the sleeve curves as they were and I think paring them down might make a high tension spot a bit less stable.  A little snipping maybe but that’s all.  It is still very important, as boring and repetitive as it might be, to stitch and re-enforce all the points and corners you’re supposed to and, yes, you do stitch the stabilization squares over the corners on the right side.  I didn’t disregard these points but I did use sheer organza instead of self-fabric for the re-enforcement squares (much lighter but just as strong).

Furthermore, I did not use any interfacing anywhere, and also left out the extra add-on contrast collar.  The facing for the jacket’s front edge was sewn to the lining’s outer edge to make a one-piece inner coat.  This was then sewn, as one ‘inner’ jacket to the ‘good’ outer jacket, along the front edge, from one hemline, up and around the collar and back down to the hemline.  Now where the jacket facing joins the lining the meeting is much more stable, strong, and smooth…besides saving me a butt-load of hand stitching!  I know this is sort of ‘cheating’ (so I’ve heard), not very time-committed, nor couture, nor vintage correct.  Hey, when sewing is a chore it doesn’t give personal enjoyment, so anything that saves one’s creative sanity is good in my book.  Besides, ready-to-wear has got nothing on this coat!

Perhaps the best part (besides the awesome pocket flaps) was taking the extra step for self-made bias tape.  I know, I might sound nuts, but making bias tape is incredibly fun – a total mood-lifter for me, especially with my Dritz tool won from my entry to the “Butterick to the Big Screen”.  Once you have made and used your own bias tape, it is quite hard to use bought pre-made bias tape…no kidding, you’re ruined, spoiled.  Self-made bias tape is 110% better especially when it is made to match out of fabric better than the stiff poly-blend available in the stores nowadays.

To make my jacket truly stand well in rainy weather, I sprayed it down with some “Protect-All” fabric and shoe coating.  This doesn’t stiffen the fabric at all, nor does it make the water bead or roll off, it only retards liquid from soaking into the fiber.  A whole can was used to spray my jacket with one generous coat of “Protect-All”.

Did you ever have a film star for which you just had to have her wardrobe?  Well, I guess Whitney Frost is that person for me.  However, I believe I am not just making for myself her fashion.  I also try to put my own touch into it to make sure I feel like “me” in it.  Besides, since I do love purple in all its shades, and this is the color Whitney wears most often, I find it hard to resist.  No, but really – I do promise to make garments in other colors for your sake, and more Whitney Frost outfits for my sake!

If you’re interested in learning more about the vintage methods of make-up that were used to “make” Whitney Frost, see this article on ‘World News’ – and don’t forget to click on the full page option through the L.A. Times!  There is also a photo galley for this particular episode of “Agent Carter” (which you can find here) if you’d like to compare our outfits or just take a look!

 

Fort de Chartres Rendezvous 2016 – Colonial dressing

This past weekend, our family made our annual visit to the town of Prairie du Rocher, Illinois (U.S.A.) for their 18^th century and early 19^th century re-enactment at the historic Fortress of St. Anne De Chartres. It was a lovely day for the event, however a week of rainy days as well as a few showers the day itself made the flood plain that the fort is on more of a muddy marsh.  Luckily, we remembered to take our pictures soon after we arrived before our shoes, socks, and my skirt hem were soaked and caked (literally) in mud…yuk!  So much for my lovely suede shoes!  Hearing the fife and drum music made it all worthwhile.

Last year (post here) I went as an early 19th century lady, but this year we all were colonials, 1750 to 1770.  I did a good amount of sewing (and research) to my ensemble as well as for my son’s. Now that our son is old enough to remember and enjoy events like this, I took this opportunity to start him off fully participating with us.  He can always wear modern clothes…not too often will he get to “dress up” with us for a good reason, with somewhere to go!  He did get to wear my old tricorne hat from when I was his age.

I’ve been doing re-enacting since I was 10, and every year, every time I attend an event I learn more and integrate that into my outfit.  Well, I know I’m lacking in stays to bind myself in, and our little man could use a vest.  However, this time I took the week before to lend some much needed finishing touches to my ensemble to get it close to how I would like it (more authentic).  It was also high time for me to address my hat, giving it a new look (more down later).

Now, my short-gown is a nice working class fitted jacket in a lovely nubby raw linen.  It is simple and unlined, and not made by me but sewn by an acquaintance of ours from the “Marquette Trading Company”, as is my under chemise.  The jacket came without any closures or ornament, which I liked so as to customize to our taste and suit the rest of the outfit.  I hand-sewed in hook-and-eye tape into the front center closure, basing it off of this original from the MET museum.  Pinning the jacket front closed might be accurate, too, but I get poked enough when sewing, and if the Met has an original jacket with hook-and-eyes down the front…I’m all for easy!  As a final touch, I would like to add some interest to the sleeve ends, like a loop and button to pull it up to a V-point at the inner elbow (maybe next year).

I made the rest of my outfit using raw, nubby, muslin cotton.  The skirt is a simple one made maybe 7 to 10 years back– just a few yards of fabric uber gathered.  I probably could have shortened it even more to show the proper amount of shoe/ankle, but my skirt was wet and therefore heavy and kind of dragging down a bit.  The apron is recently made and is also simple – just one yard of material with half the pleats ¾ inch and the others ½ inch.  My necklace is hand strung coral beads finished with sterling parts.

Yes, I didn’t forget the hat!  When I was a teenager I bought this straw hat blank and decorated it with a lace neck jabot and some nice plastic flowers.  While it was a nice attempt, the hat’s embellishment wasn’t really authentic so I did look around and make something closer to how it should be for the era.  I used a modern ribbon (sadly yes, but this was a last minute fix) but it looks so much better than what I had and I had fun sewing it!  The ribbon was widely box pleated then sewed through the center into the wedge of the crown and brim.  A wide ivory ribbon from underneath keeps the hat on my head – you just can’t see it because it blends in with my linen head covering cap underneath on my hair.

My scarf is modern, yes, and in a rayon, but I think it works.  “The Dreamstress” has a terminology post on her blog about Ikat prints and they were quite popular and used in many different ways during this time period (look at the 1755–65 chiné gown from the MET).  It seems they were a bit of a French mode and a luxury.  I’d like to think for an American colonial to wear Ikat might be seemingly associated with the country’s independent ideals of that time, so I think it quite symbolic for my outfit.

I rather decided at the last minute to make our son’s clothes so I had to do a bit of research and made do with what I had.  Luckily, I already had some cotton batiste on hand to use for the shirt.  Mostly I used my husband’s shirt as my guide and made the best mini version I could.  For a start, I used a modern but vintage year 1953 pattern as a rough base to cut out a simple tunic, cutting the jacket pattern pieces (front and back) on the fold and adding in a front neckline with a facing.  Then I used the sleeve pieces to the jacket as my guide, using the extra length to gather in the ends like cuffs with elastic thread.  The shoulder seams are off the shoulder like they should be but I did want the shirt to be roomy so he’ll get more than one wearing out of it.  I pleated in the center outward sleeve tops, which turned out well except I need to take out more of the cap poufiness.  Then I drafted my own collar and added skinny ties.  Voila!

My son’s breeches are something – just good enough for the day.  I really made these with no pattern whatsoever and completely self-drafted them using a pair of my hubby’s unwanted old cotton khaki pants.  They have good features – a mock front fly flap, a back gusset closure, a wide waistband, and pleated in knee cuffs.  I just wish I had made them longer and had buttons for them, too.  Poor little guy – other re-enactors were getting a kick out of him because he walked everywhere with one hand holding up his britches because he had serious droopy drawers!

I’m proud I was able to get this close in one day’s worth of a few hours with no pattern yet I’m frustrated because they were so lacking.  I’ll do better next pair – be sure of it.  However, boy 18^th century patterns are hard to come by!  I found one at “Jas. Townsend and Sons, Inc.” and more at “Patterns of Time”.  Any suggestions as to other good sources for children’s 1700’s patterns or what to look for would be appreciated.

It is a refreshing palate cleanser to break away from my “normal” sewing of the 20^th century and dive into other past decades and centuries.  Now I have the gumption do a historical project.  I did pull out my Regency patterns to plan a new frock or maybe I’ll pick up some of my Gilded era, Titanic era, and Civil War projects which need to be finished!  We’ll see.  Next, I have to find more re-enacting events to attend…