Ench-By-Sew 57: Summer of Love - Denimocracy - Retro Sewing Inspiration Field Trip

Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 57'th, and other, episodes of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast

Or listen directly on the web by clicking on
http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/FINALSummerOfLovePart1DenimocracyLaurelShimer.mp3

This month I’m taking you along on a denim-embellished sewing inspiration field trip to the San Franciso de Young Museum’s
 50’th anniversary of the Summer of Love – it’s at the de Young museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, about 4 miles away from the Polo Fields where the Summer of Love’s Human Be In was celebrated.

So just step on in to your time portal of choice and …. Let it all hang out….

- We’ll start with…Pensamientos Primeros: Hey, had you realized that this summer marks the 50’th anniversy of the Summer of Love in San Franciso? Wow – Far Out Sister!

- Entonces  Un excursion / Then a field trip - Join me for a short field trip to the Summer of Love !

- Y en Pensamientos Finales/And in Final Thoughts : A Perpetual Summer  

* * Resources * *

Summer of Love Exhibit, de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

https://deyoung.famsf.org/summer-love-art-fashion-and-rock-roll

Xilocuatla - Nahuatl

http://www.mexicantextiles.com

   

Retro Threads - Trousers - Born to Dance - Blue Sky Sewing

Who says Ladies didn't wear trousers back in the 30's?

Not Miss Lucy James, a leading hoofer in "Born to Dance" (along with Fred Astaire) -  that's for sure.

Wouldn't it be fun to sew up a trouser, shirt, and scarf outfit like this in dotted silk? 

And how 'bout that offset button closure on the belt?

I love blue sky sewing, especially when it's retro.

Antique-Retro Threads: Plum-Purple Pocket Dress - Mid Twentieth Century

                        

 I have  been thinking about adding embellishments to basic patterns lately, as I've been working on creating a rather

challenging embellishment on the straight skirt I've been sewing, using a pattern I created from my sloper. I haven't blogged about that project yet, other than a posting describing how I created the pattern.  

My own embellishment work got me thinking about this plum-purple frock,  that caught my eye at  the exhibit From Rationing to Rationing at the Museum of Vancouver. I saw it on our visit to Vancouver Canada in the fall of 2014. Yup, that's the visit, for which, I created my audio show  Embellishment Via Vancouver B.C.

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Pensamientos/Thoughts for this plum-purple pocket dress...

Fashion doesn't necessarily move as fast in real life as it does on the pages of a magazine. I recall dresses from my own childhood, in the 1960's, that harked back to many of the design elements in this dress, which is probably an end-of-the war, or just post-war creation.
* The fitted bodice is very mid-twentieth century
* Dainty collars added a popular innocent look
* No-button buttons were a simple embellishment many home sewers added. Buttons were often recycled from worn-out garments, so sewists had them around
* Short puffed sleeves stayed in style for several decades, certainly through the seventies
* Yokes also stayed popular through the late seventies
* Lots of pretty edging and trims like these, served up on plain fabric backgrounds,  are really reminiscent of the mid-century, before the mid-sixties, when dresses got much shorter and styles became all about crazy prints. Sewing up prints was in vogue, because printed fabrics were suddenly much more affordable and available.

And what about that pocket!

I created a similar pocket on my favorite black velvet bath robe, a few years back, by angling out the sides of a rounded pocket pattern. This one looks even more full. I must try fooling around with a pocket pattern to get a similar effect.

The pocket also  dips down in a heart shape in the center. And what about that beautiful embroidered velvet trim! It really tops off the pocket nicely.

* Lots of detail on the yoke was again very popular. It works because of the plain-colored background, even this peach colored lace can be over-embellished. I think that trim worked with ribbon is called insertion.
* Dark colored velvet bows at the neckline have a very mid-twentieth-century look as well. Doris Day often wore bows like this in her movies, especially black ones. Velvet bows were also popular as hair adornments. That was a signature style for Rosemarie in the Dick Van Dyke show, of course. Well into the sixties we could buy velvet bows on hair clips at the 5 and 10 cent store. I guess that would be the 5 and 10 dollar store now!

Reflecting on styles that affected fashions from my childhood, and considering embellishment elements that still work today - That's the kind of thing that keeps me ...

Enchanted By Sewing!

Ench By Sew-31: Historical Bathing Beauties

The April Enchanted By Sewing, Episode 31 Audio Show is Up !

Option I) Listen to the Audio right on the web by clicking on this link - No need to download 

~ OR ~

Option II)  Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes

Bathing and swim wear has certainly changed from the cover-em-up days!

 Have you ever sewn your own swim or bathing suit? I created a couple of bikinis way, way back in high school, but since then, frankly, I’ve been happier to buy my suits. I do however often stop off at various sewing blogs to sample bathing fashion creations that other sewists have created, and daydream a little at trying my hand at another suit one day.

I also get a kick out of hearing and reading about how bathing suits have changed over time, and thinking about what a shock people must have had to suddenly start seeing others, especially women, revealing so much of their flesh on beaches! The big changes in swim suit styling around the 1920’s seem to have been about the time when the  sport changed from ‘bathing’ to ‘swimming’ in the English speaking world. It wasn’t enough just to immerse ourselves in water outside, as we did indoors anymore. Now more people wanted to get some exercise when they went into a pool, river or ocean.

This month I’m sharing a walk around an historical bathing suit exhibit I saw at the Vancouver Maritime Museum in the fall of 2014. Won’t you let me know if this show gets you in the mood to sew your own modern day or historically inspired bathing or swimming suit, by posting below?

Babes & Bathers: History of the Swimsuit
http://vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/press/babes-bathers-exhibit-opens-maritime-museum.

Here is the promotion for the exhibit, from the web link at the museum. Please note that the show is no longer running.
‘
"In a city surrounded by water, swimsuits have always been an essential part of our wardrobe as Vancouverites. From swimming costumes to bikinis, bathing suit styles have fluctuated from the modest to the more revealing, all in a desire to make us fashionable by the water’s edge. Drawing on the private collections of celebrated fashion historian Ivan Sayers, you can now see the modest suits, revealing bikinis, and sometimes outrageous costumes that have been spotted on Vancouver beaches since the 1890s. "  http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/

Terminado! Retro Polka Cowl Neck Knit Top (M6078)

Hey! I got that remake of my retro-style polka dot knit top finished!

It's McCalls M6078.

I blogged about my experiences altering this pattern, and sharing my attitudes towards I Love Lucy:-) in  Reworking a Retro Style Polka Dot Tee

I've been focusing more on wardrobing in my sewing. (How about those red accents!) I talk about wardrobing and my pattern alteration experiences, in the October episode of my Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast. 

Reworking a Retro-Style Polka Dot Tee

 Way back when (OK it was a little over two years ago) . . .  I made the fitted, cowl neck tee shirt above. I journaled about my attitudes toward polka dots, as well as my attitudes about retro style inspired by I Love Lucy.

I'm a firm believer in not picking fault with my own sewing projects. So, at the time, I focused on what went right with my polka dot tee. I'll fess up now, however, that I wasn't perfectly happy with the project. Though I took it out of the drawer several times, finding both fabric and cowl neck appealing, I actually wore it only occasionally. And I'm glad to say that, because I had plenty of leftover fabric, I've got a chance to rework the tee. I started doing that this last week.

With my new tee, I'm working to improve the following:
a) The original tee shirt is just too short. It's OK tucked into my black trousers but it doesn't look quite right over a pair of jeans.
FIX- I added two inches to the length. The pattern showed lengthen or shorten at the hem.
b) There's something not quite right about the shaping on the side seams. It had a very slight drag. OK, I always noticed it because I sewed it. It wasn't that noticeable.
FIX- I'm so pleased I had written notes on the first version of the pattern I traced and used. Apparently I had reshaped the front using a Burda pattern, but I didn't reshape the back in a similar way. I don't know why I did that, but at least I know what happened! The adjustment was more sharply inset than the actual side seam I expect to use. This time I added extra at the side seam, even though I think I don't need it. I'd rather mark in the size I think I want, possibly reshape it a little more - both front and back!- and cut off the extra.
c) I didn't really like the look of the white fold over elastic I used. This time around I've bought black fold over elastic :-)
d) The cowl neck is self-lined. It didn't extend high enough, so that the spot where the lining hit showed when wearing it. 
FIX- I fixed this on the original garment by adding a strip of selvage. That worked fine, but since I'm remaking it I'm  extending the pattern for future versions.

So far . . .  I've traced a new master pattern, made the alterations and cut out most of the front out of an inexpensive commercial tee (as a muslin). I say 'cut out most' because the commercial tee isn't as long as I need it to be for the actual garment , but it will work for testing the pattern.

McCalls 6078

My version is style 'A'

1. Retro Inspiration: Sewing with Polka Dots

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2012/06/part-1-retro-inspires-sewing-with-polka.html

2. Retro Polka Dots, Why I Don't Love Lucy

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2012/06/part-2-retro-polka-dots-why-i-don-love.html

http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m6078-products-10889.php?page_id=980

Ench By Sew-024: Shirtdressing and Fall Fun

Hey! 

The latest Enchanted by Sewing Podcast has been published!

Listening Option I) You can listen to the show right on the web by clicking on this link

(http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/castFINALSHIRTDRESSINGSept2014.mp3 )

~ OR ~

Listening Option II)  Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes 
( https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enchanted-by-sewing/id566370325)

Please note that the Fantasy Fall Sewing Questionnaire from the show, is at the end. Please post any and all answers below, or email your thoughts to EnchantedBySewing@gmail.com

I've recently started a Shirtdress Sewing Board on Pinterest :-) http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/shirtdressing-sewing/

Here are the two dresses I created in September, and talked about in the show

Hey I just realized I'm holding the tapestry cap I focused on
in last month's podcast!

This is the happiest I've ever been with the job I did on a sewing project
:-)

Check out the beautiful Fran Leibowitz photo of Amy Adams that inspired me to finally get cracking on my own shirtdress http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/08/inspired-by-amy-adams-creating-perfect.html

Della Street often advised Perry Mason in his work, by asking leading questions.
She also wore a lot of shirt dresses!

You often see only the bodice of Miss Streets shirt dresses,
But I can see just enough of the skirt fabric here to see that it's the same as the bodice.
I bet the costume designer altered the same pattern repeatedly for the actress :-)

Della Street, Perry Mason's "confidential secretary" often wore shirtdresses. They gave her a professional and ladylike image.

Look to television shows from the late 50's and early 60's for examples of retro shirtwaists that still look up to date. Below is an example in what appears to be white satin (!) alo from Perry Mason. I love those wide, rounded shawl-collar lapels too. Shawl collars were again popular in the 1980's.

One of Perry Mason's clients wears a shirtdress
in white satin
Love that sheen, and such an unexpected fabric choice!

It's a very full skirted shirtdress
And the bodice has a lot of fabric too - very blousey

I love the wide shawl collar too

OK, the pattern I used is not a current pattern (though I found it for sale in a couple of places on the web). It is however a classic shirtwaist style and you can find many similar dress patterns currently in print. I don't think there's every been a big four pattern company season, when there wasn't at least one shirtdress in every catalog.

I made the version shown here in the front row in blue.

I journaled about the shirtwaist (Peaches and Cream) I created, in my blog, Me Encanta Coser, over the course of September and early on 

Fantasy Fall Sewing Questionnaire

Please post any and all answers below :-)

1)  Roughly where do you live in the world – you don’t need to get too specific.  

2)  What’s the climate like where you live in the fall?  

3) Is there a big change between what you wear/sew in fall versus summer?

4) Which is your favorite fall celebration ? Do you have Halloween or Thanksgiving where you live?  

5)  Do you have special or different foods that says fall to you?  

6). What is your favorite fall fabric – whether or not you’d sew it up in your climate/region?  If different - What is your favorite fall fabric that DOES work well where you live?  

7) What is your favorite fall color – this year?  

8)    Do you have  a specially favorite fall fabric pattern (like a printed design or a pattern woven into fabric)?  

9)  Do you have a fave classic fall garment you’d like to sew or have sewn? Is it for yourself or for someone else?   

10)    Do you hope to sew one or more practical garments for fall, and if so what?  

11)      If different than the previous garment -  Do you hope to sew one or more special  garments for fall? What?

12)  If you could wave a magic wand, and create anygarment that feels like fall what would it be?  

13)  Would that magic wand garment garment play a regular part in your wardrobe, or would you just like to have it and wear it on special occasion(s)?  

Did I miss any links mentioned in the show? If so, please post those links below and share them with everybody

Email- EnchantedBySewing@gmail.com

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Let's bring back Pettipants ! (History, Bloomers, Skimmers)

Typical Pettipants - Late 70's I'd guess

Very 70's Look on the Models

Back in the day - ladies wore bloomers. And when the skirt length revolution began in the 1920's and into the 1930's those bloomers sometimes peaked out below the hem. I recall reading about a relaxing moment for golden age mystery author Dorothy L. Sayers - her legs on somebody's desk, with her bloomers showing. Didn't gals used to tuck their bus money under the elastic at the knees of their bloomers as well? 

 Apparently these days, women who want a shorts-like slip, wear a popular garment called "skimmers". 

But back in the late sixties and into the seventies, we wore "pettipants" under our cute short dresses. My Mama sewed them for me, but lingerie departments had them too. I'm thinking about making some today as a slip alternative. 

Pettipants are basically like fitted elastic waist pants, but made in lingerie fabric (and usually with a cute bow at the waist). Also they often had lace along the bottom edge. It would be fun to sew a camisole that matched, as my mother often did for me.

This is the style of camisole and pettipants Mama sewed for me

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Web Resources

Should have guessed the square dancing' gals would have a free pattern! Takes some drafting, ok? http://www.squaredancesewing.com/under_it_all/pettipants.html

Sounds like certain ladies physiques have major issues with chafing that would make pettipants quite useful. Here are lots of options and links for ready made commercial alternatives, including "skimmers" http://www.hobomama.com/2012/09/no-chafing-options-for-skirts.html

Vintage Threads: Myrna Loy Made the Clothes

Some women identify with Mariyn Monroe, others with Judy Garland. My favorite vintage film star is Myrna Loy, and my favorite images of Miss Loy are as Nora Charles in The Thin Man .

Wouldn't this be your favorite go-to outfit if you were Mrs. Charles? No woman has every looked as pulled together as Nora in this plaid bias-cut skirt, feather-endowed beret and bow combination.  And the shapely black companion jacket pulls it all together. I'd hazard a guess that the plaid is a mixture  of black and red threads on a white background. 

A modern sewist could pull off  the creation of a very similar  ensemble (she might want to ditch the bow tie and feather, to avoid looking a bit too precious) but she could never really put it together like Nora Charles did.

Some folks say that clothes make the woman, but in the case of this great lady, Myrna Loy made the clothes.
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Resources

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Vintage Threads: Retro Cow Gal Denim is Thoroughly Up to Date

63 years after filming, these gals duds are still in style

With some fashions we have to wait for a return to retro. But when it comes to denim duds, their style vibe just keeps on working.

Irene Dunn's jean-jacket and Ann Doran's vest and shirt combination are as classic today as they were back in 1950 when Never a Dull Moment was filmed. The topstitching on Miss Dunn's jacket is particularly inspirational for modern sewists. You can see it up close when you click on the illustration.

Just add some pumped up pouty lips, loose flowing hair,
and a come-hither expression.
Then... as soon as our waistbands move back up from their currently
below the waist position - likely to happen any day-
these nicely fitted jeans, with belt and classic plaid shirt will put
this picture right back in style.

Vintage Threads: Let's Hear it for Vibrant Color in Betty Joe's Checked Sleeve

Betty Joe's vibrantly sleeved
dress shows up in more than one episode
In the 1960's a few new dresses
a year was typical for the middle class

Take a look at Petticoat Junction (P.J) 's red headed Betty Joe's three tiered sleeve. I'd create this sleeve by cutting a very wide peasant-blouse type sleeve, pieced together from increasingly wide strips of the different checks, then separating the checks with a piece of elastic in interior casings. This style of sleeve was typical of mid-sixties sewing patterns, especially with a simple straight cut, no-waistline, dress. I adore this combination of four sizes of brilliant checks. Women were less afraid of brilliant contrasting color during this era than they are today.

What might surprise modern folks, even more than the bright shots of color, is that Betty Joe wears this dress in more than one episode! Can you imagine that? I don't know that I've ever noticed that in a modern t. v. show. (though with more dull colors and less distinctive styles, they probably are reused and I just don't notice). During the sixties era, most women simply had less clothes than many modern day females. Of course the fabric for their garments and the majority of their ready made clothing was produced in the United States, so individual clothing costs were a higher percent of a household budget. A few new dresses a year was pretty exciting for a middle class woman, and that was what the young ladies on P.J. represented.

I just started DVR'ing a few episodes of this retro 1960's t.v. show to catch retro clothing styles. ( Here's another of my Vintage Threads post inspired by P.J. http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/03/vintage-threads-i-want-bobbie-joes.html)  Now, I must admit, I've started watching the episodes. I like the style of the jokes and they way punch lines are delivered, more so than much of current t.v. humor. I'm also a fan of "Dog", who I believe went on to become the dog "Benjie" in later movies.

While laughing at many of the situations in the shows, those interested in learning about cultural attitudes of the sixties would benefit from watching these shows.  In one episode I recorded recently, one of the three beautiful sisters, Bobby Joe, indicated that the new county water project was important because of it's use in agriculture. Old, lazy Uncle Joe (the main guy to poke fun at, because he's always 'a-movin kinda slow') complained that, as a fisherman, his catch would be affected. At this point the laugh track cut in. Golly, can you imagine worrying about the health of a bunch of trout? Well, nowadays the laugh track would probably be repositioned after Bobby Joe's foolishly innocent remark and Uncle Joe would be a political go-getter determined to preserve native fishing rights. I'd also guess that Uncle Joe would be the leader of a vibrant seniors group determined to keep real estate developers out of the county instead of sleeping away his life on the front porch and swiping pickles in Sam Drucker's store. And of course there would be more cultural diversity on display. Even in the sixties everybody in the U.S. wasn't a gringo, though you might think so from what you saw on t.v.

I'm imagining recreating Betty Joe's vintage sleeve in a blouse, and wearing it when I meander over to Sam Drucker's store  for a game of checkers, and a pickle.

Vintage Threads: Downton Abbey Inspiration (Embroidery on Black)

If it's British it Must Be Good!

I'm a big fan of British Costume Dramas. I'm also a big fan of Cora's black embroidered dress from Downton Abbey. Does this inspire anybody else to think about creating some machine embroidery using a similar layout? Though it would be gorgeous on a wool crepe dress, it would see a lot more use in my closet if I did something like this on a nice dark knit tee shirt.

Get behind me Satan! Don't give me another excuse to put aside less-than-exciting plain sewing projects aside. 

But it's certainly given me some ideas for a not-too-distant future project.

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Vintage Threads: Plaids in Doctor Takes a Wife

Loretta Young in
The Doctor Takes a Wife

Like most other American women at the time, Loretta Young didn't have a extensive wardrobe in the 1940 movie "The Doctor Takes a Wife". Her film clothes were, however, well cut and well sewn.

I'm partial to this beautifully styled jacket and skirt that make such great use of this large plaid. What might I substitute for Miss Young's bias cut skirt? Or, how might I include contrasting plaids into something I would get regular use out of like a coat, shirt or shirt jacket?