The Blue Gardenia learns to sow her blossoms

I completed a sewing challenge! Let me share my Mad Men dress.

So. Here it is: My interpretation — or rather Vogue's – of a Joan Holloway dress, made for Julia Bobbin's Mad Men Dress Challenge. I chose not to make mine quite as figure-revealing. And I can hardly take credit for sewing it. My brilliant and patient sewing teacher Leslie did more on this dress than I did. In fact, if it had been left to me, it would have ended up in the trash long before it was finished. Thank you, Leslie. You are a big ole luscious Georgia peach.

The problem: the darts. The darts on the pattern are different than the darts on the envelope. The side dart on the pattern actually comes above the outside dart and stops just above the interior dart. Perhaps a bullet bra would make this design work?

We redid dart placement four times. Sheesh! What a headache.

This is the Joan dress that inspired me. Once upon a time. Even though I look better in red, I wanted to use fabric in my stash. I chose a stretch cotton sateen from Gorgeous Fabrics.

And, yes, Joan looks much better in this style than I do. In fact, she'd look better wearing a brown paper sack.

Sew how? Marie's odyssey has been successful. Absolutely.

Marie of A Stitching Odyssey is as delightful as the blog she writes, as cute as the clothes she makes. And she was kind enough to share her experience. Take the trip with me.

How long have you been sewing? 

I've been sewing for just over three years now, so not that long and in many ways I still consider myself a beginner . . . there's just so much to learn!

What inspired you to learn? 

A friend of mine was giving me a tour of her new house when I spotted a dressform draped with a lovely handmade dress. Up until then I had no idea this was her hobby, or that a hobby like sewing even existed. My interest was definitely piqued then!

Did your mother or grandmother sew?

My mother was very good at sewing when she was at school, but she didn't really carry on with it afterwards. The most interesting thing I found out just a few months ago was that my great-grandmother not only sewed, she also spun and wove her own silk fabric. She even nurtured the silkworms herself. I never knew this before, and I was very moved when I found out.

How did you learn? A class? Your mom? Home ec? 

I went along to a Sewing for Pleasure course with the friend I mentioned above. It was made up of 10 evening classes, and you literally took in anything you wanted to make and the teacher would help you. It was a really nice and informal environment to learn in actually.

What was the first garment that you made? 

It was a dress – Simplicity 2591 – which you can see here).

Did you wear it? 

I wore it a couple times, but as my skills improved I realised how many things were wrong with it — gaping neckline, uneven hem, generally a little bit wonky. It's now sitting in my scraps box, because I really like the fabric still.

How long did it take for you to get the basics down? 

Maybe about 6 months or so, but I still find myself having lightbulb moments now. I'm still discovering better ways of doing things that I thought I was doing correctly. For example, up until this very recent post by Tilly (http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2013/01/before-you-cut-your-fabric.html), I was folding my fabric wrong sides together when cutting out patterns. Haha! It worked fine, but it's not the correct way, and it certainly makes transferring markings harder!

How long did it take you to feel confident of your dressmaking skills? 

I think I must be a slow learner, because I'm only just starting to feel confident in my dressmaking skills now. The last couple of things I've made have been of a much higher standard, so I finally feel I'm getting there . . . only three years later!

Do you still make things that you simply won't wear?

Sadly, yes, but I've made a good start this year that I hope to keep up. I want to focus on quality rather than quantity in 2013, and I want to stay away from making things I know don't suit me . . . which is a trap I often fall into due to admiring makes on other bloggers with completely different bodies to me.

How many hours a week do you sew?

It varies a lot for me. I don't tend to sew much during the week due to work and other commitments, but I do make an effort to cut stuff out and generally prepare for projects. If I have a free weekend, I will spend most of it sewing, and if I don't, then I will try and sandwich a couple of hours in. So it will vary from 2-3 hours to over 10 hours on a good week.

What are your five favorite sewing books?

Hmmm, I’m definitely more of an online tutorial kind of gal  . . . but there are a few tried and tested titles on my bookshelf.

The Colette Sewing Handbook by Sarai Mitnick

Sew U: Home Stretch by Wendy Mullin

Metric Pattern Cutting for Women’s Wear by Winifred Aldrich

Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing (mine’s the 1978 edition)

Are there any sewing DVDs that you like? If so, which ones? 

I can't say I've ever stumbled across or used any sewing DVDs I'm afraid. I do keep meaning to watch the DVD that came with my overlocker though.

If you're a fan of free online tutorials, name five for the beginning sewer, please. 

Am I!?! I absolutely love online tutorials, and I have the utmost respect for the talented people who go to the effort of producing such helpful materials. Anyway, I'm going to cheat as there are so many brilliant ones out there:

Zips can be really tricky, but these tutorials can invaluable to helping you master them – Invisible zips by Colette Patterns (http://www.coletterie.com/tutorials-tips-tricks/tutorial-installing-an-invisible-zipper)

Handpicked zips by Sewaholic (http://sewaholic.net/a-hand-picked-zipper-progress-on-the-picnic-dress/

Exposed zips by BurdaStyle (http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/exposed-zipper)

Skirts are a fun addition to any wardrobe, and I personally love – Vivat Veritas Scalloped Waist Skirt tutorial (http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/free-pattern-month-day-18-vivat-veritas.html)

Elegant Musing's Circle Skirt sewalong (http://elegantmusings.com/10525/) / Tilly's Picnic Blanket Skirt sewalong (http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/p/picnic-blanket-skirt.html)

General tutorials of infinite interest – anything by Elegant Musings (http://elegantmusings.com/tutorials-2/, anything by Colette Patterns (http://www.coletterie.com/category/tutorials-tips-tricks), anything by Sewaholic (http://sewaholic.net/category/tips/)

What garment would you suggest that a newbie make first?

When I first started I had naivity, and therefore lack of fear, on my side, and I got stuck in with a dress. It was brilliant making something so pretty, but I was being helped in a class. So if you're going at it solo, I would probably recommend a simple skirt or top, or even a cute little apron or some fun pyjama bottoms.

Second? 

I guess this would depend on how you feel after your first make. You might want to move onto something more challenging, like a dress, or you might want to revisit something similar to your first make so you can perfect it.

What is the favorite of all the garments you have made?

I think it might be my Hazedale) — a marriage of the Hazel and Lonsdale patterns — because it's so pretty! The muslin for my Hazel was just terrible, so I was relieved that I was able to turn it into a success by combining two patterns.

What was the first item you sewed that made you beam with pride? 

It absolutely has to be my Armistice Blouse! Aside from it being a gorgeous pattern, this make has great sentimental value, too, as I made it from the silk grown, spun and woven by my great-grandmother. It’s a really special make for me.

Name your five top tips for beginners, please. 

1. Relax, enjoy the learning process and don't be too hard on yourself. You'll make plenty of mistakes, but learn from them and move on.

2. Don't rush your sewing, you'll only end up dissatisfied and probably never wearing your poor make. There's something to be said about breaking projects into nice bitesized parts.

3. Always prewash your fabric to prevent your make from shrinking after its first wash. It's a good idea to wash your fabric as soon as you buy it, so it's all ready to go when you need it.

4. Pick projects that excite you and don't waste time on something you're not happy with. And if you discover you really dislike a make halfway through sewing it, don't feel like you have to finish it . . . life's too short!

5. Take advantage of online tutorials and sewalongs, I really can't recommend this enough. Despite finding evening classes helpful to begin with, I can honestly say that I learned the best methods and techniques from other bloggers.

What's the last garment that you made and are you pleased with it?

I was actually a pattern tester for Tilly and the Buttons' first ever pattern — the Mathilde Blouse — which is pictured at the very start of this interview. I'm genuinely really happy with the result, even though I didn’t think white would be my colour.

Have you sewn with unprinted vintage patterns? If so, please share pointers for newbies who might want to try them.

Although I have many in my collection, I haven't sewn with the unprinted ones yet. I imagine they seem more daunting than they are though  they have plenty of perforations, so you just need to make sure you transfer them all to your fabric.

How long does it take to get to the Vogue "Plus Difficile" rated pattern?  (I can dream, can't I?)

We can both dream I think!

Share with me your funniest sewing adventure, please. 

Oh dear, I knew this was coming! I wanted to make some sassy pyjama bottoms as part of Karen's Pyjama Party Sewalong (http://didyoumakethat.wordpress.com/tag/pyjama-party/) and I totally misjudged my fabric print. They turned out truly hideous . . . you literally can't tell me apart from The Big Lebowski's The Dude! If you fancy a good laugh at my expense, see them in the pic above. (Editor's note: I love 'em! She could go out and buy milk in them and give The Dude a run for his money, fashionwise.)

And your most exasperating or difficult.

Definitely the sad story of my very beautiful Lonsdale. I totally managed to perfect the fit at the muslin stage, but I must have accidently cut the bodice a size smaller in my fashion fabric, because when I finished it, it was too small. I had followed Sewaholic's sewalong closely, and a lot of work went into making this dress as lovely on the inside as it was on the outside  . . . so needless to say, I cried when I made the shocking discovery. I've now learned to try on makes as I go along! And there was a silver lining to this story – the dress fit my mum perfectly, and she proudly wears it all the time!

What's your favorite pattern ever to sew, if you remember? 

I don't have one really, ideally it would be a cute go-to dress pattern. However, I have made six Renfrews to date, which is my own personal record. It's such an easy and satisfying project to whip up when you want a quick sewing fix!

Do you sew vintage patterns? 

I do, but not nearly as many as I'd like to. This year, I would love to make a dent in my vintage sewing pattern collection.

Do you find instructions easier to follow on vintage patterns?

In my experience, this totally depends on the pattern company, the type of garment and the year the pattern was printed in. I find that many vintage pattern instructions tend to assume you have a quite a good understanding of sewing techniques and knowledge, so I often find myself Googling and YouTubing a lot of it. It’s easy to be hard on vintage pattern instructions, especially when you compare them to the often more comprehensive modern ones, but at the end of the day you buy and use them for the unique and very beautiful details that are rarely found in modern patterns.

How many hours of sewing do you think it takes for the average person to become proficient?

Goodness . . . how long is a piece of string? Everyone’s definition of proficient is different – for some it may mean grasping the basics and for others it could well be conquering tailoring. I think a year is a good aim for mastering the basics, but the sewing learning journey never truly ends.

 Now. Rush over to her blog and read every word. That is, if you haven't already! 

Shame? What's that? It's my birthday. I have the cake to prove it.

It is my birthday. It is. And I know I should be a quiet little mouse, and keep it a secret, but I love birthdays! And I love birthday blessings. So. I say, bring them on. Don't be shy. 

I started the day making Vogue 1256, designed by Badgley Mischka. Perhaps I should clarify: I started it. Fabric: Scarlet bamboo knit. One day, I shall share pictures of my garments with you. Really. Truly. That day is coming! Soon.

Then, exercise. Marvelous dinner with both deconstructed lemon meringue pie and red velvet cake. Can it get any better? Yes. His Bertness gifted me with a lovely onyx necklace. That would be the one in the picture. 

Yes. I know the picture is less than flattering. Perhaps I should reconsider growing my hair into Jane Fonda's Klute shag? And hide my bra straps like a proper southern woman?

What a long (and short) strange trip December has been.

First the good news: This December, I started out sewing. Made two skirts, a fabulous 1950s dress, McCall 9572,  and finished my red jacket. 

Now, the bad: His Bertness had minor inpatient surgery (planned), my dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and a week later, hubby had a heart attack. Totally unexpected, as he had many heart exams before the first unrelated surgery. Pass the Puffs, please.

But. The prognosis is good for both. Yippee skippee! Bert has quit smoking (all you who smoke out there, take this as a personal caveat) and he starts cardiac rehab Monday. My dad will have surgery in January, and his doctors expect to be able to remove all the cancer.

And in January, expect pictures of all my garments. And I expect comments. Lots of praise. Many pats on the head. You get the picture. I'm cutting out a 1950s McCall top today. 

So. December has seemed like a long month. And it's seemed like a short month, too. It's been terrifying (the health issues). And satisfying (the sewing projects). Wow. What a month. I'm still catching my breath.

We've added a plethora of vintage patterns. Wanna see?

We know you're exhausted, buying all those snazzy presents for friends. So. We have added glamorous new patterns at The Blue Gardenia. Because. You deserve a treat just for you. A few favorites:

1935 McCall 8130 — She loves the neckline. So unusual. She loves the shirring. So flattering. In fact, she loves this frock. Period. End of story. She must have it. After all, it is truly multipurpose: She can wear the short sleeve version for church on Sunday. How fetching it will be with the big-brimmed, rose-trimmed Lilly Dache she bought last year and still hasn't worn, except to prance in front of the mirror. And the long-sleeve version will make a lovely New year's frock. Perhaps with a silk organdy collar in peach and the body in navy silk charmeuse. Goosebumps. She feels them at just the thought.

1945 Simplicity 1306 — Angeline has been looking for the perfect ensemble for Christmas shopping. She always shops late. She always shops small businesses, either in Tacoma or online. Online, of course, a snuggly chenille robe will do. But among the excited shoppers at the shops, she likes to look smart. But she must also be comfortable. And Simplicity 1306 is exactly what she's searching for — wide-shouldered weskit, pleated pants. It will look great over that 1980s Anne Klein cashmere sweater she snatched elatedly at the vintage store last week. She knows what she'll be doing this weekend, and it has to do with fabric, scissors and a sewing machine. Yes indeed.

1955 Vogue 8486 — She needs a new suit for that all-important, long-awaited job interview in January. And she has found a pattern that says it all: Serious. Fashionable. Smart. Independent. And it is so memorable, with the boxy jacket and radiating tucks. Perhaps she'll make it in alpaca. Yes, alpaca. She'll find some. Somewhere.

1960s Vogue Couturier Design 1687 — Elouise has been fretting. Nervous. This is her first New Year's Eve with Joshua, the man of her dreams. And she does mean dreams. Not nightmares. He's kind. Well-mannered. Dignified. Respectful. And he is the sharpest Crayon in the box. And she's talking about the box of 400! She's found the perfect dress to wear to the bash at his parents' swankienda: VCD 1687, designed by John Cavanagh.

And, yep, these fabulous patterns — as well as many other new vintage additions —  are available at The Blue Gardenia, where the patterns are counted, the jewelry is sparkling and domestic shipping is free. (We happily ship abroad, for less than the cost USPS charges us.) And do recall: We put new patterns at the start of each category. Enjoy!

So many swell dresses. So many places to wear them. Yes indeed.

Dearest Gardenias, it's that time again. Time to enjoy The Blue Gardenia's latest additions. This update, you'll find everything from a hip-stiffened skirt perfect for Dior's New Look to a gorgeous housecoat that will look perfect beside the tree on Christmas morn. Do let me share a few of my favorites among the many additions:

Have a holiday gala coming up? Then why not whip up Vogue 5704? It's strapless, it's chic, and there's a fabulous back-buttoned jacket you can don if the wind blows chill. You can even do a sexy lace version.

If you're looking for a drapey day dress that can go straight from the office to an elegant dinner, I suggest 1940s Vogue 8969. It has draping. It has shirring. Can you ask for anything more? Well, that winning lottery ticket. Of course.

If you are a fan of the New Look — and who isn't? —  look no further than Vogue 7509, copyright 1951. While this skirt doesn't have padding, it does use hair canvas to make the most of the silhouette. Love it. Hope you do, too.

And Butterick 5375, while labeled a housecoat — and what a beautiful housecoat it will make — can go well beyond such intimate duties. It will also make a smashing dress. It will indeed. And did I mention it is Quick and Easy? So says Butterick, and you know they would never pull your leg.

And, you guessed it, dahlings, each and every one of these delightful styles can be yours. Just drop by The Blue Gardenia, where the patterns are counted, the jewelry is sparkling, and domestic shipping is free. (And, yes, we happily ship abroad for a fee — just what the post office charges, in fact.) Come see all the additions. You'll find them at the beginning of each category. Don't tarry, though. You don't want them to get away.

Just sewing along: Ogle the details on a '50s Gertie-style coat!

I know. The details don't show up well in this picture. Black! The bane of neophyte snappers. This is my ace sewing teach Leslie, wearing a coat that was a gift from her mom-in-law. (Now, that's a mother-in-law who deserves a very nice and pricey lunch, doncha think?) Very similar to Gertie's sew-along coat. (Although I do prefer Gertie's cuffless sleeves.)

This close-up shot may show some of the neat detailing along the hem. Piping! So classy, so elegant, so unusual. Really sets this design apart.

Leslie, by the way, will be teaching a holiday cocktail party dress class at Nob Hill Fabrics, so if you live in the ABQ-Santa Fe area, do sign up. Details here. You may choose Gertie's sexy design, Butterick 5814. Love this dress. I, of course, am using a real vintage pattern. Surprised? I know you are! I'll share that pattern with you later, natch. One day, though, I'll tackle this Gertie design. It is the cat's. Totally.

 

Just sewing along: My Gertie coat muslin bodice has a muffin top.

I am — as often — lagging in my sew-along garment. This time, the Gertie Coat Sew-Along. I am not pleased with the fit. Not one bit.

I think the front darts need to be brought toward the center a bit. Agree?

The back  seems a bit puffy. What do you think? How do I fix this?

This is a lovely design, and I want it to fit well. Please share your experience and ideas! Please, please, please.

Learning to sew: Shocking. I'm actually pleased with my jacket . . .

So far, at any rate. At the moment, I'm wrestling with bound buttonholes. I'm using the same technique my teacher taught for the welt pockets, but it seems much more difficult to do in such a small space. Practice, I hear, makes perfect. We'll see. Right now, I'd be reasonably happy with three bound buttonholes that looked close to perfect.

I'm reasonably happy with the fit. Am I being too easy on myself? What do you think?

That's silk organza you see on the collar. I underlined the jacket with it. I'll be using silk batiste for the lining. It's done — except for bagging it.

Leslie, my teacher, uses the flat insertion method for one-piece sleeves. It was easy. Quite. Any opinions on that technique? Pros? Cons?

As I look at the picture above, I'm not happy with the shoulder-pad placement. Leslie felt it was best to extend the edge beyond the sleeve to make a sleeve head. I thought it looked fine in class. Now, not so much . . . .

Anyway, I await your ideas, your critiques, your praise. Bring them on. 

Gertie coat sew-along: Here are my fabrics. What are yours?

I've chosen my fabric for Gertie's Coat Sew-Along. Have you picked out yours? 

I'm using an Ermenegildo Zegna wool flannel in brown, picked up at Michael's for a lowly $6 a yard, and a 3-mummy silk charmeuse purchased at a fabric store going out of business years ago. It's an icy blue, and I'll be using it to line this lovely design.

I'll be working on my muslin today. Very excited am I. Such a pretty coat. And it's labeled easy. Love that. I do.