Patterns 2

So at the end of last week I got all 3 of my patterns

The Butterick is 50s, the Le Roy I'm not sure and the Simplicity is 60s.

I picked each one for different elements that when combined will make my design. For example, the Butterick is the base, while the Le Roy helped with the button overlap and the Simplicity placed the pleats.

I did a practice half toile before these arrived and so spent today updating my patterns essentially. I learnt how to draw up a skirt pattern last week  (although I'm not sure if I did it right), I was amazed that this was something we were never taught but I get the feeling most skirts are pretty easy to guess, although that knowledge might come from learning to draft a basic skirt!

I then had to stick the skirt and bodice pieces together at the waist to make sure everything lined up, and to draw in the darts/seams that need to match. For some reason, the front piece of the skirt was about an inch to thin...not really sure why, but easily fixed, when I get a minute I will go back and try and work out what I did wrong. Once I'd lined everything up I had to cut the pieces apart again and reshape the waist line, but at least I know everything matches up!

I mostly used the Butterick, but I used the Simplicity to get the darts in a pleasing place. It was just nice to look at vintage patterns and see how it would have been done as opposed to looking in current fashion instructions.

Also learned an interesting way of doing the collar: by attaching it to the bodice front piece as opposed to it being separate, fingers crossed it works!

Its very difficult getting my head round this project, I'm so used to looking in a Jean Hunnisett/ Norah Waugh book for a historical pattern and adapting it to the design, it has definitely been interesting looking at commercial patterns and fashion instructions, but I'm enjoying it so far!

Had a chat with Graham today, he seemed happy with what I was doing (and suggested going with the collar addition), which was nice. My fitting on the 29th at 10am. And then we have another in the afternoon over skype with the designer, another new experience I'm looking forward to.


Must crack on!