I did not get my act together fast enough to have a vintage-style pantsuit ready for Election Day. I've only ever done one pair of badly-fitting scrub pants, and I can't muscle my way up that kind of learning curve in three days.
I do, however, have simpler dress patterns and patriotic fabric from which to sew them.
I bought the Marcus Brothers Betsy Ross blue flags fabric four or five years ago and bounced it around, conceptually, among several 1940's housedress patterns. I think it was actually part of one of their Civil War-inspired lines but whatever.
Sometimes you just need a push to force you to get started on a project, though, so I bit the bullet and pulled up Hollywood 1089 (1944), which was chosen because a) it was a 1940's housedress, b) I'd already fitted DuBarry 5612 (1943) and thus had another princess-seamed pattern to which to compare it, and c) it was my size and didn't need to be graded, though it would need fitting.
I estimated the needed fit tweaks in the process of tracing it: Lowered bustline, added upper back width, added hip width, slight FBA. The waist height measured OK so I decided to risk it.
The first muslin needed the FBA undone but otherwise fit well (OK, it fit well when I wasn't wearing it over street clothes for the sake of decency. Just trust me on this):
I'm using navy rick-rack for trim and recycled peacoat buttons at the waist instead of ties.
So I have to go home tonight and hem, trim, and set the sleeves; set the pockets; do the bound buttonholes and set the buttons, and hem. Fingers crossed!
I do, however, have simpler dress patterns and patriotic fabric from which to sew them.
I bought the Marcus Brothers Betsy Ross blue flags fabric four or five years ago and bounced it around, conceptually, among several 1940's housedress patterns. I think it was actually part of one of their Civil War-inspired lines but whatever.
Sometimes you just need a push to force you to get started on a project, though, so I bit the bullet and pulled up Hollywood 1089 (1944), which was chosen because a) it was a 1940's housedress, b) I'd already fitted DuBarry 5612 (1943) and thus had another princess-seamed pattern to which to compare it, and c) it was my size and didn't need to be graded, though it would need fitting.
I estimated the needed fit tweaks in the process of tracing it: Lowered bustline, added upper back width, added hip width, slight FBA. The waist height measured OK so I decided to risk it.
The first muslin needed the FBA undone but otherwise fit well (OK, it fit well when I wasn't wearing it over street clothes for the sake of decency. Just trust me on this):
I'm using navy rick-rack for trim and recycled peacoat buttons at the waist instead of ties.
So I have to go home tonight and hem, trim, and set the sleeves; set the pockets; do the bound buttonholes and set the buttons, and hem. Fingers crossed!
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