Sometimes you win some, sometimes you lose some

Dear New York 1290: You win.  

You were a beguiling pattern, with only three pieces, plus sleeves, and I was super intrigued by the unusual yoke pattern (which looked so much like Tasha's wonderful 1940s dress) that I just had to try you.  My previous experience with a vintage New York pattern was so positive, the instructions so clear, the diagrams so useful!  But that pattern was probably from 1941 or 1942, whereas you, New York 1290, you had the inestimable privilege of showing up in the May 1939 catalog.  

Apparently home sewers in 1939 knew a lot more than home sewers in 1942.  I had a blue linen-rayon blend that coordinated so beautifully with a little scrap of fabric from my grandma's scrap bag.  I was excited to use my vintage pack of red ric-rack.  The fabric had a nice drape, didn't wrinkle very badly, and I thought would be nice for summer.  But oh, New York 1290, you deceived me.  I am deceived.  I know someone made you at some point, because the bodice had been shortened 1/2" (and the pins still in it!) and there was an extra pattern piece stuck in the envelope.  I do hope hers turned out better than mine.

  

Perhaps I went wrong with the grading--the whole dress is at least 2" too big all the way around, and that is about the amount I added when I graded it, so I probably should have trusted the pattern and styling and cut as is.  And the linen-rayon blend turned out to be the type of material used for old lady pants and refused to take a press.  So a bad choice on my part.  But, but.  New York 1290, where I really went wrong was in the facings.  I get that facing patterns cost extra, and are just a nuisance to include in the pattern, but really, is it that difficult?  I even made some bias tape for the facings, but things just went south from there.  By the time I got around to trying it on, I was a bit put out.  And became even more so when I discovered it looks like a shapeless waitress outfit.  So I give up.  You win.

Better luck next time.

Sincerely,

Me.

P.S. For the record, I think this pattern would look great in a novelty print cotton, and I do intend to try the pattern again once I've recovered my equilibrium, but I think I'll make the yoke pieces separate like on Tasha's dress  (see her profile pic for the example), cut the pattern as sized, and remove the ten tons of bulk in the front center seam and shorten the whole thing by at least 3" (I measured for a 44" long dress and would have had a 5" hem!)  I think it will look fine once it actually fits me, and is in a better fabric.

Onward!  I do have two successful sewing projects to share today, and I guess these can qualify for Sew for Victory, so I guess I get two more under the wire!! 

I made this blouse as a muslin, not intending for it to be wearable--it is the from the Tossed Flowers dress fabric, but it is the portion that didn't print correctly, so it doesn't have any yellow in the flowers.  I wanted to experiment with changing the neckline of Simplicity 1590 and also making the sleeves a wee bit longer. 

 I pulled the B pattern out of the envelope, since the neckline on that version is higher to start, and would be less trouble to redraft, pulled out my freezer paper and went to work!  As I got going with the sewing part, I realized that it might actually be wearable, so I decided to take the plunge into the big world of button holes!  I made my first hand-bound button holes, and I've got to say, I like them!  They aren't perfect, but they are quite functional, and I'm pleased with them and myself.  I kind of enjoyed the process of sewing them.  I used quilting thread as I didn't have any button hole twist on hand.  I also realized after sewing them, that my button band ended up not in the middle after the redraft, but I will fix that on the next iteration.  (It's a design feature; that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)  I accidently left off the front waist darts, but since it also has bust darts, I think I can get away with it.

My other make is the bottom half of the New England dress.  I used hunter green microbrushed twill and it is just so soft and cozy.  I lined it with some olive green rayon bemberg I'd bought for another project but ended up shelving.  

This skirt was another experiment in drafting.  I wanted to make the skirt section of the New England dress into a stand-alone skirt, and wanted to extend the pocket section into the waist band instead of having the mock bib as on the dress. 

So I did a few adjustments, added a waistband (that I sized very carefully!) and it is a great fit!  The best fitting skirt I've made so far.  I was feeling so confident that I made another buttonhole closure on this one too.  Look out, I'm on a roll!!

  

  

 And that's really it for me for Sew for Victory 2.0.  I still have to do something with my strawberry fabric, and had been leaning toward a dress with a color block bottom, but now I think I should just go for a stand-alone blouse as a blouse will give me more options for it.