A Little Help

So I know not many people read my blog yet but I thought I would reach out anyway. I am a college student and this semester I have to opportunity to travel to Ireland for one of my classes. I want to be a grief counselor in the near future and in Ireland I want to study the grief process involved in such a drawn out conflict. If everyone who looks at this could go to http://www.gofundme.com/6dpun8 and just make a donation it would really help me out. I know there are bills to pay and fabric to buy so any little bit would help. I have $1,400 out of the $3,500 so I'm not just relying on donations, I had some money saved from my summer job after I got home from my semester abroad in England. Thank You.

My First Entry in the 2014 Historical Sew Fortnightly

So I decided to dive into the 2014 Historical Sew Fortnightly hosted by the wonderful Leimomi. 

She hosted the same event last year but most of the sewing I did fell outside of the dates for the challenges. This year the date has been extended to 1945, so my WW2 pattern stash can finally be put to work!  The first challenge was in spirit of the WW2 campaign for 'Make Do & Mend' a huge task for those on the home front in Europe and the US because of rationing. Ironically I chose a pattern that would have worked for last years challenge; a reprint of Simplicity 1353 dated 1934 from the Vintage Pattern Lending Library (Evadress.com also has a reprint of the pattern in a larger size, the one from VPLL is a medium) The pattern consists of a hat, collar, gloves, and a purse. I made the collar for this challenge from fabric left over from my 1937 skirt.

I had to cannibalize the scrap piece left to match the grainlines but it worked! I also lined the collar in some of the fashion fabric because of the reveres that would show the lining and also I wanted the front piece line in the flannel for warmth and stability. The other bits of lining came from my 1936 suit skirt  lining (again post to follow) but those grainlines don't match up because the word cannibalize doesn't even cover what I had to do to those scraps though I am proud to say I only had to piece together one section of the collar. This pattern is a good example of the "expectation and reality" of sewing because unless you are magic those points don't come out as pointy as the picture and the revers aren't quite as picturesque as the drawing, (till you press them within an inch of their lives and then tack them down.) But I am insanely in love with this piece and I do plan on making more.

The Challenge: # 1 Make Do & Mend

Fabric: 100% Brushed Cotton in a Blue and Black Herringbone pattern and Navy poly/cotton lining.

Pattern: Vintage Pattern Lending Library 1930 Ladies Hat, Gloves, Purse and Collar Ensemble a reproduction of Simplicity 1353

Year: 1934

Notions: One Button

Hours to complete: It took 4 days of on/off sewing

First worn: Not yet. Audrey had the pleasure though I do plan on wearing it for an upcoming lunch date.

Total cost: Pattern $15 but since it has four items I'm saying the pattern for the collar cost $3.75, Fabric from stash, Button and thread also from stash. So all in all it cost me $3.75 to make.

Blue Brushed Cotton Skirt

I was planning on submitting this skirt for Fall for Cotton sew along hosted by Rochelle at

http://luckylucille.com but because my tights kept sticking to the fabric it needed to be lined and the lining is not cotton so there goes my entry.The skirt itself is 100% Brushed Cotton in a Blue and Black Herringbone pattern. I used Pictorial Review Pattern 8898 from 1937 and made view 1 which is the Ballerina style 10 gored skirt. I finally got my serger working so all the seams are overlocked and I used bias tape and hem tape for the hems. You add belting to the top of the skirt instead of a waistband and I'm not sure how I feel about doing that because the belting is scratchy. Next time I think I might try and sandwich the belting in between the fashion fabric and the lining.  I don't know if you can tell from the picture but the drape is beautiful and the fabric is soft and made of warmz, plus it flairs when you twirl so obviously it's a winner. Also I finished this in September right before I left for England for my fall semester abroad and I didn't have any pictures of it finished before now.I will update pictures once it has a night out!

The Scoop:

Fabric: 100% Brushed Cotton in a Blue and Black Herringbone pattern Lining: Ice Blue poly/cotton

Pattern: Pictorial Review 8898

Year: 1937

Notions: Zipper, belting, hem tape

Hours: Hehehe my serger was misbehaving so it took a while

First worn?: Soon my pretty very soon........

Wear again?: Did I mention it flairs out when your twirl?

Make again?: I'd like to, I'm just not sure what fabric to do it in again

Total cost: Pattern $8.63 ($17.25 divided by 2 skirts), Fabric cotton was a gift and lining was $5.99, zipper $1.49, hem tape from stash, belting from stash so the skirt cost $16.11 to make. Plus I had enough fabric left to make another project......