Flutterby

When I were a lass, I used to pore over my mother's small collection of Enid Gilchrist booklets. Enid Gilchrist, for those not from Australia and/or under a certain age, wrote and created patterns for a woman's magazine, the New Idea, from the late 1940's until the 1970's, and periodically the magazine would produce a 30odd page booklet of the patterns. They were full of fabulous clothing and the instructions to draft and make them and they really sparked a lifelong interest in pattern drafting (along with a book I read in fourth grade on sewing without a pattern, and a certain genetic predisposition to making things), even though the clothes were out of date.

Mum didn't have any of the adult books, because she didn't make clothes for adults. (Historically, she hadn't needed to because my grandmother did: dramatically, flamboyantly, dictatorially and with a fierce territoriality). But there were children's clothes and I was a kid and although I was a kid in the seventies when princess frocks were no longer the daily wear of little girls, I could still relate to the images.


What I loved about the books was how easy she made it seem. In year 7 I did the mandatory home economics class and found in it that making a simple wrap skirt was a grim and serious business, full of complexity and difficulty, where one mistake could have life altering consequences. I half expected someone to die before the end of term. But not so for Enid. Her sketches and relaxed, minimal instructions made the whole process seem like a doddle. Fun, even.

So periodically I try to find them online, to complement my obsessive search for them through the op shops of Australia. And when I found this online for a reasonable sum I jumped. And it came, and I was So Excited.

 
The first thing I wanted to make was this wraparound, as a top, and that right  soon.
But with flutter sleeves like the dress.

So I drafted up the basic pattern and traced and modified.








But then flutter sleeves led to open flutter sleeves, as I moved the seam around the sleeve.

Why? because I hate setting sleeves in the round, and there was enough ease to overlap, and they're good when it's hot, and why not!







Why not? Because I didn't like them when I tried it on.  There just seemed to be too much material happening around my waist, and quite frankly right now I am growing too much of that already.

And I came to this conclusion when I was already in the top with the clothes I wanted to wear with it too work that day. Disappointed would pretty well sum it up.

But then inspiration struck and I knotted them. 

It is though - that's just my camera face.

And now it's my latest favourite top.

All in all, veritable roller coaster of strong emotions. Like year 7 all over again.

Chequered

Sitting at a bustop waiting for the bus. What better time to think about sewing - amirite? Well, no, but at at least it will take my mind away from the vexed question of bus shelter design. And men in general.

This dress has been made for weeks but not recorded or blogged about. The making was a real breach birth (my apologies if you have actually had a real breach birth. But it was difficult and annoying and sewing-painful.)


I knew it was a good thing and would be useful but I didn't want to sew it. I was sewing it as my housemate was making a glamourous cotton sateen peacock feather  print halter neck dress for cocktails. I felt like Maryanne with Ginger. Peacock feathers! Sateen! Cocktails! It all made large check lightweight gingham seem rather cinderella.

And then, because I was making it up as I went along, there was aall sorts of ffaffing and dithering.
Back tracking.
Remodelling.

I cut it too long. I think. Then I trimmed it too short. Then I had to piece scraps to add back one square.
One line of checks.
2.5 cm.

aaaaalmost

I almost managed to check match. But the fabric was shifty. Which, visually, bugged me more, I suspect than if I hadn't tried at all.


The details: the pattern was based on a much used burda tee shaped top. lengthened, front placket, pockets. shaped straight grain stand collar.

Anyway, I've worn it once a week since then. Which only goes to show. It's verging on mumsy but I flatter myself not quite there. And cool on 33° days.

Gotta keep the shoes fierce however.