I'm Wearing Over My Four Leaf Clovers!

 
Ah, the 1950's! The days of streamlined, form-fitting clothes!



This has to be a "simple" pattern!






Hmmmm....There's a very sneaky person behind me!


That vintage sewing contest got me motivated to try more of my most recently purchased patterns online!

Pattern Description
Version A: Long sleeved blouse, collar and cuffs are stitch trimmed. Version B: short sleeved, stitched sleeves and convertible collar. Version C is sleeveless, stitched boy collar and version D is below-elbow sleeves, tab trim, stitched collar and sleeve band. I sewed View A. As I searched through the pattern envelope, the long sleeve piece was missing! So I used the sleeve from view B and redrafted a slightly lantern cuff.


Size
50's size 16, bust 36.


Fabric used
Cotton sateen from Gorgeous Fabrics, leftover from a previous project, My Vogue 8491 "Very Easy?" Jacket.


Directions
Clear, brief explanations with good accompanying illustrations. I just somehow like the format of many of the vintage patterns: easy to follow, more continuity in reference to the views of the shirt and for storage sake: fewer and smaller pages to deal with (easy to fold and place in the envelope without that bulk)!

It was interesting to see how to create a hand sewn buttonhole! I could have done that, especially with my machine slightly acting up!


Likes/dislikes
* I like the fitted style caused by the vertical darts in the front and the back. This was quite a contrast to the "hanging loose" feature of my Vogue jacket in the same fabric!

* The collar is very simple to construct using ONLY one piece. For those who are brand new to collars or hate the fuss, one piece is folded in half, wrong sides together, stitched at the ends and turned inside out!
* Topstitching helped to reduce the puffiness at the collar and front edge of the shirt.

* As you can see by the back of the envelope, there are a few pattern pieces to work with! It's nice to visualize the pieces ahead of time before opening the envelope

* I like the slightly dropped shoulders.

* Probably labeled quick and easy because I did not see any mention to interface the facings and collar.

* Disliked the fact that there was a missing long sleeve piece, not mentioned by the seller



Modifications

*Narrowed each darts by 1/4"

*Used the short sleeve piece and added a self-drafted lantern cuff. My folded rectangle with a seam sewn at one end was 2" wider than the lower edge of the sleeve with its bottom seam sewn. I gathered the top edge of the cuff and sewed it to the edge of the sleeve, right sides together and voila instant lantern sleeves!

*I added pieces of fusible interfacing for the buttonholes. With my fabric, it would have been handy to have the sewn on type to stabilize the buttonholes, duh!



Conclusion

This is really a nice, basic shirt, although due to the fabric I worked with, mine turned out to be a shirt jacket. I plan to make another shirt without the wild print and to fully interface the collar and the front facings. For the true long sleeve version, there might be pieces from some of my other patterns that would work with this shirt. The sleeveless version and the tab collar versions also look appealing! I definitely recommend this pattern or something similar if you enjoy vintage sewing or simply, want to create something classic that is wearable today. Ebay and especially etsy are addictive. Help!

Surprise!

Chica Chiquita!

When I selected this pattern, I was thinking that the cropped doubled breasted jacket must be "in!"




















Then I searched of course, the "upper echelon" the online retail stores and voila!

Ralph Lauren's "Carnaby" Jacket for $189 at Nordy's!





















Soia & Kyo for $190 at Nordy's!
























Michael Kors' "Paratrooper" Jacket for $180 at Nordy's!





















Here's my "Banana Smoothie" Jacket topped with "blackberries"!




























Taken by my precious photographer!



Review of pattern:
Difficult!

I decided to muster up the courage and share my rare disappointment (mostly due to sewist error) with a vintage pattern. I have had been very lucky with all the ones I had sewn earlier, but have found this and another (coincidentally another Vogue) to be interesting experiences.

My personal rating: Nearly a wadder but decided to save.....
Don't you hate it when something that looked promising ended up being so nerve-racking!

Pattern Description
From the 1960's: "Semi-fitted, double-breasted jacket with contrast notched collar, seven-eighths length sleeves, martingale belt sewn into side front seams and top-stitch trim. Semi-fitted dress with wide neckline has short sleeves, pockets in side front and top-stitch trim."

I sewed the jacket.

I am not the only "Chica Chiquita": Michael Kors' "Paratrooper" Jacket

Who would imagine that four decades later, short double breasted jackets are en vogue!
Soia & Kyo Double Breasted Pea Jacket

Ralph Lauren's "Carnaby" jacket


Size
Misses' size 14, bust 34 and hip 36

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Somewhat. Mine is not perfect as the lined drawing!


Fabric Used
Dolce and Gabana silk tweed from Emma One Sock.


Directions
Oh no! I just cannot get this dog gone song out of my mind!

Cele-BASTE, Cele-BASTE, sew to the music...............


The directions were easy to follow and came along with really nice illustrations which are slightly more detailed than what I am accustomed to! I was deceived by the jacket's illustration on the pattern envelope! I thought the sewing level would be equivalent to that of today's "very easy" Vogue. After actually constructing the jacket and with the number of steps and techniques involved, I would say close to expert/couture!

Pattern pieces involved in the jacket:
front
back
side front
side back
upper collar
under collar
front facing
back facing
belt
sleeves

Per the instructions, I "underlined" almost every piece except for the front facing!



























Reactions to the pattern

*Initial reaction: "This looks easy as 1-2-3!"

*I liked the overall style.

*I liked the "martingale" belt (I vaguely recall one used for horses?), which was defined somewhere as "a loose half belt or strap placed on the back of a garment, such as a coat or jacket." The belt is attached to the side fronts at the lower edge of the seam area. It was somewhat awkward to work with the side fronts with the strap that connected them (I had to untwist the belt several times) before connecting them to the fronts of the jacket!

*This is the first time (will it be the last time?) that I basted underlining (I used some lightweight but sturdy fabric that cost $1/yd) to almost every piece of the jacket except for the front facing! I tried to stay true to the given construction techniques. I don't know how I managed to turn the belt that also was "underlined!" I think I spent my entire evening just "underlining" without a chance to work on my machine. I did not bother using the the pleated back lining piece and the side lining piece for the final stage of construction.



Intermediary reaction:
"Wadder, wadder, wadder....Wad in the world?!"



*I should have skipped underlining the collar pieces and just kept them lightly interfaced. I encountered quite a bit of bulk that I broke a needle (fortunately, only one!) while stitching the front facing and upper collar to the under collar. I became discouraged after the jacket puffed out quite a bit and nearly gave up on the jacket and let it become a "wadder." After iron pressing and topstitching, I did what I can to save the jacket from making me the new "Michelin" gal. To make myself feel better, I call the puffiness and curls, "unique design and style features." I could have skipped the underlining, fuse interfacing to all the pieces to curtail further raveling of the fabric and just line the entire jacket.

*There is extensive "slipstitching" or handstitching to finish the sleeve hems, the lower edge of the jacket, and the lining. In fact, I enjoyed doing this while watching "Young and the Restless."

Final reaction:
"Not very easy!"


Modifications
*I omitted the top stitching at the princess seams due to the bulk in the fabric

*Due to the fabric's weave (and after practicing bounded buttonholes on fabric straps), I used large nickel plated snap closures.

*I attached two matching buttons to the back of the belt to keep it in place instead of tacking to the marked seams.

*I omitted the the back and side linings due to already "underlining" each jacket piece!


Conclusion
The jacket's weight due to the combined weight of the underlining and the tweed makes it feel like I am wearing a light winter coat and somewhat impractical to wear during the day as a spring/summer jacket. I don't think I will make this jacket anytime soon, but if I do, I would definitely omit the underlinings and use "kinder" fabric. Nevertheless, this pattern is a fun and nostalgic piece. Current variations of this style is popping up all over the place!
























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