Desginer Stitch Lena Pants
Ann from Designer Stitch recently contacted me and offered me one of her patterns, free. Ann, from Australia, has some really nice summer dresses. However when she got in touch I was considering trouser styles for my casual wardrobe and thought I might try these unusual casual pants.
I chose the Lena pants, described thus:
The Lena Silk Pants are a relaxed and easy wearing pant. Featuring side slant pockets, pleated front, back yoke and elastic waistband these pants can be made in a casual fabric for daytime wearing. They can then easily transition into evening when made in a more upmarket fabric for some glitz and glamour.
I particularly liked the fabric Ann used for the silk version, but I wondered if these pants might be nice in a sweatshirt material I had in my cupboard. The green cotton jersey comes from Fred Perry so it is a nice quality but casual fabric.
I ran the pattern off at home and it was great to put together. Ann had successfully managed to position the pattern at the very left and bottom edge of each A4 sheet, so they could be stuck together with no cutting! Brilliant. Why doesn’t everyone else do this? It cut the sticking time in half. Also she provides the patterns in layers so you only need to run off your own size. I made the smallest size.
The instructions were full, and easy to follow. I didn’t use the suggested technique with the elasticated waist band as I didn’t have the right depth of elastic. The one thing that really annoyed me however was the inconsistent seam allowance – on some seams it was 1.5cms, and on others it was 1cm. I can’t see the justification for this and believe the same seam allowance can and should be used throughout. I had to keep going back to the pattern to check. However all in all well drafted patterns with clear instructions.
The problem for me is the dropped crotch. Obviously this is a design feature but it did mean I lacked reference points for the fitting. The waist is dropped, so is the crotch, and the hems are not in a conventional place. I am not sure I made them up correctly. There are very few pictures of these trousers from the back!
The trousers look quite reasonable from the front. The pants apparently sit low on the waist as well. On me the trousers finish at the ankle, although on Ann they are shorter. Maybe I got them in the wrong place?
From the side they look pretty good. I really like the pockets. And the pleats.
I didn’t like the centre back seam as it has no shaping at all. From the back it looks like I have a nappy on. Elephant bum. I know some people like this look – the harem pant – but I don’t think I should go there.
I am glad I gave these trousers a try. It didn’t take any time at all to make them, and I may copy the cuffs at the bottom which worked really nicely. But I am afraid these will be worn for one yoga class and then I will probably take them to the charity shop. Sorry Ann.
Men’s style analysis – Gus
I promised to create a SWAP wardrobe for my son Gus.
I have precious little experience of designing or making clothes for men. I love looking at menswear. And men! But I haven’t branched out into making clothes for the men in my life. Men are such a different shape, and making clothes for them seems scary; I confess I don’t really have a feel about how to fit the male frame. Men also have a different attitude to choosing and buying clothes, Men’s clothes have similar but different functions. Therefore I was keen to work with Gus to see what I could learn about designing and making clothes for men. And while I may not adopt Gus for my SWAP 2017 I want to create an ideal wardrobe I could theoretically make up. Like a virtual reality wardrobe. And if he gets a jumper or two, and perhaps a pair of jeans that fit, I am sure he will consider himself lucky.
I previously suggested that, when designing for an individual, – male or female – we should first try to understand their body, shape and personal style. Even though I might like the Duke of Windsor look, or Ozwald Boateng (both style icons) I would not suggest dressing my son in Plus Fours, a tweed jacket or a luminous purple suit. No. We all need to wear clothes that enhance us, make us feel good and help us create the impression we want on the outside world. So before I talk to Gus specifically about what sort of clothes he fancies, I thought I would elaborate how I analyse someone’s figure. I did this before for Ruth, if you are interested.
If we understand our own shape and proportion we can enhance our best features and camouflage any areas we perceive to be an issue. A good bodyline and style consultation means we can then feel better about ourselves, make better purchasing decisions and get better use from our wardrobe in that we will have a range of clothes that work well together. I can help Gus understand the power of the optical illusion to make the most of his natural features.
Body Shape
First things first. What is the overall silhouette like? At first glance you might say this young man has a straight body shape as he has small hips and waist. But look at his shoulders. He actually has an Angular body shape – the wide shoulders create a triangle shape that narrows down to his waist. But Gus also has quite sloping shoulders and a relatively long neck. If I were to make him a jacket or a jumper I could “correct” for these issues, making his neck look a little shorter and his shoulders a bit squarer. Although Gus likes a raglan sleeve, a set-in sleeve will be better on him as it emphasises the shoulder line.
The Angular body looks best in a jacket with some waist shaping. Gus should consider wide peaked lapels, double breasted jackets, and tops with a straight hemline. For more casual wear a jeans or bomber jacket, a belted coat or fitted jacket will look best.
In terms of trousers a slim fit pair, made from crisper fabrics is best. If he wishes Gus may try shorter lengths or turn ups, or even pleated trousers for a retro look.
Scale and proportion
Although Gus is rather thin he is also 6’2″ so he would be classified as a medium not a small (or large) man. His tall, slimness doesn’t produce too many challenges in terms of dressing as a long slim body is easy on the eye and tends to look good in clothes. Gus’s legs are longer than his torso (by about four cms) so again he has a figure that is relatively easy to flatter. The perception, looking at the photographs above, is that Gus has a longer body and shorter legs. But if he tucked his T shirt in, or wore jeans with a high waist, his legs would look longer. Certainly something we could fix with tailor made jeans or trousers.
When we look at what Gus wears for work we see that he matches a soft navy jacket with narrow cut navy trousers and a pair of black shoes. In the picture below Gus is wearing a zip front jacket with hand warmer pockets. It’s a version of a bomber jacket. This style suits him well in terms of an unstructured outline (he likes to look fairly casual, even for work), but also in that it finishes relatively high, compared to a formal jacket, and it makes his legs look longer.
Face shape
Face shape is important, especially when we are looking at garments that are worn near the face eg necklines, ties, collars, and of course hair styles. Gus has an oval face which is rather longer than wide, and his features are straight rather than angular, or rounded. With this face shape hair styles that combine straight lines with some softness are best – Gus’s hair fits the bill and the sweeping fringe reduces the length of his face. The beard provides a nice horizontal line across his lower face that is flattering as well as (still, relatively) fashionable. In the photo below Gus has a more sporty, casual bomber jacket, this time with green in it. Nice colour.
Wardrobe Personality
Wardrobe personality is important. The two gents I mentioned at the top of this post – the Duke of Windsor and Ozwald Boateng – are both dramatic dressers. Gus is more of a classic dresser, but with a few flourishes and a hint of drama. He is open-minded about colour, pattern, and unusual fabrics. He is interested in history, stories and has a great sense of humour. He enjoys dressing up (I remember the zombie twins costume) and larking around. He doesn’t mind standing out in a crowd, but as the third child he mainly fits in. He goes with the flow, enjoys spontaneity and is good in a group or team. He can’t really be bothered with ironing or taking things to the cleaners, so his wardrobe needs to be easy care.
I am looking forward to determining his colours. Then we will come up with a wardrobe!
Vogue 1522 1985 Perry Ellis dress
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a love letter to Perry Ellis, saying what great clothes he designed for Vogue in the 1980s.
This pattern, Vogue 1522, was one I picked out as being useful and beautiful. Lisa (who, like me works in housing), left a comment to say she owned this very pattern, if I would like to borrow it. So I did. Thank you so much Lisa – very kind and generous of you. I have made the dress and the pattern will be returned to you today.
When I first showed these patterns some (younger) readers said they had never heard of Perry Ellis. I am glad if you are now aware of him and his lovely patterns.
But many more mentioned how they had made and worn Perry Ellis designs in the 1980s. Alix said she “definitely bought into that whole relaxed linen lifestyle he was selling” but had now sadly binned or lost her patterns. Christine Burns wrote “The first suit I made back in the 70’s was a lovely short sleeved Perry Ellis pattern. A timeless item. I wore it for years and still wish it was in my wardrobe.” Su of Sewstyled said “My mother made the V1521 dress for me in a striped pink white and grey cotton and I remember running around campus and nearly having a wardrobe malfunction. I had the skirt too in yellow cotton – I only threw it out a few years ago always thinking I could reuse the fabric. Perry Ellis had a great sense of proportion. My mother also made 1522 for me.” How nice to capture these personal stories and the sense of excitement the new shapes brought with them in the 1980s.
Pattern and alterations
Another discussion concerned the ease that was now coming into Vogue patterns. Helene made a strong point “These patterns from the 1980s and the 1990s ran HUGE. Not only were the designs oversized (it was the trend then, and it’s back now), but these patterns included tons of ease. So much in fact that I would systematically go a couple of sizes down.”
As you may know many 1980s patterns (especially Vogue designer) were offered in specific sizes with all the details arranged correctly and to scale. The pattern that came from Lisa was a UK size 12 (34-24-36). So, just as a test, I made my dress up unaltered. The bust is right for me, the waist fine (although not defined in this dress), but the hips would be at least two inches too tight. Theoretically. But I measured the pattern and found that the actual measurement was 40″ – to me that is about the right amount of ease for 38″hips. However I realised the top half might be a bit roomy, but figured that one shoulder slipping down (or the “wardrobe malfunction” Su mentions above) was par for the course in the 1980s. In some ways it defined the look – clothes that were so big they were already coming off.
There is also the question of the length. I tend to remain faithful, when making vintage patterns, to the original length and proportions of garments. This is because I actually like the fashion history part of making and wearing vintage, rather than diluting the look so it is more contemporary (eg I like big 70s collars too). I thought about shortening this dress considerably as it is ankle length, but then, for a holiday wardrobe, this length is rather nice – especially worn with sandals as in the envelope picture. So for the first time in ages I made up a garment with no alterations whatsoever.
Fabric
The pattern suggests a lightweight linen. I had a few lighter linens and silks in my cupboard. I thought about finding a harmonious fabric for the sash and had a range of choices. Here are a few I considered. There are three pieces of Nani Iro in there as this dress had a very Japanese feel. When I had the dress on the stand my husband thought it was a 1920s pattern. Well during the 1980s, of course, there was intense interest in Japanese pattern cutting and 1920s styling. So the dress feels like it has the right kind of parentage. In the end I chose the bottom left – a lightweight indigo linen (woven with white, like jeans), and the yellow Nani Iro that I was sold short.
Construction
When I was making the dress up two 1980s details struck me – ideas that were new in the 1980s, but commonplace today. First was the absence of a bust dart. The bust shaping is taken into the armhole creating a great simplicity of line across the upper body. The second feature is the use of bias binding as opposed to facings or linings. During the 1960s and 1970s you would also have both the bust dart and facings. I quite enjoyed making bias binding and using it as a facing. I rarely use this finish and it is nice and neat. The instructions were generally straightforward and this dress was a joy to make.
Conclusion
The silhouette of this dress is not my usual one, and a tube is not the best shape for someone with a curved figure. It would suit a straight body much better. But the sash is used to shape in the dress and to pull it in over the high hip. I tried a scarf, a belt and the sash and created some nice looks. The wide sash prevents me using the pockets but is more shapely across the hips. The narrow scarf is patterned both sides so is probably more suitable. It actually looks fine with a leather belt too. If I was going on holiday to Greece this week (as Ben, Mel and Maia are) I would definitely take this dress.
A sister for Lorelle
Thank you for all the warm reactions to my first, ever, sweater. The Purl Alpaca Lorelle, designed by Kari-Helene Rane. I like it so much I have been wearing it nearly everyday. Now my son Gus says he would like one (!).
In the meantime, when I couldn’t fathom the Lorelle yoke, I started a second jumper. The pattern I chose for jumper #2 was this one.
It was designed, before I was born, for a girl rather than a woman but it went up to 32″ chest. The very simple style appealed to me with its T-shape, knitted in stocking stitch, with an adorable square neck. I worked out it was four ply or thereabouts from the swatch test, and I ordered some nice yarn on the internet. Although I visited Loop, as suggested by many London knitters, I found it overwhelming and expensive. In the end I bought some inexpensive Norwegian yarn, Drops Baby Alpaca, which is just £3.75 for 50g. I only needed four balls to make this top, and felt that a jumper for around £15 was reasonable. I don’t really want to spend much more than that. But I also wanted to use natural fibres and this yarn is a mixture of alpaca, which I had already used and loved for my first jumper, plus silk. I liked the very soft feel, with a slight sheen, and the good colours. I would definitely use this yarn again.
I also scored some nice circular needles, I think from the 1960s or 1970s. I like to buy my knitting needles second-hand from Sharon on Clitheroe market (where my Mum lives). Sharon charges around £1 a pair, or set of dpns, and she has tied each group together with embroidery floss. The needles have been given to her to sell in aid of the children’s hospice where her granddaughter died. I try to buy all my knitting needles from her. Maybe next time I will just buy up a whole set. Don’t they look nice arranged by size on the back of the Aero packet?
But of course this simple jumper foxed me too.
I was fine with the casting on and the ribbing. And the knitting up the bodice, until I came to shaping the shoulders and the neck. Even though the shape is very simple and basically a cap sleeve shell top I couldn’t at first read the knitting instructions and understand what to do. I thought I followed the instructions, but I got this. If you are an experienced knitter you may know what I did. Once I worked out that there should be a neckline between the two shoulders (obvious) I unpicked the knitting and got back on track.
I also had to learn some new techniques.
- Firstly I didn’t want to just knit a plain jumper. I considered doing a FairIsle pattern with the three colours, but then I settled on a simple striped pattern, in honour of Sonia Rykiel who has recently died.
I created stripes which was pretty straightforward. I learnt that the front and back need to be matched correctly, especially at the shoulder seam.
- I had to pick up stitches along the neck and sleeves, so that the navy ribbing could be created at the neck and sleeve edges. I learnt this is very difficult. I discussed how to do it with my friend Bridget, who gave me important advice. The advice was to create really nice, neat edges to the knitting so that the stitches can be seen clearly. “Never knit the first stitch, just slip it” she told me. Then you pick up the stitches evenly with the knitting needle. My edges were very ragged. As a result my ribbed edges do not have a nice sharp edge. But I am a beginner, so I will let myself off, and try next time to create the right back ground for picking up stitches
- Blocking the pieces. I didn’t look at the internet, you tube or even Stephanie’s blog for this. I just did what I thought might work. I pinned the fabric to my ironing board, lining it up nicely on the grain of the ironing board cover. I sprayed it until it had absorbed quite a lot of water. I hovered over it with the steam iron. using just the tip at the edges where they were curling under. Once it was flat I left it dry over night. This seemed to do the trick and I stitched up the shoulder seams the next morning.
Blocking the jumper - Stitching seams together with a fat, blunt needles, using backstitch. I learnt it was important to sew the seams with the same shade of yarn to avoid the stitches showing.
- I was worried, having worked in a fairly chunky yarn for my first project that I might find it harder to get an even stitch with a four ply yarn. But as someone suggested in a comment the stitches seem a bit neater with a smaller gauge.
So does it look OK? I really like it – so simple and sweet I think it could be fun in almost any colour.
The Knitting & Stitching Show – round up of interesting resources and links
Today, Saturday and Sunday – if you are in London – or nearby – you could go to the Annual Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace.
I went yesterday, and I had fun. I found it interesting and stimulating, but I am not sure I would recommend it. On the door it costs £17 (unless you are a student or over 60 or entitled to some other discount). And although some of the items may carry a small discount it is probably not worth your while unless you particularly want something.
Here is what I did.
First I went to meet Kari-Helene (obviously). I wore my Lorelle and she immediately recognised me and it. And gave me a warm embrace. “I feel like I know you!” she said. Me too. I saw the new Purl Alpaca patterns, and the various natural colours of yarn they have available. I tried on lots of the items this time including a cabled jumper, a short full sleeved cardigan and a jacket. I bought the jacket pattern. And the yarn. But in my defence I had gone with the intention of doing this, and I got lots of tips in terms of fitting, knitting and customising the jacket. I really don’t want to start a yarn collection and dozens of unstarted projects so I will have to careful now. Especially as I had sort of promised Gus a “Lore”. Luckily/unfortunately I could not buy the yarn for his sweater as they didn’t have the colour in stock (the light grey that I have used for my Lorelle).
There was lots of things for knitters – more for knitters than sewing enthusiasts – although all the main sewing machine companies had machines for you to try – Juki, Singer, Janome, Baby Lock, and others. One firm I liked the look of was Danish company Isager.
Then there was embroidery. I had a lovely time talking to the Hand & Lock embroidery company. They had some amazing badges and military items as well as some stunning embroidery on show. The most exciting thing is that they are supporting Masterpieces of English Medieval Embroidery at the V&A. The exhibition is on until 5 February. I am keen to go. Anyone like to come with me? They are running quite a few classes and talks too. I also got into conversation with Helen Jones who teaches embroidery as part of the Royal School of Needlework. They are based in some Grace and Favour residences at Hampton Court Palace, and many of the courses are suitable for beginners. Something else I fancy having a go at.
I also found La Di Da Vintage patterns and Caroline Smith the owner. You can just see her amazing little dollies in the background. I wanted to say hello to LemonKeri (I follow her on Instagram). She was wearing a really sweet playsuit with a pointy-pixie like bodice. I entered the competition to name this pattern, but I don’t think my idea was very exciting.
I was also keen to go and see Emily Peacock. I had just discovered Emily’s wonderful cross stitch cushions, again via Instagram. Here she is holding the amazing lobster cushion, and behind her is the modern squid. I love crustaceans – to look at, as well as to eat. I would love a set of these cushions. I told Emily that I would want a different colour scheme, and she offered to put together a different set on request. How amazing. I am very tempted. But then I have enough of a problem with making things and not having enough space or time for everything I want to do. I also remade friends with Hannah Bass who also designs cushions for you to embroider at home. She puts colourful maps of your favorite city on to canvas for you to sew. Both these lovely young women have brought style and modernity to an old-fashioned craft (my Mum embroidered Georgian style roses on to chair backs and cushions).
I started to watch a demonstration on how the Lutterloh method works. I drifted off. It just seemed like the worst of all worlds to me. Easier to either start from scratch with proper pattern drafting, or buy a ready-made pattern. There is something about the leaflets and the methodology that remind me of the Jehovah’s Witness or 1980s Chinese communist propaganda – idealised figures, dated graphics and impenetrable diagrams. I may be wrong through. Anyone tried it?
There are many really wonderful things to look at too (I wasn’t planning to buy very much although I bought 1.5m of floral cloth from SewOverIt as well as the Purl Alpaca yarn and pattern). I really liked the quilts, the dying, the embroideries and the student work. Much of it was of a very high standard. One of the artists I spoke to briefly was Alice Fox. She really produces some very nice work – mixing organic forms like shells, wood and stone with textiles, dyes and metals. On show were lots of small, detailed pieces such as acorns, whelk shells with stitch work – it was quiet and delicate work but it really spoke to me.
I also really enjoyed an exhibition of Black Icons, created by young people. We celebrate Black History Month at work during October so I am always interested in new work and creative approaches to our UK Black History.
Designing for Men – @Gus0ne
I recently wrote about the dilemma of being keen on dressmaking even when you already have too many clothes.
My son Gus, who reads my blog religiously, took pity on me. He suggested that as he has too few clothes I could make some for him. Starting with a jumper just like the Lorelle. Here is Gus last night, on his return from work.
As we talked a bit more he came up with the idea that my SWAP this year could be a capsule wardrobe for him! Ha ha ha. His generosity knows no bounds.
To be honest I do love this boy very much indeed. He always dresses nicely, although you will quickly see he lacks a few domestic skills in the area of using an iron and shoe polish. He doesn’t earn a lot of money and I am not sure he even has a winter coat. But a “Sewing with a Plan (SWAP)” Wardrobe? I am not sure I could make 11 garments for him, especially as it would involve a huge amount of work. I have previously discussed the minefield that is making clothes for loved ones. On the other hand I wouldn’t mind thinking more about menswear. And I do really enjoy tailoring best of all. And I admit I already have too many clothes for myself. But I found the SWAP for myself a strain this year (especially) and I am not sure I could actually carry it through.
What I agreed to do was create a wardrobe for him to fit the SWAP rules (as yet unannounced), and that I would make him one or two items. And if I enjoyed it I might be tempted to do more, but that a full SWAP wardrobe was probably not going to happen. Below you can see Gus on a typical Saturday morning. If I really was planning to dedicate a whole SWAP effort to someone else I would do it this way.
- Body and style analysis. This means we can make clothes that suit the person. Most people work this out for themselves with lots of trial and error. But there is some good theory behind this which means if we know our basic body shape and specific issues we can dress so that our clothes flatter us and make us look our best. Gus is 26, very slim (38″chest), with a long neck and torso. I would need to think about what clothes styles and shapes would flatter his build.
- Colour analysis. I know that Gus doesn’t suit black and I am guessing that he may have predominantly cool colouring. But he has quite a lot of red in his hair and beard. I will do a proper colour analysis of Gus. Obviously once a person knows what shades of red, green, pink, white etc suit them best they will not waste money or time making something in a colour that won’t look great on him. At the moment Gus wears blue, grey and white. He is open to trying other colours.
- Discussion of lifestyle and wardrobe. The balance between workwear and casual, and Gus’s wardrobe personality
- My advice Suggestions of what might be useful items that would look good
- Planning the wardrobe. Looking at styles, patterns, ideas from magazines (I suggested Gus start a Pinterest page of clothes that appeal to him).
- Planning the SWAP. Agreeing what the SWAP wardrobe will consist of and then I will decided what items I am prepared to make and what he might need to procure from the high street.
So I committed to the six steps of planning, after which I may make him a few items.
As Gus is very keen on a hand knit we started talking about what sort of jersey he might like. Flicking through my vintage Vogue patterns he quickly ruled out V necks (although he is wearing a V neck above) he prefers a neckline that can reveal the collar and tie, or a polo neck. Here are a few patterns that appealed to him. To be honest I pushed the check jumper as my Dad used to have something very similar when I was little. I think it was maroon and white. I can’t find a photograph of him in it at the moment, but I will have a look next time I am at my Mother’s. (Not sure why men in knitwear always seem to adopt the arms akimbo pose – maybe the photographer’s assistant shouts “show us your cuffs!”)
Also we talked briefly about traditional sweaters as I am always interested in the history and origins of fashion. I thought a 2WW jumper might be just the job in terms of a roll neck. It would be a learning experience for me to understand what it might have been like knitting for a loved one away in the war. And Gus might get a bit of an understanding of how his Grandpa wore his woolies.
And I sent Gus an article about the Gansey jumpers that I find fascinating – here is the article – and asked him if he fancied a gansey and a pair of corduroy trousers as part of his wardrobe.
“Yes, it’s quite nice. Neckline not ideal but I like the chunkiness of it. Interesting story as well. And I do like corduroys”.
What he really wants in a Lorelle like mine, but less feminine. I wrote to the designer Kari-Helene asking if she thought I might be able to adapt the woman’s pattern to create something similar for Gus. She has given me some tips and believes it shouldn’t be too difficult for me. So maybe he will get a “Laurel” or a “Lore” sweater.
The Sew Over It Molly T shirt
Last week I did a review of Lisa Comfort’s Paris weekend pattern e-book. I mentioned that I liked the look of the T-shirt. Since then Karen from Did you make that? has made three versions of the dress.
I couldn’t see myself in the Molly dress, but I wear a fair few T-shirts (although I rarely make them), so I made up the Molly at T-shirt length.
It took about 45 minutes to stick the pattern together.
I used a drapey knit I got at Abakhan some months ago. It was a cheap remnant with pulls and grease stains. By carefully laying the pattern pieces I got the T-shirt cut out.
I used the overlocker to sew all the main seams and it came together fast and easily – a couple of hours probably. I can’t actually think of anything else to say about this pattern beyond it was nice, and good fun to make. Oh yes the sizing was accurate (I made the smallest size).
I nipped up to George’s flat and asked him to photograph it. Unfortunately he and Gus were watching an important football match so the photograph is of me sitting on George and Bianca’s sofa.
Then Esme arrived (back from a two-hour long children’s party) and said “Oh you finished it!” This is a comment on how long it normally takes me to make something. Then she added:
“It looks like something you bought in a shop”.
I didn’t know how to take this. Did that mean it looked professional and slick? Or that it was a kind of Primark/Topshop sort of thing? I didn’t ask for more elaboration. I said that her brothers wouldn’t leave the sitting room for an outdoor shot, and that Nick was buying food at Waitrose. “I’ll take a picture of you outside” she replied.
I asked her if she liked the top. “No. I don’t like grey. It would be OK in navy or something”.
It’s not a garment to get wildly excited about but it is, in my view, a nice T-shirt. I like the way the stripes work on the lower sleeves. Err. That’s all we have to say. Except thank you Lisa for the free pattern.
Are you a Mender or a Thrower?
Marianna recently did a short, and rather amusing, post about invisible mending, a dying craft.
My father used to wear what he called a “sports jacket” at weekends, and in the 1960s he had a few tailor-made jackets (from Alec Leadenham of Altrincham) something like the image below, and the jacket had been damaged by a cigarette or cigar, as I remember. And my parent’s discussed having it “invisibly mended” in Manchester. I was quite young and I wondered what invisible mending was. My father had shown me, on a previous occasion, that wire – once bent – could never be straightened again. So to say I skeptical was an understatement. I remember my amazement when I was shown the repair. It was literally invisible. It was like magic! The pattern in the jacket had been rewoven in such a marvellous way that it was impossible to see the repair. He also had a very good patch or two that was hard to see – but this was often at the bottom of a pair of trousers or somewhere unobtrusive. He would have leather elbow patches put on jackets if they started to show signs of wear. My father’s family were not poor, but they were Scottish Protestants, thrifty and opposed to waste and they believed in repairing things. My mother on the other hand was keener on getting nice, new things. She felt that darning and knitting your own woolies was old fashioned and dull. My Dad’s three sisters would sit with their mother in the evening, listening to classical music and darning socks with a “mushroom”, or knitting. My Mum, on the other hand, enjoyed smoking, shopping and going out for a run in the car. If she got nail polish on a dress, or burnt a hole in her nighty she would quietly put them in the dustbin.
My mother’s approach is the norm today, and ironically she told me the other day that she couldn’t find anyone to repair her toaster. These days it is usually easier to just replace the garment than pay £60 for a very careful and expert job of fixing the hole by reweaving in threads taken from the seam allowance or hem. For practical purposes most ordinary people in the past will have repaired their clothes, and their sheets (cutting them down the middle and “turning” them so that the worn parts were tucked under the mattress) perhaps. Even a less beautiful repair job is an interesting and attractive feature, in my opinion. Look at these agricultural trousers, hand sewn and repaired so there is almost more patching than pants.
On reading Sew2Pro I immediately thought of Prince Charles. Despite being incredibly wealthy he likes old garments which have been repaired. He has shoes, coats and hats that are several decades old and it is nice that he wears his patches with such pride. He says it is good to preserve old quality items and not to throw out something just because it has a little wear and tear. In fact he values heritage, tradition and likes to present himself as beyond fashion. I for one love his obvious repairs, and the fact that he is unwilling to chuck out a comfy pair of shoes.
The other thing I thought of was the Visible Mending movement, where old clothes are prefered to new, mass production. Especially if they are broken or worn, and the owner cannot bear to part with them. Then the repair is made to enhance the object rather than attempt an invisible fix. At the Makers House in September I just missed Tom of Holland who promotes Visible Mending. I really wanted to know more. He has a blog and has agreed I can show some of his work. I think these garments are such fun. The way the wear on the sock shows the pressure points of the foot. The opportunities to use contrasting and visible yarns to create more pattern and texture. The painterly effects as the design develops. And in Tom’s case he uses different and creative darning stitch techniques too, to add to the interest and texture.
I enjoy mending and darning – techniques my mother taught me. Basically I weave across the hole or thin bit using a similarly coloured thread or sometimes cotton. We have had to contend with dozens of moth holes over the years and many of Nick’s jumpers have been darned. I have also used some iron-on patches that are shaped like moths. They really amused me as a kind of ironic response to the moth. As Nick and I like cashmere sweaters (and so do moths) we have had lots of run ins with them and we have used a wide range of solutions to reduce the population. I once had a nasty attack of fur moths which was disgusting.
I strongly dislike the culture where if something breaks you just throw it away – no one can repair it, or the cost of repair is similar to the cost of replacement. I really like the idea of well loved garments being saved by judicious repairs. It is easier to do repairs if you don’t have too many clothes, or you really love the ones you have. I am very keen on older clothes that have a bit of history and some signs of wear. I am reluctant to throw away old shoes and have them repaired locally and well. But I had not seen the opportunity for creative embellishment as part of the mending process before. When my patchwork tutor Henrika Smith got a hole in her mauve jumper she repaired it with a colourful hexagonal patch. And finally a truly marvellous piece of mending created by artist Celia Pym. This makes me want to knit a Fair Isle jumper, let the moths have a share, then lovingly repair it.
Do you mend? Artistically, invisibly or grudgingly?
More free vintage hat patterns
While my dressmaking languishes at the moment I have getting familiar with the equally interesting and challenging worlds of knitting and millinery. However my first hat making class of the term was cancelled, boo hoo. In the meantime I have been making a few plans.
I posted my first hat experiments. I really love the old hat patterns you can find, for free, online. These vintage hat patterns sum up an age when making or trimming your own hat was ubiquitous. These magazine articles indicate that putting a hat together used to be seen as something almost any woman could do, even if she wasn’t the world’s best seamstress. If she could find a sensational feather, or a small bunch of cherries or ribbon violets, she could transform last years look into something up to the minute and striking.
I found these patterns on Vintage Pattern Dazes Past, which has lots of free knitting and other vintage patterns. The first two require a buckram frame – similar to the white “swimming cap” I created from Fosshape at Morley college. I have discovered you can buy these bases on the internet, but perhaps not in exactly the vintage shape you need. The Brocade Turban requires a buckram crown “that sits well down on the head”, whereas the Don Anderson elegant velvet Kerchief cap sits back and on top of the head. If wearing hats ever came back into fashion these bases might be mass produced, allowing home dressmakers to just cover them with the fabric of their choice. But without a base it is not possible to create these more structured looks.
However others are “dressmaker hats” that don’t need a block of any description. He is one that you can make with about 1.5m of ribbon. But hang on, it’s six inch (in width) ribbon! Maybe there was a lot of it about in the 1920s but this product hardly exists today. Except in hessian, or lace, or rather nasty stuff for wrapping around cakes. I did have a look on eBay for wider ribbon but you need to find a vintage supply. If you have some nice wide ribbon it looks quite easy, and I think the folded rosette at the front would be fun to make.
The next pattern looks really nice – it’s made up in a dark velvet and would make a very sumptuous evening hat. I like the trimmings – diamante ball buttons perhaps, or maybe hat pins.
I could see this was written in French and enlisted my friend Nat who makes hats and can read French (she is French).
Despite trying hard Natalie couldn’t decipher the writing. Nor could I. I tried enlarging the page. I also cut out the pattern, stuck the darts together and tried it on a dolly. I know Dolly is rather vile in terms of her sexy look – I wanted to modernise her, but I haven’t got round to it. Maybe a paper hat is enough.
The final free hat pattern I found is this one. I find the very stark line of the brim – echoed by the straight nose and face of the scary looking model, unappealing. It’s a bit tyrolean, isn’t it? But I like the simple design and the top stitching. It just goes to show that you can make most shapes of hats to fit your own head with nothing more than fabric and stitching.
Also I have been closely following Australian milliner Tanith Rowan. She is strongly influenced by vintage hats and has been running a series of blogs about snoods on her interesting blog. There is pattern to crochet one, as well as a snood made from fabric. On 23 September she provided a pattern which is basically half an oval, with a base of about 30 inches, by about 18 inches. I love snoods, but they do work much better with longer hair. I have got a Pinterest board now with these and other free hat patterns on them, and (in due course) I will try some of them out. In addition I bought a vintage hat book (1962) Millinery by Anne Southern. She has two chapters that I am currently interested in – covering pattern cutting and dressmaker hats.
I am going to read up as well as attending the class and will share any learning I get out of this book and a few others I have acquired. I am determined to include hats in my wardrobe in a way that works with my hand-made clothes. I had some ladies around for lunch the other day and we had some fun trying on my different hats and discussing what it takes to get a wearable hat.
Also, now I am learning to knit, I might even knit a nice little Fair Isle beret, or even something with pom poms on.
#BurberryMakersHouse
We went to an exhibition this week, and by the time you read this it will be over. Nevertheless it was interesting and I hope I can draw some points out.
The first is that taking a day off work, and going to see something mid-week is a complete and utter luxury and just so different from walking around in a massive weekend group.
The idea of the exhibition, organised by Burberry, is to show the craft skills associated with a collection. They write
A crafted collection featuring historic, cultural and artisanal details…noble and authentic fabrics are combined, blurring masculine and feminine, casual and formal, night and day, all mixed together to create a new reality born of all the moments that have gone before”
OK, it’s a wee bit pretentious, but it is also a marvellous exhibition. More broadly, in the old Foyles bookshop before it is redeveloped for luxury flats, it show cases the talents we have in London and encourages people to either commission artists and crafts people to create work for them or just be inspired. The following crafts were on show over the week (20-27 September 2016) which followed the September 2016 runway event. As we went on Monday 26 September we only saw some of these artists – those I have named.
- Sculpting – Thomas Merrett
- Experimental design
- Calligraphy
- Fashion history
- Visible mending
- Sand casting
- Silk screen printing
- Miniature portraits – Holly Frean Here is Holly in a little studio, painting a sitter (in one hour slots). Her style is inspired by the old master paintings found in country houses.
Holly Frean painting a miniature portrait - Military embellishment – Kings’ Troop. We spent some time talking to Godfrey and his apprentices. The three saddle makers are serving members of the British Army. Their work was exquisite and the role they play in the Army is significant and important. Godfrey showed us how he pierces the leather with a sharp needle, then sews with two interlinked pieces of thread. Very skilled work.
Master Saddler and Harness Maker Godfrey Morris making a leather vessel (Rosalind Wyatt’s Calligraphy in the background) - Patchworking – Rachel Scott. I spoke to Rachel at length, and I am sorry the picture didn’t come out too well. Rachel mainly makes rugs, from natural, undyed wool. In fact there were some of Rachel’s rugs on the ground in Holly’s area. Rachel had been commissioned to produce a patchwork cushion cover from the fabrics used in the Burberry collection and she was sewing it when I visited. It’s the greens and browns on her left in the picture. I was suprised at the relatively large stitches and the quantity of them (five or six per hexagonal side). As you can see her dress is made with the same hexagonal patchwork technique. I asked her what she thought of machine sewn quilts, and she said she couldn’t see the point. She always handstitched – this meant that patchworking could be combined with other things like conversation and social life. I asked her if it was working with colour that appealed to her, and she agreed that this was the primary motivation – creating new arrangements of colour. She trained as an artist at the Royal College of Art and looking at her clothes you can see the strong artistic skill in her confident use of pattern and colour. I admired her dress and she said she hadn’t bought anything to wear since about 1970.
Rachel Scott showing her patchwork coat and dress - Traditional lacquer – Pero da Costa Felgueiras. I also really enjoyed talking to Pero – an enthusiastic, Portuguese craftsman who makes fine lacquered furniture, but who also works on the restoration and decoration of historic houses including Strawberry Hill and Hampton Court. (I thought for a moment that Joyce’s bulldog was on show, but it was actually a lion). He was very charming and told me a little bit about lacquer work and the different styles. We shared our experiences of the Brighton Pavillion too, with its Chinese style decor. (Thomas Merrett, sculpturer, in the background)
Pero Da Costa Felgueiras makes a lacquered table top - Book binding
- Stitching and Embroidery
- Passementerie
Also on show upstairs was the entire collection. Here are just a few of the garments which I loved. Spot the pink velvet men’s jacket!
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