It Must Be Fall, I Have Black Threads in My Serger
The fall sewing patterns are out and Vogue Patterns have decided to feature plaids in their new patterns, and offer a detailed article on working with plaids, the kinds, the ways to match them, etc. You can see up top a cape in a bright plum plaid from Mood Fabrics, Vogue 8959 which also comes in a cropped and a full-length version. The cover too features another bright plaid Vogue 8884 in a trench-coat look. But if you are new to plaids, I would suggest trying something a bit easier, such as the cropped jacket–part of the Vintage Vogue 9082 pattern ensemble. yes, It does requires you to match the plaid at the center front, the lapels and make sure both front pieces and back are identical so far as the placement of the plaid along the sleeve portion. But, honestly, for a plaid garment, that isn’t as much as some.
There are also plenty of evening looks for the parties of the winter, including a brocade top of multi-colors against a black background which is, once again, part of the Vintage Vogue 9082 pattern ensemble. That pattern was originally issued a while ago and was shown in its original vintage conception, a top, strapped dress and a short jacket all the the same solid fabric. But like many patterns, it’s chameleon. In brocade, the top is for evening; in plaid, the jacket is sportswear. A nice lesson in how the fabric changes the occasion that a pattern will suit. Look again at the patterns you’ve got with that in mind.
Last, we have the Vogue 1505 by Zandra Rhodes in blue burnt-out evening look. Notice that a simple shape makes for a dressy ensemble if made in a dramatic fabric.
There are some technical articles, including a hand tailoring lesson by Kathryn Brenne, and one on using chains to weight coat and jacket hems by Claire Shaeffer. This magazine has pattern information, but does not contain the patterns themselves. For those go to your local fabric store or the Vogue Patterns website: https://voguepatterns.mccall.com/
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Goes To Work in Simplicity 8732
Last week I featured a coat and dress that seemed drawn straight out of the wardrobe of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” an Amazon show about a 1950s home woman who realizes she has the skills for stand-up comedy. But while she’s working on her act, she works in a department store perfecting the make-up of those who stop by her counter.For that job, she needs a trim, tailored wardrobe to convey competence and this kind of dress is perfect. This is a re-issued pattern so it is in modern sizes and it captures the hour-glass silhouette with long, full, skirt that was popular from the late 1940s until the late 1950s.
The sleeves are cut in one piece with the bodice, so it may not work for the square-shouldered among us. The bodice is buttoned and empire-style in the front and dips a bit lower in the back. The waist is trim and the six-gores of the skirt allow for a full flare. You can do the sleeves short and trim them with a little contrast bias on a round collar, or you can do the sleeves at three-quarter and add a pointed collar and cuffs which detach.
They do the trims in white, but with fall upon us, you could opt for something darker, or plaid for the collar and cuffs? These are the kind of small details that marked the good dress of the last century.
Every once in a while I get to see a home economics notebook or 4-H Club workbook that was actually used during the period I study by a girl or young woman. So I jumped at the chance to get hold of this workbook that accompanied a high school textbook. It was used during the year 1935-1936. These things are unusual finds because they would usually get tossed. Of course, they are probably only useful to scholars like me. The first-year student filled in the workbook and her teacher did not have her tear out the pages to turn them in, so the whole thing remains in one piece.
Since the school year is looming, I thought I would show you this perky windowpane plaid outfit, a Dubarry Pattern, which was pasted in for a school outfit. Notice the matching coat and skirt, plus the jaunty hat and shoes. The colors are more for spring than for fall, but you can imagine the same outfit in a brown and orange plaid perfect for autumn. The picture may have been taken from the sewing pattern envelope itself or perhaps from a pattern flyer which stores gave out back in the day. Pretty cute, I thought. As the workbook tells us: “It is not necessary to sacrifice attractiveness in order to be practical.” Words to live by for school and work. We can be impractical when we are goofing off.
Spitfire Alice A Gra 
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