Sunday, September 28, 2014




Mod fashions of the 60's.  Here are some "sassy fashions" as published in a vintage McCalls May 1968 magazine I found for .99 cents at a local thrift. The cover of the magazine has a close up shot of Raquel Welch with a caption that reads "Beauty secrets of Raquel Welch".   How fun are those.  These reminded me of a dress Lisa had made at MPB day 2014 in New York.  It was a black and white modern version of these type of dresses.  Very cute and still stylish today.

Here is the sort of thing I remember wearing as a kid.  Mod looking bell bottoms.  I even had the elephant type bell bottoms with cuffs on them, LOL.  Then there were the paisley shirts.  I remember one in particular that was different shades of green.  As far as I was concerned it went with everything because I wore it all the time, Ha.  Clothing seemed to be more fun back then.  I don't think it was taken too seriously and we just wore what made us feel good.  Or thats the way I felt about it.
Call me crazy but I like these shirts the guys are wearing.  Very hippy dippy looking.  It kinda says, Hey, Hey were the Flower Children, LOL.  Which brings me to the pattern making I've been working on.  I'm working with a book by Cal Patch.  I'm a big fan of hers.  The book is called Design-It-Yourself Clothes. The book is for womans garments but with the informaiton inside you can make garments for anyone.  You can also see some of her instuctional videos on www.creativebug.com.  More on those later.  Here is one of the patterns I've been working on.  Using the information in Cals book I've manned it up and I'm working on making a dashiki type top sorta similar to the one the guys are wearing in the photo above. 
 .Here are the first fitting patterns.  I altered it 2 times till I think I've got it where I like the fit.  This is some gingham fabric I bought at the thrift and it was just enough to make 2 test fittings.  Once I tore thru the gingham I needed more fabric.  So I decided to cut up the cotton beadspread on my bed, LOL.  It's got an ethnic print on it and what better fabric to play around with than that.  So here is the first fitting of that. 

I've altered the pattern twice with this fabric and think I finally got it the way I like it.  I was so excited when I got the sleeve to fit.  Unless you like doing this sort of thing you won't get it but it was like, WOO HOO!  I didn't use the darts in this top that Cal shows you how to add to the pattern.  But they are there if for some reason I want to use them at some other time.  As like in for shaping for another garment, etc.  I think this fabric is cool.  I wish I would have payed more attention to the pattern at the edge of the fabric (border print) since the first time I cut it out I didn't match that up very well.  Anyway, there was enough of  the bedspread/table cloth fabric to get two fittings out of it.  On the second one I matched the border pattern of  fabric up correctly so it looks like it matches.  There you see it folded with the final pattern (Shell).  For the test garment fittings I just pin them together with LOTS of pins and then slip it on without trying to stick myself with the pins.  I got smart this time and bought a bunch of safety pins and use those and it make it so much less ouchless when trying on the garment.  
So there you have the basic pattern and at some point I will need to decided on a neck line.  Do I want a collar or not what type of neck opening etc.  How will I finish the sleeve etc.  Much to consider but life has gotten in the way and that will all have to wait for now.
I did manage to complete a t-shirt.  Following a www.creativebug.com class by Cal Patch on how to draft a t-shirt pattern and sew it up.  Here it is : 
Again, this was made out of vintage fabric from the bullet proof polyester era that I picked up at the local thrift.  It's a smooth stockingnet knit on one side and a terry type of loopy texture on the other.  It has very little stretch so not very well suited for a t-shirt but enough give for me to get my big ole head thru the neck, LOL.  And yes you can sew an entire t-shirt with by hand with a thread and needle.  I never thought I'd get it done.  This pattern fits nice and I think it will be so much nicer in a more appropriate fabric but this fabric worked out for a fitting.
Have a great week everyone!

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