The Italian Collection #3

Here's another piece from Salvatore's shop on Via Romana.  It's another "end-of-the-bolt" piece, 55" wide, and slightly over two yards.  He let me have it for 30 euro, so about $33 US.   It's very light weight, a mix of silk and wool, mostly silk is my guess.  You can't see it very well in the photo, but there's a gold metallic swirl in the print.  

Here's Salvatore himself, showing off the folded fabric:

It has a drape like a challis, and goes beautifully with this:

This piece is a (mostly) wool boucle, with some gold metallic threads.  It came from Valli Tessuti, a very high-end store located just off Via Tornabuoni, at Via della Vigna Nuova, 81/R.  Here's the clerk who helped me, who very kindly let me have the entire bolt, although I only asked for (paid for) enough for a jacket.  I ended up with 2.75 yards of 58" wide fabric, enough for a skirt as well!  

Of course, I had to have a complete outfit, so I headed over to Bacci for the blouse and lining:

I found the perfect olive colored silk  in a crepe-backed satin (or satin-backed crepe, if you prefer), and got three yards (it's 56" wide).  Bacci Tessuti Shop is located in Via dell Ariento 37/R (tail-end of the San Lorenzo market), and definitely has the largest selection of reasonably-priced fabrics in all of Florence.  If you have only time for one store, this should be your destination.

A New (to me) Online Fabric Resource!

Fashion Fabrics Club (fashionfabricsclub.com) is having a sale!  The last time they had a sale, I ordered three pieces--this Black/brown butterfly print (#44230) is a gorgeous quality silk charmeuse, and still available.   It's getting harder and harder to find silk charmeuse in a wider width (this is 56" wide) at a price like this--$12.56 until August 29, and thereafter $13.95.  I've been seeing prices double these for quite some time.

I love the colors, but because the scale of the print is so large (and I'm petite), I will probably make a kimono style robe--maybe V9218.  When I travel I like to take a silk robe and pajama pants.  I use them with cotton knit tops for comfort.  The silk is lightweight and packs down beautifully, plus, charmeuse is hand washable.

This cheetah print is also still available (#43932) and is much more beautiful in person than either my photo or the one on the site.  It's not an allover print--there's a definite center that's darker, with larger spots.  I got this for my intended Safari Suit--it will be the lining and a blouse, for sure, and there will still be fabric left over!

I wish the website would do a better job with their photos.  They also don't do swatches, but you can order 1/8 or 1/4 of a yard, which is enough to make an infinity scarf.

I did get another cut, but it's sold out now, and my photo doesn't capture it well.  It's a cotton/silk voile, the perfect weight for late summer.  

There are literally hundreds of silk fabrics at Fashion Fabrics Club, as they have just bought out an entire inventory.  I urge you to go over and have a look--these are truly bargain prices, roughly comparable to what I've seen in LA's Fashion District.  These silk charmeuse fabrics are perfect for the lining of a LFJ and a matching blouse.

How I Buy Patterns #2

Previously, I wrote about how I buy patterns (3/7/16).  Today, I thought I would show you in a little more detail how I order from ClubBMV.  

First of all, I review the patterns each season when they first come  out.  I've signed up to receive notices directly from ClubBMV when a new group of patterns is introduced.  Also Shams over at Communing with Fabric often reviews a new collection, musing about what she might buy.

I do the same, and add the pattern numbers to my cart.  Then I wait (this is the hard part):  usually within the month a huge sale is announced.  A one-year subscription to ClubBMV costs $9.99, and you get 20% off right away.  But, if you wait, even the $19.95 Vogue designer patterns are on sale for a limited period of time for $4.79!

V9204 (see above) looks perfect for the silk blouse I'll be making next winter to go with the LFJ which is nearly finished.  Fortunately I had ordered 2 1/2 yards of this 54" wide silk from emmaonesock.com (#47222), so even though I have used some for the lining I think there's enough for a blouse.  I like that there are no buttonholes, and some choices for hemline and sleeve length.

Another benefit of these on-line retailers is that both emmaonesock and ClubBMV keep your orders on file, and you can look at them anytime.  I love this feature--hopefully it will save me from buying duplicates!  

Sewing Vintage #1

I hadn't really thought about it this way, but apparently I have a "collection" of vintage patterns.  Mostly, because I am loathe to throw anything away.  My female ancestors were like that also.. That's why I have my great-grandmother's wedding bodice from 1888 (a post for another day).

After I graduated from university, where I majored in Home Economics with an emphasis on Textiles and Clothing, I went to San Francisco to work in the Macy's Junior Executive Training Program.  It was a fairly brief stint, as I discovered the retail business and I weren't really suited to each other.  

But while I was there, I used my employee discount to buy designer patterns and the best fabric I could find.  Unfortunately for my budget, Britex Fabrics was right around the corner from Macy's (still is, actually).  The one piece I remember clearly buying from Britex was a yard of beautiful silk charmeuse in a gorgeous yellow and black print.  One yard cost me $25, and I remember thinking how fortunate I was to be able to sew a blouse out it.  At the same time, a colleague bought a RTW blouse that cost her weekly salary, which was around $80! 

The patterns in the photo above are representative of the wardrobe I was busy creating a home, at night, in my tiny studio apartment halfway up Nob Hill.  My fiancé was away training to be an officer in the army, and I planned to have a wardrobe worthy of any officer's wife.  Back in the day, we actually did wear gloves on the street and hats to tea and church.

I made up the two on the left, and even duplicated the emerald green color of the Pierre Cardin.  There was a matching coat, but I didn't really get much use out of either until we returned to California four years later, as my husband and I were posted to Taiwan.  Because the weather on Taiwan was mostly hot and humid, I ended up having to make a wardrobe of mostly cotton and linen.

There are lots of other patterns.  I have been going through them to see what might be useful in my wardrobe today.  There's this:

I have been wanting a Safari Suit, and this might just be the boost I need to start planning it.  All the pieces in the pattern have been cut, but I can't remember what I made from it.  I do remember making up the jumpsuit in an aubergine knit, which I paired with an ankle length sweater in a Missoni-esque design.

Since I am no longer a size 8, I will either have to grade up the pattern, or (and this is more likely) I will take the design details and apply them to one of my TNT patterns.

What about you?  Have you ever sewn from a vintage pattern?  Have you ever intentionally used a design detail from the past?

How I Plan a Seasonal Wardrobe #2

Here are some more pieces in my wardrobe already:

The leather jacket is one I bought a couple of seasons ago in Florence, Italy.  I have worn it with the ivory silk pants shown in the previous post, but it deserves some other partners.

The second jacket is one I made for the American Sewing Guild Jacket Challenge in 2014.  The fabric is am Italian animal print laminated linen from emmaonesock, and I think the pattern was a McCalls, but I didn't make a note of it at the time.  It does have princess lines, which I like for the fitting opportunities.  I did a Hong Kong finish on the seams (purchased bias binding), as it does not have a lining.

Just as my fall/winter basic color scheme is black and gray, my spring/summer basic color scheme is brown and beige.  Jackets are the base of my wardrobe, because here in Southern California we have "May gray" and "June gloom" to contend with, weather-wise. So, while the calendar may say Spring, the thermometer says that every outfit must have a layering piece.

So, how do you organize your seasonal wardrobe?  How do you start?

How I Plan a Seasonal Wardrobe #1

First I look at what's in my closet already.

Here I am at the Los Angeles Music Center, where I recently attended a wonderful performance of one of my favorite operas, "La Boheme."  I had made this jacket and pants last year with silk fabrics purchased at a local store.   The pattern for the jacket is S2284, which I like because of the princess style seams, allowing for lots of fitting.  The pants pattern is some version of a sloper that I keep tweaking.

Next let me show you a close-up of the fabric, which I love for all the options for accessories.  On that day I chose to go with an aubergine RTW knit top and necklace of (fake, I'm afraid, but that's another story) Murano glass, which I also made.  There are rust and coral threads, even teal, in there as well.

The lining is stretch silk charmeuse (#41033) from emmaonesock.  It has a lovely luxurious weight and comes in 96 colors.  You can ask for a swatch for color matching, or you can order the color chart and see all 96 colors for yourself. 

A Silk/Cotton Top

Another top from Simplicity 2893, this fabric is a silk/cotton voile from printedsilkfabric.com.  It's very lightweight, making it an ideal candidate for the suitcase.  It has a smooth surface and an elegant floral pattern.

Dry cleaning is recommended by the seller, so I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised when I washed it by hand and the dye bled out somewhat.  This photo was taken after several such washings, so the garment itself isn't too damaged.

I have been wanting to support local businesses (this one is in Los Angeles), but ordering had to be done by phone.  There was some small problem with the order, and while the seller resolved the issue to my satisfaction, but I don't think I will be ordering again from this source. 

I have another cut from this same seller which I will show you soon.    

     

Another Vogue 8636 in a Silk/cotton Knit

Here's another great fabric from emmaonesock.com.  It's a silk/cotton/lycra mix and behaved beautifully on my 2015 trip to Italy. You can read about it by putting the fabric number (47292) in the search box on the fabric web-site.  

I used Vogue 8636 again, adding black jet beads to hold the tucks down.  When it came time to finish the edges with the twin-needle hem, I made certain to get a new very fine point needle.  This fabric is surprisingly warm for being so lightweight.  

I wash it by hand, because of the fiber content and the beading.  "Washability" is another factor I consider when choosing what goes into the suitcase, as everything gets worn three or four times.  This top is another that goes with the jacket in my original Capsule Wardrobe.

What to Wear to Dinner!

 Here's another blouse from Simplicity 2892, also made from silk.  This piece is from emmaonesock.com (#42073), a great online source for fabrics.  I love that you can now go to the web-site and see everything you have ever bought from this site.  You can look at the original listing by putting the fabric number in the "search" box.  This is another great "go out to dinner" blouse.

I lengthened the sleeves to end at the wrist, and turned the fabric back on itself to make a hem and casing together.  Then I used 1/4" elastic in the casing, for a simple ruffle effect.  

What to Wear to Dinner? Why, silk and cashmere of course!

This is another top made with Simplicity 2892, a TNT pattern.  I lengthened the sleeves and finished them with 1/4" elastic in a casing.  The fabric is from Discount Fabrics, which in spite of its name, has some of the better fabrics from the Yardage Town chain in San Diego.  I liked it so much I went back for a second cut, which is destined for a jacket lining.

This is the type of top I like to wear out to dinner in Italy.  It's just dressy enough with black pants and a little sparkly jewelry.  Adding  a black cashmere sweater makes it even more special.

You may think silk and cashmere fabrics are a great luxury, but both are incredibly lightweight for the warmth they provide.  And remember, every ounce and every inch matter in a suitcase meant to carry one through a month or more in Italy!

Capsule Wardrobe Italy 2014, #4

Here's the second pair of pants, made from Marcy Tilton's gray ponte.  I used the same fabric for the collar of the jacket you saw earlier in CW #1.  I highly recommend the pattern, V 8925.  It has all the features I look for -- slim lines, a little design interest (unusual seaming, in this case), and a pull-on waist.  There's a little bit of pilling, but I can live with it, using a little scissors, or a specially made pill remover.

The blouse is a light-weight silk from emmaonesock.com.  The pattern is S 2892, which I have made so many times I have to call it a TNT (Tried N' True).   I love silk--it "breathes" -- which means it's comfortable -- and you can pack five or six silk pieces in place of one cotton piece.  Remember, every ounce and every inch count when you are packing for a month or longer.