Striped-Out

The  Dynasty Dames revived glitz and glamour in primetime TV during the 80's. John Forsythe or "Blake" was caught in the middle.   The sweetheart neckline that seems to look good on every woman was a distinctive style element from the 1940's and seemed to reinvent itself in decades thereafter. Check out Catherine Oxenberg, Heather Locklear, and Pamela Bellwood in the bottow row.  I can safely surmise that the 1980's ladies can get away with sporting a mullet-ized coiffure while wearing an evening gown.

St. John jacket seems like a hybrid of a halter dress with sweetheart neckline nd a bolero or shrug.  All this for just under $1,385.

This lady in red is dressed in a mistique suit from Ashro.com for $189.  I like the way the front princess seams lead into the front seams of the skirt. 

New Look 6867 caught my attention at Le Wal Marche. The jacket's flattering neckline was the highlight of this pattern.  After purchasing this with three other New Look patterns, I sewed it not too long after arriving home.

Uh-oh, totally 80's tunes are coming back with just the mention of Dynasty.


You make my SEAMS come true, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh...

Pattern Description:
Unlined jacket with either 3/4 sleeves or pleated short sleeves and sleeveless dresses with shoulder strap options.


The pattern contains 17 pieces. For the jacket, I cut 4 of the fronts (2 were used later as interfaced facings), one of the center back, 2 of the side fronts, 2 of the side backs, and 2 sleeve pieces.

Pattern Sizing:

Misses' 8-18. I sewed a "12" at the shoulders and armscye, and a "14" at the sides.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes, except that my shirt/jacket is more loose fitting.

Fabric Used:


Polyester pin-striped fabric with some stretch from FashionistaFabrics.com. This fabric was left over from my Burda 129 waiscoat/vest from the September 2009 issue.

Your stitch, your stitch is on my list...

Favorite Features

*Sweetheart neckline with a raised or standing collar.

*Princess seams at the front and back.

*Short or 3/4 sleeve options

*Just as easy to construct as a princess-seamed shirt with front facings.



I can't SEW for that, no can do...

Not-so-favorite Features

*I concur with fellow PR sewists who worked with this pattern that the jacket runs larger than the usual sizing. I could have gone down a size. I can understand the jacket being loose to make allowance for wearing over certains tops or dresses.

* It would have been more practical to line the entire jacket. I probably would have taken about the same or less time if I included a lining instead of slipstitching or handstitching the front facings to the princess seams and slipstitching the lower hem.

* There is a slight bulk at the front armscye caused by the thickness of the fabric, and stitching together the front facing and sleeve with the armscye sandwiched in between the two layers.

Everytime you SEW away, you sew a piece of me with you...

Were the instructions easy to follow?

* The verbage, order of construction, and illustrations, were user friendly. The jacket, views D and E, occupied only the third and fourth pages of the entire set.

* Stitching the princess seams (side fronts to the fronts and side backs to the center back) was effortless due to the notches aligning nicely.

* Details such as stay-stitching along the neckline and clipping inset corners are included.

*The front sections are joined together to form a center back seam. The upper part of the front facings are attached to the back portion of the neckline, interrupted by a clipped corner and continues outwards to form the left and right shoulder seams and downards matching the edges of the armscyes and curving towards the center to form the princess seams with the side front pieces.

*The front facings are interfaced and joined at the center back the same way as the front sections. With right sides together, they are attached along the front edges and the upper edge of the collar and turned to the inside. I did a considerable amount of iron pressing, at the seams, especially at the neckline.

Say it isn't SEW...

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

* My usual adjustments:

   Folded a 1" petite adjustment at the designated line


  Shortened the upper back by 3/4" to minimize waves and rolls caused by excess fabric. Although I forgot to adjust the sleeves to account for the upper back adjustment, I did not take too much from the sleeve caps while setting them into the armholes.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I probably would sew this shirt/jacket again with the pleated short sleeves. I recommend this pattern for classic style and design and its simplicity in construction.

Conclusion:

Variations in fabric, buttons, trim, neckline, and sleeves make this pattern highly adaptable. The pattern for the dress also looks very promising.

This is a Terijon taffeta top retailing for $350. It is simple, yet elegant

Nanette Lepore's "Wistful" top has more depth and less width, but not a low pricetag.

A fellow sewist sent me "two more buttons" in good humor.  I originally intended to add two more buttons, but did not have enough of the same buttons to complete the look. Actually, the jacket looks better with five buttons.

Pink A Dilly

Tops and tunics in border prints are trending for this summer.  Here's is a Lucky Brand Jeans top from Macy's for $79.50

Pattern Description:

New Look 6964's vague description: "Misses' six sizes in one".

My description: Tops with sleeve and neck variations. View A has a wide V-neckline with encased ribbon tied at the center front and 3/4 sleeves with elasticized openings. View B has short flutter-like sleeves with the same neckline as view A. View C has the same neckline as A, except that it is sleeveless and the exposed portions of the ribbon tie acting as shoulder straps. Views D ad E are also sleeveless with variations of the ribbon shoulder straps and a horizontal neckline. View E has a ruffled front.

Pattern Sizing:

Misses' 6-16. I sewed a "12" at the neckline and armholes and a "14" at the sides. I found the top to run loose and could have gotten away with a "12" at the sides.


Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?For the most part, except I used a solid instead of a border print and my top came out shorter and baggier than what appears on the envelope, keeping in mind that my torso is vertically challenged. I suspect cinching the elastic more than I shouuld at the neckline (before stitching the ends closed), resulted in not only raising the neckline to a more modest level, but some bunching at the bust and hence, raising the front hemline.


Were the instructions easy to follow?

They and the accompanying illustrations together were fine. However, I changed the order of construction due to what I have been accustomed to do when constructing garments containing raglan sleeves. After sewing the center front and center back, I did not immediately stitch the side seams as instructed and the sleeve seams as directed. Instead, I sewed each sleeve to the corresponding front and back, much like sewing each flat, except that the top part of the sleeve forms the shoulder section joining the front and back sections of the bodice. Then I sewed the sleeve seams and sides as one continuous seam.

Favorite/Not-so-favorite Features

* I like the wide "V" neckline with a low (not the typical "Burda" low), but still modest neckline. But then the accetably low neckline could be the result of my use of elastic instead of a ribbon in the neckline casing.

*Simple to sew. For View A, there are only three pieces to work with: the front, back, and sleeve.

*I do like the 3/4 length sleeves, but they seem balloon or billow out more than what is pictured on the envelope. But maybe not quite as much as Spiegel's top from the summer of last year.

* In terms of construction, this top somewhat reminds me of New Look 6892, with the exceptions of having a lower neckline, center front and back seams, a keyhole opening at the center front, and uses a ribbon tie at the neckline instead of elastic.

* Has a more "boxy" fit and shorter lengthwise than New Look 6892.   Although I like the style of this top,  it is not figure flattering for me.

* After making my usual 3/4" inch petite adjustment at the line located between the bust and hips, I found that the back puffed a little at my waistline. Another 1" adjustment probably would solve that issue.

* I am not too fond of ribbon shoulder straps used for the sleeveless views. If I do make any of those views, I would replace them ties from the same fabric as the bodice.

*I added 1" to the length due to the pattern running shorter than expected.

Fabric Used:

Swiss-dotted lightweight cotton.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

*I sewed French seams at the center front and center back, sides, and sleeve seams. I joined the sleeves to the front and back in a traditional manner.

* Since I got carried away with the French seams, I inadvertently forgot to create the opening at the center front or the "keyhole" where the ends of the ribbon tie joined or enlaced. Instead I stitched the casing closed, which was tricky since it was a "V" instead of a "U" neckline.

*Replaced ribbon with 3/8" elastic for the neckline for more stability. I threaded the elastic with a safety pin through the neckline casing (starting and ending at the center back) formed by a 5/8" seam allowance at the hem. The directions called for a 3/8" allowance for the ribbon that is 5/8" wide.

*I cut on the bias a strip, approximately 21" in length and 1 1/2" width. I folded it in half right sides together, sewed it lengthwise 1/4" from the edge, turned it inside out, and tied bow which I tacked to the center front.

Conclusion:

If I make this again, I would go down a size, especially at the sides,  use a drapier fabric, and create the keyhole front.  This pattern is a nice and gratifying project to get me back to a routine of sewing again. It's a nice basic top for beginners to try.

I wish this top is wrinkle-free.


* I prefer the top I made two years ago using Simplicity pattern dated 1971.  The shorter sleeves and the gathered bottom are more flattering.