I thought I might persevere with Vogue 1202, so I started to cut out the pattern for the skirt.
And then I realised that there is no space in my house large enough to lay out the pattern. And that if the giant pattern piece has to be laid on the fabric sideways, the stretch in my chosen fabric is in fact going the wrong way.
Never mind.
I’ll find something else to do with three metres of wet-look lycra, I’m sure.
Butterick 4731, perhaps.
This is Vogue 1202, a designer Donna Karan pattern. I’ve had it in my stash for about a year. I kept unfolding it, looking at the size of the pattern pieces, folding it up and putting it away again. The piece above is the front, and it measures 140cm wide by 160cm long. Which is much larger than my cutting table.
I folded away my cutting table and made enough space on the floor to cut out the pattern. But before I did that I had to use my psychic powers to figure out which size to cut out. Obviously the size of the bust doesn’t matter at all in a draped pattern like this one. But the waist does matter, and the finished waist measurement isn’t given anywhere. Yes, there are measurements on the pattern envelope. But anyone who’s been sewing for more than five minutes understands that those are nothing more than a guideline at best.
I plucked a number out of thin air and made a size 12, which turned out to be at least two sizes too small. Unfortunately it wasn’t possible to find this out until the top was finished and I could try it on. Thankfully the fabric is stretchy, and once I’ve managed to wriggle the stupid thing over my shoulders it does (just about) fit around my waist.
You can see the lovely draped effect around the waist, which is sadly lost on me. I’m so short-waisted that the main body of the top simply folds right over it and covers it up. The sleeves aren’t as long as they look, by the way. They’re very narrow, so they fit very close to your lower arm and then the upper sleeve billows over them. This works something like a straitjacket, ensuring that you can’t move your arms despite the voluminous nature of the top.
Here’s the back, which is the main reason I wanted to make this top in the first place. I have a selection of brightly-coloured vests and t-shirts that I think would look great underneath. (I also have a sparkly-backed bra, if I’m feeling particularly adventurous.) You’re supposed to sew nine tiny snap fasteners to the back of the very high neck, but I think I’m going to go with four big ones.
I was hoping to feel very glamorous and sexy in my new designer Donna Karan top. Then I tried it on, and realised that it looks as though I’ve been to the hairdresser’s and forgotten to take the cape off. Oh dear.
I wouldn’t recommend this pattern for anybody who wasn’t very long-waisted, or willing to take a gamble on what size they needed to cut out. I’m sure Donna Karan’s very clever, and I’m sure this top would look great on the right person… unfortunately that person isn’t me. In fact, I’ve already scrunched up the pattern pieces and thrown them away so that I don’t try and make it again in a different fabric, in the hope that it might somehow magically fit differently a second time.
Somewhere in the stash I have some fabric that I’d earmarked to make the matching skirt. Given that the skirt pattern doesn’t come with any finished measurements either, and has a very similar construction, I’m not entirely certain that’s going to be a good idea.
One of the perks of working in a fabric shop is that you find out in advance when the pattern companies are just about to have a special offer, or discontinue lots of styles. Now is the time of year when all of the autumn/winter pattern books appear, which means special offers galore!
I have something of a weakness for buying patterns, so I’m trying to be very good and only buy them if I’m absolutely definitely positively going to make them in the near future. I have fabrics in mind (and in my stash!) already for the four patterns below, so I felt justified in picking them up.
Top left: McCalls 5591.
I bought this pattern as an alternative to McCalls 5431. The two patterns have many of the same elements – a full skirt, contrast band at the hem and large pockets. McCalls 5591 has the advantage of working with one-way prints on 44″ fabric, which 5431 can’t accommodate. I’m sure that I’ll use both patterns, and I’m hoping to find myself living in these skirts for the rest of the summer. I certainly have plenty of fabrics I can use to make them…
Top right: Vogue 2784 (now out of print)
This is a Donna Karan designer pattern for Vogue. The dress itself is very sheer, and the pattern includes a bias-cut slip to wear underneath it. I have the perfect fabric for this project – a sheer black georgette with little black roses, which was given to me by a friend several years ago. I think it might be interesting to make a few slips in different colours, to change the look and feel of the dress. I plan to wear this one to other people’s weddings.
Bottom left: McCalls 5717
Everyone at work fell in love with this coat pattern as soon as we saw it on the back of the new McCalls catalogue. Naomi’s already bought a length of bright pink tartan, and I plan to make this one in my Waverley flamingo fabric. The collar and the ruffle at the bottom will be in black velvet, as will the buttons. Then I just need to add a sparkly flamingo brooch to the lapel, and I have a fabulous winter coat!
Bottom right: Vogue 8211 (now out of print)
No, it isn’t the same as McCalls 5717! This one’s going to be a more dressy coat, and I plan to make it from a heavyweight cotton curtaining. It’s cream, with gold bees embroidered on it. I’m not certain how many opportunities I’m going to have to wear a cream evening coat covered in bees, but I’ve had the fabric for a long time, and this is the first pattern I’ve seen that’s really been right for it.
Now I just have to carve out a tiny space in my hectic sewing schedule, and set aside the time to make something for myself!
