Tag: retro

Simplicity 1755

Simplicity 1755

This is Simplicity 1755, my new favourite dress. Fifties-inspired style? Check. Pockets? Check. Raglan sleeves? Check. Pretty collar? Check. Perfect!

Well, sort of.

Although the dress itself has come out lovely, the pattern leaves a fair bit to be desired. To begin with, the instructions for the button loops and sleeves are wrong. Somebody’s had a little centimetres versus inches confusion, because the instructions say to cut the button loops 2cm long, when they actually need to measure 5cm – about 2 inches. And the instructions for the placement of the button loop are wrong as well. In the end I decided to abandon the loops completely, and used a couple of sparkly buttons on each sleeve to hold the cuffs in place.

Simplicity 1755

I also added a couple of sparkly buttons on the back of the collar, because the pattern didn’t seem quite right there either. The instructions call for hooks and eyes to close the two halves of the collar together at the back, but the pattern pieces simply aren’t the right shape for that to happen. So, the sparkly buttons are holding the back of the collar down to the dress, to stop the corners from flying away.

Simplicity 1755

I’m pretty pleased with the invisible zip, considering it’s only the second one I’ve ever put in. It gaps a little bit at the waist, but the belt covers it, and all the seams match which is good. The waist isn’t terribly defined for a 1950s-inspired dress, but that’s because I had to grade it from a size 16 at the top to a size 20 at the waist to make it fit. I only hope that doesn’t make it look too frumpy, but the most important thing for me is that it’s comfortable.

The fabric is an organic cotton and bamboo mix, in heather and heather splash spot. I’ve used this bamboo fabric before, and it’s fantastically soft and luxurious. Bit crinkly though, so I foresee a fair bit of ironing in my future.

I’ll definitely be making this dress again, probably with a couple of modifications. The pockets are a little on the small side, so I’ll replace those with my own pocket pattern. I also have a shirt pattern with the most fantastically enormous raglan sleeves, and I can definitely imagine a long sleeved version of this dress. In fact, I may have just ordered three metres of this lovely stripy bamboo/cotton, to go with the leftover plain purple… perfect!

Diane’s second tunic dress

Diane's 2nd 1970s tunic

This is the second dress I’ve made for Diane, using recycled 1970s print bedding. (The first one is here.) This one’s a very pretty, girly design with plenty of hearts and flowers. It’s made from half of a duvet cover, and Diane’s kept the other half to turn into a quilt.

If you’d like to order a pretty tunic dress, the sizes are here, and the prices are here.

There’s also one on Etsy, and I’ll be making more over the next few weeks!

Trailing Leaf

This little beauty is “Trailing Leaf” by Amanda Jones, and it’s on page 66 of issue 6 of The Knitter.

I have a whole bag full of Rowan Cashcotton 4 ply in a lovely peachy colour, which I think would be perfect for this.

[edit] Oops – there’s a misprint, and the pattern calls for DK, not 4-ply.

I’m still knitting this fabulous 1970s hoody, but I have reached the point where it’s painfully obvious that I don’t have enough Debbie Bliss Soho left to finish knitting the hood. Actually, I reached that point quite a long time ago, but I spent yesterday evening knitting the hood anyway.

Chatting to other knitters, it’s clear that it’s not just me who’s determined to keep knitting in these circumstances, as though some extra wool is mysteriously going to materialise through sheer force of wishful thinking. It’s the same as knitting faster when you think you might not have quite enough yarn to make it to the end of a project. Common sense (and, you know, physics) dictates that wool doesn’t magically get longer the faster you knit, so why do we persist?

My plan for this evening is to unravel my poor half-knitted hood, and start again with a big collar. After that I can spend the weekend blocking and sewing, and I’ll have a nice new chunky cardigan. Just in time for summer…

Seventies Style, and Size Charts.

1970s print tunic dress

I think this one might even be my favourite tunic so far.

It’s made from a brand spanking new thirty-five year old bed sheet. Check out the fabulous 1970s print!

In the interests of encouraging you all to buy a lovely tunic dress or top… I’ve now put together a size chart. It runs from UK size 2 (bust 29½”) to UK size 30 (bust 54″). If you fall outside of that range, fear not! I can still make a dress or top for you. All I need to know are your bust and hip measurements, and I can draw up a pattern in your size.

Gingham dress and a price list.

Gingham dress

This is the second incarnation of my new dress pattern – this time in a black and white polycotton gingham. This one’s a bit longer than the first one, and trimmed with black broderie anglais/eyelet.

I’ve now worked out my pricing structure, and it looks like this:

  • Reclaimed/recycled fabric: £90
  • Hand dyed organic cotton: £120
  • Novelty print quilting cottons: £140
  • Hand woven Yorkshire silk dupion: £285

Other fabrics can be used, but I’d like to try and concentrate on the organic, reclaimed, recycled and locally produced as much as I can.

My next task is to build a web page and a gallery, so you can start to place your orders!

Playing House

Yesterday we went on a little shopping trip, and I bought these from John Lewis.

Measuring cups

Contrary to appearance, they’re not ceramic mixing bowls – they’re little measuring cups!

Several years ago I decided that I wanted my kitchen to look like this:

It’s the “Playing House” range by Rosanna, which is now sadly discontinued.

I do have one item from this range – and typically, it’s the one thing that isn’t in the picture.  I have a set of four ceramic tumblers, made to look like vending machine cups. (You can see a picture of them here, at Mighty Foods.)

As with the little measuring cups above, I liked them because they confront your expectations about what size an object should be, or what material it should be made from.

Also, they’re cute!

I have a long way to go before my kitchen looks like the one above, but I’m working on it slowly.