Pattern Comparison - Simplicity 1734 (Vintage) vs. Simplicity 3673 (Reissue)

Part Three - Skirt Comparison

We've looked at the construction and bodice piece differences, today we'll look at the skirt pieces. Like yesterday, we're still comparing the vintage pattern drafted a for a 34 bust and the reissue in size 12.

We'll look at the full skirts first, and then the straight skirt.

• The first thing you'll notice is the shape of the top edge of the skirt, for either pattern the top edges follows the curve on the bottom of the bodice pieces.

• You'll also notice that 1734 appears to be smaller than 3673. I've measured the final garment measurements, and for 1734 the waist is 28.25"; for 3673 it is 31". Interesting difference there. (The final garment measurement for the hip doesn't matter, since this is a full skirt.) The darts are wider for 3673, which is part of the reason it appears larger.
  

• The vintage pattern is also longer. While both patterns are equally full, each is drafted with the fullness in a different place; in 1734 it is in the front, while in 3673 it is in the back.

• The back of the full skirt is similar. Notice difference in the length of the darts. The size of the darts is different, too. For 3673 all the darts are the same width (1"), but for 1734, the one closest to center back is small (5/8") with the other two being (7/8")
  

• The straight skirt is really similar, as far as shape through the waist/hip area. The final garment waist for 1734 is 28"; for 3673 it is 30". The final garment hip measurement for the 1734 is 40", while 3673 is 40.5". While the hip isn't much different, those two inches in the waist go a long way to promote that hourglass figure!

• While the width of these darts is the same, the length is longer on 3673.

• The skirt is longer for 3673. In the photo below you can see the vent extension on the side seam for the side vents of 1734.

Well, there you have it - the differences between the vintage and reissue patterns. I'm not sure when I'll make mine - sometime this winter is what I have in mind. I normally would not make a bust 34 for myself (which is what size I have - sometimes you buy a pattern because you might not see it again in any size!), as that size is always a bit too big, but I'll make a muslin and see how it fits! While you're out and about browsing the internet, click over to Isabelle's blog; she just posted her review for Simplicity 3673, along with beautiful photos of her modeling the garment.

Parting Shot: A Praying Mantis! I spotted him yesterday while outside. I took the green silk outside to see if I could get a better shot of the color (which I didn't) and saw him on my way back in.

Pattern Comparison - Simplicity 1734 (Vintage) vs. Simplicity 3673 (Reissue)

Part Two - Bodice Comparison

Yesterday, we reviewed the construction differences between the two patterns. While there were many, I missed one design feature. The vintage pattern for the straight skirted view has vents at the side seams, while the reissue has one at the center back. I didn't realize this until looking at the pattern pieces and found vent extensions on the front and then went back to take a good look at the pattern envelope. Sure enough, there are two vents, one on each side seam in the vintage pattern.

Vents aside, there are quite a few differences in the pattern pieces. So many that I decided to separate the bodice and skirt differences into two posts. For reference, 1734 is sized for a bust 34, so I measured the final garment measurements, which equals 37" in the bust. I chose the closest size to this in 3673, a size 12 (final bust 37 1/2") for the pattern piece comparison. They both have about 3" of ease in the bust. I also chose to line up the pattern pieces at the underarm, while keeping the grainlines consistent. I suppose I could have chose center front or some other point, but after playing with the pieces, that point allowed most of the differences to be seen.

• For both bodice and skirt, 1734 has quite a bit of information printed on the pattern tissue, 3673 does not. This information is really useful, and you could almost sew the pattern without the instruction sheet. Notice also that each notch is numbered on 1734. The numbers correspond to the order of construction, matching both notches number 1 and sewing that seam first. One advantage of 3673 is that it does have the finished garment measurements for each size at the bust, waist and hip lines. It also has the amount of ease for the garment at those points, too. I like that because I chose my size based on how much ease I'd like in the garment, which is often different from what the pattern designers had in mind.

• The bodice front of 3673 is a bit longer and slightly higher and a bit narrower at the shoulder, as you can see in the photo below (1734 is layered over 3673). Notice also that the bottom edge is curved differently a bit, too.
  

• As far as the backs are concerned, 1734 has a dart for shaping and 3673 does not. Other than that, the pieces are fairly similar, except for the bottom edge. The bottom edge is slightly different, even with the dart folded out as seen in the bottom photo.
  

• Here's the difference I found most interesting in the bodice. Notice the shape of the armholes. I overlapped the pieces at the side seams to see how much space is allowed through the shoulders; 3673 is on top and 1734 is on the bottom. It seems like 1734 is a bit of a closer fit through the shoulders.
  

Stay tuned for the skirt comparisons! While the bodice wasn't dramatically different, the skirt definitely has shaping differences.

Q/A: Eme asked a while ago about the fiber content of the fabric for the red trench coat. I found the email/comment this morning while cleaning out my inbox. To be honest, I'm not sure. It's a crinkled taffeta that Tany sent me from Portugal. Right now, she's on a short trip but will be back later this week, so maybe she'll post the fiber content on her blog! If not, check out her blog anyway - she's a meticulous and amazing seamstress.

Parting Shot: Green with envy and curiosity. The cats are checking out my new fabric. This is one of my latest treasures from eBay: 6 yards of kelly green taffeta like vintage silk.

Pattern Comparison - Simplicity 1734 (Vintage) vs. Simplicity 3673 (Reissue)

Part One - Construction Techniques

Today and tomorrow we're going to take a look at these two patterns. It has been popular for quite a few years for pattern companies to reissue older patterns and to update them with newer instructions and techniques. Whether updating the patters is a good idea or not is not the point; I sew up patterns however I feel is best for the garment and fabric as a whole and it's intended use. It's just interesting to note the changes.

Today we'll look at construction techniques, tomorrow we'll compare the actual pattern pieces to see if the pattern has been redrafted.

• The first thing to note is that the amount of pattern pieces; 1734 has 11 and 3673 has only 9. There is no belt carrier pattern piece in 1734, but instructions and dimensions to cut a rectangular piece for the carriers much like BWOF does for many rectangluar/square pieces.
  

• The difference in number of pattern pieces is also due to the fact that 1734 has facings instead of the full bodice lining of 3673. If I were making up the vintage pattern I'd put in a full lining - I just prefer linings to facings when sewing wovens. When (who knows when that will be!) I do make it, you'll see a full lining.

• The midriff portion of the skirt 1734 is interfaced, 3673 is not. This makes sense to me, to provide support for that area so that it doesn't wrinkle. I already do this with any pattern that has an obvious midriff section. The interfacing is basted to the wrong side of the fashion fabric and then stitched to the center of each pleat. The pleats are then formed using both fabrics as a single layer.
  

• There is a waist stay in 1734 for the full skirted version, there is not one in 3673. This is definitely something I'd add; it helps to support the weight of the skirt and takes the stress off of the bodice/skirt joining seam.

• The zipper in 1473 is in the side seam; in 3673 it is located at center back. Personally, I prefer side zippers, because I prefer the back view and details uninterrupted by a zipper.

• The belt carriers are sewn into the bodice/skirt seam in 3673, but are only tacked onto the garment in 1473. In this case, I'd sew them into the seam, as they'd be more secure and less prone to being pulled off. As a side style note, to make this more modern looking, you could wear a skinny belt at the natural waistline and be right in line with today's fashion.

• Some of the views have a band option instead of a belt. In 1473, the band is attached after the garment is complete; in 3673 the band is stitched into the bodice/skirt seam, much like the belt carriers.

• In 1734, the facing, vent edges and hem are all finished with seam binding. In 3673 the edges are finished by turning under and stitching. The back skirt vent for both patterns is constructed the same way.
  

When I make this jumper, I'll be combining elements from both versions of the pattern: a lining, waist stay, side zipper and bound hem. That's one of the nice things about sewing; you can make your garment your way!

I just realized that's quite a list and I haven't compared the tissues yet! Stay tuned for that tomorrow.

Thank you all for your encouragement regarding Midnight Garden! It really does help and I think I'm past that hurdle now! Now I just need to get those flowers appliquéd onto the jacket; 5 done, 63 to go.

Parting Shot: Pix is a very smart cat. She likes to sit on the back of the recliner, but knows not to sit on the Midnight Garden pieces that I left there.

Midnight Garden - Jacket - Part XXII

What I Said Yesterday . . .

Forget it. I don't like the flowers. They're not quite right. It's not the flower I'm seeing in my head. They're hard to manipulate to get pinned down just right. The edges are shredding so the pieces don't fit together right. So now what? Well, that means it's back to the drawing board, because, obviously, this approach isn't working. Duh. How long did it take you to figure that out?

What I needed to do was to start over in terms of thinking about the flower petal shape. It occurred to me that I needed one simple shape that could be used for all five petals. This new shape would have all the edges turned under, thus preventing shredding while handling. With all the edges turned under and the petals uniform, I could overlap them easily to make the right flower shape. Below you can see the new universal petal shape, from which all the petals are formed:

Now, this is the flower I envisioned:

I promise. This is it. This is exactly what I saw in my mind! All it needs is some embroidery and beads/sequins and it will be complete! One down, 67 to go. This navy one is next, it just needs to be pinned and stitched down:


You cannot believe how relieved I am to finally be getting these flowers right. It has been plaguing me for the last few days and I'm glad the solution finally came to me. Never give up on your vision; work at it until it is reality.

Parting Shot: We got the pumpkins carved! Here they are, my son's on the left and my daughter's on the right. The picture is a bit blurry, the poor camera had to expose the frame for quite some time as I took it in the dark.

Midnight Garden - Jacket - Part XXI

I like them!

Finally! It's about time!

Last night I started working with the petals trying to figure out how to get them all lined up properly and on the jacket so that they looked like a flower. This was sort of a frustrating process. Actually these flowers all together have been pretty frustrating!

I've finally settled on a method to get the flower petals grouped to look like flowers. How hard can it be? Well, when you're working with 5 nickel-sized slippery little pieces it can be a challenge. My solution is a common one in my world: a template. I just use the template to check the position of the petals and make sure the flowers are fairly uniform in size.

Below you can see a flower pinned and ready stitch.

After a final pressing, the flower is ready for the rest of the embellishments. I'll probably refine the whole process a bit as I go along, but I'm happy just to get the process started!

Now, about 60 more or so to go!

Parting Shot: I go the vintage jumper pattern today! Tomorrow I'll get the re-issue. Look for a comparison post next week.

Midnight Garden - Jacket - Part XX

The Flowers, Again.

Yes, the flowers again! So, I got the silk, cut out some flowers, formed the flowers around the templates, took a good look at them and guess what?

You didn't like them?

How'd you guess? No surprise there. It's not that the silk didn't perform nicely and give me crisp edges. The flowers just didn't look like flowers. They looked like weird misshapen blobs.

Back to the drawing board! This time, I've divided the flower into petals and am planning on making the flowers out of 5 petals. I say planning on because I won't know until I go to stitch the first one whether I'll like them or not. The petals have formed nicely and quickly, and I don't need to gather the round shapes like I did with the leaves. This is good because I need enough petals for 68 flowers. If you do the math, that's 340 petals.

Below you can see part of the petal forming process. Each flower has 5 petals, labeled A through E. The petals below are "D" petals. Today, I'll be making enough "E" petals for one side of the back.

Once the petals are formed, they go into the plastic bag with the appropriate label:

I'm hoping that this will fix all the issues I've had with these flowers.! I have a vision of what I want this to look like, and I'm going to figure out how to make it happen!

Meanwhile, the vines are done (for the second time!). Tonight in addition to thread tracing the skirt darts, I plan to start leaf/flower placement and work on them on the bus tomorrow.

It's about time!

Yes, I know!

Parting Shot: Mail Call! Look what I got from Tany in Portugal today! I'm a very excited about this! There is enough red fabric and matching covered buttons to make a trench coat, plus she traced me off a trench coat pattern and sent some really nice covered hooks and eyes. I have been wanting a red trench for a long time, and if I do a SWAP it will included as the coat or as a bonus piece. Thank you, Tany!

Midnight Garden - Jacket - Part /XIX

Cutting the Velvet

I've finally got around to cutting out the velvet out for the suit. I've been meaning to get it cut out for quite some time, but haven't had the time to. I'm not sure why, but I've actually been procrastinating a bit on this step. I think it has to do with the finality of it all. Once the fabric is cut, there is no turning back, I have to finish the job. It's not that I mind the work or the finishing, it just seems like there is some transition in the project at that point. It's like a line that's been crossed and now I must move forward. I think it has to do with the fact that I know the planning is pretty much over, and a new phase of the project must begin.

While the silk velvet is absolutely beautiful to look at and touch, it is another beast as far as cutting, pressing and stitching. Because I had a 5 yard continuous cut to work with, I had to steam and cut in sections rather than laying out the whole thing. It was a bit slippery to cut, but not too terrible. I'm guessing the stitching will be worse.

You can see from the pictures below that everything is just stacked or hung up and waiting. I will have to thread trace all the darts and hand baste all the seams together before they are sewn. From previous experience with velvet, this is the best way to handle it. Even though the basting will take time, I will not waste time and velvet (stitching leaves marks) by having to rip out slipped seams.

If I have time tonight, I'll started the thread tracing, if not it can wait until tomorrow. I think I'm over the procrastination bit and will be able to move on and possibly get the skirt finished in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you all for the compliments on my daughter's new church wardrobe! It has been fun to sew and even more fun to see how happy she is with the styles and fabrics she chose.

Q/A: I have a question for you today! What part of sewing do you procrastinate over and how do you conquer it and move on?

Parting Shot: Pumpkins! We took a school field trip today to Sherman Farm that has a really interesting corn maze cut into one of their cornfields. Below the pumpkins you can see a picture of the corn maze from an aerial photo - it took us about an hour to get through it! It was custom designed with our state logo and motto, the link will give you more information. Part of the field trip was a hayride out to the pumpkin patch to pick a pumpkin to bring home. We'll carve our pumpkins this weekend, so be looking for those photos.

More Winter Church Wardrobe

Layered Turtleneck

In order to make a mini-wardrobe for my daughter, I need to add a top of some sort. Burda showed sweaters being worn with the skirts and dress in the magazine, thus adding to the versatility of the pieces. I chose the mock turtleneck from Simplicity 9362 , which is out of print, but has a lot of good basic knit tops.

For the fabric, we bought a bright pink knit and then I layered a light pink sweater knit from the stash over it to make it more interesting. When stitching, I used the two layers as one.

The top is very easy to make - there are only four pieces: front, back, sleeve and collar. I stitched the whole top on the serger except for the hems, which I stitched with a twin needle in my regular sewing machine. I think it took me less than two hours to make. Basically, I stitched the shoulder seams, set in the sleeves, stitched the sleeve seam and side seam as one, put on the collar and stitched the hems.

For very little effort, she has a top that coordinates with the mini-wardrobe and that she really loves! She was very excited to try on and model the top and just happened to be wearing trousers that matched it. Now I just need to make the brown skirt and the jacket!

Q/A: Katana wanted to know, "why go to the extra effort of buying the original pattern when they have re-released it? Curious, because you are all about the details and there is probably a reason. If it were me, it would be 'because the pictures are not photographs.'"

Actually, I like the old patterns and the sewing details not often found in modern patterns. I think it's interesting to own both the original and re-issue if one can find them. That's why on Saturday, you'll find me at Jo-Ann's buying the re-issue since Simplicity is on sale for 99 cent this week. Furthermore, I plan to do a comparison post of the two patterns, much like Mary Beth did with a vintage Simplicity and re-issue at the Sewing Divas. It was very interesting to see the drafting changes between the two dress patterns that she noted.

Parting Shot: More patterns! I won a group of Byron Lars Vogue patterns from Mimi, who had placed them as a lot on eBay. This is my favorite - any guess as to why?

BWOF #133, 9/07

The Skirt(s)

Before I get into the skirts, here are the pictures of my daughter wearing her new dress, the pink skirt, a pink turtleneck she already had and a pair of the new tights:

You can just see the skirt/petticoat hanging below the dress in the picture above. Below is a better picture of the skirt. My daughter really likes the skirt because it is very full (240" or so in that bottom tier) and because it is taffeta and stands out a bit like a net petticoat would.

These skirts are very easy to make! For this skirt, Burda did not publish pattern pieces but instead published the measurements for the rectangles that make up each tier of the skirt. There are several lengths of skirts so that they can be worn individually or layered for different looks. I made the pink skirt the longest, with the brown dress and skirt will shorter.

Once I figured out the proper size (after adding in seam allowances), I cut the tiers across the width of the fabric, using a rotary cutter, ruler and mat. Below you can see the brown sequined skirt in the process of being cut out.

The skirt pieces sew together easily - once the edges were finished with the serger and the rolled hem done, all I had to do was gather each tier and stitch it to the previous one. The serger was perfect for the fray prone taffeta! After the tiers are sewn together, the casing and elastic were put in and the skirt was done. Burda includes instructions for using foldover elastic, but since I didn't have any in the appropriate color (and I'd have to order it!), I chose to put in a casing and separate elastic instead.

The brown skirt and the pink turtleneck are cut out, so I should be able to finish those this week and then make up the jacket next week!

Q/A: Pirate asked: "My question is do you have a special technique to disguise the old hemline? Whenever I made pants for my girls I would either make a deep hem (as you did) or sew on a false cuff (another technique for lengthening). In former case, the fold from the old hemline would be very evident. Putting trim along that line fairly screams "I let the hem out!". In the latter case, the stitching line that held the false cuff to the garment could also been seen.
So .... what do you do to disguise an old hemline?"

Yikes! This brings back memories of my mother putting rick-rack on let down hemlines of my clothes! Well, most of the clothes I make for my daughter start out a tad too long, and by the time they get too short, she ends up not being able to wear them because they're too tight. In the case that I do have to let out a hem, I usually cut it off and replace it with a contrasting ruffle, flounce or band of some sort and then make matching cuffs or other embellishments so that the hem area isn't the only place with the replacement fabric. I actually did that for my daughter's school clothes one year. She was very young and my son was a toddler so I didn't have time to make a whole wardrobe from scratch. I bought a variety of second hand dresses and jumpers and then bought contrast fabrics to make ruffles, bands, etc. for the bottom to length them. RTW is always too short for her as she's tall and thin for her age. There was one pink corduroy dress that I put a bright printed cuffs on that was her favorite and worn it until is was past being too small.

Parting Shot: Guess what I bought from MOMPattern's? Does it look familiar? It might, it's the original (or pretty close to) of Simplicity's re-release, #3673.