Damask Jacket

Several weeks ago I picked up this vintage damask tablecloth at my local Goodwill Store. I only paid $2.00 for it. It was in pretty good condition with only two tiny holes that were easy to avoid when cutting out my pattern.

The pattern I used is the Damask Jacket from Barb Originals. I bought this pattern several years ago at the Sewing Expo. For some reason I have never sewed it up before. It is a loose fitting swing jacket. As the name suggest it was designed to be made using a Damask Tablecloth. You can use any fabric that has a nice flow to it. Barb also sold some very lovely linen in her booth at the Expo. My tablecloth had a nice drape to it but I didn't want a white jacket. So I tried my first dying project. I followed the directions on the package of Rit Dye and dyed the fabric in my front loading High Efficiency Washing machine. I think it turned out great. The petal pink color shows off the damask pattern better too. It was quite a large tablecloth so I have some leftover. Not sure what I will use it for there is not enough for another jacket. This was a very easy pattern to sew.

Since I was using a vintage tablecloth for my fabric I thought this was a perfect place to use a few of my vintage hankies too. I used two of them, one was added to the peplum at the back and the other at the collar and cuffs. I had a tiny piece of hankie left over from my hankie tops. I decided to make it into a flower pin to add to the lapel. that added just the right finishing touch.

The buttons I used are some vintage buttons someone gave me. I really wanted to use three different large vintage buttons. I had in mind some gold toned buttons with pearly centers. But I could only find one that I liked in my stash. So these gold dome buttons are temporary until I find some better ones. I wanted to wear this jacket to work tomorrow so these buttons are OK for now. It is really hot around here right now but I go from hot to cold with the air conditioning. This is a very lightweight jacket and it will brighten my day. I just have to decide what to wear with it. I love my pretty pink jacket.

















border="0" href="http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com"
target="_blank">src="http://hadfield.smugmug.com/photos/825895175_xmTVA-O.jpg"
alt="Join us Saturdays at tatertotsandjello.com for the weekend wrap
up party!" />

The Catherine Coat

I have been popping over to Hawthorne Threads from time to time to enter their giveaway contest. Well you know that after a few visits I couldn't resist placing an order for some new fabrics. One of the fabrics that I purchased was this lovely cotton by Micheal Miller called Delilah. I didn't realized until it arrived that is had glittery gold incorporated into the print. I didn't know what I was going to use it for which is often the case when I buy fabric. I decided it would make a nice lightweight jacket I could wear to work in warmer weather. I used The Catherine Coat Pattern by Serendipity Studios. I had some light grey sateen weave cotton leftover from a pair of pants I made last year. There was just enough to make the collar and the faux pocket flaps. I thought it coordinated nicely with the Delilah print. This jacket is unlined and quite simple to put together. I pretty much followed the pattern except for the sleeve. Where the pattern had a separate cuff that the sleeve was gathered into I opted for a 3/4 sleeve with one pleat in the center. I had some vintage gold buttons to complete the look. I used four on the front and one on each sleeve. I like the look of this jacket and it fits very well. The only thing I wish I had done differently is match the print on the front. I never thought about it until the jacket was complete. A bit to late to do anything about. It would have been nice to have those large motifs match at the front. I have worn it several times already. The fabric does shed a lot of glitter for the first few times of wearing. I will probably make this coat again. I already have some fabric picked out for the next coat. I am thinking about incorporating a vintage doily into the design.

Kay Whitt Design for McCall's

I was pleasantly surprised a few weeks ago

when I discovered several Kay Whitt patterns in the McCall's pattern selection. Since the patterns were on sale for $1.00 I picked up two of them. This one is McCalls's 5882. In Kay's typical style the pattern includes various length options as well as ideas for contrasting design elements such as hem bands and tie belts. There is even an embroidery design included. I chose view B the tunic length top. The pattern has a shorter top and several lengths of dresses.

I had the brown and turquoise floral linen in my stash. It was leftover from a skirt I made a few years ago. I found the embroidered brown linen to coordinate for the bodice. I had the turquoise silk dupioni in my stash that I used for the hem band. I also wanted to show some of that silk at the neck edge. My original plan was to make a bias piping at the neck edge. Well when I tried to make a continues bias strip something went wrong and my strip did not end up on the bias but the straight of grain. Since that would not lay well around a curved neckline I opted for a narrow ruffle. I did make the tie belt included in the pattern but I didn't like the way it looked on this top so I removed it. Overall I like this top and the way it fit. One thing I would alter for the next top or dress I make with this pattern is the neckline in the front. For some reason almost every pattern I use the neckline end up being an inch or so to big in the front. I am still wearing this as it is a minor issue and probably the only one who would notice this is me. But it is an easy change to make the next one better. All in all I like this pattern and this top.

Claire Cami Top

Ever since I made the Claire Cami Dress for my swap partner I have wanted to use this pattern for myself. I thought the shorter tunic lenght would be a great summer top. And it is dressy enough for me to wear to work. I loved the way the dress fit me so I knew the top would fit well.

For the top I used a black and white floral linen rayon blend I picked up on clearance at JoAnn Fabric. for the coordinating trim I used a quilting panel from my stash that had quarter yard strips of various black and white prints. I love sewing and wearing this patttern. It is quick to sew and easy to wear. I think this top has an oriental look to it. I do want to sew up a dress next. I really liked the one I sent to my swap partner.

I joined these link parties!!

Handkerchief Tops

I have acquired quite a collection of vintage hankies. Some belonged to family members a few I picked up at antique shops and several I purchased from online auctions at Shop Goodwill . I love looking at my hankie collection and dreaming up ideas to use them. However I have a very hard time actually cutting into one of my vintage hankies. In fact many of my hankies are still folded in their original form and I can hardly bring myself to unfold them. They have been folded in that shape for many years so it is quite easy to refold them. They are so pretty and unique they should be shown off and used for something pretty.

I picked up a copy of Hankie Style by Amy Barickman for Indygo Junction. This book has several apparel and accessory projects all using hanker chiefs. Some use hankie fabric and new and vintage hankies. I do have several new hankies in my collection too. I thought I would be able to cut into the new ones more easily, but they came in such a cute package and were folded so cleverly that I didn't want to disturb them either. I decided to take the plunge and use a few of my hankies to actually make something.

My book has two full size garment patterns included, a cardigan and a tunic. The cap sleeved tunic looked like the perfect project to try first. It only used one hankie and I needed some light weight tops to wear to work. I had recently purchased this sweet Swiss dot fabric at Hancock Fabrics . It is very lightweight and has a nice vintage look. I went through my hankies to find the right ones to match my pink dot fabric and the pretty pink floral dot fabric.

The Cap Sleeved Tunic was very easy to put together. It only took me about an hour and a half to cut and sew my first top. For the first one I used the pink floral with a rose windowpane hankie. I picked this one first because the hankie had a small hole in one side so I didn't feel so bad about cutting it up. I like the finished top except the neckline is slightly to big in the front. I fixed it by stretching a piece of elastic at the very edge of the neck. This gathered it up slightly causing it to fit more closely to my neck. The next top I altered the pattern to make the neck smaller before cutting the fabric. The second top made with the pink dot fabric fit much better. The hankie I picked out for this top had a large bouquet in one corner and I wanted to highlight that feature. I turned the hankie on the bias and let the point float freely beyond the seam. I like the way this one turned out and I wore it to work today. I will probably make more of these tops because they are so quick and easy and really could be made without a hankie. Next project from this book perhaps a scarf or a T-shirt embellishment.


I joined these link parties!! My Repurposed Life and Amy Lou Who Sew-N-Tell.
Sunday Showcase at Under The Table Dreaming.