Thursday, July 7, 2011

What I'm working on and this week's pattern giveaway

Things are about to get really busy around here!  We move flats next week! NEXT WEEK? Can you believe it?  Time has really flown by!  I set myself a fairly ambitious sewing project this week based on the Sew Weekly theme of American Designer inspiration.  I wanted to make something inspired by a great American designer from the 40's.

I don't know if you've been following the Colette Patterns blog series on fashion history but I have been loving it!  I came across their blog post on American Designer Elizabeth Hawes and immediately fell in love.  I spent some time looking at several of her dress designs and really fell in love with the 'little moose' dresses:

David helped me pick out the fabric for a 'chocolate and wine' version of the the dress on the left.  I used Simplicity pattern 3948 from 1941.  Which is also this week's giveaway pattern.  It's an unprinted pattern in a B38 size with a neat design.

Using Elizabeth Hawes as inspiration, I decided to make View 1 but with the bodice piece in a different colour to mimic a bolero.  That's where the chocolate and wine comes in! David picked chocolate brown and a lovely burgundy colour for the dress.  I used crepe back satin with the crepe side out and the satin side in.

It's obviously not finished yet.  This is just a sneaky peaky.  I ran into a major hurdle with the button loops (version 2).  Though I've gotten loads of good advice on my sew weekly post on how to solve this!!!  This is my best looking hair for a UFO..hahahhahha.  I totally thought I was going to finish this dress on time.  However, sometimes things just conspire and there is not any extra time!  But after the move, this dress will be among the first of the UFOs to be completed.

I really like how it looks so far and I am very proud of topstitching the flat felled seam of the burgandy bodice front onto the chocolate material.  I did it properly and hand basted the piece on before topstitching!


So for the pattern giveaway....As with other giveaways, this pattern giveaways will be open to readers everywhere. To enter:

  • Leave a comment on this post by noon GMT Sunday (this is a bit different from most weeks), please also leave a way for me to contact you,
  • If you are technologically savvy and connected then post about the giveaway on 1. your blog, 2. twitter or 3. facebook for an additional entry for each method (so you can have a total of up to four entries...be sure to leave a comment and let me know if you've done any of these extra things).
I'll announce the winner on Sunday evening and I'll ship anywhere in the world. Just note that it sometimes takes awhile for packages to arrive for those outside the EU but I'll aim to mail out the patterns by the following Friday. If you win a pattern, you can't win again for another six months. And again, the only caveat is that you don't sell the pattern.  Keep the pattern for yourself as long as you want and when you are done, pass it on to someone else!


Happy July!
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33 comments

  1. I'm sure that it will be very pretty!

    isis.33 at passagen.se

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  2. Ahh great pattern! And your hair looks so cute!

    -Sara
    sara_h12@windowslive.com

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  3. Lovely pattern - I love the bodice details on View 1 in particular. Your hair is cool too! :)

    kestrelmail at gmail.com

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  4. ooh what a lovely pattern, and my size too :D
    I would love to make version 2 in some green wool crepe...maybe with pockets. The top picture reminds me of some of the sewing books from WW2, in which they teach you how to make a new dress out of two old ones.

    You can contact me through my blogg, and I'll write about your giveaway there + on my facebook.

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  5. Beautiful! I look foward to seeing the finished product!!

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  6. What a yummy pattern, fiddley button loops and all.

    girlwiththestarspangledheart[at]gmail[dot]com

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  7. I love this pattern! I so look forward to seeing it complete! (Love your hair, too)

    Tessa xxx

    tessa[dot]lunney[at]gmail[dot]com

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  8. I know I already commented on the SW post, but wanted to say I love that color combination you're using for your dress! :) And please enter me in the giveaway; you're so generous to be doing this! :)

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  9. Oh wow, that pattern is gorgeous. And I love the little moose (little meese?) dresses. :)

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  10. Lovely Dress! I love your take with the contrasting fabrics, and cut of the dress is fabulous. And-the pattern is in my size-so now I'm REALLY hoping to win it! katelynallers at gmail

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  11. I love this dress, great colour combination.
    bridgetannkellatgmail

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  12. I really love the pattern.
    bc428atjunodotcom

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  13. This will be sweet Debi. Check my blog for my finished Retro outfits! I love how they came out, I'm having fun now. I would love a jacket like the blue one you modeled with the pink trim. I need to find some of that fabric and the fact you can buy those great plaid accessories locally is a dream. I'm working on a blouse now waiting for my bolero pattern to arrive so I can make one to go with the plaid tartan skirt.

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  14. What a beautiful dress! Certainly think it would be a beautiful Spring or Autumn dress. How I would love to have a go at making it up!

    Katkabanova-vintage at yahoo dot co dot uk

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  15. It's really pretty so far! I really like the colours. Good job David!

    de_lioncourt_14@hotmail.com

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  16. lovely dress, please enter me for this giveaway.

    Dangtryagain@msn.com

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  17. I can't wait to this dress finished on you!

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  18. When I saw your post on Sew weekly I had a little look into the world of Elizabeth Hawes and started to read her book "Fashion is Spinach" its free too read online, and its really good! I really like this woman too!

    Good luck with the move and have fun setting up your new home :)

    Mollyharries1988@hotmail.com

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  19. I love the colors in your dress. Chocolate brown is one of my favorite colors. I would love to have this pattern!

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  20. Susch a versatile pattern and I'm loving your version of it! I would also love the chance to try it out myself, which I also tweeted about.

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  21. Another awesome dress - your wardrobe really is to-die-for! Love it - great colour combination. :-)

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  22. Oh my God! This promises to be a fabulous dress when it is finished! Love the combination of colors that make it very interesting.

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  23. This pattern is beautiful, consider me for the giveaway!!!

    vanidevecchis@hotmail.com

    B.

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  24. that's such an amazing pattern and yay- in a larger size! enter my name please! :)
    bluegurl1700@yahoo.com

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  25. Beautiful pattern! Thanks so much for the giveaway! pe_mayfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  26. That looks just lovely, and I can't wait to see FO pics.

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  27. I can't wait to see the finished dress :)
    The pattern looks great too :)
    (you can contact me through commenting on my blog :))

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  28. It looks divine! <3 I love the shade of brown!

    x
    Lost in the Haze

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  29. Looks like a lovely pattern.
    sable at xtra.co.nz

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  30. Thanks for the shout-out! When I did that post I searched everywhere for pictures of her outfits but I never found that particular one. Can you share your sources?

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  31. Debi, love what you have done with this pattern.. Hope your moving goes well.Will be thinking about you.. Judy

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  32. Looks amazing so far, and your hair looks fabulous x

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I read each and every comment--thank you so much!

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