Tag: Sewing

A Betty Dress For Every Occasion

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Vintage dresses, with their timeless design and classic charm, are always on my radar for potential projects. In recent years, there have been numerous independent sewing pattern companies that have sprouted forth with vintage-inspired designs. One of the earliest pioneers of this specialized category is Sew Over It Patterns, based in the UK.
While I have been an admirer of the pattern company for years, I had never bought one of their patterns. However, this changed when I took the plunge and purchased their iconic Betty dress (and additional Add-On Pack) while it was on sale.

Sew Over It Betty Dress

Inspired by the early 1960’s and the TV series, “Mad Men”, the Betty dress was right up my alley: the stately bateau neckline, fitted bodice, and a full circle skirt made for twirling on the dance floor. I was ready to sew !
Coinciding with my new project was a series of videos produced by the team at Sew Over It, showcasing the fitting steps and how versatile the simple dress could be.

Watching the videos, along with reading several blog posts and sewing a plethora of mock-ups, helped me achieve a near perfect fit on a bodice block that was far from my measurements and bone structure. My first dress was made out of a stretch cotton sateen bottomweight in a vibrant floral print. Its first public appearance was at the Florida State P.E.O. Convention during the Friday night social and helped me to feel like a butterfly, flitting around the dance floor in that voluminous skirt.

Cheers !

With the success of my first Betty dress, I wanted to make another one, but this time, modify the neckline using the Add-On Pack. I opted for the V-neck version.

A wild foliage print on a cotton/polyester stretch shirting made for a delightful summer dress, especially when paired with a linen button down shirt as a cool topper.

Sew Over It Betty Dress (V-neck, sleeveless) styled with Pattern Emporium’s All In Shirt

There were now two Betty dresses in my closet, but I still craved more. It was time for a solid frock (and a fancy one, too), I thought. A fall wedding on my calendar was just the excuse I needed to make my desired design.

With the wedding being a semi-formal affair, I extended the skirt to a midi length and used the scoop neck template from the Add-On Pack. Can you guess where I spent most of the evening ?!

As you can tell, the Betty dress easily transitions from a casual daytime look to chic evening attire. And, if you sew like I do, it could become a versatile closet staple and your next sewing addiction.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

The Look For Less: J. McLaughlin

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Sheath dresses have never been a go-to garment choice for me due to their unflattering appearance on my non-rectangular figure. Despite being a misfit for my natural shape, I have always envied the look of a classic sheath style. Especially stunning are the Lilly Pulitzer dresses in their tropical prints and cool, neon hues.

Lilly Pulitzer

In a past issue of Julie’s Picks, a certain collection of fabrics caught my eye. It was titled, “Winter In Palm Beach”. Amid the blue-toned fabrics was a NY Designer swatch that made me believe it was once used for a signature Lilly dress. Curious, I emailed Fabric Mart and inquired about my hunch. As it so happened, the fabric wasn’t Lilly Pulitzer; it was J. McLaughlin.

When I found an image online of a dress made out of the exact fabric I had purchased from the swatch club, I was stunned.

J. McLaughlin Carly Dress in Mini Scribe

More shocking was the price. A similar style dress in the same Catalina Cloth™ as my own deadstock yardage ran upwards of $200. Decidedly, I made it my mission to create the look for less.

With the success of my Santa dress, I knew the Tessa Sheath pattern would be a perfect fit in its full length for my attempt at the upscale knockoff.

Did I make adjustments to the pattern ? Yes. In addition to lengthening the pattern by an inch, I experimented by blending sizes at the hips, but didn’t like the results. Rather, I graded out from the hip to include an extra 1″ seam allowance to the hem and sewed the prescribed 3/8″ seam allowance. This worked beautifully !

I also learned how to add fisheye darts to the back of the dress to bypass the painfully tedious process of cutting and splicing the pattern to make my mandatory swayback adjustment. Going forward, I intend to employ this method when making garments as it took away the hassle of back pattern alterations and gave me better-than-anticipated results.

And that perfectly notched neckline ? I followed the instructions from an article online and watched a video about how to mark and sew the notch all together with the facing. But the real secret was PerfectFuse Light interfacing used on the front and back facing pieces and decreasing my stitch length to just 1.2mm at the bottom point of the notch.

The deadstock J. McLaughlin fabric I purchased was under $10 a yard and I used less than two yards for the entire dress. So, for less than a tenth of the price of a store-bought designer dress, I had my very own luxury piece at a fraction of the cost. Plus, the fun I had while recreating this design and the inner glee I felt in revealing its sophisticated origins gave me a feeling of utmost delight.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

The King and I: Night to Shine 2025

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The evening of February 9, 2024 was one I couldn’t forget. My first experience at Night to Shine made an impact so great that I almost liken the feeling to that of my first opera outing. Before the DJ’s equipment could be packed away and the thousands of twinkling lights unstrung, my attentions turned to the following year and that all-important question: What was I going to wear ?

The end of a magical evening ─ Night to Shine 2024

The story of how Jacob and I met is well documented in all its grocery glory. As I considered a myriad of styles for my prom dress, I weighed each option by the measure of Jacob’s outspoken preferences in fashion. He favors the color blue and voices a vehement abhorrence for sequins. Moreover, I didn’t want to overshadow Jacob’s “puteet” stature with a gown of staggering dimensions. Curiously, I was most attracted to the sleek and classic lines of 1930’s style gowns. But it wasn’t until I chanced upon one of Gertie’s monthly Patreon patterns that I was completely sold on the idea.

Gertie modeling the Starlet Gown (Patreon, December 2023)

The Starlet Gown, made out of stretch velvet with no fiddly closures, seemed right up my alley for a fuss-free evening. After mulling it over, I signed up for a monthly subscription to Patreon and downloaded the pattern. The sew-along video that was included with the membership fee offered helpful techniques on how to sew with stretch velvet and finish the lined bodice. Weighting the cowl neckline was essential, and therefore, a quarter was listed in the required notions. As a tribute to Jacob, I sewed in a coin that was minted in 2000, the year my Ilja was born.

I opted for the back modesty panel, not necessarily for the look, but for the functionality. Ultimately, I’m glad I made that choice.

With glam accessories, like rhinestone earrings and long white gloves, I felt like a regal queen. But it was the carnation corsage, slipped over my wrist, that made me feel complete.

The King and I… ready to party !

The crowning of each and every King and Queen kicks off the celebration…

…while walking the red carpet is the highlight for all. The cheers and applause from the “paparazzi” never ceases to bring tears to my eyes.

After months of practicing in the car, we were finally able to sing our karaoke duet, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John with Kiki Dee. Should we take our act on the road ? Maybe !

Sorting through the various props available, it was time to take our picture at the photo booth. I always remind Jacob to be disciplined in saving and investing his money so he can become a богатый американец (bogatiy amerikanets ─ rich American).

Of course, the first question my mother asked me when I came home at the end of the evening was, “Did you get a picture with Tim Tebow ?!” As it so happens, my mother and I have a standing agreement that I am to call her immediately if Tim Tebow makes an appearance at our local Night to Shine. So far, no phone call has been made. But there’s always next year !

Jacob loves to dance…

…and so do I.

Since God answered my prayer for a friend from Russia in the form of Jacob, I have become increasingly active in the special needs community, which has been an unexpected delight in my life. Sharing the love of Christ with those who need it most brings me a radiant joy, especially in the role of a Buddy to my own very special King.

And now… what will I wear to Night to Shine 2026 ?

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

P.S. I can’t forget about the official video ! Can you spot Jacob and me ?
https://fb.watch/xGcSPYu_ke/

All I Want For Christmas is a Red Santa Dress

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Ever since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of having a “Santa” dress. The rich red velvet and white fur trim around the neck, cuffs, and hem would give me festive feelings of delight. Watching the classic film, “White Christmas”, would heighten this desire every year.

Vera-Ellen, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Bing Crosby in “White Christmas”, 1954

Despite my intentions, the hectic holiday season would always get in the way of my December dream. However, when I was approached to give a program to a retiree group highlighting the Christmas songs of the ages, I knew my time had come. The premise of the program was for me to wear an era-specific costume to match a song that was to be played after I modeled its corresponding outfit. The audience, in turn, had to guess when the song/carol was originally written based on my costume. For the 1990s, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was on the list.

Mariah Carey in the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” music video, 1994

Hooray ! The Christmas program gave me a fitting excuse to create my Santa dress. While the task seemed simple, it certainly had its challenges. I can’t count how many mock-ups I sewed of different bodice patterns, only to have them be too tight when sewn up in the desired stretch velvet. What was wrong ? Almost giving up, I tried one last pattern.

The Tessa Sheath Dress from Love Notions Patterns popped into my e-mail inbox one Friday as part of the company’s Feature Friday. For $5, I thought I would give it a try.
My first mock-up was promising and when I added length to the bodice, it was perfect. Because I knew I was going to attach a circle skirt to the waist seam, I didn’t bother printing the rest of the PDF pattern. Once sewn together, I measured the circumference of the waist seam and used Mood Fabric’s Circle Skirt Calculator to map out my radius and fabric lay. The calculator worked its magic and gave me one circular piece of velvet, with no back seam to sew.
Fluffy faux fur purchased from Amazon was sewn/glued to the appropriate places and… that was it ! I finally had my Santa dress.

This dress is so much fun ! I have worn it constantly over the season and love giving its skirt a twirl.

One of my favorite features of the dress is its red stretch velour, which hangs heavy in its drape.

Just look at those folds !!

Merry Christmas !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

At the Hop

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Although it may seem unfathomable, in all my years of costuming I have never dressed in the fashion of the poodle skirt from the 1950’s. The iconic getup has never been one of my Halloween costumes, nor worn as an outfit to an opera. Frankly, no opportunities had ever presented themselves !
Last year when my friend, Jacob, raved about his time at a fundraiser for Silly Sock Saturdays, I knew I wanted to go the following year. Since the theme for the charity event was a 1950’s sock hop, my opportunity for soda shop bop had undoubtedly arrived.

Without hesitation, I turned to Folkwear for my pattern. I already owned the 256 At The Hop pattern, which I purchased during an e-mail flash sale to add to my burgeoning pattern collection. It seemed frivolous at the time, but I knew I would have a use for it… someday.

256 At The Hop / Folkwear Patterns

Keeping with tradition, I used a charcoal wool blend felt for the skirt, which I ordered from Fabric Wholesale Direct. Recently, FWD began a matching thread and zipper service, which made choosing complementary notions much less of a chore. The full circle skirt was sewn in a professional manner with its lapped zipper application.

Matching thread and zipper for the charcoal wool blend felt

What’s a poodle skirt without its playful canine ? I used pink and white felt for the main construction of the appliqué and then hand embroidered its outline with a stem stitch.

Fitting the blouse was more of a challenge. Previously, I had sewn a wearable muslin of the Peter Pan collared blouse included in the pattern envelope. While it seemed to fit from the front, a test of simple arm movements proved the blouse to be very constricting and an impossibility for dancing. In need of assistance, I reached out to Katrina Walker, one of my fit teachers. A broad back adjustment was applied to the paper pattern as was a full bust adjustment. After raising the armhole slightly, my new blouse was much improved. Thank you, Katrina !

Tight across the back and biceps and the entire blouse lifting while raising my arms ─ both signs of an ill-fitting garment.

A consignment cardigan, saddle shoes, pink poodle bobby sox, and a polka dot chiffon hair tie made my outfit complete. Don’t forget about the cat eye glasses ! They were given to me as a birthday gift years ago. Thank you, Aunt Countess !

Miss Poodle was ready for the hop. But what about my friend ? Still thinking of the variety and versatility of Folkwear’s vintage patterns, I recalled their 251 Varsity Jacket pattern and realized it would be perfect for Jacob.

251 Varsity Jacket / Folkwear Patterns

After taking his initial measurements, I embarked through my usual fitting processes and altered the pattern to suit his needs. Particularly, it was imperative to widen the neck and shorten the sleeves of the pattern. For ease of wear and care, I chose a soft and spongy Ponte knit for the body and sleeves of the jacket. Stay tapes and PerfectFuse interfacing added stability to the welt pockets and facings. A tip for sewists: don’t skip this step ! It will elevate your garments from amateur to professional in a jiffy.

Sewkeys-E Knit Stay Tape fused to the pocket openings and welts

My model was a perfect participant. Jacob would curiously ask me questions as to my experience with working with models whereupon I had to gently let him down that he was not my first model to fit. However, his face beamed like the sun reemerging from the cover of the clouds when I told him a secret: he was my first male model to fit.
With supportive topstitching, striped ribbing, a fully lined interior, a machine appliquéd J, and silver snaps, the jacket was ready…

…and so were we !

My mother gave Jacob a ballpoint pen “tattoo” on his arm, just like all the greasers of the 50’s. He said it kind of tickled and was “a little relaxing.”

The fundraiser was a tremendous success ! Donations for socks and goodies were abundant and the music that played was hopping.

Rock around the clock !

In between root beer floats, a generous candy bar, photo booth, cotton candy station, and a barbeque buffet dinner, Jacob and I danced the time away while wearing his mother’s high school and college class rings. How neat is that ?!

Excitedly, we cheered at the end of the evening when we won two of the raffle prizes: trips to Top Golf and the Titanic Exhibit. Whoo hoo !

A thank you goes to the sponsors who made the event possible and for the benefactress who graciously invited me to sit at her table. Thank you, Mrs. Baker !

Whether attending a sock hop or just for confectionary fun, I highly recommend Folkwear’s vintage patterns for their authentic appeal and cultural connection. See you at the Hop !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Mexican Folkwear Embroidery

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Handmade garments are revered for their artisanal craftsmanship, intricacy, and devotion of time. While I’ve always admired the work of embroiderers and weavers, I never thought of myself as someone who could accomplish the same level of quality as these masters. However, that didn’t stop me from trying ! In one of the monthly newsletter e-mails from Folkwear Patterns, I noticed an advertisement for an online embroidery class featuring their 142 Old Mexico Dress.

142 Old Mexico Dress / Folkwear Patterns

That blue cotton dress with its bright pops of colorful embroidery had me salivating ! But I know my limits and decided not to let my spirited ambition take hold of my sewing caprices. Instead, I settled for the shorter blouse length, which was equally as beguiling.

Sarah Pedlow of ThreadWritten presented a detailed Zoom class filled with the history of Mexican embroidery and a guide to stitching the charming floral and foliage patterns. I found her calm nature relaxing and came away feeling confident that I could stitch like a seasoned professional. Although it took me almost a year to finish the project, I was proud of my feat.

The front and back of the yoke piece before being attached to the bodice

And here is the finished garment…

Opie can never be without the spotlight

There was a little bit of puckering (especially on the back because it was my “practice” side), which can be chalked up to inexperience.

Wearing this blouse has been as delightful as was the stitching itself. In fact, I enjoyed the “slow sew” embroidery process so much that I signed up for another Folkwear/ThreadWritten collaboration: Ukrainian embroidery featuring the 116 Shirts of Russia & Ukraine pattern. Now that will be fun !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Glamour Girl

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Folkwear Patterns is undisputedly my favorite pattern company. Their designs are well drafted, have just the right amount of ease, and I rarely have to make adjustments to my standard Medium size. Not only are the technical details solid, but the variety of vintage and folk styles make for a cultural experience. My latest foray with Folkwear was with the 233 Glamour Girl pattern, a 1940’s gown in three lengths.

233 Glamour Girl / Folkwear Patterns

Years elapsed before I finally purchased the pattern in May 2022. Another year passed before I actually sewed the pattern because I was waiting to find the perfect fabric for my creation. Just like the sample for the company, I wanted a deep navy blue crepe affixed with a standout lapel accent.

The original ankle length model for Folkwear Patterns

As with most of my dazzling fabric finds, I bought my Glamour Girl fabric from Julie’s Picks swatch club ─ a gorgeous cady stretch suiting that was ideal for my dress. Making up the pattern was easier than I expected, even with the double ruching on the sleeves and the front waist ties at the abdomen.

And the fit was spot on !

I chose to make the “contemporary” mid-calf length (my mother’s favorite) and took careful measures to finish my seams without using the serger for a more vintage approach.

Because I used a stretch material, I bypassed the side zipper altogether, which turned dressing into a matter of slipping the frock over my head.

I also raised the plunging V neck at the front by 1¼ inches since uncomfortable clothes are never in fashion for me. Shoulder pads and clever front pleats set off my grandmother’s pearl pin and other coordinating accessories.

Lauren Bacall, anyone ?

What I love most about this dress is its timeless versatility. Not only did I wear it to a late afternoon classical music concert, but I also donned it for a P.E.O. morning meeting. Both times proved to be in vogue.

At P.E.O., greeting members for the meeting

Next time you’re in the mood for a quality pattern with historical flair and cultural details, give Folkwear Patterns a try ! Your first won’t be your last.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Pearls and a “Perfect Fit” Blouse

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I love pearls the way a bear loves honey. They’re classic, a Southern staple, and compliment almost any outfit. When I came across a particular swatch of stretch poplin shirting, replete with strings of pearls across a pale sky blue background, I knew I had to have some.

My intention with the pearl poplin was to finish my long-awaited “perfect” blouse from the fit and sew virtual class I took in September 2021 with Katrina Walker.

Unfinished projects irk me. Unfortunately, they happen all too often in my life. When I first began working on the “perfect” blouse in 2021, I had cut the pattern pieces out of inky black silk charmeuse. A lack of proper starching resulted in distorted facing pieces and collar points that had already been sewn and clipped before a detrimental flaw was noticed. The mistake was devastating and I relegated the project to File 13. Although my momentum was abated, I reasoned that a sturdier, easier-to-sew fabric (like poplin) would provide a confidence boost, just in case I one day decide to try my hand at a charmeuse blouse again.

My pattern pieces were already altered from when I took the class in 2021, which made for an expedited experience.

And after a relatively quick sew, my blouse was completed with pleasing results.

Fisheye darts at the front and back made for elegant shaping along the midsection…

…and ¾ sleeves added sophisticated flair.

With most store bought shirts, one of my biggest complaints is the pooling of fabric at the small of my back. Applying a swayback and full bottom adjustment on the paper pattern piece gave me a smooth backside. Hooray !

If there was one thing I would change, it would be to double up the pearl buttons down the front since I feel at times that my top button is an inch too low.

Thanks to the lessons of Katrina Walker and a forgiving fabric, I now have the confidence to sew fitted blouses with numerous darts. And the best part is… my pearls match ─ perfectly.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Pretty in Pink For “Barbie”

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Typically, I don’t dress up for movies. However, after accepting the invitation to go see the newest “Barbie” movie with a friend, I found myself creatively stimulated by an inundating wave of online images, ranging from 1950’s style dresses to more ostentatious disco getups in the prettiest shades of pink, my favorite color. Awash with the idea of participating in a cultural phenomenon, I gave into temptation.

Margot Robbie in “Barbie” ─ Warner Brothers

It would be hypocrisy to say that I liked the movie. I absolutely loathed it ! On several occasions, I felt like walking out, but since I had paid to see the entire film, I stayed. Even the costumes were a bit of a letdown, not providing enough of a counterbalance to the cognizance that my mind was being both assaulted and liquified.
But enough of that ─ let’s move on to the clothes !

Part of what rendered my decision to dress up for the movie so effortless was the fact that I already had the fabric I needed on hand. Using an adorable pink and white stripe seersucker that had been given to me by a friend, I was in good shape to create something special ─ thank you, Miss Cindy ! One of my go-to pattern sites, Sewist.com, helped me design a 50’s inspired dress with a scoop neckline and six gore circle skirt.

After three separate muslin mock-ups, I felt the pattern had been suitably adjusted for style and comfort. Notably, I lowered the waistline seam over an inch, moved the straps inward so they wouldn’t fall off my shoulders, created a scoop neckline for the back, and adjusted the bust darts for a more pleasing angle. A fluffy petticoat and a nude pair of pumps bought off eBay completed my impromptu Barbie look.

Jewelry played a starring role in shadowing the iconic persona; I employed a mix of both real and costume pieces.

Have you ever had the back armholes gape on your sleeveless tops ? It could be that your shoulder blades are prominent, like mine. Adding a small dart at the back shoulder straps magically removed those pesky openings.

Despite the glitters and charms of my attire, Opie was not impressed.

While it was fun to dress up for a movie, I don’t think it will become a habit of mine. Opera is my passion and its intellect, complexity, and sophistication suit my norms and standards far more than the inane cinematographic “Barbie”. But at least I got a pretty dress out of it !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Indian Ribbon Dresses for the Powwow

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During my “off season” of opera sewing (summer), I work on paid commissions, which range from basic necessities to uncharacteristic requests. In the summer of 2021, I was approached by my dear friend, Faith, and her mother to make three Indian ribbon dresses for Faith’s daughters, Hope and Ruby, and their cousin, Grace. The Native American heritage is an important aspect of Faith’s family and I was happy to do it ─ starting next summer. My schedule was booked for the season and my soonest available start time would be June 2022. Keeping that promise, I set my course for uncharted territory once Lucia wrapped in late May.

Indian Ribbon Dresses

When trying to envision how the dresses would look, I didn’t have a clue and I certainly didn’t want to go against the norms of cultural standards. I quizzed Faith extensively. Throughout the process, she was cooperative and sent me many pictures of what the dresses were supposed to look like. Since the design details were the choice of the family, Faith asked for the bodices to be stretchy (shirred) so that the girls could grow into them.

The shirred dress Faith sent me as an example

Looking for shirred bodice patterns online led me to Sew Jahit’s free tutorial with shirred straps.

Sew Jahit’s Shirred Bodice

Confession: I had never shirred a piece of fabric in my life !! With gulps of trepidation, I determined it would be best to send mock-ups so proper sizing could be assessed and to also give shirring a trial run. Haplessly, I ran out of muslin during the cutting process so scrap fabrics had to be substituted. Here’s Hope’s mock-up with sleeve variations…

And here’s Hope wearing it…

Grace and Ruby’s mock-ups followed the same procedure…

The pictures of the girls in their mock-ups sent me into risible fits: they looked like ragamuffins begging for alms in the street with their motley ensembles ! Despite the shabby appearance of the stand-in dresses, the mock-ups accomplished their purpose as I was able to fine tune the pattern measurements for the girls. Onto the real dresses !

I chose to use cotton batik fabric as the base for the dresses. With slight color variations and subtle patterns, it allowed for a more “textured” look and promised an added dimension to the largely plain areas of the dresses. Faith and her sister, Angel, had made a list of the colors of ribbons they preferred and together we worked to come up with the best and most culturally relevant schemes.

Working on the color schemes for the dresses

Sewing for a long distance client has a way of setting me on tenterhooks since I have no way of fitting and measuring in person. After much back-and-forth of sending pictures on Facebook Messenger, the dresses were completed and now it was time to ship them off to Idaho… Would they fit ?

I think that’s a “yes !”

The dresses were a perfect fit and the girls were able to go to the powwow in style.

Designing dresses for these girls was such a joy as they are tûtawi’u’ (that’s Pawnee for “full of life”). And they’re just adorable. Don’t you agree ?

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha