How to Scale Up a Pattern the Easier Way!

In this post, I'm going to show you the way I scale up gridded patterns.  This is the method I used to make the pattern for the waistcoat, as shown.

(Warning: There is some geometry involved here, as in all pattern scaling, I've just tried to make it as easy as possible to understand)

What you need: A gridded pattern, a ruler, a pen or pencil, lots of scrap paper, an iron, tape.

Step 1:  Trace your necassary pattern pieces on a piece of paper. It doesn't have to be notebook paper, but it hepls you keep a straight line.  Then look at the scale on the pattern (in this case, I think it was 1 square equals 3 inches, we will call the side of the square N, to make the instructions simpler) and draw a grid according to that scale.  If your grid is not correct, the final pattern will either be too big or too small.

Step 2:  Prepare your pattern paper.  This can be any type of thicker paper you want. It's is a very good chance for recycling!  It is preferable to iron it on low heat and get all the wrinkles out.  It works like magic!

Step 3:  On your pattern paper, begin to form a grid.  If your paper has a 90 degree corner, it is easy to start, mark a spot N in. from the bottom of the paper on both sides and in the middle.  If your paper does not have a corner but has a straight bottom edge, measure N away from the bottom at a 90 degree angle and mark it in at least 3 places.  If you have a randomly shaped piece of paper, make a fold near the bottom or draw a line and use it as your bottom edge.

However, instead of drawing lines for the grid (which is very time-consuming), fold the paper like a fan where you would draw the line.  Run a ruler or something heavy and flat over the crease to set it in (I do not recommend using an iron at this stage, because it will get rid of all of the creases).

Continue folding, like a fan.

Once you finish going one way, start the folds going the other way, to form the grid.  The folds should be the same depth (N) going both ways, because the grid needs to be a square. 

Step 4:  Begin scaling up your pattern.  You use the creases you made to guide you, and the good thing about this method is that it takes much less time than actually drawing out a grid.  You also don't have a bunch of pencil lines going across your pattern piece.

After scaling it up, cut it out!

The finished pattern:

Front

Back

Hopefully this helps you have some more sewing creations flying off the needle this summer.  Best wishes!

Rebecca

Finally, some 18th century!

Last week, I got something in the mail...
My American Duchess Kensingtons!
I would highly recommend them to any 18th century reenactor! They are very well made and comfortable. I would definitely buy from her again. She did mention some 1930's one coming up... ;-)

In other news, I am hopefully going to get some 18th century handsewing done this week. I have to work on some portable projects this week because I have several car rides in store. I'm hoping to make an apron from start to finish, and hopefully make some hair bows (I'll try to take pictures, because that would make a good tutorial). But anyway, I'll leave you with some pictures of my new Kensingtons.

Rebecca

2 finished 40's dresses:

So I was going to post sort of a dress diary on the teal 40's dress I was making, but the first week I was working on it, there were some unexpected things that led to me not feeling like it. By the time I felt like posting, the dress was almost done, so I decided to wait on it.  Well, it has now been done for several days, so I figured I would finally share the finished dress!

Here it is!

I love the way it turned out! The collar looks great, and the sleeves are perfect for dancing, because they have plenty of "give" and freedom of movement!

I am particularly proud of the sleeves, because I ended up drafting them to get them to look the way I wanted.  I was having trouble sewing the cuff on, but then I realized that the bottom of the machine comes off to make it where you can sew sleeves on it.  After I did that, it worked perfectly!

The darts turned out really well.

18 buttons in all!  This was the first time I was able to get the buttonhole function to work on my machine.

The skirt is roomy enough for dancing, but it's a really good fit for the 40's, because it's still narrow enough to be pre-New Look. 

I had to make a box pleat in the center back waist, but I like it because it adds to the shirtdress feel.

Here are some in-progress shots:

I added a lace hem facing for a luxurious touch, because to me the 40's and 50's mindset made a little bit of glamour accessible to every woman, while still being sensible.

And the hem facing sewn in (it's hard to see).

Both the hem facing and dress fabric date to the 70's, so they are vintage, just not quite as old as the dress style!

The entire dress was draped by me on my dress form.  This picture shows the left front side taking shape.  Once I had it how I wanted it, I trimmed around the edges, leaving a seam allowance, and cut a matching piece for the other side.  Believe it or not, this was the first time I had actually had to pattern match plaids.  I think it turned out pretty well!

Then I started to shape the collar.  The bottom half was in 3 pieces, and the top was 1 piece.

The back of the collar.

Sewing the collar on was the hardest part, it took a combination of machine and hand sewing, but it finally turned out looking very sharp!

While I was taking the pictures for this post, I realized that I has never officially posted the finished version of the dress I made for my sister back at the beginning of the year.  Well, it has been done for several months, and worn a few times, and here it is:

I ended up binding the edged with red bias tape, which brings out the color of the strawberries.

I had to cut the neckline a little lower than I was originally going to, because it was too small for a head to fit through!  That's kind of the purpose, isn't it?

The back looks very pretty, and I really like the way the dress turned out.  It has a very 40's character, between the print and the style, and I anticipate both it and the other dress being worn to many 40's events in the future!

Rebecca 

New "Pompadour" Historical Shoes!

American Duchess has come out with yet another style of period-correct historical shoes! They are called "Pompadours", accurate to the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

She is also selling the Kensingtons I posted about before in ivory.  So head on over to american-duchess.com and check it out!

Rebecca

A Summer of Sewing!

So, as I have just finished school for the year, I thought I would tell you about my summer sewing plans (In time order):

         1. A 40's/50's dance dress.

My ballroom dance class is doing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and my boyfriend and I are the youngest couple, and we are also good at tricks, so the dress I wear has certain qualifications that it has to meet in order for me to dance in it (it can't fly up too much, but the skirt has to be loose enough for movement, etc.).  Right now I only have 1 40's dress (the one I made for my sister), but it has a tighter skirt so I can't do all of the tricks in it. Therefore, I will be making a new one, which has to be my first project because the recital is in June.  

My fabric:

I am going to make a late 40's/50's style shirtdress out of this, because I've always wanted one, it will be perfect for dancing, and it is a lovely 50's teal!


2: Finish the waistcoat.
(I am making this as a gift for my boyfriend, and I'm not going to post pictures until it's done)
I have this mostly done, all I need to do is put in the pockets and sew in the lining.


3: Finish my stays.
These have to be done before I can make any more 18th century gowns, jackets, etc., because they are the foundation for the rest of my clothes.


4: Make panniers.
I am going to make the kind that have two parts, like Leomomi's.  I'll need to make panniers because me next project is...


5: A Francaise/Sacque back gown (!)
I am so excited about this one!  I can't wait to start it, which I guess is good, because hopefully it'll help me get done with the other ones faster.


My fabric:



It's a cotton "chintz" fabric with about 5 colors, which would be more expensive than just 1 color because they would have to make 5 different blocks, 1 for each color.  It was a status symbol in the same way as silk was.  There are several  extant red print gowns, many of which are cotton print.  Therefore I feel comfortable with using this fabric. 
(UPDATE: this fabric is taking FOREVER to ship, so unfortunately it may have to be moved down the list a bit if it doesn't get here before I need it.)


My inspiration for the gown:



The Mint Museum
I like this, although it is probably silk, and I don't have enough fabric to make a matching petticoat.



MFA
This gown is closer to what I want.  It is a cotton print, with sleeve ruffles, and it has a non-matching petticoat (Mine will probably be red).  I also want to include the narrow tucker around the neckline.


6: A Quarter-back gown.


My fabric:



This is a really pretty 1-color block-print cotton, in the same fabric as the one above.  I'm going to make the gown out of this, but there is so much fabric I might be able to make more things.  (It would make a nice pet-en l'air).



The Historical New England collection


I want my dress to look exactly like this one, but in red print and as an open gown/polonaise.


7. A new "nice" apron and cap
I have some linen check material that I am going to make a more stylish cap and apron, for wearing with nicer gowns, like these.


8. A petticoat that will match both gowns.
(Probably red)


(The "If I have time and/or money" category)


9. A blue linen roundgown
This will be something I can wear to my site because it's more of a working-class type gown, but it will have trimming. It will be in this linen:

       

Sphinx, by fabrics-store.com

10. A new linen shift

11. A Costume Close-up jacket

In this material:

A grey linen-cotton material with a white stripe.

Well, I think that's about the most I'll be able to do in one summer, and hopefully I'll be able to get it all done. I'll try to do better and post some dress diaries as I go along.  These are some exciting projects!

Rebecca

Hmmm...

So, I have several projects that I have finished/am currently working on that I could post pictures of, but they are gifts, and I don't want the recipients to see them, so I have a lack of current project pictures to post.

However, I am currently working on a project for my art class about how art styles of particular periods influenced fashion.  I'll give a bit more detail once I am finished, but right now I'll leave you with some pictures I am going to use.

Baroque

The Hall of Mirrors from the Palace of Versailles, France.

Rococo 

I want to make a gown like the one on the right!

One of the hallmarks of Rococo furniture and architecture are S and C-scrolls, and this gown shows how that translated to fashion.

Neoclassical

This chair from the V & A is a very good example of the simplicity of Greek and Roman designs that were revived in this time period.

For a time, dresses lost their elaborate trimmings to echo the simplicity of the style.

Art Nouveau 

Art Nouveau style is characterized by natural, scrolling forms like vines.  Some of the architecture looks as if it was carved with water from a piece of stone (like a riverbed or stalactite). 

An Art Nouveau ring.

Art Deco 

A French airfare poster.

An elevator door.  Art Deco used a lot of solid geometric forms in beautiful designs and patterns.

An Art Deco ring.  I love this one!