Category: enid gilchrist

Fearless – 1960s shift

~ velosews ~ 29 Comments

This a typical 60’s style and the instructions are for a short women with a small bust. But this is pattern making from scratch and I haven’t done this before – fearless.


So my aim was to ‘make this work’ for me. I can work in cms or inches so I worked in inches and that was ok. I do have a copy of a metric pattern making book but I’ll use that another time. When it comes to research, I do just enough research to get me into and through a project.
So you saw these fabrics that I intended to use. Then I spied a second-hand cafe curtain remnant that I bought from St Vinnies that was more Enid (60’s) appropriate. The only pattern matching I tried was from the waist line to the hem. I love the front bust dart that goes to the hem and the effect it had on the lacework.
Front view
Back v-neck view

The large lace design is prominent at centre front but is minimised along the dart that goes from the bust to the hem.

Fitting changes:
The dress was at least 2″ too wide – fixed.
The front bust dart was 2″ too low – fixed.
More fitting changes:
On the pattern, the side bust darts need a bit more (2cm) taken out. The shoulder seam also needs to be shortened because the dress looks like it has a cap sleeve, which I don’t mind but wasn’t in Enid’s original pattern.
I’ll have to wear this dress at Love Vintage in March to get some styling feedback. There are sure to be some people there who are taking part in 1940’s Sew for victory.
Thanks again TJ for passing Enid over to me.

Giveaway winner

~ velosews ~ 3 Comments

The first week of February was busy with Deb’s Sew Grateful week.

The giveaway patterns are now on their way by carrier pidgeon to jpluo. Congratulations.

What you can see above are the makings on the Enid shift dress. My attempt at making the pattern from scratch is in the background and I used the seam allowance guide to cut out the lining and the lace overlay.

This is dress is the basis for my second fearless project this month.

Thank you Melinda for the iphone suggestion on Melissa’s blog. I saw some ‘wetsuit’ fabric recently so I’ll give this armband a go. Melissa has lots of projects that she’s worked out and shared on her blog.

Next up

~ velosews ~ 8 Comments

Draping and drafting a pattern from scratch – that’s what I’ll decided to do for Fearless February. Although I’ll be starting next week on 2 of my fearless projects. I have a few project deadlines to get through this week.

My comment is there on Victoria’s blog in black and white. As Dr Phil says “What were you thinking?”

1: Drafting:
So I have lace pieces in the fabric stash that I’d like to work on and TJ from The Perfect Nose enabled me last month with this perfect starting point – Enid Gilchrist!

I could try the easy route and make this ‘beach dress’ in soft, cool eyelet fabric for our humid summer weather.

However, being Fearless February, I’ll make the day dress and use eyelet or lace fabric. I have had one attempt at drafting this dress for a 36″ bust today. Fearless. Test dress is ready to cut out.

2: Showerproof Minoru #2
I made Minoru #2 because I’ve never used PUL fabric so this was a new experience. I was being fearless.  I used Tasia’s tutorials to make  this version better than Minoru #1. I wear Minoru #1 a lot. And this piece was finished early Feb to coincide with Deb’s Sew Grateful week. Thank you for your comments throughout Sew Grateful week.

3: Draping and lace
And Victoria has been waving draping resources at us over the last few months so I’ll have to do some reading and give draping a go later in Feb. I have Draping for apparel design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong on my desk.

Maybe I can use a Jungle remnants again. Thanks again for the lovely comments about the jungle prints I made last month. I have to focus on lace because not sewing with Jungle prints is going to be a hard habit to break.
Have you seen the inaugural Annie Awards yet? A true spotted carpet event.

However I did discover winter jungle prints…in my stash.

Fearless.