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Earlier this week, I wanted to make another quick summer sewing project before I tackled my fall sewing list. And, I bought a several inspiring fabrics from Stone Mountain and Daughter a few weeks ago. One of which I decided to use to make our 142 Old Mexico Shirt - a striped, lightweight, jersey knit.
All of our patterns are meant for woven fabrics since woven fabrics have been all that is available around the world for sewing until the last 60 years. So, while some of our patterns could be used with knit fabrics, it is not something we usually do (we have no samples in knit fabrics!).
The 142 Old Mexico Shirt is simple enough that it seems like a good candidate for a knit fabric - no darts, shirring, tucks, etc. I made the Small, which worked well, though I probably could have gone down another size. Since there is lots of ease in this pattern and knit fabrics have stretch, you might choose a size below your measurements (or if you are across measurements, choose the smaller size).
I followed the instructions fairly closely, but serged all of the seams, though they could be sewn with a zig-zag stitch (1.5 to 2 width and 1.5-2 length). On the sleeve, below, I serged at an angle toward the hem (rather that stay with the original 2 angles in the pattern piece).
Because I serged, I did not need to trim the neck seam for turning.
The shirt came together very quickly. I sewed all the stay stitching (for pleats and to hold the yoke pieces together at sides) with a regular sewing machine stitch.
I hemmed the sleeves and bottom edge with a double pointed needle in my sewing machine. All other seams were serged. I set in the sleeves and sewed from one side of the bottom of the armsyce to the other. It worked really well!
This was an easy and quick project, and I love my new shirt! It is so comfortable and light. Perfect for this hot late-summer weather we are having!
Do you use knit fabrics for garments meant for wovens? Any major successes or failures?
I will try to keep doing this occasionally with our patterns that lend themselves to knit fabrics (I'm thinking 157 Moroccan Djellaba, 254 Swing Coat, 119 Sarouelles, etc.).
Our new pattern, 157 Moroccan Djellaba, is now out and we are so excited! This pattern was originally inspired by our 109 Little Folks pattern. One of the patterns in it is for a Moroccan Djellaba for 2- or 4-year olds. I made one of terry cloth for my 4 year old to wear after the pool (when he would be so cold) or after bath time. He loved it and I immediately wanted one for myself. So, we set forth to develop this pattern.
The djellaba is worn everyday in the Maghreb region of North Africa. This area includes the Atlas Mountains and the Coastal Plain of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The djellaba protects the wearer from the harsh sun and blowing sand, and provides warmth in the desert nights. The hood, or gob, is sometimes used to carry food or groceries as well.
Traditionally, djellabas are ankle-length and made of wool, in simple earth tones as well as black and white and light blue. Today, lightweight cotton djellabas have become popular, as well as slimmer and shorter shapes. Djellabas can be found in many colors, styles, and fabrics, and they are sometimes embellished with sfifas (traditional Moroccan trim like ribbon) or soutache, embroideries, and trim.
Our Djellaba is based on the traditional design, with a few modern alterations. We offer two lengths, the traditional ankle length and the more modern upper calf length. Each length can be made to be a pullover and worn like a shirtdress or cover-up or be made with a center front zipper and worn more like outerwear or a robe. We have women's sizes listed, but the Djellaba fits men as well with the same chest measurements. Just be sure to adjust the length to desired fit.
I found a lot of Djellaba inspiration on Pinterest and wanted to share some of them so you can see what could be done with this new pattern! You can see our whole Pinterest board here (there's lots of style and setting inspiration there too).
The embellishments on these djellabas is fantastic. You could use lace, cording, trim or soutache to make something similar. This would make a unique and fun or elegant garment!
I loved the black and white stripes with the bright yellow trims here. This would be fairly easy to do - adding bright yellow ribbon and trim to the openings. Such a stand-out garment!
A little inspiration for the men! I love these simple colors and styles. It is easy to imagine relaxing at the house or doing morning chores in these.
I also like the simple styling and colors of the djellaba on the left- it looks comfortable to wear wear all day! And I love the one on the right (it is a caftan, though, not a djellaba) - the flow-y fabric and designs are definitely inspiring (and inspired my yellow rayon djellaba).
There are many ways to do more elaborate embellishment of the front of your Djellaba. Here are two djellaba embroidery or soutache designs to inspire!
What inspires you here?
And, let us know what you are making! Send us an email, add to the Customer Gallery, tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. We would love to see!
Get the 157 Moroccan Djellaba pattern on sale all this month!
I returned from 10 days in California this past week, and I must say that I really like the part of the state that I saw. Also, that there is a great sewing community in California! I traveled with my whole family (4 children and my husband) to mix a little pleasure with business. We drove from Los Angeles, up Route 1 (which had only just opened the whole way) to Santa Cruz. Then, to San Jose, Berkeley, and finally to the tiny town of Valecito (near Sonora). Most of the first part of the trip was Folkwear business - visiting our stockists and doing a few trunk shows. The last few days of the trip was visiting with family and exploring the natural wonders (and wineries) around Sonora. Here though, I want to highlight some of the amazing Folkwear stockists I visited and provide some information and impressions for you. If you live in, or visit, California, these are some places to definitely check out!
Los Angeles
Japanese American National Museum: Located in Downtown LA (in Little Tokyo), this museum houses a permanent exhibit about the history of Japanese Americans in the United State, with a particular focus on Hawaii and California (main points of immigration) and the WWII internment camps. While I knew a lot of the history, seeing the exhibit and hearing the docent talk about his experience living in a camp as a child, was very powerful and informative. The story made more of an impact on my older children to meet someone who lived through that part of history. The museum also had a great exhibit on hapa (being ethincally "half" or "half white") that was touching and important. On September 15, a new exhibit on Japanese toys will start - and that should be fun! The gift shop at the JANM is very well curated and has several of our Japanese sewing patterns for sale. I loved the children's books (one of my favorites from my childhood was there - from Japanese illustrator Gyo Fujikawa) and the textiles (of course).
Folkwear patterns at JANM gift shop!
Michael Levine: This fabric store is right in the heart of the garment district of LA. I wish I'd had more time to explore the garment district because there were lots of shops everywhere - and very different from NYC because the shops are generally in one story buildings and lots of merchandise is outside (good weather there!) making the shop quite attractive to passer-byes. But, at Michael Levine, you get a huge store with great selection of just about everything, plus great prices. The store isn't very pretty, but it makes up for it in the selection and prices. There are large sales tables full of fabric and lots of people to help you find what you need (and get it cut). I found the sales tables to be pretty fun!
Folkwear pattern catalog next to the amazing MimiG patterns (they happened to be right beside each other) and her cute model!
Santa Cruz
Hart's Fabric: I was very excited to get to see Hart's Fabric because I often order fabric from them and have collaborated a few times (blog post here, sponsor of Sew Your Hart Out). I find their selection of on-line fabric very good - and their website is excellent, as well as their customer service. The ladies working at Hart's were fun and dedicated to the store and customers. I did a drop-in trunk show there and met lots of Folkwear fans over the 3 hours I was there (some of whom drove over an hour to come see Folkwear garments). I also got some fabric to make a 142 Old Mexico Shirt and an apricot-colored linen blend to make another 102 French Cheesemaker's Smock for a tutorial on making a placket.
The button selection at Hart's was so pretty!
Folkwear set up for our trunk show at Hart's.
San Jose
Nichi Bei Bussan: This Japanese gift shop in Japantown has been family-owned for over 100 years and houses a tremendous variety of Japanese handicrafts, gifts, supplies, clothing, etc. I enjoyed visiting with Arlene, the owner of Nichi Bei Bussan, and hearing the history of the store - which included her family's history of business, internment camps, and a connection with the Olympics. Large murals are painted on the outside of the building, and the art continues on the inside. There are so many things to look at in the store, from martial arts supplies, to futons, to tea sets. Textiles also play a central role in the store with many Japanese garments such as kimonos, hapis, and tabis, as well as a great selection of Japanese fabrics. They also have Folkwear's Japanese patterns in stock and will do custom sewing. I loved visiting this unique shop!
Here's Arlene and me outside of the store and in front of one of the murals on the store's side.
Another mural
A customer brought in her Folkwear pattern collection to show us! Note the clothing and gifts in this cute store!
The Folkwear patterns for sale at Nichi Bei Bussan (they still have the Child's Kimono pattern which they rent out!).
NIchi Bei Bussan is part museum - here are some photos of the very early days of the store (early 1900s) showing some of the Japanese fabrics they sold.
Berkeley
Stone Mountain and Daughter Fabrics: I LOVED this fabric store. It is jam-packed with great fabrics! The selection is amazing and the quality is great - it is a well-curated shop, and completely filled. I was glad I arrived early for the trunk show because I got lots of time to browse fabrics. I had to start a tab! I ended up buying kolkata cotton, a grey cotton velveteen, two knit fabric (on sale), and a beautiful striped rayon/linen blend. The trunk show here was also wonderful! We had over 30 people come to hear me talk about Folkwear's history and show a collection of our garments. It was wonderful to see so many Folkwear fans (and the Folkwear clothing they wore - inspiration!). I often order fabric from Stone Mountain and Daughter (and recommend them for online fabric shopping), but if you can get to visit in person, it is real treat! Great customer service too - if you have a question about a fabric being right for a pattern, they can help you!
Stone Mountain and Daughter Fabrics has a wonderful selection of ikat fabrics!
And eco-friendly fabrics!
Suzan and I in front of the store wearing our Folkwear makes - me in 131 Tibetan Chupa and her in 142 Old Mexico Dress!
Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles: I was surprised to see that this museum included a large shop filled with vintage clothing, textiles, lace, unique crafting supplies, books, and patterns (including Folkwear, of course). Everywhere I looked, there was something interesting to see. I could have spent hours in this shop! And, I got a private tour of the exhibits, which were amazing! The Boteh of Kashmir and Paisley had shawls of amazing intricacies - woven and embroidered. The Fringed Shawl exhibit was also beautiful - full of exquisitely embroidered designs and spanning over a hundred years. I loved walking around the store and looking at all the vintage items and crafting supplies. I finally bought a set of vintage embroidered napkins and some crocheted hangers (they were just like my great-grandmother used to make). It was such a great place and certainly a place to visit if you are in the area! A definitely must-see if you love vintage textiles, too!
The vintage clothing (and supplies) were everywhere!
Lace samples
One view of the fringed shawl exhibit - they were wonderful!
A view of the paisely shawl exhibit and how they were worn in the 1800s. These shawls were impressive!
Lacis owner, Jules, and I with one of their Folkwear patterns!
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I loved visiting California! These shops were all so special and fun, and I loved seeing our Folkwear patterns out "in the wild". I definitely encourage you to include these shops if you are in the area or visiting.
It was also incredible to meet so many Folkwear fans and customers. Folkwear started in California in 1976, and it was nice to see customers (and even an employee/model!) from the very early years of Folkwear. Visiting with them (and the shops) made me so happy and energized for Folkwear! Thank you all!
A wonderful and talented customer sent us photos and descriptions of some recent Folkwear garments she had sewn, and they were so great that we thought we would share them here (with her permission, of course!). So, in her own words, you can read all about her makes below!
#139 Vietnamese Ao Dai: This outfit was made to wear during the Spring Tea of the Corporation des aînés [association of retired persons] of Gatineau (Québec) where I live. Among the three teas that we served, there was a green tea from Vietnam. Being in charge of this event for the last three years, I like to wear an outfit typical of one of the countries where the teas are from. The tunic was done with a see-through cotton-polyester blend featuring Chinese clouds and dragons that was purchased decades ago. So I had to line it. The collar turned out to be a bit too high for my short neck. The middle shoulder seam of the sleeves would be more flattering for square shoulders, otherwise it could be necessary to add shoulder pads for raglan sleeves. The pants were done in soft silk jacquard matching one of the colors in the dragons. This piece of silk was purchased recently in a thrift store.
#261 Paris Promenade Dress: This outfit was worn during the mini-Fête d'antan (small yesteryear celebration) at the officlal summer opening of the Auberge Symmes» the museum of the Aylmer area of the city of Gatineau . During this event, visitors are encouraged to wear period costumes (XIX century and early XX century). Being a short 5-foot person, I had to shorten this pattern in the lower portion. The plain pumpkin color polyester-cotton blend of the outer-part was too see-through to follow the cutting layout of the pattern for the lower part of the dress. I cut two complete outer-parts in order to apply them as a large appliqué over the light-weight printed cotton of the background part that I had modified to have two complete layers of the main printed fabric in the lower part. Then, I added a narrow patterned trim all around the large appliqué. This proved to be a fairly long process, but the end result was worth it as I received lots of compliments for that dress.
#264 Monte Carlo Dress: This dress was worn by my friend also attending the event mentioned above. The dress was done with a textured cupro rayon in a teal blue purchased years ago. The sewing instructions were straight-forward and easy to follow, the most critical part being the narrow straps in the upper part. The tunic was done with a fine silk (white background with a teal blue and dark green flowery print that was purchased recently in a thrift store) lined with white rayon lining fabric. Beside the small dark green frog closure at the neck, I added two larger dark green frog closures to hold the side openings (to prevent flowing in the wind) and three dark green tassels at the end of the three lower points. The free-flowing dress and tunic were very comfortable even in a fairly warm day.
#268 Metropolitan Suit: I made this suit to wear a few years earlier to the Fête d'antan in Aylmer, which I attended with friends (very top photo). The main fabric of that suit was an amazing bargain at $0.50 a metre. It was a fairly loosely woven polyester bouclé in brown-tawny colors with a nice drape, but with a tendency to fray. So the cutting and assembly had to be done carefully. It was lined with rayon lining fabric. The trim was an upholstery braid and flower-shape frog closures were added. The outfit is flattering even for the short person person that I am. I did not alter the flow-y jacket, but I had to shorten the skirt.
The Gibson Girl Blouse - icon of the time
I love history and am always fascinated by the connections of people and their stories in history. So, I am going to do a small history lesson today about the Gibson Girl Blouse - which actually touches on my husband's family history too! Our sewing pattern is 205 Gibson Girl Blouse, and is iconic of the look of the time (late 1800s to early 1900s).
This look was made popular by Charles Dana Gibson, an American graphic artist who created the look of the ideal woman of the time - independent, stylish, beautiful. She was tall, slender (small waist, but with hips and broad shoulders), and athletic. Newly emancipated from the Victorian home, she might be entering the workplace, or bicycling through the park. Her hair was piled on top of the head, and her look was indifferent. His pen-and-ink illustrations appeared weekly in magazines and advertising. His wife, Irene Langhorne, and her four sisters inspired the look and were often his models.
The Langhorne sisters were from Reconstruction-era Virginia, and were spirited, charming, beautiful, and were accomplished riders. The other Langhorne sisters were Lizzie (oldest), Nancy (who married Waldorf Astor and became the first woman MP in England), Phyllis (also married a wealthy Englishman), and Nora. Nora was the youngest and quite impetuous. She married an Englishman as well, and her daughter was Joyce Grenfeld (famous British comedian). Nora ran off with other men a few times, and one man was Lefty Flynn, a famous American actor of the time and formal football player. She eventually became Lefty's third wife and they lived in Tryon, NC. While in Tryon, they became friends with my husband's great-grandparents, James and Elizabeth McClure. James would sometimes try to help Lefty get sober, and they always had amusing times together. I've heard a few stories of their parties and their friendship.
To learn more about the Langhorne sisters, I recommend the book Five Sisters: the Langhornes of Virginia by James Fox. It is a fun read (can even be a great beach/summer book).
And, the model for our Gibson Girl Blouse here is James McClure's great-granddaughter! Interesting connections
You might wonder what the World Cup and sewing have to do with each other, and I have to admit - not much! But, a fact you may not know about me is that I love soccer (or football as most of the rest of the world calls it). I love playing - I played in high school and college (recreation), and I play in an adult league now. I loved coaching my kids soccer teams, and I love watching soccer. I have been excited to watch the World Cup, even though all the games fall during work hours. As a side note, I wonder how much work productivity is lost worldwide when World Cup is going on :-). I am definitely taking 2 hour lunch breaks to watch games!
So I was thinking today about how great it is that all these teams from all over the world come together to compete in this well-loved game. And, as I was thinking about all the teams playing in this tournament, Folkwear patterns came to my mind as well. So many of countries that are competing also have patterns in the Folkwear line.
In case you are interested, Folkwear has patterns from 13 of the 32 countries competing this year:
Australia (130 Australian Bush Outfit,137 Australian Drover's Coat, 138 Child's Australian Drovers Coat)
Russia (128 Russian Settler's Dress)
Japan (lots of patterns: Field Clothing, Kimono, Hapi & Haori, Tabi, Hakama & Kataginu, Michiyuki, Interior)
Mexico (142 Old Mexico Dress, 109 Little Folks)
South Korea (141 Korean Han-Bok)
Germany (123 Austrian Dirndl - ok, its named Austrian, but it is also German!)
Spain (140 Flamenco Dress and Skirt)
Egypt (104 Egyptian Shirt)
Morocco (109 Little Folks - Moroccan Djellaba and 132 Moroccan Burnoose)
France (102 French Cheesemaker's Smock)
Croatia (117 Croatian Shirt)
England (221 English Smock)
Poland (126 Vests from Greece and Poland)
Belgium (133 Belgian Military Chef's Coat)
And, one of our out-of-print patterns (Yoruba Pants) is from Nigeria.
So, maybe you will root for one of these teams. I am rooting for all of them, all the underdogs, and Argentina (that may cover all the teams :-))!
I love how soccer/football brings so many cultures together. Textiles/fashion can do the same, and I hope that Folkwear patterns honors these cultures and the textiles and garments. and I hope now you might have a little more interest in this World Cup!!
So, do you follow soccer/football? Are you watching this World Cup?
You can easily add embroidery to the cuff of the 119 Sarouelles Indian pants version. The pattern comes with 4 embroidery patterns that can be used on the cuff (or you can create your own!), and lots of instruction. These embroidery patterns are designed for using your basic sewing machine to do the embroidery, though you can do it by hand if you like. You will be amazed at how quickly and easily these designs and techniques work up.
I am showing a sample here of one of the patterns worked up on a cuff facing. Normally, you would do the embroidery right onto the pants leg, and face it with the facing (in the back).
Also know that your embroidery design does not need to match when the leg seam is sewn. Having unmatched embroidery design at the seam is very authentic.
What You Will Need
Transferring the Design
We provide 4 embroidery designs for the cuffs of these pants, and they can be worked a variety of ways. You can transfer the designs freehand (I like to use a washable fine tip marker for this, but I'm not always great at freehand, especially with precise corners!). Or, you can use dressmaker's carbon and a tracing wheel. Working on a hard surface, secure the fabric and facing design right side up on the cuff. Make sure you have the design 3/4" above the raw edge. I used a couple of pattern weights when I did this sample, but the removable tape we sell would also be great! Slide the tracing paper (carbon side down) under the pattern and trace the design with the wheel, pressing firmly.
Embroidery Hints
Be sure to stabilize your fabric before embroidering. I used a medium weight iron-on interfacing.
It helps to adjust the tension of the top thread to achieve a smoother look. The top thread should be slightly pulled to the underside of the fabric. You can test the tension before you start (though I did it in the first pass I did).
When making sharp curves or corners, always stop stitching with the needle down in the fabric then lift the presser foot and rotate the fabric.
I used a zigzag stitch for this sample - with a stitch length of 0.8 and a width of 2.5.
Press the embroidery with it facing down when finished.
For straight stitching, use machine embroidery thread top-stitching thread or strong quilting thread so it will be clearly seen.
Start working on the bottom row of the design and move up toward the top of the cuff, which will be the last row you do.
You could add trim, rick-rack, or soutache instead of embroidery, especially on the very geometric designs (like this one). Or, try different color and types of thread.
Stitching on top of the copied design - narrow zigzag.
Adding new colors.
Finished cuff (this is a sample made on a cuff facing), but that's the design. I like it! Maybe time to try it on a real pair of Sarouelles.
We have two featured patterns of the month this month - the 119 Sarouelles and 261 Paris Promenade Dress! Both easy to sew, classic, and beautiful- and are on sale this month!
Folkwear's 119 Sarouelles pattern consists of three patterns for pants from three continents - each unique yet all sharing similarities of cut. These pants are comfortable, timeless, and practical, and will be perfect in your wardrobe! African Sarouelles, sized for men and women (above, top), have a simple drawstring waist and taper to the ankle. The Turkish pants (above, middle) are full and flowing and gathered at the waist and ankles. The The Indian pants (above, bottom) are gathered in the front above the thigh into a wide hip panel and drawstring waist. Shaped cuffs are faced and can be traditionally embellished with embroidery. Instructions and four embroidery designs for the cuff come with the pattern, as well as an extensive history of these pants! And, all of these pants are quick and easy to sew! As an added bonus, there is little wasted fabric when making these pants because they are cut with a traditional no-waste design.
The 261 Paris Promenade Dress is inspired by fashion from the early 1920's, when loose, flowing gowns, reminiscent of Classical Greek clothing, was popular. This simple, but elegant, dress is made from just three main pattern pieces. The different sections of the dress (dress/skirt, overdress, and lining) are great for putting together interesting fabric combinations for contrast effects -either with different prints, colors, stripes, or textures. The full dress shape is defined at the waist by a self-fabric sash (or can be made from decorative cord). This pattern also comes with a pattern for a period drawstring bag with instructions for making your own cording and tassels, as well as a history of fashion of the time. This flattering dress comes together quickly and is fairly easy to sew.
Today, we welcome a guest post by Rita DeWitt, who made an amazing 264 Monte Carlo Dress.
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PROJECT: Folkwear 264 Monte Carlo Dress made with Up-cycled Vintage Silk Kimonos
MY PROJECT GOAL: Make a unique and inexpensive family wedding reception dress using up-cycled silk kimonos…and have fun doing it!
CHOOSING THE PATTERN: I began with Folkwear Vintage Pattern #264 for a period Monte Carlo dress “a sleek slip dress in the 1920’s flapper style” (from pattern description). I did not use the coordinating tunic top pattern, as I already had a purchased one. The design is a simple scooped neckline, shoulder straps, a loose torso, and a bias “twirl” skirt. No zippers or fastenings or buttons or complications.
CHOOSING FABRICS: I purchased a bulk kimono order from YokoDana Kimono’s vintage silk kimonos. I chose three peach and ivory colored kimonos whose colors harmonized. I laid out the three kimonos for visual compatibility with my purchased blue velvet tasseled over-garment.
Since I am a “big American woman,” I would need three of the kimonos for adequate yardage, using one kimono for the bodice, and one kimono for each half of the skirt. Choosing three different fabrics allowed a nice variety of color and style.
Sample of vintage silk kimono fabrics from Yoko Dana.
CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND MAKING AESTHETIC CHOICES: I kept the original kimonos’ sewing and linings intact, as the Folkwear pattern pieces are very simple. I used only the lower part of the kimonos and parts of two sleeves for this dress. That leaves the upper parts of all three kimonos mostly intact for further up-cycling. Since I left all the original stitching in place, and the linings (even parts of the front kimono “flaps”), I ended up with a fully lined dress. The lined silk pieces for the skirt were much heavier fabric than the design called for, but they gave a very full, luxuriant presence.
Sewing tip: if you want to use the kimono fabric with its linings, I suggest that you stay-stitch the linings to the fabric pieces (all loose edges) immediately after you cut the pattern pieces from the kimono. And you definitely want to stay-stitch any bias-cut edges.
Below is the Folkwear Pattern #264 Monte Carlo dress with my selected thread colors. This pattern was chosen because it is a simple drop tunic which consisted of only three main pattern pieces (bodice front, bodice back, and skirt) which could easily be cut from the flat kimono lower areas. No complicated sleeves, a simple strap for the shoulders, no buttons, no zippers, no other fastenings or detailing. The simple structure also allowed the beauty of the vintage fabrics to be a main focus.
FINISHED BODICE TOP: After sewing the bodice, I machine embroidered the seams and edges with a rayon Sulky thread in a rich yellow-gold. I stitched down the middle front, around the armholes, and along pieces that I had to patchwork fit to improvise the torso wide enough for moi.
Machine stitching around neck and armholes shows white bobbin thread on inside of bodice, and gold spool thread on outside of bodice. Stitching down center front was decorative as well as structural. The bodice/top was embroidered after construction, but before attaching the skirt.
The inner linings of the kimonos were patterned fabrics also, as is visible here on the back inside of the bodice and armhole at right.
DETAIL VIEW OF BODICE PIECING: This finished view of a side seam in the bodice area shows pieced fabric scraps which fill a pattern area not covered by the original kimono fabric. This was emphasized by gold embroidery and topstitching rather than trying to disguise the patchwork construction.
Attached skirt is visible at lower left.
HEM DETAILS OF FINISHED DRESS: As was noted, the kimono garments were cut apart, but were kept with their original individual linings intact. The fluid design of the skirt allowed movement to show the original kimono linings as well as the surface silks.
After the skirt was attached, I machine embroidered along the hem edges of the skirt, as some of the vintage hand stitching that held the linings in place was fragile. On the hem edges, I used the full embroidery stitch in most places where the combined lining/fabric was thinner. But where there was a heavy facing, I kept stitching with the same yellow thread, but switched it to a single basting stitch, carrying the color onward. Some parts of the kimono construction were just too thick to machine embroider without breaking thread.
CLOSER VIEW OF HEM DETAILS: Machine embroidery on hem was done to stabilize linings as well as to embellish. On the run, I switched between embroidery stitches to accommodate thinner or thicker fabrics. I used a range from more decorative stitches on light areas, to a basting stitch in very thick fabric areas. Machine embroidery was done with gold spool thread on outside of hem and white bobbin thread showing on inside linings.
FINISHED GARMENT FRONT: Here is my finished garment, shown with a purchased 1980’s vintage blue velvet over-cape edged with beaded tassels. I wore the two with a beaded period macramé necklace with incorporated pink seashell and dropped beading. So fun!
FINISHED GARMENT BACK: Back view of Monte Carlo dress with velvet vintage over-cape. Back of macrame necklace counter-weight shows at neckline.
CLOSE-UP OF FINISHED DRESS FRONT: Here is a little close up of the details on the bodice with the over-cape.
PROJECT RESULTS: I enjoyed “up-cycling” the silk kimonos and got unexpected and unusual effects because of that. The beautiful inner lining colors showed on the skirting when the dress was in motion. I had to change my embroidery patterns to accommodate fabric weights, which actually gave more variety.
The structure of the Folkwear pattern allowed me to utilize vintage kimonos effectively. When worn, the silk fabric combined with the design of the pattern made me feel elegant.
At the family wedding reception I received numerous compliments, even some from the event’s wedding professionals! I was VERY happy with my results.
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All text and photographs copyright Rita DeWitt, 2017 and 2018.
Did you know that April is National Card and Letter Writing Month (as designated by the USPS)?
We have been sending postcards out with our orders for the last year as a fun way to thank you for your order and to provide updated contact information. We love the beautiful (Gretchen Schields) artwork on the cards, and thought you would too! Do you ever use your postcards? We would love to know where they end up! In case you haven't been using them -I mean, they are lovely stuck on a fridge or on your wall, so that's totally fine too - but if you haven't been mailing them, we have a few ideas for you!
And, share your ideas in the comments on this post and let us know what great uses you have (or will) put the postcards to!
