The Tailor's Apprentice: November 2013

Monday, November 25, 2013

50 years of Dr Who and the marvellous TARDIS party

What a fabulous weekend of 50 years of Dr. Who events and I really enjoyed the Dr. Who documentary created by the BBC. The highlight of the weekend was, of course, the fabulous movie, The Day of the Doctor.

We celebrated with a party, it was held at a friend's place and we had a smashing time. The costumes were amazing. I wore my TARDIS apron that I created last week and you can read my 'how-to' tutorial and make your very own. Its a great idea for a Christmas present. I'm happy to create one for you as well and you can order your very own on Etsy.

I thought you'd all enjoy seeing the creativity displayed by all the guests at the party.

I wore my vintage 1950s circular skirt underneath, it has images of Paris printed all over it so I could be 'bigger on the inside'

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I'm The Tailor's Apprentice, maker of The Miss Page 1940s reproduction patterns, gowns developed from pattern pieces found amongst the remnants of Miss Violet Florence Page’s life and work. Affordable, elegant, and unique garments from the 1940s war years.

All my patterns are available on Etsy and my website where you'll find out more about me as well. This year I am publishing an 1820s gown wardrobe pattern and an Australian Army Nurses Services WWI uniform pattern.

If you'd liked to be included on my mailing list for events, pattern release dates and interesting snippets about vintage and historic sewing, please subscribe to my Newsletter on The Tailor's Apprentice website.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

A TARDIS apron to celebrate 50 years of Dr Who, plus, how to make it for you!

I have been a fan of Dr Who since I was a little girl. I was enthralled by the program, watching it on our B&W telly on Friday nights on the ABC. I have known all the Drs. and all of them have a soft spot in my heart.

I had two reasons to make the TARDIS apron. The first; to wear it to a friend's 50 Years of Dr. Who party.

The second; to have a costume for me and Astro my chihuahua to wear in the Lawson Dog Show owner 'look alike' competition last Sunday (17th Nov.). We had a fabulous time and won our section! Very pleased by that.

I thought others would like to know how I put my apron together, its pretty easy to do and I scanned the interwebs for other examples to get an idea of what was possible, you can see some of these on my Aprons Pinterest board. I also used my TARDIS teapot as a style guide.

Time to make:
5 hours give or take.

Fabric and sewing notions:
I measured my waist width and decided on the apron length, I wanted it just above my knees. I also wanted a nicely gathered skirt to the apron that went right to the back. I then used these measurements to determine how much fabric I would need to purchase.

I then bought 2 metres of dark blue cotton and 1 metre of white cotton fabric. I used some black frabric and ribbon from my sewing stash, I used a Sharpie pen for the writing.

I used sewing thread from my stash, snap fasteners and 2 hooks & eyes.

Making up:
1. Creating the apron skirt

I cut two widths from my fabric (it was 110cm wide) and I stitched them together at the selvedge edge.

I then cut a curve at the unstitched end for a nice back effect.

I folded a 1/4" hem (yes I know, I mix my measurements up all the time, you can cope I know, sewists are clever!). Anyways, I folded the hem down with an iron, then folded it on itself and stitched it down with a decorative star stitch. You can see it further down, shows up better on the white fabric.

The stars represent the outside of the TARDIS travelling through the universe.

2. Creating the apron bib top

I just measured across my chest to get the width I wanted, choose the width you want, narrow or wide, I went wide. For the length I measured from my collar bone to my waist line.

I cut out two rectangles in the fashion fabrics and then curved the top ends of the bib front as shown, I wanted the bib top to be lined.

3. Adding the windows, black edge and writing on the bib front

I centred the top piece for the bib front horozontally. then eye balled a good distance for each of my white 'window's.

I cut out the windows from the white fabric after measuring the width and length that would work on the bib front and was pleasing to my eye.

I pinned on as shown.

I added some blue ribbon from the stash to represent the door edge and pinned in place.

I cut my scrap of black fabric to sit at the top of the bib front, pinned in place, I cut a piece of white fabric to size for the POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX sign. I wrote on it using the Sharpie pen. This was also pinned into place.

It really should be white writing on black but that was way too fiddly to achieve in the time frame available. Feel free to be more accurate.

I stitched all these pieces on using the star stitch and as you can see caught myself on one of the many pins and bleed on my window, argh! However this allows me to teach you a vintage sewing technique to remove blood stains like this from your sewing fabric.

Spit on the blood, wet it thoroughly with your spit and rub the blood stain until it dissolves. Yes, the enzymes in your spit will remove your blood pin prick. How cool is that!

See, blood stain has dissolved, when this dries there may be a slight stain, but usually not.

Attach your bib front back. You can either 'bag it' as I did, or use a bias binding to go around the edge.

Don't forget to add your apron straps into the top of the bib front, regardless of the method you use.

Skirt sign pockets:
I created white skirt pockets for the POLICE TELEPHONE | FREE USE FOR PUBLIC | etc. and the ST JOHN'S AMBULANCE signs. Sadly no photos of doing this either! I used the Sharpie again to write and draw this up. These pockets were placed in a similar space to the windows on the bib front and stitched down with star stitch, before I did this, I turned under the seams and the hem allowance at the top of each pocket.

Attach skirt to waistband:
OK, not many pictures of this phase either, I forgot, too busy sewing!

I cut a waistband 3" wide and the width of my waist plus 2".

I gathered the skirt in two sections so I didn't have too long a gather to contend with when sliding to the right size to fit the waistband.

I gathered the skirt into the waistband and then attached one side of the waistband to the skirt. I didn't use any interfacing, yes, I know I should have, too lazy, I will regret it I am sure! Feel free to use some for yours though.

Next I folded over the waistband to the wrong side with a 5/8th (1.5cm) seam allowance and pinned in place. I pinned the bib front to the centre point of the waistband. Sorry no photos, le sigh! Make sure you fold your raw edges of the bib front in side it. I then stitched along the edge of the waistband next to the skirt with my star pattern again. Yes, this is 'quick & dirty' sewing! Avert your eyes, or do it properly should you attempt this TARDIS apron.

Finishing:

I added snap fastners to the waistband and neck apron strings to fasten them together. I use hooks and eyes at the waistband.

You could use buttons and button holes.

I love the way the skirt curves up at the back.
I turned my partner's top hat into my Police Box light by wrapping some blue lurex fabric around its rim (see photo below), also from the stash.

For the 50 Years of Dr. Who party I will wear the apron with a black tulle skirt, black stockings and boots or shoes (depends on the weather). Pictures soon.

Lawson Dog Show:
Here's the K-9 coat I made for Astro and my TARDIS Police Box 'light' top hat for the 'owner & dog look alike' competition. As I mentioned above, we won first in our category. Most chuffed!

This is the only photo of the Lawson Dog Show I managed to get as it was raining so hard and was freezing. All I was able to do was stay dry under the umbrella and keep our three dogs warm and dry as possible.

Its spring in Australia, so it should have been warm and sunny, last year it was too hot and a brown snake joined the show ring! I know the professionals took heaps of photos, so when they are available I will link to them.

Photos of the 50 Years of Dr Who will be added in my next blog post. Knowing my clever friends, there will be lots of costumes to astound and delight!

If you do make the apron, please let me know, I'd love to add your creation to my Pinterest board!

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Monday, November 18, 2013

ReTrash prize winner!

I usually don't win competitions, so you could have knocked me over with a feather when I received an email from Nathan of ReTrash: Inspiring a sustainable planet telling me I had won their 10/14/2013 weekly comp! Woot! Now you know that a sustainable planet is a goal that I aim to achieve with my business and if not, well you can read about how I try to do it in my Environment section of my website. I also believe in an ethical and fairtrade business model and helping out my local community and so do ReTrash as well. They have just launched a Kickstart Campaign to raise funds to create a book that will help you do this as well.

Recycled Sterling Silver Earrings by Gabrielle McGrath

Earings from Red Peg Ecostudio

'Retrash is a sustainability website that promotes the growing movement of people across the globe that are reducing landfill by upcycling, repurposing and reusing salvaged materials. Nathan is based in the Blue Mountains Australia, and is the founder of Retrash.' http://www.retrash.com/who-we-are/

Paper Plate Sculpture by Jane Lennon

A beautiful plate made from recycled paper by Janet Lennon

As I mentioned above, ReTrash have launched a Kickstart Campaign to launch their book Retrash, an inspirational book which showcases the work and personal lives of more than 80 artists and creative thinkers worldwide. These are the people leading the global recycling movement.

SciFi raygun by Sean Boyd

A SteamPunk ray gun created by Sean Boyd Junk Artist

How does Retrash book help you benefit the environment?
1. You just chose a second hand item over a new one, and in doing so, prevented more waste going to landfill and our oceans. Not only that but you are supporting someone who loves to create beautiful things from waste salvaged from dump sites and thrift shops (Salvation Army, Vinnies etc). Thrift shops are generally run by charities so they get a donation as well.

2. Landfill has a negative effect on climate change by releasing methane (among others), a harmful greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide. By reducing landfill we are reducing these dangerous gases in our atmosphere and reducing toxic runoff.

3. The book is printed on 100% recycled paper, which means that we are increasing the demand for recycled paper over virgin fibre! (No trees cut down.)

By backing this project, you are helping the environment in so many positive ways. Let's create change together: the bigger this project gets, the more waste we save from ending up in man-made holes in our earth and in our oceans! "

I support this project and I'd like you to support it as well. You don't need to give a lot, but the more who contribute, the more chance ReTrash have of being successful in creating their project!

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Monday, November 11, 2013

Making my Veronica evening gown and capelet from my WWII pattern series: preparing the downloaded e-pattern

Veronica evening gown and capelet

A friend is having a 'wear something glamorous from any time period' NYE party and as my sewing commissions often keep me from sewing lovely things for me, I decided to set myself a challenge and make my Veronica evening gown and capelet from my WWII pattern series between now and then... and blog about it as I go.

Veronica was created from an extant WWI patten drafting book that came from Miss Page's personal sewing memorabilia. Miss Page is the inspiration for my vintage patterns as I am lucky to hold a small collection of her hand sewn vintage garments, sewing patterns, books and other memorabilia from her life as a dress maker in the Blue Mountains where I live.

Veronica is an example of mid-war pattern cut, when fabric restrictions and ration cards dictated what you could make. Its frugal with fabric, but still lovely and drapes divinely. The caplet provides an added dressy touch and keeps the chill off should you wander out to the verandah for a chat and rest from dancing.

The pattern comes in three PDFS, the e-pattern, the pattern notes and the 'How to put the pattern together' documents. When you buy it, you are sent all three immediately.

In this post I am showing you how to put your e-pattern together after you have printed it out.

How to print:
You can download the pattern to a memory stick and take it to a printer to print out on one, or more sheets ... or ... do what I do and print on my home printer.

When printing at home, set your printing scale to 100% or 'no scaling' to ensure the pattern prints correctly for you and your paper. Also print off page 1a, the test print page, first and check that your grid measures 1" x 1".

The pattern is designed to fit both A4 and 'Letter' size paper that most of us have in our home printers. Depending on the paper type you use, you may have white edges to trim so the pattern joins correctly. You can see that I need to do this on my Australian A4 paper in the left hand image above.

Why e-patterns?
I create e-patterns for many reasons. The first is that in Australia I can't get patterns printed at a cost that makes it possible to sell the pattern on to the customer. The second is that an e-pattern is immediate, you buy it, you receive it, you stick it together and you start creating. If your impatient like me, having to wait many weeks for a pattern to arrive through 'snail mail' is very frustrating. If I want to make it, I want to do it today! The third reason is that its better for the environment, patterns don't get printed until they are needed.

Let's put the pattern together:

Every The Tailor's Apprentice pattern page is clearly marked so joining it altogether is easy. A series of numbers and letters are used for each separate printed page, for example:

1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 1k
2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2k
3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3k
4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k
5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, 5j, 5k
6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i, 6j, 6k
7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h, 7i, 7j, 7k

This enables you to join each consecutive piece together row by row.

The first page, 1a, the test print page, also gives you the pattern layout so you can use this to follow the pattern layout on your bigger pattern pieces.

I use my cutting bench to piece the pattern together, others use a kitchen table, even the floor. Do whatever makes you the most comfortable. I slide the pattern over the edge as it grows. Piece the pattern pages together row by by row, ensuring that you check your 1" grid at page joins.

I sometimes fold the unwanted paper over rather than cutting it. Both methods work well. In the picture to the left you can see me setting up the second row of pattern pages.

Its exciting watching the pattern grow as you join it up.

Yes, sometimes, even with all your careful work you can go slightly out as I have in the picture on the left.

This is no big deal, I mark it on the pattern so I know to correct when I cut the dress out and I ensure I correct the error with the next pieces.

Adjust the pattern for YOUR body:

Finally the pattern is created and is ready to be altered to my specific body type. No commercial pattern is made to fit you or me, its based on a pattern sizing of a 'Ms Average, who only exists in a small part of the population. Most of us are different.

For example, the waist length on my patterns is 16", I'm 14.5" and always have to correct it by shortening it at the appropriate marking on the pattern. 'Ms Average' is also 5'6", I'm 5'4", so I have to shorten the hem considerably at the appropriate marking before cutting.

This saves time and fabric if you adjust the pattern now.

I need to take out 5" of the length at the Lengthen/Shorten line for the skirt length.

I fold up to the mark place, stick the pattern together.

Then draw a new skirt line at the sides to the correct angle and trim away the excess. I do this for all pieces of the pattern. Doing this to the skirt hem length means I keep the drape of the original pattern around my feet. I keep all that lovely twirl factor.

Making the test dress (toile):
Next post we will walk through creating the toile to fit my curves. My body shape varies from a 16 to an 18 and I have compensated for this in the pattern before cutting the pieces, but a toile will ensure that I can tweak the changes, especially as I've lost some weight recently and that will affect the fit.

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Friday, November 8, 2013

The Tailor's Apprentice: Great War 1914 - 1918 AANS uniforms: how the e-patterns were created

AANS WWI Ward Dress and Walking Out uniform e-pattern

I was asked by a client to create an Australian WWI nurses uniform for her and then an American friend asked if I could create the same uniform for his nurses of the 5th AIF, USA GWH. So instead of doing individual drafts for everybody, I created a new pattern set for The Tailor's Apprentice and the Great War 1914-18 series was born!

There are 3 patterns in the Great War 1914-18 series:

AANS WWI Ward Dress 1914-1919 and Walking Out uniform 1914-16 (released January 2014, follow link to purchase)
1916-19 Outdoor uniform Norfolk jacket and skirt (February/March 2014)
Winter long cape and cloak (what we would call a dustcoat).(March/April 2014)

These e-Patterns will be available for $A19.95 each, or you can purchase the full set of three patterns for $55.95. Join my Newsletter to book all three patterns for the special pre-release price $45.95. Only available to Newsletter readers.

AANS WWI Outdoor uniform 1914-16

The Great War 1914-18 series e-pattern size range goes from size 8 through to size 24. The patterns were drafted using Edwardian drafting techniques and the pattern notes use early 20th c sewing techniques, so when you construct your AANS uniform you will be creating it in the style of 1914-18.

The pattern can be used by most WWI nursing troops, especially the British and New Zealand WWI nurses, as the Australian and NZ uniform was based on the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS). WWI nursing troops from other nations can also use this pattern as most nursing uniforms were very similar in style during these years, especially the Ward Dress.

Outdoor dress. Nurses prior to boarding HMAT Orsova

Through my research I discovered that the Sisters set off in 1915 to Egypt after a long fight with the Army men who didn't think women had a place in war. The women nurses knew otherwise, their Sisters blazed a trail for them in the Crimean and Boer Wars of the 19th c. The Sisters were classed as officers and therefore made their own uniform, or had a seamstress make it for them. This meant that there was a great deal of variety amongst their uniforms, they all have an owner's individual touch.

The unpopular bonnet

Their 1914 - 16 'Walking Out' or 'Outdoor' uniform was based on late Edwardian styling. A shirtwaist blouse, tucked into a 5 gored woolen skirt with a self fabric belt. White collar and cuffs, a scarlet cashmere tippet (shoulder cape) and 19th c. styled bonnets that weren't popular with the young Sisters. They wore grey gloves, black stockings and laced up or buttoned up heeled boots or shoes. Under their uniform were the underpinings of the day, chemise, late Edwardian long line corset, a corset cover, petticoat. In Egypt the bonnets were quickly 'lost' and panama hats were used instead, when hung with a dust & fly veil, they were far more sensible in the bright heat of Cairo and Alexandria.

AANS WWI Ward dress with Astro and Lulu

Their 1914 - 18 'Ward Dress' was exactly the same style as their 'Walking Out' dress, except it was joined at the waist by the waist belt and made of zephyr cotton. It was worn with a white zephyr cotton apron, linen cuffs and collar and a silk organza veil. The same tippet was worn and the same underpinings above. The uniform length rose from ankle to calf length as styles changed during the war and the underpinings would have moved with the times as well.

Riding camels in the desert

The heat of Egypt made the grey serge wool less than comfortable to bear and the Australian nurses started to wear their 'Ward Dress' as their 'Outdoor Dress' as it was cooler. They might replace the cashmere tippet for the scarlet silk Mess dress tippet.

Me and Mrs Chook looking a tad casual with a loose collar

To create an historically accurate reproduction e-pattern I have to understand the time, place and context of the dress patterns I create. I researched extensively into AANS WWI uniforms as it was a period I didn't know much about and I am now something of an expert, lol!

AANS WWI Ward dress

I travelled to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to view the uniforms that they had available and I wrote about that in an earlier post. When I visited, the only example of the early 1914 - 16 "Walking Out' dress was in a display cabinet unfortunately. I did get a great look at the 1916 - 19 'Walking Out' Norfolk jacket and Dickey.

I am extremely grateful to the WWI conservators at the Australian War Memorial (read my earlier post), Guy Gormely of 5th AIF, USA GWH, Christie Stonehouse who initiated the project and the WWI Australian Nurses Facebook group who all provided invaluable research in the form of photos, documents and links to many online and off line sources. Many of the online sources found through the interwebs and online State and National Library collections are pinned to my Pinterest board.

AANS 1914-16 Outdoor dress with Astro and Lulu

The AANS Ward Dress and Outdoor dress 1914-16, with all the accessories of scarlet tippet, apron, separate collars and cuffs, veil and sleeve protectors will cost of $A19.95 for the e-pattern. $A55.95 for the Great War 1914-18 series. As noted above, this pattern can be used by most WWI nurse troops as the nursing uniforms around the world were very similar and the New Zealand and AANS uniform was based on the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS).

Purchase your pattern ...

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