Love, Love, Love ….

As is usual the time of year Suzanne Winter at Winter Wear Designs encourages us to Sew Ourselves Some Love. This year the lovely romantic month of February coincides with the release of the Y Back Sleep Set. Now, if you’d been following along, you’d know the set released a week ago and was on sale all last week. It comprises of a camisole, above knee sleep dress and shorts. Like all Winter Wear Designs patterns there are several options to allow you to put your own mark on this pattern … which is what I did.

A simple but effective construction

I also altered the pattern into a rather riské baby doll for a burlesque performance on February 13th. That, dear people is why I couldn’t post this little blog last week. I mean, Zoom is great for virtual shows but I really didn’t want to ruin the surprise.

Legs! Legs! Legs! The Boyz assisted with some modesty

So, I hear you ask … what did I do? I used my fancy smancy new projector, which it must be said still intimidates me, to trace out the pattern. I have to be quite organized as I always alter patterns to fit me. With a projector it entails moving the fabric around a bit to make sure I trace what I am supposed to. I am getting the hang of it tho’! My initial fabric has been in my stash for at least a decade. It’s soft and light (and a little sheer, hence the bikini underneath), and I intended it to be a short nightie, kind of a long camisole to cover my bum … Of course I didn’t make a muslin, and of course I should have! I’m at the bottom of the XL and should have made a large: But I didn’t, so I had to alter the pattern. My machine decided it didn’t like having a tension setting that fabric approved of – more delays. Then my serger really spat the fabric out after regurgitating it. Do you get the picture? It’s just as well I love my fabric!

It is a slimmer fit than the pattern but suits me just fine.

A wee while ago (pre-covid) I bought a tube turning do-hickey at the thrift store. It works perfectly; so I turned the straps into little tubes as I detest making bias. I also found some matching wide rickrack which I added to the bottom as a pretty addition to the hem. I make underwear so installing strap slides and O rings was a breeze. The instructions are clear for anyone who hasn’t tackled that before though.

PHEW! Let’s say Himself quite approves of the wee blue nightie. I also approve and think it could be day wear or night wear. Or in these weird times where I don’t go anywhere I can wear it all the time.

The Y back is actually much more comfortable than I thought!

Onwards and upwards … I’d intended wearing a corset for my burlesque routine but things being what they are, was uncomfortable and restricted. A wise friend said “why don’t you make a baby doll instead?” and off I went … I originally pulled the WWD Magnolia pattern as I have hacked that a lot, then thought ‘hang on, you have the Y back already on your cutting table’. It was a lightbulb moment!

I performed to ‘Skyfall’, an amazing song and my concept was 007 meets Mad Max. If we can have leather and lace I thought I’d mix camo and lace. If I am honest I didn’t actually have enough of either to make it from one fabric, but am thrilled with the result.

Its amazing how well the pattern shows from the projector. The grid lines are very useful!

On went the projector – again. I merged the front and back side seams. I could have taken out about 8″ of volume, but lace being the diaphanous fabric it is, volume was good. The projector allowed me to line the fabrics up to where I wanted, then I used tailors chalk to draw my sewing lines. This was important as I didn’t want to have huge seams and used camo for the front and back, and lace for the sides.

Performance ready with the original WWII gas mask and corset .. and my mask and baby doll!

For modesty’s sake I have closed the front a little more than I did for the show, and I am wearing some clothes underneath. This is, after all, a family blog! Instead of a Y back I made a halter neck from the power mesh selvage. To hold the whole thing together I used ‘quickie-clips’ which funnily enough do what the name implies, allowing for a quick exit. I am really pleased with how it has turned out. The back was quite loose, so I gathered the back and sides with more of the selvage resulting in a more fitted line.

Its comfortable and I expect I will make more baby dolls from this pattern

A simple gather across the back allowed for better coverage – and a straighter hem!

That was my little escapade in sewing myself some love. Especially at present its important to recognize that each and every one of us is worth loving and kindness. On that note I wish you all Happy Valentine’s Day, wherever you may be.

Thank you Suzanne Winter for the encouragement and accommodating my time lines.

Thanks also to my Husband, aka Himself, for his tolerance in me parading around for many days in a corset, nightie and baby doll. Such a trooper!