Blackwood Opshops

When I first came to Australia and discovered opshops, somebody told me I had to go to the Blackwood opshops. I didn't find the time to till last week, when I went to visit some friends there, who babysat the Little Wyld Man while mummy went-a-shopping.

Blackwood, for those unfamiliar to Adelaide, is south of Adelaide, and situated in the hills. It has 5 opshops within a small shopping radius, the best and biggest being the Salvos one. There are also the Save the Children Opshop, Redcross, Goodwill, and the RSPCA thrift shop. See here for addresses.

I went to the Salvos one first, which was the most famous. Inside was the most organized and appealing  layout I'd ever seen in an opshop, being almost boutique-like in a rustic way. That said however, I didn't find anything  to buy. There was a trouser press being sold for $60 displayed outside, but I don't iron enough trousers to justify buying it. But if it had been a gravity feed iron/steam generator, that would have been a different story.

The next opshop I went to was the Redcross one. Here I spied an almost brand new shawl-collared white cardigan which I snatched up.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="321" caption="White Cardigan"][/caption]

Originally it had two ties sewn in to tie the front together which I removed. I also tacked the collar in place so that it would stay in that shape instead of collapsing. I've worn it out twice within the last week already. $6.99. Kaching!

I also found a dressmaking book, Success with Dress by Ellen and Marietta Resek.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Success with Dress"][/caption]

I hummed and harred about it, but was sold when I saw that it had a section on drafting patterns.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Bodice Drafts"][/caption]

This is an Aussie book, and very well written. Every chapter starts with a cute little rhyme, and it covers most of the basics in dressmaking.  The sleeve draft was good, being an assymetrical sleeve. (Sleeves shouldn't look the same front and back, the front of the sleeve has less material, and the back has more-some books get it wrong). I have an earlier book by the same authors called Successful Dressmaking, which I posted about here. $3.

I went to Save the Children Opshop next, and here I picked up some fabrics-a nude and a red tricot fabric, perfect for petticoats and lining knit garments. I also found a nice wool felt hat in cream.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Cream Felt Hat"][/caption]

This is a back view.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Back view"][/caption]

I'm not so crazy about the way the grosgrain ribbon trim is finished at the back. I think it needs something more. I haven't decided what to do about it yet. $4.99

I also found a sewing box for $9. I thought it was a bit steep for an opshop, but I really wanted and needed one, and Spotlight sells them for $20. I've been sewing out of a Tupperware container, so I'm glad to have this.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Sewing box"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Inside peek"][/caption]

No, it didn't come with tools and notions. *pout*. Wyld Man says it looks almost exactly like his mother's.

The last stop was at Goodwill. I didn't find anything that I liked until I was almost leaving and then I saw this.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Buckram hat with feathers"][/caption]

I really, really liked it. However, the feathers were a little scraggly, and the ribbon wasn't glued on properly. I bought it, and I'm going to refashion it one of  this  days. This is a hat for spring, while the other one was a wintery one. $6.50.

So that's all from Blackwood. I didn't go to the RSPCA one because my friend/tour guide said it wasn't any good, and I also wanted to get back to Little Wyld Man. I needn't have worried though, he was very good and didn't miss me at all!

And while I'm posting about all things opshop, I found this little top at the St Agnes Save the Children Opshop some weeks ago and loved it.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="321" caption="Red Polka Dot Top"][/caption]

Makes me feel like Minnie Mouse! Love it! $3. The camisole came from an opshop too. Can't remember where from now.

What did you find at the opshops?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burda 6/09 Sunburst Pleat Front Dress

I first read about Burda magazines in some sewing blog and was fascinated by the concept of a fashion magazine with real patterns. Since then I always kept a lookout for it at newsagents-not all stock them. Borders carried them till recently. I 've been hunting for back issues to read and found that the Payneham library carried them-so I bacame a member (despite already being able to borrow from 5 libraries.)

For those unfamiliar with it, Burda is a monthly German dress pattern magazine that has over 40 patterns in it which you can trace out and make. I don't usually buy it-to date I've  only bought three issues. It's about $15.90 per mag and is good value for money if you make at least one garment from  it every month. It has pictures of models wearing the designs, a page with line drawings, and an insert of patterns in various colours  which you trace out. I like looking at the line drawings more than the pictures for the design ideas it inspires me to.

Of the 6 mags I borrowed, the June 09  issue had an interesting dress.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="440" caption="Burda 06/10"][/caption]

Pleat front jersey dress 102 Burda Jun 09

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="224" caption="101 Burda 06/09 Pleat Front Dress"][/caption]

This is a clearer line drawing of it.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="102 Line Drawing"][/caption]

I love the sunburst pleats and the pretty folds on the front. I formed an idea of a white dress with a black lace belt in this design and couldn't wait to  get to  it.

This is the instruction sheet in the magazine.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="426" caption="Instruction sheet"][/caption]

This is the pattern sheet. Each sheet is labelled alphabetically with patterns pieces printed on it. One sheet may have several garment patterns on it, and the patterns for different garments are  differentiated with a different colour.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Pattern sheet"][/caption]

I trace out my pattern with sew-in interfacing, which is see-through and cheap. The Burda patterns do not have seam allowances added on to it, so here I am tracing around the patterns with a tracing tool-

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Double pencils with a 5/8-inch spacer"][/caption]

-which I got at Lincraft.

I traced a size 38 all over, but I was actually a size 42 at the waist, and 40 at the hips. I was too lazy to grade up or  down according the markings-it was hard  to see and too tedious. I figured that since this is a stretch fabric, I'll just pin fit the sides later. Also, the patterns were drafted for an "average" person-but who is? I'm very short waisted, so you'll see in my pattern pieces below I've made a length adjustment by shortening  it by 2cms.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Pattern pieces cut and altered."][/caption]

There are no construction photos-it was very quick to put together. The whole thing was sewn on my overlocker. The only thing that took some time was the  front pleats.

The instructions said to baste the pleats together, and sew it onto the front lining piece and treat as one, and not to press the pleats. I was too lazy to baste and just sewed the pleats on permanently and pressed it anyway. But the effect aren't the soft folds as  in the picture, which I do regret not following.

The instructions for the dress was for a zipper to be installed in the back. However, instead of cutting 2 back pieces, I cut it on the fold, so I decided to put an invisible zipper in the side seam.

One thing I found was  that despite choosing the size 38, the whole dress was  huge on me. I had to remove 2 inches on each side seam from top to  bottom.

This is my finished dress.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="321" caption="Sunburst Pleated Dress"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="321" caption="Back view"][/caption]

The lace belt is removable and this is what it looks like without it.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="301" caption="Dress plain."][/caption]

I wanted to be able to wear it casually, as well as to more dressy functions.

It didn't look so when the model wore it, but the neckline plunged too low for me. So I made a removable lace modesty panel.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Removable lace modesty panel"][/caption]

Here is a closeup of the lace belt, which is almost the favourite part of the dress for me. I wanted it to look like galoon lace, which I couldn't find at Spotlight, so I made do with what I had in my stash.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Lace belt"][/caption]

The belt was the hardest to do, as this is the first time I've dealt with lace in this context. This was actually a small fat quarter piece of lace that was given to me with one scalloped border. I decided to cut it down along a motif, baste it to a white sew-in interfacing (to show off the black lace), and then backed again with black knit fusible interfacing. The edges have been finished with an overcasting stitch through all three layers.

Here is a parting shot.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="321" caption="Front view"][/caption]

I really, REALLY like this dress, especially with the lace belt. Which one do you prefer?

Sewing and Pattern Drafting Books

Last week I found a Winifred Aldrich book on Metric Pattern Drafting for Men's Wear on Ebay selling for AUD16 dollars and won a bid on it. At Dymocks I paid for my Women's Wear one for AUD 75! I thought it was a bargain for 16 dollars. But I had to go and pick it up from the seller at Brighton Carboot Market, which is South West from where we live. Saved me about AUD12 in postage. So Wyld Man and I rushed there from church in order to meet Jim the seller before 12 noon, which was when they close shop.  While I was there, he took out some more books on sewing and pattern drafting. And I got them all. Sigh.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Aldrich's book on Menswear"][/caption]

It's the 1990 edition.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Overgarment block"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Classic Shirt Block"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Draft for a sports jacket"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Drafting collars and revers"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Drafts for boxer shorts and undies"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Easy fitting classic suit block"][/caption]

I can't wait to draft something for Wyld Man! He needs a new cassock for serving at mass.

This second book I picked up there was a real treasure.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Successful Dressmaking by Ellen and Marietta Resek"][/caption]

There is no date of publication, but it looks like it was written in the 40's or early 50's.

Although the book is titled "Successful Dressmaking", it has a big section on just pattern drafting, which got me really excited.

It actually made a reference to Harriet Peppin, her book Modern Pattern Design being the definitive drafting book published in 1942. You can read the entire book at VintageSewing.info.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="A reference to Harriet Peppin"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="A draft for a bodice block"][/caption]

I liked the simplicity of it. However, the armhole curve wasn't detailed-it just said "Curve armhole".

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Sleeve draft"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Skirt draft"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Shorts draft"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="How to draft facings"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Even a section on children's wear"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="A list of contents"][/caption]

I paid AUD 20 for it. It was well worth it, because its more than 60 years old, in excellent condition for it's age. The binding was tight, and the dust jacket in very good condition for a book that old. It was also published in Adelaide, which Wyld Man noted was unusual.

My next find-

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Principles of Dressmaking by Doris Lewis"][/caption]

This book was published in Adelaide as well by the Education Department by the Government publisher in 1945.

It also has a big section on pattern drafting.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Publication information"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="How to take measurements"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Basic Bodice"][/caption]

This book has actually made drafts of the basic bodice for different body shapes.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Drafts for the underdeveloped figure"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Drafts for the stout figure."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Drafts for the extra stout figure"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Brassier top slip"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Smie fitting top coat"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Double Breasted coat"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Dressing Jacket"][/caption]

I paid AUD11 for this one.

All in all, it was a good day's work.

The Big 4-Pattern Books and Envelopes

In Malaysia, we have dressmakers and tailors galore who charge very affordable prices to make garments. The tailor I used to go to charges RM20-40 for her labour-which in Aussie dollars is a mere AUD 7-15! If you want something made up, you go to a dressmaker down the road. In Australia however, dressmakers charge by the hour, and labour is expensive, so if you want something made, you have to fork out big time, or, buy a commercial pattern in your size, and sew it yourself.

Coming to Adelaide, I discovered the wonderful world of ready made commercial patterns. There are four main companies producing patterns-Vogue, Simplicity, McCall's and Butterick-collectively called The Big 4. Fabric and haberdashery stores like Spotlight or Lincraft will have a browsing table with pattern books from the Big 4, as well as other smaller brands like Kwik Sew and Burda. You choose your pattern, your size, note the number and go to the counter and ask for your pattern. The store will have all of the  patterns in different sizes in stock filed in filing cabinets. They find that particular pattern number, fish out that pattern, and walla! It's yours. Pattern prices range between AUD5-25, Vogue being the most expensive.

In Malaysia, commercial patterns aren't available, and most people aren't aware of them. Home sewers draft their own patterns using the oriental method, from which they make all their clothes. They start with a dress block of their measurements, which is a bodice and skirt block combined, from which they draft all other patterns. It's a versatile method-no tissue fitting for every new garment design, and cheaper besides.

When I first came here, I never thought to pick up sewing. But since I was given the sewing machine, and Wyld Man said that I could have an overlocker, I tried my hand at sewing and garment construction and got hooked. However, I  remember my mom making her garments from her own dress block, which I didn't have. So I bought some commercial patterns to try out. But for every different outfit that you want, you needed to purchase a different pattern, a habit that can get expensive,  and I'd rather spend my money on fabrics. I decided to learn to draft my own patterns instead, and bought Winifred Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting for Womenswear as well as Dorothy Moore's Pattern Drafting and Dressmaking book. However, I wanted still wanted some design inspiration-as those books had some rather outdated designs.

I used to walk into Spotlight and stayed an hour just to browse the pattern books. Those books were often at least an inch thick-with about 500-700 pages of designs. I loved looking at the design elements of each piece and studying the technical drawings. I was very happy to find that Lincraft sold out of season pattern books for only AUD5 each. I went and got as many as I could carry home-7!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="McCalls, Butterick, Simplicty, Vogue and Burda"][/caption]

Some of them were Spring/Summer collections, the others were Winter/Autumn.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Cocktail dresses"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Evening dresses"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Jeans patterns"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Jackets and blazers"][/caption]

Most pages had a textbox with information pertaining to sizes and yardage required for a particular design.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Winter coats"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Some maternity designs"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="More evening dresses"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Children's patterns"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Even costumes"][/caption]

Except for the evening dresses, most of the tops, skirts, pants and dresses I can draft with the help of my pattern drafting books-so I won't need to buy more commercial patterns. However, I do keep a lookout for difficult patterns or patterns for evening gowns in opshops. This is one which I picked up for a dollar.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="STYLE evening gown pattern"][/caption]

For the benefit of those back in Malaysia, I will proceed to explain what is in a commercial pattern.

Patterns come in a paper envelope with the photo or illustration of the design in front, and sizing and yardage requirements on the back.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Sizing, finished measurements, required yardage and notions."][/caption]

Some patterns come with multiple design variations, and each design is called View A, View B, View C etc.

Inside the envelope, you get a design sheet, and an instruction sheet.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Instruction sheet"][/caption]

The instruction sheet gives an overview of pattern pieces you need to cut, sewing instructions and construction sequence.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Pattern sheet"][/caption]

The pattern sheet is a huge piece of tissue paper with pattern pieces printed on it which you cut out. Seam allowances are usually included, as well as darts placements and markings which you transfer to your fabric.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Instructions on pattern pieces"][/caption]

Each pattern piece is numbered, with instructions for cutting the number of pieces.

Most patterns nowadays are multisized, meaning that you have to choose a size for yourself out of a range of sizes printed on the pattern paper.

Although I was very excited when I first came and discovered commercial patterns, I've quickly found that not all the sizing is accurate-the bust may be too big, the length too long, the sleeves may be too large-which can only be resolved with making a test garment and tissue fitting. Aside from that, I've mentioned earlier that it can be an expensive habit if you want a range of designs for your garments.

But having learnt how to draft patterns and having thos 7 humongous pattern books, I have the best of both worlds. I have technical drawings to base my drafts on, my garments made on my personal block fits me perfectly, and I don't have to pay everytime I need a new design.