Ench By Sew-38: Tartans and Plaids

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Myrna Loy begarbed in plaid - "The Thin Man"

At this time of year, I particularly love to sew plaids. No matter what other plans new pooch, Jasper, has for me, I’ve also got plans - for some seasonal sewing, with some of my favorite plaid fabrics. OK, maybe with our dear new pooch-kid it will go extra slow, but I’m determined to get one or two plaid garments going over the next few months

BTW if you know anybody looking for the perfect pooch, I’d highly recommend the  group where we found Jasper.
 They’re called Tiramisou Dog Rescue and they foster dogs all over – even in other countries.
 Administrator Lou (tiramisudogrescue@gmail.com )  was really great about reading my list of needs for the right dog for us  and suggesting dogs for me to check out. (Those needs included not hassling our ancient little blind dog, not chasing kitties, and being super affectionate – all of which she found for us in Jasper).
https://www.facebook.com/tiramisudogrescue
tiramisudogrescue@gmail.com

In this month’s show

* Primero (First): Tartans and Plaids – What’s the difference?

* Entonces (Then): Tartans – Who’s got the rights to wear them? A Famous Historical Myth

Delightful Historical Fiction - DIANA GABALDON Time Travel Adventures- A Wonderful fast paced historical series, for plaid-loving romantics. Claire travels unexpectedly back to the time of the Jacobite rising in the highlands of Scotland and finds a place for herself that suits her even better than her life in post war Britain. Meeting a gentle, handsome and funny over six foot highland Scot doesn't hurt.


* Y Tambien (And Also):   A Visit to the Edinburgh Tartan Weaving Mill – recorded on my trip to the U.K. early this last summer
* Pensamiientos Finales (Final Thoughts): Why I love plaid

NEXT MONTH – Technicos for - Tartan and Plaid Matching - It's not only about how you lay out your pattern

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Web Resources: https://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/plaid-and-tartan/

Waistlines: A Little Old-Time Revival (Greek Influence on Fashion)

Give me that old-time revival style!

Greek Revival that is....

As all of us time travelin' sewists know.... women just never seem to get enough of that high-waisted Greek look.

The ladies of ancient Grecian times are well known for draping their Doric chitons so that the weight of the primary fabric folds hung from just below the bust, though you'll find other waistline draping effects on Greek artifacts as well (including the no-waistline look ). Their counterparts in other ancient lands may well have draped their frocks in similar styles, but when it comes to these Mediterranean islands we have access to the detritus of their civilization to paw through, and other places - not so much. Relicts of Greek culture have made their way into modern museums, and that gives us an opportunity to window shop through these styles, and pickup a few pointers when it comes to draping and styling fluid high-waisted dresses and tunics.

An appreciation for all things classically Greek inspired people of many eras to try out democracy, create public buildings with columns, and get down with getting philosophical. It has also led ladies of many succeeding historical periods to pull up their waistlines and let their fabric of their dresses flow smoothly and fluidly from just beneath a fitted bosom. What's not to like about a waistline that avoids your waist? 

This classical raised waist image from ancient times, meant that Renaissance ladies like Madonna Lucrezia Borgia, Intimates of Marie Antoinette at  Le Petit Trianon, Napoleon's Josephine, Jane Austen's heroines, Vionnet's put-away-those-corsets Parisian beauties, and Betsey Johnson's 1970's Alley Cat pattern sewists, could shed their corsets and girdles, breathe a little easier, and get comfortable when they pulled a high-waisted frock out of the wardrobe.

We're still sewing 'em today!

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Feeling Like A Little Greek Inspiration?

Hot Pattern's Trudy, has designed a great top and dress pattern, the Metropolitan Verano Dress that is strongly reminiscent of an updated Greek chiton.


 

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  Resources

Waistlines: The No-Waistline Look http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/11/waistlines-designing-without-no.html

I love using layers in Photoshop! Usually I create my illustrations from my own art work, but it's also fun to incorporate other people's creations as well. In my Greek Revival illustration above I borrowed and incorporated the following free downloads...

http://openclipart.org/detail/181828/rhodes-cerf---rhodes-deer-by-waielbi-181828

http://openclipart.org/detail/22619/chiton-(clothing)-by-warszawianka


heborgias.wikifoundry.com/page/Italy+-+Famous+Renaissance+Women

Vintage Threads: Katherine Hepburn in Stripes, Godets and Timeless Style (Movie - Bringing up Baby)

Hipline godets added to the side, and princess seams
 flattered Hepburn's slim hips.
The contrasting horizontal stripes on the sleeves really make the dress.

Though the glorious satin evening frock that Katherine Hepburn or "Susan" wears in the madcap bar room scene is by far the most famous fashion in one of my all-time favorite, classic movies, "Bringing Up Baby", its this striped daytime frock that wins hands down for me, when it comes to sewing inspiration.

As you may well know, this vintage black-and-white film tells the  humorous story of a series of non-stop adventures and romance between mild-mannered paleontologist "David" (Cary Grant) and a rich (yet not at all snooty about it) girl "Susan", a female who's both a little nutty, and also very sure of herself. 

And did I mention that along the way Susan adopts a leopard (named"Baby")? Don't worry, nothing bad happens to the kitty. There are also some great goofy scenes with a terrier named George to appeal to those of us who love everything about dogs.

The humor is both spot-on slapstick and verbal. The interchange between Grant and Hepburn has both chemistry and focus. It's one I keep in my collection and watch if I'm feeling blue or just need a pick-me-up.

I'd love to recreate this Howard Greer dress. It's a black and white striped beauty, fitting slim over the hips,and with artfully placed godets, falling from the hips at the side seams, and princess seams in front and back. Of course the contrasting horizontal stripes on the sleeves add to the overall effect as well. The bodice front is ornamented by only a simple mandarin collar, that keeps your eye on the swing of the skirt, as the madcap heiress rushes back and forth between Baby-the-leopard and Cary Grant. 

Hepburn's other outfits in "Bringing Up Baby" are fun and luxurious. They speak to the era.  But it's this classic dress that says timeless fashion. It's one I'd love to recreate it for a modern times, perhaps altering a few details to better flatter my own figure type.

Maybe I'll think about that some more, as I pop my dvd back in and watch it just one more time.

The ability to imagine and create timeless fashion based on vintage looks,  is just one of the things that keeps me... 

Enchanted by Sewing.

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