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the parisian coat
This project started when in a fit of madness I bought a French sewing pattern allegedly dating to the 1940s.
Those of you not interested in sewing, look away now.
If this coat were being sold in a shop window it would be labelled: Made in Scotland of pure Hebridean wool. Macclesfield silk lining; Czech glass buttons. Patron-Modèle pattern designed and cut in Paris, circa 1940. (And I would have to charge something like at least £800 for it, although it didn’t cost me anywhere near that much except in time and energy. There is nothing like making your own clothes to make you appreciate why good-quality stuff is so expensive.)
I haven’t been able to date the pattern accurately. It closely resembles other Patron-Modèle patterns dating to the mid-thirties, except that the picture on mine is a little more modern looking, and the price has gone up from 3 to 5 francs. However, on a similar postwar pattern purportedly dating to 1948, the price has suddenly soared to 55 francs. The giant inflation suggests a radical change in the market, or, well, A WAR, between the two patterns being issued. I haven’t got the strength of character required to do the detective work on French economics that would help me figure out this mystery, but I’m guessing my pattern dates to somewhere between 1937 and 1947. I think it’s probably just pre-war but I could be wrong.
Anyway it’s in French, so my first project was to sit there with my mother’s college French dictionary (handily dating to 1950) and translate the darn thing. Boy did I learn a lot of new words (facing, interfacing, lapel, pleat, etc.). I had the cloth to hand already, which I’d ordered for a different project but which had turned out to be heavier than I’d expected. I’d bought the lining from the Macclesfield Silk Museum at Paradise Mill many years ago and never did anything with it. The pattern made no contingency for lining, so I kind of made it up as I went along, using my old dress coat as a guide. Incidentally, I bought my old dress coat at Wanamaker’s in about 1987, and it is AMAZING how similar in style it is to this one.
Ladies’ coats are rather timeless, I have concluded.
When I’d finished laying out the pattern and followed the directions for increasing the size I was feeling extremely pleased with myself, and it wasn’t till I cut out the LAST PIECE - the pockets - that I realized there was no seam allowance included on ANYTHING.
And this is actually another thing that dates the pattern, because my 1948 pattern explicitly states to allow 3 cm around the pattern edges for a seam allowance.
I had to put it all aside for a few days while I considered this problem. (If you don’t sew and you haven’t fallen asleep, it means that once you’ve stitched everything together it will be SMALLER. My hands weren’t going to fit in the pockets.)
I ended up sewing the whole thing with 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) seams (which is extremely narrow), reinforced with zigzag stitching, and the zigzags reinforced with another seam - essentially I’ve sewn the entire coat together THREE TIMES. It is a little tight, but not impossibly so, or uncomfortable. If I hadn’t increased to the next size up before I cut the fabric, it would have been a disaster. I’m just so relieved that I can actually get the darn thing on.
Apart from that, the sewing wasn’t difficult. The instructions, once translated, are quite straightforward, and recognizable to anyone who’s done any modern dressmaking. They’re pretty terse, though - they fit on the outside of the pattern envelope, and no detailing is included - you’re expected to know how to do things like set in sleeves, pockets, buttonholes, etc. (They’re not even mentioned.)
I bought the pattern on eBay from ryphat, whose shop, Au Fil du Temps, specializes in antique French patterns (and other antique French stuff. Now you too, like Sara Crewe, can wear real Valenciennes lace). It seems a bit sinful to USE the pattern, and stick little tears and pinholes in it. But what a great way to acquire a vintage wardrobe!
Haberdasher’s secret tip: Decent PINS are a fantastic investment.
Those of you not interested in sewing, look away now.
If this coat were being sold in a shop window it would be labelled: Made in Scotland of pure Hebridean wool. Macclesfield silk lining; Czech glass buttons. Patron-Modèle pattern designed and cut in Paris, circa 1940. (And I would have to charge something like at least £800 for it, although it didn’t cost me anywhere near that much except in time and energy. There is nothing like making your own clothes to make you appreciate why good-quality stuff is so expensive.)
I haven’t been able to date the pattern accurately. It closely resembles other Patron-Modèle patterns dating to the mid-thirties, except that the picture on mine is a little more modern looking, and the price has gone up from 3 to 5 francs. However, on a similar postwar pattern purportedly dating to 1948, the price has suddenly soared to 55 francs. The giant inflation suggests a radical change in the market, or, well, A WAR, between the two patterns being issued. I haven’t got the strength of character required to do the detective work on French economics that would help me figure out this mystery, but I’m guessing my pattern dates to somewhere between 1937 and 1947. I think it’s probably just pre-war but I could be wrong.
Anyway it’s in French, so my first project was to sit there with my mother’s college French dictionary (handily dating to 1950) and translate the darn thing. Boy did I learn a lot of new words (facing, interfacing, lapel, pleat, etc.). I had the cloth to hand already, which I’d ordered for a different project but which had turned out to be heavier than I’d expected. I’d bought the lining from the Macclesfield Silk Museum at Paradise Mill many years ago and never did anything with it. The pattern made no contingency for lining, so I kind of made it up as I went along, using my old dress coat as a guide. Incidentally, I bought my old dress coat at Wanamaker’s in about 1987, and it is AMAZING how similar in style it is to this one.
Ladies’ coats are rather timeless, I have concluded.
When I’d finished laying out the pattern and followed the directions for increasing the size I was feeling extremely pleased with myself, and it wasn’t till I cut out the LAST PIECE - the pockets - that I realized there was no seam allowance included on ANYTHING.
And this is actually another thing that dates the pattern, because my 1948 pattern explicitly states to allow 3 cm around the pattern edges for a seam allowance.
I had to put it all aside for a few days while I considered this problem. (If you don’t sew and you haven’t fallen asleep, it means that once you’ve stitched everything together it will be SMALLER. My hands weren’t going to fit in the pockets.)
I ended up sewing the whole thing with 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) seams (which is extremely narrow), reinforced with zigzag stitching, and the zigzags reinforced with another seam - essentially I’ve sewn the entire coat together THREE TIMES. It is a little tight, but not impossibly so, or uncomfortable. If I hadn’t increased to the next size up before I cut the fabric, it would have been a disaster. I’m just so relieved that I can actually get the darn thing on.
Apart from that, the sewing wasn’t difficult. The instructions, once translated, are quite straightforward, and recognizable to anyone who’s done any modern dressmaking. They’re pretty terse, though - they fit on the outside of the pattern envelope, and no detailing is included - you’re expected to know how to do things like set in sleeves, pockets, buttonholes, etc. (They’re not even mentioned.)
I bought the pattern on eBay from ryphat, whose shop, Au Fil du Temps, specializes in antique French patterns (and other antique French stuff. Now you too, like Sara Crewe, can wear real Valenciennes lace). It seems a bit sinful to USE the pattern, and stick little tears and pinholes in it. But what a great way to acquire a vintage wardrobe!
Haberdasher’s secret tip: Decent PINS are a fantastic investment.
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And the buttons are beautiful.
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Now all you need is a Hat.
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http://eegatland.livejournal.com/85793.html?thread=1290273#t1290273
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If I had pins, I could use them to block my Laminaria when I'm done with it. Maybe I can get some when I go to town next weekend.
A bit late, but when I was a kid and my mom used multi-size patterns, she always traced the pattern onto different paper and used that to make the dress out of so that she could make a bigger size when I grew into it. As I recall, the tracing is annoying, but useful if you don't want to mess up the original pattern.
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Tracing is a good idea. Maybe I will do that with my next project, which is this:
(only I might take a rest before I start)
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I've been thinking that I may want to snag the star pattern for something sometime. Bigger yarn than the tiny-laceweight, because when I was knitting the stars, I thought they looked really nice, but next to the flowers you almost don't even see them.
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Dude.
It suits you, too.
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But you're saying this is almost too small? When you wear it, it looks really voluminous in the shoulders O.o
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It looks deceptively like a perfect fit, but it's defintely a little small.
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From a lurking fan...
I'm still hoping to make them buy your books, instead. My favorite (so far) is probably The Sunbird, though I'm also fond of the piece about the girl pilot in Africa in Firebirds.
Very much looking forward to the the new book, even if it doesn't come with the coat.
Also, I'm not sure what your reading habits are, but from your descriptions, your book seems like a good match for William Boyd's Restless about a woman who becomes a spy and what it takes to stop being one. I can't say whether you'd like it... but it seemed worth mentioning.
Re: From a lurking fan...
Up until this year I'd have said Sunbird was the best book I've ever written, but I now have to say that about CNV, so if you like Sunbird and the girl pilot story you'll probably be all over this new book. Yay. Hope you enjoy it.
I will check out Restless -- thanks for the rec!
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Overcome with emotion and jealousy
(Anonymous) 2011-09-27 11:10 am (UTC)(link)But this was Sewing Porn and I love it. And you continue to amaze and delight me.
Can't wait for Verity. Who's pubbing it in the States?
Jane
Re: Overcome with emotion and jealousy
sewing porn, yes, I see that it is!
Hyperion in the US, Doubleday in Canada, May 2012.
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I'm about to embark on a 1940s sewing adventure myself! I have this pattern (http://www.etsy.com/listing/73850268/1940-tailored-dress-simplicity-3408-bust). I plan to leave off the front pockets though, as those never look good on me. I will admit that I'm incredibly intimidated, but hoping that my modern sewing experience will get me through!
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http://www.oldpatterns.com/advanced.html
I found that the instructions were very easy to follow and I would guess that with a Simplicity pattern you won't have any trouble. Actually, I am in the middle of a 1940s Simplicity blouse, although the pattern seems to be a bit later than yours because it originally cost 25 cents rather than 15! Let me know how you get on with it - I would be delighted to give advice, although I probably won't be able to. Anyway, if you run into any mysteries feel free to ask.
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Coat
Re: Coat