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Tasha Could Make That

Tasha Could Make That

Vintage knitting, sewing, and a lifetime of craftiness

Sewing with Doctor Who

March 1, 2016 by Tasha 31 Comments

Today’s outfit is just full of fun separates!

Sewing and Doctor Who

I love trying out new patterns, and sewing things that are more in the ‘on occasion’ variety. For example right now I’m finishing up a collared vintage dress, and it’s coming out great, I had an extremely crucial fitting “aha” moment in the muslin, but I don’t wear dresses with collars that often, even though this has a great one, and the back of the neck collar was really fussy to sew since I converted it to a center back zipper, and overall I just don’t see myself sewing that pattern very often.

But one of the things I strive for in my sewing life is a select number of mix-and-match bodices and skirts that I can combine, to either make dresses, or skirts on their own. I have only a few like this at this point (as tastes change), and I’m working on others.

This skirt is from McCall’s 3528, a dress pattern from 1955. I love the dress but wanted to try the skirt first. This is my first finished Vintage Pledge item this year. I re-upped for Marie and Kerry‘s challenge again (obviously!!) and decided to pledge my focus on 1950s patterns. I’ve been more into them lately anyway, especially with my new haircut it just feels right, so it seemed like the perfect fit!

McCall's 3528 (Copyright 1955)

I admit, I felt suspicious about the instructions for the skirt part of this pattern. All told, there are 4 huge squares that make up the skirt: 2 front, 2 back. For a total of 140 inches of skirt, not just at the hem but the waist, too (obviously as that’s how, y’know, squares work). You pleat the skirt with fairly deep pleats, and then you gather the skirt, pleats and all. I definitely gave the pattern a lot of side eye when I read that. Pleat and gather… 140 inches?! Ummm, okay. I figured my backup plan if it was just too much, was that I’d ditch one of the panels. I’ve seen plenty of vintage and vintage-inspired skirts with 3 panels (one center front, then side pieces that go to the center back, where the zipper is).

But hey, it actually worked!

gathering

I was going to use the trick of gathering with a zig zag basting stitch over a piece of yarn, but with the pleats in the mix, I started about 4 times and caught extra fabric in the basting each and every time, until I threw a hissy fit and decided to go the traditional way of 2 rows of normal basting stitches. And it was a challenge, but do-able. But I definitely spent more time gathering this skirt and pinning it to the waistband than about any other part of the skirt!

The result was worth it though. The drape is just stunning how it falls, even without a petticoat underneath (although I’m wearing one here). It’s a super full skirt which I like, although not exactly for daily wear. I work from home and no joke, skirts THIS full start sweeping things off the coffee table that’s near my desk when I walk by it. Hah! I guess that’s what happens when your house was build in 1955 and features small rooms. Also the reason I basically can’t stand anywhere to take indoor photos without moving something… in this case, the kitchen table. 😉

Sewing with Doctor Who

Sewing with Doctor Who

Due to the weight of the skirt, I find the waistband sits a liiiiittle lower on me than I’d like. I measured to make sure that it didn’t stretch unexpectedly, and it’s exactly the length I use on the majority of my skirt/pants waistbands when I’m going rogue with my own, so it’s the weight dragging it down. I mean, that’s a lot of fabric. So a wide stretchy belt holds everything nicely in place.

The skirt fabric is a Doctor Who print: yep, it’s a geeky skirt, through and through. Occasionally (okay, frequently) I feel compelled to search for particular themes of fabric and that day it was Doctor Who, so an Etsy search for “Doctor Who fabric” turned up this great TARDIS print!

Sewing and Doctor Who

(But for fellow Whovians can I get a collective waaaaah that there won’t be another full season until 2017? Sigh.)

Even if you don’t give a flying fig about Doctor Who, hopefully you can appreciate the lovely matching hot pink tee, another Agnes, made specifically to pair with this skirt of course. (Told you I planned to make many Lady Agneses!) I’ve shied away from pink since going back to being a redhead, but I realized with a soft pink lipstick it’s not bad. I’ve long since been someone who wore whatever the hell colors they wanted and “made them work” just because I liked them, so it’s kinda one of those times. This skirt just screamed a pink top to pull the pink out of the little swirls, so I’m glad I went for it.

Sewing with Doctor Who

In case you were wondering (you probably weren’t), the lipstick is Parisian Pink in Sonia Kashuk’s Satin Luxe Lipstick. I don’t buy a lot of drug store makeup but this and its matching lip liner were an impulse purchase at Target when I still had black hair, and I find I quite like it, both the color and the product itself. I’m still 98% a red lipstick gal but sometimes I want something a bit softer, and it definitely does the trick. I’m surprised in these photos I didn’t find myself thinking “well, that kinda works”… I actually do think it works. Although I still suspect I look more sallow in real life than photos show so maybe I like it better in pictures. But I’ll definitely be giving it more airplay after sewing this top!

pink Lady Agnes

Anyway, with this tee I got to try out a new product that I ordered from the UK, thanks to Jane’s mention it in a recent post on her Karen drape dress. It’s a bias-cut fusible tape called Vilene that’s absolutely perfect for necklines. I ordered it from Sew Essentials, and it was pretty fast shipping across the pond, and they had helpful and speedy customer service, too.

I do also have a couple of thin weights of fusible tricot (knit) stay tape from Emma Seabrooke, which she specifically says can be used around necklines, but thought it would be worth trying the Vilene. (For reference, I use fusible knit stay tape religiously for zipper insertions on wovens, and have started adding it to my hems in stretch knits.)

I like the Vilene a lot and of course it conforms to the curves perfectly, since it’s on the bias. Although I wasn’t sure exactly where to place it, so I tried to get its row of chain stitching about right at the 5/8″ seam allowance on my pattern, so the rest is towards the body. Seemed to work fine.

vilene

The fabric is a modal/rayon/spandex blend from Koshtex, and I love it. Plus the color is sooo saturated! Like pretty much any fabric that comes in my house with the exception of woolens, this went into the washer and dryer, and came out just as nice as it went in. Not much to say about this pattern that I didn’t say in my Lady Agnes post… this version has a plain neck instead of ruched, and the shorter sleeve length (I could stand to shorten it 1/2″, but otherwise really like the elbow length). So yeah, it’s a t-shirt, and I’m very pleased with it, and pretty much plan to sew one to match everything I own, the end.

Sewing and Doctor Who

I don’t geek out too much in my sewing, but this is obviously one of those times. And I couldn’t be happier about the whole outfit! Definitely big smiles all around from me for this one.

At the end of the day, if you enjoy having fun with your clothes, have some fun with your clothes. Even if it’s just for you to enjoy. Life is too short, fill it with as many things that bring you happiness and joy as possible! 🙂

(Now if it would just hurry up and get to spring so I can stop lamenting the fact that I have to shed one or two layers for all of my outfit photos right now, damnit!)

Sewing with Doctor Who

outfit details

 vintage skirt – made by me
Agnes tee – made by me
earrings – Desperate Beatnik
belt – Vivien of Holloway
shoes – BAIT Footwear Idas

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Filed Under: Sewing, Vintage Wardrobe Tagged With: finished projects, outfits, sewing with knits, vintage pledge, vintage sewing

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Retro Rover says

    March 1, 2016 at 9:21 am

    very cute i love dr who

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:15 am

      Thanks! And I do too. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kestrel Makes says

    March 1, 2016 at 9:59 am

    This is a great outfit! Love your matching top, the volume of that skirt and the cute earrings. Great tip on the Vilene tape too.

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:15 am

      Thanks, Kerry! The skirt volume is outrageous, isn’t it?! Definitely give the Vilene or something similar a try, I don’t know that it will always make a difference but this knit was kind of slinky, so the extra stabilization was much appreciated!

      Reply
  3. Caroline says

    March 1, 2016 at 10:00 am

    I love that outfit, I think you have managed to step the right line of ‘novelty’ without going into ‘little girl dressing up’ mode. And I love Dr Who too, can’t wait for next series! Bring back Missy I say …..!

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:13 am

      Thanks! Most of my outfits are novelty in one way or another, I just can’t seem to get away from it!

      (I love-hate Missy! 😀 )

      Reply
  4. Sherry says

    March 1, 2016 at 11:49 am

    I think you look lovely in that shade of pink. Now you have a decent fit on that pattern you can sew the rainbow, you can never have too many nice t-shirts!
    That is interesting to have pleats and gathers in the skirt. I sewed one that had several sets of four small pleats all the way around, it was so fiddly! Come to think of it, it may have been gathered as well, must go and check.

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:13 am

      Thank you! I am so thrilled to have a tee pattern I can now turn to again and again. The pleats and gathers thing really had me questioning, but I can understand it with the results, it just falls so perfectly on its own!

      Reply
  5. Akram Taghavi-Burris says

    March 1, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    The skirt and shirt combo are great! I love the colors, the print, the whole shebang!
    Nice job as always.

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:12 am

      Thanks! 😀

      Reply
  6. Kat says

    March 1, 2016 at 3:08 pm

    Gorgeous outfit! <3

    I'm with you on making colours you love work – and I really like that shade of pink with your red hair! They're looking great together 🙂

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:12 am

      Thanks, Kat!! I was surprised I didn’t mind this pink with my hair, I think it’s because this round I’ve been able to keep the really orangey red which I prefer, and last time I did it it started going more and more auburn, and that with my skintone made pink feel like a big ol’ nope. And this coming from a sallow person who constantly is drawn to grellows that I shouldn’t wear but I do it all the time anyway! 😉

      Reply
  7. tanyamaile says

    March 1, 2016 at 3:10 pm

    Just to let you know, I’m going to be copying you. I already have a TARDIS skirt (one from a Spoonflower design), but I so love this fabric, and what Whovian couldn’t use two Who skirts? 🙂 Yours just looks so fabulous on you! Such a wonderful pairing and a great backdrop as well. At least we have many episodes of Dr. Who past to console us until we can watch new ones!

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:08 am

      Yeeees!!! You better tag me when you do it, too, I can’t wait to see! I am all on board with two Whovian skirts, have to pass the time until 2017 in some way, right! 😉

      Reply
  8. Sonja says

    March 1, 2016 at 8:18 pm

    2017?!?!?!?! Noooooooo!!! Well, at least you can console yourself with this fun skirt! But wow, 140″ pleated and gathered? Scary! It looks amazing, although I bet it took forever to hem! 🙂

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:09 am

      I KNOW! Well actually that comment could be for either 2017 or all the gathers, lol! It did take forever to hem, thank goodness I did it by machine but still, I felt like that circle would never end!

      Reply
  9. Patty says

    March 1, 2016 at 10:31 pm

    ermergerd. I can’t decide what I love more, the utter perfection of that agnes (the sleeves! the tattoos!) or that awesome fabric!! And the shoes, too….

    On the Vilene (?? Did I spell right?) I love fusible woven interfacing – I can’t remember exactly what it’s called, but it’s actually WOVEN, like a really, super light muslin – almost gauze-ish. But fusible. I always trim my scraps into bias strips and keep those around for firming up around curves and such. A nice way to use up scraps!!

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:10 am

      Thank you!! I love the sort of in-between sleeve length of the shorter Agnes sleeve, a bit more coverage which I sometimes like. I think I have some fusible knit interfacing that sounds a lot like what you described, in fact I find myself using it a lot more than woven for some reason (probably because I have a lightweight woven but not THAT lightweight)!

      Reply
  10. Jane says

    March 2, 2016 at 1:54 am

    Absolutely gorgeous outfit Tasha, that shade of pink is a perfect match for your skirt. It was definitely worth all your effort gathering the skirt, I probably would have bailed out after about 20 inches! So pleased the vilene stay tape worked for you too. It’s the only stay tape that’s ever worked for me around necklines! xx

    Reply
    • Tasha says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:16 am

      Thanks, Jane! I was so so tempted to bail, especially with all those pins at each seam to anchor each section of gathers… it was kind of the pits! But it sure looks lovely now that it’s finished! And thanks for that Vilene tip, too, what a great idea!

      Reply
  11. drP says

    March 2, 2016 at 2:21 pm

    LOVE how your top and lippy match!

    Reply
  12. Hannah S says

    March 3, 2016 at 1:36 am

    Who cares about red and pink clashing? I think you look FANTASTIC in this colour! And oh my god the tardis print fabric is amazing!

    Reply
  13. Jenn says

    March 6, 2016 at 5:58 pm

    Super cute! I have dalek fabric to make pj pants foe my oldest son 🙂

    Reply
  14. Margaret says

    March 12, 2016 at 8:43 pm

    Such a gorgeous garment! You are an inspiration. Thank-you for sharing.

    Reply
  15. Krissi says

    March 14, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    What a gorgeous outfit! I love everything you’ve put together.

    Reply
  16. Adriana says

    March 20, 2016 at 11:40 am

    Love it! ?

    Reply
  17. Ellen Norman says

    March 22, 2016 at 6:45 pm

    Very cute! I grew up with Dr. Who 🙂 Love this blog!

    Reply
  18. Mary Anne says

    April 5, 2016 at 10:51 am

    “Tarda”-licious!

    Reply
  19. boocat says

    June 4, 2016 at 3:57 am

    Love the Whovian print! Great outfit; really turned out well.

    Reply
  20. Magpie says

    September 15, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    Wow! That skirt is AMAZING!

    I’d love to recreate it. Can you tell us how deep the pleats are, and what length you gathered it to? (I’m… Significantly larger than you, and I don’t think I could make 140in work like that 😀

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The TARDIS ESP Dress says:
    April 6, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    […] fabrics and often consider them, but I always end up leaving the bolts behind.  That was, until Tasha bought this retro TARDIS print and made a fabulous skirt with it!  I located it Hancock’s (still available online, although they are sadly going out […]

    Reply

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