VPLL Checklist for Ladies Afternoon Wrap #0291

1. Pattern Name Ladies Afternoon Wrap #0291
2. Sewer’s Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate, Beginner- Beginner
3. Pattern Rating: 1-Not a Fan, 2 – So-So, 3 – Good/Average, 4-Better than Average, 5-I LOVED IT! and why? 3. Good/average, The pattern is simple and quite dramatic with the feature of the four tassels. The wrap is comfortable and sits well on the shoulders and arms held in place by the front fastening and belt and weight of the sleeve tassells.
4. What skill level would someone need to sew this pattern and why? Beginner for plain fabrics if the wrap is not lined. Trying to get a professional finish for the wrap was most fiddly for the satin and silk cotton fabric I selected and to get the collar to sit evenly and correctly.  This was probably due to using incorrect serger tension that I had used to control the fraying fabric.  I needed to use my sewing machine walking foot earlier. Hand finishing was minimal but careful pressing was very important.
5. Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, but it did assume you knew what to do to ensure the collar points and front edge was aligned at the front seam.  I chose to line the wrap and followed the instructions for lining. If not, what needs to be changed? Advice on the collar fixing would be good with simple diagrams and marks on the front piece where  the collar is to align with would be good to ensure each collar point is even. The pattern layout picture showed 2 pieces cut out on the same fabric placement, that is incorrect.  I joined all the lining right sides together with the wrap fabric after fixing the collar first. I sewed the seams from the back neck down either side separately to even up the seam sewing line due to the  stretch of my misbehaving fabric. I left the bottom back open to minimise hand sewing and ensure all final checking was done before competing the last seam.
6. How was the fit/sizing? Did it correspond to what you thought? It printed out accurately to advertised size 34 inch waist.  The bust and shoulder darts did not need adjustment and fitted nicely. The pattern made up unlike the pattern diagram that shows the sleeve length well above the elbow.
7. Did you make any pattern alterations? If so, what alterations did you make? Where they fit or design alterations? I enlarged it to fit a non- Edwardian body shape to fit for a size 44 inch bust. Adding a few centimetres on each of the front panels worked well and spread the enlargement proportionally but I should have added more for an overlapping front.  I altered the fastening with two buttons with a ribbon loop.I made a belt that was wide enough to cover the button fasteneing and gatther in the waist a little, if I chose to wear it that way too. I lengthened the sleeves and I did not put in the waist gathers. I did not overlay the sleeve trim as the instructions said, as my trim fabric was transparent and showed the pattern through. I would have had to line the sleeve trim as well otherwise making it too thick to drape nicely. So I cut four sleeve trim bias strips and sewed two pairs together then added them on the end of each sleeve. This effectively lengthened the sleeves that then sat just past the elbows. I positioned each tassel along the middle seam line.
8. Other notes: I would recommend the best kinds of fabric to use. I would recommend this pattern to others as it feels wonderful to wear and looks exotic.  The belt  material I used was a wide indian bead embroidered trim that I lined with the same fabric as the wrap. It covers the two front buttons if I choose to wear it that way.

Conclusion: I will make this wrap again in a different fabric, it is very flattering and feels elegant to wear.

 

Final Blog Afternon Wrap #0291

The techinical difficulties of using very slippery and stretchy fabric took a lot longer to sort out after what I thought was good progress a few weekends ago. I was not satisfied with the collar and recut it using the lining fabric as the collar lining, as the fabric I chose- (a fine cotton silk blend) was far to floppy, very strechy, easily creased and didn't sit correctly when sewed to the satin.  The material needed a rounded needle too - I only had a sharp pointed set of needles.

The wrap without the belt

I ended up unpicking most of the work this weekend that  I had done and resewing it using a walking foot that gave a more even stitch by moving the fabric evenly under the foot.  I tried using it before on this wrap but it caught on the sile fabric, making uneven pulling marks, so I didn't use it.  Once I used the lining on the recut collar though, I could sew along the neckline with the walking foot without it catching the fabric.  Otherwise I would have to revert to sewing with tissue over the top of the fabric.

I still have problems with the seams stitch pulling along the seams under the arms. It sits well once it is ironed, but then contracts back again to look rumpled. When I wear it it is not so noticable. Part of the problem is my overlocker tention was incorrect for this fabric and tended to have a slight gather depending on the direction in which trhe fabri seam was sewn.

The white tassels using two large buttons

The white tassels were used to pick up a white fleck in the fabric pattern but looked very boring jyut hanging there. I used two white and gold buttons threaded through each of the 4 tassels cords placing the buttons back to back for additional interest.

Wrap fastening using two buttons and a ribbon

As I hadn't made the front quite wide enough to overlap as per the wrap pattern, I elected to compromise and have two orange and gold buttons placed under the each collar piece that were joined by a yellow ribbon that hooked over the buttion to hold the wrap together.

I have made a belt to go with this as another wearing option using the indian orange beaded border that I also lined with yellow lining same as the wrap.

Ladies Afternoon Wrap # 0291

After a few weeks break I can now start sewing on the VPLL 1912 Project again.

HINT: I now put all my VPLL patterns resealable A4 plastic bags, including my enlarged patten so I can see the pattern image at a glace, I have 2 pattern sizes available to me and all the instructions are kept neatly together

I selected some beautiful fabric and decided to be bold in the fabric colour and beaded trim for the belt and white contrasting tassels. I chose plain gold coloured satin lining.

The next step was to enlarge the 32 inch  pattern to fit a 44 inch with lengthened "sleeves", back width and waist to neck measurement.

I used a slash the paper pattern method and pinned the extra paper between the joins as you can see how it looks on the body form. 

I worked out where to cut the pattern for enlargement so it would minimise alterations for the collar other than length, using commercial patterns as a guide as to whether to alter the pattern. The final paper pattern was checked to fit, and adjusted against the body form adding a belt to see if the waist and slashes aligned.  

I also checked it with my trusty aqua curtain lining fabric by cutting out just one side only to see how it hung for length. I will then use this as my new  paper pattern template by transferring the final enlarged shape to tissue paper. 

WARNING: The #0291 pattern cut out guide has an error. The two front back pieces would cut out so two pieces would be the same side so watch out! They need to be cut out as be mirror images so that the right side of the material is the same on left and right sides


By enlarging the one 'front & back' piece so much, it would then not fit on the lining fabric in one piece, following the grain line guide. Knowing that changing the grainline without consideration of how the lining fabric would fall, I decided to cheat by cutting the shape separately adding the extra fabric on the back sleeve point see left -I'm sure no one will notice.










So here are the pieces all cut out and over locked (serged) but not sewn to show how it will look. The main fabric is actually inside out as I am checking how the main fabric and lining behaves when hung overnight incase they stretch differently.

The contrasting collar is very thin silk cotton and the main fabric is polyester satin. So I have some sewing stretch problems and the fabric is very slippery to sew.

I will add to this post tomorrow when I have sewn it together.