Doomed Dress Two ... despite Prada stilts and Wisteria

This'll have to be quick, otherwise my pride and vanity will get the upper hand and it won't get published at all. 

This blog fermented for quite a while before actually being fledged so although we're now in December, from the wisteria blooming in the photographs it's clear that they were taken around March (2015).

Because in recent blog photos there is slightly less of me than you see here, I'd like to explain. Around August 2015 I struck upon an effective formula which targeted and reduced my post-menopausal bazoomers and backfat by 5kg. It involved consuming bananas, magic porridge and 14% alcohol red wine! I call it the WIN-WIN-WINE DIET. More details on the WWW in a future post!!! 

So, after a 20 year break, I was on a renewed sewing journey, but I found myself in modern, alien territory as I knew nothing about sewing stretch fabrics. I adopted a full-onslaught approach which involved sewing up various "stretch" items in fast succession and, if they were failures, I would excuse them as "wearable toiles". 

Infused with hope and optimism I made out-of-print pattern Vogue 7519 view C. 

OOP Vogue 7519

Goodness knows why I loved this pattern so much when I bought it back in the early 90s. I suppose the overall silhouette is pleasing, but to be fair to the novice sewest (that's me) it has some nasty design flaws.

The bodice is lined with a compatible stretch fabric. This means that the upper and lower centre seams and the lower bodice seams are all brought to meet at a point in the centre. This creates a great wadge of fabric which bulks out the dress around the central midriff area.

Note the unflattering bulky fabric wadge at the centre midriff

This is something even the most sylphlike amongst us, strive to avoid. Then again, WHY stabilize the neckline?  Isn't it a dress designed for stretch fabric? I obeyed .... of course I did! Well, I didn't know any better did I? And the result is a dress that would love to drape from the neckline down, if it were only unfettered by excessive use of Stay Tape (and an excessive amount of me)

Don't know what I've got to look so pleased about!!

The pattern was size 8-10-12, so I developed it up to a size 14 as that had more or less worked with my first-blogged Lagerfeld dress  
 http://sarsaparillasal.blogspot.it/2015/12/a-flit-across-alps-what-i-didnt-wear.html

I made it in a mystery mid-weight, crepey, stretch  fabric which had seemed attractive on the bolt. I'd liked the prettiness of the flowers with the contrasting black stripes, but it was ill-adapted to become this dress. When I was placing the pattern pieces, I tried to manipulate the stripes in order to create an optical illusion of slenderness about my person once the dress was made up. Utter failure!!! and I'm ashamed to add too that in placing certain pieces, I even gave in to the temptation of straying off-grain (oooh, what lengths vanity will push a sewest to!!!) 

Nope, the "slimming" placement of those black lines just isn't working, is it?

Pose all you like Sal ... you're not fooling anyone

Will you just look at how I laboured to match up those stripes on the skirt?

"These stilts weren't made for walking"

Oh, ridiculous stilts, why do I love you so? You're far more "slip-downs" than sling-backs!

My Prada stilts also suffer from design flaws

I wore this dress with my lovingly preserved Prada platform sandals and far too much bling. I bought them back in 2003 when La BombaRossa (see the "I'm Sally" page) 
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4007848672438884658#editor/target=page;pageID=194777971145637601;onPublishedMenu=pages;onClosedMenu=pages;postNum=2;src=pagename      
was attempting a brief stand against the soon to dominate Mrs. Blobby.

On that occasion La BombaRossa's supremacy was short-lived ... as was this dress. I can't tell you how much I disliked it. Soon after this I took my fabulous Kai shears to it and now I have (the possibility of)  a skirt - and a uselessly miniscule bolero. I'm not promising that either will ever win a place in my wardrobe.

Ah, but despite everything .....

..... the wisteria was lovely

This Blog is pro-autism,

Thank you, Sallyxx

Taffetà Vintage e la Festa Più Felice

Domenica scorsa Umberto ha fatto una festa.

Questo foto fuori foco si chiama "ART"

Pure i suoi fratelli Filippo e Camilla hanno fatto una festa il giorno prima, e tutti i loro ospiti hanno pernottato qui. Hanno tolto i numerosi materassi dal tetto dove vengono immagazzinati tra una festa all'altra, e dopo avermi dato una lista della spesa e un invito per uscire quella sera, hanno fatto tutto loro.

Ma, sentivo che anche Umberto doveva avere una festa per sè, ma visto che lui è autistico, l'organizzazione della sua festa richiedeva più coinvolgimento da parte mia.

Umberto adora Natale

quasi quanto lui adora andare sul treno a vapore ogni estate in Inghilterra,

 ed è rimato entusiasta quando l'ho proposto una festa.

Ma, chi invitare? Lui non ha "amici", anche se va d'accordo con tutti che lo conoscono. Lui frequenta la Scuola Alberghiera a 10 minuti di distanza da casa a Bardolino sul Lago di Garda, dove è ben accetto dai suoi compagni. Ma, fuori della scuola loro non si connettono con lui. Oggi giorno c'è la cultura di gratificazione istantaneo, e Umbi dà poca soddisfazione in questo senso. Al telefono lui ascolta con attenzione, ma quasi non parla, e lui non utilizza FaceBook e non manda gli SMS. Lui sembra contento di rimanere nel suo santuario a casa. E' una fortuna che lui ha la compagnia dei suoi fratelli, ma io sono sempre cosciente che deve essere pesante per lui dover rimanere sempre sotto la nostra sorveglianza. Oramai, ha sedici anni!!! Certo che come mamma mi ama, ma immagino che scoppia dalla voglia di essere liberato un pò da me! Così, ero felice quando è stato incluso in una squadra di ragazzi locali che vanno portati a nuotare una volta alla settimana. Adesso, mentre che aspettiamo l'arrivo del pulmino ogni giovedì sera, il suo senso di sollievo di poter partire senza di me, mi è quasi tangibile.

Il corso di nuoto finisce con delle gare tra squadre che vengono anche dall'estero. L'anno scorso sono venuti da Israele, Germania e Danimarca.

Umberto quasi scoppiava di gioia mentre aspettava l'avvio della gara.

Subito che è stato lasciato dalla sua allenatrice, lui si è tuffato in fondo alla piscina dove ha nuotato, avvolto dal silenzio e equilibrio dell'acqua per circa 15 metri. Poi, è tornato a galla e dopo di avermi trovato tra i spettatori, mi ha dato un felice segnale con il pollice in su, e ha continuato, scoordinato, a vincere la gara.

Umberto il Vincitore

Allora, ho chiesto un aiuto con la Festa Natalizia di Umbi, dagli organizzatori del corso di nuoto.

Qui chiedo scusa per le foto. La mia macchina fotografica non era all'altezza - ma visto che a casa nostra il sacco di Babbo Natale è profondo solo quanto le mie tasche, temo che dovrò aspettare ancora un pò per una migliore.

Ciò che abbiamo indossato.

Una domanda per quelle che lo sanno: 

A che punto si può considerare un articolo Vintage piuttosto che solo "vecchio"??

Era poco inverosimile che dessi il titolo " Taffetà Vecchia e la Festa più Felice" a questo Post. E' ovvio che spero che la mia giacca anni 1987 (più o meno) passi per "Vintage".

Allora, quando l'ho cucito, era la terza volta che ho usato questa carta modello Vogue 1614.   .

Le versioni precedenti erano capotti invernali, ma quando avevo circa 26 anni, ho ricevuto come regalo questo taffetà di seta dal mio adorato amico Jon,  http://www.jonrhodes.co.uk/     e ho deciso di aggiungere una fodera di raso oro e fare una giacca.

                 

Le super-spalline nel modello originale sono tipiche dei anni 80, e li avevo rimossi qualche anno fa con il risultato che adesso le maniche sono troppo lunghe. Pazienza!!!

Quando ho cucito questa giacca, ho pensato che, data la relativa leggerezza della taffetà, non aveva bisogno di tanta struttura, ma questo è stato un errore. I risvolti sono profondi e adesso quello a destra soffre di una cronica arricciatura (che ho rimediato con l'uso di una spilla).

Oggi giorno non ripeterei questo errore grazie alle lezioni della Blogger Erica Bunker

http://www.ericabunker.com/2015/09/introducing-amazing-coat-sew-along.html                

Se si nota una luce maniaca nei miei occhi è dovuto al fatto che in casa abbiamo fatto due feste adolescenti in due giorni!!! In più devo ancora imparare a maneggiare questo nuovo taglio di capelli. L'insieme crea un "Look" abbastanza demente  :)

Il mio vestito "sottoveste" preferito

"Umbi ....STAI FERMO!!!"

Ho indossato stivaletti italiani di pelle morbidissima, insieme al mio preferito vestitino stile sottoveste in raso di seta tagliato sbieco. E' un vestito più buffo che "sexy",

con spalline che si possono aggiustare, con balza e targhetta esterna"077" sul retro che presta un tocco di ironia.

Forse si potrebbe dire che a 55 anni è meglio che una donna copra le braccia, ma io non sono d'accordo. Oramai, d'estate in Italia fa troppo caldo per vestiti con le maniche. Allora, se mi va,  resto senza maniche anche in inverno!. La collana era un regalo da un'amica che si è trasferita in Canada. Cinzia è attrice, speaker e dinamo di creatività: Dove l'Italia ci perde, Vancouver ci guadagna!

Umbi ha indossato la sua T-shirt preferita.

Umberto with Filippo

Lui adora il Grinch - ma anche Scrooge, e ho un idea che la sua predilezione è più per l'energia che Jim Carey dà a questi personaggi.

Gli ospiti di Umberto sono arrivati insieme ai loro genitori e tutti i volontari coinvolti nella squadra di nuoto, e tutti hanno contribuito con piatti squisiti, fatti in casa per arricchire il buffet.

Poi, l'indomabile Jack, l'autista che guida il pulmino, ha fatto un risotto per i 35 ospiti.

Abbiamo fatto il "gioco" simpaticissimo di "Secret Santa" - una specie di tombola che ha scaldato gli animi e aumentato il divertimento di tutti.

Aspettando il "Secret Santa"

Umberto era felicissimo di stare tra i suoi amici - anche se a volte il rumore lo ha spinto a tappare le orecchie.

E' stato un privilegio ospitare per una serata questo gruppo di persone eccezionali.

Grazie a loro è stata

LA FESTA PIU' FELICE

Questo Blog é pro-autismo.

Grazie, Sally

Vintage Taffeta and the Happiest Party

Last Sunday Umberto threw a party.

I'm calling this out of focus shot "Art"

Actually Filippo and Camilla held a party too, on the previous evening and almost all their guests slept over 'til Sunday morning. Well it made sense, coming from Verona as they had out to where we live in the sticks; and it gave all the mattresses I've collected over the years for the purpose and stored in the roof, their annual airing

(please note guys, I NEVER  provide bedding!)

So, that was all pretty straightforward. Fil and Cami are twenty and eighteen. They already knew who they wanted to invite, and after issuing me with a shopping list and an invitation to be elsewhere on the night, they got on with preparing the music, food/beverages and ambience themselves.

But, I felt Umberto needed a party too and as he's autistic, organising it required a different approach.

Umberto adores Christmas.

He loves it almost as much as riding on steam trains in England. 

When I suggested a Christmas Party to him he was very enthusiastic.

Decorating the tree is a family affair

The trouble was, Umberto doesn't have "mates" to invite. I suppose encouraging socializing is a common challenge for the parents of autistic adolescents (and non).  He has fulltime one-to-one assistance which enables him to attend a mainstream Professional Hotel School just 10 minutes away in Bardolino on Lake Garda. He's well accepted by his school companions, but they don't connect with him beyond school hours. After all, they're only big kids too, and they're too busy working out how they fit into this world to be thinking about involving Umbi too, however briefly, in their social lives. To be fair, in our modern culture of "instant gratification", Umbi gives little satisfaction. On the phone, he'll listen intently but barely responds verbally. He doesn't use FaceBook or send texts. He seems content to remain in the sanctuary of home.

Luckily he has grown up with a brother and sister for company, but I'm acutely aware of how cloying it must be for him to constantly have to stay under our (but particularly my) surveillance. He's sixteen for goodness sake!!! Much as he loves me, he MUST be desperate to get away from me too! So, I was delighted when last Spring he was included in a swimming team made up of a mixed group of local "boys and girls" who get picked up from home by minibus once a week. His relief at being given the opportunity to leave without me, as I see him off for the pool every Thursday evening, is almost tangible. The swimming course culminates in the Summer with a day of races between teams which also arrive from abroad. Last year there were teams from Israel, Germany and Denmark.

Umbi could hardly contain his joy as he waited for starters orders

As soon as his trainer released his hand, he dived down to the bottom of the pool. He swam along for 15metres, enveloped in the peace and equalibrium of underwater. Then he surfaced, sought me out amongst the spectators, gave me a jubilant Thumbs Up, and spalshily swam on, in an uncoordinated mass of limbs, to win his race.

Umberto is Triumphant.

So it was to the fantastic squad of volunteers, who make the swimming course a reality, that I turned for help in organising Umbi's Christmas party.

What we wore:

Apologies for the photographs. My camera was sorely tried by the indoor lighting - but as Santa's sack around here is only as deep as the depth of my pockets permits - I'll need to wait a bit longer before I can upgrade. Please bear with it :)

So, a question for those in the know: 

When does "old" qualify as Vintage??

There's was no way I was going to entitle this post "Old Taffeta and the Happiest Party", so it's clear I'm hoping to get away with passing off my 1987ish taffeta jacket as "Vintage". Back then when I made it, it was the third time I had used this Vogue  1614 coat pattern.

The first two versions were winter coats, but when (still in my twenties) my darling friend Jon    http://www.jonrhodes.co.uk/   gave me some shot silk taffeta, I just added a gold satin lining and flaps to the pockets and made this jacket.

An inside out shot showing gold satin lining, patch pockets with self flaps, lapel flop .... and how much I hate ironing

The shoulderpads in the original design immediately give it away it's 80's origins, and I'd already removed them a few years ago (which then made the sleeves too long - argh, what the heck!).

This was as poised as I could manage, with Cami hissing urgently,
"Mum, there are people here!!!"

As this was a far lighter fabric than the coating I'd used for my first two versions, I'd thought I could get away with less structure in the lapels. I was wrong. These are pretty deep lapels and the right side has a chronic case of Flop,

Lapel Flop

... so I've used a brooch to pin it in place.

Thanks to that Sewing Sorceress Erica Bunker and her Coat Sewalong, I now know better. IIf you're interested in seeing how it's done, you should scoot over there ...

http://www.ericabunker.com/2015/09/introducing-amazing-coat-sew-along.html

Two back-to-back teenage parties in as many days were responsible for the manic glint in my eye. This, coupled with having just had layers cut into my hair (which hadn't quite settled into its new shape), lends a demented quality to my overall "look".

My favorite slip dress and demented hair

Umbi had just been commanded by his brother to 
"STAND STILL"

I wore it with Italian made bootees in the softest black leather, and my favorite little slip dress given to me a few years ago by a very stylish friend, together with miscellaneous other of her cast-offs. Although it's a bias cut black silk satin, it doesn't take itself seriously enough to be "sexy".

The neckline is flatteringly scooped but its adjustable straps ensure good underwear coverage and help avoid arm cleavage. The frill lends it girliness, and the unexpected addition of the exposed "077" label on the back adds a touch of irony.

I suppose there could be a case against 55 year old, upper-arm exposure, but I can't give it any credence. I live in Italy. In summer it's too hot for sleeves, so I'll go sleeveless in winter too if I like.

My pearl and bronze necklace was a pre-emigration gift from a neighbour before she left for a life in Canada. Cinzia is an actress, artistic commentator and a dynamo of creativity.

Italy, your loss is Vancouver's gain.

Umberto with Filippo

Umbi wore his favorite Christmas T-shirt. He loves the Grinch, but then he also loves Scrooge and I think his predilection is more for Jim Carey's acting which infuses these characters with an energy that resonates with him.

Umberto's guests brought their parents who all kindly contributed delicious homemade dishes for the buffet, and they were joined by all the volunteers also involved with the swimming team. The indomitable Jack who drives the minibus whipped up risotto for 35 guests, and although a Secret Santa was a new concept for everyone, it added fun, excitement and anticipation to the evening.

Waiting for the "Secret Santa" game

Umberto loved having his friends around him, though at times the noise of gaity forced him to block one - or both ears.

  It was a privilege for us to host an event for a group of such exceptional guests

They made this truly

THE HAPPIEST PARTY

This Blog is pro-autism.
Thank you, Sallyxx