On a Skirt for Spring and Making a Scalloped Waistband

Over the past several months I seem to have been sewing up a storm of spring and summer clothes. And this past week, after finishing a 1950’s sundress, I decided I would revisit Simplicity pattern 3773 for a third time, using some wonderfully lovely cherry blossom print I bought a few months ago. As some of you will remember, this was the pattern I wrote about improvising last summer here. Well, once again I did not have enough fabric (this print was subtly one directional, which I didn’t notice when I bought it) and went through that process again. Then I decided that I wasn’t going to use a zipper or snaps for the side opening, but that I was going to use buttons and hand-stitch the holes.

I didn’t have enough printed fabric for the waistband, so I went with green and while I was at it decided that I wanted a scalloped waistband not a straight one as the pattern called for. Having never done a scalloped waistband and owning no patterns with one, I sat down at the computer to do some research and found almost nothing of any help. I remembered several other bloggers having either worn or made skirts with the scallop in front, so I searched for a few of those pictures to use as a reference and went to work drafting my own pattern piece.

First, I measured a piece of tissue paper to match the length of the original waistband. For the width, I made it a bit wider than the original because I wanted to allow room for the arches on scallop, in addition to the fact that I wanted a slightly wider band anyway.

(Click to Expand)

On the original pattern the center line is marked, which I transferred to mine so I would know where the dip of the scallop should go. I also marked the seam allowance at the bottom. Next I sketched out half the scallop to one side of the center line. Then I folded the piece in half on the center line and traced the other side, which gave me matching arches. Having done that, I went around the top edge and marked the seam allowance. 

Next I cut out two pieces, stitched them together along the top (NOT the bottom or sides), and clipped the curves. While I don’t know if it was really necessary, I added interfacing to the scallop so it would lay flat instead of flopping forward.

 

After that I followed the pattern instructions for attaching it to the skirt.

(While this is not a terribly wonderful set of instructions, if know of anyone else who might find this helpful, feel free to share the link)

Of course, now having a scalloped waistband, I wanted scalloped pockets! (Just think of it as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie sewing project) I drafted another pattern, made bias tape out of the same green fabric I used on the waistband for the curves, and sewed them on. Finally, I made more bias tape for the hem and…viola, finished skirt!   

Happy Spring!

♥♥♥

On “I Capture the Castle”: A Book Review

First off, let me say that the past few weeks have been somewhat busy for me, including being sick, becoming thoroughly engrossed in making a new dress (post to come soon), and then experiencing a brief bout of writer’s block, so if this review seems a bit stiff please forgive me, I promise that future ones will be better.

To start off my series of what will hopefully be monthly book reviews, I have chosen one of my most favorite books, I Capture the Castle, written by Dodie Smith (author of The Hundred and One Dalmatians) in the 1940’s.

About the book…
I Capture the Castle follows the lives of the Mortmain family as seen through the eyes of 17 year old Cassandra Mortmain, who opens her narrative with the ever wonderful line of “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” and who has every intention to capture what goes on around her. Living in a dilapidated castle that they haven’t paid rent on for years, the Mortmain family has a number of problems ranging from leaky roofs and lack of furniture to, foremost and most pressing, almost no income. However, with the death of their landlord and the arrival of his two grandsons, Cassandra and her family are about to experience some changes for the better.

What I think…
I really love everything about this book from the characters to the setting to the plot. While it is a quick and light read, it isn’t one that you can just breeze your way through without paying attention; however, it is what I’d refer to as relaxing. I enjoy the fact that  I Capture the Castle is written as a journal, as it seem to me that there are so few authors who write novels in first person and do it well, and in the case of this book Smith did an excellent job. It’s funny and romantic, but neither genre is to the extreme where they dominate the book or allow it to be classified strictly as one or the other. It would definitely be considered a coming of age story, though. As a final point, there is a nice variety of character types presented, which really adds to the story. Some are more down to earth, others are more aloof and artsy, they range in age, they have differing opinions, they are both sensible and silly (if they were real, I’d be more than happy to become friends with almost any of them). And without a doubt, Cassandra, with her thoughts on her family and friends, is most certainly one of the more amusing and quirky narrators you’ll encounter in your readings.

To sum it all up…
I Capture the Castle is beautifully written with lovable characters, an engaging story line, and a number of delightful incidents (one of my favorites involving a bear skin coat) and is a book that I happily revisit again and again and am always ready to recommend.♥