Revisiting the 70's Disco Shirt + Painting Update!

Look, everybody, my garbage-find artwork is now hanging on the wall -- I was even inspired to declutter the surface of my credenza!



Michael and I decided the painting looked better there than above the sofa.  I'll have to find another painting in the trash for that wall.

In other news, I realized today what the wool challis print I bought yesterday reminds me of...





Yes, that much-maligned, iconic Seventies garment: the nylon disco shirt!  Let's take a walk down memory lane -- or rather, boogie on down it -- shall we?













Having been a teen in the Seventies, I remember these shirts all too well.  They were always slinky, always stinky, and absolutely everywhere.  I never owned one, but I will confess to possessing a pale blue, short-sleeve Qiana number, purchased in 1976 to take on a glee club trip, that was just as synthetic (as in, 100%).

How am I going to prevent my wool challis shirt from turning me into Tony Manero?  Note to self: do not wear with white polyester suit.



Anyway, I hand-washed and pressed my fabric, so I'm ready to start cutting.





With the help of MPB reader Michael C., I was able to identify design motifs in the challis taken from 19th Century Czech illustrator Alphonse Mucha.  Pretty cool, no?





That woman's face is just one of the bold designs in the print.  There are so many...too many?









And yet I still find this fabric very appealing; I don't regret my purchase -- yet.

Plus, I'm excited to be working with wool again.  But I'm hoping against hope I can create a garment that doesn't scream, Burn, baby, burn, disco inferno.

In closing, did you ever own a graphic nylon disco shirt in the 70's -- or perhaps date somebody who did?  Do you like the look of them?

It's all confidential here at MPB!

(Whatever happened to Donna Pescow?  Loved her on Angie!)

Challis Winters? + Garbage Find of the Month!

Friends, just look what I found in my building trash yesterday evening.

It's a large (48" x 36") abstract expressionist painting by the painter Gino Hollander.  If it looks like something that might have hung in a doctor's office or corporate lobby circa 1967, it's because a lot of his work did.  This piece is dated 1962.  You may have noticed that we have almost nothing on the walls aside from the odd spider web.

Hang it or return from whence it came?







In other news, there's new fabric in my life!

Have you ever sewn with wool challis?  I haven't, but I've always admired it, particularly in men's ties and women's scarves.  I bought two yards thinking I'd make a shirt.  The pattern is kind of Haight-Asbury does Art Nouveau, particularly the colors.  Any art majors out there able to describe it more accurately?









I can't decide whether this is something I want to tackle soon or to wait until the fall or winter.  (The fabric is lightweight but might be too scratchy to wear without an undershirt.)  I know I have a few other things in my queue but they may be pushed back (again), alas.

The design is a little out there, but look who chose it.  I think how I cut this is going to make a big difference in how it comes across in the finished garment.



Oh, before I forget: I don't know if this (below) is something to be happy about or not; it makes me a little nervous, frankly.  (Once you get that promotional, people start to expect it.)



I popped in briefly today but didn't buy anything; this will definitely be a stop on MPB Day.

Are you a Paron's person?

Have a great day, everybody!

Linen Pinstripe Drawstring Pants for Michael

Occasionally I buy fabric with a certain project in mind but end up using it for something else entirely.

Such was the case with this pinstripe linen.  Look closely at the weave.  Is this a knit, a crepe, or something else entirely?  It has a crepe-like texture (somewhat spongy) but it's very loosely woven.  It's shifty and prone to fraying -- a lot.





If it were a knit, wouldn't it be stretchy?  (It isn't.)  If it were crepe, wouldn't it be more densely woven?  The label on the bolt only said linen.



It's not worth going into what I originally thought I'd do with this, but after washing it I realized it had to be something very (very) drapey.  I decided to make drawstring pants, using the same vintage John Weitz McCalls pattern (5944) I'd use to make linen shorts last month.



The drawstring pants came out fine -- nothing to write home about but certainly worth a blog post.  I wish I'd thought about matching the pinstripes in the seat -- an unfortunate oversight, though it will probably be covered up with a shirttail most of the time.



I ran the stripes horizontal on the back pocket just to make things interesting.



I still have to make the matching drawstring, but here's the front view.  There's a front patch pocket too but it's hard to see since it's on the same vertical.





Black and white pinstripes are so closely associated with men's suits that they look a little strange to me as drawstring pants, but the pants very comfortable and would be a nice thing to wear to dinner at some beach resort -- I just have to get to some beach resort (end of August, I hope).

And that's it: another one-day project completed.

Have a great day, everybody!

PS - Any idea what my linen weave is?

Hello, VLOGGY!

Friends, once again I am delighted to present my latest VLOG extravaganza.

You'll hear all about the week that was: the triumphs, the heartache, the joy and the sorrow (not too much sorrow this week, fortunately) -- all displayed in full-color and HD, and condensed to less than eight minutes.  So get yourself a big box of popcorn, put your feet up, and enjoy. 

As always, if you're watching on a portable device or wish to watch full-size on YouTube, click here.



Have a great day, everybody!

FINAL Williwear Post: Michael Rocks It!

OK, so Michael insisted he get to model McCalls 8536, the vintage Eighties Willwear top.  Or somebody insisted...

I think it looks great on him.  Something about the camo shorts and the black glasses balances the Dorothy Zbornak vibe, don't you agree?





Fabric this treacly benefits from a bit of an edge.



Even with dark shorts, on me it's dated looking and, as one of you pointed out, my neck may be too long for the no-collar thing.  I look bird-like.



On Mary Porter, well -- it's not a fair comparison.



What do you think, readers?  I'm out of the "who wore it best" running, but how about between Mary and Michael?

I think it's time to put this garment behind me and move on.  I may -- may -- attempt this one more time this summer, perhaps narrowing the torso, raising the armhole, and using a less dated-looking fabric. 

But is it worth the trouble?

Have a great day, everybody!

Meet Mary Porter!

Friends, I am delighted to introduce my new colleague here at MPB, veteran sewing instructress Mary Porter!

A native of Newburgh, New York, Mary just ended a ten-year run at downtown Newburgh's recently shuttered So Sew! fabric store.  Mary loved to demonstrate the Janome sergers and really knew how to move the poly fleece out the door.

Mary is going to help me improve my sewing skills and I'm hoping she'll share some of her extensive knowledge with you too.



 



When she's not sewing, Mary runs the library cart at the St. Francis Hospital and Health Center on North Hamilton Street, Poughkeepsie.  A retired elementary school nurse, Mary lives alone with her mischievous chihuahua, Miss Millie.

Today Mary models McCall's 8536, a beautiful summer smock top, done up in slimming pastel stripes!



Mary and I have a short history, but if you've met Mary at So Sew! and can share more of her biography, please do.  Mary won't mind, or know: she doesn't own a computer.

Expect to see more of Mary in the weeks ahead!

Have a great day, everybody!