Vintage Suit Sew-Along Progress

Well I started very very late, but I have started! You may remember my inspiration was this lovely light blue suit, worn by the Fabulous Marilyn Monroe in the movie Niagara.

One of the many reasons I had not yet started, was because I have been unable to locate more of the fabric I need. I searched both my local Spotlight's months ago, and was only able to find 1 suiting fabric in a light blue, but unfortunately there was only 1.1m of it left. I have since Looked for the same fabric at any Spotlight store I find myself near, but no such luck, it seems to be a discontinued colour. So I decided to just begin work on the jacket, and if I found more of it at a later date, I could make the matching skirt.

So if anyone is at Spotlight and finds Light Blue Stretch Suiting, please, please let me know!

So anyway, I began by pinning my pattern to my fabric to see if I would actually have enough fabric. I had just enough, I will only have to use my lining fabric for one side of my sleeve cuffs, which I can live with.

After I cut out all my pieces, I used the scraps to cut out squares for bound buttonholes, as well as circles to cover some self-cover buttons. The buttons I found in my stash are a bit different that the ones I usually use that use grooves in the button shank to lock in the back, these ones are just a really really tight fit, so it took a bit of force to get them all done

I began construction by stitching the darts in the front and back bodice pieces, then by marking and sewing the bound buttonholes in the right front side, using the tutorial from Sew Retro Rose. Once the buttonholes were mostly done (just the 2 layers the hand sew together later) I then sewed the shoulder seams together, pinned the side seams and tried it on (then put it on my mannequin) I was pretty happy with the fit so far.

I then stitched the elbow darts in the sleeves and set them in. My pattern has turned out having more fullness at the head of the sleeve than my inspiration, and I initially liked how they turned out, and was going to keep them, but now it's bugging me, so I will probably be unpicking them, trimming the sleeve heads and re-setting them a bit later.

I then turned my efforts to constructing the cuffs and collar. I began by applying interfacing to one side of each, then sewing each of them right sides together along the outside edge. The curves were then clipped and the cuffs and collar turned right side out and pressed. Then I pinned them on the mannequin to see how things were looking. I probably would have been better off with a small shawl collar to get the same look as the Niagara suit, but I think this one will still look pretty cute.

So now I am just working on the facings, and still have to cut out and construct the lining. And of course source fabric for, and make the skirt.

How is everyone else suits coming along?

Dixie