THE WOMAN OF 1931

If you've been following the blog, you know that I am making a costume based on a McCall's pattern copyrighted in 1931.

Let me tell you about the woman for whom this pattern was designed. She's probably 5'7", long-waisted, flat-chested and painfully thin. Her hip and bust measurements vary little from her waist measurement. She has likely not borne a child. She looks just like the model on the pattern. (See entry Sept. 20)

So, it's not surprising that I – a person of 5'2" and matronly figure – am struggling to make this pattern work on my well-nourished, short frame. Let's just say it will be fine if I wear a binder instead of a bra, squeeze into a girdle, and lose 20 pounds. Modesty forbids my providing a photo of the initial fitting.

Hallie and Mike provided suggestions for altering the dress. They both thought an underarm panel might provide the necessary inches to get the bodice over my bosom. Try not to change the underarm, Hallie said, so you won't have to alter the sleeve. I tried, but unfortunately the relation of my bust to my underarm area made it necessary to add that inch and a half into the entire seam. The 1931 woman has no bosom and the one dart starting at the waist ends some place under her collarbone -- most strange. So, I also shortened the dart two inches which had a positive effect even though it didn't really provide more room. Having stitched the panel into place, I rejoiced that I was then able to ease the skirt onto the bodice.

Hallie hasn't had a lot of sewing experience so I'm always surprised at her understanding of alterations. I've been thinking today of a time when she was probably 16. I came home to find her sewing a new cover for the dog's pillow. She had driven to Jo-Ann's after school and bought fabric in an appropriate dark color. She ripped the zipper out of the old cover and sewed it into the new and she was just finishing the cover as I walked through the door. I was quietly amazed. Even though projects like that seem simple to others, I struggle over them. "Did you use the zipper foot?" I asked her as I examined what I knew to be her first zipper installation – and a darned good job it was. "There's a zipper foot?" was her reply. KW