Keeping Warm - Wool Tunic Vogue 1456

I spent 3 wonderful days at a sewing retreat a couple weeks ago.  One of my project was Vogue 1456, a Sandra Betzina tunic, semi fitted top with front princess seams, zipper closure and artful draping with hidden pockets at the side hip. There is a vest and a tunic in the pattern. The front of the vest has different draping than the tunic.  For some reason, the line drawing does not include the 4 darts in the tunic lower back hem. 

I am a big Sandra fan , and always attend her workshops or seminars when they are offered locally. I was saddened to learn that she is retiring and will not be traveling after next year.  But given her age 70’s ( which surprised me)  I totally understand. I also hope I look as good, and dress as creatively as she does,  as I get older. 

The fabric used for the tunic on the front the pattern was a wool challis, mentioned by Sandra in a video (link below) , but not listed as a recommended fabric on the pattern envelope.  I just happened to have the same wool challis print in my stash, in two color ways; gray and black and green and black. Vogue Fabrics had the blue and black version for a while, but it is sold out.

My green challis print was a bright Kelly green, a “Yikes!  Not what I expected.”  online fabric purchase (FMF) surprise.   I had never dyed wool fabric before, always concerned that the required hot dye bath and slight agitation would change the texture (felt)  of the wool fabric .  But with this fabric I  had nothing to lose,  so  I simmered the fabric in a pot of  grey blue dye.  It successfully darkened the Kelly green somewhat and did not affect the fabric feel and drape.  The pattern calls for a 24 inch separating zipper.  Because only heavy jacket zippers were available locally, I  had to ordered a  light weight separating zipper from SewTrue
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 The tunic was a fun sew, in that there is some unique seaming and the  draping is different and not something I had done before.  The directions are fine, but I did refer to the illustrations a lot.  I also practiced the pleats on the pattern paper before doing it in the fabric.  There is a 2.5 minute preview of the tunic pattern available on Sandra’s Power Sewing site.  And a link to a full length  tunic construction video which is available to watch free for a limited time. Power Sewing Tunic Vogue 1456  She emphasizes interfacing the center front opening  to support the zipper and give tips on how to place the drapes if more room is needed in the hip area. Well worth watching.

Many of the retreat attendees that wandered by to see what I was working on expressed concern on the location of the drapes in the hip area, and that the silhouette would be unflattering.  The informal consensus at the ‘what do you think” modeling session; the semi fitted top nicely offsets the flare below the bust.  Drapey fabric is key to a successful version of this garment. Unless you are slim hipped, then you have the option to use fabric with more body.  The style is a bit too “different “for my casual business work environment, but is perfect  for wearing around the house on a weekend or for a outing with  kindred "creatives". It is fricken cold outside and very windy so unfortunately the photos were taken inside.



Vogue 1456

Vogue 1456 side

 

Vogue 1456 hidden pocket