Down the rabbit hole

If you do any kind of serious sewing, at some point you're going to hear someone mention "Gertie's Patreon". Gertie is the person behind Charm Patterns, and you've already met one of those on this blog; it was the Cinch-It Dress, which we used for Alice. However, if you go looking for them online, what you'll probably find is eight of them (or around that number), whereas in fact there are many more than that - over 100 in total. To get hold of most of them, you're going to have to subscribe to this Patreon (which is handily linked from their website). Having said that, you don't have to stay subscribed; you can subscribe for a month, which immediately gives you access to their back catalogue, which means I've just picked up nine patterns for less than £1 a throw... which is not bad.

Gertie specialises in vintage chic. She's also very size-inclusive, and that includes cup sizes (if you recall, the Cinch-It came in cup sizes from A to H - presumably American cup sizes, so that's A to G over here, but still very impressive - and that is standard for, I think, all the patterns). Because this is a subscription service, she asks that we keep the details and photos confidential, which is totally reasonable. However, I'm quite sure she wouldn't object to my describing the patterns in general terms, especially since this might well tempt a few people to have a closer look!

The pattern that originally grabbed my attention enough to make me want to sign up was the Drama Club cape. Much as I love my Harry Cape, I'm well aware that it won't last for ever and eventually I shall have to make a replacement, and I can't cope with the thought of tracing all those pieces again (I would have kept the traced pieces, but at least one of them had to be cut into for a lining piece, and some of the other pieces got damaged by accident). The Drama Club cape is possibly even more elegant, as it is like a jacket (or waistcoat) and cape all in one, with a big 1930s-style collar and belted button front. Of course, it also has pockets, which are now as much of a sine qua non for me in a cape as they are in a pair of trousers (I do, after all, need to put my keys somewhere). It can also be made in a variety of fabrics, so I could make a summer wet-weather version (it does, very occasionally, rain here in the summer). It is also breathtakingly stylish and short enough to be scooter-friendly.

The Barbie top and the Francie top are fairly similar, except that the second one has a funnel neck and the first one doesn't; both are good basic knitted tops with the possibility for a lot of variation, and, honestly, you can't have too many good knitted top patterns.

The Charm School Uniform dress is really exciting because it is a dress (of sorts) that I can wear; the pattern says you can make it as a "jumper dress", which clearly means a pinafore, or as a skirt. But, and here's the fun bit, the pinafore has a deep V neck going right down to the waist, and below that it's a button-through skirt... so if I need to check Sibyl urgently, I can. It almost looks like a skirt and waistcoat. If and when I make this, I'll have to frob the skirt so it's longer and less full, but skirts are not hard to frob.

Then there's the Frenchy peignoir set. I mean, who doesn't like a pretty nightwear set? I am not sure if I'm going to make any of the nighties because I very much love my Bravissimo cup-sized ones (out of which I do not spill in any circumstances, which is important), but a robe to go with them would be really nice. Like all these patterns, this one has a lot of variations. What they did to make the versions they illustrated was to use semi-sheer white nylon and then dye the results in different colours, because nylon dyes so well. I'm thinking along the lines of Minerva's super-cheap Core Range chiffon and light crepe fabrics, both of which come in a bewildering array of colours, most of which are the same (so if, for instance, I want a burgundy, I can easily get the same colour in both fabrics). Cheap, cheerful, light, floaty, and ideal for this sort of thing.

The Grace bodice is an interesting one; it's designed as the top half of a dress, but I'm obviously not going to make it like that. It is a lovely thing, with a sheer top and sleeves (if you're giving it sleeves - there's a sleeveless version) and a collar and placket. So that it can be made into a dress, it probably has a back zip. I'm thinking take that out, loosen it a bit at the base, and make it a bit longer, because it would make a wonderful formal blouse without having to do the full-length button placket. But I am quite in love with the long sheer bishop sleeves!

The Peter Pan bolero is, effectively, a cute and stylish little short cardigan with a Peter Pan collar and a single neck button. I could make it in a light sweater knit fabric, or I could even convert it into a knitting pattern (that would work, but I certainly haven't time to do it at the moment). It's got quite a 1940s vibe to it.

I nearly scrolled right past the Swing Coat till I noticed there was a short version. In a scooter I do prefer a cape - I like to have my arms free; so I don't know if I shall ever actually make this one, but it is an outside possibility, and an elegant one at that.

And, finally, the pattern you can't see on the screencap: the Vargas panties. I have seen, and summarily rejected, so many knicker patterns, because they're either a) too boring or b) too frilly in the wrong places. (I do not want frilled elastic round the leg holes. Frills elsewhere, maybe, but round the leg holes I want no added bulk at all, or it can get uncomfortable.) These, however, I just looked at and thought... this is it. This is the knicker pattern I didn't realise I was looking for. As always, there's a whole slew of possible variations, and it comes in size "please eat something now" to size "Wagner soprano".

Now, obviously, these are all PDFs, and I have posted before about my reservations regarding those; some of them may just have to wait till I live in a rather larger space. Even allowing for that, though... this was quite a productive rabbit hole, in the end.