I’ve chosen my pattern for the Sew for Victory sewalong. I’m going for a reproduction pattern, Simplicity 3688, and I will be making the skirt. I’d love to make a matching jacket, but alas my sewing skills are not good enough yet! I thought I’d keep my project as simple as possible, because it gives me a greater chance of actually producing a finished garment.

I’m going to use the black and white dogtooth fabric I bought when my friends and I visited a local fabric shop. It’s wasn’t too expensive, so I won’t mind as much if I make a mess of the skirt. There’s a 1940s skirt suit in a green and white dogtooth print for sale in this vintage shop, so it looks like the fabric I’ve chosen is appropriate for the period.

I’m not going to be scrupulous about using historically correct sewing techniques. Where modern techniques are easier, I’ll use them. There’s no way I’m going to finish seams with hand over-casting or similar – I’ve got a serger and I’m going to use it (oh yeah!).

I asked the collective wisdom of Twitter if skirts were lined in the 1940s and it turns out they weren’t, which is excellent news. It means I don’t have to struggle with pesky lining fabric. One Twitter friend very kindly asked her grandmother about this, who confirmed that slips were worn with skirts instead.

So looking forward to getting started on my project and seeing what other sewalongers are doing…

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