Slips

via: Etsy Store Childhood Memories

This pattern is more or less the first project from our book.  The simple "hopefully this takes about 1/2 an hour" slip pattern.  It is not as dated as some of the others, so we figured it would be the least daunting to work around  Vanessa is sewing the full-slip version, while Margaret sews the half slip.

    The half-slip will pretty much be a halved version of the ad above, except in black.  The fabric will most likely be black silk habotai from my stash.  The dyed lace insets and pleated trim will also be from said stash.  Most likely the pleats will be made from the same silk as the rest of the slip.  Although I wear mostly black, I have some magical aversion to sewing it.  With that in mind, the sketches I did for the patterns in the Kwik Sew book are mostly all black with some sort of new-for-me-to-sew element such as lace insets or bridal button loops or fan pleating (like the photo above.)  So hopefully this design will add interest sewing-wise, if not wearing-wise.
    As someone who basically lives in jeans and t-shirts, I do not really need a slip, but really, I do not really not need one either.
- Margaret

I was moved to the chemise pattern more by necessity than anything else--I need a nude-coloured slip to wear under summery sundresses. I was inspired by the Hollywood line at What Katie Did and will be creating a pale pink version of the chemise with lace insets and trim. My fabric is a silk habutai in a pale pinkish beige ("slipper pink"), purchased on extreme sale at Stone Mountain and Daughter.  For those who've not worked much with silk, habutai is a very soft, drapey fabric that is great for anything loose-fitting or slinky. Not something you'd want to use on a fitted garment, but should be just right for underthings! As a bonus, habutai is reversible, meaning it has no wrong side to worry about when pinning and sewing.
A very rough approximation of the fantastic stretch lace I picked up on impulse a few weeks ago can be seen in my image board above. It is a floral pattern in beige with golden accents. My plan at present is to sew the chemise more or less as it is presented in the pattern book, and use lace at the leg opening and over the spaghetti straps. I am considering a lace inset at the midriff as well but am not set on it quite yet
- Vanessa