If you follow this blog, you know how fascinated I am with the
manipulation of stripes. This dress from 1935 is by Paris couturier Marie-Louise Calvet in a brown and violet wool stripe. Look how perfectly the stripes are matched at the seams. And I'm sure the upper bodice has tucks or seams to draw the stripes together right below the neckline. But it's those sleeves that have me mesmerized. That square pattern must be seamed from 4 triangles of the stripe, then inset into the sleeve. Assuming that the stripes follow the straight of grain on the fabric, every seam you see that has the stripes at an angle is done on the bias. If you sew, you know how difficult it is to stitch a bias-cut seam without it stretching out of shape. Matching stripes perfectly while sewing that seam? Pretty darned difficult. The two curved clips at the neckline and on the belt are made of cork. Are you inspired?
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