Verity Vintage Studio

Utility Style: 1940s Pinafore Dress

This is not a very exciting project. A lot of my house dresses are nice enough that I don't want to wear them for really dirty work, but sometimes you just need something that you don't really care about, that didn't use expensive or pretty fabric or take a lot of time and effort. Something you can wear for canning, or gardening, or other dirty work. This pinafore dress was exactly that.

 

It's made from a 1940s pattern that seems to be ubiquitous in that it specifies that it can be maternity, but doesn't have to be. It's the sort of dress any woman in the 1940s, pregnant or not, might have slipped on and worn over a nicer dress, or during the dog days of summer, or for absolute freedom of motion in working. Very simple, very easy, and with a comfortable adjustable waist that would fit a variety of sizes and body changes.

 

A long, long time ago when I was just getting into sewing, I found some cotton at Walmart on clearance. Of course I only looked at the price, and not the quality back then. I got a bunch of it. Not as stiff as duck, it's definitely a heavier, cheap cotton, and after years on my shelf had a fade on the fold line. It's not the sort of fabric I would use for a pattern I really liked, but perfect for a utility dress like this - especially since it's so dark I wouldn't need a slip under it. No layers in summer during the last months of pregnancy sounded like a good idea!

 

But that meant there was a fade line running right down the center front and center back. The back I didn't care about so much (this is the sort of dress I would expect to get faded and stained, etc), and despite intending this to be very basic, a good answer for the front was to use rick rack. I ended up doing a triple row to make it look like it was intended to be there, and like how just that simple bit of trim does make it look nicer. Plus it's very make-do-and-mend in true WWII style.

 

I used the dress version of the pattern, and the sweetheart neckline. It slips on over the head, so no closures - and the princess seams make it a super quick project with a minimum of finishing if you top stitch the hems.

 

The slip on feature meant the neck was lower than I preferred, however, so my fix to that was a strip of wide white lace on each side of the bottom scallop, which I tacked on by hand. I can fit it over my head just as easily, but the neckline is higher by an inch or so, which makes all the difference. 

 

It's the sort of project that only takes a couple hours from start to finish. Not particularly interesting, but a needed addition to the wardrobe, and since it turned out looking pretty nice, it's still satisfactory. Utilitarian and practical does not have to mean ugly or sloppy!

One Last Maternity Dress: Red, White, and Blue 1930s Dress

While I am not wearing this on the 4th of July, I still happen to have a red, white, and blue dress to show you this week!

I might still do an unfitted blouse or two, but this is likely my final adjustable, maternity-friendly dress. Funny how I never actually got around this time to making a dress from an official "maternity" pattern, but found lots of suitable adjustable dresses that I liked better!

 

This is the 2nd version of the pattern I used for my pink and white gingham dress, which was a trial of a non-maternity pattern with some alterations to make it maternity friendly. 

As you can see, with only 6 weeks to go, even though this is a new dress, the fit is not the greatest. It's already pretty much at the limit of its capacity, and has little bulges here and there in the bodice and back skirt since the waist is pushed up higher than it should be. This pattern with the alterations can work for a while, it seems, but during the final stretch more room is needed. Ah well, I still have it documented. :-)

 

I used some 1930s reproduction quilting cotton which I got on clearance from Hancock's several years ago. I also have the blue color way, which I like even better. It's a busy print, so some of the details may get lost. For instance, you can't really see the gore detail in the front skirt.

 

The tucks in the back, however, are still somewhat visible.

My hair was not behaving for its usual brushout today, so I tried a back roll. It worked fairly well. I'm sure towards the end of the day it will be harder to keep neat. But it is very cool! I realize why it was so popular as an updo during the 1930s and 1940s.

 

I used sleeves from a different 1930s pattern, to change up the look, and also cut a V neck, which I really like. It's very comfortable.

 

The buttons I've been hoarding for a while, and they were the perfect shade of blue to match the blue dots in the fabric. I had 9 of them, so sets of 3 seemed to be in order.

As you can see though, by now my belly is big enough that it distorts the way the bodice should lay. It's comfortable, just not quite fitting right. This dress will show much more to advantage once I have a waist again. I hope to photograph it again later on to show if my original experiment (will this look too maternity afterwards???) worked or not!

 

I was getting tired of doing tie belts on my dresses, so I opted for a totally detachable top stitched tie belt this time. I hope to wear the dress with a purchased belt once I can, but for now the adjustable belt makes a lot more sense.

 

This dress went quickly at first, then stalled as I concentrated on other things. I eventually got it done, but it probably would have fit me better if I'd finished it when I started! I recall no difficulties, other than a little trial and error as I was figuring out how to face the V shaped sleeves. 

 

This is the first trial of some new reproduction sandals I got from a seller on Instagram. I really like the way they look, with a few minor quibbles, but I noticed on these pictures that they look too large for my feet. So we shall see if I end up keeping them or passing them on.

 

Overall, it's a simple, cheery summer housedress with a few details to keep it interesting, and I look forward to wearing it more in the future as a button-up-and-go sort of outfit. Might have to wait until after Baby Two comes, though!

Another 1940s Tie-Front Dress

When I made my 1940s anchor dress a while back, I thought it was one of the better patterns I've tried that would work for maternity, yet be something I could wear at other times too. So I went ahead and made another, dressier version.

 

I used some adorable Wilmington 1930s reproduction cotton, which I liked so much I got two lengths of - one to make now in a maternity-suitable style, and one to make later, with buttons down the front. It's a fun, cheery print with what looks like little clusters of balloons scattered across is. Hence I call it my balloon dress.

 

I expected this to be super easy and quick since it was the second make, but not so. For the first version, I found the sleeves were too short and large-holed for my taste, so I gathered them into a cuff. That worked well enough, but since I already knew the problem, I decided to fix it at the start this time by cutting out the sleeves to be longer and narrower.

 

Well, I didn't think it through well enough before snipping into the fabric. As a result, the first time I tried on the dress, the sleeves were impossibly tight. I could hardly move my arms. I tried inserting gussets (my first time with gussets!) to widen the arm openings, and that helped a lot - but still not enough. They were too tight to really be comfortable - but worse, any pulling on the underarms distorted the neckline.

I knew I would not be happy with the dress if I just made it do, so back it went to the floor where I laid a bodice piece from another pattern on top to get the armhole right, and just cut out the sleeve part, leaving an arm hole like a normal bodice. I had just enough fabric left to cut out these small sleeves from another pattern.

 

This time there was success! And now it looks a little more different than the denim version as well, so that worked out in the end. But I know for next time to not cut in haste!

 

I considered doing contrasting ties, but couldn't decide on the right color of contrast, or even if it would look right. So I did another new thing - used piping for the first time to outline the ties. It's not quite the right color of blue, but I was using from my stash and it was the only option.

 

The piping worked like a dream, despite me having to use my regular zipper foot. I looked up some instructions online first, and found that I got perfect results even with a regular foot by basting the piping on first as close as I could sew to the cord, then when sewing the 2 layers together, being able to see where the basting lines were and sew just on the other side of them for a nice, close seam.

 

Since then I've been wanting to try piping everywhere, and need to search thrift stores to find more!

The piping outlines the ties very nicely so they don't get lost in the print, and also gives the corners more body so that the little knot in the front keeps its shape. 

 

Everything else was quick and easy - a narrow top-stitched hem finishes the bottom, and like the first version it slips over the head (again I shortened the bias band and gathered more of the dress into it to make the neckline higher) and has no closures, so it really is a quick and easy dress. Minus the sleeve fiasco. 

 

It won't get much more wear, since I only have 7 weeks to go and can't nurse in it, so I will soon have to put it away for later. But it's a fun, colorful summer dress to wear in the meantime!

1930s Floral Adjustable Dress

One of the ladies I follow on Instagram posted pictures of a lovely 1940s dress she made from the prettiest floral and polka dot fabric. The fabric instantly caught my eye, and when I saw she had gotten it from Walmart, I had to get some too. It took a while since their search engine is terrible, but I finally tracked down the print and ordered enough of it for 2 dresses - an adjustable/maternity one I can wear now, and one to wear later once I'm a normal size again.

This is the adjustable version.

 

The cotton, while feeling cheaper than the high quality brands I prefer, is still remarkably nice - especially for less than $4 a yard! I love that the blue is a mid blue instead of navy, and that the flowers are pink instead of the more common color scheme of red paired with blue. It's a good way to get more pink into my wardrobe.

 

For this dress, I used a combination of 2 different patterns from the 1930s. The back and back yoke is from a pattern I made twice during my last pregnancy. 

 

The front and sleeves uses the same pattern I used for last year's Christmas dress - and I have to say it was SO much easier to make it with cotton than with that awful crepe! 

 

The back ties I added myself, making them the same width as the front inset skirt band. If I like how it looks on me after pregnancy, I may add buttons back there so it overlaps and buttons shut, which looks neater than a tie. But right now the adjustable tie is very helpful. And as you can see, there is still plenty of room to grow if I need it, yet without looking really bulky even in cotton.

 

I used the collar this time, making it in a white fabric embroidered with dots. I didn't get it perfect (scallops are not my friend), but I like how it looks.

 

The sleeves actually turned out well this time - thanks to cotton! For my Christmas dress I ended up just winging it, but done properly they really have cute detail. Maybe a bit too much puff for my preference, but otherwise I really like them. I was originally going to add white cuffs, but decided instead to tie in the white with some tiny decorative white buttons.

 

The front buttons are vintage ones that I had exactly 3 of, and the scallops match the dress quite well. It was meant to be.

 

I love how the pink flowers on the dress match the flowers on the tree! 

 

There was definitely a difference in era between the 2 patterns I combined. The back piece was at least 4 inches longer than the front skirt (probably from the mid-30s compared to the late '30s), but I could easily even it up and hem it the same length. I think the overall combination was a good match since it has the same shape of yoke front and back, so it really looks like it was supposed to go together. 

 

I definitely like the more fitted front better than the loose front versions of the original pattern I used for the back. I'm hopeful I can still wear this after the baby and it won't look maternity. But if not, I still have more fabric for another, normal version!

Lavender Print 1940s Dress

Time to try Butterick 6485 again in cotton! The pattern calls for a limper fabric, which does look nice, but it actually works just fine in cotton.

 

The pattern also says you can't fit everything on 3 yards, so I decided to combine some colors in order to make it fit. I used a fun reproduction print from Penny Rose for my main fabric, and intended to go with the gray accent for sleeves and yoke. I had no solid gray in my stash, but did have some purple the right shade - so went with that instead, and I really like the substitute!

 

I actually think you could fit all the pattern pieces on just 3 yards if you did a bit of squishing - maybe shortened the sleeves and made the belt narrower, etc. But this worked out just fine.

 

Since this was my second time making the pattern, I made some adjustments this time - shortening the waist, lengthening the skirt a bit (still don't have much hem, so I may lengthen it even more another time), making the belt narrower, and cutting the neck differently.

I took in the neck a good 2 inches in the back to make it not so big (a common complaint with users of this pattern is the neckline fit) and it's still quite large as you can see! I also tried it on and then cut it down to a V instead of the high version the pattern shows. More comfortable.

 

It was quite easy and quick to put together - even more of course since I'd done it before.

I didn't feel like switching to a darker thread when it came time to top stitch the yoke, so I decided to make it intentional by using a decorative stitch from my machine to do the top stitching. It turned out really lovely, so I tied it in by hemming the sleeves that way also. I had to run the sleeves through the machine backward to make them match, which felt weird, but I love being able to incorporate my vintage machine's decorative elements into a sewing project.

 

As you can see, by now I am large enough that the original shape of the dress is pretty distorted, but I still think it works well for maternity. And the adjustable waist (or lack of waist, rather) is so comfortable!

 

I considered doing a button closure, but decided instead to do a zipper closure down the front. This time instead of doing an invisible zipper, I used a regular zipper, then hid it with a top-stitched tab that is stitched to the dress on one side, and snaps on the other. I was very pleased with how it looks, so I may do this again when I don't want to use an invisible zipper down the front.

 

Because of the tab, though, I can't wrap the ties around the front like I did with my blue version, so I am limited to tying the sash in the back with this dress.

 

A lot of my summer hats are too formal to pair with a cotton dress like this, so I went with hair flowers instead. I love lavender and gray together! This is actually my only purple dress in my current rotation, so I'm really happy to see some color variation in my closet. 

 

I will of course like how this dress looks much better once I have my waist back, but until then I'm pretty pleased with it as a non-maternity, maternity friendly dress. I'm sure I will wear it a lot the next few months!

1930s Adjustable House Dress

My fourth time making this negligee pattern was for another maternity friendly house dress. It was not one of those perfect projects, but was a near fail that I managed to rescue - thankfully!

 

Tie front dresses are very useful for maternity, but they were also a common fashion element for just regular wear in the late '30s and early '40s, so my intention was to make a dress that would work for both. I also wanted to pair this fabric with a white yoke, and the only pattern I had that combined those elements was the negligee pattern I've made before. So out it came again.

 

All went well until the first wearing. Despite the fact that I've made this pattern dress length instead of floor length twice before, somehow I managed to cut it too short when cutting it out this time!

 

My tropical print version I wore quite a bit after my last pregnancy, but the front panels have too much fabric in them and gather too bunchily around the waist for my taste (especially in a stiffer cotton), so I decided to take a few inches out of the front panels of this one. 

Well, I didn't realize that while it does cut down on extra fabric at the waist, it also cuts down on the skirt width. So the first time I wore it, I realized there were issues. The skirt pulled and gaped badly between the buttons when I sat down, and it was definitely too short. 

But I loved this fabric too much to call it a failure! The button gaping problem was easily fixed by top stitching the opening together from the waist down, but my only option to lengthen it was to add a piece of fabric at the bottom. How to do that without making it look obviously patched together?

 

The answer was a strip of narrow white lace sandwiched between the layers, which I top stitched together. I was very relieved to find that the lace makes it look like it was intended to be there, and actually ties in the white yoke and buttons very well! Definitely a close call, but with those problems fixed I can wear it happily now. The only fit issue that remains is that the yoke won't lay flat in the front - ah, well. 

 

Because this is a fun fabric and a house dress, I decided to play around a bit more with decoration than I normally do. This was a perfect way to use up some random cute tiny vintage buttons that I otherwise probably wouldn't have a use for, only having a few of them. I really liked how it turned out, along with the interlaced tiny red rickrack.

 

The yoke took a bit of extra time as a result, but the rest of the pattern is super easy and went together very quickly. I hardly needed to look at the instructions since I've made it so often and it's simple anyway.

I used sleeves from another pattern from the era, just to change things up a bit. I like the ones that puff at the top and are dart fitted around the arm. It's a nice change from the straight sleeves the pattern calls for.

 

Can we all take a moment to cry about the fact that JoAnn discontinued their 1930s print collection?? How cute is this fabric? Though to be honest, I probably wouldn't have gotten any if it hadn't been marked down so far on clearance. I just wish I'd gotten more! I love how cheery it is.

I have plenty of room in the front, no matter how large I get, and I'm reasonably certain that when my waist comes back, I can cinch it in with the tie belt (handy for fluctuating sizes afterwards too) and the dress will fit well without looking maternity. At any rate, it makes a cheerful, comfortable house dress, and I'm sure will get a lot of wear this summer.

 

This project was a good reminder that even after years of experience, sewing projects can still throw you a curve ball once in a while. For it to be such a simple one, instead of a complex pattern, is all the more reason to keep humble. :-)

1940s Nautical Adjustable Dress

My maternity-friendly dress adventures continue...

I don't usually wear denim, but when I found a length of denim with flocked nautical emblems on it for just a few dollars at the thrift store, it was too cute to leave behind. I almost made a modern pattern out of it, but the fabric was pretty narrow and I didn't have enough. So I decided for a trial of a simple 1940s dress I've been wanting to make.

 

I found very few photos of denim vintage wear online. Even things like jackets and slacks were usually made from fabrics like corduroy or gabardine. So I'm not sure how accurate it is - but that's ok! I'm glad to have a summer dress that I don't have to be careful of because it's a favorite reproduction print, or something similar. This one can take some wear and tear.

 

This pattern is not intended to be a maternity dress - in fact, it looks like more of a Junior style to me - but it certainly is maternity friendly. It is made of princess seams and pulls on over the head. No zippers or buttons needed, which was nice. The waist is wide even with the shaping darts, and since it ties to fit, it's nicely adjustable.

 

A super simple pattern, I faced the ties instead of hemming them and used a contrast just for fun. I also shortened the neck band and gathered the neck a bit more, to make it higher. The cap sleeves turned out too short and wide-holed, so I added a bias band around them as well, but even with those minor alterations it was quite a quick and easy pattern.

 

I think it may be one of my more successful patterns that I can wear for maternity, but that won't look maternity when I'm not pregnant. It doesn't open down the front, so I won't be able to wear it for a while after the baby is born, but I will put it away in my closet and pull it out later. It's very cool and comfortable for summer.

 

Perhaps because of the more modern fabric I used, though probably more because it's a simple, classic style - despite using a vintage 1940s pattern, I think this dress could easily be worn as a modern style, especially depending on accessory choices.

 

Perhaps this is as close to a modern dress as I'll ever get around to making!

1940s Novelty "Sparrow Dress"

I was calling this dress my sparrow dress for a while before I looked closely at the print, and realized those birds are probably some species a lot fancier than a sparrow! But by then the habit was made, so here it is - the Sparrow Dress.

 

I got this novelty print rayon from JoAnn last fall because it was a really good sale price and I've been wanting to make a novelty 1940s dress. I saved it till spring, then made it up using a vintage Butterick pattern that needed a nice limp fabric like rayon.

 

I have to admit - after the fiasco I had with my Christmas dress (also using rayon from JoAnn) I was nervous about this one. Their quilting cotton I am used to - not their apparel fabric so much. But it's a denser weave, or higher quality, or something...it is of course a little more slippery and limp than cotton, but really wasn't that hard to manage and sew. Much to my relief!

 

The VERY colorful and busy print called for a basic pattern, so this one has pretty much only the ruching on the bodice for detail. There are also a few small shaping darts on the skirt, and of course the small rolled collar. A one-way print like this one always makes cutting it out more of a challenge, but thankfully this war era pattern was very economical and I didn't end up having to squeeze to fit everything on my yardage.

 

It was interesting to put the bodice together since it was ruched both at the front darts and the side seams. Putting a side zipper in also meant I had to sew that side of the front bodice to some seam binding first to stabilize it, then treat it like a regular side seam. But it seems to work fine.

 

Because I made it earlier and waited so long to model it, I don't quite feel like I did it justice, since my baby bump is now distorting the waistline. Maybe I can get pictures of it later this summer when I am more normal proportions so you can really see how it's supposed to look. But at least it's documented for now.

 

Because the rayon has a little give, it's actually pretty comfy, even with the waist seam. I had worn it with a belt originally, but didn't like how that looks on me now, so I cut another strip of the fabric and did a quick tie belt. You can't really see it because the print's so busy!

 

Because of the jumble of colors, I kept accessories basic. Pearls, white gloves, spectators, and hair flowers. I added a giant vintage hat too, just for some over-the-top fun, since often I see this style of hat paired with a 1940s novelty print dress in old photos.

 

I had extra time the morning these were taken so I did my hairstyle more elaborately than usual too, and was pleased with how it turned out.  

 

Using brown as a coordinate helps to tone down the ensemble, but this dress also goes well with cobalt blue or green or any of the other colors picked out in shoes and accessories too.

 

I really like the fabric - it's so cheerful and colorful, with a nice drape and cool feel. I'm glad I went ahead and purchased some while it was on sale, though internet fabric buys are always a little risky. It's a fun, simple, button-up-and-go dress that I'm sure I will wear a lot once I can fit into it properly!

 

Plus I feel very WWII-era-lady while wearing it, which is always fun. :-)

1940s Floral Color Block Dress

This has to be one of my favorite projects this year so far. It was so much fun! The giant floral reproduction print my sweet husband bought (along with a few other prints) from our friends at The Singer Featherweight Shop as an early birthday gift for me, and even though I knew I wouldn't fit in this dress long, I had to go ahead and make something with it!

 

But because it was so busy and colorful, I wanted to pair it with some solids to tone it down. I quickly settled on a vintage Butterick color block dress pattern, which I've had for 3 or 4 years and never got around to making before. The next step was choosing which colors to accent!

 

I didn't want to choose the navy and red, for fear of it looking too patriotic themed, and wanted something more interesting than white, so that left me with the coral pink, leaf green, and French blue in the print. Now, a lot of 1940s color block dresses used VERY interesting color combinations - certainly ones I wouldn't necessary think of putting together! I wanted this dress to look nice, but also Period, with perhaps a color combination that would be a bit of a stretch for me...something I wouldn't normally do.

 

I had some French blue leftovers in my stash that were the perfect match, and since blue is a good color for me, I chose that as the main accent. I had nothing for the second color, so I went to the local quilt shop and matched the pink. Thankfully they had one solid shade that was the right color, and it was even on the clearance rack. I only needed 1/8 yard, so ended up paying just $.63 for it - definitely affordable! :-)

 

With the colors chosen, I cut out the dress and started work on it. The yoke was the trickiest bit of sewing I've done for a while. At first it looked like nothing that would resemble part of a bodice. I had to carefully match each step to the instructions, and may have used the seam ripper once or twice... I've done similar collar construction, but not with little pieces to put together correctly first, and various seemingly random gaps since parts of the yoke were also the facing and would be folded back! Thankfully my concentration paid off, and it came together without too much hassle.

 

The rest of it was easy, with a basic 2 piece skirt and button front. I flat-lined the floral part of the bodice, and made the back tucks into darts so it wouldn't bag out too much at my shoulder blades. I was intending to use white buttons at first, but ended up settling on these blue ones instead. Might as well keep with the colorful theme!

 

I am super happy with the result. It looks interesting (and unique for me) yet put together, and really pretty and spring-like! I was very careful with the construction (matching & finishing seams and such like) so I hope this may be a good candidate for our county fair later this summer.

 

Now that I have the complicated yoke part figured out, it should be easier to do a second time - and I love the look of this dress well enough to have a second version planned already, this time with all solid colors for a perfect polished 1940s style combination. That version will have to wait until after the baby comes, however.

 

Because the dress is so colorful, I paired it with mostly white accessories. Maybe eventually I will get more adventurous!

 

I may only get to wear this once or twice before I have to put it away for later, but it makes me very happy nonetheless! It's one of my projects that I really think looks like it could have stepped out of the era, which delights my history-loving soul. :-)

 

Daisy 1950s Easter Dress

My Easter dress this year was the 3rd and fanciest version of Butterick 6869 I've made. After making my red gingham version recently, I wanted to do one more that was dressier. I actually made this a while ago, and just saved it for Easter Sunday.

 

I used some vintage cotton I got from an Instagram seller. It's slightly thinner and lighter weight than quilting cotton, but doesn't wrinkle very much, which was a pleasant surprise. 

 

The larger green and off-white floral print is so lovely and springlike! It's super pretty in person. I accented it with a dark green pique collar, and dark green buttons - I happened to have 4 of them, so it was perfect.

 

I chose to highlight the daisy motif with some embroidery on the collar, which I think turned out fairly well. It's not perfect, but close enough for this non-perfectionist. :-) I really like how that with 3 different fabrics and collar treatments, this pattern can be  so versatile!

 

As you can see, though it is not a maternity dress, it is still pretty flattering. I am hoping to be able to wear it a few times this spring yet before I grow too big for it. 

Later on in the day I took off my belt, and actually really like how it looks without a belt as well.

 

Since I pretty much made this dress twice in a row, you can imagine that I had the pattern just about memorized. This time I was able to get the fit better than with my gingham version, and everything went together rapidly and without a hitch. I used a wide hem bias facing for the hem so it would have a nice deep hem without making the skirt too short. 

 

I flat lined the bodice so it wouldn't be see-through, and even with that extra step and the collar embroidery, the whole thing was finished in just a few days. Quick and easy, but interesting enough to save it from too much simplicity.

 

We had a gorgeous sunny Easter, but it was very windy (following a rainy Saturday), and quite impossible to take pictures out-of-doors. I considered just waiting until later in the week and dressing up again, but I was having a really good hair day for once - a rare occasion lately, especially when I have an event or am planning to take pictures! - so I decided to take advantage of it and just do indoor photos, despite the less desirable backdrop.

 

My accessories are all vintage 1950s, except for the belt, and the pearl necklace and bracelet which I made. (Find out how to make your own with my tutorial here.)

 

The 1950s seems to be my favorite era for Easter! With the exception of a 1940s dress two years ago, I think every Easter dress I've made since I started sewing has been from the 1950s. I suppose it's just something about the more extravagant styles that fits with the special occasion, pastel colors, and spring hats.

 

I tend to stash special or favorite fabrics, but this one got new life relatively quickly. I don't know precisely what era it is from, but I am so happy to see it turned into something beautiful and useful - and perhaps close to what someone may have envisioned for it originally - after all these years.