Verity Vintage Studio

1930s Easter Dress for 2021

Easter sneaked up on me this year, so I didn't have time to make an elaborate Easter dress. When I realized Easter was just next week, I quickly looked through my immediate to-do list to see if I could make one of those projects do double duty.

Sure enough! I realized this lovely floral cotton would be just the thing. Even more fun? It's from a new quilting collection by Riley Blake Designs called Faith, Hope & Love. How appropriate was that???

 

I love pink and blue together; in this print the touches of gold are the perfect highlight, and the watercolor floral was so springish. It comes in several colorways, so I highly recommend you check it out if you like it!

 

I paired it with a vintage mail order 1930s pattern I have long owned and never made. It doesn't open down the front, but my baby girl is weaned enough that I knew I could wear it for a few hours on a Sunday morning.

 

The front has some cute neck detail with the pleats and shoulder yoke, but overall it was definitely one of those quick and easy dress patterns that only take a few hours to make. Which was good, since Easter was rapidly approaching!

 

The front and back bodice gather into the skirt, so for a good fit I just made the skirt fit me, then gathered the bodice into the skirt. Easy peasy.

 

The illustration showed buttons on the neckline between the pleats, and I liked the idea. Instead of using matching ones, though, I chose several of my different white ones so I could use up some orphans.

 

Trust the 1930s for their attention to sleeves – this pattern did not disappoint. It also had a flutter sleeve option, but I love the darted V sleeves the most.

 

Things are slow greening up this year, and no flowers are blooming yet here, so I wasn't able to get the kind of Easter photos I would have liked. But I didn't want to wait to document it and I have enough flowers on my dress to make up for it!

 

I love the longer length of this decade's fashions. I did a 2” hem and still had a nice graceful length to the skirt. BUT I did have trouble squeezing it all onto 3 yards. I ended up having to cut the sleeve cross grain as well as taking a big pleat out of the height to fit it on – but it turned out just fine. You would never know!

 

So another long-hoarded pattern finally sees the light of day! I am thoroughly enjoying my spring sewing thus far. It's a delight after several months' break to have lots of ideas and motivation.

 

Since I have started sewing, I've made 4 1950s patterns and 1 1940s pattern for Easter. It was definitely time for a 1930s style Easter dress.

 

Happy Easter!

 

His glories now we sing

Who died and rose on high -

Who died eternal life to bring,

And lives that death may die!

 

1930s Draped Rayon Blouse

Ever since making my red Christmas dress, I have been wary of trying to sew with rayon challis again. That one was so difficult to work with. But I had the opportunity of trying out Riley Blake Design's rayon challis, and when it arrived, I was instantly impressed by the feel of it. 

 

It didn't take too long to pair it with this 1930s blouse pattern (a reprint from McCall's) that I've had a long, long time and never tackled. 

 

It certainly was interesting to make. In the first place, I don't enjoy working with modern patterns, and also the front pieces were so strangely shaped it was not intuitive at all - I had to very closely follow the instructions (not something I usually do). 

 

But I took it slow, step by step, and after a bit I could see how the pieces worked together - then it became easier. 

 

The rayon was a dream to work with. A nice weight, dense grain, cool feel, and while it has some widthwise stretch and more drape than cotton, really wasn't much harder to work with than cotton. 

 

Riley Blake has only a handful of solids and prints, so I hope they come out with more colors and vintage-appropriate prints, because I highly recommend working with it if you're looking for a good rayon for your vintage sewing. The abstract style of print I thought could work well for 1930s, which had its share of wacky novelty and abstract prints. This print also comes in burgundy, but I chose the blue since it's a better color for me. 

 

I was intending on making this a sleeveless blouse, to wear under jackets and sweaters, but ended up deciding to put short sleeves on it instead, to make it more versatile. I chose a sleeve pattern from a vintage 1930s pattern I own, and the pattern combinations went together quite smoothly. 

 

When I first tried it on, the draped neck was too low - definitely lower than the pattern photo shows. So I played around with the drape a bit to make it higher. Still lower than I prefer, so I may fiddle around with it some more. Another time I will take some fullness out of the drape, or otherwise see if I can figure out how to make it higher.

 

 Instead of working buttonholes, since it easily slips over the neck, I just sewed the buttons on through all the layers. I like the subtle blue-on-blue touch they add to the shoulder. 

 

The back collar piece is fun too!

 

Even though this is an earlier 1930s pattern, since that is not my era, I ended up mixing eras a bit. I paired it with a true vintage skirt from my late '40s skirt suit (had a similar skirt style and length to the mid 1930s). 

 

Then because I had just bought a new hat, I wanted to wear them together, so while I think the hat is a later date than the blouse style, I wore it anyway. 

 

That shape and the taffeta polka dot ribbon! It was a little more than I would have liked to pay, especially since the ribbon is visibly worn, but it was so unique and "me" that I ended up splurging and getting it anyway. 

 

This was also a perfect opportunity to wear my favorite 1930s reproduction shoes from Remix Vintage Shoes. This style they had made a long time ago, and I saw photos of it and longed for a pair, but never found any in my size on eBay. Lo and behold, last fall they brought these shoes back - you better believe I snapped up a pair during their sale!

 

My new blouse is very comfortable and easy to wear. The rayon doesn't feel like a synthetic against my skin, but has a lovely drape and coolness that I enjoy as a change from cotton. I need to get a solid color soon to make one of those detailed dresses that need something solid and drapey!

 

It was fun to make this pattern - definitely a unique one, out of my ordinary rut - and I can see myself wearing it with sweaters and jackets as well.

 

Since it is a dark color, but short sleeves, it will be season transitional. Since it is more slippery, I have trouble keeping it tucked in, so another time may make it more fitted and add a side zipper. But if you like pullover tuck-in blouses with a bit of shaping, this pattern is a good one. It also crosses over to modern very well, so could be a versatile wardrobe builder.

 

So much for my revised opinion of rayon challis! I'm sure there will be more adventures in the future with this lovely fabric. 

 

Photos as usual by the talented Elsie.

Sister Coordinates - & My Blue 1930s Daisy Dress

My first completed make of the year! One of the lovely things that made my last few weeks so pleasantly busy was the arrival of some beautiful fabric from Riley Blake Designs, which was sent to me to feature as an independent part of their project tours. I was so delighted for a chance to collaborate with them, especially since that means I can comb through their upcoming collections to pick out vintage-appropriate prints to feature.

 

Often I get inquiries about the fabric I use, and usually it's one-of-a-kind vintage, or out of print. But now, if I feature a print you like, you may be able to find it easily and snag a piece for yourself!

 

First up is this sweet daisy print from the Blue Stitch collection. Most of the prints in this collection are more modern, but this one works equally well for my type of fashion sewing. In fact, I got some yardage in two different color ways (besides smaller cuts for some quilty projects coming up), and my sister ended up using one of them to make herself a coordinating outfit to mine.

 

You can see how versatile this print is - working equally well for 1930s or more casual 1950s.

It's funny how well both these outfits express our style and personality. I gravitate toward the more detailed dress patterns from the 1930s and 1940s, while Elsie prefers the classic simplicity (or floof) of the 1950s.

 

She did a simple 1950s cap sleeve blouse – and it's easy to see how versatile it will be! She was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's outfit in Roman Holiday, and did such a great job on the blouse to match me as well as all her mix-and-match coordinating pieces. She'll be doing a blog post all about it in the near future, so hop on over to Elsie's Adventuring to follow all those fun details!

 

This pretty daisy fabric comes in 3 different color ways, and while I love them all, I chose the one I liked best to do my dress.

 

It seemed to be a good fit for a 1930s dress, so after looking over my patterns I decided to do a remake of my Christmas dress a few years back (and just barely squeezed it out of my 3 yard piece). Rayon was not a good original choice for such a structured pattern, and I ended up doing a lot of fudging and making-do, and wasn't even going to ATTEMPT that scalloped collar in such a limp fabric – so another version in cotton was on my to-do list anyway.

 

Sure enough, cotton was a great choice for this pattern and was sooooo much easier to work with. I decided on a whim to outline the top stitched yoke (so you could see it better) with some teeny tiny white pompom trim from my stash, and I love how it turned out.

 

The collar too – using a classic white-on-white Swiss dot also from Riley Blake in their basics line – adds a sweet finishing touch.

 

Since I had made the dress before, it wasn't hard to assemble this time. I had to tweak the fit a bit with the wide waist band, but otherwise it was straightforward and pretty quick, with just enough details to keep it interesting – but no frustrations.

 

Only took me 3½ leisurely days to make it, which is pretty much instant gratification in the sewing world!

 

The sleeves turned out so much better than my rayon version, and the cotton is stiff enough that it holds the cute puff shape pretty well without stiffening.

 

Also found the perfect home for these adorable kiss shaped vintage buttons. I had 4, but one was broken, and since I only needed 3 anyway it was meant to be. The little ribs mimic the daisy shape, and they add the perfect Art Deco touch.

 

This will probably be an everyday housedress for me, but it is dressy enough that I enjoyed pairing it with white gloves and heels (long awaited navy and white pumps from American Duchess!) for this photo shoot.

 

Incidentally, this local building in our little town is just the best for indoor photos! It has all kinds of cool old props too, kind of like the Cracker Barrel I used to visit as a child. It's a great place to take photos when the weather doesn't match our outfit's season.

 

If you like this daisy print, look for it online or in stores! I have more new fabric to show you soon, as well as smaller things using this collection, so stay tuned! February will have lots of blog posts coming up.

 

2020 Sewing Roundup

As always, I like to do a little roundup and recap of my sewing adventures at the end of the year before I start documenting the next year's projects. I like seeing them in one place so I can see repetitions and spot gaps, tracking my progress and maybe see what I need or want to fill in during the next year's sewing. 

 

This year I had a few prolific spurts of sewing when I got a lot done in a short amount of time, and other sections of time when I did little to none. As usual, cotton prints figured largely – as well as a number of new patterns from various eras - some of which I made more than once because I liked them so much.

1940s bark cloth blouse

1950s slim house dress

pink and gray 1950s dress

 

Also as usual, blue is a favorite choice. Though I also see a lot of green and gray, and a few other more unusual colors for me mixed in there, like brown and pink.

late '30s green house dress

1940s rayon dress

1950s house dress

 

Most of these are one piece dresses, but I also did a few 2 piece dresses or suits (which are so handy for mixing and matching), and a multi-piece 1930s set.

1930s 3 piece outfit

 

I tried a lot of new patterns, experimenting with more styles that open down the front other than the traditional shirtwaist, but also brushed off a few I had made early in my sewing journey. It was fun to redo them with a fresh look, better fit, and higher quality of construction.

1930s color block rayon dress

1930s navy rayon dress

1940s gray house dress

 

One redo didn't work out so well for me and I ended up passing it along. But still it's a success in a way, since I now know a lot more about this particular pattern and what will work for it.

late '40s suit

 

I also had fun using some vintage fabric out of my stash. Vintage cotton I can use without too much mental stress since it handles much like modern cotton. But this viscose crepe fabric was a 99 cent find for 3 yards at a thrift store, and was so lovely and unusual it made me nervous to cut into it. Thankfully it turned out quite nicely!

1930s green rose viscose dress

 

Some of these dresses are constantly in rotation in my closet. Others are little worn. Some were passed along after the first trial, while some are top favorites, like this umbrella dress – made from an out of print modern fabric line that I tracked down online until I could find enough to make a dress, because I loved it so much. Happily the pattern I chose worked well and turned out with a perfect fit.

late 1940s rainbrella dress

 

I also had a little more creative fun last year with my photography, since I took along a number of new garments to photo at the seashore during our vacation at the Oregon coast. I will definitely do that again and plan out outfits to wear when I will be going to any interesting places that I can use for backdrops. Overall, I am much more pleased with the quality and variety of my photos, and see improvements in my modeling, hairstyles, and editing.

1950s magnolia dress

1940s striped blouse

 

My 2020 sewing was shy on fall-winter garments, since I did no sewing at all after the beginning of October due to suddenly getting slammed with house renovations, moving, a family loss + traveling, and then the holidays - but that also has it's benefits since I can enjoy wearing some of my previously made dresses more often.

1950s Valentine's dress

1940s 2 piece dress

 

I also made my first fancy slip!

 

The year also included some baby dresses for my little girl. 

I do have a few more garments that I got to hand work stage, and another few that are cut out and didn't get sewn. Hopefully those can be crossed off in 2021 - I dislike having so many in progress items lying around. Usually I work through one or two things at a time, but this year several plans had to change due to more pressing things, so now I have a larger WIP pile than I would like.

Of course, this roundup only includes my garment sewing. I was also quite prolific with quilts and quilty projects all year long. Last year one of my goals was to learn patchwork and free-motion quilting, and make a few quilts from start to finish. I certainly have met some of those goals, piecing and making more than a few quilts from start to finish, though I have not yet become accomplished at free-motion quilting.

Yankee Charm Quilt, published in McCall's Quilting

 

With having quilting fabric on hand in small cuts, I also enjoy turning some of those adorable prints into wearable things as well, like this apron, using a 1930s inspired quilting line called Figs & Shirtings.

 

My other sewing goal from last year was to work through my long-time queue of patiently waiting patterns and fabric, working for the fun of it and shopping my own shelves.

I'd say I partially met that goal. Some of these projects certainly were made from old patterns and long-time pairings; some used fabric that has been in my stash so long I don't remember where I got it. I did buy less fabric this year, though went through a couple of seasons of purchasing new fabric – mostly vintage fabric and feedsacks (which I had little of) off of eBay. I even made this one to list in my Etsy shop, out of a vintage feedsack, for 100% wearable authenticity.

 

This coming year I can already tell will be busy. I am almost always juggling more than one quilt design deadline in addition to my steady employment as a crochet designer, stretching my boundaries and learning all sorts of new techniques in the process, have also started designing counted cross stitch patterns as well, AND have an exciting new collaboration coming up (more on that later!) which will bring me back to garment sewing on steroids...so as a result I don't know how much I'll be able to sew from my stash. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in a few, because I have lots of lovely fabric, some of it vintage one-of-a-kind, that I would like to bring to life.

Sugar 'n' Spice Pincushion, published in McCall's Quilting

Plaid Cot Quilt, published in British Patchwork & Quilting 

 

Vintage Baking Day cross stitch pattern, available on Etsy.

 

(If you are interested in finding out more about all these subjects, following along with all my many projects plus a glimpse of daily life & homemaking, give me a follow on Instagram @verityvintagestudio.)

New kitchen renovations: Before and After

 

One just-for-fun project I'd love to make in 2021 is a copy of this dress from The Donna Reed Show and I even have vintage wide-striped cotton saved to do it in!

 

But with so many other deadlines and the busyness of life with two toddlers and a new home to work on, self-imposed deadlines will likely be few. So I will just enjoy the ride, and see what gets done! (I do know there will certainly be more quilty projects featured on the blog this coming year.)

I do have a lovely new sewing room to work in, which is such a blessing.

 

Meanwhile, my final garment count for 2020 was 7 1930s outfits, 7 1940s, and 6 1950s. I always enjoy the variety of textures, prints, colors, and silhouettes, even within eras or decades. Rayon, cottons, crepe, satin, seersucker...no wool, flannel, or linen this year, however. I did keep on experimenting with trims and decorative techniques, which I hope to continue. 

1930s bluebird blue dress

1950s gray dot suit

1950s blue raspberry dress

 

I usually try to do this earlier in January, but at least I can move on now to 2021's projects with a clean slate. Hope you enjoyed this roundup of my creative endeavors for the year!

 

 

Last Rose of Autumn - 1930s Dress

We have just one thrift store in our rural area, but it is such a good one and has such good prices. I regularly find all sorts of amazing vintage things there (not to mention children's clothing for 25 cents or less, for my two growing toddlers). I might go there several times without finding any nice fabric, but other times I get a fabric haul that makes up for it. Such was the case with 3 yards of this beautiful crinkled vintage fabric, which I got for $1 or less. (At the same time I found some pink vintage rayon with scattered tulips on it - destined for spring sewing!)

 

It is probably from the 1950s. I just love the large abstract roses on it, and the unique finish and nice drape. It's so hard to find good large print, vintage suitable fashion fabric these days. A knowledgable friend told me it is viscose, so I washed it in cold water, and it only wrinkled slightly. 

 

I had plans for it. I even made up a trial dress of the 1950s pattern I had planned to use with it. But when I went to cut out this version, I realized that the very narrow width of this 3 yards meant there was no way I could fit all the pieces on it. I didn't want to add a contrast, or cut the sleeves from something else, so I had to scrap my original pattern idea, and pick something else. 

 

I have all my patterns catalogued on my phone, so I don't have to dig through them all the time. I scrolled through, looking for something that had only a few pieces, and that would work well with the fabric. I settled on this 1930s pattern - which providentially enough, I had just made a few months earlier as a color block version - so it was a trial dress without knowing it!

 

The pattern pieces - there were only 7 of them - fit on it very well, and I even had a bit of extra fabric leftover. I substituted a sleeve from another 1930s pattern, to change things up a bit. It's fun to see how different the two dresses are made by fabric choice.

 

I made a self belt and used a lovely vintage shell buckle I had bought from a UK seller on Instagram. 

 

The new hat I had gotten last time I went antiquing in Boise was the perfect match. It's so pretty! I love the delicate chenille-dotted net veil.

 

All my other accessories are vintage as well. I think this is the only set of pictures I got this year with the pretty yellow tree in my front yard, because just as it was turning gold we got a storm which took most of the leaves off, sad to say. 

 

Despite the fabric being a later date than the pattern, I think it ended up a happy match. It's very simple, yet elegant. Here I paired it with brown, but other colors work as well - and it's a nice bridge between seasons. I am so pleased with being able to bring this lovely vintage fabric to life, and enjoyed wearing it to several autumn weddings.

 

My fall sewing has been nonexistent since I made this dress in early October. I had a bunch of deadlines keeping me busy, and then on top of that we found out we needed to move, and the prospective new house needed some renovations. So my days have been crammed - the only sewing I've been able to do has been snatching moments to work on the current quilt in my design lineup. 

I do have a few other fall garments finished to the handwork stage, but this is the only one I've completed thus far.

 

But, for my one and only finished fall project, it's a good one!

Bluebird Blue 1930s Housedress

A little while ago I found a vintage pattern on eBay that I was so happy to get. It was very similar to another pattern I've owned for a while, but have not been able to make because it doesn't open down the front and I didn't feel like altering it so significantly. This one had the same features - pointed yoke with triple darts & little fold down collar with a plain neck option - but had a button front! Once it arrived, it quickly jumped to the top of my queue. 

 

I picked a favorite quilting cotton print in my stash to pair it with. I love this fabric so much - the blue is so vibrant, and the little coral and pink roses make it a bit different color scheme than most of my blue dresses. 

 

It does hide the details a bit (though they are more noticeable in person). I should make this pattern again in a solid color, maybe a jeweltone wool for fall so you can actually see the design elements. But meanwhile I am still happy with this dress.

 

 

It was pretty easy and quick to put together. My only trouble with fit is the back of the neckline gapes a bit, so next time I will adjust that. 

 

I have had these lovely peach buttons in my stash for a long time, always wondering what I could use them on, since they are so pretty but not a color I often wear. Once I was auditioning choices for this dress, I promptly settled on these since they are the same shade as the roses. I'm so happy to finally have the perfect use for them!

 

There is still enough white in the print to wear a white belt with it, though, and I tied that in by deciding at the last minute to add a rick rack insert to the sleeves, just for fun. I really like how it turned out! I used to think rick rack was only used for top stitching, but since I've found other creative ways to use it, it has risen in my estimation. Inserting it this way is a different way to add trim than just tacking something on at the hem all the time.

 

I really like how the triple darts shape the front, and also the dart fitted sleeves are a favorite detail. Again, they are hidden a bit by the print, but I know they are there. :-)

 

 

It's an easy to wear house dress, comfortable and cheery, suitable for various seasons. It doesn't show dirt easily, and doesn't need an extra layer on top. 

 

I'm happy to add this pattern and this fabric into my weekly everyday wardrobe rotation!

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Vibrant 1930s Colorblock Dress

Taking a short break from vacation outfit pictures to show you this fun dress I made back in July, and took me ages to get pictures of. 

 

It had quite a long evolution too. I got the retro blue flowered rayon from JoAnn when it went on clearance a few years ago. Modern rayon that is suitable for vintage sewing is hard to find, so I got enough for two dresses, but it sat on my shelf for a while.

Then about a year ago at an antique store I got the pink fabric - not sure how vintage it is, because it feels synthetic, but it certainly was a pretty print with retro styling. Just so very, very pink! I honestly wasn't sure I'd ever use it (certainly not as a whole blouse!), but rather than sell it again, kept it also on my shelf for a while. 

 

Then one day I rediscovered this 1930s dress pattern that was an early project I made 5 years ago. I realized it really was a cute pattern that just might work for nursing, and wanted to make a better fitting version now that I am more experienced. Just on a whim, I pulled both these fabrics off the shelf and draped them on my mannequin. I'm usually pretty conservative with my fabric combinations, so using two very different bold florals in such bright shades was a first for me - but the pink was exactly the same color as the little flowers, and the crazy combination actually worked for me. Besides, many vintage dresses from this era were just as flamboyant. 

 

So I made it not much later - it's quite a quick project. The rayon from JoAnn has a lovely print and drape, but was a bit disappointing to work with. Everywhere I put a seam, the needle pulled little white threads - and there was a flaw in the fabric on the fold, too. Hopefully not too noticeable, but not very high quality - especially for the price they were originally asking for it!

 

I had to use two colors of thread for the hem, and also switch thread colors part way through sewing. I tried to minimize that by sewing as much with one fabric at a time as I could.

 

I love the little shoulder details. They were really fast and easy to do, yet help to make the dress interesting. 

 

I finished it up but didn't wear it for a while. One Saturday night I decided I'd wear it for church the next morning, and tried it on. I'd been planning to wear a white belt with it, but that just did not look right. The photo on the pattern shows a tie belt with a bow in front, and that really does suit it best. So at 10:00 at night I ended up quickly making a sash out of rayon leftovers, and altering the back a bit to fit me better. Rather last minute, but it worked!

 

I paired it with some vintage accessories, including a 1950s hat that was the only one which would work fairly well. Thankfully it was a classic shape that also works for the 1930s - they alternated between dramatic hat lines far over the forehead and little round hats for the back of the head (think of Margaret Sullavan's hats on Shop Around the Corner.) But since these pictures I've actually gotten a 1930s hat that would be perfect. Too late for these pictures, but maybe next time I wear the dress!

 

I was able to achieve a bit more 1930s hairstyle than my usual by not brushing so much and leaving it more in ringlets. 

 

The front closes with just a brooch, and was quite easy to nurse in. It is so nice to have a different style that doesn't either button or zip up the front! 

(Sometimes it's also fun to play with editing a bit.)

 

I wanted a more formal setting to take pictures in than golden Idaho rangeland, and once winter is here will want good indoor locations anyway, so we experimented with my mom's parlor and I think it worked quite well. I rather like the different lighting it provided. Not shown are the two toddlers clamoring to climb up on the other end of the piano bench. :-)

 

Who knows...maybe I will become more adventurous with my fabric combinations in the future since this one had a happy ending.

 

I haven't made very many 1930s outfits this year, so this one is a nice addition. Plus it's so unusual for me that it makes me extra happy!

 

All photos by my lovely sister from Elsie's Adventuring.

1930s Satin Slip Trial

Hi all!

I have a few more outfits photographed, but this week I'm interrupting my original plans in order to show you my most recent project - my very first fancy slip in all my years of sewing garments.

 

I've done a few simple cotton ones for everyday in the past, but they don't open down the front. I have a favorite (newer) vintage one with elastic shoulder straps that I wear all the time, and often wish I had more than one. So when I was shopping an Instagram sale and saw this lovely slip pattern, I had to add it to my purchase. 

I immediately made plans for it, and actually was so exciting to start that I cut out the slip the very next day after the pattern arrived in the mail all the way from the UK. 

 

The first problem of course was suitable fabric. I don't usually keep lingerie-appropriate fabric on hand, and I don't like polyester next to my skin, but needed something limp and slippery. And of course it has to be a pale shade so it doesn't show through. I really wanted a pale pink slip, but then I remembered this length of light sage green rayon satin that I had listed on eBay a while ago, after coming to a realization that it wasn't a good color for me and I was never going to make a formal gown with it. Well, it would be perfect for slips! Thankfully it hadn't sold. 

 

The pattern is a few inches too small for me, and I couldn't size it up the usual way without injuring the pattern lines, so I added a few inches onto the side seams instead when I cut it out. This was a trial version.

work in progress photo 

 

It was really fast and easy, even though the instructions were so vague that even with all my experience I still had a hard time figuring out what they were telling me to do. I ended up winging it a lot. The hardest part was getting the top V nice and pointy while leaving a seam allowance out on the top pieces. I ended up doing a better job on the back, so I added a little bow to cover the less perfect front. 

 

I just serged all the seams, and covered the top ones with top stitched lace. For fun, I added insertion lace on the skirt.

 

One feature I like so much about this slip is all the options possible with those cute inserted panels on the bottom skirt. You could just sew them on and still give it some bias V detail front and back, or use a contrast fabric, or stitch trim to outline the V...or try insertion lace like I did. I used some thicker cotton lace I had on hand, so it actually doesn't hang as well as it should - the stiffer lace and all that stitching makes it stand out a bit even with the drapey fabric. If I used insertion lace again I'll want to choose heirloom lace, or something more delicate. 

 

Since it was already so long, I just turned up the hem and top stitched it with a decorative stitch on my machine. As you can see, the V doesn't meet at the hem, so next time I think I can be more precise. But it's still pretty.

 

I thought the pattern was 1940s from the illustrations, but it's pretty long even when hemmed, and very fitted through the hips, so I'm going to revise that to 1930s. It's ok - I can sometimes use a longer slip. Next time I will shorten it by folding the pattern piece below the bust, which should give me more room at the hips as well as shorten it. I prefer it to hit just below the knee.

 

The elastic lace for straps give me nursing access, without keeping it from regular wear. I had picked up the elastic lace for a few cents at the thrift store not long before the pattern arrived, which was serendipitous. 

 

So there's my first fancy slip! It's far from perfect, but certainly a wearable trial. I have enough fabric left for another one, and hope to make that one a better fit and fix some of the bobbles now that I know what I'm doing. If it turns out nicely I'll dress it up with embroidery, like the sketch!

 

 

Versatile: A 1930s Set in Green

I had this combo on my sewing list for a while, and a few months ago I made it happen. I realized I couldn't keep cutting into this forest green cotton pique for contrast on things like last year's Easter dress, or my most recent Christmas dresses, without eventually ruining it for the jacket & skirt plans I had.

 

I've been wanting to make this 1930s skirt again ever since I made it in white, and dark green solid is a much more practical color. Plus it goes with anything and in any season!

 

The jacket I used from another 1930s pattern, and it is my first time using an open ended zipper like this. Of course back in the day it would have been metal, but I used what I could easily source. It was actually quite easy to install. I should do more zip-front things like this!

 

The pique has a nice texture and a bit of stretch, so it fits well. 

The jacket really was quite basic and quick to make, too. I realized later that it would be a great background for some embroidery or other decoration...I will have to think about it and see if I'd wear it more that way, or if it's more versatile when left plain like this.

 

I like how it looks like a suit when worn together, though of course all pieces can be paired separately with other things in my closet.

 

The blouse is cut from a pretty piece of vintage seersucker I got from an eBay seller a while back. I had just exactly enough to squeeze out this blouse and a sash.

 

Such a pretty print!

 

The sash makes it more versatile, or I can also use it for a hair scarf if I want to coordinate in a different way.

 

I didn't look at the pattern closely enough, however, before I started cutting it out. Then I realized that it was meant to meet in the center, with an underlap, and close with lots of little fabric button loops. I was not about to mess with that many button loops every time the baby wants to nurse, so I decided to just overlap it and button it like normal.

THAT plan was underway when I realized that the V in the front wouldn't meet if it was overlapped, but be several inches off. :-(

 

Well, clearly I hadn't thought it through well enough...so I eventually decided to make it look more purposeful by adding another top stitched tuck farther up on one side, so it might look done on purpose instead of supposed-to-match-and-doesn't. Asymmetrical details are quite popular on 1930s clothing.

 

So that was all a hassle, but hopefully it didn't turn out too badly! I do love the print, the V in the back, and the sleeves, and how well it coordinates with the green pique.

 

I can wear it tucked in or out, which helps with more versatility as well. 

 

But I really do need to do another version of this blouse with more thought put into it! The pattern definitely deserves a more accurate treatment.

 

The jacket, though lightweight, is a bit too warm for summer, but it will work nicely for fall and spring transitional weather. Meanwhile the skirt and blouse can be worn for summer, now that summer will be arriving any minute in our neck of the woods. 

 

I am glad to have it finished! One more long-time project on my list crossed off.

 

Late 1930s Dark Blue Rayon Dress

This dress has been on my list for a VERY long time. For over 3 years I've had this rayon paired with this late '30s dress pattern...every fall it would still be on my sewing queue and I just never quite got that far. There were always new, more exciting projects crowding it out!

 

Then I realized that just because I didn't get it done last year for fall (again!), didn't mean I could not go ahead and make it this spring. It's actually a great transitional piece and can fit in many seasons.

 

I actually quite like wearing dark colors in the summer, since I can wear less layers under them. So I opted for the short sleeve version to make it more versatile, and went ahead and sewed it up during a big sewing spree before Easter.

 

We didn't get pictures taken right away, which ended up working out just fine...because our wildflower season was the perfect time to get pictures.

 

These blue wildflowers are my favorite. They lie in the wet hollows like pools of living water. We found a nice little hollow full of them, and had a photo session. 

 

1930s style Sound of Music, anyone? 

 

I had intended to make it with the white collar from the view 2 of the pattern, but changed my mind not long before making it, to use instead one of the vintage collars I've picked up at antique stores. Thankfully I had one that fit the V shape of the neck perfectly!

 

It was breezy when taking these pictures, so the collar and skirt don't always lay perfectly..but such is life when taking photos out of doors.

 

The pattern size was smaller than I am, so I had to size it up. It worked out well enough, though I wouldn't say it is quite a perfect fit. It's close enough for me (since I am not a perfectionist.)

 

I love all the tuck details everywhere!

 

I've done some dresses with similar construction and tuck detail, so it wasn't too difficult to put together. I think I shortened the skirt tucks a bit so they would look better on me, but otherwise followed the pattern (also adding a panel to heighten the neckline).

 

 

This rayon crepe - actually a fine black/dark blue houndstooth pattern - is limp, yet with a crisp feel, and hangs beautifully. Just like real vintage rayon. It was textured enough to not be too slippery while I was sewing, which was nice. The skirt feels more tailored but is still nice and flow - an element about pre-WWII patterns I enjoy.

 

This is the sort of classic dark dress that is easy to wear, fun to pair with various accessories, and versatile for different seasons and occasions. I can easily layer it with a cardigan for colder weather.

 

I am really pleased to finally have this off my to do list where it has languished for so long. It will be fun to style it different ways in the future.