Verity Vintage Studio

Project Journal: Thrifted Sweater Coat Made 1930s

Something a little different this week! As the weather has turned chilly again, I've rediscovered how much I like sweater coats. They are less formal than jackets, longer and more versatile than regular sweaters, and especially nice for long car rides since they provide warmth for going in and out of the car, without the excessive heat and bulk of a long wool coat during the ride. 

I already own one and was happy to pick up two new ones recently. One was this lovely cream colored one, with quite a bit of cute detail. I especially liked the thin cotton yarn used (not a fan of acrylic if I can get cotton!) and the nubby texture, while the neutral color will go with anything!

 

I definitely saw possibilities in it, but it had some modern elements I didn't like so much - especially those huge, decorative shiny plastic buttons, and a random modern buckle on the neck.

 

I did some research, looking at 1930s swagger coats for inspiration of ways I could make this more me - more suitable for a vintage style wardrobe. After deciding on the route I wanted to take, I got started.

 

First off, those shiny plastic buttons and the buckle were removed.

 

Under each one was a small hole, probably put there by the factory to mark the button placement. I could have covered it by replacing with a vintage button, but I had a different idea. So each hole got a quick darn to close it. Thanks to the nubby texture of the knit, it camouflaged the darn pretty well.

 

Next, I tightened the back belt by folding a pinch of it and inserting through a vintage belt buckle. A common 1930s fashion element was a buckle in the back - and besides, it was a great way to tighten the belt without having to take out the side seams and cut the belt shorter. Instead of sewing it in place, I did use a safety pin to allow for versatility. This way I can swap out buckles when I want to. 

 

The sleeves got a quick hem since they had been too long when I tried it on. Just an inch turn-up made the fit much better.

 

I just love the slanted lines on the front - another perfect fit for the 1930s look I'm going for.

 

I had put some thought into the neck. Because the 1930s were big on collars and sleeves, often swagger coats had some sort of fancy element there. Since I was working with an existing sweater, I tried to think of a way to dress up the neck/shoulder area. I got inspiration from a photo, and purchased a Pashmina scarf for a few dollars online.

It was supposed to be ivory, but it is still much whiter than the sweater. Oh well, that way it will just coordinate with more colors. It's still all neutral.

 

I cut the scarf in half across the center of the width, and pleated it closely together, fastening the cut end of each half on the shoulder where it would be covered with the decorative tab already there.

 

The last step was to replace a button back on each tab - only a pretty vintage one this time!

 

While the finished sweater coat may not look completely 1930s, it's much closer than the more modern one it was originally. Therefore much more my style, and goes with my wardrobe better.

 

The scarf coming from each shoulder creates some versatility with ways to wear it, too. 

 

 

I paired it with a 1930s dress I made a long time ago that has issues, but is still a favorite, especially of my early projects. Also true vintage accessories in chocolate brown and burgundy.

 

(I hope these lovely autumn leaves last long enough for me to get a few more outfit photo shoots done! I love this time of year, yet I think we will get an early winter this year...so fall is not lasting very long, sadly.)

 

It only took a half hour to make this into a version I like - so much faster than making a new one! Just another reason to keep your eye open when thrifting for those classic styles (or vintage style elements) that give you something to work with. Think creatively, and it opens a lot of possibilities.

 

After all...you can't beat a 99 cent, half-hour swagger coat added to your fall wardrobe!

Adjustable Maternity Wardrobe: Success?

Now that I am back to normal size, I've been able to see how well my adjustable dresses made during pregnancy, work for a non-pregnant shape. The answer in a nutshell is - some better than others!

My tie front dresses I have not worn since the baby was born, since they do not open down the front for nursing access. I am confident they will look fine, once I can wear them again, because the pattern was not intended for maternity in the first place. This particular dress got a ton of wear and no longer looks so fresh!

1940s anchor dress

 

This dress, created by combining 2 different patterns, turned out to be my most flattering maternity dress during pregnancy. I really like it. I do think the general idea would work for a non-maternity pattern as well, but since I made it during pregnancy, I ended up with an empire waist, which looks quite nice with a baby belly. Wearing it without the baby belly now makes the waist band fit around my rib cage instead of my waist, which I don't like, so I will retire this one with my other maternity clothes. If I make this pattern combo again, I will make the waist hit farther down, so that it will work better for non-maternity.

Thankfully I have enough fabric to make another dress that fits me now!

1930s adjustable floral dress

 

I have not gotten pictures of my 1930s house dress without the baby bump, but I have documented another version with normal proportions, so I know how it will look and fit.

1930s house dress worn while pregnant

earlier tropical version worn while not pregnant

 

I made two versions of Butterick 6485. The rayon version was photographed while I was still small enough that you can pretty well tell how it looks now. I wore it through the whole pregnancy, and was very happy with it.

 

I made it again in cotton, and didn't like this version as well to wear while pregnant. It looked ok when I was just large enough to want an adjustable waist, but once I got to the last few months, it made me feel even bigger than normal. Any woman who has gone through the months of pregnancy knows that is not a nice feeling.

 

So I did another photo shoot to show if normal proportions would help, or if this pattern is one that really does need the limpness of rayon.

 

It looks better for sure, but I still am happier with the rayon version (both for maternity and regular), so likely will not make this again in cotton. 

 

(I had fun with a more structured hairstyle this time than my usual brush-out. It ended up looking a bit more late-'40s I thought.)

 

My blue and red adjustable dress started out too snug for how large I had become by the time I made it, as you can see in the first batch of photos I took. It would work well for previous months, but definitely is one I would grow out of during the last few months.

 

How well does it work though without the baby bump? Pretty well, I think!

 

Nice and trim with the belt, and the extra gathers in the back allow for plenty of movement and comfort without looking obviously maternity. I'm happy with how well my alterations to this pattern worked out.

 

So overall, I would say that the patterns I experimented with were successful, especially since none of them were officially "maternity". All of them I would wear again, though some of them not for the entire pregnancy.

Some I have retired for now, while others remain in my closet, and yet others will have their turn when the baby is weaned. It was a fun experiment, but I'm very happy to fit back in my normal clothes again and be able to give the dresses I made earlier this spring while I was still small, a few more outings yet before winter!

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!

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!

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. :-)

Late 1930s Pink Gingham Adjustable Dress

Yay for spring! Since our last batch of spring rains seems to finally be over, I can take pictures out-of-doors again. I am so enjoying the lovely sunshine, budding flowers, green hills, and hanging my laundry out once more!

I so enjoyed making and wearing my green late '30s dress last fall, that I wanted to make another one. Only, of course, I wouldn't fit in a regular version for very long, and the pattern lent itself to alterations for maternity very well.

 

The original pattern features a back with extra fabric gathered in to the skirt at the fitted waist. My idea was simply to not gather it, but rather cut the skirt to fit the width of the un-gathered waist of the bodice piece. This would make a wider panel all the way across the back, yet hopefully still look nice and trim when cinched in to a normal waist size. 

 

As I've mentioned before, the maternity dresses I like the best are ones that are not obviously maternity, and can be worn afterwards too. I was hoping this would turn out to be such a dress.

 

I used some pink gingham cotton twill from my stash for the trial. As you can see, it holds wrinkles pretty easily and has to be pressed before wearing. But I wanted a fabric I didn't care too much about, in case the trial failed. 

 

When cutting it out, I simply measured the bottom of the back bodice, and added that much extra to the center back seam of the skirt pieces. Otherwise, I followed the normal cutting and sewing directions except that I added waist ties (from this Butterick pattern) on each side seam, and skipped the decorative belt loops.

PLUS I could omit the side zipper, since the waist is now plenty wide enough to slip on over the head. Win!

 

I did cut the neckline differently and omit the collar, for a different look from the green dress. The collarless version is more comfortable for everyday, I think.

 

Basically the only difference between how this version and the original looks (other than the ties) is that the skirt has some extra gathers in the back, instead of being smoothly fitted gores. I like the gored version better, but this one is quite nice enough to suit me. I am large enough now at 23 weeks that my regular dresses are starting to be uncomfortable around the waist, and I can tell an instant improvement with this one's adjustable waist. Just slip it on, button it up, and tie the sash as snugly as desired. 

Crossing the ties in the back first means that the side seams stay where they belong, and keeps all the gathers in the back so they won't shift around to the sides where they would add bulk. Also I think it makes the waist look more trim.

 

I really like how the tucks on the back bodice control the extra fabric at the shoulders. These are always fun to sew.

 

There is plenty of room left in the dress at the back, so we will see if I will be able to wear it for the rest of the pregnancy. I think it's likely.

I have great hopes that it will look enough like a normal dress, and not a maternity one, to wear for non-maternity as well. The adjustable waist will certainly always be comfortable, even without a baby bump. What do you think? Does it look obviously maternity?

 

I was able to use these long-stashed vintage drop shaped buttons for the bodice. I had exactly the right amount, and they were the right color of off-white to go with the fabric. The dress was simple enough that I liked a bit more "statement" in the buttons.

 

Since this trial was a success, I've had some ideas for similar alterations for other patterns, so I may have more trials to show you in the future. Since I have to wear a slip with this dress, I have at least one more version planned, suitable for the hot weather this summer when I will be large enough to need to wear maternity clothes every day, so you will likely see this altered version again in the coming months.

Meanwhile, this is a comfortable, cheerful version for spring, and I'm very pleased with how well my idea translated to real life. 

1930s Summer Housecoat Replacement

This was the 3rd of a trio of January projects (all in blue, incidentally...) which I finished a while ago and finally am getting around to documenting on the blog. I normally would not make a summer project out of season, but my first version of this pattern gave up the ghost last year with major, unmendable fabric disintegration, and I needed something lightweight to wear during a planned winter Hawaii vacation!

 

The fabric choice was not high priority - I wanted something cotton, dark enough that it wouldn't be see-through, and not a piece favorite enough to save for a dress. This print I'd gotten ages ago at JoAnn was pretty much the only one that fit the bill - it just happened to be blue. ;-) 

Since this is the 3rd time making this pattern, everything went rapidly and smoothly. The princess seams always mean construction is fast, and the yoke was the only thing that took a little time, but that was all pretty basic too. I didn't get any full length pictures for some reason, but I made it mid-calf length instead of floor length like the one it was replacing - which was really too long to be practical. I continually had issues with tripping on it. This one fits me better and is certainly more tidily constructed too, which is nice to see as a landmark of how my sewing quality has improved.

 

Because I can never make just a plain project, I also added rickrack the whole way around the yoke, for trim, in one of the more subtle accent colors from the print. I like how rickrack looks applied this way, with only half of it sticking out. Plus, otherwise the  top stitched yoke would have been quite lost in this busy print.

 

I wanted to tie the rickrack in on the sleeves, but without putting it on the hem, where it would be more uncomfortable to wear. I found the solution by folding down a pleat to stitch the trim under, above the hem. 

 

And finally, I used the remaining scraps of rickrack as little decorative knots to hide where I sewed the snaps down the length of the front opening, to shut it. I had the perfect amount from that card of vintage rickrack! Unfortunately, I found out after I'd sewn all those snaps by hand that I should have used a heavier duty size, and will have to redo them before I can wear it very much. I'm not pleased with that, but at least I now know for next time.

 

I didn't get any sewing done in February, after my sewing flurry of January, so there haven't been any recent photos on the blog for a few weeks. As a result, now you can see that Baby Two is putting in an appearance! This housecoat should serve me well over the summer with its adjustable waist, yet remain un-maternity for later wear.

 

Once again, one of the reasons I like this pattern so well is that, especially made in a dress style print, it has the comfort and convenience of a robe, but looks formal enough that I don't mind wearing it around other people or answering the door. My 2nd version of this pattern is dress length and does not open all the way down the front, and I wear it as a house dress quite as a matter of course.

 

Not a very exciting project perhaps, but one of my need-to wardrobe gaps filled. Something that will get a ton of wear, instead of just one or two outings a season. Useful and necessary - but cheery and pretty too.

Sewing Recap for 2018

It's that time again! After making sure (almost) all my sewing projects were photographed and put on the blog, I always enjoy rounding them up for a year-end post, where I can look at them all in one place and see progress or spot repetition.

 

This year featured a lot of variety, which I like! There are classic 1930s silhouettes, WWII era dresses, and a few full-skirted 1950s styles.

 

1940s novelty print umbrella dress, 1950s Easter dress

 

I also made several projects from the late '30s/early '40s, which is not surprising since it's a favorite fashion era of mine.

  

sage green copycat dress, Christmas dress

 

Lots of color variety shows up - browns, blues, purple, gray, black, teal, red, pink, gold, and more - including an unheard-of yellow dress! I always thought I couldn't wear yellow.

Green was a major theme this year as well.

1930s yellow 2 piece

  

1940s house dress, late '30s rayon dress

 

While a lot of these photos are backyard shots, I did have fun photographing this New Look dress at a castle! I definitely want to  continue seizing better photo opportunities when possible.

 

I used a variety of fabrics as well. While a lot of these are quilting cottons or rayon suiting - no surprise since those are my favorite types of fabric - I also made projects using cotton twill, linen, lighter rayon and cotton weights, satin, chiffon, wool blend, corduroy, and even polyester knit of all things!

 

gray plaid dress, gingerbread skirt

 

I was fairly good about keeping away from fabric sales... With a few exceptions, I didn't buy much fabric this year. And a lot of the new fabric I did get was from a local thrift store at very cheap prices. While that still adds to my shelves, it doesn't cost much money, so that's at least a partial win. :-) But more than half of my projects this year were major stash busters or used fabric I already had.

 

1940s almost sailor dress, 1950s sweater dress

 

I made another hat!

 

Last year one of my goals was to be varied in color choices and experiment more with trims. I definitely met both those goals. While I have a lot to perfect yet with my embellishment skills, at least I've made a start! From regular applied lace trim to lace insertion, attempts at soutache, freehand embroidery, beads, top stitched bands, and self appliqué, this year's roundup shows a lot more creativity with embellishment than previous years. I really love it!

 

 

I also tried 3 way color blocking for the first time.

1940s 4th of July dress

 

Another goal was to make several 2 piece outfits, or mix-and-match 3 piece sets. This goal I also certainly met! I made quite a few 2 and 3 piece outfits this year, of various kinds.

 

1930s dress, skirt, and jacket

1940s twill summer suit

 

1930s gold linen dress & jacket

 

I also was more creative with styling and photographing the mix-and-match sets to demonstrate their versatility.

 

1940s pinstriped summer suit

 

One of my 2 piece outfits was a remake from an earlier dress that was poorly constructed and no longer fit me. Remaking is very rewarding, and takes less time, usually, than starting from scratch. I have a whole drawer full of pieces to repurpose or remake, so I should do more of that!

 

My final goal was to make at least one nice, time-consuming garment with hand work like beading. That would have to be almost my last make - my Christmas dress. It featured by far the most elaborate decorations, with hand applied soutache, embroidery, and beads. Yet decorating the yoke still took only 1 extra day, so not quite as time consuming as I had envisioned.

 

 

Still, it's nice to see how most of my goals were met or exceeded! A very encouraging start for the upcoming year.

Of course, not all of these turned out perfectly. Several have major fit issues, or flaws that are hidden or disguised. But overall, it was quite a profitable year of sewing. Some are definitely favorites, and I was very pleased with how most of them turned out.

 

1940s purple print dress, 1950s black rayon dress

 

Some of them I only wore once or twice; others I continue to wear a lot! Some of them have gone downhill with frequent washing and wearing, depending on the fabric quality. It's always interesting to see which sewing projects I actually end up wearing the most.

 

1930s house dress, New Look house dress

 

Most of these I used new patterns for, with a few repeats from earlier years. But I only made one pattern twice for myself this year.

 

1940s Vogue pattern in plum wool, in gray gingham rayon

 

A few unexpected things happened this year in the sewing realm. For one, I made a half dozen commissioned dresses for other people. First time sewing for customers.

  

Some of my commissioned garments.

 

I pieced a quilt top! And I've always hated quilting! I would NEVER have dreamed I'd tackle and enjoy a quilt. The quilt is not completed yet so it's not quite a finished project, but almost all the sewing part is done, so I have to include it. 

  

 

And I have to mention my newest sewing friend - a vintage Singer Rocketeer in an original cabinet, which I found at an antique store and happily brought home. It makes the hours I spend at the machine much more enjoyable!

 

I don't really have any special sewing goals this year, except the general ones of continuing the trends already started, and more experimenting with embellishments. Several of my projects were made from vintage fabrics, and I would really like to sew more with vintage fabric in the future. I have some nice pieces that need to be given new life - and the quality is just so much more satisfactory.

 

classic white blouse, 1940s dotted Swiss dress

1940s asymmetrical skirt

 

I knew I had sewn a lot this year...some months I was finishing a project a week. Yet even I am surprised at the final numbers for my personal projects! 8 1930s makes, 13 1940s, 2 New Look styles, and 6 1950s were added to my closet. Since 7 of those were 2 or 3 pieces, that adds up even more!

  

1940s brown rayon dress, 1950s formal outfit

 

One sort of related goal for this winter is to finish getting my sewing space the way I want it. My sewing room is at one end of my bedroom, but I have some ideas for making it prettier and more practical. I was also given a vintage knitting machine which I would love to learn how to use to make vintage style sweaters!

Otherwise, I intend to relax and see what the new year brings. There are always brand new ideas crowding to the forefront of my sewing queue, but I certainly hope to finally give life to some long-awaited projects and favorite hoarded fabric too. I always try to improve my modeling and styling, and intend to master my hairstyles this coming year.

2019 may not be as productive, but that's ok. Sometimes there are higher priorities and the threads of hobbies need to be dropped for a while. Sewing, like life, goes through seasons. The important thing is to take what comes and enjoy the process.

A Late '30s Christmas Dress

I've done a lot of sewing from the late '30s this year, so it's not surprising that the pattern I chose for my Christmas dress this year also happened to be from this era. 

 

And it was definitely the most frustrating project I made this year. The rayon crepe from JoAnn I used was super limp and slippery. It made every step triply difficult, from cutting out to finishing. I would work on it for a short time and then have to take a break to save my sanity. There are still a few mistakes visible, and the inside is a mess, but I got to the point when I wasn't going to fool around with it any longer and just called it good enough.

 

Thankfully it presents well, which helps make up for all the frustration!

 

I do love how the yoke turned out. I cut an underlay of cotton and basted the two layers together so they wouldn't slide. Then I played around with decoration ideas. I didn't have a stencil, so the soutache design is freehand and measurements. Many measurements.

 

It isn't perfect, but I do love it. I added freehand embroidery with matching thread to the soutache, and then decided that pearl beads would be a nice final addition. Altogether the hand work added an extra day, but it takes the dress up a notch and I really love how it turned out!

 

The dress originally was supposed to have a scalloped collar, but after struggling with the fabric, I was not going to attempt a scalloped collar with this rayon. Besides, it would distract from the yoke decoration and potentially cover it up. So I omitted the collar.

 

The front opening came down too low, when I tried it on first, so I went on Pinterest to look at vintage dress images to find ideas for how to fill it without looking tacky. I found an image of an extant dress that gave me the idea for this neck filler, and I'm pleased with the result. It looks like it belongs there instead of an afterthought.

 

The sleeves were another alteration since the ones I had cut out were not working right, so I winged it, and gathered up the bottom hem a little bit. A few more pearl beads add the finishing touch. 

 

The lovely holly color and drape of the rayon makes a very nice finished product, but I will never use this fabric again unless I have some fabric stiffener to spray on it first! I want to make another version with a more structured fabric so I can actually enjoy the construction.

 

My hope was to end up with a dress that is not too Christmassy to wear for other occasions. I don't know how well I succeeded (although a green backdrop does make it look even more so!), but I think I can at least wear it for New Year's, Valentine's Day or date nights without looking Christmas-festive like a specifically holiday print would.

 

I didn't have a hat I liked to coordinate, so I used various flower clips and millinery bits to make my own hairpiece.

These pictures were taken quickly between Christmas festivities, so I didn't have time to grab gloves and other accessories, but at least it is documented. :-)

 

This was also the first project I made using my "new" vintage sewing machine! I had to do the buttonholes on my old machine, and it was a bit of a learning curve, but I really love my Rocketeer!

 

I'm glad I pressed through the difficulties and didn't toss this away as a bad job. I might have, except I did the yoke decoration first and after putting in that effort, I didn't want to waste it. And the result is pretty enough that it was worth the labor. 

 

I think it turned out looking fairly period-accurate as well!

1930s Gold Linen Jacket & Dress Set

This outfit idea was on my to do list since last fall, when I saw a photo of a vintage dress and jacket combo online, and loved the way it had two different looks depending on if the jacket was worn or not. At the time, I had slated the linen for this future project, but several months later when I got a lovely 1930s pattern on Etsy, I realized it would be perfect for this outfit.

 

So when another autumn rolled around and the weather was getting suitable for such an outfit, I started work on it. I made the dress first. The bodice turned out fine - all those tucks! - and I really liked it. Then I tried it on and realized the rayon I used was so super thin that even with a  slip underneath it would be quite see-through, so I had to cobble together a lining, which took several tries and is certainly not very neat inside! I should have just flat lined it in the first place.

 

The skirt I had some difficulty with because my tailor's chalk markings disappeared on the linen and I had to re-figure out the back pleat placement, which meant some ripping out and resewing.

Then once all those seams were done (from the waist to about 12 in. from the hem), I realized that it was going to be way too snug. Like way, way too body hugging snug! So out came the seam ripper again and I made the back pleats/darts short instead. I do like the detail they add.

It was a pain trying to rip out seams on the linen, which was fairly coarse.

 

I made the belt up on my own without a pattern, and despite all the various issues, once it was all put together I really like the dress. I love the bodice detail. Gold is not my usual color, but especially as a skirt, I hope it works well enough. And it's certainly a nice fall color!

 

The jacket was a different story! I had cut the front panel inserts on the bias, thinking it would add a nice subtle variation. Those panels turned out way too huge (I think because the bias stretched so much in the linen) and instead of trimming them off, I tried pleating them into the front pieces. Which worked fairly well, but I don't like how it looks on me very much...

 

The back I couldn't figure out how it was supposed to be done so I winged it. It overlapped in a strange way.

 

I added a button tab, just for fun. (And perhaps to help secure the overlap...)

 

The sleeves again were difficult since some of the darts went wonky, and by that time I was so tired of working with the linen that I only partially fixed it.

 

After I have some time and space away from that linen, I may go back and redo the jacket - otherwise I doubt it will get worn much with the dress.

 

It was fun to find a use for these "cinnamon bun" buttons I've had in my stash for ages. I doubted I'd ever actually use them since they were so unusual, but of course 1930s buttons often were - and I had just the right amount for this jacket, including one larger size for the waist!

 

While this outfit gets a sort of love-hate opinion from me (love the dress, hate the jacket), I do definitely like the mix-and-match of having a coordinating jacket and dress. The dress collar adds a touch of contrast to the jacket. Besides the two different looks it gives, it's also perfect for Idaho autumns since often it is quite warm during the days and I can use a short sleeved dress, while mornings and evenings are cold, when I can add the jacket. While this combo didn't quite turn out like I had pictured, it at least has made me interested in doing another version someday with a happier fabric and jacket pattern.

 

Of course the gold linen goes perfectly with my nutmeg-brown Alice shoes from Royal Vintage. I also wore my favorite 1930s hat, and added a touch of color with my accessories.

These coral grape earrings and bracelet are vintage and belonged to my husband's grandmother, as well as the ivory beads. They are so pretty! The grape leaves on the bracelet kept catching on my skirt, however, so another time I'll wear it with a denser fabric to avoid damaging my clothes.

The gloves I dyed myself, once their original white became too dingy for use.

 

While this is not my favorite sewing project this year, is not a job I'm very proud of, and it doesn't even rank up with the "frustrating but worth it" projects, I certainly learned a lot during the construction and am sadder but wiser as a result. 

At least I am happy enough with the dress that it's partially a success!