Verity Vintage Studio

Item of the Week - Crochet Pattern for Victorian Baby Girl Cardigan

This baby cardigan "Wreath of Roses Sweater" crochet pattern download is Item of the Week in my Etsy shop, half off for one week. It's written for sizes 12, 18, and 24 mo. using a sport weight cotton yarn, worked from the top down with raglan sleeve shaping and lots of cute detail. Slashed from $3.00.

The Weekly Word - Joshua

And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying,

When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying,

What mean these stones?

then ye shall let your children know, saying,

Israel came over this Jordan on dry land...

That all the people on earth 

might know the hand of the Lord, 

that it is mighty:

that ye might fear the Lord your God forever.

Joshua 4:22 and 24

March Tutorial - Week Four - How to Make a Retro Skirt from a Twin Sheet

Partly because March is craft month, and partly because of spring air or something that gave me lots of ideas, I'm doing a Tutorial Blast this month, with a new and different tutorial every week instead of just the first week of the month. Check back each week to see what's new! Week One: How to Make a Cottage Chic 1950s Gloveholder. Week Two: Dyeing Vintage Accessories. Week Three: Flat Overnight Curlers. Week Four: How to Make a Retro Skirt from a Twin Sheet.

 

Recently I've been doing a lot of sewing using vintage fabric and patterns. It started out as a desire to make a 1940s costume for an upcoming party, then I found so many patterns online I wanted I had to buy some and make them.

How much fun it is to see them come to life - and the options so endless! To see this pattern (McCall's 8723)...

...become this '40s dress:

 

And the jacket of Simplicity 1602...

...look like this, using thin vintage muslin (the pink bar on the collar is a welt, for putting flowers in when wearing  a corsage - I love the feminine touches on vintage styles!):

 

And of course I can always use a sailor style blouse from Simplicity 3288...

...in nautical seersucker stripes for the summer.

 

This 1950s duster (pattern Butterick 7140)...

...is a great addition to my wardrobe, easy to make and perfect for comfortable house-wear.

Of course I've had some difficulties, and had to make a few adjustments during the process - shorten a bodice, lengthen a skirt, skip the interfacing, put the sleeve in differently, etc - and have had some learning curves on facings and following vintage pattern directions, but it's been a fun adventure and I have lots more to cut out and sew.

 

However...

 

For those of you who don't like to sew or are confused by patterns, yet love vintage fashions, here's my favorite way to make a retro skirt in just 2 pieces, as easy as possible and perfect to customize according to size and inclination.

 

You'll need:

1 twin size flat sheet, preferably vintage

yardstick and measuring tape

sewing machine and accoutrements

pinking shears (or scissors)

needle and thread

8 in. zipper

pins

 

First, a word about sheets.

Sheets are the perfect fabric for making vintage outfits, because vintage sheets can often be found for a few dollars, compared to buying repro prints or other fabric new - and there is a lot of fabric in them. In the photo of the blue dress above, I used only about 3/4 of a twin size sheet for the whole dress. In a king size sheet, there is a lot of fabric. Even better, the fabric feels nice and is sturdier than most cotton blends today, rarely wrinkle, wash nicely, and have been worn in. You do have to inspect them to make sure there are no stains, thin spots, pilling, etc. Also if you have a sheet set, the sheets may differ slightly in shade thanks to fading. But for $2 who cares if you have to cut around a stain??

 

Back to the skirt in progress...

For this skirt, I recommend finding a sheet that has a decorative border or ruffling at the hem. Most skirts are cut on a flare, which means you can't use the decorative edge of the sheet, but this skirt is straight at the bottom so it's perfect for incorporating the edge. Plus that means it's already trimmed and hemmed, so you will have exactly 2 seams in the whole skirt!

Now, keep in mind that the width of the sheet will be the width of your skirt, and you will need it to be a narrower skirt (not a '50s style circle skirt, for instance) or else the straight bottom edge won't hang right. That means a twin sheet will be wide enough for sizes S-L, while larger sizes should probably go up to a full size sheet and cut a strip off the unfolded side if there is too much fabric.

 

Cutting the Skirt

I took my sheet and held it against me to determine how long I wanted it. If you have to hem it, allow a few extra inches for the hem, and you'll have to allow seam allowance along the top. I wanted mine to be about mid-calf, so I folded it against me until the hem was about to the length I wanted it when finished, looking in a mirror.

 

Fold it lengthwise. Lay it flat on the table. Cut it off straight at the length you want, using a yardstick to make sure you are cutting straight. My skirt piece was 33 in. from hem to cut edge.

 

You're basically cutting the untrimmed end of the sheet off, leaving the top part as long as you want it. My finished skirt piece:

 

Lay it aside.

Cutting the Waistband

Out of the piece you cut off, cut the waistband. To do this, decide how wide you want it to be and multiply it by 2 + seam allowance. If I want a 2 in. waistband, I'll need to cut a strip about 4 3/4 in. wide.

 

The length depends on your waist measurement. You want it to be comfortably snug around your waist, plus seam allowance. I usually cut the long edge of the strip and before cutting it off,  hold it around me (preferably not overtop of a lot of thick clothing!) and pinch the ends to estimate seam allowance.

 

 

Here's my cut waistband.

 

And here's how it will look when on the skirt, folded in half lengthwise.

 

My favorite thing about waistbands cut from sheets is to cut it from the edge where there is a selvedge or hem, which means I won't have to hem it or turn it up and press it myself before whipstitching the free edge later on. This one was only turned up, but that works too. It's another shortcut, and I'm big on shortcuts! :-)

 

Now you have 2 pieces - the skirt and waistband. 

 

Assembling the Skirt

Now is the time to choose your style of skirt. Since you don't have a right side seam, you can put more fabric in the back if you want, or divide it in half and work each half into half of the waistband for evenly distributed fabric. However you do it, you need to use up all the skirt fabric into your waistband.

I wanted mine to have a few pleats in the front and the rest of the fabric gathered in the back, smooth over the hips. But there's lots of different ways, and by folding and pinning, you can get a feel for what you want.

 

I really liked how this looked, with one large pleat in the center and 3 small ones on each side.

Let's see what that looks like on the mannequin, also pinning on the waistband:

I like that.

Here are some other ways you can use up the fabric. When you pleat, make sure you use a ruler to insure that they all have the same amount of fabric in them, are the same distance from each other, and are all the same size.

 

Box pleats:

 

Large pleats going the same direction:

 

An inverted pleat (a box pleat backwards):

 

When working on the front with the right side of the fabric facing me, I am working on the right end of the skirt fabric, because when wrapped around me I want the zipper seam to be on my left. So I did my pleating on the right end of the fabric.

So then I have about 2/3 of the fabric left. I measured from the pleat toward the rest of the fabric the same distance the first pleat was from the edge, and marked it with a pin. This marks the right side "seam". All the rest of the fabric goes in the back.

 

To gather it, I put my machine on the longest stitch and stitched 2 rows 1/4 in. apart, across the entire length of fabric I wanted to gather.

 

To gather, just pull steadily and carefully on the top threads. With a lot of fabric like this, you'll have to pull a little at a time and work it in toward the center. Keep measureing it against the waistband so you know how much to gather.

 

Mine had to be gathered fairly tightly before it would fit into the waistband.

Gathering detail on the right side (with the waistband folded back):

 

When it's gathered, I pinned it to the raw edge of the waist band, right sides together. For this picture I flipped the waistband up.

 

Here is how it will look on the outside when the waistband is sewn down. The pleats on the right are the front, the gathers on the left are the back.

 

 

At this point I can carefully lift it up and wrap it around me or try it on the mannequin.

If it's all good, we go on to the first seam, which is securely stitching the waistband to the gathered-and-pleated skirt piece. Take out the pins and gathering threads when you're finished. 

Here's what it looks like on the inside now:

 

Next, fold the waistband over to the inside, just above the seam.

You'll need to stitch it by hand, and folding it just above the seam means you can stitch it without any thread showing through on the front, if you just catch the seam ends underneath.

 

Whip-stitch it by hand, with your needle and thread.

To finish, all you have to do is bring right sides together, put in your zipper at the top (follow instructions on the zipper if needed) and finish stitching the side seam. If you have a decorative edge at the bottom like mine, it's done! No hemming or anything. (But this particular one just had a serged edge on the ruffle, so I did turn it up 1/2 in. and stitch it.)

Give it a good pressing, and it's done. With a little practice you can make one in an hour or less.

 

Front:

 

Back:

 

 

Side:

 

I like how it looks more tailored in the front, but has plenty of fullness in the back. Not quite like a bustle, but similar.

 

If you are looking for a Period skirt, really pay attention to your print on your fabric; try making the skirt shorter and tailored (plain hem with maybe a decorative border rather than a ruffle) for a WWII 1940s outfit, longer and fussier for a New Look (late '40s-early '50s) costume, a little shorter than mid-calf length and either tailored or fussy for a 1950s look.

 

This method also works for large pieces of fabric folded in half, only you have to allow for and stitch a hem. I used this straight-cut style style with this wide duck cloth I made into a tailored '50s style skirt.

(Keep in mind the straight cut will only work for skirts on the narrower side. Wider skirts, to hang right, will have to be cut on a flare.)

 

As I said, there is lots of room for customization. Add lace or rick-rack above the hem or buttons down the front, appliques, embroidery, or contrasting waistband. If you're experienced, try inserted lace or hand ruffled ribbon for trim. Experiment with gathers and pleats and skirt lengths. Never pass up a pretty vintage sheet with a striking border! With 2 pieces of fabric and 2 seams to sew, it's easy. And it's fun!

 

Happy Sewing!

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

Item of the Week - '40s Style Crochet Necklace with Vintage Button

Item of the Week in my Etsy shop is this cute 1940s style crocheted ecru necklace. The medallion pendant features a vintage star shaped button. Slashed from $7.

The Weekly Word - 1 Timothy

Now the end of the commandment 

is charity out of a pure heart,

and of a good conscience,

and of faith unfeigned. 

1 Timothy 1:5

March Tutorial - Week Three - Flat Overnight Curlers Tutorial

Partly because March is craft month, and partly because of spring air or something that gave me lots of ideas, I'm doing a Tutorial Blast this month, with a new and different tutorial every week instead of just the first week of the month. Check back each week to see what's new! Week One: How to Make a Cottage Chic 1950s Gloveholder. Week Two: Dyeing Vintage Accessories. Week Three: Flat Overnight Curlers.

 

When you want a nice wave in your hair for a base for a retro hairstyle, here's a good way to do it. It's quick and easy, lasts all day, and is much more comfortable than rollers.

You won't get ringlets, but it's great for volume and '50s-inspired hairstyles.

I recommend starting with non-conditioned (non-slippery) hair.

 

You'll need:

spray bottle with water

lots of bobby pins

wide-bristle brush

satin sleeping cap (recommended)

 

1. Brush your hair out thoroughly, then dampen it with a spray bottle until it feels damp to the touch. If you are styling your front hair, do that first.

 

2. Then take about a 2 in. section of hair...

 

 

...and wrap it around 3 fingers of your other hand.

 

Turn it in toward your head, taking up any slack, and lay it flat against your head.

 

Bobby-pin it in place. I usually only need 3-4 bobby pins to secure a coil.

Continue with sections of hair around the back of your head, making sure to turn the coil on each side of your face the same way.

(I think they look like cinnamon buns!)

If you want tighter coils or have long hair, take up smaller sections of hair and wrap it around only 2 fingers. This will take more bobby pins. (It probably won't work with super long hair because of the coils needing to lay flat and dry overnight).

You want the coils to feel secure, but not have tons of pins in your hair because you'll be sleeping on it.

 

3. When all the hair is coiled flat against your head, dampen it well with the spray bottle until it feels actually wet. 

And that's it! Wear the satin sleeping cap to bed (this helps stabilize the hairstyle and well as contain it if a coil comes undone during the night) and in the morning the coils should still be smooth. It's the most comfortable way to set your hair overnight because it's so flat.

Once you get all the bobby pins out, you can style it.

Unbrushed curls right after unpinning the coils.

 

Styling is the fun part. You can brush the curls around your fingers to make a page-boy look...

 

...or brush part way through the hair to let the curls stay in shape at the tips, and add Victory rolls or a few clips or whatever you want.

(Or use it for an updo that you need volume for. )

 

 

So there's a few easy steps to creating some comfortable curl for your retro hairstyles.

 

Till next week,

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

 

Item of the Week - Delft Earrings

This pair of delft blue and white earrings are half price in my Etsy shop for one week only - slashed from $11.

The Weekly Word - 1 Samuel

The pillars of the earth are the Lord's,

and he hath set the world upon them.

 

He will keep the feet of his saints,

and the wicked shall be silent in darkness,

for by strength shall no man prevail.

1 Samuel 2:8-9

March Tutorial - Week Two - Dyeing Vintage Accessories

Partly because March is craft month, and partly because of spring air or something that gave me lots of ideas, I'm doing a Tutorial Blast this month, with a new and different tutorial every week instead of just the first week of the month. Check back each week to see what's new! Week One: How to Make a Cottage Chic 1950s Gloveholder. Week Two: Dyeing Vintage Accessories.

 

When I stumbed across a blog post about how easy it is to dye things, I was instantly interested - mostly because of my large collection of vintage gloves. White gloves stain so easily, yet if they have really neat cuffs or ruffles, I hate to part with them. To give them new life was exactly what I wanted - and is Period correct, too. And to be able to quickly make a pair to match any color for any outfit (not to mentioned dye my own colors more expensive to buy vintage) was perfect!

So I jumped into dyeing with both feet and bought a bunch of Rit Dye.

 

It truly is very easy.

 

How much fun it is to turn these...

...to these!

 

This pair was originally white.

 

These were originally ivory, and very stained. I had wanted a pair of dark green gloves for a long time and couldn't find one, so now I have them with hardly any expense!

 

Dyeing in General

There is much to be said about dyeing. Tutorials abound, with lots of proponents for different methods. I think the most important thing is to not expect exact results. It is extremely hard to pinpoint a color, so to take what comes is usually a pleasant surprise for me. The amount of dye used per amount of water, and the length of time the items soak can really make a difference with the finished color. To make it harder, the colors are always darker when wet, so you have to wait until the item is many shades darker than the approximate shade you want before it is finished.

The original shade of an item will make a difference in color as well, because it's already an ingredient when you over-dye it. The blue jacket below would have been a brighter blue if it had been ivory instead of tan since the tan influenced the blue dye into a periwinkle.

 

There are many different methods - washing machine for large items, sink or bowl or bucket method, or stovetop. Search for details to see what works for you. I haven't tried the washing machine method, but for small items a stainless steel bowl works perfectly. I used one side of our stainless steel sink to turn this jacket...

...to this.

Polyester and plastic do not dye, so the seams and buttons did not change.

 

Cotton and nylon dye the best, but nylon takes the color differently. When I did 2 pairs of cotton gloves and 1 pair of nylon gloves in the same bowl of dark gray dye, the cotton gloves came out dark gray and the nylon gloves a smoky blue! Nylon gloves in the same dye that did the burgundy gloves above, came out purple. They say to use salt in dye baths with cotton, and vinegar in dye baths with nylon to help fix the color, so perhaps that was my problem.

These cotton doilies took the dye nicely.

Before:

After:

So now that you're inspired, I'll walk you through the steps of dyeing using the bucket (or bowl) method.

 

Dyeing 

You'll need...

dye (this is a great place to find what dye "recipes" make the shade you want)

gloves (white or off-white work best)

stainless steel bowl

stainless steel spoon

salt (optional)

 

 

These cotton gloves were kind of blah and very stained and dirty. As white gloves I wouldn't have wanted them. But as dyeable articles, they turned from another woman's junk into my treasure!

I wanted them to be a brightish shade of light blue. These are the two dyes I mixed.

Rit dye is the most available dye and fairly cheap. It comes in two kinds - powder and liquid. I would heartily recommend the liquid. You don't have to worry about it dissolving, it's easier to handle, no dye-dust to fly around to breathe, and won't get your fingers stained just opening the package.

Dye doesn't smell too good, so do it in a ventilated place or - like my photos show - outside.

 

Now, for the details.

 

1. Fill the bowl with enough very hot water (mine just finished boiling) to swim the gloves in comfortably.

 

2. Stir in the dye. I used 4-6 tsp. liquid Royal Blue, and a sprinkle of the powdered Teal dye. Add salt if you are using salt.

 

 

3. Stir well, until any powdered dye is dissolved. NOTE: Keep paper towels handy. Dye will clean up if it's wiped up immediately after a splash or spill, but otherwise it will stain. Be very careful not to get any on your clothes.

 

 

4. Put in the gloves. You can dampen them first or put them in dry.

You'll want to stir it pretty much constantly.

 

After about 2 minutes it looked like this. This was close to the color I wanted it to be when dry, so I put it back in and stirred more.

 

Keep in mind that lighter colors will not be so dark when wet as dark colors. Dark green, for instance, will look black when it's wet. Dark gray will look purple when wet. But these didn't change much from wet to dry because of the lighter shade.

 

See how nicely the dye colors the fingers where there were stains?

 

5. When you think they are done (mine were in about 5 min.) carefully drain the water down the stainless steel sink and start the rinsing process.

I didn't have a rubber glove, so I used a plastic bag over my hand secured with a rubber band, which worked fine.

Rinse under warm water until the water runs clear. This will not take as long with a light color as it will with a dark one. Then run it under cold water and squeeze out.

 

6. Dry completely. I usually put mine on a sock ring overnight.

 

Here are my lovely pair of brand new gloves with a brand new life!

I love how the stitching dyed darker than the gloves.

They are the perfect shade for spring and summer!

I'm very happy with them, and glad that the color turned out pretty much how I wanted.

 

Dyeing Other Things

Dyeing is great for more than gloves. 

 

This ivory cotton clutch was very stained and I needed a red one, so I happily dyed it.

The dark spots were stains. But they are much less noticable now. Even the wood handles dyed!

I dyed this purse in a sink along with a cloth hat and pair of gauntlets, so I even have a matching accessory set now.

 

I did try a pair of leather gloves. They took the dye but didn't dye evenly, and the leather shrank. I like the distressed look from the dye, but won't dye anything leather that is special to me.

I do not recommend dyeing hats that have stiff shaping like buckram, since it will need reshaped. I tried this one:

 

Not only did the buckram get sticky and need reshaped, but the old glue that held the gauze pieces on fell apart.

 

But not to despair...with a glue gun, some glass pearls, and some ivory paper flowers, I repaired the damages and hid the rough parts.

 

But just the same, I'll stick to fabric hats from now on.

 

You never know until you try! But it's best to experiment on inexpensive non-heirloom items.

The possibilities and inspiration are endless. I hope you have as much fun as I do!

Till next week with Part Three,

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

Item of the Week - Linen-Cotton Maxi Skirt

This one of a kind, amazing crocheted maxi skirt (size 14-16) is half price for one short week only in my Etsy shop - slashed from $80.