Verity Vintage Studio

Item of the Week - 1950s White Halo Wedding Hat

This lovely 1950s white hat perfect for weddings, is Item of the Week in my Etsy shop, half price for one week only - slashed from $15.

Late 1930s Maternity Dress Revisited

My 4th of July maternity dress this summer proved to by my favorite maternity dress. It was comfortable and more flattering than other patterns I tried. I was curious, however, to see how well it would work after pregnancy, since the illustrations always show the dress on a non-pregnant woman, as if it was intended to be versatile.

Or maybe the illustrators simply intend to flatter a pregnant woman into thinking that this dress style will make her appear as slim as before! :-)

 

My conclusion was that I don't think it looks obviously maternity, now that it can be worn with the belt tied more snugly, though there's certainly more fullness in the back (especially in the breeze). More like a wrapped-in-the-back house dress.

 

While it may not be my most becoming vintage house dress, it certainly works and it's quite comfortable.

 

I'm glad I made it with buttons down the front, so that I could wear it after pregnancy if desired.

 

This one I would definitely make again another time and change it up with neckline, fabric, and sleeve options.

 

What do you think? Does it look like a maternity dress now that there's no baby bump? (Ok, so maybe still a little one, as I slowly lose the weight I'd gained...)

Item of the Week - French Country Blues Bracelet

Item of the Week in my Etsy shop this week is this cute crocheted bracelet in French country blues, at half price sale for one week only. Slashed from $10.

Why I Like Thrift Stores - 1950s Style Jacket

I've had this jacket for a while, and it always gets worn especially in the fall. It had been too big, but now fits me again so I was happy to pull it out and make use of it this autumn. 

 

It looks very 1950s with the front vents, fitted darts, notched collar, and button tabs - all vintage elements common to jackets.

It's also a lovely deep red with darker lines, which I find matches a lot of things in my closet - another bonus.

 

However this time I was making it a little more late '40s by pairing it with my Mexican style tiered skirt (also a thrift store find). 2 piece outfits are often matching, but I looked on pattern illustrations from the era and found that a lot of them showed a coordinating jacket and skirt look, so I didn't hesitate. I think it's interesting how the skirt is dressed up when paired with a jacket instead of peasant blouse.

 

I kept with the late '40s theme also with a low-in-front hairstyle and a high-in-front hat, and some Miss L Fire shoes I found on eBay. They are called classic 1940s, but I find more in common with the post-war years when I compare them with vintage shoe ads. The colors and style go with the skirt very well.

 

So nothing except the hat and gloves are true vintage, with this outfit, and nothing is homemade - unusual for me! But it goes to show how that certain modern pieces can look period correct when they are paired and accessorized correctly.

 

Also the brooch is vintage, which adds a bit of sparkle and ties the black together.

 

I find an outfit like this nice to throw together when traveling because it is comfortable, doesn't wrinkle with a little crushing or require a lot of accessories, like a belt, which if you forget to pack can ruin your outfit. Plus it's versatile. I need more versatile in my wardrobe!

 

So there's a modern-goes-vintage autumn look to keep me happy until I get back to sewing some of the more exciting things on my list!

A Hair Trim

A little while ago, I got my hair trimmed. As always, it felt different afterwards because of how long it had gotten previously, and also because this time I got it cut a little shorter than my previous trim, so I really felt like I lost a lot of hair. My hair grows pretty fast, and some spots grow faster than others so that my layers end up messed up every few months and I need a new trim. 

 

I have a love-hate relationship with this shortness of hairstyle...Setting it was much easier, and I loved the initial brush-out. It is easy to see why vintage hairstyles were done with relatively short hair. It's simply the right length. 

 

However, I was used to setting my hair every other day or so, and on the in between days netting it overnight and being able to go with that. But this new trim is apparently too short to hold a curl in the net - I can rarely get a decent 2nd day hairstyle. 

 

It certainly is more hassle to reset my hair almost every day, but on the other hand, if I get a good 7-8 hour set the first day, the 2nd day I usually just need a few hours to refresh. These pictures were taken with 2nd day hair after about 2 1/2 hours in the rollers.

 

I am almost always really pleased with the brush-out with this haircut - it's just that I haven't decided if a usually nice brush-out is a good substitute for the convenience of not having to set my hair almost every day. At least it only takes me 10 minutes or less to set my hair, so I suppose it's not that huge of a deal to do it every day.

Ah well, personal style is always an adventure!

Item of the Week - Vibrant Teal Earrings

These colorful teal and glass pearl earrings are Item of the Week in my Etsy shop, half price for one week only - slashed from $8.

Vintage Slip with Nursing Alterations

This pattern has been my go-to slip pattern for years. It's so simple. The darts and princess side seams keep it fitted but there's enough ease that it can pull over my head even with a cotton fabric that doesn't stretch much. 

 

It's a great basic pattern. I changed it up a bit a few years ago and made a longer, fancier slip to go with this dress - a favorite that sadly no longer fits me, so I am toying with the idea of taking out the seams and recutting it smaller...

 

My standard procedure is to skip the facings and just encase the neck and arms with bias tape. While I enjoy dainty underthings, so far I haven't made any - my slip-making is usually as quick and simple as possible so it can be worn right away.

However, the ones I've made previously won't work for nursing, so I had to come up with a different option.

Which was the simple one of lengthening the shoulder straps to allow for some overlap, and then cutting through them where it starts to flare wider.

 

Again, this time because I needed it and I had a short timeframe (i.e. the baby napping), I did things super simple. I sewed the seams and darts and then serged the whole way around the neck and arms to finish the edge, rounding the corners for the straps.

 

I also didn't have enough of the fabric (a thrift store sheet) to cut both sides on the fold, so I had to seam the front. Should have been the back of course, but I didn't realize until too late that I'd already cut the back on the fold and didn't have enough fold left!

And yes, it badly needed pressing. ;-) 

 

For the hem, I wanted to sew some lace along the bottom so that if the slip peeks out at any time, it looks a little nicer than just a top stitched plain hem. I didn't have any suitable lace however, so I tried my sewing machine's fancy stitch for the first time. It worked great and added a bit of embroidery that makes the hem look a little more upscale.

I do need to add a tuck to shorten it, I discovered, however. It's a late 1940s pattern which means it has a lot more length to it than some of the other styles before and after, which I frequently wear.

 

Then all that was left was to sew the snaps by hand. I put two on each side, and so far they have not been a problem to open and shut with one hand.

 

One benefit to doing it this way is that I can step in and out of the slip instead of pulling it over my head - so nice! And it works well to nurse in, which was the point, while it isn't obvious so I can wear it at other times as well. I made it in just a few hours, so despite how utilitarian it is, I think it's a success.

Item of the Week + a Half Dozen New Listings

Item of the Week in my Etsy shop this time is a pattern pdf download for a lovely lined and beaded crochet purse - half price for one week only! Slashed from $3.

 

Also, there are some brand new listings in the shop as well! A gorgeous vintage 1950s slip...

 

...1970s does 1940s chestnut suede heels...

 

...a 1940s style color block cardigan in pumpkin and silver, size M...

 

...a luxurious afghan...

 

...and 2 new pattern downloads - wrapped mitts and a beaded headband.

 

Head on over to the shop and browse for a while!

Sewing Plans & Eagerness

Since Davy's birth, I have been itching to get back to sewing (not that I have a lot of time to sew now...). I sorted through my closet, taking the opportunity both to switch out my summer clothes for fall/winter clothes, and to store all the things I can't nurse in and the too-huge things I picked up for the last few months of pregnancy. I was surprised to realize that only a few of the dresses I've made during all my sewing of the past year or two open down the front, so my handmade section of wardrobe is suddenly quite small. 

My other dilemma is that the pregnancy took me up a dress size (which makes my wardrobe even smaller since my latest sewing projects pre-pregnancy won't fit), so now I'm left wondering if I should wait to sew anything until I see if I can lose the 10 extra lbs I gained (thankfully only 10!). I mean, do I really want to sew something this fall that will be too big by this winter? On the bright side, the clothes from a few years ago that were too big, now fit me again. I guess I will just have to keep different sizes in my closet and get to wear them occasionally as I change sizes. But I still am not sure if I want to sew something I am excited about to fit me now if I will only wear it a short time.

But meanwhile, I can go ahead and plan for when I can sew! 

In my sewing inspiration post a few weeks ago, I talked about wardrobe goals and the 3 categories my future sewing projects should fit in to fill a need: Simple, Useful for Prints, and Versatile. It was interesting matching up my current sewing queue to those goals and seeing how they worked together. 

To-Do List

I found this bold, large-print, vintage cotton on eBay, and while it is a color scheme I don't normally wear, I think with a white collar next to my face it may work. It will certainly be interesting, out of the norm and make a cheery house dress. The simplicity of the pattern makes this project Useful for Prints. I wanted to make it this year yet but think since it is more of a spring dress I'll have to wait and make it to fit me then.

 

I really like this simple 1930s dress (beltless dresses are nice for everyday), and have a bunch of 1930s print fabrics I could pair it with. So far it is tentatively paired with this gray and coral print. White collar and buttons, but I'm thinking of doing 3/4 sleeves so it's more season-transitional. The simplicity of the design makes it Useful for Prints. (Incidentally, wouldn't it look great in a plaid with the side panels on the bias???)

 

This project has been paired and on my list for a long, long time and it's time to make it real. The blue/black rayon is very drapey and will work perfectly with an early '40s dress like this. I've wanted a simple navy 1940s dress with a white collar for a while - it's one of those basics that see a lot of use and is always becoming and suitable for many occasions. White collars are such a common fashion element from that era, always making the outfit look so finished and chic. This pattern has more interest going on with the dress design, but I think with a white collar as its only contrast it will still work under Simple. If I have enough fabric, I may do a matching jacket...

 

Another long-paired project is this pinstriped cherry red and white fabric, with a 1940s 2 piece outfit. It will have to wait for next spring or summer, but I really want to get it done this year. It will be a Versatile project, since I can wear the pieces together or separately. 

 

I snapped up some 1930s repro prints from Hancock's on clearance sale this spring, and really can't wait to make this project, especially after seeing Gina's 1930s dress in a similar color scheme. Come to think of it, this pattern is one of Gina's I borrowed and copied, so I guess this will be Gina Dress II. :-) I love how the print is similar to the pattern illustration - I'm going to stick with following the image for inspiration on this one, except for lengthening the front opening down almost to the waist. As is obvious from the fabric, this is another Useful for Prints project.

 

This pattern I want to make the short sleeve version of, so it will have to wait until next year since autumn is coming early in the Pacific Northwest this year. The vintage dotted swiss, snagged from eBay, is lovely and delicate and hopefully will be becoming. This will be a Simple project.

 

Another Simple project which just may be my Christmas dress this year, will be a remake of one of my most-worn dresses, this time with raspberry-and-black checked rayon suiting. I used a length of this suiting last winter for a 1940s dress with detachable peplum, but since it doesn't open down the front, when the suiting went back on sale at fashionfabricsclub.com I got more so I can make a dress in it that I can wear now. I'll do the skirt side panels on the bias again, and add just a black velvet collar for contrast. It will be simple but dressy, and I expect it will get worn a lot if my green version is any barometer.

 

A Versatile project I have in mind will use this length of gold gingham linen-rayon suiting. I was inspired by the image below and want to use the gingham as a dress with matching jacket, the dress to have a contrasting white "blouse" for the most versatility just like the inspiration image. I haven't quite decided on the patterns yet (so far the dress runner-up is the one shown, only with short sleeves), but I'm definitely going 1930s for this one.

 

This is destined to be a 1930s/1940s blouse with blue buttons! I'll probably choose a basic pattern that can cross eras, either the one shown or a similar one - something Useful for Prints, and hopefully one that can be worn tucked in or out.

 

I have this heavier plaid suiting which seems ideal for cold weather wearing. It could make a nice suit, but I have more need for warm house dresses. I'm thinking of doing this one Simple in a princess style dress with contrasting collar & covered buttons. Come to think of it, a princess seam dress might be a good answer to my sewing dilemma since I could make it to fit me now, and easily take in the seams when necessary without compromising the appearance and construction.

 

This late '40s dress is plain but still has charming elements with its overlapped collar and sleeve vents. I would like to make View 1 in this blue abstract-teardrop print. It would be simple, but I probably will put it in the Useful for Prints category. 

 

This bold plaid rayon suiting just seemed to say "1950s" all over it. I want to make it as a 2 piece with white contrast, and if I have enough left, do another style of 1950s jacket with 3/4 or long sleeves so I can mix and match. Definitely a Versatile project!

 

I have a few others in mind that may make the list yet, but these are the ones I'm most excited about. Everything from the stash if possible, which is certainly another goal, and a nice mixture of styles and decades. It's invigorating to actually have a need to sew for, instead of simply adding to my closet.

I may need to add a few more house dresses to the queue since a lot of these are dressier options. And these patterns below are more I'm excited to try that aren't paired with fabric yet. But after looking at my full sewing room shelves, I should be able to find something!