Verity Vintage Studio

My Bold Plaid 1930s Thanksgiving Dress

This dress is not exactly on my to do list, but since I mentioned there that I would like to do this pattern in plaid with the side panels on the bias, it's not exactly off my list either! So I can sort of say I'm still sticking to my list, and crossing things off. :-)

 

After making the gray and coral print version of this dress, I kept envisioning a plaid version so when I realized Thanksgiving was coming up, I needed no other impetus to put this at the head of the list. I checked out my fabric stash and found to my surprise I only had one large plaid.

It's a wool blend I've had for ages. Originally intended for a 1950s 2 piece suit but procrastinated on because of the potential plaid matching needed, I decided to use it for this instead. It's quite heavy, so it would have been suitable for a suit or a coat dress, and I'm glad this piece was as structured and simple as it was, or the fabric wouldn't have worked as well as it did.

(How's the gold and blue of Idaho hills and mountains for a perfect Thanksgiving-y color coordinated backdrop?? :-)

 

It took twice as long to cut out since I was pattern matching as much as possible. I opened the fabric out flat and cut each piece twice. My first bias piece I cut 3 times because I laid it wrong the 2nd time and didn't end up with a mirror image since the plaid is rectangular. Thankfully I had enough fabric to do that, and even have some left over (hopefully enough to trim a 1930s jacket and dress so I have a 3 piece coordinating ensemble! But first I have to find a suitable black fabric.)

And - bonus! - I actually cut out the front pieces correctly this time, so I could do the front overlap as the instructions intended! It made a lot more sense this time. And working on the straight grain of the plaid was really nice to keep my lines straight.

 

My only real pattern matching with this dress was the front - it worked out pretty well!

 

As always, with a 2nd time making a pattern things go together quickly and easier. I put the front and back together in no time - in fact, this may be my speediest project yet since the baby came. It's encouraging to find out how quickly things can be finished even with just using up snatches of time. Even if I just got a few buttonholes made, or a sleeve assembled, I was that much farther along for the next time I had a few minutes to sew.

I love the color, and the bias play turned out just how I had hoped!

 

The 2nd time around I corrected the neck fit issue, but am still not completely happy with the fit. I know I don't have a classic 1930s shape, but even so am puzzled by how the pattern illustrations from the era commonly show the skirts lying smoothly front and back yet they are way too wide at the waist! This one was fitted at the hips (understandably) and snug at the bust, but inches too big at the waist, despite me taking it in at the side seams. Another time I would just omit the back belt and wear a regular belt, allowing the surplus to gather a bit at the waist if needed.

 

I double top stitched the yoke front and back this time too.

 

This time I used the sleeves on the pattern illustration. I really liked them - they have tons of gathers but only just at the top, for a perfectly 1930s puffed sleeve. I used white linen for collar and cuffs, and though they are interfaced with a very stiff cotton twill, it wasn't stiff enough and I had cuff malfunctions as you can see on some of these photos. At least it's an easy fix - I'll just tack them together.

 

I had debated using a different color for the contrast but when I looked at 1930s plaid dresses on Pinterest it seemed they all had white collars no matter what the overall color scheme was. But I went with gold and black buttons because white  buttons made it seem too school-girly. Besides, this is a semi-holiday dress, so a bit of glitz seemed to be appropriate.

 

Our Thanksgiving Day was unseasonably warm (hence the muddy roads which give you a bit of an idea what it's like to live on Idaho back roads!) so the short sleeves but heavy fabric were a suitable combination.

 

My mother said it's the prettiest dress I've ever made, so despite my peeves with the fit, and cuffs which wouldn't behave, I really am pleased with the dress and love to see the giant plaid that's been on my shelves for years put to good use.

 

Nice to see an idea take shape. Now on to another era for my next sewing project!

Item of the Week - Vintage 1950s Beaded Earrings

These beaded round 1950s earrings are Item of the Week in my Etsy shop, half price for one week only - slashed from $7.

Red 1940s Style Sweater Refashion

Last winter I kept wishing I had a nice red sweater to wear - it would have coordinated with so many outfits. This summer I picked one up at an online thrift store. I chose it because it was cotton, hip length, and had such classic styling. The all-over cabling, high waist and cuff ribbing, and general shape were 1940s style to my eyes.

There was only one problem - the giant plastic faux-shell buttons!

 

The buttons were way too modern. So I went on a hunt through my button stash and found these vintage jacket buttons I'd picked up at an antique store ages ago. Just the right size and just exactly enough!

 

Swapping buttons is perhaps the easiest refashion ever. Yet it really does make a big difference, despite how easy and basic it is.

 

And within a half hour, with very little expense and effort, I have a much more period correct sweater! 

(It goes really well with my plaid 1940s skirt!)

 

It's super thick and warm, which is ok by me since mountain winters in a house with one wood stove for heat can make for chilly days during the coldest times.

 

I like it a lot better now and am much more likely to wear it. A classic sweater in cherry red is extremely wearable, and a staple in a vintage wardrobe. Plus I get to air these fabulous vintage buttons and do a bit of stash-busting at the same time!

 

Funny that something as simple as buttons can make such a big difference. And it's so little effort - I just had to take the time to sit down and do it. Makes me wonder how many other such modern-made pieces in my wardrobe could be improved!

What do you think? Does it look accurate?

1930s Caramel Dress Revisited

You've already seen this dress, though this time it fits differently without a giant baby bump underneath!

 

But because the autumn colors were so lovely, and it was a beautiful day, and I was pleased with my ensemble for a Sunday morning, you get to see it again, with changed up accessories this time.

 

My hands-down-favorite 1930s hat got an outing. It perfectly mirrors the autumn colors around me, don't you think? 

My other accessories were a pair of vintage gloves with narrow lace inserts on the cuffs, a dangling heart brooch which I think dates from the 1940s, and my brown vintage heels. I was trying for more of a true 1930s look this time instead of mixing in more 1940s styles of hat and shoes like last time.

 

This is definitely my favorite version of the dress, but I do wish the fabric was limper. It bunches a bit too much at the waist, and wrinkles badly; also hard to press. But I have no one to blame but myself - I knew the fabric would probably not be the best suited for this pattern but I really wanted to use it anyway!

 

But I still love the versatility of the pattern, and how forgiving it is for various body changes - unlike most dress styles. I look forward to making more in the future and see how different I can make the same pattern appear!

Interview with Timeless Trinkets

Way back in 2012, not long after I joined the Etsy community, I stumbled on an Etsy shop that sold the most beautiful jewelry featuring vintage and antique buttons. Since my first purchase, I've been back again and again for more until now I have quite the collection of pieces from that shop! Today I have the opportunity to share with you an interview with the owner, designer, and seller of the shop Timeless Trinkets – Marcella Blankenship.

While she makes and sells other types of beaded jewelry in her shop, my special interest in the interview today is to discuss her button designs, since I'm a fellow vintage/antique button enthusiast and love the way she so tastefully gives them a brand new life. The buttons she uses range from quirky or colorfully hand painted, to exquisite gilded or iridescent glass, to intricate antique embossed buttons. I always have an endless and growing wishlist from her shop! I'm excited to show you her beautiful work, and to have to meet her.

 

VVS: Welcome to the blog, Marcella! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

M: I’m married with 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. I like to sew, garden - flowers are lovely - and make jewelry!

VVS: How did you get started designing jewelry?

M: It’s kind of a long story. While I was in college I was very much into retro fashion and clothing. I would visit the Senior Citizens thrift store and buy my dresses and hats. I would also take old broken brooches and convert them into necklaces. I had a few pieces I had made from watch parts. My mother worked as a wholesaler in the fashion jewelry business and it was my job to fix and repair broken jewelry that had been returned; I have always been exposed to fashion and jewelry in some form. After college I got married and started a family and that was my full time job for quite a while. When my youngest child was born I had very long hair and used hair sticks to keep it pinned up in a twist. While shopping online for them one day, I thought, “I can make those!” At that time Etsy was just starting up and I had friend who makes tatted lace and wanted to open a shop. So, we decided to open one together. All of this was very new to us and for about a year I sold just hair sticks. This friend also knew I liked making jewelry with vintage items, buttons, and watch parts and she introduced me to the Steampunk trend. She was the one who suggested that I try making jewelry with my buttons and watch parts and sell it on Etsy. It was kind of on a whim, but that’s how Timeless Trinkets was started. I eventually closed the hair stick shop and focused only on making jewelry.

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VVS: Mounting them into jewelry is such a great way to showcase beautiful and fragile buttons and give them a new lease on life. Where did you get the idea to turn buttons into jewelry?

M: I’m really not sure, other than I had used them in brooch designs when I was younger, making collages with buttons and watch parts using a hot glue gun. I knew I wanted to make more professional looking pieces that would last longer and be more versatile. It was a very long process of finding the right settings and glue. International orders were very tricky in that the glue would contract at such low temperatures in flight and the jewelry would come apart sometimes. Even now I take time to look for new suppliers when it comes to settings that will accommodate the shank of the glass buttons and those of collectable antique ones.

 

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VVS: Where do you find the buttons you use for your lovely creations, and how do you decide how you are going to style them?

M: When I first started 10 years ago, I bought a bunch of buttons off of e-Bay. A lot of these were part of estate sales and would come by the box full. I still have too many of those buttons, I don’t know if I will ever use them all. I also shopped antique malls for items to use. The glass buttons I will buy from Etsy sellers. For many years I bought from a lady in Germany whose family owned a glass factory and she was selling stock that had been in the warehouse since the war. Glass buttons were very popular at one time and many countries like Germany and the Czech Republic made them. Along came the war and fashion wasn’t too important. Many factories closed and the button blanks were boxed up and stored. Later, plastic was easy to make and more durable in the washing machine, so the glass buttons became useless.

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VVS: What is your favorite part of what you do?

M: Hmmm, that’s a hard question. I like all of it. My favorite designs are the more elaborate ones that have a beaded chain. I like the challenge of combining colors that complement the buttons.

 

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VVS: Do you have a favorite piece you've made?

M: I have a couple. There’s a piece pictured on my store banner that is a favorite of mine. I’m not sure why I don’t keep them, but I really like making things that give other people joy and so when they buy something that’s a favorite of mine, it makes me smile. I hope they find as much joy wearing it and I did making it.

 

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VVS: How do you date the buttons you use, determining which are “vintage” and which are “antique”?

M: With the metal buttons, it’s easy to know the general time of production. They have very defined manufacturing techniques and there are of lots of button collector books you use as a reference. The glass buttons are harder. Lately, I have seen a lot of Czech art glass buttons for sale. These buttons are sold as vintage, but the quality of them is perfect and they seem new. Some of these buttons could be vintage and are the ones that have been put in storage for 50 plus years, but I don’t think so. When in doubt, I usually label the button as art glass made from vintage molds. One nice thing about these buttons is that they still use the metal molds that are over 75 years old and they are handmade. So, even if the button is new, its design is old.

My very first pair of Timeless Trinkets earrings - still a favorite!

 

VVS: Do you wear your jewelry yourself?

M: Yes, I do!

 

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Well, I just can't see how she can sell many of them, they're all so pretty! Lockets and bracelets, sets, various styles of necklaces and earrings...I often visit her shop when I have a bit of spending money and want to treat myself. But she keeps putting up new ones so my wishlist grows much faster than my purchases!

My growing collection of earrings...

 

This necklace I had put on an Etsy list of things I hoped to buy, then one day it was marked “sold”. I was bummed, but didn't think more about it until I opened a Christmas gift that year from my mother and found the necklace inside! She had secretly looked at my Etsy list and made her gift purchases from it. Needless to say, I was very happy!

 

I was wearing my latest pair of Timeless Trinkets earrings for the photos for this post, and have a nautical necklace waiting in the wings for the perfect 1950s pairing one of these days. So pretty!

 

I hope you've enjoyed discovering Marcella and her work, and love her jewelry as much as I do. I have to admit I had no idea it was such a process to find and pair the right elements! Now I'm off to browse her shop and wish I could get a dozen more of my favorites...

Since she's having a 20% off sale until December 1, now might be the time to snap up some of the more tempting pieces!

Vintage Hat Purge

I recently did a hat purge, going through all the stacks of hat boxes in my bedroom and culling out the ones I don't like on me but have been hoarding because they are so cute...or the ones that aren't my style anymore. 

Some were hard to part with, despite the fact that they've been on my shelf for years without getting an outing. But my loss is your gain! I just put up a plethora of new listings in my Etsy shop - mostly hats, but also a lovely 1950s coat. A little vintage holiday shopping, anyone?

Oh, the hat details of a bygone era!

Gray and Coral Print 1930s Dress

I finally got pictures and can share my first sewing project since the baby arrived! It took closer to 3 weeks to complete, rather than the 3-4 days I was used to when I could sew at leisure instead of snatching moments or nap times here and there. However, I'm getting better at managing my time and Davy is sleeping better (a big help!) and lets me put him down more, so I already have my 2nd dress completed and another one cut out!

 

(After all, sewing is definitely not top priority when a wee man this adorable wants to be held!)

 

This dress has top stitched yokes front and back. They were easy to put together, and my first problem happened when I couldn't figure out the sparse instructions for the front opening.

 

It turns out, I had cut one front piece facing the wrong way (perforated pattern pieces can be so hard to tell which is the right side!) so the overlap was on the wrong side of the front.

 

Meanwhile, I had tried it on and found it was way too big for me.

After trying to figure out my options, I decided to just trim the piece down and overlap & top stitch the front under the button opening, which also helped to use up some of the extra width.

I'm not 100% happy with that alteration, since the pieces weren't meant to be overlapped that way, so the center front isn't even. Thankfully the print is so busy it is hardly noticeable except from my vantage point of looking down at it. And now I know for next time!

 

I used 3/4 sleeves from another 1930s pattern. Love the cute detail!

 

The neck fits too widely, which is strange since the pattern illustrations show it close fitting. That and the sizing issues should be helped another time by taking a pinch out of the back yoke piece when I cut it.

(I know, I need to work on a good mid-'30s hairstyle. So far I pretty much do it the same all the time except for combing the top to the side instead of into a roll...)

 

But since it's an everyday dress, I'm not too concerned about the little issues. I hope to correct them in the next version (planned in time for Thanksgiving), and I do love the fabric, the hip length row of close white buttons, and the overall appearance of this pattern.

 

I didn't feel like doing a back belt on this one so I left it in tie form. The somewhat adjustable waist is nice to have.

 

Overall I'm pleased, and am delighted to have one project from my list take shape in real life!