Verity Vintage Studio

1940s Dotted Swiss Dress

I got a length of vintage blue-gray dotted Swiss fabric on eBay a long time ago and it languished in my drawer for years. This summer I pulled it out and put it to use. I'm not sure how old it is - it's a thinner cotton than quilter's cotton, has a nice sheen, and is fairly stiff.

 

Which should have warned me not to attempt a dress pattern that was more suitable for a softer fabric, but hopefully I've learned a lesson now for the future. And it's still a wearable dress, though it has issues.

 

I originally paired it with this pattern. When I went to cut it out, I found that the bodice pieces were missing, and since I was doubtful about the ruffle in this stiff of a fabric anyway, I went with a different bodice pattern, though I kept the sleeves and skirt from this one.

 

I had a little less than 3 yards, and it's narrower than most modern bolt widths, so I was afraid I wouldn't be able to squeeze a dress out of it easily. To my surprise I even had a piece leftover, large enough to save for contrast for a future project.

The bodice pattern I used ended up with plenty of issues too. It had dart tucks in the front, but they didn't lay right (probably again the fabric choice) and made odd little peaks in the wrong places. So I tried turning them into plain darts, but had the same trouble since they were too sharply angled. So I ended up pretending it was a princess bodice and sewing a seam all the way up the front.

 

I also scalloped the front for a little detail since I wasn't using a ruffle. I do like the shoulder tucks, the sweetheart neckline, and the decorative bows I added!

 

The color is interesting. If I put it next to blue it definitely looks gray, but on these pictures it looks more blue. I can get pictures of it and it looks like different fabric on each picture depending on the lighting, because of the color difference. I do like it, but I should have stuck with a plain gored skirt instead of trying to force it into my mental image of how I wanted it to behave. 

I would like to make this skirt again in a rayon sometime, though. The short radiating stitch detail is really pretty.

 

I intended it for a simple summer dress, so accessories are simple as well. A 1940s lightweight half hat with some vintage millinery daisies pinned underneath it, basic white gloves with a little dot detail to tie in the dots of the dress, and my new Miss L Fire Betty heels.

 

 

I've been searching for dressy, true white vintage or reproduction sandals or shoes for years, and while it's not my dream white shoe the Betty style is pretty much the only one out there so far. Normally I would only get a pair of Miss L Fire if I find it on eBay, but they had a very nice sale for all their red, white, and blue styles over the 4th of July so I used my shoe fund money to snag a pair. They are actually very comfortable. I wore them the first time without any breaking-in pains. At last I have some white summer heels! I'm sure I will wear them with everything while summer lasts.

 

We will see how much I end up wearing this dress, however. I really like some aspects, but with the fit and drape issues it may end up in the back of my closet. 

 

I am definitely pleased with the cute sleeves, however, and probably will use this sleeve on other patterns!

Not every project is an unqualified success. But at least if we learn from our mistakes, it is not a waste of time.

1930s White Twill Skirt

This skirt is one I made last fall and never got pictures of it, partly because I also made a matching jacket but it didn't turn out so well. I finally decided to figure out what to do with the jacket later, and enjoy the skirt now! A nice white skirt should be in every woman's summer wardrobe.

 

I made it from this 1930s pattern, which as you can see offers a lot of skirt options. I went with view C since the yoke pointed down I thought would be more comfortable and flattering. It turned out really well!

 

It's just a simple white skirt, 4 gores, with the shaped waistband and side opening. This was my first attempt at making a button placket like this and it actually was a perfect success, which pleased me greatly. 

 

The top button was sewn on just for decoration. The skirt band actually closes with a hook and eye, since there was no way I was going to try making a buttonhole through all those thick layers of twill! (And hooray for using up buttons from the stash!)

 

The twill is actually a bit stiff for this type of skirt, and was a pain to try to fit a needle through when sewing by hand, but it has a subtle white-on-white pattern that I like and is sturdy, so it will wear and wash well.

 

Of course since it's white it goes with anything. For this wearing, I paired it with the jacket from my recently made 1940s summer suit (just another reason to make mix-and-match items!), my Miss L Fire straw wedges, and a summery embroidered straw handbag found at a yardsale years ago. Not vintage, but still a favorite.

 

Also I finally gave this 1940s hat an outing. My guess is it originally was a wedding hat, with a veil down the back. I found it too late to wear to my wedding, but without the veil it still works as a lightweight, true white summer hat.

 

Being on Instagram lately I've been impressed by some of the lovely vintage-wearing ladies out there who are creative with hair flowers, so I decided I needed to join them and do the same!

 

I know I mixed decades with this outfit (the gloves and earrings are 1950s, the beads and flowers are also modern), but that is one of the fun things about wearing vintage styles - you can make your own! 

 

The skirt was so simple there isn't much to tell about it, but it was definitely a successful make. I like it so much, I am sure I will make this pattern again in the future!

1940s Patriotic Colorblock Dress

I am not very adventurous with color, but this year I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try a color block dress for the 4th of July. Color block clothing was especially popular in the 1940s, as an ideal way to use small pieces of fabric that would not be enough on their own for a garment, combined in ways that could make a whole garment and a fun fashion statement. Designers became very creative with color blocking, even in odd combinations. Browsing vintage images on Pinterest is fascinating.

 

For this dress, I used some JoAnn quilting cotton that had been on my shelf for a year or so, in just the right blue and red color scheme. I paired it with a simple 1940s dress pattern, and when I realized how the pattern could lend itself to color blocking, decided to go for it.

While I was stitching the dress, I realized that the red flowers are poppies - which makes it perfect for this type of dress since poppies have been the flower in remembrance of the fallen since WWI.

 

Although, it was ironic to me that while the idea may have originated to use up leftover pieces of fabric, I had to go out and purchase matching cotton in both blue and red, since the only red on my shelf looked rust colored next to the red of the print, and the blue fabric I had was a texture and yardage that I promptly turned into a skirt instead. 

 

Next time I try color blocking, it may be best to match up pieces of fabric I already have and then decide what to make with them!

 

The dress was very simple, with the only detail being outside darts on the bodice. Using different colors of fabric did mean I had to switch out thread on the machine a few times. I majored on the blue since that color is more flattering for me.

 

I made a blue tie belt to match, and used some vintage red-white-and-blue buttons from my stash, deciding to go all out patriotic since the combined colors made me look like a walking flag anyway.

 

Since this project, I've been noticing a myriad of ways to introduce different colors into a lot of my patterns, and I think it's made me more likely to try more color blocking in the future. Honestly, there are a million possibilities! And this was kind of fun!

 

It turned out to be a very lovely day and not too hot, but my 2nd day curls weren't behaving so I ended up going with a good hot-weather hairstyle to attend our small-town parade and BBQ.

 

My sister also enjoyed our local July 4th festivities 1940s style, borrowing most of her clothes and accessories from me. She was so happy with how her outfit turned out that she wanted pictures too, and I have to say she looks the part!

 

My newest pair of Remix reproductions (found used on eBay) arrived just in time to wear with this outfit, so we had matchy shoes as well!

 

Last year I was 7 months pregnant for the 4th of July, so my outfit was a maternity dress. This year it's nice to have the baby (now an adorable 9 1/2 months old little cherub) on the outside instead, and to be able to wear normal clothes!

 

While this is probably not my favorite new dress, it was fun to make and wear - I got a lot of compliments on it too - and a good stretching experience for me. It's very unusual, so it certainly adds interest to my closet.

 

Plus it looks so very 1940s!

Green Print 1930s House Dress

I like quick and easy projects because they are so satisfying! This is the 3rd time I have used this pattern for a dress. Neither of the earlier versions opened down the front, so I can't wear them right now. Yet they were a summertime favorite, especially my fireworks dress - so flattering and comfortable to wear. Time to make another one I can wear now.

 

The fabric I chose for model number 3 was a piece of quilting cotton I got on eBay a while back. I absolutely love it, and it probably is one of the only pieces with orange in it in my collection, orange NOT being my color. Yet as polka dots, scattered with blue dots in the print, it is cheery without clashing with my preferred color scheme, and I actually like it!

The cotton is apparently high quality, since it wrinkles very little when washed - definitely a bonus for an everyday dress.

 

Since this was my 3rd time making this dress, it went very rapidly. I probably made it in a few hours, even with hand hemming the sleeves and skirt. (Incidentally, a barn background and straw on the ground makes for a very...realistic...backdrop for a house dress! :-)

 

It only has 4 pieces to cut out - front, back, sleeve, and collar. The front and back are shaped by darts (easy to adjust for a perfect fit), so it also looks nice without a belt, which is ideal for hot weather. 

 

The other interest is a bit of shirring at the neck, which adds that bit of cute vintage style to an otherwise simple cotton dress.

 

Plus the sleeve tabs! Those were my own addition, in keeping with common 1930s dress decorations, just to make it a bit different than the earlier versions and more interesting. It's also a great way to display a few cute buttons. I only had four of these small green round ones, and the color match was perfect - it was meant to be.

 

I chose some off-white corduroy for the contrast collar and tabs, which is actually the same collar fabric I used for the gray version of this dress. The bonus of using the same contrast for both is that I can wear the same belt with both and it matches!

 

The other versions I altered to open down the back instead of with a side zipper. No use in wasting those nice princess seams and wriggling in and out with a side zipper. But this one I altered to open with an invisible zipper in the front instead so I can nurse in it. The collar hides the zipper tab very nicely.

I like making and wearing this pattern enough that I expect even more versions will be made at some point.

 

It was so simple and quick there's not much to tell about it, but I certainly enjoy wearing it, and the print makes me smile. It must be one of my favorite green prints I've ever seen, and I'm very glad I bought it since it's even prettier in person. The pleasing combination of print and pattern means this dress definitely will be much in rotation in my wardrobe this summer!