Verity Vintage Studio

Bluebird Blue 1930s Housedress

A little while ago I found a vintage pattern on eBay that I was so happy to get. It was very similar to another pattern I've owned for a while, but have not been able to make because it doesn't open down the front and I didn't feel like altering it so significantly. This one had the same features - pointed yoke with triple darts & little fold down collar with a plain neck option - but had a button front! Once it arrived, it quickly jumped to the top of my queue. 

 

I picked a favorite quilting cotton print in my stash to pair it with. I love this fabric so much - the blue is so vibrant, and the little coral and pink roses make it a bit different color scheme than most of my blue dresses. 

 

It does hide the details a bit (though they are more noticeable in person). I should make this pattern again in a solid color, maybe a jeweltone wool for fall so you can actually see the design elements. But meanwhile I am still happy with this dress.

 

 

It was pretty easy and quick to put together. My only trouble with fit is the back of the neckline gapes a bit, so next time I will adjust that. 

 

I have had these lovely peach buttons in my stash for a long time, always wondering what I could use them on, since they are so pretty but not a color I often wear. Once I was auditioning choices for this dress, I promptly settled on these since they are the same shade as the roses. I'm so happy to finally have the perfect use for them!

 

There is still enough white in the print to wear a white belt with it, though, and I tied that in by deciding at the last minute to add a rick rack insert to the sleeves, just for fun. I really like how it turned out! I used to think rick rack was only used for top stitching, but since I've found other creative ways to use it, it has risen in my estimation. Inserting it this way is a different way to add trim than just tacking something on at the hem all the time.

 

I really like how the triple darts shape the front, and also the dart fitted sleeves are a favorite detail. Again, they are hidden a bit by the print, but I know they are there. :-)

 

 

It's an easy to wear house dress, comfortable and cheery, suitable for various seasons. It doesn't show dirt easily, and doesn't need an extra layer on top. 

 

I'm happy to add this pattern and this fabric into my weekly everyday wardrobe rotation!

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Vibrant 1930s Colorblock Dress

Taking a short break from vacation outfit pictures to show you this fun dress I made back in July, and took me ages to get pictures of. 

 

It had quite a long evolution too. I got the retro blue flowered rayon from JoAnn when it went on clearance a few years ago. Modern rayon that is suitable for vintage sewing is hard to find, so I got enough for two dresses, but it sat on my shelf for a while.

Then about a year ago at an antique store I got the pink fabric - not sure how vintage it is, because it feels synthetic, but it certainly was a pretty print with retro styling. Just so very, very pink! I honestly wasn't sure I'd ever use it (certainly not as a whole blouse!), but rather than sell it again, kept it also on my shelf for a while. 

 

Then one day I rediscovered this 1930s dress pattern that was an early project I made 5 years ago. I realized it really was a cute pattern that just might work for nursing, and wanted to make a better fitting version now that I am more experienced. Just on a whim, I pulled both these fabrics off the shelf and draped them on my mannequin. I'm usually pretty conservative with my fabric combinations, so using two very different bold florals in such bright shades was a first for me - but the pink was exactly the same color as the little flowers, and the crazy combination actually worked for me. Besides, many vintage dresses from this era were just as flamboyant. 

 

So I made it not much later - it's quite a quick project. The rayon from JoAnn has a lovely print and drape, but was a bit disappointing to work with. Everywhere I put a seam, the needle pulled little white threads - and there was a flaw in the fabric on the fold, too. Hopefully not too noticeable, but not very high quality - especially for the price they were originally asking for it!

 

I had to use two colors of thread for the hem, and also switch thread colors part way through sewing. I tried to minimize that by sewing as much with one fabric at a time as I could.

 

I love the little shoulder details. They were really fast and easy to do, yet help to make the dress interesting. 

 

I finished it up but didn't wear it for a while. One Saturday night I decided I'd wear it for church the next morning, and tried it on. I'd been planning to wear a white belt with it, but that just did not look right. The photo on the pattern shows a tie belt with a bow in front, and that really does suit it best. So at 10:00 at night I ended up quickly making a sash out of rayon leftovers, and altering the back a bit to fit me better. Rather last minute, but it worked!

 

I paired it with some vintage accessories, including a 1950s hat that was the only one which would work fairly well. Thankfully it was a classic shape that also works for the 1930s - they alternated between dramatic hat lines far over the forehead and little round hats for the back of the head (think of Margaret Sullavan's hats on Shop Around the Corner.) But since these pictures I've actually gotten a 1930s hat that would be perfect. Too late for these pictures, but maybe next time I wear the dress!

 

I was able to achieve a bit more 1930s hairstyle than my usual by not brushing so much and leaving it more in ringlets. 

 

The front closes with just a brooch, and was quite easy to nurse in. It is so nice to have a different style that doesn't either button or zip up the front! 

(Sometimes it's also fun to play with editing a bit.)

 

I wanted a more formal setting to take pictures in than golden Idaho rangeland, and once winter is here will want good indoor locations anyway, so we experimented with my mom's parlor and I think it worked quite well. I rather like the different lighting it provided. Not shown are the two toddlers clamoring to climb up on the other end of the piano bench. :-)

 

Who knows...maybe I will become more adventurous with my fabric combinations in the future since this one had a happy ending.

 

I haven't made very many 1930s outfits this year, so this one is a nice addition. Plus it's so unusual for me that it makes me extra happy!

 

All photos by my lovely sister from Elsie's Adventuring.

1950s Magnolia Dress

I made this dress back in July and never got photos of it, so it was another one I brought along on our recent Oregon coast vacation in order to take pictures there. It was too windy to take many pictures on the shore, but the fading flowers beside the house we were staying in made a nice backdrop too. 

 

Of course I realize now the flowers on my dress aren't actually magnolia blossoms, but I had already made a habit of thinking of it as my magnolia dress so that's what I call it anyway. It actually was made from a thrifted sheet - a favorite of mine to work with if I can find one nice enough! The sturdy cotton/poly fabric doesn't wrinkle, wears well, and it's so wide there is no problem fitting a circle skirt onto it. This one was particularly nice since it features a large print (hard to find!) and it's a good color for me that's not blue. ;-)

 

I combined two patterns for this dress - the bodice is the one from this dress pattern, but I changed it up with some dense pin tucks on each side, just for some subtle decoration. I chose it because I wanted one that fit me well, and was basic enough that I could decorate it a bit.

 

The pin tucks took up about 1/2" from the bodice width. I think I cut the side seams a bit wider to allow some extra room. If you were going to do a lot of pin tucks, you might want to do them first on your fabric and then cut out the pattern pieces. But these few weren't enough to concern me.

 

The skirt was a circle skirt from a different pattern, and I actually pinched some of the fullness out when I was cutting it out so it's not quite a full circle. You'd never know though! It is still super wide and swooshy. 

 

I was not wearing it with a crinoline for these pictures, and you can see how well the skirt still stands out. I cheated and went the narrow-top-stitched-hem route for this one, and it's not even noticeable. 

 

Partly because of taking time to do the pin tucks, I also was a bit more careful with the construction of this dress. And it paid off, since I actually won a best of show award at our local county fair - which surprised me greatly!

 

I chose a textured white fabric from my scrap drawer for the collar, and ended up adding white sleeve bands as well. It just seemed to look better to have that busy print broken up a bit more.

 

It was pretty straightforward to make, and I don't recall any issues I had with the pattern combination  or construction. The only thing that didn't quite turn out right was the collar doesn't lay perfectly. I think I could have solved it with under stitching, so I will remember that for next time.

 

I found the perfect white lattice buttons from my stash. The belt is modern, gloves are vintage, and the carved rose bead necklace and bracelet set are from the 1950s - I found them at my local thrift store for grand total of $1. There is a pair of earrings too, but I have not converted them to pierced yet. And my favorite dressy wedges from Rocket Originals rounded out the look. 

 

I had intended this for a house dress, ended up wearing it to church, and now it's sort an in-between dress. I like to have several "nice" everyday dresses (separate from the well-worn cotton frocks in constant rotation) that I can wear when shopping, or maybe just a day that I feel like dressing up a bit more at home.

 

This one is very classic 1950s. And I was so pleased with how it turned out that it made me happy to have an extra special backdrop to take pictures of it.