Verity Vintage Studio

Last Rose of Autumn - 1930s Dress

We have just one thrift store in our rural area, but it is such a good one and has such good prices. I regularly find all sorts of amazing vintage things there (not to mention children's clothing for 25 cents or less, for my two growing toddlers). I might go there several times without finding any nice fabric, but other times I get a fabric haul that makes up for it. Such was the case with 3 yards of this beautiful crinkled vintage fabric, which I got for $1 or less. (At the same time I found some pink vintage rayon with scattered tulips on it - destined for spring sewing!)

 

It is probably from the 1950s. I just love the large abstract roses on it, and the unique finish and nice drape. It's so hard to find good large print, vintage suitable fashion fabric these days. A knowledgable friend told me it is viscose, so I washed it in cold water, and it only wrinkled slightly. 

 

I had plans for it. I even made up a trial dress of the 1950s pattern I had planned to use with it. But when I went to cut out this version, I realized that the very narrow width of this 3 yards meant there was no way I could fit all the pieces on it. I didn't want to add a contrast, or cut the sleeves from something else, so I had to scrap my original pattern idea, and pick something else. 

 

I have all my patterns catalogued on my phone, so I don't have to dig through them all the time. I scrolled through, looking for something that had only a few pieces, and that would work well with the fabric. I settled on this 1930s pattern - which providentially enough, I had just made a few months earlier as a color block version - so it was a trial dress without knowing it!

 

The pattern pieces - there were only 7 of them - fit on it very well, and I even had a bit of extra fabric leftover. I substituted a sleeve from another 1930s pattern, to change things up a bit. It's fun to see how different the two dresses are made by fabric choice.

 

I made a self belt and used a lovely vintage shell buckle I had bought from a UK seller on Instagram. 

 

The new hat I had gotten last time I went antiquing in Boise was the perfect match. It's so pretty! I love the delicate chenille-dotted net veil.

 

All my other accessories are vintage as well. I think this is the only set of pictures I got this year with the pretty yellow tree in my front yard, because just as it was turning gold we got a storm which took most of the leaves off, sad to say. 

 

Despite the fabric being a later date than the pattern, I think it ended up a happy match. It's very simple, yet elegant. Here I paired it with brown, but other colors work as well - and it's a nice bridge between seasons. I am so pleased with being able to bring this lovely vintage fabric to life, and enjoyed wearing it to several autumn weddings.

 

My fall sewing has been nonexistent since I made this dress in early October. I had a bunch of deadlines keeping me busy, and then on top of that we found out we needed to move, and the prospective new house needed some renovations. So my days have been crammed - the only sewing I've been able to do has been snatching moments to work on the current quilt in my design lineup. 

I do have a few other fall garments finished to the handwork stage, but this is the only one I've completed thus far.

 

But, for my one and only finished fall project, it's a good one!

Rare Brown: Floral 1950s House Dress

So, a long while ago I got this cute vintage cotton on eBay. It was a lot of yardage for a good price. When it arrived I wasn't sure I liked it too much after all, so it sat on my shelf for a long time. Finally I decided to use it as a trial for a house dress pattern I'd also had on my sewing queue for a long time. 

 

The pattern is simple, with a scalloped or plain asymmetrical front opening and optional scalloped patch pockets. I wasn't sure I would be able to nurse in a side opening front, but decided to try it. If it worked, it would be a nice change from the traditional button front dresses I have been using. 

 

Even with all the yardage, the fabric was narrow enough that I used most of it. And I also do not enjoy cutting out so many pieces - the bodice pieces meant I had to cut each one out single layer, and as usual I got the facings the wrong way and had to recut them!

 

It was quite straightforward sewing...I was not quite sure how much I would like it, but plowed through and finished it anyway. 

 

When I tried it on before hemming, I was surprised to find that I liked it on me quite well after all!

 

I also found the neck was too low, so I hand stitched on a piece of white eyelet lace to fill it. Another time I would simply add another scallop and cut the neck higher. 

 

The busy fabric kind of hides the scallops a bit, so I chose large buttons to help emphasize it, and top stitched around the neck (keeps the facing in place handily too!)

Also, in case you are curious, it did work for nursing access.

 

The pockets have functional buttonholes. Obviously you have to unbutton them in order to use them properly, but I do like that when buttoned shut they don't catch on cupboard door handles and tear. Plus they are so cute when buttoned like that. 

 

This is probably the only brown thing I've made all year. My fall sewing looks to be pretty nonexistent this year since my schedule is way too crowded, and fall is when I usually break out any earth toned fabric I may have, so this may be my only brown sewing project until later this winter. But it's a fun one!

 

The print is so unique. I like the splashes of salmon and blue and green that liven up the brown. That's what I like about vintage fabric - their color combinations are so unexpected and unique! It is a thinner vintage cotton, however, and does need pressed before wearing - which means I wear it less than I might otherwise. 

 

I took photos in my mom's new retro kitchen in front of her amazing yellow and white 1950s stove (as nice to cook with as to look at!), but the sunshine coming in the window was a bit bright, so we also took photos outside. 

 

So even though I had moments of boredom with this project, thinking I wouldn't like it that much, it's a good lesson in why to persevere. You may love the result after all!