Verity Vintage Studio

Tutorial: Quilted Crochet Hook Caddy with Poppie Cotton

I have a bad habit of making all sorts of new and exciting things that I use occasionally, meanwhile wearing something I use all the time to tatters because I technically could make a new one but just don't get around to it. Finally a need became something exciting! Meet my new crochet hook caddy.

 

I'm so excited to be able to share some projects with you during the next few months, partnering with Poppie Cotton for some blog tours. I have a lovely stack of their prints to play with, and my first project was quick, easy, and practical!

 

I've needed new crochet hook storage in my crochet bag for a long time. (That same tattered and threadbare crochet bag is a separate issue...) Combine that with the prettiest prints from Poppie Cotton's new Dots and Posies fabric line, and it was the perfect way to showcase a few of my favorite prints and meet a need.

 

If you're in the same boat, here is how I made this adorable roll-up caddy in just a few hours. Handy tip: if you don't crochet, it can be used for paintbrushes, or a pencil case instead.

It would be the perfect gift for a special crafter in your life.

 

For this project I cut two pieces of fabric to measure 19” x 8 1/2”. One will be the outside, one the inside. (If you are making a caddy for something longer than crochet hooks, cut these panels as high as your tallest article, plus a couple inches.)

From a third print I cut a piece measuring 19” x 10”.

 

I cut some cotton quilt batting the same size as to the first panel and made my quilt sandwich.

 

I highly recommend spray basting for this step.

 

Once basted and smooth, press the larger 19 x 10” piece in half lengthwise. This will form your pocket.

Lay it along the bottom of your sandwich on the inside, all raw edges matching and the fold toward the center.

 

You could pin it in place if you like – I didn't have trouble with mine shifting.

Next I marked the center with a vertical line in a water soluble pen.

 

On each side I marked again lines at 1” intervals, until the whole piece is covered with vertical lines.

 

Now stitch these lines. This does double duty of both quilting and making your pockets.

I started in the center and stitched every other line first, to keep it in place, then went back over and stitched the between lines.

 

Square up if needed.

 

Next cut a 4” piece of elastic (I used elastic lace because it is prettier) and pin it to the center of one end with the raw edges together. This will be stitched in with the binding and make a button loop for closure.

 

Bind just like any other quilt project. The binding will both finish the edge and stitch closed the bottom of the pockets. Make sure to catch the elastic ends and all the layers when you stitch this spot.

 

I needed to cut 2 2 1/4” strips WOF to have a long enough piece of binding. I stitched with the pocket side facing, but since both sides of this project are basically the right side and will be visible, it's up to you.

 

On the other side I made sure to take small invisible stitches to keep it as finished-looking as possible, since like I said there is no real wrong side to this project.

 

Fill with your crochet hooks and roll it up before you decide where to place the button.

 

All done! So nice that I can see them all at a glance. The smaller hooks can even be doubled up in the pockets if necessary, but when rolled up they are fairly secure and don't fall out easily.

 

Since I crochet quite a lot, I love that now I can handle some of this pretty fabric frequently, as well as have a solution for my crochet hook storage!

 

The elastic loop works perfectly to hold the roll secure with a little give if I don't roll it quite exactly the same tightness. Also this is a great way to use up one of those orphan vintage buttons!

 

I just love the giant rose and polka dot print, as well as the aqua polka dots...so happy to be able to use them a lot and give them a place to shine. This is just the prettiest line of vintage-inspired fabric!

 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and will share photos if you try one yourself. Now I'm off to crochet!

 

Baby Fashion - Green 1950s Dress

I'd forgotten how fast and easy baby dresses are. They have all the fun and style lines of adult garments, but at a fraction of the time and fabric! Little short seams add up so quickly.

 

So it was easy for me to choose a baby dress as my second project using Rocky Mountain Wild by Riley Blake Designs. I love the scattered, delicate floral and it had a vintage feel, so I paired it with a contrast fabric from their basics for the faux bolero, and cut out a 1950s baby dress for my little girl.

 

I love the little widely flared skirt! And those lantern sleeves are enormously poofy and fun. They remind me of older sleeve styles from the 1800s.

 

It did have a few headaches though, since I couldn't get the front to go together as the instructions said, so ended up winging it largely.

 

Also the fit did not turn out to be very good – but thankfully on a baby dress it's easier to fudge on those things, especially as she can wear it for some time and grow into it. Also a tie belts help quite a lot!

 

This was my first time making this cute pattern. Another time I know I will change a few things to make it a better fit, and also have some ideas for easier construction. Trial and error is a large part of a seamstress's life!

 

But as it is, the dress is definitely wearable, and oh-so-cute. The green and blue are both good colors for my little redhead, and she already is fashion conscious and loves pretty clothes.

 

(Incidentally, it's quite difficult to get good pictures of a wiggly toddler! Thanks to Elsie for being a secondary photographer.)

 

The petite mountain flowers on the adorable floral print fit in very well with our surroundings here at home - can't wait for wildflower season here! I'm sure this sweet little cotton dress will get a lot of wear this spring and summer.

 

 

Simple Squares: Romantic Pastel Patchwork Runner

This is a simple project that brought me a disproportionate amount of happiness. :-) 

 

Last summer I picked up a baby quilt at an antique shop. It was just a lot of squares pieced together randomly, and hand quilted. I hung it over my baby's crib and enjoyed picking out my favorite 1930s prints while I rocked the baby.

 

I realized there are a lot of possible patterns that could be made just by color placement in a simple patchwork design like this, so when I saw Riley Blake Design's new Rose & Violet's Garden fabric in its dreamy pastels and romantic florals, I knew exactly what I wanted to make. 

 

I cut out a bunch of easy 2 1/2" squares. I had quarter yard cuts to use, but of course a precut 2 1/2" strip bundle would work for this perfectly. (For those interested in the details, I ended up using 35 pink squares, and 95 other colors to make a runner 14" x 36".)

 

Then I laid out just the pinkest squares in an Irish Chain design, filling in the rest with the other colors. It was very relaxing and simple! No complicated blocks or pressing headaches...I would lay out 3 rows at a time, not even stressing out about directional prints or thinking too much about print placement, then chain piece them and join them in short rows.

 

It grew quickly, even with working on it only ten minutes or so at a time.

Once it was large enough (and the design was finished out), I gave it a good press and quilted it just like my inspiration quilt - in crosshatch diagonal lines across the squares. 

 

I just eyeballed it, and didn't even bother switching to my walking foot. Perfection was not the goal - rather just fun sewing. I had recently finished a more complicated quilt top and was feeling a little burnt out, so this more mindless pleasure quilting was exactly what I needed.

 

And I was so pleased with the result! The pink design is subtle, and all the fabric prints are so lovely. I usually gravitate toward brighter fabric, but when I first saw this collection coming out, I was captivated entirely by it and wanted so badly to make something with it, especially since it is the exact right color palette for my baby girl's room. Thanks to Riley Blake that dream came true!

 

All those gorgeous toiles, polka dots, handwriting, roses, colors...just perfection! Reminds me of Victorian gardens.

 

It goes so perfectly on her vintage 1950s pink ripple-front dresser!

 

The original inspiration and my version. I used larger squares as you can see.

 

More projects for the nursery out of this fabric line will be upcoming, I'm sure...but for now this runner makes me smile every time I walk past. And it's a great reminder that you don't always have to make something elaborate. Sometimes simple is best (and more enjoyable) after all. 

 

1940s Floral Apron - Vintage Does Modern

I've wanted to make this pretty scalloped half apron from a vintage 1940s pattern for a while. A few prints from the lovely Rocky Mountain Wild collection by Riley Blake Designs were a fun choice to give it a slightly more modern look.

 

I enjoyed how fast this pattern is, and also that is uses up smaller cuts of fabric than I would normally need for something like a blouse.

 

The scallops are my favorite part! So cute. Very easy also, with the lapped seams – a common method found in vintage patterns. The scallops are joined just on the sides, then when you press the seams open, just keep turning them up along the hem as well, then top stitch to the band below. So smooth and simple.

Also, how sweet is this floral?? I love the watercolor style of it.

 

I also love the shaped waistband. I interfaced it with heavy fusible interfacing so it would keep its shape.

 

I didn't have enough of the green geometric for a back facing, so I cut into another Rocky Mountain Wild print for the facing. This adds cute hidden detail too!

 

There are so many ways to mix up prints with this design for totally different styles, I'm sure I'll make it again! Especially since this one was a gift for my sister...I will need one of my own, now that I see how sweet it is in person.

 

(If you like these prints, look for them online or at your local quilt shop!)

 

Sister Coordinates - & My Blue 1930s Daisy Dress

My first completed make of the year! One of the lovely things that made my last few weeks so pleasantly busy was the arrival of some beautiful fabric from Riley Blake Designs, which was sent to me to feature as an independent part of their project tours. I was so delighted for a chance to collaborate with them, especially since that means I can comb through their upcoming collections to pick out vintage-appropriate prints to feature.

 

Often I get inquiries about the fabric I use, and usually it's one-of-a-kind vintage, or out of print. But now, if I feature a print you like, you may be able to find it easily and snag a piece for yourself!

 

First up is this sweet daisy print from the Blue Stitch collection. Most of the prints in this collection are more modern, but this one works equally well for my type of fashion sewing. In fact, I got some yardage in two different color ways (besides smaller cuts for some quilty projects coming up), and my sister ended up using one of them to make herself a coordinating outfit to mine.

 

You can see how versatile this print is - working equally well for 1930s or more casual 1950s.

It's funny how well both these outfits express our style and personality. I gravitate toward the more detailed dress patterns from the 1930s and 1940s, while Elsie prefers the classic simplicity (or floof) of the 1950s.

 

She did a simple 1950s cap sleeve blouse – and it's easy to see how versatile it will be! She was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's outfit in Roman Holiday, and did such a great job on the blouse to match me as well as all her mix-and-match coordinating pieces. She'll be doing a blog post all about it in the near future, so hop on over to Elsie's Adventuring to follow all those fun details!

 

This pretty daisy fabric comes in 3 different color ways, and while I love them all, I chose the one I liked best to do my dress.

 

It seemed to be a good fit for a 1930s dress, so after looking over my patterns I decided to do a remake of my Christmas dress a few years back (and just barely squeezed it out of my 3 yard piece). Rayon was not a good original choice for such a structured pattern, and I ended up doing a lot of fudging and making-do, and wasn't even going to ATTEMPT that scalloped collar in such a limp fabric – so another version in cotton was on my to-do list anyway.

 

Sure enough, cotton was a great choice for this pattern and was sooooo much easier to work with. I decided on a whim to outline the top stitched yoke (so you could see it better) with some teeny tiny white pompom trim from my stash, and I love how it turned out.

 

The collar too – using a classic white-on-white Swiss dot also from Riley Blake in their basics line – adds a sweet finishing touch.

 

Since I had made the dress before, it wasn't hard to assemble this time. I had to tweak the fit a bit with the wide waist band, but otherwise it was straightforward and pretty quick, with just enough details to keep it interesting – but no frustrations.

 

Only took me 3½ leisurely days to make it, which is pretty much instant gratification in the sewing world!

 

The sleeves turned out so much better than my rayon version, and the cotton is stiff enough that it holds the cute puff shape pretty well without stiffening.

 

Also found the perfect home for these adorable kiss shaped vintage buttons. I had 4, but one was broken, and since I only needed 3 anyway it was meant to be. The little ribs mimic the daisy shape, and they add the perfect Art Deco touch.

 

This will probably be an everyday housedress for me, but it is dressy enough that I enjoyed pairing it with white gloves and heels (long awaited navy and white pumps from American Duchess!) for this photo shoot.

 

Incidentally, this local building in our little town is just the best for indoor photos! It has all kinds of cool old props too, kind of like the Cracker Barrel I used to visit as a child. It's a great place to take photos when the weather doesn't match our outfit's season.

 

If you like this daisy print, look for it online or in stores! I have more new fabric to show you soon, as well as smaller things using this collection, so stay tuned! February will have lots of blog posts coming up.