Verity Vintage Studio

Late '30s Purple House Dress with Basin Feedsacks

My darker cotton house dresses were in constant rotation this summer, so I wanted to make a few more. I had this length of 1930s repro cotton from Riley Blake Design's recent line Basin Feedsacks, so after a little debate, I settled on doing a second version of one of my most loved everyday dresses. I wear the blue one so constantly it is faded by now and probably going to wear out in the near future.

 

I left off the little collar this time, since it never lays flat and is a source of irritation on the blue dress. I like the plain V much better!

 

The purple fabric is more of a subtle print, so I hoped the cute little triple-dart shoulder details would show up better here than they do on the blue floral. I think that was successful. Narrow white cotton lace outlines the V yoke.

 

I also tweaked the neck fit by adding a couple of small darts in the back to pull it in, so it's definitely a better fit than the blue one.

 

Just for fun, and since this is a house dress, I decided to take the extra step of adding pockets. I echoed the white V on the shoulders with a white V on the pocket flap, and am really glad I took the extra time.

 

I have really been loving purple lately. It's the perfect September-y transitional color from summer to fall, and always makes me think of the wild asters that bloom lavender this time of year. In her books, some of L. M. Montgomery's characters called wild asters “farewell-summers”, and I just love that old-fashioned, perfectly-descriptive name.

 

The sun was bright today, so the shaded hay barn made a good backdrop. I like the contrast of gold and purple.

 

I'm really happy with this dress – the pattern and fabric combination, the fit, the color. It will be a fun splash of color in my everyday wardrobe, and no doubt will be kept as busy as the blue one.

1940s Brown Floral 2 Piece

Fallish fabrics are finding their way to the top of my sewing queue these days. Such was the case with this pretty floral, another color way of my favorite Lori Holt print from her recent Cook Book fabric line (you may still be able to track some down online). I used the aqua print for my Memorial Day dress, so this one I also wanted to sew something 1940s, but with a fairly different style.

 

I chose a 2 piece pattern, so that I could mix and match. Think how cute the jacket would be if worn with a red skirt. Or a brown blouse with this skirt.

 

Summer suits were very popular in the 1940s, so I have a few different pattern options. But I settled on a new version of the vintage Simplicity 4736 pattern I made a few years ago in blue for Easter.

 

This time I was a bit more adventurous and opted for the larger square collar. Then I wanted to jazz it up a bit. A wide collar gives quite a bit of opportunity for all sorts of decoration. I thought of embroidery, but ended up trying something I never did before – open work.

 

To do this, you just trace a simple shape on the fabric, cover it with a very narrow, dense zig-zag stitch, and then cut out the center. It was an interesting variation to my usual decorative attempts, and I think makes it look less homemade.

 

I had to redo one side of the jacket ruching to make it even, but otherwise the assembly was pretty basic and quick.

 

I was happy to have a use for some of my large collection of red buttons. White buttons tend to be my default.

 

Summer cotton suits are a very nice style, especially when nursing. A flattering fit, mix and match ability, a bit more formal style for church - but easy nursing access and quite cool & comfortable for hot weather.

 

For these photos I had to give my giant 1940s hat an outing.

 

And how perfectly do these gloves match the suit fabric??

 

Altogether, I was very pleased with this sewing project. I will have to squeeze in a few more wearings while it is still warm!

 

 

1940s Brown Print Dress with Lori Holt Fabric

While vacationing back east this spring, I got a cute 1940s pattern at an antique mall. Luckily it was complete. I ended up pairing it with my second favorite of the new Lori Holt prints (fabric is from Cook Book line by Riley Blake Designs).

 

It's quite a rare color for me, but I ended up really liking it - perhaps because it's a cool-toned brown. The print is spot on for vintage fabric reproduction, and has a large enough scale to look good as a garment - which is usually the challenge when sewing dresses with quilting cotton. I only wish it came in more color-ways!

 

Because it's a busier print, I knew the yoke details would get lost, so I outlined them with white ric-rac points. 

 

I omitted the ruffle on the front, but I think I will try it, if I make this pattern again. 

 

It had unique construction, and I had to apply my mind to the pattern instructions in order to figure it out, since the front piece is both bodice, band, and facing. But I was successful in the end, and I really love how it turned out! It's fun to still run across a challenge in a simple dress pattern, even after years of experience.

 

Large brown buttons from my stash were a good choice, and are very easy to button and unbutton with one hand while I'm nursing. 

 

I will wear it as a house dress, but I styled it a bit more formally for these photos with one of my favorite vintage hats, and my top favorite treasured vintage heels. A good print dress can be dressed up or down, as the fashion plates of the era often demonstrate so well.

 

I'm getting lots of sewing done these days, in between house work and canning, and am delighted to make the switch from a folded length of fabric on a stack, to a wearable, cute dress in the closet! There's always something magical about that transformation.

It's perfect for these busy late summer days, and I know will get a lot of wear.