Verity Vintage Studio

1950s Blue Spring Suit

Often little prints don't catch my attention, since usually they are the wrong scale for garments - or adult garments at least. But for some reason I just really liked this little ditsy print from last fall's Lori Holt collection called Home Town, for Riley Blake Designs. I stashed some away and a few months later decided what I wanted to do with it...here is the result. 

 

Back when I first started sewing with vintage patterns, I made an outfit using this 1950s pattern and some vintage drapes I had picked up at a yard sale (wish I had them now!). It was a stretch for my skill level for the time, and I remember it as being one of the times that began to open my eyes to the reward of taking pains with my sewing. As a result it turned out very nice, instead of my usual early sloppy jobs. 

 

When I lost weight I had to pass it on, but revisited the top pattern years later as the base for my wedding dress jacket. Now it was time to make it again, this time a simpler version in quilting cotton as a spring suit. 

 

I really had to squeeze to get everything on, and the skirt is less full than it ought to be. There are a lot of pieces here, and I remembered again why I gravitate towards simple dresses that have less pieces! 

 

Thankfully it wasn't that challenging since I had made it twice before; just more time consuming. 

 

The V back is a fun feature, but you really have to keep your skirt straight because it will be noticeable if that back seam drifts to one side or the other!

 

I also love the scallop detail on the 3/4 sleeves. 

 

It has a very unique neck. I'm not sure I've ever done another pattern like this, where you face it and then fold and pleat and top stitch it in place to make that detail. 

 

I was happy to finally find a good fit for this card of 5 vintage butterscotch colored buttons that was in my stash for years!

 

I like how season-transitional it is, perfect for early spring. It's a pain to iron, but enjoyable to wear!

 

Early Easter Projects with Finding Wonder Fabric

Today I get to show you what I made with some of the happiest spring fabric around! It's my slot on the Finding Wonder blog tour hosted by Poppie Cotton to promote their new fabric line, and honestly, it was just my style. So much so that I had to make TWO projects with it, and thoroughly enjoyed each stitch on each project!

 

It has just the cutest retro prints (obviously right up my alley!), and a lovely color range. The prints work well for baby and/or girly projects, but without being super infantile, so they are quite versatile.

 

I'm not often a big yellow girl, but the yellows in this line were definitely some of my favorites! 

 

I looked forward to sewing with it for months, and then when the time finally arrived I had my projects all planned out. First up, I used this adorable 1930s vintage toddler dress pattern to make a dress for my 1 year old. 

 

I chose the blue bird medallion print and accented it with the pink star, which also stretched my amount of fabric enough to make the dress feasible.

 

Of course there had to be pockets! She is a big fan of pockets. 

 

It is a loose A shape dress that slips over the head, and the sash fits it at the waist. It was nice to need neither buttonholes or a zipper on this one. I also like how doing the sleeves in a contrast show their unique construction. 

 

Plus it's very breezy and cool, so really perfect for the warm spring weather we have been having already. It would be a great summer sundress pattern, so I may make it again before she grows out of the pattern size.

This one I will save for Easter (nice to be ahead on my Easter sewing!), but took photos for this blog post before I put it away for a few weeks. 

 

As always, though, a garment doesn't use enough of my favorite prints so I like to make something quilty in order to get a chance to play with more of them. One of my ideas stashed away was this chunky Dresden quilt by The Crafty Quilter. It was the perfect pairing for this fabric!

 

Making only 4 large Dresdens meant they worked up very fast, and then I just top stitched around the edge onto a 17" square of fabric. After that it was easy to add basic sashing and borders, so it was a very quick quilt top.

 

I fussy cut some of the bird medallions for the centers, of course!

 

Since it worked up so fast, I decided to take the time to hand quilt it. I had about two weeks, and I worked at it pretty diligently - and made my goal, finishing it the day before I had to get photos. (It actually was a good lesson to me that even though hand quilting is a slower finish, it doesn't have to take an age - if I am diligent. :-)

 

I used a heart stencil for the Dresden corners, and a diamond scallop border; otherwise just let the Dresdens guide the quilting, so there was less marking. 

 

It was really fun to make, especially during the gray days of February. Quilting on my sofa corner with such cheery fabrics under the needle was a great mood booster; and because I kept at it, I didn't have time to grow tired of it. (Hooray for the motivation of deadlines!)

 

These are the quilting tools I used. The thimble is by Dritz, and my favorite of the quilting thimbles I've tried - it's cool, comfy, doesn't slip, and absolutely SAVES my fingertips! And after some frustration with my thread knotting mid-stitch, I remembered my trusty beeswax, which helps tremendously with minimizing thread tangles. 

 

I debated doing a scrappy binding, but ended up deciding to save my fabric for something more fun and use more of the pink star. But I think it would have been cute with a scrappy binding too!

 

Anyway, now I have both a little Easter dress and an Easter-ish quilt to enjoy!

But as always, you need to check out the other makers on this blog tour, since there is SO much creativity and cuteness to be seen. 

 

Monday, March 4	http://www.creamcraftgoods.com/	Karen Pratt
Wednesday, March 6	http://neverlandstitches.blogspot.com/	Lisa Jo Girodat
Friday, March 8	Website: http://blueribbondesigns.com	Belinda Karls-Nace
Monday, March 11	theredfeedsack.blogspot.com	Dori Troutman
Wednesday, March 13	https://www.sewmariana.com/	Mariana
Friday, March 15	http://www.abrightcorner.com/	Andy Knowlton
Monday, March 18	@elliebugmakes	Ellie Bug
Wednesday, March 20	https://verityvintagestudio.typepad.com/my-blog/	Kristen Clay
Friday, March 22	@arabesquescissors	Ali Phillips

 

1950s Romantic Roses Blouse

I had intended this project for Valentine's Day, but didn't get it finished in time. Still, isn't the fabric perfect for that? It's the prettiest tossed vintage-style rose print on a creamy background. (Find the yardage I used available here.)

 

I was delighted to use a new to me 1950s blouse pattern with lovely radiating darts - always a favorite design feature! 

 

You can see the circular pattern better with the in process blouse. The print hides it a bit, but not too bad. Still, I'd like to make it again with a solid fabric so you can really see the details. 

 

Actually I thought the collar was a mistake and does disguise the darts too much. If I made it again I'll figure out something different for the neck. I wish this pattern had several neck finishing options, like so many of the vintage patterns do!

 

I accented the red in the roses by choosing red buttons. These small vintage Art Deco glass ones from The Timely Tailor were the perfect match!

 

Overall it went together quickly, with the only fiddly bits being the neck darts, where I had to be precise. Despite the lovely fabric, I feel like this is a wearable muslin, and hope that I can make it again and tweak it at some point in the future. 

 

Meanwhile, since I didn't get to wear it for Valentine's Day, it will also be perfect for spring - or even Christmas, depending on how it is accessorized!