Verity Vintage Studio

Colorblock 1940s Maternity House Dress

According to my blog history, I have made this pattern now 5 times - twice as a robe, three times as a house dress. But by now one of them has worn out, so I mainly wear this one a lot and knew I would get a lot of wear out of another version, both for maternity and after.

 

I wanted to make it look different, though, and I knew I wanted some blue contrast to pull out the blue in the print. I had to change my idea several times when I went to cut it out once I saw my fabric limitations. I originally was going to do blue yoke and sleeves, but as you can see it didn't end up that way. :-)

 

This is one of my favorite repro prints suitable for dresses, released last year by Riley Blake Designs. I wish it came in more colors, but now I have a dress in both prints. The brown version is definitely still a favorite!

 

I used some vintage green buttons from my stash. I found I have very few green buttons to select from, but these almost mirror the print, which is fun. 

 

With making a simple pattern this many times, it was super fast and mindless. I made most of it in one day. The only hand work was the hem and stitching down the facing. 

 

I don't plan to do much maternity sewing this time around, but this is one of the exceptions, and I've added yet another iteration of this pattern to my closet. While I don't think it's my top favorite version, I'm sure it will get a lot of wear!

1930s Adjustable House Dress in Blue

It's that time again...to break out the maternity friendly patterns! We are being surprised by a small son this summer, so for the next few months any sewing that I do for myself will have that exciting event in mind.

 

This time I was intrigued by a 1930s coat pattern. It's waistless, and belted in to fit at the waist. I didn't want to tackle a coat any time soon, but I thought it might work as a house dress instead if done unlined in cotton - and I know from experience that I do wear this sort of dress after pregnancy too. So I pulled out some busy 1930s repro cotton from Connecting Threads and gave it a try. 

 

I added white piping to outline the front closure, which is the only dress detail and might otherwise get lost in the print. Definitely the right choice.

 

It was fairly easy and fast to make, even with the adaptations I needed to make a dress out of a coat pattern. The raglan sleeves are very comfortable!

 

I opted for buttons the whole way down the front, and also like that choice. 

 

Shown here with a baby bump, it should work well for the nursing-friendly fluctuating postpartum sizes as well. I'm not sure that I will fit in it for all 9 months, as it is still a narrower dress, but it certainly is much more comfortable than most of my other recently outgrown house dresses - yet without looking obviously "maternity".

 

This is the first garment I've made since early January, since I've been on a sustained wintertime quilting binge. But I enjoyed making a dress again, and have a few more planned for myself and my girls especially as we approach Easter!

 

2022 Dressmaking Recap

Now that all my 2022 projects have been blogged about, it's time to do my yearly round-up of the garments I made this past year. I like to do this each year to see everything in one place, and evaluate what I made. 

   

 

1950s teal dress, 1940s Christmas dress

 

I made a number of new patterns, as usual...this one I made twice in a row!

1950s Easter dress, gray cherry house dress version

 

I think perhaps this year I was more diverse with color choices than ever before. Of course I still like blue, but for once my sewing for the year is NOT predominately blue! :-) For one thing, I rediscovered purple. (And incidentally, sewed two of my favorite pieces. The purple house dress gets worn pretty constantly.)

1950s daisy dress 

 late 1930s purple dress

 

I made a fair amount of separates this year, including a couple of mix-and-match outfits, which was one of my sewing goals for 2022. Both these two outfits were looooong on my sewing inspiration list from vintage photos, and I'm happy to finally make them a reality this past year.

  

1950s gingham 3-piece

 

     

1930s dress and jacket set

 

I made a couple of pinafore aprons for the first time. The yellow one was a shop sample for my new vintage-dressmaking-supply shop The Timely Tailor, and I love how it turned out!

   

1940s pinafore mother-daughter duo 

shop sample for this kit

 

Another color that is less common for me, which appeared more than once this year in my wardrobe, is brown. 

1940s 2-piece, 1940s print house dress

 

And to my surprise, also a little pink!

1940s pink dress

1950s polka dot blouse

 

I used some long-stashed patterns out of my collection, as well as a few new arrivals...just sewing what I wanted to. A few of them didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, but there are also some definite successes and favorites added to my closet - including these two remakes of patterns I had first sewn many years ago.

early '50s tiered dress, 1940s house dress

 

Most projects were fairly straightforward. Once in a while I had a troublesome one, or ran into complications I hadn't foreseen, like the novelty 1950s skirt. But it still turned out well in the end, thankfully! I didn't do as many details as last year...just a little top stitching and adding lace occasionally, but I did try several new techniques, like decorative cutouts and lace-and-bead appliqué.

1950s novelty skirt, late '50s leaf dress

 

No formal gowns this year...and I think not quite as much variation in silhouette as I sometimes achieve. But I also have found what I like to wear in this stage of my life, so that influences my pattern choices as well. Also I think every piece I sewed this year was made with cotton...mostly modern, a few vintage pieces. No wool or rayon this year at all. But it's fun to see the variety that just plain old quilting cotton can still create.

1950s blouse with vintage fabric 

1940s novelty jacket blouse

 

Of course, I made a few baby dresses this year as well, for my small daughters.

 

I am glad to be able to craft my own wardrobe. Even when something doesn't turn out right, it's still a good chance to learn and build my skills for the future. And it's always a satisfying feeling to turn a flat piece of fabric with so much possibility, into something stylish and wearable. That burn to create is what keeps me pretty constantly sewing, whether it's garments or quilts. 

1930s green dress, 1950s dotted dress

 

Final count for the year...

3 1930s outfits

9 1940s

11 1950s

and 4 baby/girl dresses.

1930s separates

 

Thanks for following along on my vintage sewing adventures! I'm looking forward to what 2023 will bring.

~Kristen

1940s Christmas House Dress

I went very bright and bold for Christmas this year with a length of vintage novelty fabric that I scored on Facebook Marketplace earlier this year. I quickly decided what I would do with it, and laid it away until December.

 

I wanted something comfortable for Christmas Day this year, and also needed a simple pattern since the fabric is so very splashy.  A housedress was the perfect solution. So I tried an interesting new vintage dress pattern I recently acquired that has one fitted side and one loose one, with the fullness gathered in by a sash.

 

I cut the shoulder yoke sideways so the stripes would go different directions, and added a front zip so it would be nursing friendly.

 

I first tried it with a contrast waist tie, but after trying it on the first time, I decided it needed a self tie instead. So that set me back a little bit, but it was still a very quick make.

 

I made it in a few days before Christmas, without any stress or feeling rushed.

 

I do love sewing with the modern repro fabrics, but I have to admit there's something special about sewing with vintage fabric. And it really does add a level of authenticity to the finished product too.

 

I've never done sleeves like this before. The dress has cap sleeves to start with, and I've never put sleeves in a cap sleeve opening, but I really like how it looks, especially with the gathered top. 

 

The next time I may just cut the cap sleeves a couple inches longer and leave it, but this was an interesting sleeve variation. It was actually more like a shaped sleeve band, and the seam was on the top instead of the underarm.

 

It was very comfortable to wear all day - whether for lots of eating, picking up gift wrap litter, chasing 3 littles, or curling up for Shop Around the Corner in the evening. I felt very festive all day!

I hope everyone has a happy Christmas season! We celebrate it for 12 days, so we are still deep in festivities at our house.

 

1940s Pink Princess Dress

I squeezed in another warm-weather sewing project in October before the weather suddenly turned cold. We are currently buried under early snow, so these pictures look quite outdated at the moment!

 

I had a 1940s mail order pattern for a princess style dress that I hoped to use for a special project, but I wanted to try it out first. This was the trial.

 

I'm glad I tried it, since it definitely needed a lot of tweaking for the fit. This one is still not perfect, but I have a better idea of what to do if I make it again. Thankfully wearing a belt helps a lot with making it still look good.

 

And I just love the fabric! It's a 1930s repro feedsack print, and so perfect for a house dress. (If you like it too, you can find some for sale in my newly opened vintage sewing supply shop The Timely Tailor!)

 

I wanted originally to use dark red buttons, but had nothing that would work, so ended up picking out the gray instead to emphasize. I do like how gray and pink looks, and also how it tones down the otherwise sugary-pink color.

 

The yoke/ruffle detail is pretty cute. Otherwise it's just a basic button-down-the-front princess style dress, which is very handy for trying on as you go and making fit adjustments. I can see why it's a perennial style.

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 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.

1940s Aqua Floral House Dress with Lori Holt Fabric

Sometimes when fabric companies do their 1930s style fabric lines, it feels more "inspired" than authentic to me. But here's a print that's a real winner! Probably my favorite Lori Holt print ever, I really got excited over this one. It's from the Riley Blake Designs recently available Cook Book fabric line (which has several other garment-appropriate, authentic prints too), and I just love it. It looks like it stepped out of a real vintage feedsack, and has a large enough floral to work well for garments.

 

Of course I wanted to sew something with it that I also would love - something that would get lots of wear, without too many details to get lost in the print, and that wouldn't take a lot of tweaking to fit me. A favorite fabric will still get pushed to the back of the closet if it's a dress that doesn't fit well or feels too fussy for everyday wear.

I remembered a simple 1940s dress pattern I'd made twice, years ago - neither of them versions I own anymore -  and pulled it out again.

 

Because I had made it before, I had the bodice pattern pieces shortened already, so the bodice didn't take any more tweaking to make an instant good fit. Also - I love shoulder dart tucks!

 

The only other detail is the asymmetrical pleat in the skirt. This meant it takes slightly more fabric, and I had a few extra pieces to cut out, but even still it was still a super quick sew.

 

I got it finished for Memorial Day, since it's close enough to red, white, and blue to have a patriotic flair. 

 

I made two belts - one in a coordinating blue solid from Riley Blake, and one in the same aqua floral. I like the blue best, but I also enjoy versatility.

 

Because of the basic design and the wide bodice overlap, it was the perfect choice for some large buttons. I quickly settled on some big white plastic toggle buttons, probably intended for a coat, but they add a little extra character and quirkiness to the dress.

 

It's so trim and comfortable to wear and forget about. Reminds me again how much I love WWII era house dresses!

 

I was so pleased, I was inspired to break out of my usual brush-out and try something a little more creative with my hair this time.

 

I'm super delighted with the happy combination of pattern & fabric, and the way it turned out. I'm sure I'll wear it a lot...and I still had some fabric leftovers to save for a quilt, so that's a win-win!

1950s Teal House Dress

I have been on a sewing spree lately, cranking out lots of quilts and garments, with multiple projects on the go at once, and a couple dozen clamoring to be next on the list. My latest finish was this dress made from a mail order 1950s pattern.

 

It was a bit more of an adventure than usual because when I went to cut it out, I found that the front bodice piece was missing. I ended up using the back piece as the front piece too, but had to rip it apart after the first trial and redo some things before it fit reasonably well.

 

This pattern reminded me of my yellow dress made a few years back, but without such a slim skirt - definitely more flattering for right now post baby 3. I really like it, but don't know if I'll ever cobble it together again since I know now the bodice piece is missing.

 

I think a gathered yoke is so flattering!

 

I top stitched it with a narrow zigzag to add a little extra interest. (Well, to be completely honest, I topstitched it with a narrow zigzag because I didn't want to change my thread color, so decided it was easier to look like a design choice instead of laziness. :-)

 

The fabric is a quilting cotton basic in a pattern now discontinued from Riley Blake Designs. But there are a lot of this type of print as a quilting basic by various fabric companies, and it really is a good fit for vintage sewing. The random scattered lines are very reminiscent of some vintage fabric I've seen. Another example of how, if you train your eye, you can find possibilities in modern fabric.

 

I also knew it would look nice with white cuffs, but the wing cuffs on the pattern are not my favorite to make, and certainly not practical for a wash-and-wear dress, often with sleeves crammed into a sweater. So I opted for a simple white band, so I still had my white sleeve trim. 

 

The raglan sleeves are very comfortable and not restricting at all.

 

The neck turned out too low, and also sitting a bit wide. Rather than tear it all apart, I tried something new - adding a tab detail at the neck, to help pull it together a little, while adding more coverage. It's sewn to the dress on one side, and snapped on the other. I think it works reasonably well. 

With all my seamstress experience, I still have not figured out the right way to do this type of skirt closure. This one is kind of cobbled together. Someday I want to learn how to do it properly from someone who knows how!

 

But regardless of all the adjustments and tweaks, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, and love the color & print! I'm happy to cross this one off my list, and head on toward the next one, which I had cut out before this one was done.

 

Gray Cherry 1950s House Dress

I got a fun 1950s pattern from someone on Instagram, and knew it would be perfect with some giant floral fabric on my to-use list. But I wanted to test the pattern's fit first, so I pulled a less special fabric out of my stash to make a trial dress.

 

The pattern was super simple, so I decided to challenge myself to make it entirely in one day. I started cutting it out at 10:00 a.m., and finished the last hand stitch on the hem at 3:00 p.m. It was fun!

 

The pattern is very basic - only 5 pieces, other than the collar (which can be omitted) - but it has a fun style element with the wide raglan sleeves. 

 

I had to do a brief fitting tweak after my initial try-on, but otherwise it all went smoothly and fits very well! I also altered it to zip down the front instead of the back, for nursing access. I didn't have an invisible zipper foot, so I used my regular presser foot and made use of the handy needle position lever, and it worked out quite well!

 

It's super comfortable and easy to wear - quintessential 1950s style. As usual, though I am drawn to the fancier patterns, I often find the more simple patterns (besides pairing well with more fabric prints) are the ones I actually wear. 

 

I love raglan sleeves, both because they are comfy to wear and have a better range of motion, and because it's fun to make a dress without needing to set sleeves!

 

It's a good fit and perfect for a busy cotton print. I'm definitely ready to cut into my fancier fabric, so stay tuned for another version soon!