Verity Vintage Studio

Interview with Timeless Trinkets

Way back in 2012, not long after I joined the Etsy community, I stumbled on an Etsy shop that sold the most beautiful jewelry featuring vintage and antique buttons. Since my first purchase, I've been back again and again for more until now I have quite the collection of pieces from that shop! Today I have the opportunity to share with you an interview with the owner, designer, and seller of the shop Timeless Trinkets – Marcella Blankenship.

While she makes and sells other types of beaded jewelry in her shop, my special interest in the interview today is to discuss her button designs, since I'm a fellow vintage/antique button enthusiast and love the way she so tastefully gives them a brand new life. The buttons she uses range from quirky or colorfully hand painted, to exquisite gilded or iridescent glass, to intricate antique embossed buttons. I always have an endless and growing wishlist from her shop! I'm excited to show you her beautiful work, and to have to meet her.

 

VVS: Welcome to the blog, Marcella! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

M: I’m married with 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. I like to sew, garden - flowers are lovely - and make jewelry!

VVS: How did you get started designing jewelry?

M: It’s kind of a long story. While I was in college I was very much into retro fashion and clothing. I would visit the Senior Citizens thrift store and buy my dresses and hats. I would also take old broken brooches and convert them into necklaces. I had a few pieces I had made from watch parts. My mother worked as a wholesaler in the fashion jewelry business and it was my job to fix and repair broken jewelry that had been returned; I have always been exposed to fashion and jewelry in some form. After college I got married and started a family and that was my full time job for quite a while. When my youngest child was born I had very long hair and used hair sticks to keep it pinned up in a twist. While shopping online for them one day, I thought, “I can make those!” At that time Etsy was just starting up and I had friend who makes tatted lace and wanted to open a shop. So, we decided to open one together. All of this was very new to us and for about a year I sold just hair sticks. This friend also knew I liked making jewelry with vintage items, buttons, and watch parts and she introduced me to the Steampunk trend. She was the one who suggested that I try making jewelry with my buttons and watch parts and sell it on Etsy. It was kind of on a whim, but that’s how Timeless Trinkets was started. I eventually closed the hair stick shop and focused only on making jewelry.

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VVS: Mounting them into jewelry is such a great way to showcase beautiful and fragile buttons and give them a new lease on life. Where did you get the idea to turn buttons into jewelry?

M: I’m really not sure, other than I had used them in brooch designs when I was younger, making collages with buttons and watch parts using a hot glue gun. I knew I wanted to make more professional looking pieces that would last longer and be more versatile. It was a very long process of finding the right settings and glue. International orders were very tricky in that the glue would contract at such low temperatures in flight and the jewelry would come apart sometimes. Even now I take time to look for new suppliers when it comes to settings that will accommodate the shank of the glass buttons and those of collectable antique ones.

 

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VVS: Where do you find the buttons you use for your lovely creations, and how do you decide how you are going to style them?

M: When I first started 10 years ago, I bought a bunch of buttons off of e-Bay. A lot of these were part of estate sales and would come by the box full. I still have too many of those buttons, I don’t know if I will ever use them all. I also shopped antique malls for items to use. The glass buttons I will buy from Etsy sellers. For many years I bought from a lady in Germany whose family owned a glass factory and she was selling stock that had been in the warehouse since the war. Glass buttons were very popular at one time and many countries like Germany and the Czech Republic made them. Along came the war and fashion wasn’t too important. Many factories closed and the button blanks were boxed up and stored. Later, plastic was easy to make and more durable in the washing machine, so the glass buttons became useless.

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VVS: What is your favorite part of what you do?

M: Hmmm, that’s a hard question. I like all of it. My favorite designs are the more elaborate ones that have a beaded chain. I like the challenge of combining colors that complement the buttons.

 

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VVS: Do you have a favorite piece you've made?

M: I have a couple. There’s a piece pictured on my store banner that is a favorite of mine. I’m not sure why I don’t keep them, but I really like making things that give other people joy and so when they buy something that’s a favorite of mine, it makes me smile. I hope they find as much joy wearing it and I did making it.

 

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VVS: How do you date the buttons you use, determining which are “vintage” and which are “antique”?

M: With the metal buttons, it’s easy to know the general time of production. They have very defined manufacturing techniques and there are of lots of button collector books you use as a reference. The glass buttons are harder. Lately, I have seen a lot of Czech art glass buttons for sale. These buttons are sold as vintage, but the quality of them is perfect and they seem new. Some of these buttons could be vintage and are the ones that have been put in storage for 50 plus years, but I don’t think so. When in doubt, I usually label the button as art glass made from vintage molds. One nice thing about these buttons is that they still use the metal molds that are over 75 years old and they are handmade. So, even if the button is new, its design is old.

My very first pair of Timeless Trinkets earrings - still a favorite!

 

VVS: Do you wear your jewelry yourself?

M: Yes, I do!

 

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Well, I just can't see how she can sell many of them, they're all so pretty! Lockets and bracelets, sets, various styles of necklaces and earrings...I often visit her shop when I have a bit of spending money and want to treat myself. But she keeps putting up new ones so my wishlist grows much faster than my purchases!

My growing collection of earrings...

 

This necklace I had put on an Etsy list of things I hoped to buy, then one day it was marked “sold”. I was bummed, but didn't think more about it until I opened a Christmas gift that year from my mother and found the necklace inside! She had secretly looked at my Etsy list and made her gift purchases from it. Needless to say, I was very happy!

 

I was wearing my latest pair of Timeless Trinkets earrings for the photos for this post, and have a nautical necklace waiting in the wings for the perfect 1950s pairing one of these days. So pretty!

 

I hope you've enjoyed discovering Marcella and her work, and love her jewelry as much as I do. I have to admit I had no idea it was such a process to find and pair the right elements! Now I'm off to browse her shop and wish I could get a dozen more of my favorites...

Since she's having a 20% off sale until December 1, now might be the time to snap up some of the more tempting pieces!

Repurposing: Vintage Handkerchief Curtain

I've always loved vintage linens, especially handkerchiefs. But I never want to use them for their original purpose, so I like to come up with new ways to enjoy them. Hankies with a decorative edge can be used as removable jabots, for instance, when pinned under a collar - or used to fill a V neck when pinned underneath. 

 

Home decor ideas are also a great way to showcase some elegant, delicate hankies, like these four coordinating ones I got from Lily at Mode de Lis when she was having a sale. They are exquisite with their white-on-white embroidery and cutwork, and the cotton is so fine it's like gauze. Too pretty to use, but not to display!

 

I sewed them together by hand, to make a larger square. Because they were so thin and see-through, I backed them with a square of muslin I cut out slightly smaller than the hankie square, and serged.

 

These two squares were held together to make a pull-across curtain for a small window in my new house, and because I used curtain clips, I can at any time unclip the squares and cut the threads that sew the hankies together, so they can remain in their original state.

 

There are lots of ways to use hankies as curtains or valances, and hopefully I can use more of them in future, but for now I love how easy it is to get a simple elegant curtain and enjoy the beauty of these lovely vintage pieces every day.

 

Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure my vintage hankie collection will continue to grow! :-)

February Tutorial - How to Make a Vintage Fur Stole into a Boa

I enjoy recycling once-loved items and preserving the past. So when I found my interest this winter drawn to furs like my Lilli Ann coat, I was soon browsing Pinterest for pictures and inspiration for types of furs, both faux and real (minus heads and feet!), and how to wear them.

Boas were generally narrower and longer than stoles, usually with fur on all sides although sometimes the underside would be lined with velvet or satin. Sometimes they were formed by two tails linked together. The photo above is an extra long boa formed with pelts.

While I like the glamour of fur stoles, I found I don't like their bulk and weight. And fur to me is an outdoor wrap, rather than worn with evening gowns. I like collars and fur trim on gloves and accessories and since I am not picky I don't care if it's considered cheap or expensive as long as I like the feel of it - rabbit for instance. But I do like the look of fur boas, often seen draped over ladies' coat or jacket shoulders in old photos and movies from the 1930s through the 1950s. 

But I also quickly discovered that fur boas are more expensive and harder to find than fur stoles. So when I bought a generously sized vintage rectangular blonde mink stole on Ebay, the fact that the lining was tattered was not a problem because it was perfect to turn from a stole to a boa. 

Stoles are often shaped, with the pelts running lengthwise. Sometimes they have pockets or collars, and can be very elaborate. But if you can find a plain rectangular one, it can easily be turned into a dramatic boa for your winter costumes.

 

Mine looked almost identical to this one:

 

You'll Need...

a rectangle fur stole

sharp needle with a small eye

sturdy sewing thread (quilting thread is good)

small scissors

a clean sheet to cover your work surface

 

This stole was not in good condition...The silk lining was rotten and was easy to tear off in shreds, but the pelts were also somewhat fragile so I had to be careful and even mend a few places along the edge. Buying fur off the internet is always risky, so I recommend looking for it at local antique stores first where you can feel it and examine it in person.

 

Then there was a padded interlining tacked down at intervals. These threads had to be cut and the interlining lifted.

 

Now we're down to the actual pelts. This was my first experience working with fur, genuine or otherwise, so I'm sure I have a lot to learn.

 

Once all the lining is cleared away, it's time to start sewing. Just fold it in half lengthwise, right side out. This will make it half the width of the former stole and put fur on all sides.

 

I didn't have quilting thread even close to the right color, so I used a doubled strand of regular sewing thread. Make sure you tie a good knot, then take a stitch in the edge of the pelt at the fold.

As you can see, the edges were still "serged", which was helpful, but I made sure to insert my needle a little beyond the edge to help distribute the stress. The edges might want to curl in, but keep them lined up flat. 

 

The idea of sewing is to do an invisible seam, so that means take a stitch first on one side, then the other. This will make a zig-zag seam which you can pull tight after a few inches. Here's how it looks after a few stitches...

 

...and now pull tight and watch it disappear. You want it as tight as possible but without breaking the thread or tearing out from the edge of the fur. Don't stress out - the seam won't be that noticeable when you wear it.

Always insert your needle from the inside out. You don't want to catch the fur under the stitch or it will be hard to hide and look bunchy.

 

If you do try sewing a stole with lining, make sure you catch a little of the fur pelt along with the lining edge so the lining doesn't carry all the stress.

 

It's easy but tedious...listen to music or watch something while you work. I felt like throwing a party once I got to the halfway mark! But finally the last stitch was taken and it was done. 

 

Now with its diminished size, it's ready to be thrown over a shoulder and worn with elegance.

 

So don't throw away your vintage heirlooms. If nothing else, pick apart the pelts and use them for cuffs or smaller projects. I have a 1930s wool coat high up in the queue that I have an intact lined fur collar waiting to be whipstitched to the neck edge. I like to think these items, once treasures, enjoy being reimagined.

 

And that's the little how-to for February. Enjoy!

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio 

 

Look for my new tutorials posted sometime during the first full week of every month. Hairstyles, crafts, repurposing, etc.

 

Holiday Hairstyle 1940s Style

I've noticed in photos from the 1940s that berries and branches, or branches of flowers, were common hair accessories, often used as headbands across the top of the head - even to the overboard kind that looked all twiggy. So when I found a package of these flower stamens, I had an idea.

The berries, in their cherry red color, reminded me of Christmas. But you can use any color! And, while the stems should be longer, these stayed fairly well. I bent them in half...

...and found them perfect hair ornaments, either used in clusters or singly, nestled in pin curls or in groups, as many or few as you wish. They are so light that they don't weigh down your hair at all. A bobby pin helps to hold fractious ones in place. Perfect retro styling for the holidays!

December Tutorial - My Christmas Corsage

My December tutorial I intended to be of larger scope, but because of the Black Friday shipping crunch, my supplies for it haven't arrived yet so I'm saving it for January. Instead I'll show you how I made my corsage to wear with my 1950s Christmas outfit - still in the works.

 

It's simple, but fun. And lots of options! I based my idea on my vintage 1940s holiday corsage, now in less-than-pristine shape.

Time to make a new one!

 

You'll need...

1 vintage millinery spray

ribbon 

twist-tie

1 medium bead cap

beads

quilting thread and needle

corsage pin

 

I found these lovely vintage millinery strawberries on Etsy. They are textured and poseable and such lovely velvet! 

 

They are strawberries I know - hardly Christmasy, but the right colors! Deep reds and very vibrant. 

 

I hoped to make it more Christmasy and match my dress fabric by my choice of ribbon. It's paper ribbon, like for floral arrangements, so not the best choice for working with. Wired taffeta ribbon would have been better, but I had this and decided to try it.

To Make It

1. So, to begin, I arranged the strawberries. When shipped, poseable sprays often become flat, so it's best to fluff them up and make sure all the berries and leaves are evenly distributed. This same step would be applied to a spray of flowers, if you use those instead.

 

2. Make your bow. There are lots of options and different styles. I used this video to make mine, and it turned out great! The twist-tie on the back make it nicely attachable.

 

3. Now to make the decorative center, I took a hammer and flattened the bead cap.

 

With a double loop of quilting thread on a needle with a very small eye (so it will go through the beads), I started at the edge, sewing a pearl bead to each point.

 

When the edge is finished, I stitched more pearls to the center, crowding them a little.

 

To fill in the cracks, I stitched a few of small flat round beads. The idea is to make a stable bead cluster similar to vintage 1950s cluster earrings.

(This whole step could be skipped if you have a vintage earring or other decoration for the center.)

 

Sew it to the center of the bow, securely.

 

4. I bent the wire stem down so the bow covers it. The stem could be cut if desired, but I wanted to keep the spray intact. Twist the bow to the stem.

 

And it's done! Ready to be pinned on the shoulder of a dress, jacket, or coat. And since the bow is removable, I can still use the strawberries for other purposes if I wish, or change the bow to a blue one or something like that for summertime.

 

I do love how corsages were used in vintage fashion, and look forward to wearing this one on Christmas Day!

 

Look for my new tutorials posted sometime during the first full week of every month. Hairstyles, crafts, repurposing, etc.

 

November Tutorial - Changing Vintage Earrings to Shoe Clips

Sometimes you can find great vintage earrings that you don't want to wear as earrings. These clip-on rhinestones were too large for me, but they were the perfect size for glitzy shoe clips.

Of course shoe clips can be clipped on other things as well - they're so versatile! And for those interested in costumes, they are quite Period as well - from the 1800s up through the 1980s shoe clips of various types were worn quite frequently. 

 

 

You will need...

 

hot glue gun or jewelry glue

 

pliers

 

1 pair of shoe clip findings

 

felt scraps

 

scissors

 

large clip-on earrings

 

Making the Clips

1.  Just like in my converting earrings tutorial, you will need to break off the clip close to the earring.

Grip it close to the base with the pliers and bend it back and forth until the clip comes off. When you're done, the earring will lay flat.

 

2. Cut a small circle of felt and glue it firmly to the back of the earring.

 

3. Glue the shoe clip firmly to the felt pad.

If you have trouble with the glue "taking" to the metal, try lightly sanding the back of the earring with some fine-grain sandpaper before glueing the felt to it.

That's it! It only takes 5 minutes. When the glue is dry, you can wear them!

Shoe clips are a great way to makeover a boring pair of shoes or add a matching touch to your outfit. Wear them on sandals too, on the straps. Plus you can mix and match, using fabric ones, sequins, pearls, rhinestones...whatever matches your mood.

To be able to recycle vintage finds is the icing on the cake!

 

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

 

Look for my new tutorials posted sometime during the first full week of every month. Hairstyles, crafts, repurposing, etc.

 

How to Make a Simple Retro Head Scarf

I quickly grew tired of wearing an elastic-edge satin sleeping cap when I have my hair in rollers overnight, so I came up with this idea - ever so much more becoming and comfortable!

I started with a vintage rectangular head scarf of some smooth-yet-not-see-through fabric (probably polyester). It's not satin so it won't slide off the head as quickly, yet since it's smooth, it keeps the hair from tangling or getting too rough around the curlers. 

Mine measures 43 in. by 8 in., which I found to be the perfect size for a sturdy knot at the top without extra long ends to deal with.

Of course you can make your own scarf and serge or narrowly hem the edges yourself. 

 

Find the center of one long side of the scarf and mark it with a pin.

 

Next (you'll have to do some guesswork for yourself...) cut a piece of 1/4 in. elastic. Mine was 7 in. long.

The center of the elastic should end up where the pin is, but unless you're a perfectionist an inch or two one way or the other shouldn't matter.

 

Next stretch out the elastic and as it is stretched, sew it with a zig-zag stitch, similar to the pockets on my retro dishtowel apron:

 

This will gather the center of one long edge of the scarf so it looks like this on the wrong side...

 

...and like this on the right side.

 

Now the scarf will be in a loose U shape.

 

That means it will shape to the head better and you won't have any points sticking out.

 

And it's ready to tie around your curlers or updo, towards the front or back of your head as you wish! If I tie mine snugly enough for overnight, it stays on well with a few bobby pins at the front.

 

Rosie the Riveter, anyone? 

October Tutorial - Converting Vintage Clip-on Earrings

This month I'm going to show you how to convert clip-on earrings to pierced. This process is quite easy and perfect for those of us who don't wear clip-ons but love vintage earrings which are almost always clip-on.

There are so many beautiful affordable vintage earrings, and as a buyer I was frustrated when most of the ones I liked were clip-on. I tried wearing them, but could only stand them for a short time before they hurt unbearably. (I take off my hat to the ladies who wear them as a matter of course!) When I found out I could change most of them to pierced, it was ideal. 

But there are a few things to keep in mind when you wish to change earrings to pierced:

- Avoid heavy earrings. Sometimes heavy-looking earrings can be surprisingly light, but it's best to hold them before purchasing to gauge their weight. Heavy clip-on earrings, like these gorgeous 1950s rhinestones, usually need the support of the entire ear lobe and the clip, and won't hang right if changed to pierced. 

- Also take into account the shape of the earring. Clip-ons are usually worn more horizontally, while when they are converted to pierced, they most likely will hang from one end or the other. (More on this later.)

- Make sure you check that there is a solid place large enough to glue the posts to.

 

There are several different types of clip-ons. Ones with large clips that hinge on the side...

...and the smaller, leverback style of clips which hinge in the middle. (Screwbacks are similar to this style and can be treated the same way.)

 

Clip-on dangly earrings work well too for this, as long as there is a place to glue the post.

I would recommend experimenting with cheaper pairs first, in different styles, to figure out what works for you. But here's how you do it!

What you need...

vintage clip-on earrings

small pliers

fine grain sanding paper (available at most craft stores in the woodworking and paint section)

earring posts and backs

jewelry glue like E6000

 

1.  First, open the clip and grab it at the base with the pliers.

 

Bend it all the way up.

 

Grip it at the base. Then just bend it back and forth a few times until the metal breaks. You want it to break as close as possible to the earring. But be careful you don't bend or damage the earring while you're bending the clip!

 

Here's what it should look like. If there is a rough edge, use an old nail file or the sanding paper to rub the edge smooth.

 

For the leverback clip type, do the same bending and breaking process.

 

All done.

 

2. Decide where you want to place the post. (This is where experimenting with inexpensive earrings is great, rather than Grandmother's wedding pearls or those $15 antique rhinestones.) The shape of the earring needs to be considered. For instance, this pair as clip-on would look something like this when worn:

As pierced, it would either look like this...

 

...or this, because the post should be towards one end or the other.

Round earrings can work with the post in the center, or off-center.

 

3. After you decide where you want the post, lightly sand the spot where you will affix it. This wears off the shiny finish and will make the glue "take" better.

 

4. Also sand the bottom of the earring posts. You will be able to tell if it is sanded by the duller look of the metal finish.

 

5. Now put a generous drop of glue on the end of the post. If it is easier to control, you can put some glue on a papertowel and use a toothpick to apply. I do reccomend gluing over newspaper or a papertowel in case of glue drips. 

 

Press it immediately and firmly to the sanded spot on the earring.

This glue dries fast, so get it situated quickly and make sure it's straight. If a little peaks through, that's usually ok since it dried clear

 

6. Let them dry face down. I usually let them sit all day or overnight to make sure it is cured, but the glue does dry enough to wear in a few hours, especially with a fan on it.

 

When they're dry, they're done! You can put on the backs and try them on. There's always an element of risk when you try them for the first time, since you're never quite sure how they will look.

 

Some have turned out better than others, and I've had some trial and error, but now I've converted dozens of pairs and can really wear them so I'm happy! Here are some of mine which were once clip-on and unworn, and now loved.

 

Have fun with your thrift and antique store finds!

 

Till next month,

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

June Tutorial - Making Plain Heels into Titanic Era Court Shoes

Vintage shoes from the 1900s-1920s are hard to find in good shape and in modern sizes, so what to do when you want Period shoes for a Titanic or Downton Abbey costume? Shoes from that era were mostly similar in general shape, with lots of strap and toe detail. No sandals yet, but cut-outs, embroidery, multiple crossed straps, bows and buckles, and similar features on their high heels were all popular. The main distintive of shoes from this era is the heel shape. So when you're looking for costume wear, the first thing to look for is heels of the right shape.

 

I found these 1980s heels at a thrift store. Their heels are perfectly shaped. In the 1980s when throwback fashion was common, many styles of shoes were made with this kind of heel. The rest of the shoe doesn't look so Period, but the heel is great.

 

So I did an internet search for photos of shoes from the era - Edwardian-Titanic-Roaring '20s - I was hoping to copy. Most times the decorations were of the same material as the shoe, but I did find some with contrasting ribbon bows, which inspired this project.

Here's how to make costume-worthy court shoes out of an existing modern pair. Plus, with detachable brooches, make them to match any outfit and switch the colors whenever you feel like it!

 

You'll need:

1 pair shoes

1 1/2 in. wired gauze ribbon

3/4 in. matching solid ribbon

felt scraps

glue gun

brooch/pin backs

scissors

2 buttons (or more)

needle and thread (not shown)

 

Now, about the buttons. First I had intended just gluing a button to the front of each shoe, but since I am picky about matching metal tones, I didn't want to put a silver button on them in case I wanted to wear gold jewelry, and vice versa. That's when I had the idea of making them brooches, to be removable.

And there are no better buttons to use than La Mode's Vintage line. These are super great buttons for costume work, since they are copied from originals and each card is dated with the approximate era the buttons are from. These are circa 1860-1900, which is perfect for the style of shoe I'm working on.

 

Besides being unique and good quality, they are beautiful!

 

So, to begin.

 

Here's the starting place - the plain shoe toe.

 

1. Lay the wider ribbon across the toe, where you want it to end up. I chose wired ribbon for this because it would stay where I put it better and keep its shape, but you can use a soft ribbon.

 

The shoe is slanted and the ribbon will need to be too. So lay it across the top and and cut it along the sole on both sides, including an extra inch to roll up on each side.

 

2. Keeping the same slant, roll up the ends until the cut part is hidden.

Match it against the shoe to make sure the slant is right.

 

Fold up the tip that sticks out. Secure the whole edge roll with a drop of glue.

 

Repeat for the other side. Here's what it looks like now.

3. But because the end doesn't look very neat and we can't tuck it between the sole and upper as a shoe maker would have done if decorating it originally, take the narrow ribbon and wrap each end, keeping the slant the same. Secure with a drop of glue on the wrong side.

 

Here's what it looks like when finished:

 

4. Now lay it across the shoe and secure each end the whole way along, and one drop in the center to keep it in place.

 

5. To make the bow, just take a doubled piece of wide ribbon as wide as you want, and cut it to that length. 

 

 

Wrap the center with the narrow ribbon, to form the bow shape. Secure the narrow ribbon with a drop of glue on the back side where it won't be seen.

 

6. Glue the bow to the center of the ribbon on the shoe.

 

Repeat all the steps above for the other shoe.

 

Now to add the right silhouette to the shoe, we'll make detachable brooches with the buttons. There are two styles.

 

#1 Brooch - Plain

First I had La Mode's 170001703 buttons, which are a 1 in. cupped shank button in antique gold.

 

 

 

To make these into brooches, I cut rough circles of felt a little smaller than the button, with a slit in the center for the shank to go through.

 

I stacked 3 of them together with dots of glue between, and glued them to the button. This builds up the back and makes a place to glue the pin back.

 

I glued the pin back to the top of the button. 

 

Yet from the front it still looks like a plain button.

 

#2 Brooch - Ruffled

The other two buttons were La Mode 170001706, which is a flat-backed shank button...

 

 

...and La Mode 170001718, a flat button with 2 holes. Both of these I needed a backing for, which I did the same way.

 

Tie a knot in the thread end, and weave your needle through one side of the narrow ribbon, gathering it.

 

All you want is a circle, which may take about 5-6 in. of ribbon. Keep gathering it until when you pull the needle through and tighten the thread, it makes a ruffled circle, similar to a yoyo.

 

Secure it with a few stitches so it stays shut, then use the needle and thread to sew the button to the center front and the pin back to the back. This adds a nice soft ruffle outline the whole way around the button.

 

 

 

 

If you can sew them both on at the same time, so much the better. (I love short cuts. :-)

 

So there are your brooches, and they can be interchanged on the shoes depending on what style or color you want to accessorise with. And of course, worn separately as brooches on collars, lapels, handbags, hats, gloves, etc.

 

I loved the painted shell button brooches!

 

Styling:

I had to see what they looked like in costume, so here are some pictures of them with my Titanic skirt and accessories. Enjoy!

 

 

 

That's it for now. Till next month!

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

 

Look for my new tutorials posted sometime during the first full week of every month. Hairstyles, crafts, repurposing, etc.

May Tutorial - How to Make a 1930s Tilt Hat from a Plain Wool Beret

I love hats with lots of style, especially tilt hats from the 1930s and '40s. Unfortunately, most times they are the most expensive to buy because the seller, even if he or she doesn't know what they are worth, think that they look like they should be expensive! And it's true. The amazing creativity of hats from that era always has fascinated me, and the endless varieties of shape, style, and embellishments make hat collecting a never ending pursuit.

 

But it's so much fun to make your own!

 

So this month, I'll show you how to turn a plain, 100% wool beret (the type that can be bought cheaply, compared to fancy vintage ones) into an elegant tilt hat just the type worn in the 1930s and '40s - perfect for costumes - with plenty of personality. And of course, if you make it, you get to decide how it will look and be trimmed.

 

 

Some Specifics

Tilt hats were always worn on the top of the head, usually - hence the name - tilted to one side. It could be tilted a little or as far down as one eyebrow. They could be wide brimmed or small, made of most hat materials. The hat's shape lent itself to this and usually featured a small lap of the hat's fabric under the brim or edge of the back. In the 1930s, since it had just evolved from the very close fitting 1920s flapper hats, small tilt hats were very popular, often worn well pulled down, and could be plainer for travel wear or very elaborate. When you make your own, the style and trimming is up to you.

 

To make your own, you will need:

1 plain 100% wool beret

something for a hat form (I covered a tin container with foam and bubble wrap, but a styrofoam life-size head would work too since you can stick pins in it and it will give a better idea of how the finished hat will look on a real head)

long, sturdy pins

vintage flowers, veils, ribbons, etc, for trimming

 

Reshaping the Beret

We're starting with experimenting with different styles, so we won't wet the hat yet.

 

Here's a "before" photo of the plain beret:

The most important part of making a round hat into a tilt hat is making the back higher than the front. Since all tilt hats had a lap or tongue of hat fabric out the back, we will try to do the same by refolding the hat.

 

Here's its original shape:

 

And this is how the brim looks underneath:

 

What you'll want to do is find the back of the hat, usually indicated by the brim lining overlapping, and refold it just at the back so that it has as much extra as possible. In this case I could only get it an inch wider because of the sweatband coming into view.

 

This will make the back taller than the front, which is what you want.

 

Pin it on the hat form as you are holding it.

 

Now you can start experimenting with the front. There are quite a few ways to do it, and here are a few.

  

View 1. Mark the center front. Crease the hat on either side of the center on the brim, which will fold the tip of the hat down to make a point, kind of like a newsboy hat.

 

 

View 2. Make an assymetrical hat by folding down one side of the front several times, and as that will pull on the rest of the hat, shape it in creases. I used a pin to keep it in shape.

 

View 3. Make it sailor style by bending down the center and making a point in the front.

 

There are of course other ways to fold and pin it. If you try pinning it with safety pins, you can even try it on and decide what looks best and is most becoming. 

I went with view 2, or as closely as I could replicate it.

 

To set it, wet the beret completely and thoroughly. With your hat form on a towel, reshape it and pin it as you go. As you set it now, it will dry, so smooth out any lumps or dents you don't want.

 

Put a fan on it and let it completely dry, which may take as long as overnight. Then unpin it. Here's mine:

 

Now the fun part begins! I first experimented with a large gauze ribbon flower on a bow.

It worked, but didn't look quite Period.

 

So my next try was with a vintage veil that had a large, flat flower in the center of it, and added a small bundle of iridescent feathers.

The feathers added a touch of color and the way they curved along the brim emphasized the front point.

I decided to keep it like this, but fastened the veil and feathers on with safety pins on the inside of the hat, which means I can unpin it any time I want to redo the hat's trimmings. Much easier than gluing or sewing!

So that's how to add a great, classy costume piece to your 1930s or '40s collection, without breaking the bank! It's no ordinary beret now. :-)

 

Till next month,

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

 

Look for my new tutorials posted sometime during the first full week of every month. Hairstyles, crafts, repurposing, vintage themed, etc.