Verity Vintage Studio

Tutorial: How to Make 1950s Style Beaded Earrings

Anyone who likes to browse antique shops will recognize the popular bead cluster earrings from the 1950s. Often part of a matching set, they have a quintessential mid-century look. Because of their size and bulk, many of them are clip-ons and too heavy to work well converted to pierced. But no fear! Now you can make your own, in your preferred colors!

 

For this project you will need:

2 large bead caps (I used 25mm size of a generic style easily found in craft stores)

beading needle

beading string (similar to fishing line)

beads

hammer

2 earring posts

metal-bonding glue like E-6000

 

How To

On a surface that you can't scratch, carefully use the hammer to flatten out the bead caps. They won't be perfectly flat, but as you can see, the inner edge is flattened down, and the outer edge is flattened out.

 

The difference:

 

This makes the base for your earring. (I'm sure there are bases out there that are actually made for this, but I found bead caps to work well and be very inexpensive, plus common to access.)

With your beading thread on your needle, tie the other end through the bead cap. Now you are ready to start beading.

 

Start by sewing down beads the whole way around the bead cap. I found the best results by going up and down in the same hole. I used 3mm glass pearl beads because I wanted a daintier earring, but you can certainly use larger beads and not sew one in each hole if necessary. In general, small beads will work best.

 

There will be spaces between them - that's ok. You'll fix it later.

 

Now move to the center and do another circle of beads. They won't all fit in a tidy ring, but start "clustering".

 

At this point, you may wish to add an extra bead here or there in order to make a tight cluster that hides the bead cap. Try to add them evenly and not all on one side, or your earring will grow lopsided.

 

For the center, I used a 6mm glass pearl. Make sure to turn it so the side is facing instead of the end with the hole.

 

Next, go back and tighten any loose beads by adding another stitch through them. Knot your beading thread and weave it through the ends of some of your stitches before cutting it off. You don't want to cut it too close to the knot.

Make the 2nd earring, trying to keep the number of beads the same so they end up the same size.

 

Turn them over and glue an earring post to the back of each one. 

 

That's it! Leave them to dry overnight, and the next day you can put on the earring backs and wear them.

I used all one color, but you can mix colors too! Here is a set I made earlier, with mixed sizes, colors, and textures of beads. There are endless options out there!

 

These could coordinate perfectly with my two-strand pearl necklace, if you need a matching set!

 

My new pearl bead cluster earrings side-by-side with true vintage 1950s bead cluster earrings. It's nice to be able to make a new, authentic-looking pair in a particular color any time I need to!

Tutorial: Make a Vintage Style Double Strand Faux Pearl Necklace

Ever had a hard time finding exactly the right color and length of pearls to wear with your vintage outfits? (Or anytime, for that matter.) Today I am going to show you how to make a double strand of pearls, just like the ones that were so popular in the 1950s.

 

You can use all the same size of pearl beads, or do a gradient strand with different sizes. I chose to use 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm pearls.

You will need:

flexible beading wire (I used nylon filament)

glass pearls

2 small 3-way connectors

4 crimping beads (not shown)

pliers

a clasp of some sort

Also scissors or something to cut the beading wire with.

 

Close up of the connectors.

 

Begin the Necklace

Cut 2 strands of beading wire a few inches longer than you think you will want. Take one end of one strand, pass it through a crimping bead, through one of the loops on the connector on the side where there are two, and back through the crimping bead.

 

Push the bead close to the connector but not right against it. Pinch the bead shut firmly with the pliers to secure the beading wire. Trim the wire close to the crimping bead.

 

Now you are ready to start stringing pearls. We will make the longest strand first. For this strand I used 5 4mm pearls, 7 6mm pearls, 31 8mm pearls, 7 6mm pearls, and 5 4mm pearls again.

 

You can hold it up to your neck to estimate if it is the right length. I wanted mine to nestle right at the base of my neck.

 

To finish the strand, take the remaining few inches of beading wire, pass it through the crimping bead, through one loop on the remaining connector, and back through the crimping bead again. Tighten it close to the connector but not too snug. It needs to have some wiggle room for the pearls to hang correctly. Pinch the crimping bead shut and trim the end like the first end.

 

First strand is finished!

 

The second strand will be the shorter one. It starts just like the first one. Once the beading wire is secure to the other loop on the connector, string your pearls, using a few less this time. For this strand I used 4 4mm pearls, 6 6mm pearls, 29 8mm pearls, 6 6mm pearls, and 4 4mm pearls again.

 

As you string pearls, curve the strand to get a better idea of how they will lay. The strands should be almost the same length if you want them to lie closely together on your neck.

 

Pass the remaining end of wire through the crimping bead, the opposite connector (be careful not to twist it unless you want a twisted strand of pearls), and back through the crimping bead. But before crimping the final bead, hold the necklace up to your neck to make sure it is how you like it. Then finish this end like the others by pinching the crimping bead and trimming the end.

 

It's almost finished! The only thing left to do is to attach the clasp. I used a barrel clasp for mine since the little hook on the end rotates. You can either attach each end directly to the third ring on the 3-way connector, or if you find that is too close to the connector to manipulate easily, add a small jump ring, which is what I did here with a 3 x 4 mm jump ring. Either way, you simply have to open and shut loops with your pliers.

 

The completed necklace!

 

My favorite strand of vintage faux pearls is a little too long for some of my dresses, so I needed one that hugs closely to the neck. This one is the perfect addition – and of course, I can make a longer one too if I need one. You can use beads other than pearls, if you prefer, and also use the same basic idea to make double or triple strand bracelets with the smaller pearls and shorter strands of beading wire; or omit the connector and do a single strand necklace, attaching it right to a jump ring or the loop on the end of the clasp.

 

So there you go – a quick and easy way to make your own vintage style faux pearls. They don't take that long to complete, and of course you can make them in any color or length desired for a particular outfit. I can't wait to wear mine!

November Tutorial - Show and Tell with a Vintage Sewing Tool

I can't bring you a proper tutorial this month, since we are right in the middle of another move. (Boxes of fabric? And how!) So instead, I'm going to do a Show and Tell with one of my new sewing tools – a hemming ruler or skirt marker from the late 1940s.

 

Picked up at a local antique store, I was intrigued by the idea and of course the graphics on the box which was mostly intact.

 

Anything to make hemming easier and more professional, I'm willing to try! Plus getting to use a real vintage sewing tool on my (almost) real vintage dresses makes it feel more authentic than ever. :-)

 

So I put it to use when it came time to hem a 1950s housedress I was making (photos coming later of the finished product, which turned out beautifully!)

 The ruler has this little metal clamp that slides up and down on the ruler, so you can choose a measurement from the floor for your skirt, depending on what fashion decrees (or your preference). The clamp has several grooves in it – one marked “Skirt Length” which shows where the finished skirt will end up, and the others different depths of hem.

 

You just close the clamp over the skirt and start pinning. The pins go easily through the fabric in the grooves provided for just that purpose. Neat!

 

For this dress, I chose a 2 in. hem, so I put one pin at the skirt length and one at the 2 in. hem slot.

 

I did that the whole way around, re-clamping every few inches. The top line of pins is where the finished hem will be – the bottom line is where the pre-hemmed edge will be. This makes the skirt edge straight for an even hem without any of those dips or an up-and-down stitch line.

 

Instead of cutting it off at the bottom line of pins, and turning it up, I cheated and serged around the skirt, following the bottom line of pins. This cut and finished it simultaneously. Now I (hopefully) have a perfectly straight line ready to be hemmed.

 

From then on, it's super easy! I just folded up the edge on the top pin line and pressed it. This gave me an even depth of 2 in. the whole way around, without the more tedious measuring-and-pinning-every-few-inches.

 

The only thing left to do is to stitch the pinned hem in place and you're done! A serious time saver, in my opinion, and I'm really glad I was able to add such a handy tool to my sewing supplies.

 

My one concern was that since I put the dress on a mannequin before using the ruler, the hem might not turn out straight on me since I have different dimensions than the mannequin. The ideal way of course would be to wear the dress and have someone else use the ruler. But you'll have to judge its accuracy for yourself when I put up the pictures of the finished dress!

 

 

Look for my new tutorials posted sometime during the first full week of every month. Hairstyles, crafts, repurposing, project journals, do-it-yourself vintage or alterations, etc. 

August Tutorial - Make Your Own 1940s Seamed Nylons

This month's tutorial is courtesy of my sister Elsie, who came up with the idea and did the models.

 

One must for authentic 1940s costumes are seamed nylons, since stockings then were made with a seam up the back. It's not impossible to find seamed nylons today, but a lot of times there are few options for a really authentic look instead of a rockabilly retro. In Debbie Sessions' excellent post on 1940s stockings, she pointed out that black back seam and cuban heels came into fashion in the 1950s. While I have seen cuban heels in some 1940s illustrations, they were not black, and it's almost impossible to find brown-on-brown cuban heels except from vintage style hosiery makers, which are pricey. So she recommended buying the nude or flesh tone option in seamed stockings, but often that is not quite correct either if it's too light in shade. Vintage nylons were usually denser, had more sheen, and were a darker shade than a lot of modern nylons. 

So all that to say, you can buy seamed stockings in different lengths, or pantyhose. But the options and sizes are limited, and you'll pay more for one pair than you will for a package of what you normally wear. So if you already have a favorite brand, here's how you can make an authentic look on any size or shade of nylons.

 

For this project, you'll need brown thread a shade or two darker than your nylons...

 

...a pair of nylons or pantyhose (these are knee length nylons, what we had on hand - a darker shade would be even better)...

 

...and a sewing machine. These models were made using the double straight stitch setting - a narrow, close zigzag would probably also work.

 

First, check your stitch on some fabric before you try it on the nylon!

Turn the nylon inside out and pinch the middle of the under side together, right sides together. You can do this an inch or so below the toe reinforcement. 

 

Start sewing the seam, very close to the edge. It will make a little bitty ridge but won't be uncomfortable to stand on.

 

You'll need to stretch it as you sew, especially around the heel area. A nice steady pull.

 

Keep it slow. The nylon will snag if you go too fast.

 

The seamed side will start to curve.

 

When you're done, you'll have a tiny ridge on the inside starting at the bottom of the foot.

 

And when you turn it right side out, it will be a subtle brown line.

 

Repeat for the other leg. To put them on, as with other seamed nylons, roll them up and guide the seams straight up the back with your thumbs.

 

While they will still not be identical to real vintage hose (though much more practical and comfortable!), you can use your own nylon choice for fit and comfort and end up with something much more similar to the real thing than a flimsy, pale facsimile. And you'll save a lot of pennies!

 

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, project journals, do-it-yourself vintage or alterations, etc.

April Tutorial - Revamped Original 1940s Crochet Hat Pattern

Springtime and Easter means time for new, shady hats! You can often find lovely ones in antique stores and online, and sometimes in thrift stores if you're lucky. But how handy it is to make your own!

 

Some time ago I found this rare, beautiful 1940s crochet hat pattern online and knew I had to make it. At once! The original pattern had only one photo and was somewhat difficult to follow - vintage crochet terms are different and much looser than modern crochet - and I ended up changing it some as well, so I thought I would share my version of the pattern with you. 

(Want the original instead, vague instructions and out-of-production materials notwithstanding? Check it out in this issue of Hey Doll Vintage Magazine.)

 

My first trial was mostly a success. Since I didn't have the millinery wire called for I was typically too impatient to wait until I found some, so I used a long, thin metal dress hanger instead and re-bent it into a circle. It didn't quite work. Too small, so the hat ended up a little ruffled and somewhat lumpy. But still quite wearable. 

 

I trimmed it with these gorgeous vintage millinery strawberries from Mary Not Martha.

 

For my next trial, I found this 12 gauge, easily posable floral wire - floral wire is much easier to find than millinery wire! - to use for the brim. It turned out it really was too posable and bends too easily to be the best choice, so I guess I'll keep looking!

 

My yarn choice was different as well, and the final version turned out much smoother and quite sturdy.

 

 

Not having any photos of the back, I was surprised to find as I worked through the pattern that it had an open crown, which I ended up liking very much. But, at least for my head, the crown the pattern called for was too high and unflattering, so I revamped it a little.  

 

The flexibility of the brim wire may be a disadvantage, but it does allow for easy changes in style!

 

So now for my version of this pattern.

 

Wide-Brim Lacy 1940s Hat

Materials:

Lily's Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton worsted weight yarn - 2 balls Ecru, CA; 2 balls Light Blue, CB

Size H/8/5mm crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge

yarn needle

stitch markers (optional)

12 gauge floral or millinery wire

vintage flowers and/or ribbon for trimming (optional)

 

Skill Level:

low intermediate

 

Gauge:

 With 2 strands, 3 rows of sc=1 in. high. (Stitches will be tight and dense.)

 

Finished Size:

16 in. in diameter; somewhat adjustable head size at the crown.

 

Abbreviations:

CA=color A

CB=color B

ch(s)=chain(s)

lp(s)=loop(s)

rep=repeat

rnd(s)=round(s)

sc=single crochet

sk=skip

sl st=slip stitch

st(s)=stitch(es)

 

Pattern Notes:

Solid section rnds are not joined; use stitch markers to keep track of beginning of rnds if necessary.

 

Hat - Crown

Solid Part:

Holding 2 strands of CA together, ch 40 (ch should measure approx. 13 in. long). Join with sl st in first ch to form a ring. Be careful not to twist.

Rnd 1: ch 1, sc in each ch around; do not join. 40 sc

Rnd 2: sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc, (sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) around; do not join. 60 sc

Rnds 3-4: sc in each sc around. At end of last rnd, join with sl st in first sc and fasten off. 

Lace Part:

Rnd 5: holding 2 strands of CB together (or you may use 1 strand in order to match the brim better), join in any st, ch 1, (ch 5, sk 2 sc, sl st in next sc) around; join with sl st in first ch. 20 ch lps

Rnd 6: work 5 sc in each ch lp around; join with sl st in first sc. 100 sc

 

 

Lower Crown and Brim

Solid Part:

Rnd 7: holding 2 strands of CA together, join in the center sc of any 5 sc group, ch 1, (sc in center sc of 5 sc group, ch 3) around; join with sl st in first sc. 20 ch lps

Rnd 8: ch 1, (sc in sc, work 3 sc in ch lp) around; do not join. 80 sc 

Rnds 9-10: sc in each sc around; do not join.

Rnd 11: (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc) around, add 2 more sc in same st as last sc; do not join. 109 sc

Rnds 12-13: sc in each sc around. Join last rnd with sl st in first sc. Fasten off. 

It's starting to look like a hat now!

You could actually stop here and wear it as a small 1950s hat on the back of the head.

 

Lace Part:

Rnd 14: with 1 strand of CB, join in any sc; (ch 1, sc) in same st, ch 5, sk next 2 sc, (sc in next sc, ch 5, sk next 2 sc) around; join with sl st in first sc. 36 ch lps

Rnd 15: sl st into next ch lp, ch 1, work 5 sc in each lp around; join with sl st in first sc. 180 sc

Rnd 16: sl st into next 2 chs, (ch 1, sc) in same st, ch 5, (sc in center sc of 5 sc group, ch 5) around; join with sl st in first sc.

Rnd 17: rep Rnd 15.

Rnd 18: rep Rnd 16. 

Rnds 19-20: rep Rnds 17-18. Fasten off at end of last rnd. 

Rnd 21: join 1 strand of CA in center sc of any 5 sc group, (ch 1, sc) in same st, (ch 3, sc in center of next 5 sc group, ch 4, sc in center of next 5 sc group) around; instead of last sc, join with sl st in first sc.

Rnd 22: rep Rnd 15.

Bend wire into a loop, wrapping the 2 ends securely together for a few inches to make a circle. Hold wire against Rnd 22.

Rnd 23: Working over wire, sc in each sc around; join with sl st in first sc.

Rnds 24-25: sc over Rnd 23 and wire again (the 3 rnds of sc will effectively conceal the wire). Join last rnd with sl st in first sc and fasten off. 

 

Finishing:

Cut a length of CA, weave through sc of Rnd 9, tighten slightly and tie ends on the wrong side of hat to define brim. This may be adjusted to help fit head size. Weave in all ends on the underside, mist with water and shape hat; let it dry on a hat form or inverted bowl.

Trim as desired with vintage flowers and ribbon. (The original photo seems to show it with a ribbon around the crown and tied in the back with the ends dangling down to the shoulder blades.)

(I happened to have a yard of 4 in. taffeta ribbon that matched the blue yarn exactly!)

 

That's it! All finished. Now you can style it any way you like. 

With the bow in the back, bend the front down for a more dramatic picture hat style...

 

...or leave it with a plain round brim for the cartwheel look on the back of the head especially worn by teens and young women during the summer months in the 1940s and '50s, as shown in the original pattern photo...

 

 

...or tug it a bit to make it more of an oval shape, bending it slightly and wearing it tilted with the bow on the side front, for more of a late 1930s look. Lots of possibilities!

 

The last round is tedious, awkwardly working over the wire, but I think it's worth it. Fun to make and wear for spring! And the best part is you can make as many as you want in any color needed in your summer hat wardrobe. 

Till next month!

Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio

 

 

Look for a new tutorial posted during the first full week of every month...How-tos for hairstyles, crafts, vintage, repurposing, etc.

January Tutorial – How to Make a Pashmina Shawl into a 1930s Evening Wrap

 

My apologies for a week's delay of this tutorial! But it was fairly labor-intensive and I simply couldn't squeeze the time for it among the self-imposed deadline of sewing for an event. Here it is now!

 

A while ago, while searching for vintage style wraps on Ebay, I came across the picture of a cashmere or pashmina shawl appliqued with flowers which instantly struck me as having a 1930s vibe which I loved. 1930s wraps and coats were luxurious and almost always had overstated, large, gorgeous collars or ruffs, like these photos show.

I always like an appropriate wrap, and have few dressy ones. So my next thought was that rather than paying $50 +, I could make one myself quite economically, since I had a stash of similar shawls already. So here I'm going to show you how to turn a regular rectangular shawl into a gorgeous 1930s evening wrap.

 

You will need:

1 rectangle shawl 

30-35 3-4in. flowers, or supplies to make your own

needle and matching thread

 

Dark colors are preferable for this project, at least if you are making your own flowers like I am. So I used a plum colored pashmina shawl and some eggplant taffeta I got for a few dollars a yard at Fabric.com – which turned out to be near perfect match.

 

First I took the shawl and draped it on a mannequin. You can use a live model for this step if you don't have a mannequin. :-) For a good fit, you want to shape it a little from the original rectangle. To create shoulder shaping I pleated it on each side to make a sort of high collar in the back...

 

...and bound it that way with thread. This creates a base for the appliques and gives it more the shape needed for the 1930s look.

 

To make the flowers, I used Martha Stewart's lotus flower tutorial. Though they call for silk taffeta, I used synthetic and it worked well. I used 4 in. squares of fabric instead of the 5 in. they use, and did a few 5 layers flowers but mostly stayed with 4 layer flowers.

My first trial didn't turn out so good...probably because I didn't bother with drawing the center circle from templates as they recommend.

 

The next one looks a lot better!

 

A bunch of flower layers after being folded and cut, waiting to be singed.

 

Possibly because I was using synthetic instead of silk taffeta, my edges curled a lot more than the tutorial's example, but I still liked the individual look of each flower. Depending on how deep I made my cut and how far the edge was singed, the petal layers were sometimes different sizes, also unlike the tutorial. I know mine aren't as neat, but as I have mentioned before, I am not a perfectionist! You want nice full, puffy flowers for this project, and preferably something that is structured – rolled roses, for instance, would not be period correct or as dressy. No shabby chic here, please!

I highly recommend using a rotary cutter for these if you are making a lot of them - it makes cutting the squares so much easier and gets them a lot straighter. Ask me how I know!

 

The next step is to start pinning the flowers on the shawl on the mannequin, starting on or just above the bound areas. (If you don't have a mannequin, use a chair back or T shirt stuffed with plastic bags or something similar which gives the shawl a little of the shape it will need to take when worn.)

 

Here is where you can let your imagination play, creating a pointed or round collar, as wide or narrow as desired. The wider the collar, the more outre the finished product. You want the outer edge to be fairly even, though.

 

Pin them all the way up on the collar in the back. Put the flowers close and overlap them, but don't always overlap the same way or put them in obvious rows.

 

Another hour of making flowers later. See the beginnings of a 1930s silhouette?

 

Now it's done! All the flowers are made and pinned to my liking.

 

So the next step is to sew them on. Starting at one end, tack down each flower, making sure to secure the center and a few spots around the bottom layer of petal so it won't shift, catching the folds of all the pleats if there are pleats under the flower. 

 

I ended up sewing some of the bottom layers of the flowers to each other. You don't want to see much shawl, if any, between these flowers when they bend or flex as worn.

 

My original inspiration photo showed the shawl still in a rectangle with a few flowers scattered over the bottom edge and corners, and while I like that too, I chose to knot my shawl ends instead, which creates a unique tassel look and gives it a true wrap status instead of a slightly more obvious shawl-with-appliques. And it stays on my shoulders without effort – no sliding or ends in the way. Of course at any time I can unknot it and do something else.

 

But my first knots were done on the mannequin and while I liked the way they looked, when I tried the shawl on, the bottom edge was too tight and the knots in the wrong place, so I re-knotted it while on me and this how it looked afterwards:

 

I think this idea would look great with a black beaded shawl and black taffeta flowers, or an embroidered shawl! Both beading and embroidery are very Period, and the more lavish the better. Or you could make your own rectangle out of satin or sparkly fabric, maybe making flowers to match out of the same fabric. But after making 30 flowers of 4 and 5 layers each, I doubt I'll want to tackle another one any time soon.

 

 

And it's finished. The collar of flowers gives it that dressy ruff shape so popular in the 1930s for evening wraps like this vintage example:

 

If desired, you can add a hook and eye under the tips of the collar to hook it together. Ready to wear – the perfect special coverup for your evening dress for a banquet, ballroom or opera. 

That's it for this month's tutorial! See you 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.

 

Note: All photos of the purple shawl are mine - all others were found on Pinterest.com.

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.

 

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

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.

 

March Tutorial - Week Two - Dyeing Vintage Accessories

Partly because March is craft month, and partly because of spring air or something that gave me lots of ideas, I'm doing a Tutorial Blast this month, with a new and different tutorial every week instead of just the first week of the month. Check back each week to see what's new! Week One: How to Make a Cottage Chic 1950s Gloveholder. Week Two: Dyeing Vintage Accessories.

 

When I stumbed across a blog post about how easy it is to dye things, I was instantly interested - mostly because of my large collection of vintage gloves. White gloves stain so easily, yet if they have really neat cuffs or ruffles, I hate to part with them. To give them new life was exactly what I wanted - and is Period correct, too. And to be able to quickly make a pair to match any color for any outfit (not to mentioned dye my own colors more expensive to buy vintage) was perfect!

So I jumped into dyeing with both feet and bought a bunch of Rit Dye.

 

It truly is very easy.

 

How much fun it is to turn these...

...to these!

 

This pair was originally white.

 

These were originally ivory, and very stained. I had wanted a pair of dark green gloves for a long time and couldn't find one, so now I have them with hardly any expense!

 

Dyeing in General

There is much to be said about dyeing. Tutorials abound, with lots of proponents for different methods. I think the most important thing is to not expect exact results. It is extremely hard to pinpoint a color, so to take what comes is usually a pleasant surprise for me. The amount of dye used per amount of water, and the length of time the items soak can really make a difference with the finished color. To make it harder, the colors are always darker when wet, so you have to wait until the item is many shades darker than the approximate shade you want before it is finished.

The original shade of an item will make a difference in color as well, because it's already an ingredient when you over-dye it. The blue jacket below would have been a brighter blue if it had been ivory instead of tan since the tan influenced the blue dye into a periwinkle.

 

There are many different methods - washing machine for large items, sink or bowl or bucket method, or stovetop. Search for details to see what works for you. I haven't tried the washing machine method, but for small items a stainless steel bowl works perfectly. I used one side of our stainless steel sink to turn this jacket...

...to this.

Polyester and plastic do not dye, so the seams and buttons did not change.

 

Cotton and nylon dye the best, but nylon takes the color differently. When I did 2 pairs of cotton gloves and 1 pair of nylon gloves in the same bowl of dark gray dye, the cotton gloves came out dark gray and the nylon gloves a smoky blue! Nylon gloves in the same dye that did the burgundy gloves above, came out purple. They say to use salt in dye baths with cotton, and vinegar in dye baths with nylon to help fix the color, so perhaps that was my problem.

These cotton doilies took the dye nicely.

Before:

After:

So now that you're inspired, I'll walk you through the steps of dyeing using the bucket (or bowl) method.

 

Dyeing 

You'll need...

dye (this is a great place to find what dye "recipes" make the shade you want)

gloves (white or off-white work best)

stainless steel bowl

stainless steel spoon

salt (optional)

 

 

These cotton gloves were kind of blah and very stained and dirty. As white gloves I wouldn't have wanted them. But as dyeable articles, they turned from another woman's junk into my treasure!

I wanted them to be a brightish shade of light blue. These are the two dyes I mixed.

Rit dye is the most available dye and fairly cheap. It comes in two kinds - powder and liquid. I would heartily recommend the liquid. You don't have to worry about it dissolving, it's easier to handle, no dye-dust to fly around to breathe, and won't get your fingers stained just opening the package.

Dye doesn't smell too good, so do it in a ventilated place or - like my photos show - outside.

 

Now, for the details.

 

1. Fill the bowl with enough very hot water (mine just finished boiling) to swim the gloves in comfortably.

 

2. Stir in the dye. I used 4-6 tsp. liquid Royal Blue, and a sprinkle of the powdered Teal dye. Add salt if you are using salt.

 

 

3. Stir well, until any powdered dye is dissolved. NOTE: Keep paper towels handy. Dye will clean up if it's wiped up immediately after a splash or spill, but otherwise it will stain. Be very careful not to get any on your clothes.

 

 

4. Put in the gloves. You can dampen them first or put them in dry.

You'll want to stir it pretty much constantly.

 

After about 2 minutes it looked like this. This was close to the color I wanted it to be when dry, so I put it back in and stirred more.

 

Keep in mind that lighter colors will not be so dark when wet as dark colors. Dark green, for instance, will look black when it's wet. Dark gray will look purple when wet. But these didn't change much from wet to dry because of the lighter shade.

 

See how nicely the dye colors the fingers where there were stains?

 

5. When you think they are done (mine were in about 5 min.) carefully drain the water down the stainless steel sink and start the rinsing process.

I didn't have a rubber glove, so I used a plastic bag over my hand secured with a rubber band, which worked fine.

Rinse under warm water until the water runs clear. This will not take as long with a light color as it will with a dark one. Then run it under cold water and squeeze out.

 

6. Dry completely. I usually put mine on a sock ring overnight.

 

Here are my lovely pair of brand new gloves with a brand new life!

I love how the stitching dyed darker than the gloves.

They are the perfect shade for spring and summer!

I'm very happy with them, and glad that the color turned out pretty much how I wanted.

 

Dyeing Other Things

Dyeing is great for more than gloves. 

 

This ivory cotton clutch was very stained and I needed a red one, so I happily dyed it.

The dark spots were stains. But they are much less noticable now. Even the wood handles dyed!

I dyed this purse in a sink along with a cloth hat and pair of gauntlets, so I even have a matching accessory set now.

 

I did try a pair of leather gloves. They took the dye but didn't dye evenly, and the leather shrank. I like the distressed look from the dye, but won't dye anything leather that is special to me.

I do not recommend dyeing hats that have stiff shaping like buckram, since it will need reshaped. I tried this one:

 

Not only did the buckram get sticky and need reshaped, but the old glue that held the gauze pieces on fell apart.

 

But not to despair...with a glue gun, some glass pearls, and some ivory paper flowers, I repaired the damages and hid the rough parts.

 

But just the same, I'll stick to fabric hats from now on.

 

You never know until you try! But it's best to experiment on inexpensive non-heirloom items.

The possibilities and inspiration are endless. I hope you have as much fun as I do!

Till next week with Part Three,

~Kristen - Verity Vintage Studio