The Sew Weekly

Sewing Vintage at Sew, Mama, Sew!

The folks at Sew, Mama, Sew! kindly asked me to write up an article on sewing vintage as part of their Make It, Wear It month. Of course I was totally intimidated to write up something since I don't consider myself an expert and I didn't know exactly what wisdom I had to share. So instead of playing the role of expert, I just wrote something that would help the person who is afraid of tackling sewing vintage. I hope that it inspires anyone who has even a little interest in busting out those brittle sewing pattern envelopes to take to machine with confidence!

Here's a few more tutorials that are more in-depth and have been helpful to me:

 

• Casey's Vintage Pattern Primer
• Gertie's Guide to Pattern Sizing
• Gertie's Three Essential Alterations for Vintage Patterns
• Thread's Working with Vintage Patterns (highly recommended!)

The last tip I should have included in the Sew, Mama, Sew! article:

Be part of a community! Read vintage sewing blogs and take it all in! I need to update this list and add the other blogs I've started reading, but it should be a good place to start.

 

Breaking Out the Rayon Blouse

The Facts 

Blouse
Fabric: Vintage Rayon - $8 for 1.5 yards from the Vintage Fashion Expo
Pattern: VPLL #T6834 - Free (got it for reviewing another VPLL pattern)
Year: c. 1932
Notions: Vintage zipper - $.005
Time to complete: About 5 hours 
First worn: June 2010
Wear again? Yes. 

Pants
Fabric: Lightweight denim from Fabric Outlet - ~$9 for 1 5/8 yards
Pattern: Simplicity 3688 (used before)
Year: c. 1940s
Notions: Vintage zipper - $.005
Time to complete: 2 hours
First worn: May 2010
Wear again: I wear these all the time

Total Cost for blouse & pants: ~$17.00 

Since I have already made pants from Simplicity 3688, there's nothing quite new to report on. The one difference is that I added belt lopps and made a little sash with some of the denim. Here's another shot of me wearing those pants.

The blouse is another pattern from the Vintage Pattern Lending Library -- this one is the 1932 Blouse with Front Yoke. It's a multi-sized pattern so you can purchase it in 32-34-36 bust or 38-40-42. I chose this as the next VPLL pattern to work with because I wanted something with vintage roots that could also seem fairly modern. 

The fabric is from the Vintage Fashion Expo and, surprisingly, only the second article of clothing I've made from vintage rayon. I have a stash of maybe 10-15 really fabulous pieces of 1940s and 1950s rayons but I never use them because they're too treasured! I would like to make my Gatsby dress from a vintage rayon so I figured it was time to start practicing. It's a bit of a pain to work with but I just love the drape and feel of the fabric.

 
 As far as the pattern went, it was very straightforward until it came to the part about attaching the sash. I felt that I knew what I needed to do but I couldn't understand the directions to get me to that point. So I just did what I thought was right and it turned out fine. I made one change, however. In the original instructions, the tie belt is sewn to the side of the bodice with the zipper. Since my zipper insertions aren't usually that pretty to look at, I did the opposite. That way, the sash is tied on the side and partially covers the zipper. Even with my confusion over the tie belt, the blouse was pretty simple to construct.

Another change: when I make this blouse again I'll face the tie belt with the same fabric instead of just hemming up the raw edges. My stitching is just too messy to pull that technique off.

I've said it before but it's quite wonderful to think that this blouse pattern was made almost 80 years ago and I can simply sew it up and wear in 2010.  That's certainly a testament to timeless fashion.

The Pin-Up Brooch Holder Tutorial

We interrupt the usual sewing-related posts here at The Sew Weekly for a little tutorial that involves a little bit of stitching and a little bit of Ikea.

While the best way to store all my vintage brooches is probably in cotton, in boxes and in the dark, I like to keep my costume jewelry on display. Not only does it make me happy to see them, but it also is a reminder to stick one on with my daily outfit. Here's a little tutorial on how to make your own Pin-Up Brooch Holder.

Gatsby Madness

Here's the continuation of my great Gatsby pattern search. I believe that I can safely claim the image below as the one and only bracket chart even created to eliminate 1930s dress patterns.  
It seems as if the tournament ends in a tie. I decided to make a dress from both of the winning patterns and then decide from there. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!.

The Little Dress That Could

The Facts 
Fabric: Floral Rayon Linen - $5.85 for 3 yards from Fabric.com.
Pattern: Simplicity 2591 - $.99
Year: c. 2009
Time to complete: About 4 hours
First worn: June 2010
Wear again? Yes.

Total Cost: ~$6.85 

For me, the most wonderful thing about sewing is the potential that exists when starting a project. Even as overwhelming my stash can be at times, it's quite fun to step into my sewing room and know that in a couple hours time something will exist that's completely unique and previously unimagined. 

This is one of those sort of dresses that I had no clue I was going to create until the moment I sat down at my machine. 

I had read about this one-hour dress last week and wanted to give it a try using some material that I wouldn't mind trashing if the one-hour thing ended up looking like a one-hour thing. Enter this rayon-linen blend that I bought in January. The fabric was from a $1.95 a yard pattern sale from Fabric.com. I thought it was sort of cute when I saw it online but when it came, I really didn't like it at all. It was delegated to the bottom of my stash and I pretty much forgot about it until this weekend. The funny thing was that when I pulled out this fabric I suddenly thought it was way too cute to waste on a potential disaster.

Simplicity 2591 just happened to be on my sewing table for another project I hadn't yet started. And as Max from Hart to Hart used to say "... when they met it was murder." Maybe not murder, but a potentially cute Summer dress.

This pattern was much harder to work with than it should have been because I couldn't find the instructions. I had to go from the pattern pieces and general rules of construction -- everything was straightforward until it came to the pockets. Even so, I was still able to make the dress without any real headaches or tears. Because of the stretch of the fabric and because I wanted a less-fitted, more relaxy summer dress, I omitted the zipper and simply stitched up the back. I love when I can do that.

Like the batik fabric from this dress, I'm seeing a trend of meh fabric turning into fabulous dresses. I've already received a ton of compliments about this little dress that could.

Early Ideas for the Gatsby Summer Afternoon

Although the Gatsby Summer Afternoon is months away (Sunday, September 12, to be precise), I've already begun planning the outfits that will be created to clothe my friends and me. A neat thing occurred during the course of the year since Gatsby -- two of my friends and fellow Gatsby attendees begun sewing in earnest! While I made Krissy's dress last year, she'll be sewing her own; my other friend, Libett, has even learned pattern drafting (!) but will most likely be using a vintage pattern for her own dress. 

As the organizer of our picnic, I dictated the exact period of our dress (early 1930s) and the theme (nautical). I chose the early 1930s because, as pretty 1920s dresses can be, a waistline is a bit more flattering to modern bodies.

In all, I believe this is what I'll be sewing:

• My dress
• 2 toddler dresses & 1 infant boy's playsuit
• A dress for my sister-in-law
• A dress for my friend, Maddie

Writing that down makes it seem a bit more manageable. Last year I ended up making four dresses (only two of them actually ended up making the cut), so this should be a breeze! Here's my post about the dresses I made. This year, the hard part is narrowing down my choices for my own dress.

 
With the exception of "G," all of these patterns are available from the Vintage Pattern Lending Library. I acquired "G" as well as the patterns that will most likely be used for Krissy's and Maddie's dresses last week at Alameda. 

A. I like the contrast of the collar and dress on view 2 but prefer the short sleeves of view 1. I'm not sure if that look works, though, when combined.

B. I love the bodice but I'm "meh" about the sleeves. Neither sleeve seems like it would be particularly flattering to my arms but I think if I was to remove the bottom half of the puffed sleeve (in green), I'd have a nice little butterfly or capelet sleeve.

C. Yeah, probably not.

D. While "D" feels a bit too matronly, I think that the right fabric and buttons could make this dress look amazing. Or, I could be wrong and it could be another "mom from Our Gang" dress.

E. There's just something about "E" that feels a bit off. Maybe it's because it's an illustration of a more realistic body shape and she doesn't look 6"5 and 120 pounds. I do like stumpy because the sleeves are flattering and there's a tie of some sort. Perhaps with a lighter color tie and a darker color dress it will look a less scout-like as well. 

F. In the illustration these puffed sleeves look like they've gone off the rails a bit. I love the neckline and tie detail, though. Even if the sleeves seem a bit crazy, I think that if they turn out anything like the sleeves on this dress worn by Myrna Loy, it would be fantastic. While the second view is cute, I fear that it will read too "dust bowl" when I'm wearing it. 

G. I have my heart set on a dress with contrasting fabric so I'd most likely stick to the first view and make it short-sleeved. I definitely want a dress with a bow, tie or some sort of interesting collar but that seems to be the only really interesting detail happening with this dress.

What do you think? I'm thinking that "B" is going to probably be the one.

Budgeting Your 1939 Summer Wardrobe

 
From the May 1939 Mademoiselle I purchased at the Alameda Point Antique Fair, here's a little guide for budgeting your summer wardrobe in pre-war (or rather pre-US involvement) and pre-rationed America. According to the inflation calculator I used, the $147.71 that would be spent on three months of clothing in 1939 would be adjusted to $2,278.42 in 2010 prices. I suspect that like our magazines of today, they were strictly aspirational. 

If you, in 2010, want to use this as a guide for your own summer wardrobe, here's a bigger version of the summer budget file.

From the same issue, this pre-Photoshop disaster. Can you spot what's missing?

 

A Sew Weekly Competition

While cleaning my sewing room tonight, I had an idea for a sewing competition for The Sew Weekly (you'll see how cleaning the room connects to the competition shortly). Because good competitions are even better with great prizes, I'm looking for a sponsor or two to offer up the prize. If you represent a business (small, medium, or large) that would like to put up a prize in exchange for exposure in the contest, please contact me via the mail form. Once the prize is decided, I'll be announcing the contest and rules.

The Peasant Kasia Combo

The Facts
Fabric: Floral Cotton - $3.95 for 1.5 yards from Fabric Outlet; Black linen ~$12 for 1 3/8 yards from Joann's
Pattern: Kasia Skirt from BurdaStyle - Free; Shirt: Simplicity 4678 c. 1954 - $5
Notions: Vintage buttons - $.0005
Year: c. 1954 & modern
Time to complete: About 5 hours
First worn: May 2010
Wear again? Yes.

Total Cost: ~$21

This is my second Kasia skirt, part of an outfit I also created for my vacation last month. See this post about my first Kasia to learn more about the pattern and construction. This one was much easier to complete since I already had one Kasia under my belt and I knew from the beginning to ignore the directions included with the pattern.

I'll blame the wonky button placement on the fact I rushed this to be finished before the trip and was using the precise measurement technique called "eyeing it." When it's 3:00 in the morning, the last thing I want to do is find my ruler in the mess that is my sewing room.

Additionally, I'll blame the gathering of the pockets for the skirt's anemic appearance on the dressform. This skirt needs hips and and junk in the trunk to fully do it justice.

For this skirt, I chose to use the same black linen for the side pockets and the rest of the skirt. To give it a bit more life I used contrast fabric for the flap/pocket lining -- the fabric from the blouse.

  

The peasant blouse was very straightforward and easy to complete. Oh! to create all my clothing with elastic! Not much to say about the shirt construction other than I'll definitely use the pattern again and will no doubt work some embroidery into the next version.

 
 And although I usually don't write about my shoes, I had to write a little something about this pair of yellow wedges. I'm convinced that when looking for 1940s and 1950s inspired shoes, it's important to find a shoe brand that's still catering to the original clientele of that particular style. These are a pair of Easy Spirits that I bought at an Easy Spirt outlet for $29. Not only are they comfortable (they look like a shoe, feel like a sneaker!), but they're well made and non-slip! We have to remember that the "old women" of today were the young women of yesterday and they know a thing or two about sensible and adorable shoes.

This Weekend's Vintage Finds: 6/7/2010

This weekend's Alameda Antique Show was fairly ho-hum in the vintage fabric and sewing notions department. One booth, however, had a box of 1930s patterns that I absolutely was in awe of. With the Gatsby Summer Afternoon coming up in September and my decision to do early 1930s instead of mid 1920s for our outfits, this box was just what I wanted to find at Alameda. I purchased four lovely patterns for $15 -- my favorite being the Butterick beach pajamas. Other purchases included two Mademoiselle magazines from 1939 for $8 total and three yards of a cotton/silk blend for $10. I think the fabric will be marvelous for a 1930s dress.