Recently, I re-watched season two of Downton Abbey and for the first time, the clothes really appealed to me. Especially some of the blouses looked like they would still be nice to wear now.

I have some vintage pattern magazines in my collection which date as far back as 1918 so I started looking for options. In those magazines, there are plenty of pictures of lovely designs and readers could order the patterns for those… Just some of the designs (about one in each size) were included on a tracing sheet.

I finally found these dresses in an issue of Gracieuse magazine from 1922. The middle one is more or less in my size (and so loose fitting I didn’t worry about that) and, more importantly, has the design I was after. So, I used the pattern pieces for the dress bodice to create this blouse.

It was a bit difficult to find a way to wear it. The blouse is very comfortable and I like it, but most of the bottoms in my wardrobe are more 1950’s in style and really didn’t work with it. I like the look with these trousers though. Not really period accurate but it doesn’t look ‘off’ either.

With this blouse, I’ve also completed my goal of five items from actual vintage patterns for my Vintage Pattern Pledge.

As usual, you can read more about it on my blog.

Hi Everyone!!!

This is my first post here, so I hope you like it!

Here is my first sew for the 2015 Vintage Pattern Pledge, a pink floral blouse made from a vintage Maudella Pattern. The pattern I have is for a 36″ bust, so firstly I had to grade it up to 44″ bust to fit me. I usually have to grade up my vintage patterns as I have as they are so hard to find any where near my size.

The Fabric I used was a lovely piece of pink floral print cotton, gifted to me from a friend. This top will mostly be worn tucked in to skirts or pants, but it looks fine left out as well

I altered the pattern slightly, as I found the shoulders too wide for me.

To see more about the construction of this blouse, you can read my blog post about it here.

Happy Retro Sewing!

Dixie O’Dare

So Simplicity 1590 is finally finished! I chose View A and it’s been on my sewing table for the past two weeks completely finished but without buttons. I’m in love with this adorable top and it’s exactly what I need more of in my wardrobe. I was really unsure how I would feel about the peplum but I really like the way it looks now that everything is put together.

I was short on fabric so I had to do the front facing in solid white. *pouts* I hate doing that on a piece I plan to wear that isn’t a muslin. But in the end it turned out alright!

I got my overlocker/serger back up and running, after much fussing and fighting, and was able to finish the inside seams of this blouse as well! I’m so pleased with how much more professional and finished it looks. In fact I’m kicking myself in the pants for not getting it back up and running sooner. Oh, how many garments could have been saved and worn longer!

I actually got over my fear of the buttonhole with this project. The pattern only calls for five, but I decided I didn’t like the open flap at the bottom front of the peplum, so I added a sixth button. I honestly don’t’ know why they scare me so much, but I think I was just afraid to mess them up. My machine has an automatic buttonhole feature and I’m so in love with how easy it is to whip them up!

My new headless helper Millie gets her debut with this blouse also! So, everyone meet Millie, as in Thoroughly Modern! I love that song, it’s one of my favorite dance tunes, so I thought it would be the perfect name for her! I honestly don’t know how I’ve manged to sew anything worth a darn before having her assistance. It’s amazing!

I noticed that the front hem is longer on one side than the other. But it’s minor and totally fixable I believe. I also have a button that is slightly lower than it should be and it is puckering. Again, totally fixable.

Lastly, some up close and personal pictures.

I’m very pleased with how this blouse turned out and I’m really looking forward to wearing it once the subzero weather we are currently experiencing here in Central Ohio decides to go back to wherever it came from.

This completes the first of my Vintage Sewing Pledge 2015 makes! It’s also going toward my Wardrobe Architect Challenge for 2015 for making a capsule wardrobe (which, I’m admittedly quite behind on as things have been a bit hectic at home). I’ll have to remedy that quickly and get caught up. Perhaps this weekend.

Thanks for following along with that long post! Check me out at www.shessewbettie.blogspot.com and follow along on Instagram @misskacysews!

I actually got this finished a week or so ago, but then I got sick (again) and we’ve had yet another snow storm since then so it’s still been a little crazy around here. This is my second project of the year, and the second installment in my sewing for the 2015 Vintage Pattern Pledge. It’s Simplicity 2475, which I was given in a large pattern stash (almost all children’s and maternity patterns) by a friend when I found out I was pregnant with my first.

The pattern is from 1958, and after making a version of a similar top the first time around I knew I wanted to make myself another one. They’re super comfortable, and with a few more weeks of warm weather before this kiddo is born I wanted another lightweight top that wasn’t skin tight. This is yet another 100% stash buster as well! The fabric is from the massive stash my mom and I accumulated (and still resides at her house), the bias binding is left from finishing all the seams in my Robson Trench last year, and the buttons were from a huge button stash that a friend of mine inherited when her husband’s grandmother died.  I opted for view 2, but changed the welt pockets to patch pockets since this lawn is so light. I didn’t want the extra strain on the fabric and was also concerned about the pocket bags showing through badly. Forgive the weird light. With yet another 8+ inches of snow outside, the already odd lighting available in my house is even worse.

the front curves of the yoke don’t match perfectly, as the fabric was kind of a pain and I was tired when I was sewing, but for something I’m going to wear for 2 months I wasn’t super concerned about going back and trying to fix it.

The buttons, as I said, are some I got from a friend after she inherited a HUGE button stash. They’re really pretty little pearl shirt buttons. I’m not sure how old they are.

I’m really happy I decided to do patch pockets instead of welts. Not only were they much easier, but I like the little touch of green in the bias binding at the top. It helps break up the print a little bit. I’ve got a black and a pink pencil skirt I plan on wearing this with that both look cute, especially with a little sweater. I’m actually working on a wearable muslin of some maternity shorts out of leftover denim, but the front sections are doing something really weird because of the some bias pulling, so they’ve been put on the back burner for bit, but if I do get them finished they’ll look SUPER cute with this. So summery! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this is the last real push of winter before spring arrives. We’ve got pretty good temps predicted for the coming week, which will be a relief, but if it gets super cold again after that I may have to hide under a rock. Hope everyone else is keeping warm!

On a recent trek to the antique store, I found a cache of vintage patterns! One of them was this lovely belted blouse from a 1940s Hollywood Pattern. It is such a lovely style, and the pattern is a cinch to make!

I made the yoke, collar, pocket contrast and belt out of a contrasting fabric. I lined the pocket so as to not have seams visible inside.

The pattern features a yoke that is topstitched onto the front and back bodice. I just love that way of sewing seams!

As cute as this style is, it just does not look very good on me. I’ve never been able to wear belted-blouse styles, and this unfortunately is no exception!

 The good part is, it looks beautiful on my mom! I’m happy to get to see my work on someone else, so I don’t really mind.

Have you ever made a belted blouse?

For more photos and details, hop over to my blog! Thank you!

More or less ten years ago, my father gave me a Shalvar Kameez when he came back from a trip to Pakistan. Unfortunately it wasn’t my size and due to the lack of opportunities to wear such a garment in central Europe, altering it wasn’t ranging very high on my schedule.

When Tuppence Ha’Penny published a post on 50ies dresses inspired by indian Saris, I knew what I wanted my Shalwar Kameez to become.

But it took me until this year to finally start this project. I chose a 1955/6 Lutterloh-pattern, a blouse with a matching skirt. It fit without any alterations, I only changed the cut of the skirt a little, using the dupatta, the scarf, as a ruched bottom, the pattern was meant to be plain without the ruffled layer.

Waistband and collar are lined with fusible interfacing, the cotton fabric is very soft and not stiff enough without.

The blouse was made from the top (the kameez), the facings and the top part of the skirt from the trousers (the shalwar), the ruche as mentioned was the dupatta.

The fact that it consists of two parts enables me to wear it as seperates as well, I can well imagine the skirt with a plain white blouse or the blouse with high-waisted jeans.

To see more photos, including one “before”-pic, have a look at my blog, Parva sed apta.

Thank you for your attention,

ette

 

Ohmygoodnessyouguys! I keep signing myself up for all these sewing challenges ~ and then I don’t know why I am doing this to myself!  (> o <)’

First it was the insane Sewing All The Things idea, then I saw A Stitching Odyssey’sVintage Sewing Pattern Pledge and of course I was all “Oooh! That looks like fun!” so I put my name down:

“I, Bonita Vear of Lavender & Twill, pledge to sew at least five vintage or vintage reproduction patterns in 2015 ~ these MUST be patterns that I haven’t used before from my stash!”

Because that fits into my sewing schedule for 2015, right? But then I saw Rochelle’s Spring for Cotton group sew along annndddd ~ BAM! April’s plan for the Simplicity 2275 wrap dress flew out the window {also because I was in the middle of a top secret sewing project that took most of April to get done}.  Hello quick project! This fit in with Brittany’s 40s Fashion Calender challenge for February which I was behind with: sew a 1940’s blouse and turban.

So last Monday I went to Spotlight with a handy Christmas gift card {thank you Mom!} and tried to find the perfect cotton fabric to use for Simplicity 1590, a retro re-release of this simple, but cute 1940’s blouse with a peplum.

~ I hadn’t made this one up yet, but I really liked View A and couldn’t wait to try it! ~

I found the perfect 100% cotton quilting fabric with a really nice ‘hand’ to it. It was soft, and it draped nicely, as well as having this fabulous vintage-looking print in the colours I wanted ~ navy and white.  Well, okay, I wanted navy, white, and red, and ended up with navy, cream, orange, and pink! But it was the closest to what I had pictured in my head and I knew it would suit this project perfectly.

Disaster struck when I reached the cutting counter ~ I needed 1.7 metres of my magical fabric and there was only a little over 1 metre left on the bolt!  Yikes!

The lady at the counter went to see if she could find some more of the fabric, or something similar, while I racked my brains to figure out how to make it work. I knew she wouldn’t find anything as I had already scoured the quilting fabric isle and sure enough, she came back empty handed.  I quickly whipped out my pattern pieces {which I had traced out onto Polytrace so that I didn’t have to cut the pattern tissue} and proceeded to lay my pattern out on the cutting counter!  It just fit ~ but I’d have to make something up for the peplum, which took about 70 centimetres of the 1.7m needed all by itself.

I decided to wing it because I had fallen for this spotty cotton ~ it was “The One” for this pattern ~ sewers, you know what I’m talking about!

It did work, although you’ll notice box pleats at the back of the peplum, rather than gathers. I had much less fabric in the peplum so there really wasn’t any way I was getting gathers out of it. And obviously, I had to nix the matching turban because that just wasn’t going to happen ~ but in the end, I did it!

I squeaked out a blouse that needed 1.7m of fabric from a piddley 1m and managed to fit in a matching vintage styled hair tie instead of the turban.  Which I am calling the “Vintage Bow Hair Tie” pattern. Original. (ง •̀_•́)ง

I think I can hail this 40s Fashion Calender/Spring for Cotton/Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge project as success ~ one 100% cotton blouse, sewn with 100% cotton thread, and a matching 100% cotton hair tie, also sewn with 100% cotton thread.  A little bit of tweaking here and there, and I couldn’t get 100% cotton buttons, but I’m okay with the ones I picked.   : P   Actually, more than okay, because I’m a little bit dotty over them too….  ❤ ❤ ❤ヽ(*⌒∇⌒*)ﾉ

The result is that I adore this blouse!  It will definitely be a staple in my wardrobe. All the stress is so worth it in that pivotal moment you see some gorgeous fabric slowly coming together then ~ POW! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ You have a new garment!

~ Project Details ~

• Year: 2013 re-release of a 1940’s pattern
• Pattern: Simplicity 1590
• Fabric: 1 metre of DS Piccadilly Floral Spot 100% cotton quilting fabric in Navy, Cream, Orange and Pink ($11.89)
• Notions: Five buttons with violet print on them ($5.00)
• Time to complete: One week
• Make again? Yes! I’m pretty sure I will. I love the neckline of this pattern, and it’s a really simple blouse to put together.  It’s fun.
• Wear again? 100%!  I can see this blouse becoming quite a central piece to my 1940’s outfits. It’s easy to wear and I love the print, the colours, and the style. I’m so thrilled with how it turned out.
• Total Cost:  $16.89 AUD

Have any of you sewn up Simplicity 1590?  Which version would you sew if you did?

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

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I recently used one of Vera Venus wonderful vintage inspired, free patterns again, this time the Keyhole Neck Blouse. I made it specifically to fit a vintage circle skirt that my boyfriend gave me 2 years ago and that I rarely wore because I had no matching top for it. I searched for the perfect blue in various fabric stores and finally found the right color. I really like Kimono sleeves and adore the three keyhole cutouts. I was a bit scared of sewing those but they were actually quite easy to make. I made the waist slightly smaller and lengthened the waist darts but apart from that I changed nothing. In order to fit my rather large head through the neck opening I didn’t close the back seam completely and attached a hook and eye closure. I was quite unsure of how to do this properly and even though it looks nice I will definitely consult a tutorial next time I attempt this. My friend came up with the idea to use some white lace on the neckline and sleeves and I really happy that both colors now have their counterparts in skirt and top. We made some pictures of the ensemble on a glorious spring evening some weeks ago, I love this time of the year so much and am very happy that it’s finally time for short sleeved tops again

There are some more images and details on my blog, Draped in Cloudlets.

I’m excited to be contributing my very first project to We Sew Retro!  This top went together surprisingly fast (er ah, it was preempted with M6993 and other sewing projects).  There are sure to be more of these babies coming from me and Tabitha (my 1925 hand crank sewing machine) in the months ahead.

The pattern calls for six 1/2″ buttons; to my stash I went.  Lookie what I found!

Since I’ve been sewing vintage style garments I have come to love the double dart feature many of the patterns feature. As I whittle down my waist (ahem) I am sure they will be even more gorgeous.

The fact that my stash had five matching buttons did not stop me from using this one wonky button.  From where I stand it simply adds to the uniqueness of my vintage-style blouse.  Oh how eccentric of me don’t you think?

The really cool thing I like about this blouse is that I made it from a repurposed cotton table cloth.  Not sure if it was vintage or not, but I like the feel of it.  There is also a subtle pattern in the weave that does not show up in my photographs.

This vintage style blouse is a definite re-do.  It was quick to make as well as fun.  There is no end to the vintage style embellishments that may be used for this retro Simplicity 1692, View D, beauty.  For inquiring minds and those who did not have a chance to visit my blog here are my project stats:

Project Stats:

• Fabric – Vintage cotton table cloth (less than $2.00)
• Thread – 40% off sale at Jo-Ann Fabrics
• Invisible zipper – Repurposed
• Vintage Cotton Rick Rack – pert near free
• Vintage buttons – pert near free
• Difficulty:  Intermediate

Cheers,

I’ve spent this past week working on Simplicity 1692. I decided to do View B, and I picked this lovely leopard print cotton that I purchased from a buy/sell/trade group I’m a part of. I had just the right amount for the blouse. As I have discussed in the past, my wardrobe is in desperate need of some separates so this is the first in an effort to remedy that situation.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen some of these. I’ve been posting my progress updates all week!

This was the progress after the first night. I had all the darts and tucks sewn, along with the bodice sides and shoulders stitched and serged.

After the second night, I had the back opening faced and the button and loop added. I also had the neckline bound and hand stitched down.

I’m also very proud of the inside of this top. All my seams are completely serged and finished neatly. It’s as lovely inside as it is outside.

And finally some pictures of the top on me… Ignore my lack of makeup and my ‘hanging-out-around-the-house-with-the-kids’ hair. Please. The fit on this blouse is pretty good. It’s a bit snug in the arms, but that is normally a problem I have with both hand made and ready to wear tops. Guess I’m going to have to do a few more arm workouts each week.

All in all this was a great make and I’m pleased with how it turned out. This makes #VintagePledge make number four for me this year! I pledged five so I should have that knocked out soon. I’d love to double my pledge this year. Check out my blog over at www.shessewbettie.blogspot.com to keep up with what I’m sewing!

Thanks again for hanging out through this. I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend (here in the states) and remember the reason why we get to celebrate this weekend. #rememberthebrave

I had a hugely productive weekend two weeks ago. I sewed up a trio of three quarter circle skirts assembly line style and a precious polka dotted peasant top.

I began working on a skirt for another project, (The Feathers) to be revealed at a later date. I decided that if I was going to do one, I should probably go ahead and do a couple of others I’ve been planning. I used #Simplicity1200.

This was my first attempt at side lapped zippers and I’m so pleased with how they turned out.

I also used self made bias for two of the skirt hems. Time consuming, but so worth it.

I had a lot of firsts that weekend!

I took a poll of my friends and coworkers and they overwhelmingly decided I should wear the cupcakes on Monday to work. Well, I got up Monday morning, and started looking through my closet for a top to match the skirt and just couldn’t find anything that I liked. Like you do. I then got the idea in my head that I needed a peasant top to go with it. I started rummaging through my fabric for something that would work. I came across some white cotton with yellow polka dots that I bought a while back and it was exactly what I wanted.

I sat down at 7:15am on Monday morning, and by 8:30 I had a brand new peasant top made from #Simplicity8741!

The finished outfit was just what I wanted it to be, you can see more about it here.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled with how all of these pieces turned out. I highly recommend that if you have several of the same pattern to make, do it assembly line style. It was so quick and easy to whip out three skirts. In the course of one weekend, I added three perfect summer skirts to my wardrobe. Next time I think I’ll do the same process with some more peasant tops!

Click the pictures to visit my blog for more about each skirt!

As always you can follow along with my sewing mis-adventures at www.misskacysews.com!

Thanks for reading!

My title has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas… just saying. When I typed Two Peasant Tops, that’s what followed in my head. I know, I know, I’ve got problems.

Whew! Two posts in a few days. Being able to get several pieces photographed over the weekend, gave me a surplus of material to put up here for you!

I recently completed a second version of #Simplicity1692. You can see my first one here. This time I’m sewing View D, without the little ric-rac bow… I’m still thinking about going back and adding that, but I’m on the fence. What do you think? To Bow or Not To Bow?

I used a nice quilting cotton (because I lurve them so much!) in this pretty light blue and navy cherry blossom pattern. I also used a navy ric-rac to trim it out. *Sewists note… always check your trim for content and watch the temperature of your iron. I pressed this cotton shirt on the cotton setting, without realizing my ric-rac was some kind of synthetic. It got all melty on me. I may replace it, but honestly, you have to get REAL close to notice. And if you’re that close to me, you better be buying me dinner first.

The construction was super straight-forward. The sleeves are cut in, so no setting them into the shirt. You literally just sew in the darts/tucks, front and back, put in the facing for the neckline and buttons on the shoulders and then sew front to back and turn and hem the sleeves and bottom. I love the button detail on the shoulders and I wish I had gotten a better picture of that part. I honestly didn’t even think about it when I was taking photos. (That’s what happens when you’re trying to get as much done as possible during the baby’s nap.) It is a really cute feature of the blouse.

I picked up a yard of this super cute ‘baby-print’ fabric at a thrift store, which was just enough to make this 1950s Advance halter top.

The lining is an exact mirror of the outside design, so this is a great pattern if you are looking for a pattern that could also be reversible. I lined my print with a white cotton, and added white piping around the neckline and back.

I added some boning to the sides for added structure and support. Also, the pattern called for three bound buttonholes. I think it calls for so few to fit with the coordinating skirt and shorts without adding too much bulk. Since I was not making these other garments (for now), I opted for five conventional buttonholes instead.

For this one, I chose this red and white Swiss dot heavier weight quilting cotton I purchased at Wal-Mart for about $3/yd.

I was hesitant about the tie across the front. I wasn’t sure how it was going to lay or look, but once I got it put together and onto Millie I was in love! It’s such a fabulous detail!

The petal sleeves are a dream and as a sewist with large upper arms, I often have trouble fitting my upper arms into sleeves. I tend to sew a lot of sleeveless shirts because of this. This type of sleeve makes that problem non-existent.  My arms fit beautifully and I don’t get that claustrophobic panic attack feeling when trying to take it off and it gets stuck… Someone please tell me I’m not the only one that does this??

I serged all of my seams and finished the facing with lovely red bias trim. My serger threads seem to be a little on the loose side on that outer edge… not sure what is going on there. I’ll have to work on that.

This is definitely a favorite top. It goes great with skirts and pants. I feel sassy and awesome when I wear it!

The fit is great from the back. This is a heavier weight cotton and it hugs my curves nicely.

The petal sleeves are awesome, fits the arms nicely and shows off the tattoos!! I need more sleeves like this in my life.

All in all, this was a fantastic make. I sewed this up in a day. Totaling about 5-6 hours worth of work. I bought the pattern on sale at Jo-Ann’s during one of their Butterick 3 for $5 sales. The fabric cost me about $6 for two yards. What a crazy deal!! The total cost of this top, $7.70!! Those are the moments, that really make sewing my own clothes totally worth it!

This is #vintagepledge make number 11!!

Until next time! Find more of my projects at www.misskacysews.com!

After admiring everyone else’s achievements last year for A Stitching Odyssey’s Vintage Pledge I decided that this year I was going to join in. My own pledge was to challenge and push myself with my sewing. I’ve just finished my first outfit for the pledge, a 1920s silk blouse and pleated skirt. I created the pattern for the blouse by tracing around a simple silk top I already had and then making my own adjustments. The pattern for the skirt was McCall’s M7022 pleated skirt which I lengthened to a more suitable 1920s style.

I used a beautiful Pre-Raphaelite inspired green and purple floral silk for the blouse which I bought from the fabulous ClothSpot and this was my first challenge. I’d never worked with silk before so was really, really nervous about starting it and I put it off for about four months. The Vintage Pledge was just what I needed to force myself to be brave and just get on with it. As it turned out there was nothing to worry about!

I added vintage, probably early 20th Century, jet buttons to both the front of the blouse and at the side to close the band around the bottom.

The skirt is in a black cotton twill that I dug out from my stash. I’m not overly happy with it, mainly because the fabric is all wrong for the style of skirt, it’s way too stiff. I’m not sure if I’ll try and adjust it or just make a different one.

If you would like to read more about how the whole outfit and see more photos feel free to pop over to my blog. And while you’re there why not check out my latest post where I’m running a giveaway of £40 to spend on fabrics at ClothSpot. (Giveaway ends midnight 20th March 2016)

Hi all! It’s been a long time since I’ve come onto We Sew Retro to look around and contribute, it’s good to be back.

I sewed up vintage Simplicity 4130 a while back and just got around to reviewing it. All in all, it was a great pattern to work with. I converted it to use a knit fabric, but a friend of mine sewed it up in woven and it turned out just as lovely. So it’s a versatile pattern as well! My favorite part is that it’s reversible!

Since it’s so similar to Gertie’s new pattern Butterick B6285, I asked a blogger friend who’s used it, Christina of Gussets and Godets, for her thoughts, as it could be a convenient substitute if you can’t locate Simplicity 4130. Doesn’t Christina look cute? It’s a great match to the vintage pattern.

Thoughts about working with Simplicity 4130 and more photos on the blog, thanks for stopping by!

Hi y’all!

I’ve recently sewn/photographed/blogged about two new vintage makes. Simplicity 3257 is a c. late 1950s combo skirt/trouser pattern and went together really beautifully. I highly recommend it for the skirt, though I haven’t yet tried to sew up the trousers. The skirt only used three pieces and was very true to size. I enjoyed the instructions for certain vintage craftsmanship that we don’t often use today, like the lapped zipper. I’ve been doing it the “hard” way all this time!

My other creation was inspired by c. 1957 Advance 8288. It’s a “sub-teen” pattern for coordinating separates. I LOVE having options and variety, and even though it looks like a dress I can wear each piece on its own! So wonderful. I didn’t actually sew with the pattern, but rather I used the art as inspiration and Frankenstein-ed two patterns from my collection to make the blouse. The skirt is a simple dirndl style with two side pockets. Both are made with vintage metal zippers from my stash, though the rayon fabric is new (from Gertie’s collection at Joann). My friend, who sewed up this project with me, did have the pattern and noted that it was simple to make but included a lot of wearing ease.

Links to the blog posts for more pics + sewing/pattern details:

Simplicity 3257

Advance 8288

Thanks for looking!

xx Lauren

I made this little blouse using one of those “draft according to these instructions” patterns you find in vintage magazines. I never had a lot of confidence in those but this one was in my size and I had already decided to share it on my blog for the Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge, so I kind of had to try…

And it actually worked. I changed only one thing: The neckline, which was very tight and the style of the collar. And I explained how on my blog.

If you are interested, the pattern is here, the alterations are in this post, and more about the blouse itself in this last one.

Hello everyone! Long time no post I thought I’d pop over here to admire what everyone else has been working on, and to share one of my own recently finished projects. There was an awesome Star Wars themed event at the local aviation museum last weekend and I knew I wanted to combine my love of the 1940’s with the Star Wars theme. Enter some truly great black and gold cotton from Joanns and an idea was born!

I used my favorite (self drafted last spring) kimono sleeve basic blouse pattern and got to work. The blouse buttons up the back and is fitted almost like a dress bodice with 4 darts in the front and two in the back. The edges of the sleeves are simply serged and them turned over with a hand stitched hem and the neckline is finished with a self fabric facing. The blouse only took me half a day to complete, which was good as I made it the night before the event!

For more photos from the event, check out the full outfit post over on The Closet Historian! Thanks for reading

I have coveted the beautiful double collar blouse Wallis Simpson wore during a cruise with Edward VIII in 1936 ever since I first saw the photograph many years ago. I love the fact that despite it being a very simple design it has lots and lots of gorgeous detailing on it. I also love the way it fits her so perfectly, so I was inspired to make my own version for my 1930s wardrobe. However, I didn’t want to do a direct copy of it but rather take the details of it and make my own version.

I drafted the pattern myself from some old pattern blocks I made at college and it took two mock ups to get the fit just right. I wanted it to fit snuggly enough that it looked like a tailored shirt but also loose enough so I could move in it. The measurement across the shoulder blades was the trickiest, mainly because I was trying to do it on myself in the mirror!

The olive and burgundy berry cotton fabric came from my favourite fabric shop, ClothSpot and I knew it would go perfectly with the calf length burgundy skirt I’d recently made from an original 1930s sewing pattern. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do in terms of the detailing and what colours I wanted them to be but it was worth taking the time to get it right.

The largest of the two collars was also self drafted using my oh-so-faithful pattern cutting book, Metric Pattern Cutting for Women’s Wear by Winifred Aldrich. I then traced it again and took about two centimetres off the outside edges to create the second one. The burgundy cotton was from my very big fabric stash and the ivory was rushed to me by ClothSpot after I discovered that I only had white or cream and neither of them were quite right.

The buttons are self-covered just like the ones on Wallis’ blouse and I also had the belt buckle covered for me by the London Button Company. I’d never used them before but I would highly recommend them to anyone, they were very quick and very helpful when I had questions. As the name suggests they also do buttons, all of which you can have covered in your own fabric, as well as a good range of buckles.

The buckle and the belt, which I made myself, is done in the same wool crepe type fabric of the skirt so it can be worn on top of the blouse or around the waistband of the skirt. This allows me to tuck the blouse in if I wish.

If you would like to read more about my version of Wallis Simpson’s 1930s blouse and see more photos, feel free to pop over to my blog.

I have a new favorite blouse pattern and it is Simplicity 1364.

This 1960’s reproduction pattern really is a JIFFY pattern.

My first version was a pink floral cotton, which I made as a test, since the pattern was new to me.

I loved it so much I immediately made a second one. This time out of a white floral and used French seams throughout.

I also made matching hair scarves for both blouses.

This blouse looks great with jeans or a skirt and is so light and comfy to wear in the summer heat.

Making this blouse was easy, it consists of only two main pattern pieces and sews up in no time.  I made even easier to put together by making a few modifications.

To read more about my process and modifications check at my blog Akram’s Ideas (http://akramsideas.com/favorite-blouse-simplicity-1364/)

In an earlier post I mentioned how much I love Simplicity 1364 blouse pattern. I loved it so much I wanted to make more versions of this blouse.

While searching my stash I found I had a lovely butterfly print fabric and decided to use it for another blouse.

I really liked how the piping turned out on my shift dress I decided to add piping to this blouse.

After making the blouse I found that I had enough fabric left over that I could make a matching skirt.

I decided to make a simple gathered skirt. To give the set a more dress like appearance I aded piping to the skirt waistband.

While the print might be a bit childish I really love the fun look of this this combo. I also love that at first glance it looks like a dress, but has the versatility of a two piece.

To read more about my process for making this set check out my blog Akram’s Ideas (http://akramsideas.com/butterfly-dress-purple-piping/)

I’ve been eyeing this site for a while, but never thought I had anything worthy of posting here.  I have been collecting vintage patterns for a while – I have accumulated quite a collection, so I have plenty of sewing to do.  But, I also had been away from garment sewing for a long, long time. Last year I decided to get back to it.  I am not normally a huge fan of 60s styles, but I have really loved this blouse for a while.  A contest at PatternReview got me to finally make the blouse.

Here is my blouse:

This is the pattern I used:

I used a cotton lawn I had in my stash.  Though I had (and still have) some issues with the front french dart and the collar, I am happy with the blouse.  It is very comfortable and a perfect summer blouse!

More on my blog: 1960s blouse

I recently had the opportunity to review the Gable Top from Jennifer Lauren Handmade.

If you are looking for a pattern to kick off your autumn sewing, this may be it!

I love everything about this shirt, from it’s ease to put together to the overall look.

The classic slash neckline, the sleeve variations , it’s just perfect.

I’ve also been wanting to add a striped knit shirt to my wardrobe for a long time. This seemed like a good pattern for doing just that. Plus, I’m so happy that I managed to line up all the stripes, even the sleeves match up.

Autumn maybe still a week or two out, but I’m already planning like a dozen more of these shirts.

The Gable Top is great example of a modern pattern with a lot of classic 1950’s flare.

To read more about my process for making this shirt check out my blog Akram’s Ideas (http://akramsideas.com/gable-top-jennifer-lauren-handmade/)

Simplicity 6110, Misses’ Blouse, Skirt and Pants

Seventies fashion always makes me smile.  I absolutely love the exuberance of this era’s designs:  cheerful, big buttons, the oh-so wide pointy collar that spreads from sleeve cap to shining sleeve cap, it all makes me grin.

According to the envelope, “This design has the new narrow shoulder look.  The shoulder length of the pattern is shorter and the head of the sleeve is higher.”

I sewed this up using Michael Miller’s “Little Lifesavers” quilting cotton.   This type of fabric is perfect for the way I wash and wear clothes.  That is to say, hot water, high heat in the dryer, and I’ll likely spill something down the front every other wearing.

Fitting was simple, as there is no bust dart.  Instead, the front is gathered into yokes.  By comparing the measurement of the pattern to a blouse that fits, I determined I only need to make a rounded upper back and swayback adjustment.

I also shortened the sleeves about an inch and a quarter.  Otherwise, they end at my elbow crease, making my waist look wide.  Between the wide collar and the short, cuffed sleeves, it appears I have a waist (I’m actually pretty square).

I wanted to emphasize the very pointed collar and cuffs.  I tried Pellon 950S, ShirTailor, which gave a crisp feel to both.

Sewing the blouse was incredibly straight forward.  The instructions are clearly written, and the diagrams quite helpful.

The oversize buttons that I love didn’t look quite right down the front of the blouse.  I happened to have two sets of the same orange buttons in different diameters.  What can I say?  I like orange buttons, so I have a lot of them.  The three-quarter inch diameter buttons matched the scale of the little lifesavers, and I like the effect much better.

But the cuffs, oh, man, the cuffs were made for the orange 1 1/8″ buttons.  The sheer exuberance of oversize orange buttons makes me so happy!

Back in spring I had planned to participate in the Vintage Suit-Sew-Along. While I never did get around to making a vintage suit per-say; I did manage to make this great vintage inspired suit.

My lovely green suit is made up completely of separates. I actually started this project with the blouse using Simplicity 1364.

I wanted to make a skirt to go with the blouse and the Delphine skirt from the book “Love at First Stitch” By Tilly Walnes. This is my go to skirt pattern.

Once I had the blouse and skirt I thought this outfit was the start of the prefect vintage style suit. All it needed was a jacket to top it off.

Since I had limited fabric I deiced to make the bolero using Butterick 6354 pattern.

This was the perfect paring of separates into the most amazing suit. I love this suit from the color the print. It may just be my favorite outfit I’ve made.

To read more about my process for making my lovely green suit check out my blog Akram’s Ideas (http://akramsideas.com/vintage-inspired-suit-green)

Does anyone else find themselves sticking to the same colours with their sewing? I was very much guilty of this until I made a New Year’s resolution to explore new colours, even ones I’d never worn before. One colour that surprised me on this journey was coral. It all began when I spotted a gorgeous coral linen/cotton mix fabric on the website of my favourite fabric shop, ClothSpot. I fell in love and set out to find a patterned fabric that went with it. I found a beautiful one on Fabric Godmother, which had a mixture of coral, turquoise, mustard yellow and fawn in it. I knew it was the one!

I, of course, stuck to my favourite era, the 1930s. I used the coral linen mix for a complicated pleated skirt and the patterned cotton lawn for a short sleeve blouse. The blouse was made using an original 1930s pattern I bought at a vintage fair (you can see it here). However, I decided not to do it with a Peter Pan collar and instead I created a V neckline and added a large pussy bow.

The sleeves are my favourite part as they remind of the puffball skirts of the 1980s. The cuffs are secured with elastic and you push them up inside the sleeve when you wear it to create the puff shape.

The skirt was the hardest part, not only because the fabric was such a pain and kept moving, but also because of the pattern I chose. It was an original 1930s draft at home pattern which I bought from Mrs Depew on Etsy. The illustration of the skirt and the illustration of the pattern pieces just didn’t seem to add up. You can see how confusing it was here.

I’m still not convinced I did it exactly right but at least the complicated double pleat looks like the skirt illustration. Also, I’m really, really chuffed with how the two pieces go together and make a really lovely 1930s day outfit. I just wish, despite my love of pushing myself with my sewing, that it had been a bit easier!

If you want to read more about it, and see other detail pictures, just pop on over to my blog.

I’m a newbie, newish to sewing and brand new to WeSewRetro. Vintage sewing and I have had a bit of a rocky road on the way to where we are now. I’ll admit at first, I didn’t see the appeal.

Then my great aunt heard that I wanted to sew and sent me a box of patterns she had used when she was a school sewing teacher. The patterns ranged from mid 60s – mid 70s, and slowly as I looked through them all I kinda fell in love with the style.

I used Style 4721 from 1974 and made View 2, but shortened the sleeves. I also used snaps instead of buttons. The fabric is vintage cotton that I inherited from my grandmother, so I’m not sure how old it is.

This is the first blouse I have ever sewn, and while it’s not perfect I’m actually pretty stoked with it. I’m really digging the neck tie. I think this is definitely a pattern I will make again.

A while back I made the Gable top by Jennifer Lauren Handmade and fell in love. Immediately after making the top I knew I wanted to make a second one, but had to find the right fabric.

Luckily for me, I came across a great autumn leaf print stretch fabric I had in my stash. Not only was it theme appropriate for the season, the colors were all jeweled tones.

While it may be a modern pattern, it has a great 1950’s feel to it with the slash neckline.

As with the first top, I’m in love with this one as well. I love the colors and how soft the fabric is.

This is definitely not the last Gabel top I plan to make, it’s just such an easy and lovely pattern to make.

To read more about my process for making my latest Gable top check out my blog Akram’s Ideas (http://akramsideas.com/latest-gable-top-in-autumn-leaf-turquoise-print/)

Do you ever have an idea in your mind that never really pans out when it comes to your sewing? Yep, that’s exactly what happened here. Both the blouse and skirt were going to be very different to how they actually turned out, mainly due to not having quite enough fabric for either of them!

The white silk with navy polka dots is actually a vintage fabric I picked up at a flea market. It was very narrow and as a result, the originally planned pattern of McCalls – 7053, from their Archive Collection, just didn’t fit. So after abandoning this idea, I decided to use the top half of this beautiful original 1930s dress pattern instead. It’s been sat in my collection for a while totally unused, but boy am I glad I used it this time.

It worked out beautifully in this fabric, despite having to redo the front yoke many, many times. The issue was that it needed to be lined to give it some stability and the join at the bottom, where the button placket areas overlap, was incredibly fiddly. After many attempts, both on the machine and by hand, I finally got it to sit right. However, after all that stress I gave up on trying to do buttonholes, so just sewed the buttons in place.

Instead of finishing the sleeves with a mid-forearm cuff as shown in the pattern, I decided to add a long cuff right down to the wrist. I absolutely love this style of bishop sleeve, it’s so classically 1930s, and of course keeps your forearms warm! I finished it off with four buttons and rouleau loops to allow enough room to get my hand in and out.

The fabric itself, unfortunately, has weakened during the pre-wash and making up stages. As a result, I’ve decided to only wear it on special occasions and to try and find another white and navy polka dot fabric for a more wearable version. I think it would work well in a crepe or a soft cotton lawn.

The skirt was drafted from another original 1930s pattern, which I’ve used multiple times as it’s such a simple design so can be changed to just about any style. The fabric is a deep mustard linen, which I bought from My Fabrics and a dream to work with. It’s quite a heavy weight linen so can be used for both summer and winter.

The design itself was taken from an original 1930s skirt I own but haven’t yet worn. I love the little pockets on it, so decided to replicate them here with a slightly different style button tab. They worked out quite well I think and give such a lovely interest to the front of the skirt, along with the deep single kick pleat on the centre front.

If you want to read more about it, and see the gorgeous original 1930s navy suede shoes I wore with it, just pop on over to my blog.

Hello everyone,

This will be my debut on this page. I have been sewing vintage-inspired clothes for some time and recently started using authentic patterns from my favorurite era, 1950s-1960s. My newest project is a two-piece dress, based on Simplicity 4906 pattern.

What I like most about this pattern is how it fits on the shoulders. Made from non-elastic fabric it does not constrain movement. And the wide collar has enough room for a woolen scarf in a matching colour.

I altered the top a bit, as the original had short or 3/4 length sleeves and I wanted long, plus I eliminated a side zipper – who needs a zipper in a loose-fitting boxy-shaped top? Also, I decided not to use the original skirt pattern as my fabric was too thick for a skirt with a long back pleat. I went for a Burda skirt pattern from 2/2013 issue, but to my disappointment, the pattern did not work with my fabric either – elastic band are not friends with thick fabrics… Anyways, I ended up making a simple skirt with darts and a waistband. But the overall result is I think satisfactory. I also used the original belt pattern, which was meant for the dress, but can work with the top as well.

The greatest thing about two-piece dresses is that you can wear them as separates.

I normally sew big skirted dresses but I got a bee in my bonnet to make some pants for practicality in the cooler months. I have seen many lovely renditions of Simplicity 3688. Since I already had the pattern in my stash it was a natural choice.  I made these pants up in a linen/rayon blend from Jo-anns. For the top I pattern hacked Simplicity 1590 by removing the peplum and and changing up the darts. I sewed this up in a premium broadcloth from Fabric.com

I added a little embroidery to the collar points of the blouse for something a little extra special.

To learn more please visit my blog

This outfit is my foray into the world of the late teens and early 20’s.  I used two patterns from Past Patterns, dated to circa 1920, for both my blouse and skirt, while my purse was made from a tapestry remnant and Vogue #7252, from the year 2000.  My hat is a thrift store find which I decorated to make-do and my shoes are close reproductions from Jeffrey Campbell.  I used primarily cotton for all pieces – even thread!  There are so many fine details to this set – the blouse has my hand-stitched floral designs on the neck, shoulders, and sleeves while I used old original glass teens/20’s era buttons for the front closure of the blouse.  There are real brass buttons along the pocket panel of the skirt…and check out those awesomely enormous pockets as big as mini suitcases!  My background was one of the very first “arcade” indoor shopping malls in our country, a lovely Gothic place built in 1919.  To see and read more, please visit my blog post here.

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I’m learning the benefits of sewing tried-and-true patterns, and Butterick 4625, dating from the 1980s is quickly becoming one of my favorites.  I love the fit of the blouse, the shape of the sleeves, and the collar options.  The top version is made of brown cotton I found at the thrift store; I added little sleeve-heads out of scraps of the same fabric to help the puffed sleeves keep their shape.  The second blouse is made of striped stretch cotton-blend shirting, also found at the thrift store.  I moved the buttons up slightly on the front band, and didn’t add any collar, but otherwise constructed it much the same as the first.  In both photos, I’m wearing my home-made blouses with home-made skirts, made from 1970s era Simplicity 7880.  For more details on sewing construction, and more photos of both blouses, please visit mrandmrsrat.weebly.com.

As part of my quest to build a “Miss Fisher” wardrobe, I’ve sewed up three little blouses inspired by separates her character wears in different episodes.  This post will show you the 3 blouses I have made, starting with one pattern.  The base pattern is the Vintage Pattern Lending Library 1920s Ladies Frock with Pleated Skirt Inset – Reproduction Sewing Pattern #Z2773.

For the first blouse the fabric was made from a printed stretch silk charmeuse and coordinating white silk habotai collar and tie ends.  I kept the tie exactly as on the pattern, making the ends contrast and the tie the same fabric as the blouse.

For blouse #2,  there were a few revisions to the pattern/construction – namely adding a loop under the collar to hold the neck tie, omitting the bottom band (with added length) and omitting the contrast tie bottom on the neck tie (adding length here again).

Blouse #3 has to be my favorite so far.  It’s a departure from the other two but was easy to create using the same pattern. I sketched it after watching Series 2 episode 3 (Dead Man’s Chest) and decided to modify this pattern to get the look.  This version was made in a printed paisley cotton lawn and the flat piping was made from white seersucker scraps that I had floating around as well as white covered buttons (joining sleeve ends) that were also floating around in my stash. On a related side note, there was some great conversation about Miss Fisher’s blouses in The Miss Fisher Philes podcast , when they discuss this episode (Series 2 episode 3 (Dead Man’s Chest)), making reference to Miss Fisher wearing more separates than dresses.

If you would like to read more about how exactly I revised the pattern to create each of these looks, visit my blog post here.

See more of my projects and vintage inspiration on my blog or connect with me on instagram!

Thanks and Happy Sewing!

Jennifer Serr

I just finished my second gingham project of the summer, McCalls 6339 from 1978.  I’m pleased with how it turned out.  It is comfortable and has some interesting details, like flat-felled princess seams, self-bias binding on the bottom edge of the blouse, and a darted, then gathered full skirt.  For more details and photos, please visit the sewing blog that I share with my husband: Mr and Mrs Rat

In my need for more separates in my wardrobe, I went through my pattern stash and found Butterick 3286.

This 1960’s pullover sleeveless top features a variety of necklines. I choose to make the shallow (almost bateau), which I find most flattering on me. is so easy to put together that after I quickly made 4 of them in one day.

The pattern itself is so easy to put together that  I quickly made 4 of them in one day.

The pattern itself is very similar to Simplicity 1364 (a re-issue vintage pattern), which if you recall I made 4 of last summer. The only main difference is that Simplicity 1364 is supposed to be slightly more fitted and includes a back zipper. The Butterick 3286 pattern is a looser fit with both the back and front pieces cut on the fold.

I really like the casual look of this top and being sleeveless it’s a great top for summer.

This top is also very versatile as it looks great with a pair of jeans or with a stylish skirt. When paired with a cardigan or blazer the top works well for wearing to the office.

I’m really happy with how this pattern came out and I glad to know that this is my second pattern this year that counts towards my #VintagePledge.

For full details about making this dress  be sure to see my full blog post at http://akramsideas.com/vintage-butterick-3286-is-the-perfect-summer-top

This blouse and skirt are both made form 1970s-era patterns, and have become favorites in my summer wardrobe.  I made them from unbleached muslin bought on sale at JoAnns fabric stores.  They wash well, are light and breezy on hot days, and only get softer with wear.  For more information about the patterns and construction, please come visit the blog that I share with my husband: Mr and Mrs Rat.

I’ve been sewing with so much gingham this summer!  This particular checked cotton, which I bought on sale in the LA fashion district for 99 cents a yard a few years ago is especially light and perfect for the hot days of late summer and early fall.  The 1980s-era pattern I used to sew this blouse was a surprise: the sleeves are very puffed!  And the fit is quite good without any adjustments—you know how wonderful that feels for a seamstress!  I’m wearing it with one of my 1970s-era Simplicity 7880 skirts, made of $2 a yard black poly-cotton broadcloth.  For more information about the pattern and the construction (and more photos), please visit the blog that I share with my husband: Mr and Mrs Rat.

Hello, everyone!

Long time since I’ve shared a project on here, but I haven’t been sewing too much lately

Anyway, the last thing I worked on was the Gertie Keyhole blouse from the New Book for Better Sewing.

The pattern itself requires some pattern drafting!

It was a transformation from the Bow Tie blouse from the same book.

Essentially, you have to move the bust dart to the shoulder, and gather the shoulder for a cute rusching detail.

Five rows of gathers, and a keyhole cut out from the neckline- super 40s!

Absolutely LOVE how it came out– I’ve worn it at least once a week since I made it haha!

Anyway, more photos including a sewing tutorial (!!) over on my website.

All in all 10/10 in terms of how much I love it

(Definitely recommend it for daily use! I wanna remake this in some yummy silks!)

I’m wearing two new vintage sewing projects in these photos: my peplum top made from the late 1960s/early 1970s pattern McCalls 2592, and a 1950s skirt from reproduction pattern Simplicity 8458.  For more details about the process of sewing each pattern, please visit my sewing blog.  Please click here for more information and photos about the skirt, and click here for more information and photos about the blouse/jacket.

Pictured here is a 1940’s (or late 1930’s) outfit that I sewed up using the Wearing History Smooth Sailing Sport Togs Shirt and Trousers pattern.  After surfing all my hearted patterns on Etsy, I just kept coming across this pattern and thinking about it.  Then I started seeing other versions of the same pattern popping up on some of the people I follow on Instagram. The trousers looked good on everyone, so I decided to give it a spin.

This pattern is available in paper form or as a digitally downloadable file.  I chose the downloadable file because it was less expensive and I would get it delivered right away.  The later being more important. That’s funny, actually, because I did not end up sewing it right away.  Ha!  assembling the pages to create the pattern was clearly explained and took me about 45 minutes to complete (both top and pants).

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!! This pattern is great. I would and will make this again, maybe adding pockets to the pants and also adjusting the fit in the armholes.

For more photos and my complete pattern review, visit the post on my blog.

Until Next Time, Happy Sewing!

This outfit all began the fabric. The print (Asian Art Deco?) from this quilting cotton was irresistible and there was just enough of it (left to purchase) to scrape out a blouse. It seemed so suited for something 1930’s, but is a quilting cotton, so not terribly drapey. I already had a very long length of wool crepe that coordinated, so I knew I could make something to go with the finished piece.

I went in  search for the perfect 1930’s blouse pattern, to start, which proved to be a little easier said than done, as I had trouble finding a blouse pattern that suited the fabric. I did settle on a gorgeous 1930’s dress pattern with a fabulous neck bow, that could be converted into a blouse and skirt. Next up, I searched for a coat pattern and ended up finding all my patterns in the same place. Yay!

The Dress Pattern (above) that I chose to adapt to a blouse and skirt, appealed to me, at first, because of the bow, but also because of the angled shaping of the front opening and V-shape at the center front on the skirt. Because of the minimal length of fabric, I knew the fuller sleeve was not an option.  The short puff sleeve seemed more flattering as well, so I did end up using it in the end.

The Coat pattern was an easy choice.  I love that it had some flair to both the sleeves and the bottom edge.  It seemed a very easy and less formal design that would pair nicely with the finished skirt and blouse.

Each piece turned out very well and I’m excited to wear them all to a Caroling party next weekend.  The Red is VERY festive, don’t you think?

If you would like to see more of how I adapted the dress pattern into a skirt and blouse, some great sewing techniques for the coat and all my resources for the entire ensemble, please visit my blog.

Until next time, Happy Sewing!

xo

Jennifer

Have you ever come across the perfect fabric that goes with another fabric you’ve been waiting to do something with?  Well, this darling plaid came into my life and I just had a to make a new outfit around it. It’s a synthetic charmeuse, which is not a regular go-to for me.  I much prefer silk.

However, when I saw this plaid which was printed on the diagonal, it really screamed 1930’s blouse, right at me!  AND it matched perfectly with a beautiful green wool that’s been waiting to be made into something for quite some time.

The emerald green of the wool is one of my favorite colors and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make this skirt, for which I had a pattern waiting in the wings.  I’ve used this pattern twice before, once recently using a wool tweed and made slightly shorter.  It’s the Vintage Pattern Lending Library – 1936 Ladies Skirt – #T1047 – re-sized to fit my body measurements.

I used the re-issue of Simplicity 8247, to make my blouse.  Using Version C, I shortened the dress at the hip line to create the blouse.  It worked out very well.

For more photos and information about my hat and bag, visit my BLOG.

Until Next Time, Happy Sewing!

Jennifer

Hello everyone,

since it is so quiet here, I decided to write a short post about my new favourite outfit for spring. The whole look started with the idea of an green outfit inspired by Karlotta Pink’s latest fabric collection. The colour of the print is quite difficult to describe, but it was very important for me that the colour of the skirt would make the colour of the blouse shine.

The pattern of the blouse is self-constructed, because I had fallen in love with a no longer available Simplicity Schnitt 1624. A very similar pattern was reissued by Simplicity, but due to my last experience I became a bit cautious with regard to fit. It should be a figure-hugging blouse and not a nightgown.

The Blouse

For this reason I set about reconstructing the pattern myself. That sounds a lot more awesome than it was. Since I prefer to adapt existing models out of pure laziness rather than develop a pattern myself, I am not particularly experienced at it. The drafting was quite easy and there were only little to adjust – for more information on drafting the blouse check out my blogpost here.

The Fabric Desaster

I wanted to use a lime green satin for the skirt, because it is always available at my regular fabric shop. They didn’t have the fabric at the time, but it was supposed to arrive soon. No luck. (They still don’t have it.) Then I went on a fabric shopping trip to Zurich and I was sure I’d find something. But: Nothing.

A little annoyed and under time pressure, due to to a sewing blogger meeting, I ordered 5 different green fabrics. I didn’t want “okay”, I wanted perfect (at that time I was really obsessed with the right material for the skirt). And in the package were even three possible fabrics. I then decided for the most harmonious combination with the kiwi green cotton-linen blend.

In the end everything did go as planned. The blouse was a fast sew and the skirt did go together easy too.

If you wish to see more pictures and read the whole background story (there were more drama than mentioned in the text), you can hop over to our blog PeterSilie&Co or directly to the longer blogpost.

Till next time,

Sabine

I finished my jean shorts, and a button down shirt to go with it using 1950s vintage sewing patterns; Vogue 7331 and McCall’s 4022. These are really practical and wearable, I’ve already worn the shorts a hand full of times.

My shirt is made from a swallow print navy cotton fabric with black buttons. I’m pretty happy with the way this turned out, this was my first attempt at making a shirt, the instructions for this were really basic although YouTube videos were helpful in how to construct a shirt.

These are my second pair of shorts made from McCall’s 4022 and I see making more from this pattern. I love them – the pockets are huge! They’ve really comfy in a blue denim. I also had a go at top stitching at the pockets and around the waistband – it could be neater but it really adds a pretty detail.

My most recent outfit is all homemade out of 1970s sewing patterns: the skirt (Simplicity 7880) and blouse (Simplicity 8611) both in a size 8, and the vest (Simplicity 5204) in a teen-sized 11/12.  If you want to see more photos and read more details about my sewing process and thrifted accessories, please visit the blog that I share with my sewing husband: Mr and Mrs Rat.

With the end of the year getting very close, I was keen to try and complete my goal for the Vintage Pattern Pledge after all. And this outfit really helped to achieve that!

I found this wide wale corduroy and thought it would work nicely for a pleated skirt. Because of the pledge, I looked for a vintage tutorial and found this one, from February 1957. Which happened to include instructions for the belt as well.

The next issue of the same magazine (Dutch ladies’ magazine Libelle which, at the time, was published weekly) contained this image in the mailorder pattern section:

Pleated skirt, gathered belt (check and check) and a normal-for-1950’s blouse… That looks great!

So, I went in search of a blouse pattern and found one in the sewing magazine Marion from March 1955. I changed the collar to suit my purpose but other than that, I made the blouse exactly as designed and drafted back then.

And this is the result. Not quite as luxurious as the inspiration (which looks like it’s mostly made from silk) but still colourful and fun.

You can read more about this outfit on my blog and I’ve made a little tutorial for that belt here.