Second Dress -- Completed

Pleased to announce that my dress is complete! It only took me a week - and with another mail order pattern, this is very exciting progress. The weather is not allowing for nice pictures outside, so hopefully soon I will be able to get a few photos. Also, I need to get some photos of my clothes for the 30 for 30 challenge. I probably won't start it until this coming Monday. There are quite a few projects going on . . . .

Second Dress Project - Lace

I have been in the sewing mood since I made my first vintage dress a few weeks ago. Since, I have made three skirts, from a 1981 pattern, very simple and darling! Spring is soon coming, and I have been in the mood for dresses. My closet is dress-sparse, so I thought another dress on the hanger would suit just fine.

The dress I made for Casey's Swing Dress Sew along turned out so well, I thought I would make another dress. This one is from the mid-40s with almost the same styling, without the buttons. I made an unexpected trip to Joann's the other day, and found some very nice avocado swingy polyester blend fabric. Joann's was having a huge sale, and I bought all of the avocado green they had, and still have some left over to make a skirt if I want!

I am not sure how long it will take me with this dress, but I am estimating about two weeks. This lovely pattern calls for two lace inserts at the collar, and believe me, it was hard to find some lace that I liked, as most lace does not suit me. (I don't know what it is about flowers and lace. I suppose I am a simple maid. lol.) But the lace I did find in my stash is quite petite and very lovely. I estimate it is around the mid 40s-50s, but I could be wrong!

I will be posting work-in progress photos as I go along, so please keep checking back for the details!

 

Sew Along Dress -- Button Holes!

Ta da! My button holes are d o n e. I am really excited - I will be posting completed photos this weekend. My 1965 Kenmore Sewing Machine came to the rescue and the button-hole attachment the machine came with worked beautifully. (Although I have to whip stitch a few button holes; not sure what happened with the thread. When I seam ripped a line through the middle, the button holes looked awful. Eh, I'm sure that has happened to a few of you.) Considering my very first sewing project, I think all went well. Here are a few sneak peak photos of the button holes before they were opened. Please keep in mind that I have to remove one of the buttons and re-sew because it isn't exactly straight. Oops - eh - mistakes happen.

•  the pattern - 1949 - mail order

 aren't they beautiful??

 buttons finished w/ the button holes

lefty's slightly too close - must mend 

(already? the dress is fresh!) lol

sloppy button holes -- but they looked so pretty before I separated them! Not sure how to fix this problem.... I was so careful

Lovely Sewing Fabric

  

•  40s style blue daisy shimmer ~

I thought today would be wonderful to show off some pieces of vintage fabric I have come across recently. Hopefully this will inspire someone to sew a wonderful creation ~

•  50s lawn striped ~

• vintage 50s pink & silver brocade ~

• 40s or 70s style floral ~

• 40s/50s style tiger striped crepe ~

• My favorite! 40s style blue cherries crepe ~

• Another favorite! 40s/50s style painted floral sheer ~

• 60s tweed; the original owner of this fabric was going to make a nice cape or coat from a 1965 pattern ~

Sew Along Part 6 - The Machine & Bodice Sewing

This is my mother's vintage 1950s era Necchi Sewing Machine. Italy made! It's very sharp and sews superbly. There's tons of attachments for all kinds of fancy embroidery. Some day I hope to try them - but for now, it's the simple sewing I shall do. (I was not able to use my 1960s sewing machine because this one was already plugged in, and our dining room already has a piano, a large dining table, and two sewing machines .. it would have been a horrible mess to plug in the 1960s machine.) That's ok, I am enjoying this Necchi - wish you could see it in person!

* First Photo*

Sewing the top button closure for the first side button. This was interesting to do, since I had to rip out the seam because it was sewed on the wrong side! It was rather peculiar, too, since the pattern could have already had the side piece drawn into the pattern itself. :) It was an extra step that could have been avoided if the original drafters had thought of simpler ways to construct this -- as said by mother. lol  and I happen to agree.

 

*Second Photo* Hemming along the correct side (button closure). 

*Third & Fourth Photos*
Inside front and back facing. Trial and error the first time

 with the back facing; accidentally sewed it to the front 

instead of the back! :p A seam ripper becomes

the seamstresses' friend. More later.....

Sew Along Part 5 - Cutting Fabric!

Keeping the buttons along shoulders, since they come down farther than I had thought they would. Up next: finding the right buttons!

 Take a close look at the return address.

 Very fine details!









I just finished cutting my pattern from fabric today! I had to re-do the inside belt facing once because the scissors weren't cooperating. Instead of cutting four separate skirt panels, I only cut two - each one on the fold. For dresses and even some skirts, I don't like front/back seams. I don't think this will interfere with the bodice to skirt sewing. Well, here are the completed photos for this part of the project. Up next: starting to sew the pieces together!! Must break out my 1965 sewing machine and find some navy blue thread....

           FINISHED!!

Of Fabric & Sewing & Lace

 I just love this twin throw coverlet quilt! My vintage finds of late have come from the thrift store - and at tremendous prices, too! Check out all of the feed sack prints on this large postage stamp spread.

Auction Find --: a very new-unused pattern! How elegant! :p

Fabric Bits - vintage 1950s or 1960s era. Very sweet!

This little coin purse has to date itself pretty old; I found several sewing needles stuck to the outside ; its late owner had used it as a pin cushion! Also, these lovely antique trims are exquisite. Not sure what I have planned for them. . .

Sew Along Dress part 4 - Tracing is a Fine Art

Tracing a vintage pattern is not hard - it's the  handling of the thin crepe that's hard! I used whatever I could find in the "junk" drawer to stabilize my pattern to the paper without ruining it. The vintage patterns are so much different than today's. Perforation holes to mark pattern pieces, gathers, tucks, measuring... at least the instructions are easy to figure out. :)

I have completed the tracing process and have cut out my paper pattern ... now I just need to take my measurements and I'm ready to pin pattern to fabric!

Dress Making Sew Along - Part 3: Fabric Choice - Finally!!

I am so excited I was able to find this navy blue poplin twill in the family fabric stash! This blue will be great for all season wear. I can brighten the color up in the Spring and Summer wearing a printed scarf around the waist or around the neck. I am so excited to be able to start the process of tracing my vintage pattern. I purchased it like new, so I do not want to ruin the thin crepe paper.

I did some thinking. I am toying still with the button choice. Because of my narrow shoulders, instead of putting buttons along the shoulders of this dress, I am going to perhaps place two buttons on either side of the points at the corner of the neckline. This way a sweater will not get caught up in the buttons. I am not sure what type of buttons I will use. I surely need some eye-popping designs! And not just round, either. I do have a box labeled "buttons" somewhere in my personal stash of sewing supplies; will have to dig it out. If I can't find any suitable, it will be an evening hunt on eBay.