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Make and Mend

A “1938” Coat – HSF #2 (UFO)
1930's, Historical Sew Fortnightly, Make and Mend, Sewing

A “1938” Coat – HSF #2 (UFO)

Here’s my first entry for the Historical Sew Fortnightly! It’s a couple days late and there’s no fancy photoshoot because I’ve got a cold right now. Looking at the challenges, I think I’m going participate in about half of them and turn it into an Historical Sew Monthly – that pace will work better for me and the projects I want to complete.

Nearly 2 years ago I bought a vintage coat with a ripped and shattering lining. I HATE repairs and alterations, so it’s a sign of how much I love this coat that I was willing to work on it – except that I stopped right before it was done! The project stalled out in Fall 2011, with basically only the buttons and hems to go.

Originally I estimated this coat to be from 1939/40 and I was going to fudge it into this challenge (supposed to be 1938 or earlier), but then I came across this page of overcoats from the Sears 1938 catalog – the navy one has the same details as mine (wide lapels, princess seams, sleeve cap darts), so I definitely think my coat could be from 1938!

The old lining was shredding, so I carefully removed it and traced it off to make a new pattern. I referenced Easy Guide to Sewing Linings for this bit, and even though the process is fairly self-explanatory, the book had some good tips that made the project easier. I also handmade new shoulder pads and had it cleaned and pressed before inserting the new lining.

Outside View – the part I didn’t make. 🙂
Inside View – the part I made!

The Challenge: #2 UFO (UnFinished Object)

Fabric: Burgundy Rayon Satin for the replacement lining

Pattern: Traced off the original coat lining

Year: 1938-ish 😉

Notions: Handmade shoulder pads, replacement buttons, hem tape, thread

How Historically Accurate: Nearly 100%! It helps that I could use a machine and had the original to copy. The only thing that would have been more accurate would be rayon hem tape instead of polyester.

Hours to Complete: Maybe 60 total, about 8 hours for this challenge. I’m super slow!

First Planned Wearing: Saturday February 26, 2013 to the Great LA Air Raid

Total Cost: About $30, not including the purchase of the coat

Fine & Dandy Outfit Challenge

A couple weeks ago Bobby White of Fine & Dandy  and Swungover challenged his readers to present a Fall-to-Summer transitional outfit. I try to confine my outfit posts to things I’ve made or special events, so I took this as a challenge to do a dress revamp that’s been waiting a couple years.

I’ve got a few Loco Lindo dresses that I’ve picked up at sample sales – I love the vintage-y rayon crepe print fabrics so I’m a sucker for grabbing ones that are too big for me with the intention of fixing them. This dress always vibed early 1930’s to me, so I finally got to work at making it wearable. I wore the finished dress out dancing Friday night, and it was so much fun! The skirt length is technically too short for early 30’s, but I’m more comfortable with knee-length anyway.

My new-to-me 30’s watch, picked up at an antique mall last weekend. 
It keeps good time when I remember to wind it!

The original dress was too big in the width and length for me – I raised the shoulders about 2 inches (giving me nice high armholes that are so great for movement and dancing) and turned the front darts into princess seams to remove about 4 inches from the circumference (bodice and skirt). The green neck contrast originally wrapped around as a back neck yoke, but I lost that when I raised the shoulders, so I just added bias tape to finish the back neck.

I also removed the self tie and made it into a belt, and added some matching buttons to add to the 30’s look. After I figured out how to reduce the bodice size, it was an easy revamp –  but I almost didn’t make the submission deadline due to being super sick the last couple weeks, so I gave up some housecleaning to finish the project. I should do that more often! 😉

Los Angeles Union Station

1940’s Mother of Pearl Sweetheart pin
My jacket isn’t dirty, I was trying to be clever and “age” the photo!

Last weekend we attended a wedding at the downtown Los Angeles Union Station. This vintage train station is one of my favorite Golden Era venues, so it was a treat to attend an event there! The train station opened in 1939, and was one of the last large train stations built – commercial air travel was fast becoming the transportation mode of choice, and airports were being built instead of train stations. The LA Union Station still gets quite a bit of use though – it’s the hub for several local train lines, Metrolink and Amtrak. We were quite surprised at how busy it was on a Saturday afternoon!

Los Angeles Union Station
Image Source: Wikipedia

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Waiting Room in Union Station
Image Source: Wikipedia



We tried to arrive a little early to snap some photos before the ceremony, but darn LA traffic got the better of us and only had time for a few photos. (Yes, we did drive to the train station. We don’t live near a train stop!)
I wore one of my Make and Mend projects – this dress needed some repairs and the hem was long and uneven. On Chris’s suggestion I took the extra fabric from the hem and made a belt, since the original was missing. I did some dancing in this dress, and did rip the sleeve (yikes!) but it was on the seamline and is easily fixed. Back into the mending pile it goes!
If you want to learn more about the history of Union Station and want access to some of the areas usually closed off to the public, I highly recommend the walking tours run by the Los Angeles Conservancy. I’ve been on several of their tours, and even though they are all volunteer-led, the docents are highly knowledgeable and have a real passion for the architecture. I’d go on any of the tours a second or third time!

Make and Mend

It’s been a rough couple weeks around here (just busy with work, etc.), but I’ve been trucking along with my make and mend projects when I get a chance. Most of my projects have been sitting in a pile for weeks or months (years? yes, even that. sheesh!) so I’m glad to be forced into working on them.

My first 3 mending projects have been fairly simple. One was tacking a hole in a sweater (just one little hole, but I didn’t want to wear it and have it run), the second was restitching the zipper in a favorite dance skirt, and the third was cleaning up some Re-Mix shoes.

This skirt’s actually green. But I wouldn’t mind having a blue skirt!
The shoes are the most dramatic transformation. I’ve danced HARD in these shoes for the last couple years, and they still have some life left in them but they looked so gnarly I was embarrassed to wear them out. I had them reheeled a year ago and asked the guy to repaint them gold, but they didn’t look any better afterward, so I decided to try it myself. First up, clean them and snip any loose threads.

Then I got a gold paint pen and went over them a couple times. I have no idea how long this will last, and if you try it on your expensive Re-Mix shoes and they get messed up for any reason, don’t blame me! This was my last ditch effort to save them from the trash bin.

 

And voila! I’m pretty happy with them. They’re slightly streaky if you look close, but the nicks and scuffs are gone. Chris polished them for me after I took these pictures and now they’re a little less bling-y, but hopefully that keeps them from rubbing off on other people’s shoes. Like his. 😉

Make & Mend Month

I’ve signed up to participate in The New Vintage Lady’s Make & Mend month. It runs from June 1 – July 11, and the goals are to make new projects using our existing stash, and mend garments that need some TLC. I’ve got a pile of mending that I never get to, and of course I’ve got supplies up the wazoo that need to be used. Excited to have a deadline for finishing the unfinished! You know you want to join, too. 😉

I’m heading out in a little bit to look at a dressform I saw on Craiglist. I’ve been sewing for 18 years, and never had one at home before. (I’m getting old…) She’s a Uniquely You squishable form, so I’m hoping I can make her my size and shape, and be able to put my new corsets on her for fitting historical garments. I’m already thinking up names for the new addition to the family.