Browsing Category:

Sewing

Dustbowl Jeans – HSF #5 (Peasants and Pioneers)
1930's, Everyday Wardrobe, Historical Fashion, Sewing

Dustbowl Jeans – HSF #5 (Peasants and Pioneers)

Last week I finished my entry for the Historical Sew Fortnightly #5 – I’m falling further and further behind! Whoops. I’m taking off for the next couple challenges, maybe I’ll catch up then. Or not. 😉 Either way, I’m still glad to be part of this group because it’s helping me focus on certain projects that have been in the works for way too long!

This entry is inspired by the 1930’s Dust Bowl, which seemed to be a popular theme for this task. I’ve been wanting some vintage-y jeans for a long time and did the pattern work for these last summer, and I plan on living in them until they’re in tatters (which will make them even more “authentic” ;). For this outfit,  I paired them with a feedstack print top for a good 30’s look.

The Challenge: #5 Peasants and Pioneers – As wonderful as making pretty, pretty princess dresses is, the vast majority of people have always been poor commoners, whether they were peasants working the land, servants in big houses, or (later), pioneers carving their own space in new lands. This fortnight let’s make something that celebrates the common man.

Fabric: Lightweight Denim

Pattern: Wearing History’s Smooth Sailing Trousers – modified to be flat-front, and added patch pockets front and back

Year: mid-1930’s

Notions: Thread (blue and contrast yellow), metal zipper

How Historically Accurate is it: More “inspired” than accurate – a few women wore trousers in the 30’s, but jeans like this were really still menswear. The fit is altered to have a higher crotch (not period correct, but much better for movement.) And I used a metal zip instead of my standard invisible, but a button placket would be even better.

Hours to Complete: Maybe 3 for patterning, 10 for sewing & fitting, and 4 for redoing the back pockets several times. So at least 17, and that’s a conservative estimate.

First Worn: Dancing at Atomic Ballroom last Friday

Total Cost: ~$20 for fabric, $5 for thread and zipper

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

Marina Breakfast Date
Everyday Wardrobe, Sewing

Marina Breakfast Date

We’ve been having a-MAZ-ing weather in SoCal this week, so in order to take advantage of it we went on a breakfast date to a restaurant at the local marina. This is the lamest “date” post ever, since there aren’t any photos of Chris, but you’ll just have to believe me that he’s on the other side of the camera – not a random person on the street!
I finally got a photo of my finished Beignet Skirt – it’s a nice basic piece in lightweight denim (no lining). My only complaint is that it rides up a little, even though it’s high-waisted. I’m honestly a little stumped on how to fix that for future versions. Slim down the waist more? Use a lighter fabric? hmm…
The weather’s slated to cool down and get rainy this weekend, so I’m glad we took advantage of our pre-Spring weather while it’s here!
**cheesy text via the Flickr app, which would be a pretty killer photo editing app 
if they added a few more text fonts.
Kisses! B
Sewing Room
Sewing

Sewing Room

Last weekend I deep cleaned my sewing room, and wanted to snap a few photos since it won’t stay like this for long! I try to only keep my current projects out, and I only have a little room for storage in this room. Most of my books and vintage patterns are in the living room, and my main fabric stash is in plastic bins in the garage. Grandma’s sewing machine is in the living room too, along with my folding cutting table. Sheesh, that sounds like a LOT when I list it out.
My sewing table is an Ikea Expedit bookcase and desk, and I LOVE it. My overlock fits perfectly in one of the lower cubbies. These windows get beautiful morning light, but unfortunately I don’t usually get to enjoy it. And have I introduced my dress form? Her name is Beatrice.
Charlie Cat says, “Don’t forget to show them your hem gauge and pressing supplies!”
The ironing board stays out all the time, so those tools get stashed underneath. 
Sleeve boards and tailors hams can be pricey, make sure to use a Jo-Ann’s coupon to buy them.
A few reference books are close at hand, but my vintage pattern and sewing books 
live in a bookcase with glass doors to keep the dust out.
This elfa storage unit was way overpriced, but it’s perfect for my needs. Interfacing in the top drawer, then cone thread, and 2 drawers of fabric that I plan to use soon.
Now it’s time to get to work and mess this place up!

Everyday Wardrobe: Gray Tweeds

There has been some buzz lately on sewing blogs about the Everyday Wardrobe – we all have a tendency to sew/buy a lot of special pieces that aren’t very versatile, and wind up wearing the same few things all the time. This topic came up right when I decided to put some fresh effort into my dance wardrobe, and I’m incorporating the idea into my current projects.
I’ve got 2 patterns that I plan to use over and over for my Everyday dance pieces…my dance skirt is a 6-gore style that I copied from a thrifted skirt, and the trousers pattern is Wearing History’s Smooth Sailing pattern. My genius idea is that using TNT* patterns & and the same fabric means that the sewing will go quickly. Except it’s not so genius when my fabric is off-grain when I cut them out, because then it means I have 2 garments to fiddle with and fix instead of one! whoops…
Here are my first additions to my Everyday (Dance) Wardrobe – my 2 TNT patterns stitched up in an gray acrylic tweed. I love using washable fabrics, so I’ll pick a good synthetic/blend if it looks nice. This one really looks like wool and it’s a loose weave so I think it’ll still breathe.
I didn’t plan my new tweed pieces around Sunni’s idea of making an outfit from a Never Worn Garment in your closet, but that ended up happening! I’ve had that white butterfly top for nearly 2 years, and wore it for the first time this weekend.

What do you think about the Everyday Wardrobe idea? Are you joining in? or would you rather put your efforts into making fancier things?
——————–
TNT Pattern = Tried and true pattern that you’ve made before and love!

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! 😉