Ta da! My yellow spring topper from Simplicity 3541 from 1950 is done. And I love it! It was a pretty short project all things considered, taking me about a week to actually sew. Although it probably took another week to make the muslin and get all the pattern pieces ready (I talked about that in my last post). Sometimes I forget how labor intensive the prep is for coats! Lined things have so many pattern pieces and ... Read more »
vintage sewing
50s topper coat for spring: the supplies
Back in September, I planned a coat for spring. I ordered the main supplies, but I never got it off the ground. I think mainly because I knew I'd need to make some changes to the pattern and possibly do a muslin, and I put off pulling the pieces out long enough that I talked myself into working on something else and put it to the side. I didn't pick it back up again until I was all set to sew the Charm Patterns swing ... Read more »
Ho ho hello
I haven't written a post on this blog since April of 2019. Wow have things changed since then. Not as much personally, but the world. You don't need me to recap the open wound of 2020, you were there. In my life, it's been mostly a quiet year, being careful and safe and trying to keep myself occupied throughout the pandemic and the pathetic, negligent handling by the dumpster fire of our thankfully-outgoing wannabee ... Read more »
(Belated) birthday sarong dress
Happy belated birthday to me! My birthday was actually last Wednesday, but my site had gremlins that had to get fixed, and then I was busy preparing for a trip (more on that below), and so you're only getting the post I planned for my birthday now. Better late than never. :) As I've done every year for several years, I sewed myself a birthday dress! It's a tradition I've enjoyed keeping up (last year's was ... Read more »
Plaid flannel dress
Last month, I sewed a plaid dress. Not just any plaid dress, but a plaid flannel dress. It's cute, warm, and comfy. What could be more delightful for fall and early winter? This dress is from McCall's 8989, a pattern from the 1950s. The wing collar is annoying to construct... the type where you sew to the seam line on both sides of a seam, and invariably I leave a huge hole or puckers and have to re-do at least ... Read more »
Going strapless
I have long coveted true vintage 1950s strapless sun tops. Bustier tops, bra tops, the whole shebang. While I don't really have many reasons to wear them, I always think they seem like the perfect thing to really jazz up a skirt in the summer, or spring and fall with a bolero on top, or wear for a nicer evening outfit. Original ones are rare to find and typically very pricey, which explains why I own exactly zero. So I ... Read more »