Monday, February 28, 2011

Just a quick note

I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay after the quake on Tuesday. I'm incredibly lucky, my family is all accounted for and my house is still standing which is so much more than other people have. I'm so pleased that my fellow Christchurch bloggers Brumby, Helga, the Velvet Bitchez and several others are all okay. If you live in Christchurch or have family and friends that do I hope you/they are all safe. I'm still pretty lost for words at the moment so I'll leave it at that.

Friday, February 18, 2011

100 Followers Giveaway!





I thought it was time that I had a giveaway to thank all the people who read my blog. I love blogging and reading all your blogs too. It's so nice to know that there are other people out there that get excited about vintage patterns and floral prints and lovely old dresses.

Up for grabs is an Australian Home Journal from 1954 (there is still pattern pieces in it and I think they are all there), a pair of vintage gloves, a beaded collar, some peach lace, 10 vintage buttons and a belt buckle.

To enter just leave a comment on this post with some way for me to contact you. I'll post anywhere in the world. I will draw the giveaway at this time next week so you have a week to enter.

Good luck and thanks for reading.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

A Green Gown

Vintage Dress

A while ago I found this lovely vintage dress on a quick op-shop trip while my car was being fixed. It is not wearable as it has quite a few moth holes and some stains but I was happy to get it simply so I could look at the way it was made. The style instantly made me think it was from the forties and on closer examination I'm pretty sure it is.

Collar Detail

I absolutely love the scalloping on the collar, sleeves and peplum.

Peplum detail

When I first saw it I wondered about the buttons because the colour and the style seemed slightly off. I'm sure they are not original because the cuffs have double buttonholes (four buttonholes total on each sleeve) which means that there were probably double buttons there originally.

Sleeve detail

The buttonholes are handworked.

Side closure

There is a series of snaps and hooks and eyes down the side seam and on the peplum as a closure.

Inside collar

The inside seams are pinked and there is handsewn bias binding on the collar.

I would love to someday make a copy of this dress or at least one in a similar style.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Simplicity 1411 take two

It's been hot here..like 32 degress celcius hot. I realise that for some of you that may seem quite mild but for where I live it is hot. I don't like hot. It makes me slow and unmotivated. Last week my heat-addled brain decided the only sensible course of action would be to make a wool jacket. Madness I know, but I'm kind of hoping that it will magically bring on the cooler weather so I can wear it.

Simplicity 1411


I have actually made this pattern before but this time I changed the sleeves. Instead of the kimono that came with the pattern , I drafted an armscye and added three quarter length set-in sleeves. I did this by tracing the armscye and sleeve from another pattern. It's not the most precise way of doing things but it seems to work.

Jacket 2


This was originally meant to be my muslin to test the sleeve. I was only going to cut out the bodice and the sleeve and not bother making the peplum but I had enough fabric left over from some wool trousers I made so I thought I may as well use it.
And then when I'd finished the outer shell I realised that I liked it so I thought I may as well finish it properly.

Jacket front


I used some navy blue buttons I got for 70 cents at the op-shop.

Lining


And the fabric I used to line it I got on sale for $1.20/metre.

Jacket


So, including the wool fabric, which I had left over, this jacket cost me around $10 to make (the wool was $5/metre and I got 2.5 metres which I managed to get a pair of trousers and this jacket out of. It was realllly wide).

Jacket back


I love the peplum and the three quarter length sleeves. The sleeves are the perfect length to show off gloves (which is lucky since I have 20+ pairs).

Now, I just need some cold weather so I can actually wear it somewhere.