Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Vtg Mail Order 1839: Grey Print Top


This weekend I cut out two little tops from this vintage pattern I mentioned in my last post, a 1940s mail order pattern (unknown company) #1839:


I've made the cap sleeve version twice before, and love it (I still wear this one all the time!)  I thought it was the perfect pattern to knock off this sweet grey and white that Amy Adams wore in the Muppets:


I knew as soon as I saw it that I had the PERFECT grey and white print cotton in my stash.  REALLY similar, huh??

My vintage pattern probably fits so well because of the shoulder gathering (no FBA needed). 


And the back bodice/shoulder piece is extended to the front about 2 inches, so the gathering doesn't start at the shoulder seam, but just below in the front.  It makes everything super easy since there are only 4 pattern pieces including placket and collar!  The shoulder "yoke" AND the sleeves are both cut-on.


The collar is a simple 1-pattern-piece, no stand. That saves a bunch of steps right there! The placket is a separate piece that folds to the outside and is topstitched in place (easy to add trimmings under before topstitching!)


You can see I'm not quite finished.  I have to slipstitch the collar down inside, and add buttons and buttonholes.

I need to hem the sleeves too.  They're a simple turned-under hem in the pattern, but I could make a scalloped facing to apply.  The scalloped sleeves on Amy's blouse are one of my favorite details.

I also wanted pink lucite or pearl buttons, just like the inspiration top, and would you believe I don't have any?  The closest I could come was lavender 1" pearl, which are way too big.  So I made a trip to Wally World yesterday (no small feat...as you know, I hate WM) to see if they had any.  Nope.   But they did have a clear pink plastic button in a "flower" shape.  I'm going to tack them down with a glue stick later today and see if they're too girly.

Hopefully not! I want to wear this!

7 comments:

  1. sweet print for a very sweet blouse

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  2. Such a feminine and dainty blouse. I can't wait to see it finished. :]

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  3. Nice job! My class watched the new Muppets movie (loved it!) and kept getting mad at me because I would pause it to look at various clothing (I mean make announcements) I loved her tulip sleeves.

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  4. What a sweet blouse! What will you wear it with? Hope the rest of Spring Break was as good as the start. g

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  5. Nice details--the plats at the front shoulder and cap sleeves. That looks like a perfect summer blouse.

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  6. Such a sweet print! It is perfect for this pattern!

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  7. This is going to be so stinkin' cute! It's alreayd stinkin' cute.

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