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!

In Progress: The Muppets Dress Pt 2

Quick update on my vintage seersucker dress!

This weekend I was able to grade up my pattern piece and muslin the bodice.   I started out with a pattern size of 34" but I need a 38" bust (with a 1-1/2" FBA).

I usually use the pivot/slide method of grading, but since I needed to add more than 2 inches to the full bust, I did this in increments. I added a 1" pivot/slide adjustment and then used that pattern piece to add another 1" pivot slide.  This isn't technically the correct way...and an incremental slash/spread would probably be better.

The pivot/slide is pretty quick, and that quickness seduced me. 

Long story short...after grading up 2", I decided to go ahead and do an FBA to add a bust dart.  I decided not to rotate this into the front bust gathers, because I usually get a much better fit with a bust dart.

And here's what we end up with...

 

Can't see much, huh??  Well, you could click the photo and see it larger.  It's not huge, but you can definitely see more detail.  I guess I should have chosen a solid for my muslin fabric, huh??  The darts ARE on the outside.  I typically sew them on the "right side" so I can see changes better, when I do a muslin.

Here's a closeup of the midriff band:

That's a crease in the center of the midriff, not a seam.  I didn't bother pressing anything at this point.

And here's my goof, the neckline/center front ruching:

That's a fairly high neckline, huh?  I was confused at first.  Here's the pattern envelope again:

Being a 1940s pattern, the tissue is unmarked.  I've used lots of unmarked vintage patterns before; once you get the hang of "reading" the dots and perforations, it's pretty simply.  Where I goofed was not realizing some of those dots on the bodice piece were placement dots to cut the square neckline.  Whoops.

Once I figured that out, it looks pretty good though.  The neckline is higher than I expected, even considering I was doing the more "modest" view. 

As for fit...it's close.  The back is a smidge too tight, so I'll be doing a broad back adjustment (sigh).  The bust, armscye and back neck all need lowering by about 3/4".  Pivoting/Sliding doesn't change the shoulder height of a pattern, so before I lower anything or add to the bottom anywhere, I'm going to add 1/2 to 3/4" to the shoulder and re-do a quick muslin.  That may solve all my fit issues right there! (And had I graded it "correctly" to begin with, I would have added that height anyway). 

Obviously I'm cheating again by just adding in that one place (lazy!) BUT in my defense, since I typically petite bodices anyway, I will probably find success just adding to the shoulder seam.  If I added that incrementally throughout the bodice, I would likely end up with too much length in some places.

A parting shot...still terribly hard to see anything.  Muslin Two to come later this week! 

*new* vintage patterns & a ponderance...

For once the stars aligned and I got to be the one who "stumbles across" a brilliant batch of vintage patterns that are my size, great price, and "Buy it Now"!!  Seriously.  This never happens to me!

I limited myself to four...which was difficult.  I'm on a budget now that I'm paying a car payment again!

Let's just start with the best first, OK?  Overalls!  Ack!    AND it's Betty Grable!  I get outbid on Betty Grable *ugly* patterns, much less OVERALLS!  Which normally go way above my budget/price range.  AND they're floral!  Be still my heart.

Next, Betty Grable AGAIN! This time in 40s trousers and a "work shirt"!  All of these were from the same seller, (not a "vintage pattern seller", just a regular ebayer)  and they're all within one size of each other.  I'm going to imagine these all belonged to the same young woman.  Do you think she had to go to work in a factory during the war?

A mid-late 1930s 2-piece dress.  I love the tailored short sleeve, and the interesting inverted placket.  The deep collar matches Kay Francis' collar in the actress photo. 

Last, a Joan Blondell (who I love!) pajama pattern.  Both pieces are more like lounge wear, don't you think?

So if our 1940s factory girl was approximately the same size and sewing in the mid-late 1930s, then she might have been around 30 years old when the war broke out.  Maybe she was a wife and mother, and had to go to work.  Maybe a poster like this one called her to duty:

She would need the freedom of movement provided by the pants and overalls.  Like these women at work in US factories during WWII...

Love the hair ties!  And the oxford shoes in the last photo.

On a personal note...school is finally out for summer!  Our last day was yesterday (yup, a Saturday).  I'm ready for a little break and some quality time with my stash.  This morning I had a comment from an anonymous person who was a wee bit aggravated by a vintage top I had sewn up last year.  Apparently it didn't "appear" vintage enough to count as vintage (I think that pattern dates to 1946 if I remember right).  She posed the question, "Why bother to sew from vintage patterns if the garment isn't going to look vintage?"

Now to be fair, I did leave off one element of the finished top that is shown on the pattern front; the original pattern has gathered puffed sleeves with elastic in the hem.  I hate elastic on my (not as slim as they used to be) arms.  It annoys me, all day.  So I just left it out and ended up with a sweet fluttery sleeve.  But no, dear Anon, I did not change the pattern or alter it to make it appear more modern.  In fact, I followed every single step of construction as written in 1946.  Even all the hand sewing.  It's a beautiful top and one of my very favorites (people who know me can attest to the fact that I wear it regularly). 

Here is the pattern:

I still think anon's main beef is worth an answer though.  Why sew vintage patterns if the final garment doesn't scream vintage?   The simple answer might be... because I like them.  Lord knows they're not cheaper or easier to come by, and typically they require much more prep time.

And no, I'm not afraid of the "costume" effect some vintage-lovers lament about.  I don't care much if it does announce VINTAGE to the world.

The more complicated answer is... I think many vintage patterns have a classic, timeless appeal.  They are still beautiful and wearable today, and no, they do not announce "I'm wearing a vintage garment!" I also regularly achieve a better fit with  vintage patterns.  Something about the draft from the late 30s-50s fits my shape better. 

But those things alone wouldn't feed the hunger for *new* vintage patterns (even though I have more than I will ever be able to sew up).  No, the simple answer really is the best, most truthful. 

I just love them.  Do what you love.  That's my advice.

cold rainy day eye candy.

Sorry, no skirt photos because it's COLD.  And RAINY. And I'm a wee bit CRABBY.

But I bring treats in the form of Etsy goods.  I recently purchased a few pdf's of vintage sewing booklet scans (I always just scan my vintage finds for you free of charge, so it seems somewhat weird to me to get charged for someone's lucky find.  That's the basics of economics though! C'est la vie!)

This is from a 1940 Dubarry pattern booklet:

I'm sort of in love with playsuits right now, I don't care how much too old I am or how impractical they are.  I can't get enough of them.  And this adorable thing is from a 1939 Dubarry booklet:

Then we have my MOST favorite...

A "Build Your Own Wardrobe" booklet, printed during wartime and rationing.  It has several pages of useful and charming tips for extending the life of garments, and remaking/reusing old or outdated ones.  My favorite section is this one:

and the directions for 3 of the cute blouses from suit... (click for large view on all images!)

Awesome rainy weather reading.  Hope your week has been more productive than mine!  I have THREE garments finished (or nearly) and ready to get a photo up for your reading pleasure...as well as a green plaid dress waiting for sleeves and a zip.  Come on weekend!

vintage pattern catalog: Lily 1940

I'm almost embarrassed to admit I don't remember buying this. :) It's possible the sweet seller that sent it with a recent order threw it in for free?  But I don't think so, because it's a real gem!  I just probably loved it on sight and ordered it (promptly forgetting.  Oops.)

 The original booklet is printed in a lime green color.  I converted to black and white because the lime green didn't scan very well.   Here's the cover:

I scanned the pages (only 6 pages long plus a back cover) to share with my vintage lovin friends, because the styles are so sweet, and of course, from my favorite era!  I've never seen a Lily pattern in person, Lily Mills Co. was located in Shelby, NC and manufactured threads, yarns, crochet cotton, and embroidery floss.  I wonder what happened to them?  A quick google search yielded lots of auctions and very little info.

The inside pages are below (although not in order, I think).

Love the little bolero in the top left:

 Pretty dresses for "town":

Oh gosh, you know 1940s blouses and tops are my weakness!!

 

  More lovely tops and suits:

Summery housedresses and an interesting apron/pinafore.  For as little as I like to clean house, I find it curious that vintage housedresses are my favorite style!

 

Some darling little girls' dresses:

 

 I didn't get the back cover scanned.  It doesn't have any clothing patterns on it though, just threads and the order form. 

In that same vintage pattern/book order, I got three GORGEOUS 1930s Ladies Home Journal magazines.  I would love to scan and share some of the beautiful pages with you, but it will take some finagling.  They are very large!  About the same height and width of a modern-day pattern catalog at Joanns, to give you an idea (not that thick of course!)  I'll try to get my favorite images scanned throughout the week. 

Off to work on my pants muslin!

oh, esther.

I'm currently enamored with Esther Williams.


I've got all of her movies in my Netflix queue and each weekend I get a new opportunity to sigh over her beautiful hair, costumes, and perfectly 1940s makeup.

So far I've seen Thrill of a Romance,

Easy to Love,

and Bathing Beauty.

Million Dollar Mermaid is next.

She spends most of her movies in (darling) bathing suits...and I'm not likely to be cavorting around in one any time soon. Still, there's something about her very easy to watch movies that lends a little magic to my quiet weekend afternoons.

The costumes she wears (briefly) during the movies are wonderful examples of 1940s fashions and I never walk away uninspired.





Hope you're all having a great weekend! I'm still plugging away at the anthro blouse. I'm frustrated, so it is taking me longer than normal. I might be setting it aside to work on a non-stressful project for a few days but don't despair, I will prevail!

vintage trousers.

This post is part nostalgic trouser lesson and part vintage pattern tutorial!


I decided to experiment this morning with this adorable vintage pajama/lounge pattern from the mid 1940s. I've been wanting some cute, high-waisted shorts for the summer heat. (I debated trying out the "Marlene Dietrich" trouser/bermuda pattern from a recent Ottobre Woman, but none of the garment photos were really that flattering. Not the best incentive.)

Vintage pant patterns for women are scarce (as you probably know if you sew vintage!) Before WWII, trousers were more than a little scandalous for women. During the war due to rationing and factory work, trousers became more of a necessity; how much do we still love Rosie the Riveter?


Pants thus began to worm their way into female fashion. It would still take more than 15 years before pants were really considered a necessary or regular part of women's wardrobes.

You can't discount the influence of early Hollywood either. Even today we refer to high waist, full leg trousers as "Marlene Dietrich" pants. She was one of the first stars to wear pants in films during the 1930s, then continued wearing trousers outside of her movie roles (and it was quite a scandal too!)


Katherine Hepburn is the other film actress most often associated with introducing trousers into womens' fashions.


I do think it is misstating things a bit to say that Dietrich and Hepburn "popularized" pants for women. They were simply the first to wear them in such a public way (along with, of course, Amelia Earhart, who could hardly fly a biplane in a dress.) Pants wouldn't really be popular (nor allowed in all public venues) for a few decades. (And I love Hepburn, but Dietrich has always left me cold.)

As for pant patterns from the 1930s and 1940s, while we love and covet them now, I can't imagine these were hot sellers, as mainstream America wasn't quite ready for the idea. These patterns were probably never reprinted, and most likely had a very small initial circulation to begin with. I have never had the opportunity to see (in person) a 1930s trouser pattern for women.

However, there is this great reproduction pattern from c. 1933 is from EvaDress:


On the other hand, if you long for that authentic 1940s trouser, here's a little tip/secret (which you already know if you listened to my podcast interview with Lori in April): There are many vintage pajama/lounge patterns available in a variety of sizes that actually feature that same trouser silhouette. Even though they were essentially for sleeping, the pajama pants in the two or three patterns that I have from the era are quite detailed. They feature pleats, darts, a fitted waistband and closure; details just as you would find in a regular "trouser".


After I remembered this vintage pattern lying in my stash this morning, on a lark, I decided to muslin the shorts (view 3).



My pattern is NOT in my hip measurement. My hips are 8 inches larger. (Eight!!) Adjustments would be necessary. It may be tempting to just pin and hack and tape away at these vintage patterns, especially if you luck onto a factory-folded one in pristine condition. HOWEVER...bear in mind that these patterns are upwards of 70 years old. They're more fragile than they look. While I think they should most definitely be used and enjoyed, I also try to preserve them for future generations.

That means I trace each piece and carefully replace original tissue patterns to the package. If the guide sheet is in poor shape, I will also copy that (my printer does that at home.) Patterns from the 1940s will often be unprinted; that means you'll have to adjust your thinking about pattern markings. Without printed markings, look instead for punched holes (small and large) and punched notches. The guidesheet will have a "key" telling you what each dot size and notch means. Read that first.


Also look for the seam allowance listed in the guide sheet. It will be different from modern patterns! For example, for my trousers, the side seams are 3/4" to allow for fitting adjustments (built in!! woohoo!) but for the remainder of the pattern the seam allowance is 1/2" (so 1/8" smaller than today's commercial pattern). Write it on your tracing, you won't remember. I promise.


Vintage, high-waist trousers are VERY high-waisted. The crotch length will be so long that you might be unsure which end is the crotch and which is the leg, especially if you're doing a short. I'm not kidding:


Hopefully there are darts or pleats to orient you later.

For my shorts, I decided to simplify things by making a straight muslin, as drafted. The ONLY adjustment I made to the pattern was to add 2 inches to each side seam (my hip difference). I was SOOOO tempted to do my usual pant adjustments.

(Sidenote...here are my own body quirks/pant adjustments I normally make/fiddle with on current pant patterns: add for full and high hips, lengthen back crotch, flattish yet full bottom/scoop out back crotch, lower center front waist, add 1/2" to front side seam at waist for tummy, full inner thighs). Quite a list, huh? I might get a decent pant after fiddling with most of these.

But I abstained from any adjustments and did a quick & dirty muslin in an ugly banana print cotton woven.

They're perfect. I'm serious. I need a tiny fisheye dart removed from the front crotch about mid-way, and that's it. My butt looks fabulous. I've NEVER gotten such a good fit, ever (not from Burda or Ottobre or any pattern bar none).

Soo...I'm off now to cut out a "real" pair in a dusty coral linen. I'll still be making the shorts length, but I can't wait to do a full trouser length too! I'll share more pictures and details in the next post!

I was so excited, I had to share now without pictures, haha!

Stay tuned...