Itty Bitty Baby Clothes - Simplicity 2300

Itty Bitty Baby Clothes - Simplicity 2300

uyguguygu   20.22   Comment  

This is the summer of Showers. Not just the (unusual) amount of rain showers here in Colorado, but baby showers, wedding showers, bridal showers.

For the most part I purchase gifts off of registries for said showers, but I have a wonderful friend who is expecting a little baby boy and I knew she would appreciate something handmade. She also loves vintage clothes so I looked through my vintage pattern stash and interpreted (seriously, this was a tough pattern for me to figure out!) a late 1940's child's playsuit. 

I've recently become enamored with the idea of "Slow Sewing," which is where you slow it down and really, really make it look as good as you possibly can both inside and out. No more whipping out a garment in a single day - every seam is finished and hopefully it looks as great turned inside out as it does right side out. This was my first "Slow Sewed" garment and it really only took me about a third longer than sewing normally does once I figured out how to finish the seams. 

Finally, the coat has the first Welt Pockets I've ever attempted. I found a great tutorial here, and that helped me out a lot! Also, you can find a picture of the original pattern cover on the Vintage Pattern Wiki here.

 

A Sturdy Cotton Housedress

A Sturdy Cotton Housedress

uyguguygu   17.17   Comment  

I whipped this dress up two days ago from a pattern given to me by my Aunt. The pattern had originally belonged to my Great Auntie Flossie, who I believe was Auntie Flossie through marriage. I'm honestly a little unclear about how exactly she was related to me - she was present at every family event, though, so she was family anyways! 

Whenever I sew one of her patterns I become extremely thankful for her and that she saved these patterns for so many years! Even though some of them are marked smaller sizes than I am I haven't had to majorly alter anything from her pattern stash yet! I also am thankful that my Aunt thought of letting me pick through Auntie Flossie's sewing room - many of the convenience tools come from her, and were things that, at the time I was given them, I wouldn't have been able to purchase. I would probably still be making do without electric scissors, an array of slopers, three different sizes of eyelet setters, a thimble with the top cut off (indispensable!), and other little treasures. I still use many of her vintage trims and buttons whenever I sew, although some of the cuter things like buttons in their original cards or Milwaukee Advertising needle cards remain unused and waiting for display in my someday sewing room.

In hair news, this is the third set I've tried so far, and it's worked a little more enthusiastically than I've expected! I used sponge rollers everywhere this time, and of course setting lotion as usual. I've had a hard time keeping the curls brushed in place in a wave as they keep wanting to form individual curls all by their lonesome until my hair looks like it's going out in all directions! I used a 1950's setting pattern with a distinct part but I feel like it almost looks a little more 1930's to me. I think it might just be the length of the hair that's giving it this 20's/30's vibe more than the setting pattern at this point. I feel like a character out of I Capture the Castle or something! I love Cassandra Mortmain so this look doesn't worry me all that much.

Dress: Simplicity 1819

Shoes: Vintage