Sew For Victory Project and a Life Update

Okay, I am super pumped about how my first Sew For Victory 2014 project, the Vogue robe, is going.  (You can find more details about it here.)  I am 98% done with adding some special fanciness to it, then all I have to do is put the main pieces together and add some buttons!  It's looking pretty great, although I did realize the other day (when it was brought to my attention by one of my fiancé's friends) that it does resemble a "Lord of the Rings" elvish garment a bit.... but I think I'm okay with that!

Also, I am a part of the Sew For Victory Flickr group, my profile is here, and I highly recommend it!  It really helps add to the inspiration and sense of comradery.

Also, just to warn you, there will be fewer posts in April than I have usually been doing.  I graduate from uni on May 3, get married on May 10, and before then I plan on getting my schoolwork done, finishing strong as a Resident Assistant in my dorm, moving my things into a house, and getting a "real" job.  It's kind of a lot to handle, so blogging is taking a bit of a back seat spot during this month of my life.  However, in May or June I plan on doing some pretty radical changes to the blog and reopening my Etsy shop, so stick with me and hold out until then!  I'm super excited about these ideas I have to postpone until after major life events, and it's nearly killing me to have to wait!

Stay tuned as well, for a Flashback Summer sponsor has an amazing giveaway coming up for you guys on April 4th!  (Like, seriously, I want this prize.  You guys should be pumped.)

Sew For Victory 2014: My Projects!

With the Sew For Victory challenge from Lucky Lucille starting, I've gathered the supplies for two projects I hope to finish this round!  Both of them are things that I have been wanting to incorporate into my wardrobe for a long time:

Mail Order 3700 Sundress and Jacket Suit
First up I have a pattern I recently bought for a special occasion coming up.  I'm not going to tell you what it is, but it's in May.  Hint hint.

I am going to use some brown fabric from my stash (I bought it from a thrift store, so I'm not sure what kind it is exactly.  I'm actually confused by it.  It's fairly thin, but opaque, and has texture and a fairly heavy drape.  Sort of like a heavy rayon feel, but I don't think it's rayon).  I also have these cute retro buttons that I think will make a nice statement detail on the outfit, for I'm going to make both the sundress and the long-sleeved version of the suit jacket.  I'm very surprised at how fabric-efficient this pattern is (huzzah 40s rationing!), and I'll let you know about all the details when I finish it!  

I'm really using this project as a wearable muslin for an upcoming version that is more important.  The patterns don't come with a lot of instructions and I haven't done any princess-seamed garments before, so hopefully it all turns out well!

Vogue 9384 Robe
Second, I had begun making this robe a few weeks ago, but I only put three pieces together.... so it's practically a new project.  I HATE getting out of bed in the morning and feeling chilly or having to wear a jacket inside my own house.  Thus, I thought a warm, cozy robe would solve this problem while also making me feel glamorous!  (I've always admired Scarlett O'Hara's robes from "Gone With the Wind" and thought I'd like to have a similarly glam one for my own!  Although, quote a bit simpler.  I'm not quite up to making one of these beauties yet!)

Although this robe pattern is probably from the late 1940s (maybe early 1950s?) I'm going to make it more 40s-ish is by adding shoulder pads for a more defined shoulder.

I'm using a green panne velvet to create the full-length version.  I will be changing the sleeves a little bit and adding the shoulder pads, but otherwise I'm going to do everything according the the pattern.  I'm also going to line the thinner velvet with a gray flannel to make it cozier!

P.S.  I'm not sure what the Asian hat is about on the pattern cover.  "Why yes, of course I always wear this hat with my robe. Obviously they go together."  What is that about, 1940s?

So what about you guys?  Do you have your projects picked out and ready to go yet?  Have you posted about them somewhere?  If so, leave your link so I can go read the deets on your SFV goals this year!

"Sew For Victory!" Patterns Inspiration from Emily's Vintage Visions

For those of you that haven't heard, the annual "Sew For Victory!" challenge is currently underway until April 30th!  It's a non-competitive challenge to create a 1940s appropriate garment all on your own, and I will be joining this year!  This page will explain everything, and there's a Flickr group to join as well to keep up to date on everyone's project progress!

Now when I get inspirations for such projects that involve vintage sewing, I do as much research as I can on a pattern before I begin.  I search to see if anyone else has done the pattern and talked about it online, and I look at magazines and fashion ads that show trends of the time to find ways to customize the pattern for myself if I'd like.  Although pattern illustrations are helpful, I really prefer to see the garments in real life because sometimes they can differ a lot from the pattern drawings!  

I've found a great source for ideas and research to be Emily's Vintage Visions, one of Flashback Summer's sponsors.  Emily, a vintage and historical seamstress, has participated in Sew For Victory before, and she has a great repertoire of completed projects with details on them that I--and I'm sure many of you--can find helpful:

Inspiration-- a 1940s Vogue Counter Book

See this pattern all made up (Isn't it amazing?  I love the dress clips, too!):

Check out the rest of the pages in this 1939 Du Barry pattern book:

Check out a blouse and pants project inspired by this lovely lady, and the trousers pattern features a button-up blouse with a HOOD! Somebody make one of those! (and I'm DYING over her hair!!!  Must try it!):

See these notions and this pattern all made up into a fabulous dress:

And lastly, look at the real-life version of this 1946 dress:

I encourage you to hop on over to Emily's Vintage Visions!  She has lots of other posts as well on everything from reenactments to historical stays to... well, she's got a great variety on all things historical and vintage!  Go check it out!

Cute or Crazy?

You know those times when you try something new with your wardrobe, and you stare in the mirror a few times that day trying to figure out whether it's new and innovative or just straight up weird?  This outfit has been one of those for me.

I found this image on Pinterest, and I based this scarf style on the snood diagram on the bottom left:

My scarf is quite a bit larger though, so it's a little different.

But what do you think?  I'm really torn.  Do you think it works as a fun accessory, or is it strange?  Does it even look vintage?  I'm divided.

(And I'm honestly asking for input, so don't worry about hurting my feelings!)

Outfit Details

earrings: Kenya

bangles: gifted

sweater: JC Penny?

jeans: made by me!

shoes: Target kids (last year)

belt: off a Kohl's dress

shirt: Wet Seal?

Love {For a 1940s Dress} Comes Softly

I rounded a corner and discovered this beauty on a coat rack of a couple other older vintage items amongst a myriad of 80s shirts, and it has been a definite evolution of relationship between us.

At first I looked at the fabric and thought "1960s" when I saw the bright colors out of the corner of my eye..... but then the feel of the fabric and shape of the garment definitely suggests rayon and a 1940s silhouette.  But the color combo is eggplant and teal with almost neon fuschia and lime shapes, a pairing that seemed unusual to me for the 1940s.  The matching bolero, too, seemed like it might be reminiscent of the late 40s or early 50s, but the rest of the dress, again, seemed possibly earlier.  Research had to be done.

I first thought the garment weird and thought to myself, "Huh.  This is an ugly dress.  I will sell it; I'm sure somebody will like it."  Then as I studied it a bit more and tried it on, I thought, "Well.... It's not so bad.  I'll alter it to fit me."  And after trying the sized-to-fit dress my response was, "OKAY, this dress is fantastic!!!  Probably one of my favorite things I've ever owned.  Paired with some lime 1950s heels I just got at an estate sale, the entire outfit cost just 12 bucks!  Wooohooo!  (Makes it better, doesn't it?)

Anyone else had love for a clothing item come softly, evolving from apathy or even dislike to completely adored?  Such was the case here.  Lesson learned:  Try things on before judging them completely.

Now that I had determined the dress was fantastic, I did want to find out more about it, especially the fabric.  After closer inspection, I realized it's an India-themed novelty print, complete with elephants and musicians!

I was still curious about whether I was right about my early 1940s guess as to when it was made.  So I did what I usually do when figuring out the years of garments; I looked for similar clothing features on 1940s garments.  Here are some clues I found:

This bolero looks exactly like the one coordinating with the dress, except mine has front pleats instead of darts.

A draped front and bustled dress pattern, with a pointed back seam:

...Which looks a lot like this 1940s vintage dress:

And a very similar skirt style from 1946:

So, even though I couldn't find exact dates from these patterns (I tried, trust me, very difficult), the styling of the illustrations does indicate the 1940s.  Mystery solved!  The fabric does still baffle me because I really can't find anything even remotely similar to it.  The jury is still out on the fabric, but I think the construction, fit, and silhouette definitely point to the 1940s.  Any of you have any guesses as to whether it's an early, mid, or late 1940s garment?  I really can't decide.

Outfit Details:
bakelite and bangles: gifted
dress: flea market
1950s shoes: estate sale
earrings: Claire's and gifted

Spring Break and Amazing Finds Update!

Following the 1940s Working Woman Series, I have been on a bit of a hiatus for a few days while I've been on Spring Break!  I am still on break until Sunday, and I'm spending the week in Michigan with my family, sister, and fiancé at my grandparents' house.  It has been a great time of chilling and relaxing, and we've also done a bit of shopping, too!

My grandma is queen of deals and sales, and she ran across an estate sale of an elderly lady who apparently was near my size and had tiny feet!  The prices were incredible, and we got quite a few items I'll be showing soon!  Then, later that day after eating at a lovely fancy-schmancy tea house, we went to a giant flea market in a neighboring town, and I scored on a few 1940s and 50s dresses for incredible prices!  One of them, the one pictured above, I am especially intrigued by.  I'm hoping to do some research about it and share what I find with all of you soon.

Until I can post more, here are some phone pic sneak peeks to some items I'll be sharing in the days to come!