Historical Sewing: Victorian Split Drawers

I know what you're thinking.  "Ooo, a post on Victorian split drawers?  How glamorous! How sexy!"

Okay okay, that's probably not what you were thinking.  When I first started pondering my next step in my historical sewing endeavor, I mostly wondered, "Drawers?  How weird. Split drawers? How do those work?  How do those pattern pieces fit together?  This is all weird."

But after a day of drafting the pattern and putting it together (albeit in a roundabout, redo-things-a-couple-times sort of way), I have a pair of drawers suitable for my future 1880s ensemble.  I'm not shooting for 100% historical accuracy in this project simply because I know I'm still in beginner learning stages.  I'm using patterns from a "Fashions of the Gilded Age" book, and there is very little to no instruction on how to put the pieces together.  Thus, I'm mostly relying on pictures of 1880s garments and blog posts from other historical sewists.

I know I didn't do everything right, and I used a zig-zag stitch on the edges. They could also probably stand to be an inch or two longer. Like I said, my goal with this ensemble is mostly to figure out what the heck I'm doing and how pieces fit together.  I can worry about 100% accuracy on the next round.



These drawers are the second piece in my ensemble, and they go under the chemise I made.  I made some changes to the chemise trim to be thinner and more suited to the sleeveless ball gown bodice I am eventually going to put on it.  Not to mention, I found several yards of this blue antique trim in a flea market, and I'm putting it to good use!

Other historical sewists, do these even vaguely resemble Victorian drawers?  Am I on the right track?

Introducing... Clap for that Wrap Style Series!

It must be pretty obvious by now that I love head wraps/ headscarves/ fabric stylishly wound around my head.  It comes from both my love of easy vintage looks and the time I spent in East Africa surrounded by ladies that rocked head wraps for religious, cultural, and style reasons.  I was hooked!

I want to make some space on this blog to showcase and celebrate the head-wrapping creativity of my readers and the vintage community, and I'm calling it the "Clap for that Wrap" series!  I'll be posting every other Wednesday to begin with, and posts will include head wrapping tutorials, style inspiration, history, and tips from various people. 

I'm also going to feature head wrap photos on Wednesdays, and I'd love to share yours!  If you have a head wrap style you're especially proud of, tag it with #FSwrapclap and I may feature it on my personal Twitter and/or Instagram account!

If you would like to be featured in a Clap for that Wrap Wednesday post, feel free to email me with your post idea and a sample picture, and we'll see if we can get you scheduled in!  I can't wait to see the unique wraps you guys wear!

My Instagram: @flashbacksummer
My Twitter: @EmileighRogers

Insta-Giveaway and Sale!

The time has come for me to thin the herd... so I'm having an Insta-giveaway and sale this Friday at 11am CST!

There will be vintage clothing, accessories, sewing patterns, home decor, paper goods, Pyrex, and more!  Here are a few sneak peeks of things that will be available:

I'm also going to give away a bunch of freebies throughout the sale, so even if you're watching your budget these days, it would still benefit you to check in during the sale! 

In order to not clog up everyone's IG feed that follows me on my personal account, I've set up a separate sale account that you can follow: FSsaleIG

So tune in this Friday, and if you'd like me to tag you on Instagram as a reminder an hour before the sale starts, comment below with your IG username and I'll be sure to do that!

1920s Winter Fashion

TODAY WE ARE GETTING THE FIRST SNOW OF WINTER!

Yes, that's right, it has taken until January for Missouri to get a real, sticking snow.  I'm VERY happy about it.  I feel winter is a waste of time if it doesn't snow.  Who likes cold that doesn't provide snow days or outdoor fun? 

Anyway, I also just finished altering this 1920s suit I bought a while ago.  It was my first 1920s piece, and it had been lengthened and widened at some point in the past.  (I believe it was an old alteration, probably done in the 1920s. It kept the boxy 20s silhouette, and the added fabric is extremely close to the original.)  I took out the lengthening panel at the waist to make it short enough for me again, and it now fits!  I feel very Coco Chanel in it, but I obviously need to get myself a long string of pearls to complete the look.

I also felt the need for a hat (hats being a necessary part of 1920s winter fashion and all), but 1920s hats are extremely expensive and hard to come by.  I took a page out of Lauren Stowell's book and re-blocked a hat to make a 1920s cloche.  I don't have a hat block, and I took a very... make-do... questionable route to get to this cloche. (Including putting the hat on my husband's head and steaming it into shape. He's a good husband.)  I reused the embellishments that were on the modern hat and sewed them on.  I think it's pretty good for a first try ever!

I paired the outfit with one of my only longer-length shirts, some thigh-high socks, a "1928" brand brooch from the 1980s, and my 1920s shoes.  I used things I already had in my closet, and I'm proud of that! I'm trying to do less buying and more making-do-and-mending this year.

I'm also proud of how far I've come in my knowledge of vintage styles.  A very long time ago I posted a "1920s photo shoot" post that I now realize.... was very not 1920s. My hair and shoes were close, but the dress wasn't even remotely near an actually 1920s look. Even though it's kind of an embarrassing post, it's nice to have photographic evidence of my vintage knowledge growth in the past couple years!

Outfit details:
1920s suit: Fab Gabs
sweater: Lands' End
hat: me-made
brooch: gifted, "1928" brand
shoes: Decades

What area of your vintage knowledge has grown a lot recently? Is there something you're especially proud of accomplishing or learning?

If you want more 1920s inspiration, here are some things you may like!
Instagram: @greengalosh and @rougeyourknees
Pinterest: my 1920s board

Indian Sari Debut

As some of you know from my previous posts, I'm on the pastoral team at a new intercultural church in my town.  We recently launched, and it's been a fun journey so far!  One of the ways we like to share our cultures with each other is by sharing traditional clothing.  Last week, we lady pastors decided to declare it unofficial Indian sari night!

Happily, we non-Indian ladies were not left on our own to try to figure out how to wrap one.  In case you aren't familiar with the sari (or "saree"), it's a traditional Indian garment that is made of a cropped blouse and a coordinating piece of fabric several meters long that is worn over a skirt and wrapped and pleated around the body in various ways.  It's often richly embellished and made in vibrant colors and patterns.  I agree with Indian aesthetics; more is more!  For my sari, the blouse included was far too big for me.  I made it smaller and removed the sleeves. Sleeveless blouses were a popular 1930s sari trend, so I thought I'd stick with my favorite era here, too!

Me, Anisha, and Saehee (photo credit to Elizabeth)

Anisha, Saehee, and I met early to get our looks put together.  Anisha wore her sari and lent one to Saehee, and I brought a sari my mother bought for me in Thailand.  Mine is what I call a "cheater sari" because the bottom half is pre-sewn into an elastic-waisted skirt!  It saves a BUNCH of time and can feel a bit more secure than the usual wrap-and-pin method most sari-wearers use.  Anisha helped me wrap and pleat the rest of the fabric around my top in a way that is flattering for a shorter person. I didn't have the forethought to bring safety pins, but--as a good vintage wearer--I did happen to have a couple brooches in my purse, and I pulled out this gold leaf one to secure the pleated fabric to my blouse. Vintage to the rescue!

After a recent haircut, my hair is MUCH shorter than I expected. It's still not long enough to pin curl yet, hence the straight, weird 'do.

If you have ever seen someone wearing a sari, you may notice that ours look a little different.  There's very little, if any, midriff showing on each of us, and the sari usually shows a lot more stomach than this.  We covered most of it up.  Being an intercultural church, we have people from... you guessed it... many cultures represented in our group.  With each culture comes a set of expectations and morals relating to modesty, especially modesty in a religious setting like a church.  In India, a sari is considered by many to be one of the most traditional, most conservative/ modest garments a woman can wear. Midriff showing isn't a problem.  

However, in many cultures and Christian backgrounds around the world, a woman showing her stomach, especially in church, is considered disrespectful or distracting.  Do Anisha, Saehee, and I think a woman's stomach showing is inherently sinful?  No, we don't.  However, we're leaders in a group of diverse peoples that we love, many of whom would be offended or at least distracted by us showing our stomachs.  The right to show more midriff in church is not a battle we feel is worth fighting in the grand scheme of things. Out of respect for people that may have been uncomfortable with it, we tweaked and pinned the sari each of us was wearing to cover most of our midriff. We were able to wear a traditional garment in a way that shares Indian culture, fits our church context, and respects the diverse cultures represented in it.

Our church pastoral team (photo credit to Elizabeth)

It is often popular to loudly demand our personal rights or to push the limits of others' expectations, and sometimes it's perfectly appropriate to do so.  However, at other times, laying down our personal rights in an effort to cherish and value others can do far more good.  This is a line that I am learning to distinguish, when to stand up and fight and when to lay down my rights or freedoms for the good of others and our community.  

Have you ever gotten a chance to wear a sari or another piece of Indian clothing?  What was your experience like, and how did others respond?

Have there been times when you put aside your personal preferences or views in order to show respect and value to another person?  How would you gauge when it's appropriate to stand up for your personal rights and when to lay them down for someone else's good?

January Vintage Table Setting

Happy New Year, everyone!  I find January a bit of a tricky time as far as decor goes. Pretty much all home decor is a major, un-festive letdown after a holiday like Christmas. Also, where I live, December and January are really similar weather-wise, and January often even gets more snow than December... so wintery decor is still appropriate, but it can't cross the line into "Christmasy." (You lucky Southern hemisphere people probably don't struggle with any of this.)

My solution to a wintery-but-not-Christmasy table is cozy patterns and pinecones!  I used a classic navy plaid fabric to make these napkins and a table runner. I love navy blue because 1.) It goes with my house colors, and 2.) it's wintery but not a typical Christmas color.  

I took inspiration from a 1936 article I've shared below.  These fringed napkins and table runner are super easy to make, and the "homespun" fabric I chose fringed nicely. If you try this, just be sure to sew exactly parallel to the grain of the fabric on the edges so it fringes properly. A plaid fabric like this makes that really easy because you just have to cut and sew along a stripe.



I cut my napkins to be 14" squares, and I used the rest for a small table runner. My table isn't big, so this smaller center fabric works for my table. You may want to adjust the sizes of these to fit your own table. That's the beauty of making it yourself! You can adjust it as you like!

I paired it all with wooden napkin rings I thrifted, an evergreen arrangement, and some pinecone accessories.  I bought navy wire and wrapped it around the pine cones, then I coiled it into a place card holder. Super easy and super affordable!

When I registered for household things before my wedding, I went with clear dishes because they're so versatile. Clear matches everything!  And as for the silverware, my grandmother found it at an estate sale, and it's a full set from 1937!  It's in great condition and adds some class to everyday eating.

Project Details
fabric: 45" Homespun (navy plaid, and it's on sale online right now!)
pinecones: medium-sized
wire: navy blue craft wire

Do you guys do any wintery decor, or do you just wait until a later date?  If you do decorate, what are some of your go-to winter pieces?  (If you're in the Southern hemisphere, what does your January decor consist of?)

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