90s Muumuu to 40s Playsuit

I picked up this beauty in a thrift store while looking for hideous clothing to upcycle into some vintage style shorts.  While I do generally believe that vintage should be preserved for future generations, I drew the line at this horrific corduroy, button-up muumuu.  NO ONE should ever wear this again.  Its empire-waisted, giant armhole, maxi length style should not be saved for future generations. In fact, we should hide the fact that it existed from future generations.

SO…. I turned it into this vintage style set!

I used a 1960s shorts pattern to make the bottoms, and I just altered the existing bodice of the muumuu into the top of the set.  I brought it up at the shoulders to make up for the ginormous arm holes hemmed the bottom.

I also made a matching headscarf from the scraps, but…. apparently I forgot about that when I was packing for my trip.  Instead, I wore this fabulous 1930s Egyptian-themed scarf I just bought!  I ADORE it, and I'll have to make sure to take some pictures of it all unfolded for you guys soon.  I'm very excited about it.

I also forgot to snap the bottom snap in this photo… Oh well. My photo shoots aren't perfect!

How to Embroider Lazy Daisies

While we're talking about identity blooming this month, I thought I'd show you how to embroider some actual blooms!  Today I'm going to embroider a lazy daisy, and I'll have a couple other types of flowers later this month!  You're going to have an amazing embroidery flower repertoire.

I love embroidery because it's an easy way to add a unique, handmade touch to anything.  Necklines, pockets, pillows, curtains, the possibilities are endless!  You could even do these on paper for scrapbooking… Seriously, endless possibilities.

A lazy daisy is one of the easiest kinds of embroidery flowers (hence the name!), and I have used it on a few of my own projects like my velvet robe.  Let me know if you have any questions or encounter any difficulties, and I'll be glad to help!

You will need:

- a pencil

- embroidery floss

- a needle

- embroidery hoop (to keep stitches tight and the fabric flat)

- something to embroider

Thread your needle with embroidery floss.  For a thicker flower, fold the floss in two and knot the ends.  For a daintier look, just knot one end and keep the other through the needle far enough that it won’t come out while sewing, or use only a couple pieces of floss.

Next, draw six dots: one in the middle with five surrounding it, as if you were drawing dots on the corners of a pentagon.  The center dot will be the center of the flower, and the other dots will be the tops of the petals.   Put your fabric in an embroidery hoop.

Draw your needle up near the center dot, and put it back through the fabric nearby, back into the center dot.  Leave enough embroidery floss to make a loop to the top of a petal dot, and hold it down with your thumb so it doesn't go anywhere.

Next, go up through the petal dot and through the first floss loop.  Put the needle down very closely to where you just drew it up, and pull it tight.  The loop should now be secured down.  

Move back to the center dot and repeat this for the other four petals.  Knot the end, and you’re done!

(Sidebar tip: This one is best done for smaller flowers less than 2 inches across because of the way the petal shapes are made.  They make for lovely neckline trims, pocket details, and even fabric-covered button accents!)

Have you ever embroidered lazy daisies on anything?  Did you try this out for the first time?  How did it go?

Monthly Theme: Let Identity Bloom

I love this time of year after a cold winter, all the flowers blooming and trees greening up. It seems like I can't be outside enough!  I blog on the porch, eat on the porch, knit on the porch, all things on the porch that I can manage!  (It also helps me not have to stare at our messy house while we pack to move!) 

There are two beautiful trees that I walk past everyday when I go home from work.  I have no idea what kind they are, but their vibrant pink and purple flowers are such a welcome sight after the bare branches of winter.  It makes me think about changing life seasons, about how different I am now than I was five, three, or even just one year ago.  It was only one year ago that I graduated college and got married, but it feels like I've grown exponentially as a person since then!

Now when I was a kid, my mother had me sign a contract (I'm pretty sure it was on a napkin) that stated she warned me that I would probably regret going out wearing far-too-large-for-me, rolled-up-at-the-waist, bright yellow, hugely baggy pants with a tank top that had fruit on it and a Rastafarian-type hat. She had me sign a napkin releasing her of the liability that would inevitably be placed on her when I saw the pictures of myself in later years, exclaiming, "Mother, why did you let me go out like that?!"

And you know what?  That WAS the dumbest thing to wear.  Ever.  Even worse than the homemade Altoid tin utility belts. I totally agree that it was hideous.  However, my mom let me do it.  And somehow the boldness to wear huge yellow pants has morphed over the years into the boldness to wear bright vintage hats, to live in other countries, to marry a military man.  I'm not a different person; I've just found better, less confused ways to express who I am and channeled that independent spirit for good causes.

This month we're talking about things that shape our identities and about allowing ourselves to explore different and possibly more accurate ways to express ourselves. There will be some controversial posts, some great discussions, and I hope that we will learn a bit more of how to accept who we are and love those around us, even if they're different!

Basics Solution

After MUCH pondering (yes, STILL pondering), I think I may have a good, attainable solution to my wardrobe crisis.  FOR REAL THIS TIME.

First, I thought, "Capsule wardrobe. That will make all of my vintage clothing mix and match and be awesome."

But really.... do "vintage" and "capsule wardrobe" ever belong in the same sentence?  Be real.  No.

So my next thought was, "I want a harder edge and more matchability, so I'll just have most of my wardrobe be neutral colors like black, brown, and gray.  Classic, right?"

And alas... I. Can't. Not. Wear. Color.  I like gaudy things.  It just wouldn't work for me.

My thought now, the one that I think will do it, is to build up my solid basics.  I can still sew lots of dresses and have fun, colorful prints, but having solid-colored basics will make all of those things far more wearable for me than they are now.  My non-practical self hates to spend money, especially a lot of money, on a "boring," single-color garment with no pizzazz... but turns out they're REALLY necessary!  They're not so boring to me now!

I've also found that my red dress, blue suit, and tan sweater are some of my most-worn items because they go with so many things.  Major facepalm.  OF COURSE solid colors are versatile.  Why didn't I connect the dots before?!

Now that I understand what the problem is, I can start adding solid colored basics to my wardrobe!  I already have a white 1940s blouse, brown pants, and brown suit, so it's time to fill in the gaps!  Here are items on my wishlist:

A navy 1930s style skirt
This classic skirt from The Gold Hatted Lovers is exactly what I'm looking for. Extremely simple, versatile, viscose-y magic!  AND they come in my size!  Wooohooo!  I would take a similar skirt in gray, too.

Gray 30s/40s wool gabardine wide-leg trousers
Yes, that is very specific, but wool gabardine is just the best for trousers and skirts, in my opinion, and that's what I want!  These trousers from Puttin' on the Ritz would do nicely!  I also adore the fact that they make these according to your measurements. I'm very curious to buy a pair and see how that goes sometime!  Anyone tried them out?

A 1920s look
Preferably still in a solid color for versatility, I really want to try this decade out! I drool over it often in photos, and I think I might just be able to rock it!  This suit from Revamp Vintage is pretty fantastic, and I like the option of wearing the pieces separately, too.

A 1930s dress
I tried to find another example, but let's just be real, I want Lily's dress.  (She blogs at Mode de Lis, go follow her and her sewing fabulousness!)  It's just perfect. A solid color makes it easy to mix-and-match, and it's an office-appropriate easy outfit. I may not be able to recreate Lily's dress, but I will try to incorporate awesome details and seaming like she did!

A gray 1940s skirt
Classic. Mix and match easiness. 'Nuff said.  I liked this skirt with a drape detail from Olga Johnson Etsy shop.

An early 1930s suit
I wasn't able to find a reproduction version of this (if anyone knows of one, tell me!), but I'd like one like the one below, and I'd like it in.... gasp.... GREEN.  I'm currently knitting a 30s sweater that is white and green, and I keep envisioning how fantastic it would look with a full suit!  (This photo is from Glamourdaze.)  OH OH, with a matching hat!

A brown 1940s suit
This suit from Heyday is fantastic!  I have a brown suit, but it's actually made of a sundress under a jacket, so I'd like to get a skirt and jacket combo. I work in an office, and I just need more business-appropriate options.  Plus I just plain ol' love suits!

I could really make this list so much longer.  I feel like one can never have too many solids; they go with everything!

Have you gotten anything from any of the reproduction brands above?  How did the garment work for you?  Are there any solids you need to add to your wardrobe?

None of the companies I've highlighted above have compensated me in any way for this highlight.  I just like their stuff!  But if anyone happens to want to collaborate.... let's talk.

Sunkissed Sweetheart

This is the last day of my vacation in Florida!  (Sniff sniff.)  Many thanks to Harlow and the Boyer Sisters for helping me out with some guest posts!  They were fantastic, and I hugely appreciate them!

So this time in Florida has been exactly what I needed.  My husband and I drove down and stayed at our best friends' house, and it has been so nice to hang out with them again!  We haven't seen them in a while, and it's always nice to catch up with old friends.  They are ridiculously hospitable and showed us around their area and helped us learn how to eat seafood… 'cuz my landlocked Missouri self had no idea how to shell anything.  But now I do!

In preparation for this trip, I've been "destination sewing" some beach clothing.  Having won a photo contest over at Wearing History helped immensely in these sewing efforts!  One of the first things I bought with the gift voucher I won was the Sunkissed Sweetheart e-pattern.  These 1940s sarong separates have been on my mind for months, but I just couldn't justify buying the pattern.  Where would I wear it in Missouri?  It just doesn't quite fit as well in Missouri, tropical separates.  However, with a beach trip I finally had the place to wear them, and I got to work!  I used it as a swimsuit cover up in these photos at the beach.

A while back I bought this 1940s rayon with the most FANTASTIC print!  It's Middle Eastern-inspired and features Aladdin-like scenes and belly dancers!  Oh the surrealist scandal!  It seemed perfect for this pattern because the drape of the rayon would work beautifully, and the crop top, bare midriff coordinated well with a belly dancing themed fabric!

So here are the details about this pattern and how it turned out for me:
(There's a summarized version at the bottom if you'd like to skip to that!)

Skills You Need to Know Before You Start

• Bias tape hem - You MUST know how to hem with bias tape.  Every single edge on both of these pieces is finished this way.  There are no facings; it's all 'bout dat bias tape!
• Darts - There are two darts at the back of the tie blouse, so you need to be familiar with these!

Fit and Ease of the Pattern

After printing out the pattern (there are a LOT of pages to this one!), I decided to cut out the smallest size on both the top and the wrap skirt.  My hip size is a bit bigger than the smallest skirt size, but I figured the wrap shape would be forgiving.  (I really don't like altering patterns unless I have to, and the waist measurement was good on the smallest size.)  This seemed to work out just fine for me!  The skirt has a pretty big, luxurious sweep!

I have a 32" bust and narrow shoulders, and the smallest sized crop top fit me perfectly.  The arm holes and sleeve openings were also perfect on me, so I would suggest that more average-sized people double check these measurements before cutting out the pattern.  They may need to be increased a bit for a comfortable fit.

Things I Changed

• Skirt length - I took off a lot of length.  I'm only 5' tall, geez!  
• Double layered - I mounted the rayon on a quilting cotton on both the blouse and the top part of the skirt (down to the hip apex).  This helped make the sheer white rayon a bit more modest on top for everyday wear and make the tie and waist more sturdy on the skirt.  Tying a knot can stress fabric, and since the rayon is old and very thin, I wanted to give it a bit of extra strength.

Unclear and Tricky Things

• I was a bit nervous about the curved details on all three pieces that have gathers on them as well.  Beautifully 40s, but I had never done such things before!  I followed the instructions very closely, however, and they turned out well!  
• The sarong skirt also has a tie on the underside opposite of the outer knot to keep all the layers situated.  I like that a lot!
• I found the blouse a little tricky to hem with bias tape around the gathers.  There is a sharp angle there which, in combination with the extra fabric, was a bit tricky for me to get finished in a pretty way.  It turned out alright, I think, but that corner is tricky to get it all to lay right.
• I machine sewed the bias tape around the edges of both pieces then turned the tape to the underside and hand sewed it down for an invisible hem.  This isn't difficult, but there is a LOT of edge length on these pieces, especially the skirt!  It's  just tedious work, so be prepared if you choose to finish that way.

'Murica.

Moments of Pride in This Project

I am proud of all those gather details.  Having never done them before I was unsure I could do it well, especially with slippery rayon, but I think they turned out well!

Moments of... Eh, I'll Do Better Next Time…

I'm not exactly sure how I'll do it next time, but those corners of the bodice where the gathers are on the neckline could just look a bit better.  I think I'll just have to be extremely precise and careful in hemming, more than I was this time, to get it all lined up correctly and have the gathers fall the right way.

Pattern Conclusions

This pattern is great!  Although it has some very unique details and some not-so-common techniques, the instructions explained it all beautifully.  The fit is fantastic and forgiving due to the tying closures, and I love the two skirt length options.  I'll definitely be making more versions of this!  I could see it in other tropical prints, or even gingham and lace for a more country-girl-next-door sort of look.  The pattern also suggest fabrics for an evening version; how incredible would this be in a luxurious fabric with beading?!  Okay… that may be the next version I sew…… 

Also, the pattern pieces fit together perfectly.  You can't have that guarantee with original vintage patterns, so that's a big plus for buying this new Resto-vival version from Wearing History!

Here is a summary of the pattern details and things I changed:

Fabric: 1940s novelty print rayon

Pattern: Wearing History "Sunkissed Sweetheart" 1940s Sarong Separates (blouse and skirt)

Year: early 1940s

Notions: bias tape

How historically accurate is it? Extremely!  New-vintage pattern and fabric and quilting cotton.  Machine sewn and hand sewn, it's very 40s!

Any tricky parts to the pattern?  I talk about this more above, but the corners of the bodice where the gathers are was a bit tricky to hem with bias tape.

Did you change anything?  Yep, shortened the skirt by, like, 10 inches I think.  A lot, anyway.

Time to complete: about 3 long days.  The sewing it together doesn't take that long, but the hand sewing sure did!

First worn: 27 April 2015

Total cost: The fabric was a splurge at about $70, but I have some left over for another project, so I'll say $55 for this project alone. The e-pattern was $16 and I made the bias tape out of a cotton sheet that cost $3 at a thrift store, so about $74 total. That sounds like a lot, but compared to repro or original vintage 40s separates like this, it's a major deal!

Notes: I've gone into great detail above!  This is a fantastic pattern!

Have any of you tried out this pattern or know someone who has?  Please add the link and lets help future sewists have a database of good info and pictures of this pattern!

Guest Post: Chinese Garden of Friendship Outfit

From Emileigh: I am still on vacation this week in Florida, and I'm so happy to have a post from the gorgeous Harlow of Vintage at Heart sharing an outfit with you guys today!

Hello, my name is Harlow and I am honoured to be guest posting for Emileigh on Flashback Summer today! I blog over at Vintage at Heart, and like Emileigh, I am a huge fan of intercultural fashion, so today I am posting about this beautiful quipao-inspired swing dress that I wore on a visit to the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney.

The Garden of Friendship is a little piece of Chinese culture and history wedged amongst Sydney’s high rises and is one of the most beautiful and tranquil places I have ever visited. Modelled on the ornate gardens of the Ming Dynasty, the gardens were designed to celebrate the relationship that Australia has with China.

I was lucky to spend an amazing morning in the gardens admiring everything and watching some very large and lively Koi fish jumping around in the water! I felt that this Trashy Diva dress was perfect to wear for the occasion as it reflects the way different cultures are able to influence each other to create something beautiful.

I love wearing both swing dresses and quipao and this Trashy Diva dress brings together the things that I love most about those designs; the elegant mandarin collar and embroidered chrysanthemum, and a swishy full skirt perfect for twirling and dancing!

From Emileigh again: I adore her look and the way it doesn't copy a qipao but is still inspired by it. It's a beautiful reflection of the Australian-Chinese Garden of Friendship she visited, since it's a mix of both cultures' styles!