Best Christmas Ever!

Why the best Christmas?  Because of this!!!

EEEEEEEK!  Someone actually wants to marry me!  Heehee!  My lovely boyfriend, now fiancée proposed to me Christmas day after a huge dinner at my parents.  It was nerve racking for him, heart racing for me and  surprising for my family.  He gave me the most beautiful ring which was his great-grandmothers from 1920 and I just can't believe how 'me' it is!

So I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as mine has been the best ever!

Cardiff Trip Purchases

On my lovely week off before the start of the Christmas rush at work, I went on a trip to Cardiff with my lovely friend Kylie.  We went to the Creative Stitches show as it was far nearer to me then the Sewing for Pleasure show that we normally go to in Birmingham.  Unfortunately it wasn't nearly as good.  There were a lot of card making stalls and some really random ones selling cheese and nuts but I did find something to spend my money on.

Iron on appliqués

Aren't these cute?  I could have bought so many more of them! They have a website too called Patsy May but they don't seem to have all the designs on there so far.  I am hoping they add them soon as I can see that I am going to want more.

Next we went on the search for vintage shops in the town and after seeing a few which were not quite what we were looking for we stumbled upon the wonderful Vintage Affair.  They don't seem to have a website but the link is to the facebook page.  The shop is amazing, it is a complete treasure trove of goodies with everything downstairs dating up to the 1950's and upstairs is '60's to modern day.  I totally love this shop and spent an hour and a half in there just looking at the clothing and sewing patterns and trim.  I tried on the most fantastic lacey wedding dress which was far too small but I am in love with it.

I bought a couple of bits:

Vintage pin

Plastic fruit possibly for jewellery or sweater clips

Beautiful aged lace trim

Black lace trim

How beautiful is this trim?  One triangle of it could jazz a top up so much!  The lady in the shop believes it is actually Victorian.  I can't believe it, actual Victorian trim and it was really reasonable priced too.  They have lots of different vintage trims from different eras and all really well priced.

Vintage Vogue Re-issue Summer Dress - Work in Progress 3

It has been a hectic week but finally I am posting last weekends progress. 

 

Back bodice

Then I sewed the bodice pieces together and the lining pieces so I had 2 versions of the bodice.  Next is wear it became a bit more complicated.  The pattern did not include a full lining so I had to make up my own instructions.  I stitched the lining around the neckline and down the sides which make up the front of the dress where the buttons close.

Inside of bodice

Well it is working so far, then came the bodging bit.  What I should have done (in hindsight) is when cutting the fabric originally I should have left off the facing section of fabric on each side of the bodice (the part folded over in the pictures.)  As I am lining it the need for the facing was removed but I didn't think about this then.  I could still have adjusted it now by cutting off the extra fabric but I quite liked the idea of the patterned fabric being on the inside so that if the dress gapes at all then you will only see fabric and not my cream lining so I have kept it.

Inside of buttonholes

I decided to keep the folded in facing which I have hemmed and I cut down the lining to prevent it for becoming too bulky.  I then hand stitched the top and side of the facing to the lining to keep it in place and to hide the stitching.  I don't mind a bit of hand stitching but I don't tend to do it on clothing so this is quite different for me and I just hope it holds.  On the opposite side I have left the facing without folding it back so that it will extend longer behind the bodice.  I am hoping this will mean that if the dress gaps open at the buttons you will just see more floral fabric rather than my bra!  I know other people have had this problem looking at pattern reviews.

Front of bodice

A lot of pressing with my trusty steam iron has helped the shape of the bodice to come through and to reduce the bulk.  It always amazes me how different a project can look with a good ironing.

Bodice Front

So this is where I have got to so far.  The pattern instructions suggest sewing the shoulder straps now but I am thinking I should wait until the skirt is attached to see where it falls and how much the weight of the skirt pulls the straps down.  The straps are slightly off the shoulder and they need to be sewn in just the right place to stop them from falling off all the time.  Hopefully I can do this.

Back bodice

Vintage Vogue Re-issue Summer Dress - Work in Progress

I started this project quite a while ago but other things have cropped up and it is not going very quickly.  Hopefully posting it on here, combined with my week off will give me a bit of a kick up the bum.  I got this lovely re-issue of a 1954 Vogue pattern in the Daily Mail giveaway last year, for just the price of the postage.  Bargain!

Vogue V2960

This pattern does scare me a bit, it has bound buttonholes which I have never done but I am going to attempt. (If they go wrong they will end up as just machined button holes, I warn you now!)  I am using the lovely floral fabric I bought at Sewing for Pleasure which is fairly see through so it is going to be fully lined.

The dress instructions do not include a lining so I am just winging that bit but I know the theory of how it should work.  I think I will line it and then add the floral facings over the top but I hope this doesn't make the top section too bulky.  I have made some changes to the pattern, but I can't entirely remember what they are!
I know I took a bit of fabric off the arm hole as these always seem to be too tight on me lately.  I *think* I took a bit off the length of the torso piece to make it sit at my waist better.

So far I have cut my fabric and lining but that is where construction ends.  I will have to gee myself up to carry on as in my mind those button holes are a bit of a hurdle.  I did get these really cute buttons in a contrasting colour to go down the front.  I figure if I am going to have buttons all down it then I want them to stand out.

Buttons Galore!

For the past week or so I have been slowly sorting out my HUGE button collection!  I inherited the majority from my gran when she passes away, she had two big tins full of buttons and used to make her own clothes and clothes for my mum and aunt as well.  The more '80's style ones are from my nan who also had a small selection and some are from a random ebay purchase from which I used the nautical buttons for a costume.

This tin has my gran's name etched in the top 'Edna's Tin' and very faintly it has my grandad's on the bottom 'Ray.'  I think this is really sweet, especially as I don't really remember my grandad, he died when I was very young.

The majority of the buttons are vintage and pretty old, I especially love the mother of pearl and the glass patterned buttons that are really lovely, if a bit chipped.

Some of the buttons had clearly been cut off clothing and still had pieces of some very retro 1970's fabric and some gingham that reminded me of school uniforms.

I have been sorting them into ones, twos, threes and then anything bigger.  I am planning on selling some and keeping some, the larger amounts I will pop on ebay as they have sold pretty well fr me on there is the past.  The pile in the middle is all I have left to sort.  I say all but that is a fair size coffee tab;e and its nearly covered!  I will do another post with some of my favourite ones, there are some really pretty black anchors that might just be jet but I am not sure.

Sewing for Pleasure 2011-Underwear through the ages

My second Sewing for Pleasure post is all about undies!  There a was lovely and slightly overlooked display of underwear from the 1800's until modern day which was one of the attractions for me this year.  I love period clothing and seeing how underwear shaped over clothes is important to get the right look.  They are a mix of reproduction and original underwear, the displays didn't say which were which but I think it was fairly easy to tell.

Early 1800s

This shows all the different layers of underwear, corsets, hoops, petticoats and shifts.

Bustle skirt hoop

Gorgeous black and gold corset with decorative and practical stitching

Late 1800/Early 1900

Long corset with suspenders

'Bust smoother' to reduce unsightly lumps and bumps!

1920's

Less structured for wearing under flapper dresses

1930's

First bras and 2 piece underwear

Child's underwear

1940's

Still constricting but keeps the stomach and thighs smooth and reduced

1950's

 

With a poofy petticoat

Blow up bra!!!

Mini underwear for shop displays

1970

Pretty prints, knickers and negligees

1980s

Look at that all in one!

Dress made from bras for charity

Really lovely garments I think you will agree!

My 1980's Vintage Patterns

On to my 1980's pattern post!  I won't post any of the modern patterns that I have that you can still buy in the shops and online as I don't really feel then need but it is nice to share these.

 1980

Style 3223

From my grans stash, I really like the pussy bow middle dress and I reckon this one could look pretty fashionable once it is made up.  I love how trends come around again.

1980

Simplicity 9497

This was my Mum's pattern, it looks as though she has made it in the past but I know she doesn't have the dress now if she did.  This is a bit shapeless for me so I'm not sure this one will get made up.

1980

Style 2949

The second view has really interesting sleeves and neckline which I think could look pretty good made up.

This is my total guilty pleasure pattern,  I bought it purely because of the subject matter, it actually looks pretty rubbish in the made up picture on the back but I am convinced I could make a good go of it.  Not that I have yet but we will see.  

1985

Butterick 3214

TA DA!!  What is not to love?  If you don't know already I have a My Little Pony addiction and basically I have to have anything the is original eighties MLP.  I don't want any modern rubbish mind, I like the old ones.  There is another 3 patterns I believe out there, and I desperately want them.  I will track them down and buy them!!!  (Scary rant over.)

Next post I am hoping to have a before and after of my sewing room, though I am feeling quite ashamed at showing the before!

My 1970's Vintage Patterns

Continuing my previous post, here are my seventies patterns!  I shall have to collect some sixties ones as I don't have any yet.

1972

Silver Needles 56

This is the second pattern I won in a giveaway, I really like the shape of this shirt dress, it is tailored and fitted which is something I like in clothing and has a lovely collar and puffy sleeves.  

1973

Simplicity 5296

This was an ebay purchase as I just loved the 2 shorter length dresses.  The longer one makes me giggle as it is so seventies in print and fashion ans I can't ever see myself making that one!  I have some lovely turquiose and gold trim which I bought at last years Sewing for Pleasure which I want to use on the middle dress, possibly with turquoise or pale pink or chocolate brown silk.  I haven't decided yet and this on has long been in the daydreaming in my head stages.

1975

Style 1195

This was a gift from my craft and vintage loveing friend Kylie who found it in a charity shop.  It used to be really easy to find patterns in charity shops but it seems to be getting more and more difficult now.  I am really glad she picked it up as it is very me.  I love the little red dress with puff sleeves and I have some ditsy floral print which I plan to use to make this dress, again only in the planning stages.

1975

Style 1128

Thes rest of the patterns in the post were all from my grans pattern stash, most of which have been used.  I got these when we were clearing the house after she passed away as no one else in the family would want them and I was allowed free range through her sewing supplies.  She was a great inspiration to me and got me interested in cross stitch as a little girl.  These were patterns she made for herself and the later ones were possibly for my mum and aunt too.  These are pretty sentimental to me, especially as we found some old black and white pictures of my gran obviously wearing many of her homemade creations around the time she would have got married.  They are not my usual style but I will be hanging on to them anyway, just because they came from her.

1976

Style 1705

I don't really wear long skirts as I am fairly short and I think they tend to make me look shorter but I quite like the mid-lenght ones on here.  I think I would make them above the knee though as it is more flattering.

1976

Style 1659

This is quite simular but I just love the pocket details, big square or curved ones.

1977

Simplicity 7952

This has quite a nice little neckline but I don't know why she is nuzzling a kitten in the picture!

1978

Style 2537

This pattern makes me giggle a little, the smock style on the left is very unflattering and the model in shirt dress on the right looks like Princess Di!

That's it for my 1970's patterns for now!  I have been ebaying today though so I expect I will have new patterns to show you soon.