Several readers have sweetly asked if I know whether my grandmother made up any of these patterns. Sadly, I do not–I don’t have a lot of photos of her, so I can’t dig through the family album and see if she sported any of these in family snapshots! (Though I may have to see if I can find some family photos at some point…) I suspect she did make a few of these; some have fairly obvious pin holes and notations on the pattern instructions.
I’m nearing the end of the pile with this post–I suspect there will only be one more next week. But I hope you enjoy looking through these gems as much as I did preparing this post!
Vogue 1476 – I
adore this dress and jacket ensemble! I really love how unique the empire waist dress is when paired with a jacket that nips in at the waist. This pattern was most likely published in the mid 1960s, and definitely shows that elegant suit look that was so popular during the decade. The pattern calls for heavier, luxurious fabrics like “brocade, damask, taffeta, matelesse”, etc. But I think it would be just as appropriate in a crisp seersucker for a more casual, summertime suit-dress!
McCall 1745 – Another accessories pattern! This style is very indicative of the early to mid 50s: close fitting hat and small, boxy handbag. I just love the brimmed hat–it would look lovely in a low-pile velveteen (the pattern suggests stiff fabrics like felt). Or maybe in a more casual canvas for summer! I’d really like to make this one later in the year…
Vogue 6948 – Another simple, but stylish blouse pattern. I really love classic styles like this–and the back button detail seals the deal for me (though, admittedly it’s a bit annoying to try to fasten by oneself!). I am itching to make this in a lightweight linen or crisp cotton shirting for summertime…
Vogue 8145 – This is a pattern that can be three garments: a coat, robe or dress. Quite a few! I’d love this in a pretty cotton print for a summertime robe, or in a drapey material for the coat dress option. (A style that always intrigues me in theory, but rarely is terribly flattering, since one has to cinch so much material with a belt!) Isn’t the little Peter Pan collar and turned up cuffs so sweet?
Vogue 9508 – This is one of my
favorites, hands down! The ever-popular playsuit (at least having made a revival the past several summers) is always a fun option for the summertime. I really love the plaid illustrated on the envelope–so fun! The waistline of the playsuit actually has an optional drawstring, but if I were to make this, I’d probably opt to add it for much-needed waist definition. The skirt is a separate garment, so you can throw it over the playsuit when you need to dress up a bit more after a day at the beach!
McCalls 2186 – Last, but not least, is this darling children’s pattern. I’ve been amassing quite a tidy little collection of vintage children’s patterns (no, I am not pregnant!) for the future–or to make up for friend’s children. This one jumped out at me because of the cute dress and jacket (a trapeze style–my favorite even in miniature!). The pattern also includes the bonnet. So cute!
This post is part of an ongoing series cataloging a collection of my grandmother’s patterns. To view previous posts, please click here.
February 1, 2012 ·
22 lovely thoughts
posted in vintage inspiration
· tags: 1950s, 1960s, nana's sewing patterns, sewing, vintage inspiration
My apologies for being a bit of a quiet, absent blogger this week… Things have been busy in these parts: first a weekend trip to see my family (including traipsing around one of my favorite old towns in Northern Virginia with my sister in law–despite it having just snowed!), falling down the steps at my parents house (twisting my ankle in the process–ouch!), and then a busy week of various things including getting ready for my sister to visit this weekend. So somehow, it got to be Friday long before I was expecting it–how does that happen? Next Monday I’ll show off the little sewn item I meant to post today (yes, I haven’t gotten the photos yet!). Today I’ll show you some more of those vintage patterns; there are only enough for a couple more posts, but I think each is worth taking a look at for the inspiration!
Vogue 9037 – As hard as I try to like fitted coats, I somehow always end up gravitating towards looser, unfitted styles. THis one really appeals to me–not only does it have that loose fit I love, but the dramatic sleeves are gorgeous! I see this in a Kelly green coat wool…
Vogue 7762 – May I just say I
cannot wait until the weather warms up sufficiently so I can make and wear this top?! I love that it’s the best of both worlds: it looks like a halter style from the front, but has a full back (meaning one could easily wear a racerback bra underneath). I think in a pretty, medium weight linen this would be the perfect top to wear with any summer skirt–and maybe jazz up with a few vintage brooches!
Vogue Couturier Design (number unknown) – This suit is so gorgeous, isn’t it? Simple, but stylish in the way that the late 1950s excelled at. You can see the unfitted, more boxy jacket style that would become
de rigueur in the early to mid 1960s. The pleat back is such a lovely design feature!
Vogue 9429 – You can’t get any more classic than this dress! As a teenager I used to sketch similar frocks and daydream about having a closet full in pretty colors. I still love the style: it’s an easy, flattering-to-most design! Maybe one will join my closet this summer…
Simplicity 4195 – Is this not a sweet accessory pattern? I really want to make the little hat and clutch (in a red stripe–I’m so susceptible to suggestion!) for the spring. Not that I
need any other hats. *ahem* The collars and dickey/vestee are very nice too–I keep thinking I need one of those (dickies, that is) to wear with some of my sweaters to add a different look without the bulk of layering.
Vogue 1310 – *swoon* Is this not a show-stopper dress? Not only does it have an unfitted evening clutch coat (see top pattern comments), but the dress is simply gorgeous. I adore the asymmetrical, dropped waistline. Though I wonder how it would look in reality, since the hips are not the usual point of emphasis for most women (including me).
What details jumped out at you?
This post is part of an ongoing series cataloging a collection of my grandmother’s patterns. To view previous posts, please click here.
January 27, 2012 ·
25 lovely thoughts
posted in vintage inspiration
· tags: 1950s, 1960s, nana's sewing patterns, sewing patterns, vintage inspiration
Ready to see some more vintage lovelies this week? I have been studying these patterns quite a bit lately, concocting ideas for my spring sewing, and I might just be busy making a muslin of one of the patterns I showed last week… hehe! I hope you are as inspired by the silhouettes and details as I am–in some ways there is nothing better than looking through vintage patterns for some great touches to add to your own projects!
Vogue 8476 – I adore this pattern…
in theory. The gathered bodice looks like it could be quite frumpy if it isn’t fitted well, so a muslin would be a must! But still, it would be a perfect summer dress (not that I
need any… three years of Florida living left me with a lot of summer clothes). I just love the bow at the back neckline!
Vogue 4522 – A straighter, less body-skimming suit than what one would typically associate with the 50s, but is lovely nonetheless! I really like it made up in a snappy plaid with the contrast.
Vogue 9378 – Does this dress not make your heart skip a beat? I think it’s the high, bateau front and dipped neckline in back that appeals to me. You could easily swap a less full skirt out too for a more casual, daytime dress…
McCalls 1836 – This is, I think, one of my favorite out of the bunch! This set of collars and cuffs (and token stole–a 50s DIY staple) has instructions for various decorations to be applied. Rhinestones and felt flowers, beads, sequins. I really want to make the View C collar soon!
Vogue 196
– I have a great weakness for super simple, classic styles. This dress and jacket set is just that. I really love the pleated skirt (perhaps a use finally for
this handy gadget I picked up last year?), and this that would make one of those summer dresses I’d want to live in 90% of the summer.
Vogue 1162 – Finally, a grand 1960s ballgown (or cocktail dress) to round out this week’s patterns. I really don’t care for the view with the odd, cut-out sleeves. But those can be left off, and would make a gorgeous gown! (If only one had more reasons to really dress up nowadays!)
This post is part of an ongoing series cataloging a collection of my grandmother’s patterns. To view previous posts, please click here.
January 18, 2012 ·
23 lovely thoughts
posted in vintage inspiration
· tags: 1950s, 1960s, nana's sewing patterns, sewing patterns, vintage inspiration
Dear readers, I think I died and went to vintage pattern heaven in December.
Allow me to explain: when I went to visit my dad’s family for the annual Christmas Eve get-together, my aunts told me they had a box of old patterns for me to rummage through. I hadn’t really thought a lot about it, until Aunt L. took me upstairs after dinner to show me the large box of them–my eyes nearly popped out of my head! I believe they were my grandmothers, which I had suspected might be somewhere in the house (she passed away a number of years ago), as I knew she liked to sew when she was younger. I didn’t take all of them, because one of my cousins still had to go through the box, but I did come away with a fair number! I thought it’d be fun to slowly post them over the coming weeks. The majority are from the 50s to early 60s–and they’re all interesting looks at both fashion and home sewing pattern history.
McCall 3824 – This has to be my favorite out of the bunch–I keep thinking it’d look equally smashing in a gray, tweedy wool or ruby red. The sleeve construction is my favorite detail: the side panels help form part of the sleeve, and the sleeves themselves are part of the center front panel. Neat!
Simplicity 4538 – Isn’t this a neat pattern? I always love pieces like this that use minimal seaming and pieces. It is just a simple wrap and has instructions on the
back for how to put it on. Though I think if I made it I’d probably add a hook and eye at the waist so it stayed closed…
Vogue 1449 – There were a number of Vogue designer pattern (both Couture and Vogue’s own label) from the 50s through the mid 60s. Hooray! I absolutely love these, and a couple actually match those in a mid 60s Vogue counter book I inherited after my grandmother passed away. This dress is so elegant–the draped bow is a gorgeous detail that doesn’t come across as too “cute”. I’d love to make this dress one day!
Vogue 9940 – The floral version of this pattern with the pink jacket really caught my eye! Though I don’t think I’d opt for a ditsy floral and pink, it’s a crisp springtime look that could be paired just as well with cardigans and a variety of shoes (just my kind of dress).
Vogue 5753 – Lately I’ve been drawn more towards styles that have raised waistlines. I don’t know why (no–don’t take this as a hint! lol.), but I think after years of emphasizing my waist, the idea of not putting such a focus on it appeals. The angled waistband, in my experience, is a really flattering line too. Would look beautiful in a crisp linen or tropical wool!
Better yet? I’ve discovered some notes on some of the sewing instructions! I always love finding things like that, since I tend to jot down things as I sew a pattern for future reference. Who knows? Maybe in 50 years someone will go through my patterns and find notes I made now…
P.S. Thank you all for your sweet words on my 2011 sewing retrospective post! I’ll share that final skirt on Friday…
January 11, 2012 ·
58 lovely thoughts
posted in vintage inspiration
· tags: 1950s, 1960s, nana's sewing patterns, sewing patterns, vintage inspiration
For some reason, this post is exceedingly difficult to write. Not because I don’t have anything to say, but crafting an enticing opening paragraph around what is essentially a very simple piece is proving to be frustrating. So I’m just going to introduce you two:
Polka dot top, this it the blog.
Blog, this is the polka dot top I made a couple weekends ago.
Whew—easy, right? If you follow the Elegant Musings Facebook, you may have seen me post about this 1950s midriff top pattern back in May. As soon as I spotted it, I knew it’d be perfect to add to my little stash of 40s midriff tops (which I wear a lot in July and August), and it looked like a great stash busting pattern to boot. (A great way to use up this polka dot cotton I’d had in my stash for years.) It ended up taking me much longer to make the pattern than I had intended, but I finally got it done in about an evening and early morning of sewing.
I did make a muslin of this top, which was an excellent move on my part. (Sometimes on “simple” pieces I just make adjustments and fit as I sew the garment.) I ended up taking in the side seams and shortening the halter 2” to fit properly.
the original pattern illustration.
You may also notice that it’s missing the button back that the pattern illustration shows—this was intentional. As soon as I saw Gertie’s tutorial on adding shirring to a bodice, I thought it would be an excellent pairing with this top. During the summer I have a tendency to swell a bit due to the heat and amount of water I drink, so wearing something that gives and expands a bit throughout the day is preferable. To adapt this pattern, I drafted a new back piece that was an even width across the width and followed the angle of the side seams of the original piece. Rather than line the piece (as the pattern indicates), I hemmed the top and bottom edges and added the shirring, then sewed it to the side seams.
The front section is lined. To do this with minimal fuss and working around the unlined back piece, I sewed the front to the back piece (after sewing the darts and center front seam), and then attached the finished halter to the top edge. The front lining was then stitched to the top edge, clipped, turned and top stitched. The sides and lower edges were turned along the seam lines, pinned to the front piece side seams and bottom edge, and topstitched. Easy!
more photos here.
I wore this piece for the first time on the Fourth of July, and have worn it quite a bit since. The only change I’d make in the future is to add more ease to the back piece. I went by Gertie’s estimates and added a total of about 4-4 1/2” extra to the back piece. I didn’t want to add too much so the top would be loose, but it needed enough to be able to slip over my head. I think it could safely use another 2” for to make putting it on a bit less cumbersome.
Pattern: 1950s midriff halter top, available as a PDF here.
Fabric: medium weight cotton polka dot (less than the pattern called for; I added a solid lining).
Pattern Adjustments: took in the side seams, shortened the halter, and converted the back piece to allow for shirring.
Techniques: shirring tutorial from Gertie (see posts #1, #2, and #3).
What have you been sewing lately?
July 13, 2011 ·
46 lovely thoughts
posted in sewing
· tags: 1950s, 2011 sewing, sewing
