Thursday 14 February 2013

Project 1 - Pink Ribbon Dress

MY FIRST PROJECT:



Dress will be the one with ribbons. Dress is pink cotton with a pink ribbon. I am making this as it will still look modern and not too out of place. A "first start".

SECOND PROJECT:


This dress is a black with small pink flowers. It is very slippery, will hang nice, but a bugger to sew. Silly me... Complicated pattern and i choose difficult fabric too... "baste...baste...baste..."

THE FABRICS:

Here are the fabrics underneath their respective patterns.
My 1940's dresses and their fabrics

Close up of fabrics

Close up of fabric
I'm sure that as i go along i will get more authentic and know what will look good and not. For the moment these are my first projects. Will see how we go.


Sarah

10 comments:

  1. Oh this project sounds really exciting and what a great start your planning! I love both the patterns you have chosen and the fabric choices look perfect! Good Luck with it all x

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    1. Thanks Wendy. In particular the pink ribbon dress fabric feels beautiful. Can't wait to wear it. I think i will need to line the bodice however so need to work out a way to do that. Either that or make another slip.

      Lots to do.

      Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend!

      Sarah

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  2. What a great challenge! Love to see what your going to make!

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    1. Hi Anthea,

      I'm hoping my other patterns arrive during the challenge as well. I bought quite a few from etsy. Hopefully they do and i can manage another one (or two ) dresses during the challenge. We will see.

      Thanks for stopping by the blog, sending creative vibes your way!

      Sarah

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  3. I have often wished we still lived in the times of women in dresses and hats. I love vintage designs and own quite a few patterns myself. These patterns can be quite tricky to sew together, techniques were very different. I have made several vintage dresses myself and often tweek the construction a bit and always measure pattern for size. Bodies of today are shaped differently and we do not wear the corsets of yesterday nipping in our waist. Lining the top of your dress is easy. Cut lining as you do the top and treat both lining and fabric as one basting these together. I only offer this advice because I want to know more about you and what your skills are in constructing garments. Good luck! I look forward to this journey of yours. A tailor and garment maker of 32 years.

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    1. I guess each time has it's benefits and disadvantages, but i do rather wish i had a time machine.

      I'm inexperienced with sewing... but i am good at working things out. Hopefully i will be able to unravel the patterns. I have made many Renaissance/medieval dresses for which i have made the patterns, so hopefully minor changes i will manage.

      Lining, yep just cutting the same as the pattern. Although i have learnt from experience that if you sew this into the skirt at the hem, it can make the dress very stiff and stick out. I did that to a modern pattern i made.

      anyway, i'm really looking forward to the experiment. I hope it works. Can't wait!

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  4. Both of those fabrics are so immensely pretty. No pattern makes me swoon quite like a gorgeous, feminine floral - especially a vintage or vintage appropriate one.

    Thank you very much for your lovely blog comment today, Sarah. It's wonderful to "meet" you.

    ♥ Jessica

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  5. Thank you, I love both fabrics so much :-)

    I'm glad that there are some fantastic people and blogs that are all about the beauty of yesteryear. Nice to 'meet' you too. Happy blogging and happy sewing!

    Sarah

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  6. Someone asked 'which of the 1940's styles you will follow?'
    I just thought I'd offer an unsolicited bit of advice, only an opinion.
    1939 gave us some of the most beautiful evening wear, and leisure wear clothing EVER!!!
    By 1943, daytime clothing, and career clothing was at the top of it's game. Almost anything from 1943-45 is still great design. 1947-esque feminine fashion, once again, offered soft, round, and lovely, dress-up clothing. It all depends on what sort of life you lead. Student? Career woman? Stay at home wife and/or mother? Retired? Volunteer? Active or bookish? We are each so many different women in the course of any week of our lives. I think you've chosen well.

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    1. Hi Gail,

      Thanks for stopping by the blog. I am a nurse in "work" time and at home with Husband for the rest. All these glorious clothes makes me want to be a receptionist somewhere so i can show them off!! But i love the nursing. At least my nursing uniform is an old fashioned shirt waist-ed dress.

      I think as for the particular years, i will just try as many as i can. I'm sure i will find something that 'suits' me best. Then i can try a different dress and year for each occasion!

      Mostly i want dresses for around the house (and therefore Aprons) and a couple of "going out dresses" for friends visits and shopping trips.

      Thanks again for stopping by, I love finding people that love the style from these times.

      Regards

      Sarah

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Hi Everyone,

Thanks for stopping by. Leave a message:-)

Sarah