Simplicity 8510: The 'Bed of Roses' Lingerie Set

This pattern is a game changer in so many ways-- I can make my own vintage lingerie! YIPPPEEEE!!!  Enter Simplicity 8510, a reissued 1930s lingerie pattern for a bra and french knickers. I just adore the pattern illustration, so decided to give this pattern a go and I am very pleased with how my first me-made vintage lingerie set turned out!

The 1930s bras don't have any underwires--but they are still super comfy.  The pattern itself was very easy to put together. I opted for view B which has the v-shaped shape on the front and the back of the knickers.  I made this from a synthetic dress fabric that is similar to the weight of satin but without the shine.  The bra and facings came together very well except for one thing--the ruching in the centre front! That baby will not go under a sewing foot--that was so difficult to gather through two layers of this fabric! I ended up having to do it by hand with a very sturdy needle (this is where the thimbles actually do come in handy!!!)

This pattern included my other least favourite sewing task--making small straps by turning fabric inside out! That's always a measure of my sheer determination! haha.  But boy, oh boy, I do get a very satisfied feeling when I finally get them turned all the way out!

I'm really so excited at the prospect of making more lingerie from vintage patterns--the possibilities are endless (for example, I really want to make some tartan lingerie)!  And aren't these photos amazing? I worked with Tigz Rice to capture these shots and we found the most amazing flower wall--with the flowers matching almost exactly to the colour of the fabric!  I feel like a proper pinup :) 

What about you? Have you ever tackled sewing lingerie?

Photography: Tigz Rice
MUAH: @misshoneybare

McCall 3560: The 'Birthday Dress'

Here is my first 1940 McCall project of 2014!  Except it's from 1939! SHOCK! HORROR! hahaha.  Yup, this pattern is nestled amongst 1940 McCall patterns but the copyright date is 1939.  This has happened before (but with a pattern that should have been from 1941 according to the pattern number but was copyrighted in 1940).  This was most likely produced at the end of 1939 and then the release was delayed for 1940.  Despite that, it is happily taking a treasured place among my other 1940 McCall Project makes!

Isn't it beautiful?  I just love the simplicity of the bodice and the fullness of the skirt:

This pattern is featured in the February issue of McCall's Magazine:

 

The magazine describes the pattern as such:

A twelve-gore skirt is a thing of beauty and joy for a long time. The yellow dress has this skirt. It hangs slimly in deep deceiving ripples, but when you move it goes into a lively dance. Neck and shoulder pieces in one. No. 3560.

And here is my version:

I made the dress from a brown viscose fabric, which works beautifully with the drape of the twelve-gored skirt!

I've been wanting to get my hair cut for a while now and there is an amazing vintage salon in Edinburgh called Miss DixieBelle.  So, I made an appointment for my birthday (what better way to celebrate than with a little pampering?)  I always get a cut and style (because Ariana, the stylist does so many amazing vintage hairdos)...I simply cannot resist getting it styled!

The salon has a fun retro vibe.  Check out the leopard print cover-up:

Here is the finished style!  Oh how I LOVE it!  I would love to wear my hair like this every day of the week!!

Right, now back to the dress....which features pleated sleeve caps, a stand-up collar and two zippers (one at the neck back and one on the side):

The back of the dress is very simple but elegant. I left the hemline on this dress a bit longer than I normally do because it fit well with the flare in the skirt.

We took these pictures at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.  There's something about these gardens that make them nice all year 'round (even in January!)

I am very happy with my new dress! I think it will be a fantastic wardrobe staple.  I can also have fun adding accessories to get a pop of colour!

Oh, here goes the dress into a lively dance:

Later that evening, David surprised me by inviting some of my best girlfriends over for cake and wine.  Check out the pirate candles:

Such a lovely day, and a great way to ring in another year!

McCall 9777: THE Awards Gown

On Thursday evening, I had the chance to attend the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards Ceremony in London.  It was a swanky, black-tie event and I just barely managed to finish this gown in time!

You may remember, when I first heard that I would be going to the awards ceremony, I held a poll on my blog for which gown I should make.  I had wanted to make a gown from one of my 1940 McCall patterns.  I ended up getting busy at work and waited too long to begin sewing the gown.  When I pulled out the 1940 McCall gown pattern, I realised it would take an astonishing 6 metres of fabric!  Eeps! I knew it would be too much to spend for a gown, since most of the nice dress fabrics are quite expensive here.  Then I remembered about this beautiful blue taffeta fabric I had in my stash that I had bought a couple of years ago from Croft Mill.  I had nearly 4 metres in total and knew it would be perfect for the event.  The question was, which pattern should I sew to go with it?

I went through all my patterns looking for something that would fit and would show off the fabric but also didn't require copious amounts of material.  Most of the patterns were for softer fabrics such as chiffon or crepe. Then I came across McCall 9777 from 1938 which I had picked up for steal on Ebay UK because of the damaged envelope:

At first it's easy to get lost in this gown pattern because there is a lot going on--ruffled dickey, fabulous belt, busy printed fabric…but if you look at the line drawings, you see a very chic halter dress gown.  And I knew it was a match made in heaven!

I made several changes to the original pattern:  The original pattern has a seam down the front which is partially covered by the ruffled dickey.  I decided that I would go sans dickey and instead sew the bodice front on the fold and eliminate the centre front seam altogether.   I also didn't opt to make the belt.

I tried my best to make the intricate embroidered flower detail of the fabric match up while cutting out the material. This was made all the more difficult in that both the skirt pieces are cut on the bias.  I was able to match up part of the design down the centre front and centre back but less so on the side seams.  Because of the bias cut, it gives an unexpected shape to the embroidery-which I really like!

I made the matching short collarless bolero, which cleverly catches the front facing in the shoulder seam..giving the illusion of a collar!

The back of this dress is amazing!  I just love the low-cut scooped out back and how the little bolero completely covers it up.  To give a bit of stability, I interfaced and lined the entire bodice.

The dress closes with a side hand-picked zipper and the halter has two hook and eye closures.  I ended up being able to just barely get enough fabric for the full-length gown and matching bolero.

Oh, did I mention that I ended up sewing up this entire dress (bolero and all) the day before going down to London?  Yup, things have been a bit crazy busy around here lately…I can't believe I got it done in time.  A big thank you to David for helping me hem the dress and for sewing the hook and eye closure at some absurd hour in the morning!!

And the awards ceremony was AMAZING!  There was a reception, followed by a grand dinner, the awards ceremony and the event ended with dancing. phew!

The set-up was very grand…

Javita and I had a great time with the other women who attended the ceremony with us.  Unfortunately, our University didn't win in the category for which we were nominated…but the University did win in another category!  Which was fantastic.

The other exciting bit of the evening was that it was hosted by Sandi Toksvig, a comedian and BBC 4 presenter:

She even came and sat at our table before starting--I was star struck!  It was such a fabulous evening.

Hopefully I can revisit my 1940 gown patterns for a holiday or New Year's Eve dress!

A Vintage Lover's Guide to the Fringe - Part 2

Music:
     Carole Kidd Sings Cole Porter - Carole Kidd with Brian Kellock, piano
     "Scotland's First Lady of Jazz... don't miss this relaxed and intimate evening of great music 
     performed by two great artists." 
     The Brunton * Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA * Aug 10: 19:30 (2hrs) £15.50/£13.50

     Christine Bovill's Piaf - Christine Bovill
     "Grown men wept." - EdinburghFestival.org
     The Famous Spiegeltent * 54 George Street, EH2 2LR * Aug 2-3, 8-11, 21-25: 20:30 (1h)
     £17.00/£15.00

     The Gramaphone Jazz Band's Late Night Speakeasy - The Gramophone Jazz Band
     "...sip classic teacup cocktails and enjoy the live music and 78s from the prohibition era."
     Henry's Cellar Bar * 16a Morrison Street, EH3 8BJ * Aug 6, 8, 13, 15, 20: 23:50 (3h) £8.00/£6.00

     The Genius of Jerome Kern - Ensemble
     "Fife operatic group Ensemble presents a magical evening of Kern... showcasing his most famous
     work, Showboat." 
     St Andrews and St Georges West * 13 George Street, EH2 2PA * Aug 25: 19:30 (2hrs)
     £10.00/£8.00

     The Jive Aces - King of the Swingers Tour - The Jive Aces
     "UK's No. 1 jive band and stars of Britain's Got Talent." 
     Assembly George Square * George Square, EH8 9LH * Aug 12: 18:10 (1hr) £10.00

     John Hunt Four O'Clock Afternoon Blues & Swing -John Hunt & 21st Century Blues Legends
     "Boogie-woogie.   Hunt is a master of the slide guitar." ****(Scotsman)
     The Jazz Bar * 1a Chambers Street, EH1 1HR * Aug 3, 8, 17, 24: 19:00 (1hr)
     £8.00/£7.00

    Little Jazz Bird -Victoria Bennett
     "...Victoria Bennett has a talent for interpretation and a whimsical approach to melody."
     The Jazz Bar * 1a Chambers Street, EH1 1HR * Aug 3-4, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24: 16:00 (1hr)
     Aug 15: 20:30 (1hr)  £6.00/£5.00

     Orkney Jazz at the Guildford - Ken Ramage & Friends10th Annual Jazz Jamboree
     ".New Orleans to Dixie to Swing and more."
     The Guildford Arms * 1 West Register Street, EH2 2AA * Aug 2-14: 21:00 (3hrs)   Free
   
     Peter Straker's Brel - Peter Straker
     "...a barnstorming performance covering the songs and life of [Jacques] Brel." *****(Scotsman)
     Assembly Checkpoint * 3 Bristo Place, EH1 1EY * Aug 1-2: 16:55 (55min) £10.00 Aug 3-6,
     10-11, 16-18, 23-25: 16:55 (55min) £14.00/£13.00 Aug 7-8, 13-15, 15-20, 22-26: 16:55 (55min)
     £13.00/£12.00.    And no, I don't know why the pricing varies so.  I hear he's worth it.
     Aug 15: 20:30 (1hr)  £6.00/£5.00
 
     The Rat Pack - Live - Louis Hartshorn and Brian Hook in association with C
     "...Frank, Sammy, and Dean hit the stage with their 12-piece jazz orchestra."
     C * Chambers Street, EH1 1HR * Aug 2, 12, 19, 20: 19:20 (55min) £10.50/£8.50
     Aug 3, 6, 9, 11, 16-18, 23-26: 19:20 (55min) £12.50/£10.50

     Sing Sing Swing - Swing Sensation & Guests
     "A toe-tapping hour of vocals from the era when big band swing was king..."
     St Andrews and St Georges West * 13 George Street, EH2 2PA * Aug 24: 14:30 (1hr) £9.00/£7.00

Musicals:
     The Ivor Novello Story - (by arrangement with Samuel French, Ltd.)
     "Ivor Novello captured the ease and diffident charm of the world between the wars.  Cairney's 
     script brings this man of the theatre, and  musician of real worth, to life." 
     St Cuthbert's Parish Church * 5 Lothian Road, EH1 2EP * Aug 12-14: 16:30 (2hrs) £12.00/£10.00

      Keep Smiling Through - Claire Evans
     "A nostalgic look back at the 1940s, evoking memories of the dance hall through the well-loved 
     songs of that era." 
     The Space@Symposium Hall * Hill Square, EH8 9 DR * Aug 3: 16:30 (1hr) £11.00/£8.00
     Aug 7, 13, 15, 19, 21: 16:20 (1hr) 

     The Seven Deadly Sins - A Scottish Opera and Company Chordelia Co-production
     "Kurt Weil and Bertolt Brecht's sassy 1930s satire is a remarkable fusion of opera, 
     dance, and theatre.  Sharp and sexy, this award-winning show embodies the glamour, and
     the desperation of the time." 
     Patterson's Land * 37 Holyrood Road EH8 8AQ * Aug 20-22: 20:00 (45min) £12.50/£10.00
     Aug 21, 23: 12:30 (45min)  £12.50/£10.00

     Sinatra: The Final Curtain - Kingdom Theatre Company
     "With live vocals, the crooner sees his former self as he faces the final curtain." 
     Whitespace * 11 Gayfield Square, EH1 3NT * Aug 9-11, 13-18, 20-24: 20:15
     (1hr 15min) £12.50/£10.00
     Aug 21, 23: 12:30 (45min)  £10.50

Theatre:
     Desdemona, a Play About a Hankerchief - 4Theatre Productions
     "A contemporary twist on Shakespeare's Othello.  Set in the Roaring 20s with live music..." 
     Sweet Grassmarket * Apex International Hotel * 31-35 Grassmarket, EH1 2HS *
     Aug 2-11: 16:20 (40min) £8.00/£6.00

      I'll Be Seeing You - Between The Bars
     "A dramatic and poignant insight into life in Cambridge during the Second World War." 
     Paradise in the Vault * 11 Merchant Street, EH1 2QD * Aug 3-4: 17:25 (1hr 20min) £8.00
     Aug 5-11, 13-18, 20-26: 15:55 (1hr 20min)  £8.00

     The Lady Vanishes - Big Spirit Theatre
     "It's 1936 and Iris Henderson wants to get home to England.   The only thing is, the old lady
     who sits opposite has vanished and Iris has to find out where she is!" 
     Paradise in Augustine's * 41 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EL * Aug 20-24: 14:20 (55min) £8.00

     The Lost Gatsby - 8pB Theatre Company
     "In 1926 a silent adaptation of The Great Gatsby was produced by Paramount Pictures, and
     even to this day, all evidence of the production...lost.  Follow 8pB as they delve into the mystery
     of The Lost Gatsby." 
     The Space@Surgeon's Hall * Nicholson Street, EH8 9DW * Aug 12-17: 12:55 (1hr) £8.00/£6.00

     Our Friends, The Enemy - Alex Gwyther
     "Christmas, 1914:  Allied and German soldiers stand opposite one another.  What follows
     are some of the most astounding and undocumented stories of the Great War, told through the 
     eyes of one soldier." 
     The Space@Surgeon's Hall * Nicholson Street, EH8 9DW * Aug 2-3, 5-10, 12-17, 19-24:
     18:05 (50min) £8.00/£7.00

     Tea at Five - Old Joint Stock Theatre Company
     "...Matthew Lombardo's stage adaptation of fiery screen star Katherine Hepburn's memoirs..." 
     The Space@Surgeon's Hall * Nicholson Street, EH8 9DW * Aug 2-3, 5-11, 19-24: 11:05 (50min)
     £7.00/£6.00

A Vintage Lover's Guide to the Fringe Festival

     This year's Fringe Festival began this week; and that means our city's population has more than doubled in size; music, art, and performance rule the days and nights, ending with spectacular midnight fireworks!
     This is by no means an exhaustive list, just a wee sampling of some of the hundreds of events and performances occurring in our city this month.  Click on the links below to find out more about each event.  

Dance: 
     Dance Derby - A Company Chordelia & Scottish Opera Co-production
           "...a jazz ensemble and soprano Nadine Livingston bring the drama of the 1930s dance marathons to life."           
          Patterson's Land * 37 Holyrood, EH8 8AQ * Aug 14-17: 20:00 (1hr) £12.50/£10.00

     Tap Into Health:  Movin' With Melvin - Movin' Melvin Brown
          "...tap, juke dancing, clogging, jazz, swing...tap shoes not required.  Fun for everybody!"
          C * Chambers Street, EH1 1HR * Aug 3-4, 18, 25-26: 11:00 (1hr)  £14.50/£9.50

Events:
     Hendrick's Parlour Bar
     "A swell place to get spifflicated!  Boop-boop-be-doo! Hic!" 
     Hendrick's Carnival of Knowledge * 1 Royal Circus, EH3 6TL * Aug 8-9, 11 (11h) Free

     Tea Dance - Flyright Dance Company w/the Nova Scotia Jazz Band
     We love the Flyright Dance Company - last year we joined them in dancing into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people simultaneously dancing the Foxtrot.  "Micro dance classes, tea/coffee and scone included."  
     The Brunton * Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, EH21 6AA * Aug 10, 24: 14:00 (2hr) £14

      The Loveboat Big Band Summer Love-In - The Loveboat Big Band
      "...a multi-dimensional musical cruise featuring aerialists All or Nothing and the Miss.Fit Sisters, McFall's Chamber, Horndog Brass Band, DJs and surprises galore." 
     Sumerhall * 1 Summerhall, EH9 1QH * Aug 2, 9, 16, 23: 22:30 (4hr 30min) £16.00/14.00

Exhibitions:
     A Patchwork of Leith Memories:  Photos and stories of Leith, Edinburgh 
     "Picturing Leith's Past through a great selection of unpublished photographs and memories."  
     Living Memory Association * 5 Quayside Street, EH6 6EJ * Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00 Free

Music:
     Anything Goes - A Tribute to Cole Porter - Pam Lawson

     "Join Pam and her four-piece band to celebrate Cole Porter's genius." 
     The Outhouse * 12a Broughton Street Lane, EH1 3LY * Aug 19-22, 19:00 (1h) £10.00/£9.00

     Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered - Lorna Reid
     "Lorna Reid and band perform spellbinding songs.  Rogers & Hart, Gershwin to Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell, plus acclaimed originals." 
     The Jazz Bar * 1a Chambers Street, EH1 1HR * Aug 22-23, 19:00 (1h) £8.00/£6.00

     Beyond the Great American Songbook - John Muriello, baritone and David Gompper, piano.
     "...cabaret songs by William Bolcom, Richard Pearson Thomas, and Marc Blitzstein..."
     St Andrews and St Georges West * 13 George Street, EH2 2PA * Aug 7-8, 12:30 (1h) £9.00/£7.00

     Big Band Swing - Jon Ritchie's Swing Sensation Big Band
     Debi and I love the Swing Sensation Big Band.  "If swing's your thing, don't miss it." 
     The Outhouse * 12a Broughton Street Lane, EH1 3LY * Aug 19-22, 19:00 (1h) £10.00/£9.00

More music and events to be posted tomorrow.   If you're here in Edinburgh, enjoy the Fringe! 

My Marlene Suit

This is my best Marlene Dietrich pose.  Though nobody makes looking serious and stern look as glamorous as Marlene:

 Photo from a great Quality Time post on vintage trousers

I shared a couple of weeks ago that I've been inspired to make up a suit inspired by Marlene Dietrich for the Sew Cinematic challenge. 

The jacket from this outfit was made using McCall 3260 from 1939 blogged about here.

The trousers are my favourite TNT (Tried 'n True) pattern, a Simplicity reissue (3688) from 1941.  I also used this pattern for the One Week, One Pattern challenge and this is my fourth make of these trousers.  I got this lightweight British wool on a super duper fantastic sale at a local fabric store and bought just enough to make the jacket.  After a week of thinking about the jacket, I decided I should go get some more of the fabric since it was such a ridiculous deal to make matching trousers.  I went back to the store and luckily, they still had some of the fabric and I ended up buying the rest of what they had!  I think I might have enough leftover to make a matching skirt!

We took these photos in a lovely church garden in Edinburgh and also at Calton Hill.  In the church garden, the most adorable pussycat came up to us.

What a love! How cute is this kitty?

I wore a basic white shirt and borrowed one of David's ties and wore my brown beret to complete the look.  I really love it!  In the above photos, I've put my hair up in the beret but I also like how it looks down as well.

There's something about a suit that gets me every time!  I intend to wear this one a lot.  I am really happy with the construction of the jacket and I think these are the best trousers I've made yet!  Thanks Marlene for the inspiration!

Betty's Riding Jacket and Bow Tie Blouse

First, I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and thoughts for Kal who went missing two weeks ago.  I've just received good news today! She was found safe and well in Cornwall.  I don't know the details yet but I'm SO RELIEVED!

In other good news...I finished Betty's riding jacket and bow-tied blouse and it's featured today over at The Sew Weekly!!

First, let's talk about this blouse.  I LOVE this blouse.  I got this pattern in the post as a gift from Mrs C who blogs over at the Hectic Eclectic as a little thank you gift for the Sew Grateful week (how sweet is that?)  I must say that I actually gasped when I saw the pattern because it was Betty Draper's riding blouse--a perfect match!  I had been searching high and low for such a pattern.

Can I just say that I might be in love with Maudella patterns?  This was a superbly drafted pattern and was very easy to sew up.  The pattern itself is unprinted and the only instructions are all in text printed on the back of the pattern envelope.  Surprisingly, I found the text only instructions easy to follow.  The only tricky part was that pattern pieces didn't have numbers, instead they had names.  So at one point it was a bit confusing as to which facing pieces belonged to which sleeve version!

I made the blouse from a nice weight blue cotton sateen.  I had the exact matching buttons in my stash as well! I really like the shape of this blouse and it goes perfectly under a tailored jacket.

Now onto the jacket.  I used McCall 3260 which is a pattern from 1939.  I love how this pattern transcends time and looks almost modern.  It features a notched collar (or a collarless version), neatly shaped front pockets, a pleated sleevecap and a fairly straight sleeve.

The pattern instructions are very complete and include instructions on interlining the facing and collar (which I did with muslin), using tailor's tape as well as lining instructions.  I didn't have any tailor's tape so I just cut thin pieces of fusible interfacing and placed it just inside the seam line all the way down the front facing of the jacket and also in the collar. 

And wow, what a difference that makes to having a crisp edge.  I didn't use interfacing anywhere else in the jacket as per the pattern instructions.

I forgot to mention the fabric.  This is a British lightweight wool that I got on a super sale at my local fabric store (with a groupon voucher no less).  I LOVE this fabric.

I was very careful in cutting out the fabric to try and match up the plaid stripes.  Can I just say that I love the shape of the pockets as well--a neat crescent shaped opening at the top of an otherwise normal patch pocket.  Topstitching pockets always makes me nervous, though!

 I lined the jacket with some remnant mystery fabric that I got in San Fransisco (when Mena introduced me to all her crazy amazing fabric haunts) for $1.  I believe it is also some sort of sateen.  It's not your normal lining fabric and has a medium-hand.  I really like the structure it gives to the jacket.  I also forgot when I was inserting the lining: a) how much time it takes to hand sew it down, and b) how you need to leave quite a bit of ease in the lining fabric. 

Here's a photo at dusk.  I just love how the light plays off the almost budding tree stems:

Since we are on the topic of riding....I want to introduce you to Megan who is a member of our family.  This photo was taken at one of the riding stables in Washington:

We've had Megan for 24 years and she's definitely my mom's baby (we often joke that she's the other sibling).  She's now 30 years old (!) and living in happy retirement with lots of fresh grass and regular brushing.  Isn't she a cutie?  She's a 5.11 hand Morgan horse and just an absolute (and spoiled) sweetheart.  This is me in my early teens.  And my goodness, what is going on with my hair in this photo?  ;)

What about you? Horse-lover or scared to death of horses?

My 1930's Birthday Dress Suit

YAY! I am so excited!  I finally finished my 1937 McCall dress suit.  I originally started it back at the beginning of January thinking I would finish it for my birthday.  Well, that's been and gone but I almost made it (just one day late) for my birthday month.

I used McCall 9156, a beautiful pattern from 1937.  The dress is in one piece with a high neck (I left off the bow) and a faux button placket down the front.  The dress closes with a side zipper.  It also has a matching collarless jacket.

One of the things that initially made me pass up this pattern many times in my sewing queue was the sleeves.  Now I think that is my favourite element of the dress! There are darts at both the top and bottom of the sleeve giving it that unique shape.  Another one of my favourite things about the pattern is how it lends itself to mixing and matching colours.  I used a pumpkin shade of silk dupioni for the bodice and a delicious brown wool (a present from my Dad) for the skirt and contrast cuffs/neckband/button placket. 

One of the most time consuming elements of the dress was sewing the faux button placket down the front.  It's only the buttons that are tacking the placket in place on the bodice.  I picked lovely small ball buttons in a matching pumpkin shade and they were surprisingly difficult to sew on--they kept moving around and are small and hard to keep a grip on (though my cat was quite entertained watching me and praying for the chance that one of them might escape so she could play with it)!

I was just lucky enough to catch the last of the daylight for the photos. I hiked up to Calton Hill--a great vantage point in Edinburgh and caught a delightful sunset!

I really love this dress and am happy with my first creation of 2012!

Dress and Jacket: Made by Me

Hat: Urban Eccentric Vintage

Shoes: Wildfell Hall Vintage (I won in a giveaway hosted by Quincy from Q's Daydream Vintage)