We’ve been having this weird winter and it’s been neither freezing, nor warm, but overally gloomy. No sun in your skies? Make yourself a spring-y dress, I say!

I made this dress based on a pattern that I’d found in a fashion/sewing magazine from 1969. It was a rather straightforward shift dress and I only needed to alter the neckline which was too narrow, and to add darts in the back for better fit. Otherwise, it’s just two french darts in the front. I needed a simple pattern like this to show off the incredible print of the fabric that I used. It is a thick and stiff curtain cotton –my favorite kind! I admit to feeling very awkward in sheer and delicate fabrics, as if I could destroy them by chance. No way to destroy this sturdy box of a dress! I’m also happy with facings that I drafted by myself and bound with a bias tape. The hem is hand sewn with an invisible stitch for an elegant finish.

For the pattern, photos and more notes on sewing, please visit my blog.

A few years ago, the nicest fabric store in town was going out of business. Before they did so, they sold of all the stock at sale prices. I still have some fabrics in my stash from that sale. Such nice fabrics that I’m a bit afraid to cut into them…

But now I have finally made a dress from this lovely wool crepe.

I considered a couple of vintage patterns for it but ended up drafting my own pattern after all.

Clean lines, a 1950’s style silhouette and big pockets.

It feels very chique yet quite comfortable. I should remember to wear it and not keep it on a hanger and just look at it lovingly every time I open the wardrobe…

You can read more about it and there are more pictures and a technical drawing on my blog

Most of you are probably aware of the WeSewRetro facebook page where we highlight some of our favorite posts, but we now have a facebook group too – the WeSewRetro Sew & Tell – where you can post a quick pic to show off what you’re working on, share fab finds or ask questions of your fellow vintage sewing enthusiasts.

I’ve kept the group secret until now so to encourage you to try it out, the first 5 people to join and post a photo of the vintage sewing project they’re working on will get a prize mailed to them (anywhere in the world) from me. Might be something from the WeSewRetro shop, might be something from my senselessly large personal collection of vintage sewing goodies – I don’t know, but it will be vintage and sewing related that’s for sure.

Why have a facebook group? This blog is and always will be the heart of what we do, but I hear from so many subscribers that they’re a little scared to make their first blog post. Not everyone is a blogger, but likely many more of us know how to quickly throw a photo up on facebook. I’m hoping the facebook group will give our potential blog contributors the courage they need to show their work to the world! Maybe you just want to ask a quick question of your fellow vintage sewing ethusiasts and a whole blog post seems like overkill? Our community is full of talent and the group is a great way to pick those brains.

The group is set to ‘closed’ which just means that once you ask to join, you wait a little bit to get added and then only the other members of the group can see what you post there. This is useful if your friends and family aren’t quite as obsessed with sewing as you are – they’ll never see anything you post to the group so you won’t be flooding their feed with patterns and dresses and fabulousness. Also, joining a group doesn’t give the group or any of its members access to anything on your private facebook profile so no concerns there.

If you’ve never joined a facebook group before, it’s super easy. Just go to the group page and look for a button that says ‘Join Group’. Here’s what it looks like on a mobile screen…

…and on a desktop…

Come on over and show us what you’re working on!

Hello, everyone! I just discovered this community and though it would be fun to show off my latest project here!

I only started sewing my own clothing last year, and while I’ve drafted a few skirts here and there, dresses had always made me feel very, very nervous, so this is my first attempt at sewing a dress. Hopefully not the last!

This teapot-printed linen was bought from a Spotlight store in Australia in the upholstery section (of all places) and the bridal satin for the collar was from a local liquidation store. The buttons are hand-made, covered with scraps of satin and the kits are from Daiso Japan. Altogether, I think this project cost me around $25 or so. The pattern cost me next to nothing, which is how I ended up going on a crazy pattern buying spree on boxing day. You can find the pattern here (on sale!) at Butterick.

I was especially excited about the pattern-matching I managed to pull off. It chewed up fabric like nobody’s business, but from a distance, the side seams are almost invisible. (I never would have believed it, but my hips are exactly 6 teapots wide.)

Alterations I made to the pattern include adding an extra few pleats in the front to make the waist smaller, and adding on belt loops. Still haven’t decided whether I want to add some cute teapot pockets on, but suffice to say, after almost a week’s worth of work, I think I’m pretty done, haha.

All in all, 10/10, would make this dress again! You can find more pictures of this dress, as well as a few other sewing projects I’ve completed recently, on my blog.

Thank you for reading,

Demi x

I had an interesting request last month from someone who is opening up a theme party venue for kids and teens. One of the themes is Old Hollywood, and she asked if I could make 15 costume aprons for teens based on iconic dresses like Audrey Hepburn’s little black Breakfast at Tiffany’s dress, Marilyn Monroe’s white dress, etc. It was a project right up my alley! I did several based on specific dresses, and then the rest were just retro inspired fancy dresses.

Audrey Hepburn – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Marilyn Monroe – Pink Dress while singing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Bes Friend”

Marilyn Monroe – Iconic White Dress

Elizabeth Taylor

There are more on my blog.