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1960s

Simplicity 2154 For a Mini-Capsule Wardrobe

By Akram Taghavi-Burris on July 13, 2018

Review on Simplicity 2154 a vintage reproduction 1960's suit and how I managed to make the perfect spring, mini-capsule wardrobe with it.

On my make nine this year I decided to add a few vintage patterns one of which was Simplicity 2154.

I had mad this pattern years ago but didn’t feel like I had the fit right and I never got around to making the bow blouse.

Anyways, I decided that this year I would give it another go.

A Spring Look

I whipped up Simplicity 2154 at the end of April and choose to use spring colors to make the set. I was really inspired by the floral jersey I had in my stash. This fabric almost looks like upholstery fabric but it’s really soft and I thought the floral colors were perfect for spring.

I chose a coordinating solid for the blouse and the skirt. Starting with the skirt I went with a medium tan polyester fabric that had a bit of stretch to it.

The pretty bow blouse, which I was most excited to make, I used a pink cotton lawn fabric. The fabric has little white lines on it but they can only be seen up close. The lines give the pink a softer baby pink look.

Construction

While this project was pretty stright forward I did make a few changes to the overall construction.

First I found way too much room in the skirt so I ended up forgoing the side zip and added a back elastic waistband.

The Internet was filled with reviews on the bow blouse and how many found that the side zip was unnecessary. I decided to listen to the reviews and leave out the zip as well. Turns out it didn’t really need it and works perfectly as a pullover top.

The Mini-Wardrobe

In the title of this post, I mentioned a mini-wardrobe, which is exactly what I made using Simplicity 2154 as the base. As it turned out I had some leftover floral jersey from the cardigan and quite a bit of the pink cotton from the top. Using this leftover fabric I made a few more pieces that I could mix and match with the individual pieces of Simplicity 2154.

For full details about making this dress and the coordinating pieces be sure to see my full blog post at http://akramsideas.com/spring-simplicity-2154/

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1960s

Simplicity 3580 First Vintage Make of 2018

By Akram Taghavi-Burris on July 6, 2018

It feels like forever since I last posted on We Sew Retro. Mainly because I haven’t really been sewing vintage patterns the last few months.

However, while going through my UFO pile back in May I came across Simplicity 3580 a vintage shirtwaist dress from the 1960’s.

Review of yet another completed UFO project, Vintage Simplicity 3580 a 1960's shirtwaist dress with pleated skirt. — Can’t believe this has been in my UFO pile for 2 years

I started this pattern nearly two years ago now, and never quite came back around to finishing it.

At the time I’d gained some weight and we were in the middle of a move.

Completing a UFO

I was happily surprised when I pulled it out to find that the bodice fit me (yeah weightloss and healthy eating) and that the only thing left on this project was the skirt and the buttons.

Needless to say in one afternoon I managed to complete this project.

I’m so glad I came back to this dress. It is exactly the type of vintage dresses I love. I love shirtdresses of any kind, I love the drape of the sleeves I love the cuff detail and the soft pleats on the skirt.

This dress was not a planned make this spring but I’m so happy I got to it and that I’ve finally finished it. Even better is that this counts as my first Vintage Pledge make of 2018.

To read full details about this dress please be sure to check out my blog http://akramsideas.com/vintage-simplicity-3580/

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Vogue 7331 Shirt and McCall’s 4022 Jean Shorts

By Nat on

I finished my jean shorts, and a button down shirt to go with it using 1950s vintage sewing patterns; Vogue 7331 and McCall’s 4022. These are really practical and wearable, I’ve already worn the shorts a hand full of times.

My shirt is made from a swallow print navy cotton fabric with black buttons. I’m pretty happy with the way this turned out, this was my first attempt at making a shirt, the instructions for this were really basic although YouTube videos were helpful in how to construct a shirt.

These are my second pair of shorts made from McCall’s 4022 and I see making more from this pattern. I love them – the pockets are huge! They’ve really comfy in a blue denim. I also had a go at top stitching at the pockets and around the waistband – it could be neater but it really adds a pretty detail.

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1950s | Introduction | Pants / Trousers | Vintage Sewing

Intro and 1950s shorts

By Nat on June 8, 2018

Hi Everyone! I’m Natalie and I live in the UK, I’ve been learning to sew for just over a year now. I’ve been an avid reader of this blog for some months and have found this to be truly inspiring to give using vintage patterns a go. I’m so glad to share my first project using a vintage pattern, hopefully the first of many projects.

I fell in love with McCall’s 4022 shorts pattern from 1957. It just looks so Audrey Hepburn. And for a quid at the local charity shop was an absolute bargain. I wasn’t originally planning to make them up but I’m glad I did, these fit so much better than ready to wear and weren’t as difficult as I imagined. I made the shorts up to wear for a walking holiday as the weather has turned surprisingly really warm here.

I only made some basic adjustments to the pattern. Luckily this was the correct hip measurement, but the waist needed to be enlarged, and a section removed from the back and front to shorten the crotch. Though if I make them again, I plan to remove even more from the crotch length in the front. On the whole, I’m really happy with the way these turned out and they are super comfy, as well as being wearably retro; though it’s a bit strange only having a pocket on the left side!

I feel my shorts did end up looking like the pattern envelop and I love the buttoned tabs on the sides. I plan to make this up again in a blue denim – I think they would be versatile.

Nat x

14 Comments

Vintage Sewing

1964 Winter Sheath Dress

By SeamRacer on May 18, 2018

This dress was made by me earlier this year, when temperatures were below freezing! The outside of the dress is a cozy, lofty, nubby wool blend bouclé, and the inside is fully lined in a soft 100% cotton (in a sweet pink color) for softness against my skin. With this fabric combo, my dress is as warm as being wrapped in a blanket but it looks so stylish for being such a simple design.

I really think my pattern, Butterick 3296 from 1964, must have been designed with Audrey Hepburn from the movie “Charades” in mind because the dress and pillbox hat is just her style. This gave me an excuse to wear a vintage 60’s hat from my collection, as well as vintage 60’s jewelry from my Grandmother!

To see and read more about this sewing project, please visit my blog’s page for it here!

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1950s | Blouses | Pattern Drafting | Skirts | Vintage Sewing

My new spring outfit

By SabineMichaela on May 7, 2018

Hello everyone,

since it is so quiet here, I decided to write a short post about my new favourite outfit for spring. The whole look started with the idea of an green outfit inspired by Karlotta Pink’s latest fabric collection. The colour of the print is quite difficult to describe, but it was very important for me that the colour of the skirt would make the colour of the blouse shine.

The pattern of the blouse is self-constructed, because I had fallen in love with a no longer available Simplicity Schnitt 1624. A very similar pattern was reissued by Simplicity, but due to my last experience I became a bit cautious with regard to fit. It should be a figure-hugging blouse and not a nightgown.

The Blouse

For this reason I set about reconstructing the pattern myself. That sounds a lot more awesome than it was. Since I prefer to adapt existing models out of pure laziness rather than develop a pattern myself, I am not particularly experienced at it. The drafting was quite easy and there were only little to adjust – for more information on drafting the blouse check out my blogpost here.

The Fabric Desaster

I wanted to use a lime green satin for the skirt, because it is always available at my regular fabric shop. They didn’t have the fabric at the time, but it was supposed to arrive soon. No luck. (They still don’t have it.) Then I went on a fabric shopping trip to Zurich and I was sure I’d find something. But: Nothing.

A little annoyed and under time pressure, due to to a sewing blogger meeting, I ordered 5 different green fabrics. I didn’t want “okay”, I wanted perfect (at that time I was really obsessed with the right material for the skirt). And in the package were even three possible fabrics. I then decided for the most harmonious combination with the kiwi green cotton-linen blend.

In the end everything did go as planned. The blouse was a fast sew and the skirt did go together easy too.

If you wish to see more pictures and read the whole background story (there were more drama than mentioned in the text), you can hop over to our blog PeterSilie&Co or directly to the longer blogpost.

Till next time,

Sabine

12 Comments

1960s

There’s no place like home

By rvdzik on April 1, 2018

Dear WeSewRetro Readers,

today I want to show you my newly made housecoat. It’s a type of garment that fell out of favour in modern world, which I think is a real pity. I feel that we should dress up especially at home, because it’s the place we share with the loved ones, which are far more important than random people on the street.

The fabric chosen for this project had to be both warm, comfortable and feminine; fortunately, I have found some soft, boiled grey wool fused with black lace. I thought it would be a good idea to highlight the cuffs and skirt opening by cutting them on the fabric border, as there isn’t any lace. All of the seam allowances were overcasted by hand and then stitched down to the main pieces; I also strengthened the armscye, the waist, the hem and the collar seam allowances with cotton bias binding. The housecoat was to close by a tie-belt, but to make it more secure and put together I added 3 black snaps.

For more photos and details, I invite you to my blog, rvdzik.blogspot.com 🙂

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