So been crazy busy with school but its reading week so I have some time to post some things I have been making lately.  Last semester I had a major Tailoring project which consisted of a waist coat and trousers. I ended choosing the edwardian era, about 1895 was the year I choose.

Before I came to school, I have never made mens wear or anything so time consuming, with all the canvas, slip stitching and cross stiching, india tape and etc.

This was also my first pair of trouser with a fly zip i have made. Which I know is not period accurate. But it’s costume studies we need simple and easy for quick changes if they are necessary.

It’s made from 100% pure wool and lining material that was originally blue satin which did not work out so i switch out for black.

and by chance I actually fit into my final project so I wear my waistcoat with jeans or some of my circle skirts. the trousers only fit because of the pockets that all my hips to fit into the pants!

Also not really retro, but this semester we made jacket. Totally got my teacher to let me make the latest doctors jacket and it fits!

Hey there! It’s been a hot minute since I had a sewing project to share with you all, but today I’ve got my first finished project of the year to show you! It’s actually also my first finished project for the Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge of 2015, AND as just a little icing on the cake, it’s also a 100% pure stash-buster. I did not make any further financial expenditures for this project. Every single thing on it, from the fabric to the notions (and the pattern) was stuff that I already owned. While it’s not “technically” true, I am telling myself that this dress was consequently a “FREE” dress, which makes it even better and totally fits in with my attempts at stash busting and project budgeting this year. All good things.

Anyway, this is the second version of Simplicity 3345, the first of which can be seen here.

I made a couple of minor changes, mostly taking the side seams in slightly, in order to get a little better fit on this one. I think by rights I probably should have done a full bust adjustment as well to get the fit really perfect, but that’s more work than I wanted to put in on something I was only going to wear for a couple of months (and be changing sizes the whole time anyway). I shortened the hem (from the pattern length) by about 5 or 6 inches, so it hits me just at the bottom of my knee like the illustration. I’m not all that short, and even with a three inch hem allowance you’d have to be 5’10” for this to hit you where it does in the illustration. I intended on getting pictures of this one on myself so you could see how it looks on a legitimately pregnant human, but my husband is never up during daylight hours and the tripod is broken, so Tabitha will have to suffice yet again.

The bow is actually a pin that goes on the playsuit from which I scavenged the red fabric (it was from the skirt portion of the playsuit, which I think I maybe wore once and decided needed to be put to better use), so I can move it around, which is fun. It looks pretty cute at the neck, too. The back sash pieces don’t perfectly line up with the front since I was working with the width of the previous skirt’s ties, but my usually super anal retentive self was ok with it because I was doing some awesome stash busting/recycling.

You can see where I had to piece the ties to get the length I needed for this, since the skirt ties were much shorter. I hand-picked the zip like I normally do, since it’s actually one of my favorite bits of hand finishing. I think they just look so much nicer, too. The zipper and waist elastic were also things I had in my stash already, which is why I went with a bright red zipper instead of a matching one, but I think bright zippers can be fun sometimes anyway.

Just so you can get an idea of what these dresses look like on a real person, here is a picture of version 1 from Derby two years ago. I was about 36 or 37 weeks.

I just really wanted a winter coat, with a simple bodice and very wide skirt in a nice jewel coloured wool. In case you haven’t noticed, this can’t be found on the high street. So I made it. Like everything I do, it has a 1950’s and vintage flair to it, even if I don’t have any inspiration pictures to show.

I bought this high quality wool (from the same brand Lilli Ann made suits of!) in Paris. The lining is an amazing acetate satin, and the buttons restored from an old (high street!) coat. The bodice is interlined with lambs wool, and the stitches from the buttons are covered by vintage soutache.

As with my New Look Suit, it took a while to make, mostly because I was so bored with it. But after a year in my closet I took it out, redid all the pleating about fourteen times and then hand sewn the thing together.

There are 3,5 metres in the skirt. Just saying.

As usual, you can get the whole story and see all the pictures on my blog.

Inspired by some cute fabric I picked up on sale at Spotlight, I made myself this cute frock for a belated Valentines day weekend away with my Husband.

Selfie!

Unfortunately we forgot to take nice photos while we were away, so I’m stuck using this selfie I snapped at work one day.

Cutesy Kitty Fabric, only $2 p/m!

I’ve always loved the Neckline on the dress on the left of the cover of this home journal, and thought it would combine really well with the drape of this fabric. Together they make a great, easy to wear, girly frock.

1951 Australian Home Journal

As always, I had a helper with my sewing. This time it was my boy, Prince. He loves when I cut out fabric on the floor, but thank goodness he doesn’t jump up on my sewing cabinet like his sisters, he’s twice their size!

My boy Princey

As with pretty much all my vintage patterns, I had to grade this one up to fit, so I thought I would trace and scan my graded up pattern pieces to share with the world. To get the PDF pattern for yourself, just head to this blog post, or if you want to read a bit more about the construction of this dress or my pattern grading process, read this post.

Dixie O’Dare

I completed a 1960’s Simplicity skirt a few days ago! I gave myself a break by choosing a project that’s a lot more simple than I normally sew. I made view 2 in the mini length and made the belt loops. The belt is from a box of vintage belts that I was given and the blouse is from an estate sale. I know it is a bit early to post spring clothes, but I am starting early on my spring/summer wardrobe. The skirt is made of vintage fabric, yellow cotton with white flowers. I highly recommend this pattern because the skirt was easy and simple to make, as I didn’t have any issues with it.