New Shoes!!!

I've been trying to find time to get up to london to go buy some swing dance shoes. Had my eye on the aris allen ones. But they are sooooo expensive and well I got impatient and decided I'd buy some character dance shoes instead off ebay. I was a bit nervous about how high the heel would be.

Capezio 550 Character Dance Shoes

They arrived this morning. Quite pleased with them. Heel wasn't as high as I thought they would be....now will have to break them in a bit. I think they can 'pass' for 20's-50's era in look.

Butterick 5229 - 20's inspired dress

So as I mentioned in this post. I'm sewing up Butterick 5229 to make a 20's inspired dress.

Decided to go for a nautical look. Using navy blue poly cotton and white bias binding. I also have wooden buttons. Although if I find some nice gold ones I will use those. The length is in between B & A.
Already thinking up embellishments....
Maybe a 2nd line for a double white stripe along the bottom?
Or piping on the waistline?
A small pocket?
Or a cute bow?

My design

More details to be added below once completed...all comments welcome.

So...its finished! Took more than 2 hours to make..but I did add embellishments and do it all by hand (did I mention how much I hate hand sewing buttonholes?).

I think it looks pretty close to my design. This was the first time I'd taken a pattern and 'customized' it. Like lengthening the tunic skirt.

This however because of an error made the skirt too wide....thinking on my feet I put in some more pleats than I was planning to make. Two in the front, one in the back.

This was the first time I'd done pleats. So it was a bit of a guess as I went along. I also did some piping (no not the musical kind) for the first time.

I think another time I would pipe the collar and hem as well, because it looks 'neater'.

Having enough bias binding left I made myself some bows..one of the dress and one for my hair.

I did deviate from the pattern instructions quite a few times but the basic pattern I cut out was a good base.

I give it 8/10

Dance and outfit inspiration - 2

Was thinking about 30's fashions and came across this video. You get a good view of a selection of outfits. Love how all the chaps wear straw boaters.

THE PARK PARADE

And of course the famous lambeth walk...'Doing the Lambeth Walk..Oi!!'

NEW DANCES FOR EVERYBODY

The evening dresses are floaty, rather Hollywood. I think they make them all look very tall. I'm surprised no feet get caught in the skirts.

Horrockses Fashions

Well I'm planning to make a horrockses style dress this year using the free pattern on their blog....

Free Pattern 

Although it doesn't show how to do the skirt...so not being confident enough to draft my own skirt I will use the flared skirt pattern for the dress in simplicity 2588. And use the top section of butterick 5556 (the one on the right) to make a matching jacket.

 

 

And a friend of mine pointed out to me this link.

It a slide show of pictures of an exhibition in Scotland.

I love all the prints and the simple yet elegant style.

I think I could recreate something like the dress in pic no6. If I could find the right tie up shrug.

But then in picture no7. the green dress has a matching jacket which appeals...and I do like the bow.

If they sold them nowdays I think I'd save up to buy one and wear it till it fell apart. lol!

So what's your fave Horrockses dress?

Vintage Bolero 'Knit-a-long' 2012

Today I am announcing (a month in advance) that on the 1st May the Vintage bolero knit-a-long will commence.

Some of you maybe wondering a knit-a-long... 

What is that? Why? How does it work?

A knit-a-long, like a sew-a-long, is a problem shared a problem halved....
Everyone taking part knits the bolero from the same pattern sharing their problems, successes, tips and advice. I'll be blogging my 'progress' and encourage others to do so too. You can comment on my blog or post on your own blog and link to it.
When the project is complete we all post our completed projects.

My reason for this is that I have not knitted a garment before using a vintage pattern...and I would like to be able to get advice and share anything I learn from the experience.

I have not set a finish date yet but initially rough deadline of August 1st (I'm quite a slow knitter) for the end of the knit-a-long 'officially' but if anyone comes across this later on I would still be pleased to see how you go on.

What pattern?

I will be using the bolero pattern from Vintage Knitwear for Modern Knitters...the yellow one which has the tube top on the same page. I'm only doing the bolero not the top.

I've already done some test squares to see if I can do the pattern....so I can offer advice on that.

I haven't bought the 'yarn' yet. But instead of the yellow I plan to use navy blue and white. Cuffs in white and body in blue.

You can use any colour wool you like...I like to see creativity.

If you have a blog and take part you can add this button. And link back to this placeholder page.

Post a reply to this post to let me know you are taking part. :)

The Updates
Links to individual posts will appear below so you don't have to go searching.

Vintage Sewing - contest 2012 (Style 2516)

So I've picked the pattern 'Style 2516' its from 1978. 

Just to proove it is from 1978 and fits the criteria a photo of the copyright date

Update 1:

So I didn't get round to getting new material and just went with what I had. I've made a start. Seems quite straightforward.

Fabric and two choices of buttons

One thing I've noticed there's no interfacing in the collar or cuffs like in the other shirts/blouses I've made before. So it will be interesting to see what difference it makes.

Just a point as the pattern had been used before it had a few tares which meant I had to be a bit carefull cutting out.

Update 2:
Pinning stuff together ready for stitching. I'm noticing unlike modern patterns this set of instructions tells you to sew the sides of the blouse up last after you do the collar.

Update 3:
Sewed the darts. Stay Stitches. Facing and shoulders of the blouse. All I need to do now is attach facing to blouse, sew up the sides and add the sleeves...then do the dreaded buttonholes.

Tried the in progress blouse on for size....fits surprisingly well. Realized that if I'd done the facing in contrasting colour I could have had contrasting collar.

Update 4:
Nearly finished just dreaded buttonholes to do. Sleeves seem ok..and the collar is sitting flat as I want it to. I think in future I won't use interfacing in collars....makes them too stiff for my liking.

Chose the pink ones in the end.

wondered if the buttons should be placed differently

Update 5:
Now for some pictures as I've finished the blouse. Yay!

fabric and prints...

I  spotted this video on british pathe.....

FABRIC STORY

I found it really interesting seeing the same patterned fabrics given different treatments give different results. And the classic' shapes you come across in retro patterns.

It nice to see the kind of prints that were around too.