Category Archives: 1940s

Simplicity 1578, circa 1945: The Summery Polka-Dot Sundress

Posted on by
9

Front view #1.

+ + +

Front view #2.

+ + +

Front view #3.

+ + +

Closeup view: lucite bracelet and faux bakelite black bracelet. (The bruise is probably from getting beaten up at jiu jitsu.)

+ + +

The Facts

Fabric: Navy and white polka-dot rayon, $5/yd 60″ wide
Pattern: Simplicity 1578
Year: 1945
Notions: Navy invisible zipper, $1
Time to complete: 16 hours, maybe more
First worn: Never been worn yet!
Wear again? Yes
Total price: $11

Pattern used:

It’s the middle of winter here and since every week has been 30 degrees and freezing. It’s refreshing to work on a summery rayon polka-dot sundress.

I’ve made this pattern once before unsuccessfully. This time around was different.

Construction details:

  • made a muslin (which accounted for the 16+ hours)
  • basted all the seams before sewing it up
  • inserted an invisible zipper in the back
  • used seam bindings for the armholes
  • serged the seams
  • used some leftover navy gabardine for the neckline facing
  • hand-tacked the facing at center front to prevent it from flipping up

Using a fabric with good drape and hand was crucial. The rayon is lightweight and has good drape. This pattern also reminds me why the 40s is my favorite sewing era. I have enough leftover fabric for a skirt, a blouse or shorts and the silhouette is vintage enough to be authentic yet doesn’t look costume-like or overwhelming.

I don’t know how many sleeveless sundresses I’ll be making but this silhouette is definitely a win.

(Cross-posted on Sew Weekly.)

Outfit: Simplicity 1554, styled

Posted on by
Reply

Front view #1.

+ + +

Front view #2.

+ + +

Closeup of bracelets: lucite root beer colored bracelet with glitter, black faux bakelite.

+ + +

Closeup of brooch. I take all my pictures myself so sometimes there are erratic angles.

+ + +

Blouse: Simplicity 1554, homemade
Cardigan: H&M
Pants: Hand me down from my mom
Bracelets: Faux lucite and faux bakelite
Shoes: Penny loafers, Hush Puppies
Brooch: Brown thermoset flower brooch, ebay

I’ve been making more of an effort to wear my projects this year and the ones that get the most wear are the blouses. I’ve also wanted to document more of what I wear from a day to day basis to keep track of the projects that I do wear.

It might be the erratic, freezing cold days we’ve been having but lately I’ve been really drawn to casual wear from the 50s (straight cut plain slacks) combined with 40s elements (brooches, lucite bracelets). I walk to and from work so whatever I have to be wearing has to be practical. I’m also allergic to nickel and can’t wear most jewelry that isn’t real. We’re also not allowed to wear jewelry on the mat so I’m constantly taking off my jewelry before going to class (jiu jitsu), and I’d like something I wouldn’t have to worry about losing if I put it in my wallet: hence large lucite bracelets and brooches.

That reminds me: I need to sew more pants.

The Made from Scraps Blouse: Simplicity 1554, circa 1940s

Posted on by
5

The Facts:

Fabric: Cotton shirting bought over four years ago that I found while cleaning out my closet, about $4/yard
Pattern: Simplicity 1554
Year: 1945
Notions: black plastic buttons, $1
Time to complete: 6 hours
First worn: Hasn’t been worn yet!
Wear again? Yes!
Total price: $5?

Pattern used:

I found this already-cut plaid cotton shirting wadded up in a ball at the back of my closet. The blouse is surprisingly comfortable and came together pretty quickly (from cutting to stitching) in about an afternoon.

I serged the interfacing so it would be more flat, and double-folded all the edges. I used French seams on the sides. I’ve made this once before but altered it to use facings instead of seam binding, since the seam binding kept flipping up. I also lengthened it to it’ll hit around mid-hip.

Shown here with Wearing History trousers. The shirt is very comfortable and would work well worn casual or dressed-up. The muted color of the plaid makes it feel very 40s.

Btw: I have no idea if I like my hair like this. It makes me feel really self-conscious.

(Crossposted to Sew Weekly.)

Halloween 2011: The Black Dahlia

Posted on by
4

Sweater: H&M, many years ago
Top: ?
Skirt: Burda 8155, homemade
Shoes: thrifted


Esteemed Sewing Assistant also dressed up this year, as Count Beanicus.

I ran out of time sewing my Halloween costume this year so I decided to go as the Black Dahlia. “The Black Dahlia” was a nickname given to Elizabeth Short, a woman who was found mutilated and gruesomely murdered in the mid 1940s. Her face was slashed from the corners of her mouth toward her ears, called the Glasgow smile.

I’ve always been a purist in Halloween, thinking that dressing up should be saved for ghouls, goblins, monsters and anything generally scary. I broke that rule the past year or so dressing as a princess and a mermaid (what was I thinking?), but my commitment to Halloween gore is back full-swing.

I might recycle this costume this year (with an actual attempt to sew a 1940s dress), since it looks gory enough to revisit in future years.

Simplicity 1554 blouse, circa 1940s

Posted on by
6

Blouse: Simplicity 1554 (40s pattern), self-made.
Skirt: Simplicity 4254 (40s pattern), self-made.
Shoes: ?

Simplicity 1554, front view #2.

Closeup view. (My hair has finally somewhat recovered from being layered so much.)

According to my notes I started this blouse in the beginning of August, but definitely finished it before then. Somewhere between going on vacation, attending Fashion Week, and looking for buttons it sat on my dressform for a good two or three weeks.

I used pearl buttons from MJ Trimmings and some cotton voile I got in the middle of summer. I usually think about buttons as an afterthought, but next time I want to make sure I have all my supplies together before finishing.

+ + +

Simplicity 1554 pattern.

+ + +

Pattern: Simplicity 1554, circa 1940s

Pattern Sizing: Bust 34

Did it look like the pattern envelope when you were done sewing it? Yes.

Fabric: Blue and white cotton voile.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I didn’t read or follow the directions.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I really like how it has a few pieces and can be made with very little fabric.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made? None.

Sizing issues: Yes! I bought the size closest to my measurements and it was still too large. I made two muslins and adjusted the sleeves so they weren’t as large and also raised the shoulder so it wouldn’t be as baggy.

New techniques learned: None.

Other notes: I used French seams and seam binding around the collar. I used the only light-colored interfacing I had and it was too stiff, so the collar sticks up a little too much. In the future I want to include the front facing in with cutting the front half so there’s less pieces (something I’ve seen in my DuBarry patterns) and clean up the collar section a bit. I also want to add two inches to the hem so I can wear it tucked out better.

Would you sew it again? Yes. I need more blouses in my wardrobe, and I think this one is simple enough to assemble. I also want to try the assembly line method with these at some point.

Fall 2011: Sewing with a Plan

Posted on by
Reply

It’s hard to think about Fall when we just had a largely uneventful hurricane advisory, so I decided to do a transitional Summer to Fall SWAP. As I acquire new patterns/ideas, the original SWAP will probably be modified but it will be the same combination of bottoms/tops. My goal is to have clothing that can be worn a week from now and then layered with other pieces that can be worn a few months from now.

I kept that in mind when choosing my palette for this year. I didn’t want something woodsy, brown, rustic or anything that evoked outdoor autumn leaves since I felt that was too stereotypical (also because with my coloring I tend to look washed out if the colors aren’t strong enough.) I wanted something that would work for the summer with bright colors and yet could be layered with darker colors and blend in well for the Fall. I chose navy blue as my neutral, 2nd tier colors of dark blue and salmon, and accents of off-white and light pink. I also chose both floral and geometric prints, since I think floral can be very versatile based on how it’s styled.

Fall Palette.

+ + +

Summer/Fall transitional fabrics.

Summer/Fall transitional fabrics, from bottom to top:

1) Electric blue cotton sateen, dress
2) Dark blue denim, pants #1 (possibly faux jeans)
3) Cotton/polyester, leftover from last year, blouse #1
4) Coral print cotton, blouse #2
5) Navy print cotton, blouse #3
6) Blue floral print cotton voile, Sencha (already finished), blouse #4

+ + +

Fabric yet to be bought (more Fall/Winter warmer type):

1) Pants #2
2) Skirt, Colette Ginger #1
3) Skirt, 1970s does 1940s pattern

+ + +

Total tally of Fall 2011:

Tops:
1) Blouse #1, cotton blue floral Sencha
2) Blouse #2, cotton coral print, TBD
3) Blouse #3, cotton navy print, TBD
4) Blouse #4, cotton/polyester pink floral print TBD
5) Cardigan, navy (already owned)
6) Cardigan, cream (already owned)

Bottoms:
1) Blue gabardine pants (already made)
2) Pants #1, denim
3) Skirt #1, TBD
4) Skirt #2, TBD
5) Pants #2, TBD

Other:
1) Dress, cotton sateen

+ + +

I’m starting on the blouses first so I can wear them a week or so later while it’s still warm and still keep them in early rotation when it gets cooler. This is the first time I’ve tried doing something transitional (and not a season ahead.) It doesn’t feel as rushed as making things that are in season to be worn right now, and it doesn’t feel as tedious or sometimes uninspiring as making things many months ahead. This is the first time I’ve tried to do a transitional sewing plan so we’ll see how it goes.

Work in Progress: Simplicity 1554, circa 1940s

Posted on by
2

Simplicity 1554, circa 1940s.

I started my muslin of Simplicity 1554 the other day. I need more versatile blouses for the late summer/fall, and these make variations that look different enough. I had to make a lot of changes to the original pattern since it was way too big and boxy. This is my second muslin.

I got these beach rocks on the Oregon Coast. Much classier than using tins of food as pattern weights.

More beach rocks as pattern weights.

Muslin bodice front view.

Closeup of front view.