50's Inspired Vintage-y Bag

I had some extra fabric laying around so I decided to use an Amy Butler pattern to make a vintage-y bag big enough to carry a sock project in. Here it is!!!

I made this for August's project--a wardrobe basic. Everyone needs a little evening bag. It was lot of fun and really easy! I plan to make more Amy Butler bags in the future. The pattern was so well written and it turned out great.

September Project!

So, we have enough votes to declare a winner for the September project and that winner is....

Retro household item (apron, oven mits, tissue box cover etc).

As usual this theme will run for the entire calender month.

As I said in the comments to the poll, if you're not inspired by a theme don't feel that you have to make something to fit it. The other items in the poll will resurface in future votes, they're not gone forever just because they didn't win this time!

You can also stretch a theme as far as you want it to go, so for this one what about something you'd wear around the house like a robe, nightdress or slippers? Got vintage fabric and need a new tablecloth or curtains, here's a chance to do that easy project if you want to.

We always welcome pictures and details of *ANY* retro projects here no matter whether they fit the theme or not so please post whatever you're making, we're here to share ideas and a love of retro/vintage sewing, the theme is just a guide to give us something to focus our energies and stashes on if we want to.

Happy September sewing!

Anna

ps I apologise for not finishing my August project, it will get done in the next week or so, I totally ran out of steam on it! Alissa isn't the only failed Hostess in these parts! :o)

Sad Sorry Sew Retro Co-Hostess Here

I'm very sad to report I did not finish my fall wardrobe staple, the Retro Coat. Truth be told, I didn't even start it. I do still plan to make it, though.

I did finish a couple of other projects, and also scored a couple of nice patterns on eBay. You can go to my blog if you want to see.

At the moment I am not terribly excited about the prospect of making a household item for September. But I can still sew other things and post them if they are retro. And so can you! Right, Anna?

September Project Vote

I am bumping this as we are still 17 votes short, which is enough to change the whole vote, so make sure your voice is heard!

What should the project for September be?
	Interpretation of a 60’s mod print.
	Solid color fabric in a retro design.
	Project sewn for someone other than self.
	Retro household item (apron, oven mits, tissue box cover etc).
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Queen Of The House - Jody Miller

Something to inspire.

August project done!

I finished the 70s wrap dress, and here it is:



For some reason I just couldn't get a good picture - in real life it's totally cute! I changed the sleeve a little, and instead of a full-length sleeve I made it 3/4 length. That's a length I'm more comfortable with, since I don't like sleeves down around my wrist. It was also an easy project, and I'm sure I'll make more if it wears as easily as I think it will. I'll wear it to work one day next week and we'll see!

finished August project

Here's my '40's camisole, made of stuff from the clearance bin. I made a matching half slip and also drafted and cut the panties pattern, but I doubt I will finish those in August. I do intend to make them, but any sense of urgency has been killed by my realization -- once they were pinned -- that 1940s panties are like little sailor-style shorts with two waistline plackets and no elastic. Ginger Rogers would have looked cute in them, but I don't think they are going to be comfortable enough that I will actually want to wear them. The cami and slip, though, are going to be good fall basics for sure. I will probably make more.

Skirt 1930s?

Im having no luck photographing my projects,this material is doing something weird to the camera.But I am really happy with this ,I copied it from a straight wool skirt from the 30s or 40s that I have nearly worn to death.Its a really flattering shape as I don't have much of a waist.I love detailing with ribbon.

Trying to catch up

Ok, I admit I was all raring to go and then somehow got waylaid in the midst of my excitement. I will be honest and admit I have not yet even finished my
July dress, but I swear there's a good reason. Behold what the use of vintage German patterns entails:

You see all those lines? Those are the lines for about 50 different patterns pieces all on the same piece of paper. And what are you supposed to do with them? Oh right, painstakingly trace each piece using a tracing wheel and gool old fashioned carbon paper! Does that sound like fun or what? I did manage to get it done however, and said dress is actually half done, and I am determined to get it done this week, along with my August project, which I am just nutty for, not only because it's ba-yoo-tee-ful, but because it's easy as pie and should be done in two shakes of a lamb's tail! (If I can't talk retro while sewing retro there's just no justice in this world.)
I am making an oh-so-girly circle skirt using this fabulous circle skirt panel fabric!



Yes! It's a panel! I don't even need a pattern (ok, I don't need one for a circle skirt, but let's play along shall we?) because I just cut around the panel, which I've already done. So stay tuned for 2 finished retro projects in the next few days :)

August project

Hi everyone,

My name is Diane and this is my first post. I have returned to sewing after many years away and as I love all things vintage and retro decided to join this group. My first project was Butterick 3373, an A-line skirt, very easy to make. I used two pieces of fabric I got from an op-shop, I think each piece was $2 each.

Hot for Teacher

So my idea for a fall staple was to make a dress that would be acceptable for teaching (TAing this semester), since most of my creations are a bit skimpy to be dangling in front of impressionable undergrads.

This one has a full skirt and feels retro-y to me, though it is not technically retro. Spirit of the rules and not the letter, I guess. The pattern was sooo easy to put together and I figured it was too good to be true. Of course, it was. It came out pretty well after adding some extra darts. I have never done a Burda pattern before; looks like I am not the same shape as svelte German teens! The neck was gaping and if I ever use this pattern again I will have to do a muslin (blech!!).



More projects at the Villain abode...

A GOOD YEAR FOR THE ROSES

August project ticked off list to do. Easy dress, except it took two weeks. I have a love/hate relationship with haberdashery. I love it , it hates me - boom boom. The zip took three attempts to put in so I got a bit discouraged there for a while but carried on.



Here is me looking all shoulders back and stomach sucked in. The dress feels very ladylike to wear. I will have to swing my legs to get out of the car as it has that nice 1960's tightness about it. All and all, not too bad, a new dress to wear to work in the Spring.

Just a wild idea.

I have to admit ,I love Burlesque.I just watched "Showy and 5ft 2" about the world famous Pontani Sisters,and I am totally inspired to make an outfit.Just an idea but we could make it a project????My August skirt is nearly ready to photograph.You can safely click on the pic. for the Pontani Sisters web site(they arn't rude).Go on you know you want to.

unfinished retro sewing

There is still a week left in August, and I have some projects planned or started. From the left, my cut-out classic gray straight skirt (I am thinking of Lauren Bacall, though I will look more like Joan Blondell in it), McCalls 5193 vest pattern and paisley fabric for it, and satin camisole with its machine stitching done -- and my 1943 sewing book with drafting patterns for undies. I may finish one or more of these things yet.

McCalls' 5137 - August project

I jumped on the bandwagon and made the McCall's dress. It is usually warm here until November so this should carry me through the next few months.

I used a thrifted sheet from 1976 for the main body and newly purchased fabric for the contrast. I'm not thrilled with some things about the dress, and if I'd looked at all the pattern pieces before I started sewing I might have changed a few things. I don't like how the contrast band doesn't go around the back of the neck, I think the sleeve length is a little weird and would be better with a smaller width of contrast. I would extend the front gathers to the side panels for a little more fullness. I need to add a snap to fix the tie to the back cause it keeps slipping down, or I might just add a little strip of elastic in the back.

Classy cullottes

For this months challenge i used a pattern i found at the op shop which had no cover and was stuffed in a brown paper envelope.

I made the middle version using some brown fabric i bought for $3aus a metre.

They are so comfortable! I'm sure i'll be making more.

nikkishell

Designer Retro Patterns

I wanted to let you know about this great resource I found tonight. Paper Pursuits, is a web site where you can find and order print fashion collectibles, such as official fashion show catalogs from Versace, Valentino, and Hermes. Or old fashion magazines from vintage 1930's Harper Bazaar to international fashion magazines to more recent issues of W and InStyle.

Most exciting though is that they offer the Vogue Couturier Design, Vogue Paris Original and Vogue Americana pattern collections from the 60's-70's. These patterns featured designers like Pucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Nina Ricci, Bill Blass, and Pierre Cardin. Just look at these great designs and their unique details:



They are pricey though, from $24 to $58 per pattern. However, just looking at them has given me ideas. I love this one and this one. Enjoy.

Hello retro sewers

Hi there, I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Ingrid and I am a crazy sewing mumma to three children. I have only been sewing for about 12 months, but I have been collecting vintage patterns for a few years. I mainly collect and sew children's clothes, but looking at all the fabulous things lots of you are doing for yourselves has inspired me to try out sewing for myself as well.

The last retrosew I did was simplicity pattern #7197 from the late 1970s. Here is a pic, although it isn't a very good one.

At the moment I am working on a birthday dress for my daughter from this pattern which I think is from the late 50's. I am using this vintage fabric, which is a beautiful polished cotton. I have been saving it for something special so I truly hope I don't stuff it up.

I look forward to seeing what the sew-along will be for September so I can join in. You can find out more about me and my sewing adventures here.

Retro Onesies

I'm waiting for my fall retro patterns to arrive in the mail, so I whipped up these little outfits yesterday afternoon. Like many of you, I can hardly resist the retro hankies at the thrift stores. They're so pretty! Of course I need them! Then, they sit in my drawer, too small to tie in my hair, and until now, too pretty to cut up. Anyway, these are a gift for my new little niece Campbell. Basically, I've just cut the hankies in half, added a band that ties in back, and then attach them onto onesies. Easy!

posted by Joolie

This is my august project - the Denim Diva wrap jacket from hotpatterns. See my blog for the saga of making it, but all's well that ends well (and I think this did!)



Here's a shot of it laying flat so you can see how its lined! The red "tag" is some grosgrain I put in all my stuff I sew... makes it feel more finished, somehow!

August - Wrapping up!

The wrapping part refers to my August project. Lately I've been wanting to sew a wrap dress, like from the 70s. I figure it would be something easy to make and easy to toss on and go. I won a pattern on ebay, and it arrived a couple of days ago! It's here in time to sew for the August project. Here it is:

Unfortunately the scanner cropped off some of the envelope, and I'm not about to struggle with that #$*& machine again, so I'll just tell you that it's Simplicity 7705. The copyright date is 1976, so I figure that's pretty much retro enough.

Since I'm in Houston, and fall doesn't start until, oh, Decemberish, I'll be doing this in a lightweight fabric. I'm picturing a wild, psychedelic floral. I'm off to the fabric store after work to see what strikes my fancy!

Finally, I completed a project

Made a dress for my three year old as she's starting preschool this year. Nevermind the fact that we're homeschooling everyone needs a new dress for the first day of school.


Meager More details on my blog if anyone's interested.

The main detail that I'd really like to point out is that I finished it! *does happy Snoopy dance*

My First Sew

Hello,

Jeanie here. I have just dusted off the old sewing machine, cranked it up and made myself a pinny (I love the ric rac pockets) from a pattern I won on eBay. The fabric cost mere pennies from a discount fabric store here in the UK, and although the pattern was Extra Large I managed to trim it down a bit.

Here’s hoping my pinny will be the first of many projects, I made a summer shirt recently that was just wrong wrong wrong ..

I start a new job in Sept that will have me a little more pc bound, my old job was quite ‘hands on’ and creative - so I need to keep making things to keep those crafty fingers nimble.
And I need to keep in touch with makers and doers ..

I desperately need skirts

These are my August projects. For the last two winters I have found myself wearing pants the majority of the time. However, I love skirts. The only ones that did make it out of the house were ankle length wool ones that I could wear with boots.



This fall, I vow to wear skirts with more feminine footwear, similar to the looks of yesteryear. I went to Jo-Ann's Fabrics and bought this great black and cream chevron stripe fabric and a warm red sueded fabric to make the top two skirts on this Simplicity 5914 "six skirts made easy" pattern. I can't wait to cut them out.


However, this weekend I am still working on this project:



The reason is: Richmond weather in August and September usually means true summer will keep popping up when you least expect it. Therefore, I can't rule out more hot summer weather just yet.

Posted by lisa

Couple of Things

I made these this week, neither of them are my August Project but I thought they were worth posting!


This is Simplicity 7377 from 1967, a great pantdress pattern, why don't we have pantdresses anymore?? This is really comfortable and I can't wait for the weather to warm up again so I can wear it. The pattern is actually a 39 inch bust which I didn't realise until I was halfway through sewing it but it actually fits me quite well, it must have quite a lot of ease in it. The fabric is from my local favourite fabric store and has a nice stretch to it.









This is Simplicity 4116 which I think has a little bit of a retro feel to it which the fabric adds to I think! I have about a yard of this fabric leftover to make something else with which is great as I love it. The dress only took 2 yards of 60" fabric so it's a bit of a bargain really!

I got out all the pattern pieces for my project but something else jumped in line in front of it but I will get onto it soon!

Anna

Apron

Since my August project is not retro I thought I would post the apron I just finished using vintage fabric. It is not a staple to the wardrobe so I didn't think it would work for the August project. Sorry about the pics. There was nobody around to assist in taking the photos.

I am working seven days a week till school starts, so I may not get anything sewn in August. I am therefore listing the things I would have sewn, had I had any days off. I would have sewn a 40s-style straight skirt in dove gray. And a vest, since vests are big fashion news this season, in an Edwardian paisley faux silk I have lying around the house. And some glamorous old-fashioned camisoles with lace. Instead of sewing these things, I will enjoy reading your posts, and revel in vicarious retro sewing.

Is this retro?

A bit 1980s perhaps. New Look 6370. I wore it with a blue sash tied around it just under my bust to make it sort of empire line, as it was too shapeless otherwise. I made View D initially and had to have something else to go underneath as it was so seethrough. Then I also noticed how the inverted V of the flounce hemline made my knobbly knees look awful. So I ended up cutting out View B as the underslip, with the flounce cut from View D material which eliminated the inverted V. Does that make sense?

I finished! This was really a simple project and I am pleased with the results.......KathyRuth .

Hi, I am Sherry

My name is Sherry. I work full time in law enforcement. I love to sew, crochet, make greeting cards, bake goodies, and draw. My August project is not exactly retro but it is what I had all ready had together for the month. I promise next month's will be retro. I have some awesome patterns that have come in.

I will be making the tank top from the flower fabric and the skirt from the green. I can't wait to show you the finished project.

McCall's 5094

Here's McCall's 5094 (not a retro pattern) sewn with a nice vintage fabric found at an estate sale. *I'd love it if you'd please ignore the goofy look on my face. What a dork.* This is a really easy pattern to work with. It's probably my own fault, but usually patterns seem to have something wonky about them which forces me to make something up along the way. This one had nothing of the sort--it was SO straight forward. Next time I might make the chest area a little smaller, although I kind of like how it makes my "B"s look like "C"s.

Posted by joolie

Retro Wrap

My mom and I picked out this fabric to make dresses and yesterday I finished mine. The pattern is a 1960s number from ebay and I love it so far.







Also, I finally did a blind hem! Kind of sad that I have gone this long without learning it. Also, kind of a pain in the ass! Oh well.

More pix Chez Villain

Sundress from a trouser leg

I never got around to finishing anything in July, but here is one of my plans realized at last. It's a seersucker sundress, made from the leg of an old pair of carnival trousers! I made it without a pattern, but it is very much inspired by the pillowcase dresses by Mollycoddle. The size is about 6 years, a little big for my Princess (she's four and a half), which is a good thing, since she'll be able to use it next year. And probably the year after that. I'm posting a tutorial on my own blog, Norway Needles, later.
In August, I want to reconstruct one or more pieces of clothing. Amongst other things, I'd like to make a couple of my own old shirts into a dress for my daughter.

Tip for the UK girls...

Also 50% off online....

Vogue patterns are 50% off in John Lewis at the moment, if there's one near you. I think this is a manufacturer offer so you might also get it online at some point soon... I bought Vintage Vogue 2902 which might be right for the yards and yards of pink fabric I bought last week in a panic at the market...

My august project: a barkcloth jacket

I actually have tons of winter clothes - its my favorite season, because I love vintage suits, beaded sweaters, and vintage fur. I tend to be a bit at a loss in september through november, though, when its not really cold enough for all that wool. I love the look of a really neat, decorative jacket over a plain tee or tank with jeans, so I wanted to make myself a lightweight, fun jacket. I've had this pattern for quite some time and thought it would look great in this retro barkcloth from reprodepot.

I'm not sure if I'll do contrasting bias trim or self bias - contrast might be too much? It also looks like a more complicated pattern than I'm used too, although I have made hotpattern patterns before (I made the artful dodger cape jacket twice, once in faux leopard and once in lilac boucle as a warm spring jacket). I also still need to purchase lining material (ideally in one the brights from the pattern) and buttons (I see an M and J trip in my future!) we'll see how it goes!

My August Project

I'm not quite ready for Fall to arrive yet so I'm making a short sleeved dress, the reason it is 'next season' for me is because the bust size is 1 inch smaller than I am at the moment, I'm 2 inches smaller than when I started loosing weight so hopefully soon I can go down another inch and fit this dress!



The pattern is a housedress from the 40's, I really love the neckline and the big pocket, it just looks very comfortable and easy to wear. I choose a darker colour for the next season and I will be trying to find a pattern to knit a simple black cotton cardigan to wear over this and my other dresses to get more wear from them.

The instructions are a little bit scary:



I've never worked from a drawing like that before, hopefully I can figure it out!

Does anyone else find that vintage patterns expect you to be a more experienced sewer than modern ones do? There just seems to be a lot more to do in them, added steps which actually make a better garment but are skipped in today's construction, of course I can't think of an example off the top of my head! I just find them that bit more challenging which is both exciting and scary all at the same time!

I have a couple of other things I want to sew first, one of which is a vintage pattern too, but I will get this dress made by the end of the month, promise!

Anna

I haven't introduced myself yet

Hi all! I was very eager to join Sew Retro the minute I read about it and I did. I was away for all of July so couldn't participate in the first challenge. It seems I also forgot to introduce myself in all the hurry. I am a 20-something from Helsinki, Finland. I just recently graduated from university and at the moment I'm doing part-time freelance work (when I can get it) and other times just being a housewife. I love all things antique and vintage. I learned to sew in school but didn't do much besides the odd curtain and tablecloth for many years after that. Then I started quilting and in the last year or so, I also started to make clothes myself. This group seems like the perfect place to indulge in things I love and also to try and learn new things. I'm already planning my August project :)

August Project

My plan for August is the Betsy Ross Retro Coat pattern in this Chinese Brocade I got for a song at JoAnn's last month. It was 60% off the clearance price, so that made it $1.60 a yard.

For the closure, I can't decide if I should go with the vintage coconut buttons from my stash, or the clasp I bought to go with it. Please vote if you have an opinion.

The pink, silky stuff is for the lining.

I was planning to make the short version to wear with jeans and pants, but now I'm considering the long version. Hmm...

Great customer service!, and a little off topic...

I recently went into my local Jo-Ann's to purchase some Simplicity patterns on sale. I had shopped for them online. In Joann's I find all the patterns but one, it is a patterns in the very latest release. I ask a clerk if she could look in the back to see if the newest release had arrived. She gave me a less than truthful story about how when they receive items they immediately put them out???. (I did not just fall off the turnip truck, I have worked in retail and I have worked for a large wholesale company in the receiving department.) I asked to speak to a manager, she immediately went into the back room and looked but came out empty handed... She took my name and phone number and said she would call as soon as they came in, it has been over a week and I have not received a call - I am not surprised. I came home and emailed Jo-Ann's and Simplicity and told them this very story. Jo-Ann's has yet to respond. Simplicity emailed me back with in , no joke, 1 hour. She apologized for a non-employee and offered me a complimentary copy of the pattern. Here is proof:
I love presents in the mail!