white eyelet maxi dress

just finished this one over the weekend!


i used two patterns to make this - the bodice from simplicity 9164 & the skirt from mccall's 5648.
the bodice & midriff are underlined in unbleached muslin (for modesty... should have underlined the skirt, did not, no care, sorry mom :), the zipper is handpicked. i also shortened the bottom ruffle in half lengthwise because i ran out of fabric. all good now, though!









more pictures & construction details are at my blog, lladybird.
thanks for looking ♥

Mail Order 1839

Here’s what I’ve been working on this week!


This sweet little cap blouse is from this mail order pattern “#1839″:


I must be getting old, because I can’t remember where I found this great little pattern! It’s a mail order pattern, and its without envelope so I have no idea its origin. There was an ebay auction of this pattern in another size with an envelope intact, and the return address was partially visible, showing “Idaho”. That’s all I’ve got as to pattern maker. :)

I love the lace-trimmed cap sleeve version, so that’s the view I chose to make. It was very easy to fit (the pattern was a bust 38). It needed a 3/4″ FBA, and some additional width at waist/hip.

I used lavender cotton eyelet, because it’s so fresh and summery and has a vintage feel. I also used cotton French laces, which would have been more readily available (and in domestic form most likely) during the 1940s.

I think this pattern probably dates to the later part of the 1940s because the skirt seems a bit full and long for early-mid 40s. If you’d like to see more pictures, I have a few more detail shots on my blog!

Hollywood 1059, 1930s Blouse

I found this cute pattern in an antique store back in the summer and HAD to make it despite the fact that there were no instructions and I haven't worn a Peter Pan collar in 45 years! I used a light blue vintage eyelet with a border, and I love the way it turned out. Unfortunately, it just is not my style, so I'll probably sell it on etsy next spring. At any rate, I wanted to share because it is quite pretty.


Here's the back view. For some reason I can't locate the front of the envelope, which was what sold me on this design to start with!

My blog, The Vintage Traveler, has a post on a cute wrist pincushion I made last week.