By Jeannie Watt
When my mom taught me to sew at the age of ten, I never dreamed that it would become a passion--mainly because I hated it so much. All those puckers and wobbly seams...it 'seamed' as if I'd never get the hang of it. But by the time I got to high school, thanks to my mother's perseverance, I was a decent seamstress and could make clothes that I couldn't afford. And I enjoyed the process--so much so that when something didn't work out, aka looked dumb on me, I felt the journey was worth it.
My new, as in a decade old, hobby is buying vintage patterns and making them into (hopefully) wearable clothing. Now the thing about vintage patterns--or any pattern that doesn't have a photograph on the cover, is that the finished garment may have the same lines as the drawing on the pattern front, but they never look the same unless you happen to be very thin and have disproportionately long legs. I am afflicted by neither condition. Heh.
Here are some of my previous sorties into vintage pattern land--these are all dresses that I wore to school or some event.
This dress is from the 1940's. I made it from poplin and used a vintage red belt buckle from that era. Kind of fun with red shoes.
This is from the 1950s and is so comfortable. I really love this dress, and I don't feel costumey while wearing it. Fabric from WalMart. Saw it, had to have it.
This dress was a lot of fun to make. It's from a reissue of a 1950s pattern. I don't generally like reissues, because they change the body proportions, but this one worked.
From the 1950s again. I was so lucky to get this pattern on eBay. It's very popular. The photo doesn't do the dress justice. This dress made me feel like a princess.
Some of my efforts, didn't go so well. I made this pattern--the version with the over skirt--out of blue satin and it looked so stupid that I didn't even take a photo of the finished product. Word of warning--if you're short and curvy, over skirts will make you look like an oompa loompa.
What this blog is boiling down to is that, after a long hiatus from vintage pattern sewing after I moved to Montana eighteen months ago, I'm at it again. I'm making a dress that may or may not make it to RWA Nationals for the Golden Heart luncheon--my daughter is a finalist!!!!--depending on the outcome. I wouldn't want to embarrass her, after all.
This is the pattern and the fabric. I'm making the mermaid version because...well, mermaid.
This is the size:
That is not my size. I'm grading the pattern up to my size, which I do by tracing the original, then cutting it into a grid and, after doing a little math, taping it back together again. Believe it or not, the process works very smoothly, and it's kind of relaxing as I listen to reruns of Monk.
When I ordered the fabric, I thought the lemons would be smaller. They are not. However, I am moving forward. If the dress works out, I'll post a photo on my next blog. If it doesn't, well, we won't mention it again.
Cheers,
Jeannie
My new, as in a decade old, hobby is buying vintage patterns and making them into (hopefully) wearable clothing. Now the thing about vintage patterns--or any pattern that doesn't have a photograph on the cover, is that the finished garment may have the same lines as the drawing on the pattern front, but they never look the same unless you happen to be very thin and have disproportionately long legs. I am afflicted by neither condition. Heh.
Here are some of my previous sorties into vintage pattern land--these are all dresses that I wore to school or some event.
This dress is from the 1940's. I made it from poplin and used a vintage red belt buckle from that era. Kind of fun with red shoes.
This is from the 1950s and is so comfortable. I really love this dress, and I don't feel costumey while wearing it. Fabric from WalMart. Saw it, had to have it.
This dress was a lot of fun to make. It's from a reissue of a 1950s pattern. I don't generally like reissues, because they change the body proportions, but this one worked.
From the 1950s again. I was so lucky to get this pattern on eBay. It's very popular. The photo doesn't do the dress justice. This dress made me feel like a princess.
Some of my efforts, didn't go so well. I made this pattern--the version with the over skirt--out of blue satin and it looked so stupid that I didn't even take a photo of the finished product. Word of warning--if you're short and curvy, over skirts will make you look like an oompa loompa.
What this blog is boiling down to is that, after a long hiatus from vintage pattern sewing after I moved to Montana eighteen months ago, I'm at it again. I'm making a dress that may or may not make it to RWA Nationals for the Golden Heart luncheon--my daughter is a finalist!!!!--depending on the outcome. I wouldn't want to embarrass her, after all.
This is the pattern and the fabric. I'm making the mermaid version because...well, mermaid.
This is the size:
When I ordered the fabric, I thought the lemons would be smaller. They are not. However, I am moving forward. If the dress works out, I'll post a photo on my next blog. If it doesn't, well, we won't mention it again.
Cheers,
Jeannie
Like you, I love to sew--what a surprise it is even now!--but unlike you, I've never managed to sew clothing for myself. Yours are beautiful! Especially the "princess" dress. There is certainly something to be said for vintage, and you're saying it beautifully. Good luck to your daughter and have a great time.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Liz!
DeleteI am so in awe of anyone who can sew or knit as I am useless in both. One of my aunts had to finish a Gtade 9 sewing project for me in Home Ec. and the one sweater I knit (under my mother’s eagle eye....she was a great knitter) had one arm longer than the other. But those dresses are beautiful Jeannie and you look fabulous in every one. The vintage patterns are timeless - great choices. I guess you don’t do commissions?? Kudos to your daughter - it’ll be a wonderful experience to share with her.
ReplyDeleteJanice, my husband would kill me if I took commissions, lol. I love your aunt finishing your project for you! My first sweater, for me, ended up fitting my husband--loosely. And my first baby booties would have fit a six-year old. I need to work on my tension. :)
DeleteMy mom, my sister and I used to sew everything for ourselves and I for my kids as they grew up. Somewhere along the line I stopped and my sewing machine has been mothballed, so to speak, for a number of years. Your dresses are lovely, Jeannie.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Roz!
DeleteI love seeing these beautiful dresses--I made my own and my toddlers' clothes back in my 20s, but life changed and now I have to dig for thread to sew on a button. But your post made me want to buy a sewing machine and dive in again. I so admire your skill and you must feel such a great sense of satisfaction. Have a wonderful conference and all the best to to your daughter. How exciting!
ReplyDeleteHi Virginia--I stopped sewing for years during the kids' junior high and high school years. All my supplies got jumbled and lost. But one day I found a project I'd started and as difficult as it was to start, began sorting it out. I finished it and one thing led to another. Now I have so many projects in the works that it's kind of scary! I encourage you to start again!
DeleteJeannie, I'm in awe of your talent. You look fantastic! I sewed a little but nothing like you. Can't wait to see your creation at Nationals. Let's hang out some :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cathy, and yes, we must hang out! I enjoyed our time at the last conference so much!
DeleteYou do beautiful work. I was at an estate sale recently and saw someone buying a large box of old patterns. Now I'm even more curious about what's planned for them!
ReplyDeleteI would so love to find a box of old patterns. Instead I buy them on eBay. I must hit more estate sales. Thank you, Callie!
DeleteJeannie,
ReplyDeleteI'm going to find you at Nationals, give you a hug, and force you to become my friend. I don't know when I've enjoyed a post more. My mouth was open and I love, love, loved the photos.
And, your daughter is a finalist. You should be shouting to the heavens.
I'm mega impressed, girl.
You almost (a nano really) made me want to look for my sewing machine (where is it?) and sew.
You should get your machine out, Pamela. You never know what might come of it. I will be looking for you at Nationals! I'm so excited to make friends with everyone! Also, Cari Lynn Webb and I sit side by side at the Literacy signing and laugh and laugh. We've talked about setting up a popcorn machine to draw in the people. :)
DeletePam, we will find her together. I got to know Jeannie last year at the conference and am so pleased to now call her friends. She's a great gal and loads of fun. Also, her daughter is super nice.
DeleteI LOVE hearing about your sewing projects, Jeannie! Your dresses are gorgeous in photos and in person (I can attest to that since I've seen them at RWA Nationals ;). And I'm so excited about the GH final and will be rooting for her!!
ReplyDeleteAnd you, Rula, saw the Oompa Loompa blue satin number. You never said a word, bless you. I'll miss you this year!
DeleteJeannie, this is incredible news about your daughter. I'll be rooting for her. So, is this like Mary Higgins Clark and you both will doing pod casts together? WOW! You have to be so happy. Like a lot of others, I used to sew everything I put on. For decades. But then I discovered the ultra discount places, not to mention Goodwill, and when I can buy stuff for work for less than the cost of buttons...well....Anybody else a Goodwill fan? I love those patterns. Frankly, I think I still have a few floating around here in my mom's house. Not that I would look as good as you in them. That princess dress is fabulous! My machine is parked in a nearby closet and I just did new covers for dining chairs. NO big deal. Kudos to you both! See you in Denver!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing you, too, Catherine! And I love Goodwill! I do a lot of thrifting and actually buy a lot of sewing supplies there, too. Good for you sewing covers for the dining chairs. I've yet to try any real home decor--just some kind of bad curtains once.
DeleteWhat beautiful dresses! Love the details--the round pockets on the sleeveless and the incredible curved seaming on the skirt of the princess dress. I'll bet the skirt moves beautifully when you walk or dance. I haven't sewn in years, but I still have boxes and boxes of patterns tucked away in a much smaller size than I am today. Can't wait to see if the lemon dress makes it to the finals. Congratulations to your daughter! That's so amazing. Talent runs deep in your family.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Beth. That skirt was fun. I wore it to the Harlequin Party and got kudos from TPTB. I hear you about boxes of patterns and the small size. That's why I learned to grade patterns, lol!
DeleteThanks for the trip down memory lane! My mom had these patterns around when I was a girl. The pattern brand, Butterick, just popped into my mind. Aren't memories amazing, how something will trigger them? I could never sew and my main memory of it was having to remove a seam in home ec class, using one of those metal prong things. Ugh! So I admire anyone who does it well, and even enjoys sewing. I think you look fabulous in all of the pics.
ReplyDeleteShare your daughter's name, if you don't mind, so we can watch for her. That is so exciting for both of you! Enquiring minds want to know the category she entered, whether you have taken her under your wing, and whatever else. :) Wondering if this will be the last year of the Golden Heart, since I've heard it might be going away.
I'm sure hoping it's not the last year of the Golden Heart, but I guess we'll see. My daughter's name is Jamie Dallas, which is her given name after her grandmother, Minnie Dallas. She's in the short contemporary category and while I'm there for advice, she has done this entirely on her own. I didn't get a chance to read her entry until it finaled, so I'm really proud of her. Thanks so much for asking, Cathy.
DeleteCongratulations to your daughter, Jeannie! And your creations are so imaginative! I never thought about how a change in material absolutely changes the meaning of the dress. I'm going to hunt you down at RWA, just to see what you're wearing. I don't sew because it requires sewing.
ReplyDelete"I don't sew because it requires sewing." Oh my gosh--love this! Feel free to track me down, but don't be disappointed if I'm wearing something comfy. If all goes well, I'll bring two made-by-me frocks. :)
DeleteI too used to sew - not all my clothes, but a few things. I haven't for years. My husband wanted me to sew some things for the boat, and I was panicking, because, no pattern. So now, he's just gone ahead and free wheeled making things, no pattern and they work which just floors me.
ReplyDeleteI too will be looking for that lemon dress, but I, alas, for the party am wearing something I found on sale...
I'm wearing gold lame to the party--something I found on sale, too! If you see a gold disco ball, it's me! I love that your husband does free wheeling work. Sometimes if you don't know what you should worry about, you do better than if you do.
DeleteWow! You're dresses are amazing. I can sew...or at least I used to could. I made several blouses for myself and some dresses for my girls when they were little, but I've never attempted to size up a pattern like that. Sewing is a lost art and I still have several things my grandmother made for me and often wished I could sew as well as she could. Now that my granddaughter is getting older maybe I'll take it up again. Can't wait to see you and Jamie at nationals!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to it, too, LeAnne. And I've loved hearing about everyone's sewing experiences!
DeleteCongrats to your daughter on finaling in the Golden Heart! That is awesome! And I love your dresses and patterns--they look so classic. I think I have similar patterns stored away somewhere...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patricia. And glad to hear I'm not the only one who has old patterns stored away!
Delete