Scraps from the Past: Toddler Coat in Sunny Corduroy

I so enjoy finding fabric scraps tucked into vintage sewing patterns. They provide a window into popular fabric trends to match the vintage pattern style itself.

The pattern: This pattern for an adorable dress, coat, and cap for a toddler just begs to be sewn. It is easy to imagine these fetching items from Simplicity 3807 and 1951 in any number of fabrics and colors. It's very inspiring!

The scrap: A small scrap of a very fine pinwale corduroy was included in this pattern. It is a soft fabric, and a warm color, perfect for spring. Certainly the fabric was used for the coat and hopefully for the hat. It does make one wonder, though - what fabric did they use for the dress? 

Cute and Colorful Spring Fashion from 1965

I love the POP! of jelly-bean colors in these great spring fashion items from 1965. Check out these cute coats and chin-strap roller hats while you think of spring. Yummy fashion!

Spring just begs for the addition of bright colors like these!

Spadina Museum Staff Sew Ruth Wyeth Spear's Cloche

Almost a year ago, I posted this tip from Ruth Wyeth Spears for sewing a charming cloche:

Last week I was totally delighted to hear from the staff at Spadina Museum, a 1920s house museum located in Toronto. They created this hat, using Ruth's instructions, and then posted the results (complete with steps) on their Facebook page. Now is this cute or what? What a success! :D Be sure to visit their post on FB and look at all the pictures. Spadina Museum looks like a must-see if ever I can make it to Toronto!

1930s - Suave and Chic Winter Looks

The weather is freezing here in Seattle this week, so I think a winter coat post is in order. And I adore 1930s fashion. :)

Pencil-slim and trimmed with a lynx fur collar and slanting bound pockets, this tailored coat from the late 1930s exudes devastating charm. That jaunty hat has a bit of swagger to it, too!

1930s Glamour in a Double-Breasted Princess Coat

I'll be traveling for Thanksgiving today, and I hope you all are blessed with a safe and wonderful time with all those you love.

For my travels today, I wish I could wear this fabulous tweed coat from 1937 that hugs the figure with flair! It features princess seams, underarm pockets with shaped flaps, double-breasted closing, and a shawl collar accented with scalloped Persian lamb fur. And I'd wear the marvelous hat too, with its square visor, envelope crown, and Persian pom-poms!

I wish I could order one of these!

1930s - Glamorous Metallic Two-Piece Evening Dress

Oh, she looks sensational and knows it! This divine two-piece dress of  lamé provides a sculptured look, wrapping the body in waves of elegant shimmer. The matching hat is a high calot, trimmed with kid and an eye-catching whisper of a veil.

1930s Winter Coat - Wrap Yourself in Luxury

Double pockets with flaps that hug a snug waistline, a double-breasted closing, and a warm shawl collar topped with luxurious fur make this tweed coat from 1937 a beauty. That sculptured hat tops it off with panache!

Such a fashionable way to stay warm during freezing winter days!

Accessorize Your '60s Cocktail Dress!

It's the hunt for accessories! This wonderful Patt-O-Rama mail order pattern from 1966 that I posted yesterday in my shop features a chic two-piece dress with a focus on the accessories.

The pattern included this additional sheet that describes how to accessorize this dress in three different ways! I thought it would be fun to see if I could find vintage fabric and accessories in Etsy shops to match the suggestions. Check them out below. :) Did I do a fair job? Do all the elements work together? Feel free to suggest alternate choices!

I will say, that just the exercise of selecting the pieces for each version made it easier to imagine myself in each version of this two-piece dress. A very fun and useful result!

LEFT: Fabric & Accessories for Dress Sewn in Brocade

Beige brocade fabric

Shop: Fabric Depot

White kid gloves

 Shop: Cristi Natural

White clutch purse (brocade)

Store: From The Vanity

Pearl drop earrings

Shop: Vintage Brink

 Pearl bracelet

Shop: Truly Vintage UK

BOTTOM: Fabric & Accessories for Dress Sewn in Linen

Lemon-colored linen

Shop: My Fabric Studio

Black straw sailor hat

Shop: Vintage Vixen

Black patent sling back shoes

Shop: Frocks N FrillsVintage

Pale yellow gloves

Shop: Jens Closet

Black double-strapped handbag

Shop: The Swanky Fox

RIGHT: Fabric & Accessories for Dress Sewn in Brown Herringbone Wool

Brown herringbone wool fabric

Shop: Fabric Consortium

Dickey

Shop:  bobby's Boutique

 Watch on a chain

Shop:  Yesterday Time

Gold bangle bracelets

Shop: Joann Brocanto Vintage

 

Flat gold earrings

Shop: Beautiful Passions

 Brown leather pumps with stacked heel

Shop:  Kat's Cache

Brown leather pocket book

Shop: Pinky LaRoux

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Sewing a Calot-Style Felt Hat

Are you ready for another cute hat? They are so fun to design and wear! The hat in this tip from Ruth Wyeth Spears provides instructions for sewing a calot-style cloche. The brim is turned back and has a wonderful double "slip through the slot" wing accents. Delightful!

As usual, click the image with template and print it out to use as your template for sewing this hat, per Ruth's instructions. Happy sewing!

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Sew Yourself a Draped Turban!

Need to switch it up from cloches? This tip from Ruth Wyeth Spears and the 1920s provides all that you need to know to create a chic draped turban. Satin or taffeta and a buckram foundation crown are what you will need. Ruth also mentions rice net, which the Vintage Fashion Guild says is synonymous with cape net. Neither of those exist today (that I could find). I looked at JoAnn's and while ordinary nylon net might work, I think their millinery netting fabric is a better match.

Yummy fashion!

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - A Smart Little Hat

Are you ready for another cloche of felt? A favorite and easy way to add a new hat to your wardrobe accessories, the felt cloche in this tip from Ruth Wyeth Spears and the 1920s is easy and charming. It calls for strips of felt in different colors, and even the strap and buckle are made of felt. The construction is very clever, so this should be fun to make and wear!

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Sewing A Chic Cretonne Hat

Are you ready to sew cloche for "sports wear"? If so, then read on, for Ruth Wyeth Spears shows you how with a buckram frame, some cretonne fabric (essentially upholstery fabric, preferably with a floral print), and a band of plain linen.

Remember to choose a becoming buckram frame. I just love the style of this cloche! Oh, and be sure to click or tap the image for a larger view for easier reading.

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Make Another Chic Ribbon Cloche!

If you didn't make the first ribbon cloche that Ruth Wyeth Spears described in one of my previous posts, here's another one to tempt you. Or maybe you did and you want to make another! :) Ribbon hats were evidently popular at some point in the 1920s, and with Ruth's home sewing tips from that era, you too can learn how to make your own.  This rather Art Deco style hat uses stiff ribbon and a buckram crown foundation. Happy sewing!

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Sew a Two-Toned Felt Hat

You can never have enough hats, and this tall-crowned cloche is a "smart little hat" that is easy to sew. Ruth Wyeth Spears provides all the details you need to create this two-toned felt hat, straight from the 1920s. Which colors will you choose?

 

 

Send me a link if you sew this one up!

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Create a Summer Linen Hat with Raffia Flowers

Are you ready for summer? Are you ready to make your own summer hat? Find a cloche-style buckram frame on the internet and decorate it as Ruth Wyeth Spears describes here!

You simply cover the frame with a coarse pastel linen and edge the brim with raffia. Using Ruth's template for the flowers, you then create raffia flowers with centers of French knots, and add them to the crown. Can you picture Ruth's colors of blue, burnt orange and yellow? :) Have fun!

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Sewing a Chic Turban

If you have a lovely remnant of metallic brocade and a bit of silk, and can get your hands on some buckram, then this elegant turban should be a snap to sew for your next formal soiree. Ruth Wyeth Spears, sewing maven for the home seamstresses of the 1920s, will show you how!

Click on the image to view it larger for easier reading.

Please note! In this tip, Ruth says to cut a circle from 14-inch square of fabric by folding it four times and then cutting. This is such a clever tip, but could be a little more specific. Here is what she means:

You can also simply make all folds diagonal and obtain the same result, as I demonstrate here:

1973 Vogue Fashion - Evening Ease & Style

1973 evening wear is easy and elegant with these two patterns from Vogue. Vogue 2807 is a full length shirtwaist that adds casual sass and spark to an evening. The stunning dress 2804 is designed by Jean Muir and captures the eye with its flat panels, gathered panels, dolman sleeves, and shirttail hemline. Gorgeous!

 

While I encourage you to visit my shop Etsy shop, Midvale Cottage for lots of 1970s dresses (designer and otherwise), you can find the patterns for the two items illustrated above in the following Etsy shops:

For Vogue 2807:
We Are Vintage Sewing

For Vogue 2804:
Vintage Green Clothing

And while you are browsing Etsy, pick one or two accessories to wear with the dress, like a 1970s hat with net and a 1970s beaded choker!

Rorevie

 

100 Percent Polyverse

 

Vintage Flapper Girl



Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Trimming Down Last Season's Straw Hat

In this tip from Ruth Wyeth Spears and the 1920s, the focus is on altering last summer's straw hat for the new season. With artful use of scissors, some buckram, steam, and a new band of velvet or ribbon - and voila! A smartly shaped hat that is perfect for summer!

I think I have one or more straw hats in my closet - I do think I will try this! I'll let you know how it goes.

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Make a Cloche from Ribbon!

A cloche made from ribbon? You can make this smart hat from less than two yards of six inch-wide ribbon - Ruth shows you how! Tucks and a pleated fan add eye-catching detail - who's game to sew up this lovely, Downton Abbey-worthy cloche? Share a picture if you do!

Click the image for a larger and easier to read view.

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Trimmings for your Cloche

This delightful tip from sewing maven of the 1920s, Ruth Wyeth Spears, provides patterns and complete instructions for adding floral accents to your "between seasons hat". Between seasons - would that be spring and fall? Regardless, satin ribbons and strips of taffeta are used to create flowers and leaves. No embroidery required!

Be sure to click the image to view a larger image that you can print and read more easily. Enjoy!