All posts tagged: patterns

Coat-spiration

I love vintage coats. In a weird way they speak more to me of vintage glamour and the lifestyle than evening dresses do, because everyone needed to wear a coat, not everyone needed an evening dress. Here are my favourite vintage coat patterns from my stash. First, a fabulous late 1940s coat. Love the swing, the collar, the cuffs, the massive exaggeration of everything! I’m in the midst of making this up in black and white plaid – I’ll show you soon. For more fabulous mid-century swingy-ness, you can’t beat this coat. Front, back, collar and cuffs, one button, and you have a coat. So simple, and yet so stylish. Especially if you wear it with a little birdcage veil! Keeping with the swing thing, I love how simple and elegant this coat is. No collar, no cuffs, but it still has pockets, and that wonderful sense of luxurious ease that a really roomy coat gives. A good collar does make a coat though. I particularly love the high collar of view one of this …

My 1930s patterns – the non-Excella patterns

Published by The Dreamstress

My apologies dear readers. I know the blog has been very quiet. I’ve been very overwhelmed. Busy seamstress = absent blogess. But it also = exciting sewing things done (whenever I have time to blog about them!). I’ve got so much to show you on the 1780s chintz pet en l’aire, and a glorious 1900s project, and a 17th century inspired project. So lots to look forward to! For now, here are the last of my 1930s patterns. I’ve showed you the Excella patterns, parts I & II. Today’s patterns are by a variety of makers, and I’ve arranged them in rough chronological order. First, the classic, mid 1930s evening dress: For a more casual look, how about these natty nautical options. I used the top to for S’s nautical playsuit: For a more mature look, these day frocks are pretty spectacular. I love the asymmetrical collars. And another, more glorious, variant on the classic ’30s evening dress. The back options are totally swoon-worthy. And last, options for a number of little tops. Even if …

Early 1930s Patterns, part II of III — the Excella Patterns

Published by The Dreamstress

On May 18 I showed you half of my early 1930s Excella patterns. Here are the rest (and one non-Excella pattern just to mix things up). I adore this one. That wrapping scarf. So swish! I’m waiting on the right time to make the whole dress, but I have made the skirt part as a business skirt, which I loved and wore to death. Isn’t this one so adorable? It just sings of sweetness. I’m not sure the top and skirt go together though. Maybe if the ruffle and contrast pieces were in the same fabric? This dress is possibly the simplest, but may very well be my favourite. Such lovely simplicity of line. From simple to sophistication. Va-va voom! And this one may be my least favourite. It feels like Excella needed to make a pattern, and so they just married some bog-standard dress elements to make a new design. Couple of skirt panels, some simple sleeve variants, cowl neck, tie it together with a sash. Eh. Good enough. Doesn’t this one just say …