Sewn: A dress called Edith

Edith

 Edith is currently my favourite dress at the moment. Yes, I love her so much, I gave her a name. 

She is a vintage-inspired 60s summer dress made using Butterick 6582, a retro reissue of the original pattern that was printed in the 60s. 

Love the print on the fabric

Pattern: Butterick 6582, option C
Fabric: Polycotton, Floral motifs with white and green gingham background
Modification(s): I shortened the hem by 15 cm because I am fun-sized!

Initially, I was quite apprehensive about this pattern because the bodice looked complicated to me with all the various pieces and the ruching at the shoulder. But the instructions were really helpful and the sewing process was a real breeze!

I really love the shoulder detail and the gathering at the sides of the skirt, which makes the skirt looks poofy when I wear it even without any petticoat underneath! (That said, I do still want to get a petticoat...)

Bodice and skirt

Poofy skirt!

This is definitely a pattern that I will use again. I am probably going to make Version A the next time!

More photos of the dress can be found in the previous post here.
xx

Sydney Summer Love Vintage Show (and a dress called Edith)

Edith

This post just cannot wait. As everyone who has been following me will know, I am not very good at keeping up to date with my posts. But this post simply cannot wait. 

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I was making a dress to wear to the Sydney Summer Love Vintage Show. I was almost certain that I was NOT going to finish the dress in time as the date of the show drew near. But I did it. I finished the dress 2 days before the show and I think it's most probably the loveliest thing I have ever made. So, behold, my favourite dress at this very moment - Edith. 

Wearing: Handmade vintage-inspired 60s dress, nude Rubi flats, white vintage purse, white ASOS sunnies

Oh, I also made a matching bow

Don't ask me why I'm calling it Edith. The name just popped into my head as I was admiring it. 

Anyway, the Sydney Summer Love Vintage Show was amazing and I loved every minute that I spent there. There was a sign outside which said no photographs of the stalls were allowed, so I didn't take many photos at the show. But I did take a couple at a stall with the permission of the stall vendor. 

Mustang Sallie

And here are the things I got at the show:  

Vintage red luggage bag, $30

Vintage Australian Home Journal (1951), $18

Vintage handmade crochet gloves, $12. My life is now complete.

Vintage dress, $10. What a steal! 

Vintage sunglasses, 2 for $25. My friend bought one too.

The details of this sewing project will be discussed in another post. Stay tuned! x

I'm making a dress to wear to a vintage show

There is a vintage show coming to Sydney, called the Love Vintage show. It was here in Sydney back in March but I missed it because I simply could not find the time amidst the hectic uni workload. This time, I will not miss it for the world.

And, I'm making a dress to wear to the show. This is the pattern and the fabric that I am using. Ahhhh!! Summer!!

I've sewn up a muslin for the bodice and it seems that I have to alter the rather poofy back a little. But that should not be a huge issue since the zipper is at the back of the bodice. I can always take more in as I insert the zipper.

Wish me luck! x

P.S.: Oh, and a reader commented on one of the previous posts and asked me about the camera I use and what I do with my photos. I am using a Canon Digital IXUS 80 IS which I have been using for 4 years. My recent photos have been edited using the Photoscape, a program that can be downloaded for FREEEE!! I highly recommend it to everyone!!

Sewn: Vintage-inspired 'Country Road' Dress

All right, ladies and gentlemen! I present to you... *drum roll* the 4th clothing item that I've sewn from scratch! I actually completed this dress a while ago but haven't had the time to take the pictures for a blog post. 

Left: Front view, Right: Back view

Left: Dress with belt; Right: Dress without belt

Pattern: New Look 6824 (A+H+J)
Fabric: Green and purple gingham cotton

New Look 6824, circa 2011/2012

I made this dress using the vintage-inspired New Look 6824 pattern. I bought the pattern because I felt that the dresses really reminded me of the 60s. When I first saw the pattern, I even thought that lady on the cover was Betty Draper from Mad Men! 

Dress with belt

Dress without belt

The version of the dress I made comes with a sash that is supposed to be worn as a belt. But I think the belt looks better wrapped around my head as a headband rather than around my waist as a belt. What do you think?

The seam between the bodice and the skirt

The zipper and button closure

The skirt hem

I decided to call this dress the "'Country Road' Dress" because wearing it really really makes me want to pack my bare essentials into an old leather suitcase, hop on a bus and sing "Country Road" by John Denver while I stare out in the vast empty lands on my way to a quiet countryside. But alas, I don't have an old leather suitcase and I certainly do not have the country to go to a countryside on my own. I also do not have the ability to hold a tune, unfortunately.

Sewn: Candyman's culottes

Ok, this is the 3rd clothing item that I have sewn from scratch. After attending a very short course on dressmaking in 2009, my sewing projects have been progressing at a snail's pace. Also, I am beginning to think that I have an extremely poor taste at choosing fabric. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that my very second sewing attempt did not go very well. The form and fit of the dress was great, but the prints on the fabric made it look like sleepwear. 

All the girls look so lovely in their culottes. Sewing pattern circa 1996

I cut the pieces in Feb 2011 and only completed it in Jul 2011.

I am utterly heartbroken and grief-stricken that this pair of culottes has suffered the same fate as the abovementioned dress. This pair of culottes is made using a vintage Simplicity 9686 pattern (design A) that I got from a thrift shop over a year ago. Apparently, vertical red and white stripes aren't a good choice for making culottes. I chose this design because I wanted my shorts to look like something that an ice-cream/candy seller would wear. Of course, not just any ice-cream/candy sellers, but the ones working in fairs where there's fun and laughter everywhere. Doesn't that just sound fantastic? Unfortunately, the plan fell through.

Disappointed.

My friends and brothers said that my culottes look like a pair of boxers. Maybe I am in complete denial, but I think this pair of culottes might just look all right if I wear it with other complementary clothing items. I am quite determined not to let this pair of culottes that I have painstakingly put together become sleepwear that I will only wear at home. In my own opinion, I think they look ok with my 'I HEART PARIS' tee and with the hems folded up (like in the picture below). What do you guys think? Please tell me your most honest opinion!

P.S.: I took these pictures during the height of winter, just for this blog entry! Brrrr....


P.P.S.: Uni starts again tomorrow! I hope I can still continue to write on this blog consistently...

What you can get with $100 at Spotlight

I'm not sure how many of you know this, but I won a $100 gift card from Spotlight a while ago. So, I've made a trip to Spotlight twice in the short span of a single month and have spent all the money in my gift card. (T_T)

You can't blame me for buying stuff at Spotlight today because it was Sewing Saturday and they had great offers in store! So... I thought some of you may be interested in what I got at Spotlight.

60's inspired retro prints fabric and white cotton fabric for lining (I know, the white bit on the left looks like the table, but it's not!)

I love how this print looks like the tiled kitchen floor/wall of the 60's. I'll be wearing kitchen tiles on my body!!! I don't care if people think that I look silly.

Printed pears jersey fabric and white polyester interlock for lining

Yes, I bought linings for both fabrics because they are not very opaque and I already have plans to make dresses out of them! (No, not using the following patterns)


I think I should really start making the dress using the pears fabric soon because I might get too old for such a cute print on a dress.

Hee hee hee, you have no idea how excited I am about using these patterns! I selected dress patterns that highly resemble a lot of ASOS.com dresses that I like. I'll do a blog post on that soon! Also, I'm a sucker for vintage dressmaking patterns. I actually have a number that I thrifted over the past 2 years.

Pinking shears

Other random stuff: zipper for current shorts that I am currently sewing, sequins, embroidery threads and nylon thread

I can't wait to finish the pair of shorts that I am currently sewing. I started making it in February (2011, of course), but have not had the time to continue with it because of uni T_T. Somehow, knitting and crochet just seem to take less time than sewing!

Speaking of crochet, I am currently crocheting this bag for my friend's birthday. I should get it done by next weekend. Well, I HAVE to. So, expect updates again next weekend!

P.S.: Excuse the poorly taken photos. I did this in a rush!

I made a dress that looks like sleepwear

I only have myself to blame for choosing a fabric with a gaudy design. Well, I guess it's still a good sewing practice for me, considering that each yard of the fabric was only 2AUD.

Will I wear it out? You can dare me to do it. I think I probably will do it at least once or twice before I start feeling awkward about it. 


This is the vintage sewing pattern that I used to make the dress. Perhaps I would look better in the dress if I were still a tween!

circa 1992

Oh, and before I forget, this is a pattern that I bought from the local Vinnies in Sydney. I got it for just 50 cents! :)


Note: I know I promised a crafting TUTORIAL, but the item that I made is missing. It's a brooch or some sort that I made for my mum. My mum has no idea where that thing is right now. This is not the first time that something like this has happened. I am not very pleased...

The Australian Women's Weekly, For Brides (August 22, 1973)

Look what I found at the local Vinnies! They were having a massive sale and I got this well-preserved magazine for just 25cents! What a steal! Wheeeeeee!!!

The Australian Women's Weekly, For Brides

August 22, 1973

It seems to me that second-time brides do not traditionally wear white wedding gowns. One of the things that I never knew...

An American Dream...

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!! The package from Etsy has arrived! The Heart of America Vest Panel that oozes with the smell of vintage goods.

But I think the adult S size is still pretty big for me. I'll have to try to alter it on my own...

This aside, I've also been addicted to watching Friends, making PB&J sandwiches and dipping Oreos into cold milk. :) 

I'm living the American dream baby!