McCall 3774: The Lady of the Lake Blouse and Hollywood 1521

Delighted to have finished two new makes – a 1940 McCall blouse and one of the first patterns I ever sewed, Hollywood 1521 for the skirt.

Let me introduce McCall 3774, my newest 1940 McCall make.  I wasn't quite sure how this pattern would translate into real life with the double row of small buttons on the bodice. The pattern also has two different collar options--collarless and small peter pan collar.

I am delighted with how the pattern turned out.  I just adore the fabric--I think because it's a busy print it works well with the design.  But I chose this pattern to match this fabric specifically because I already had these small green buttons that I thought woudl go perfectly with the pattern.

I choose the collarless option with plain sleeves. The fabric is silk and I just adore the pattern. I don't wear a lot of green but it's a colour that I really love.

The second part of this outfit is the Hollywood 1521 skirt.  This was one of the first patterns I ever sewed with (also for the skirt). Though at some point I really want to make the blouse from this pattern too!

It's a simple A-line panel skirt but I just love the shape. Both times I've made this skirt from fairly lightweight fabric.  This time from a lightweight synthetic fabric that's very similar to lightweight suiting material.

I do love the shape of the skirt--it's also very comfortable and easy to sew.

I had this skirt in my projects pile--all cut out--for nearly 6 years!!  It's funny because when I decided on the blouse pattern, then the skirt came to life as a perfect partner.

We took these beautiful photos at Lake Kandawagyi in Myanmar.  It was such a gorgeous park with the pagoda visible in the distance.

So very happy with this pairing! And there's another piece to this set--I just took the photos of it today so it will be coming to the blog soon!

Photography: Chiara with Shoot My Travel

The 'Yangon Yellow' Blouse

A highlight from my recent trip to Myanmar was visiting Shwedagon Pagoda – one of the country's biggest landmarks. And I had the perfect new me-made blouse to wear for the occasion :)

I made the blouse using this Economy Design pattern. The blouse features an awesome scalloped collar, faux buttons (it slips over the head) and a neck closure (no side fastenings).  It's great because it requires only 1 yard of fabric and is perfect for when you have a piece of special vintage fabric!

 

I've made the blouse once before with some feedsack fabric:

 

 Photo credit: Darja Bilyk

The fabric for this blouse is mid-century vintage that I got at the local vintage fair and I only had a small amount--so it was perfect for the blouse pattern.

This time I also inserted yellow lace around the front faux placket and the cool feature on the sleeves...

I paired the blouse with a vintage skirt that I also got at the same vintage fair.  I just love the colourful look-- it fit right in at the pagoda with all the rich yellow colours.

The pagoda was amazing...it's a Buddhist pilgrimage site and the locals come to meditate and pray.  There's 'corners' for the day on which you were born where you are supposed to pour 21 scoopfuls of water over the Buddha and other statues.  My corner was the 'Friday corner' and it was really great to see everyone taking part--from young to very old and they are very welcoming of tourists as well.

No one wears shoes either inside the entire complex as a sign of respect.

There were so many little pagodas and shrines within this massive complex.  There were also several big gongs that you could hit (the custom is to hit it three times)--and anyone could do this.  It was really great to see all the ways in which people could participate in making the space their own -it was truly a community space.

So I'm super happy my new me-made blouse got a special outing to this spectacular country and location!  I'm also hoping to make more of these blouses as they are super quick to sew but also very versatile for traveling!

I'll be going to Myanmar a few more times over the course of this year and next for work --so I'm hoping to explore more of the country!  And more pictures from this recent trip are coming soon!

Photography: Chiara for Shoot My Travel

Join me for a 1940 McCall Sewalong!

I'm so excited to be hosting a sewalong using one of my 1940 McCall patterns!  This is McCall 3863 a ladies' and misses' dress with two different skirt-lengths and short, middle or long sleeves!  There's so many variations you can make with this dress including leaving the bows off, or bows only on the upper bodice, etc.  It would be a great holiday and/or new year's dress.  I'm very lucky to be co-hosting this sewalong with my good friend Rachael (@ms.carnivale) on instagram and she has started a facebook group for the sewalong.

There's a group of ladies in Edinburgh who will be making this pattern together--so we will have lots of in-person but also online support and we will share our in-person learning with all of you as well!  So whether you are a seasoned sewist or a newbie--why not join us?

I'm happy to say that Margot over at Lady Marlowe patterns on Etsy has graciously graded this pattern up to a bust size 44' for the paper pattern (link for the paper pattern) or you can purchase the instant download that you print at home in the size Bust 32 here!!  You can order the paper pattern or a download version of the pattern over at her website. And she is offering 15% off for sewalong participants! Just use code Debi15 at checkout!!


The sewalong will take place over the next two and a half months--so plenty of time to go at your own pace.  I'll be posting content over that time (and Rachael will also be co-blogging and checking in with our facebook group). But here's the blogging schedule:

15-21 October: About the pattern

22-28 October: Choosing fabric and trim

29 October - 4 November: Testing the fit: Making a muslin or fitting the paper pattern

5-11 November: Working on fitting issues

12-18 November: Cutting out your fashion fabric

19-25 November: Constructing the bodice

3-9 December: Attaching bodice to skirt and inserting the zipper

10-16 December: Constructing and setting sleeves

17-23 December: Hemming and finishing

24-3 December: Finishing up your dress + photo parade of finished dresses

Hope you will join us!! Should be fun!!!

Adventure 1: Jordan

So excited that the first adventure from my list was Jordan! I went there for work and it just so happened that my really good friends, Zain and Kinda (who are sisters) were home visiting family as well. So we were able to spend a fabulous long weekend exploring some amazing sights!

This was also my first trip to the Middle East and it was so phenomenal.

Our first stop was Petra--the iconic ancient city carved out of stones. The landscape of Petra is so amazing--everywhere you turned there were caves and interesting and beautiful stone features:

We walked about a mile to reach the most famous stone building 'the Treasury'....

And my goodness, it was MASSIVE!  They don't let you inside but you can see the scale of it in this photo:

And of course, lots of fun photo opps along the way--including these ancient guards...it would have been so interesting to see this as a functioning city way, way back in the day (it was started in the B.C. years).

Petra was amazing but just as wonderful was the Wadi Rum Desert.  There's something about the desert that I find soothing and awe-inspiring. It's a bit like being near the ocean for me --I love the vastness of the natural beauty!  And the Wadi Rum Desert is SO BIG!

It's the same desert that was in the Laurence of Arabia film and it's so humbling to be the only people out there for as far as the eye can see:

Lots of neat rock formations...this one is known as the 'elephant'. I think they film quite a few movies in this area that are supposed to be related to 'Mars' and you can see why! It's very otherwordly.

The Wadi Rum Desert has two parts, the 'white' and the 'red' deserts and we visited both.  I really like the red desert..

All my outfits are either me-made (McCall 3865 is the dress above and my 1950's 'Desert Dreams' Style Print dress) or vintage and specifically chosen for the climate!  It was so much fun to spend the time in our desert camp with my two great friends!  I so can't wait to go back to Jordan!!

YAY!  So still on my list for Jordan is the Dead Sea--which I will have to make happen on my next trip! 

What about you? Have you ever been to a desert like this?

Photography: Kinda Kurdi (@kinda_kurdi)

40 Adventures for my 40s in 1940s Style

There's something about big birthdays and doing things around a theme that I love!  I turned 40 almost two years ago now and I've been dreaming of doing this adventure of having 40 adventures during the decade of my 40s but all in vintage style (1940s/50s).  And now I've finally planned it out and am making plans to tick off all the things that are currently on my bucket list!!

So here goes... I am definitely up for an adventure!

The 40 Adventures for my 40s Dream List (in no particular order...)

Places to Travel:
1.  Namibia and Botswana
2. Cuba
3. Bali and the Pacific
4. Jordan (this is the first one I completed!! Coming to the blog soon!)
5. Myanmar
6. Greek Islands
7. Morocco
8. Egypt
9. Bolivia
10. Argentina and Patagonia
11. Easter Island
12. LA/Hollywood/Disneyland/Dapper Day
13. Hebrides Islands
14. Mongolia
15. Japan
16. Croatia
17. Sri Lanka

Experiences:
18. Alaskan Cruise
19. Ice hotel + northern lights + reindeer
20. Multi-day steam train journey
21. Tall ship sailing
22. Steam ship sailing
23.  Tiger Moth or Spitfire experience
24. Hot air balloon in either Cappadocia or Bagan
25. Floating in the Dead Sea
26. Cruise on the Nile
27. Touring the UK in a vintage car
28. Route 66 road trip
29. Learning to ride a motorcycle

Events:
30. Up Helly Aa
31. Attending an international film festival (either Cannes or Sundance)
32. Vienna Opera Ball
33. Celebrating Carnival 
34. Attending Gertie's Sewing Retreat in NY
35. Lantern Festival in Thailand
36. Attending Viva Las Vegas
37. Goodwood Festival
38. Attending a swing dance camp
39. Seeing Wagner's Ring Cycle at the Bayreuth Festival

40. Freebie (to be decided later) 

I'm so excited!!! What's on your bucket list?

The 'Desert Dreams' Dress

Wow! The Wadi Rum Desert is a dream.  Look at the expansive and beautiful space! The perfect backdrop for my newest 1950s Style Print shirtwaist dress!

I made this teal dress using 'Style Print' number 1283, a pattern that I have used previously to make some of my favourite shirtwaist dresses (including the 'Midcentury Madness' dress, the 'Pumpkin' dress and my recent 'Secret Garden' dress).

The dress features a button-up shirtwaist bodice design (which I used matching 1960s style teal jewel buttons for) and a gathered skirt.  I added pockets to the skirt (yay!).

Oh, and how much does this desert look like it might be the surface of Mars?  It was actually used for filming a few 'space' movies as well as the filming for 'Lawrence of Arabia!'  Next time I visit, I'll try and sew up a space-age mod dress for the landscape as well :)

The back of the dress is straight with some waist darts for shaping.  The dress closes with a side zipper.

Overall, I just love the shape of the 1950s/1960s shirtwaisters--they are so wearable for every occasion!

My friends Zain and Kinda and I took a desert tour--sitting in this lovely vintage 4x4 truck and seeing the expansiveness of this great landscape--it's really overwhelming how beautiful it is!

And Kinda is also an amazing professional photographer and film-maker and took some amazing photos throughout the trip!

Definitely a place and a pattern I will be revisiting again!!

Photography: Kinda Kurdi (@kinda_kurdi)

Simplicity 8510: The 'Bed of Roses' Lingerie Set

This pattern is a game changer in so many ways-- I can make my own vintage lingerie! YIPPPEEEE!!!  Enter Simplicity 8510, a reissued 1930s lingerie pattern for a bra and french knickers. I just adore the pattern illustration, so decided to give this pattern a go and I am very pleased with how my first me-made vintage lingerie set turned out!

The 1930s bras don't have any underwires--but they are still super comfy.  The pattern itself was very easy to put together. I opted for view B which has the v-shaped shape on the front and the back of the knickers.  I made this from a synthetic dress fabric that is similar to the weight of satin but without the shine.  The bra and facings came together very well except for one thing--the ruching in the centre front! That baby will not go under a sewing foot--that was so difficult to gather through two layers of this fabric! I ended up having to do it by hand with a very sturdy needle (this is where the thimbles actually do come in handy!!!)

This pattern included my other least favourite sewing task--making small straps by turning fabric inside out! That's always a measure of my sheer determination! haha.  But boy, oh boy, I do get a very satisfied feeling when I finally get them turned all the way out!

I'm really so excited at the prospect of making more lingerie from vintage patterns--the possibilities are endless (for example, I really want to make some tartan lingerie)!  And aren't these photos amazing? I worked with Tigz Rice to capture these shots and we found the most amazing flower wall--with the flowers matching almost exactly to the colour of the fabric!  I feel like a proper pinup :) 

What about you? Have you ever tackled sewing lingerie?

Photography: Tigz Rice
MUAH: @misshoneybare

McCall 3723: The 'Pink Roses' Dress

I so love my newest 1940 McCall make--using adorable fabric from Gertie's collection.

The light blue and pink go together so well--too of my favourite colours.

I used McCall 3723--a shirtwaister with a twist:

The pattern features a button-up bodice but with two bodice front side panels that have shirring:

The fabric features small print pink roses and I had the perfect vintage pink buttons in my stash to match:

The pattern features a tie bow at the waist --well, I made the bow but it's not quite long enough to make a good looking bow (in my opinion) and the fabric is a lightweight cotton--so instead I borrowed a belt from an existing 1960s vintage dress I have that works PERFECTLY!!

I then took the bow belt that I made and used it as a matching headscarf!  I just love wearing headscarves like this and it's an easy hairdo :)

The dress pattern also features waist darts leading to a lapped seam at the waist and an inverted pleat in the centre front:

The back, both bodice and skirt, feature straight lines.  Here I'm wearing my 'What Katie Did' coffee seamed stockings:

And such cute pink and white Bait Footwear shoes!

Overall, it's a bit of a spring vibe but I just adore the look! I can't wait to get my hands on some more of Gertie's fabric!!

Photos: Darja Bilyk