Strolling with Stripes

 

So this is a frock that you have seen before but this time it took it and styled it for a walk outside. The fall colors were simply fantastic and I had to take advantage of them. My basic tan 40s coat served this dress beautifully and then to play with the red in the dress I chose my red crochet hat from Peachy Keen and then vintage red gloves. So far this hat has gotten a lot of wear and had been a great wardrobe addition. Isn't it just great when things work out like that? Well they do with smart wardrobe planning. 

A Shirtwaist to Fall For

 

Made awhile ago, this tailored shirtwaist with gathered detail is a wardrobe stable of mine. Styled right it can work for days at home cleaning to time outside walking around.  I really enjoy this cute little leaf print on this dress too. It has a bit of novelty but its not a juvenile novelty. With this wearing I chose a green bonnet and tan gloves. It was incredibly windy when these photos were taken so this hat wasn't the wisest choice but it sure did look great. 

1940 and 1941 Lutterloh Overalls

 

Ta da! So for awhile I have been teasing you about my German overalls and here they are at last. These are so comfortable to wear and they can be worn over more bulky items like sweaters. I think these will be great winter overalls because of the ability to layer with them.  Thankfully I was able to get some great shots of these during a warm spell we had here. I have lots of pictures to choose from and as you will see I did not do much choosing . . Here they all are. These are a great practical wardrobe addition. I love vintage but I love practical vintage more.  If you want to know more on how these went together then you can check out some of my past posts listed below: 

The Pattern 

Day 1 Construction 

Day 2 Construction 

Stripes of Green

 

Made from my standby 1941 Lutterloh shirtwaist pattern, this dark green and white striped shirting was transformed. I did do a slight alteration out of necessity. The bias front waist treatment. When I was cutting out this dress I knew it was going to be really tight and my bodice front was cut too short. I had to scour my scrap bag and thankfully I had this piece that was just right. Talking about a close call. This fabric was a thrift store find for less than a buck and the buttons were thrifted as well. The metal side zipper was from the same thrift store that I found years ago but finally used. Gosh I love thrifty shopping. I think all said and done this dress cost less than $5.00 to make. None too shabby. This fabric must have been really good stuff when it originally came off the bolt. It is so crisp! Definitely going to be a summer staple but for now it resides as a winder ready frock. 

Although the red and green combo speaks of Christmas I think red and green really is a year 'round color combination. 

Say Hello to Lilli Ann

 

 Ta - Da! Here it is, my first ever Lilli Ann suit. I love this amazingly grand suit. It really is a show stopper and it is all about those sleeves. They are far from subtle. The jacket of this suit is the focal point and the skirt is a simple pencil skirt. The balance is perfect and when I was styling it I wanted to keep it tame. I chose basic black accessories for this wearing but I cannot wait to pair with other colors and accessories. Jewelry was pearls of course. Pearls just go with everything. I think this suit really speaks for itself so I'm going to go do stuff and let you just enjoy these. 

Black Velvet Leaves

Black velvet leaves are what really set this otherwise basic black dress apart from the rest. Using a late 30s, early 40s pattern as my base, I made a few adjustments to set this one aside from my previous make using this pattern.  I made an adjustment to the skirt by gathering the fabric that was meant to be done up in pleats. To control the gathers I ran multiple rows about 1 cm apart or so. Next I cut the sleeves out of velvet. I could have done it in the same fabric as the rest of the dress but I had this amazing thrifted velvet that I really wanted to use. I think the velvet sleeves add a touch of luxury. Last but not least were the hand appliqued velvet leaves and antique shoe buttons. These took the longest to do and were so fussy. 

Originally I had intended to do only a few on each shoulder but it looked . .  sad. . .So I added more and more then I added some antique shoe buttons as "berries" that had the just right amount of gloss to really pop. It is interesting how much a project can grow and develop on its own sometimes. It is almost as if the frock itself talks to me sometimes and tells me what it needs or wants. I have to say too that this dress changed and developed a lot from its original design and I could not be happier how it turend out. 

Personally I think this is going to be a great winter staple. The velvet gives it a good cozy feeling. With it being black it will naturally go with a great deal in my wardrobe. I already have a few black velvet accessories in mind including a hat and coat. I think good winter pieces are what I really lack in my wardrobe department and this now fills a gap. 

German Overalls, Day 2

Welcome back to the second day of making a pair of German Overalls. Last time, I finished the front, complete with a bib and pockets. . . Today, we are going to get to the back of the overalls and then get to assemble the back to the front.  . . .Here too is the finishing  . . .This post will not be nearly as long as the first one because here we are pretty much all down hill. This will be the part with some considerable trial and error. . . At least that is what I experienced. For mine, I had to undo some stitching at the sides with the facings but hand stitched them with little fuss back up. How you do yours may be a little different than mine and that is fine. Again, this is not so much a "tutorial" but a "look at how I did it".  . . These Lutterloh patterns do not have instructions so you do what you think is right.

Step 1) Making the Back Facing

To make the back overall facing, take your original pattern and trace out a facing pattern. Take a look below at my example:

My back facing

For my back overall facing, I decided to end it just below the back placket and I stitched that seam up to the "v" of the straps. You can make your back facing as large or as small as you want.

Step 2) Sewing the Back Pieces Together

For the back overalls, I stitched the seam from the back pant crotch to the 'v'. Press those seams and then right sides together, sew the back to the back facing. Turn and press well. This will be a long continuous seam unless you choose to break them up. Clip your corners and curves. For the "v" at the base of the straps, that will have to be carefully clipped so that there is not puckering. You may even have to snip the stitched seam a little bit. Below is the pattern again for your reference. . .

Step 3) Assembling the Front and Back Together

Take your front and back overall pieces and sew them together along the leg seams. . .Here is when things get a little sticky . . . I recommend sewing the inner leg seams first. Next, take a look at your outside leg seams and note the top of them . . . This is where you will have a placket for the side buttons. . . The back placket is already finished and ready to go but the front not so much. . . If you have noticed, the front button placket is a little short and here a bias band or scrap is needed to extend that. . .I cut one that was about 10 inches long and 4.5 inches wide. Right sides together, I stitched the seams together, pressed them open and then turned the whole strip to  the wrong side and stitched it down to finish the front button placket. I tucked one raw edge under the bib front and the other I left raw . . .


The front button placket. The piece to the far right is the front bib . . .
I had yet to hand sew the front bib facing to the waist edge .

Once I had the front button placket sewn in, I stitched up the outer leg seams carefully. . .I had to hand sew the bottom edge of the placket to ensure it would not rip open . . It would not fit under the machine. 

Step 3) The Finishing Touch

To  finish, hand sew the back facings down along the waist using any method you want. . .You could also leave them alone. Make hems at the pant legs. Work button holes along the sides and at the corners of the front bib. Sew buttons along the sides and where you want them . . . . If you look closely, the buttons go on the strap in the original illustration. . . . Below are my finished overalls. I am really happy how these turned out. They turned out a bit roomy and that is fine. I think these are going to be my winter overalls because I will be able to do a lot of layer under these bad boys.