HSF 2014, Challenge one, Make do and Mend

After I stopped participating rather early in the HSF last year I am determined to complete all of the challenges this year. I will be doing rather short blog posts but there will be plenty of pictures on my Flikr page.

Make do and mend

For challenge one I had intended to made a 1940's suit from a suit, but after painstakingly ripping and pressing the suit in question I found that my pattern pieces did not fit well enough to use it. Ah well, now it shall become children's clothes and perhaps a few new potholders. Instead I have made a 1920's Madeline Vionnet inspired dress, I used these images from McCall's patterns circa 1928 and 1929 (found here) as well as Betty Kirke's book. After three children the waistless look of the 1920's works for me, but I hope to add more shapely garments as I get back into my normal shape (and I will!).

But how does it count as a 'make do' you might ask. I will tell you; I only had one yard of my fabric and one hank of embroidery floss to make it from and I re-used hooks end eyes from an older project.

The Challenge: Make do and mend

Fabric: One yard of sea green rayon crepe

Pattern: None, the dress is all rectangley-square shapes. I used directions from the 'Easy Ways to Pretty Frocks' book originally published in 1929 as my starting point, then I modified it to suit my needs. The bodice is simply a rectangle with the neck hole cut from the center. I cut the remainder of my fabric into squareish shapes then pinned them to the bodice handkerchief style. I hand sewed all the seams with my floss but I made a narrow hem along the bodice sides and hemline on my machine.

Year: 1928 or 1929

Notions: One hank of DMC embroidery floss in color 169 Light Pewter, three hooks and eyes, gray thread

How historically accurate is it? fairly, it's mostly hand sewn, rayon crepe was available and used for dresses like this in 1928-9 and the style is period.

Hours to complete: Maybe three hours all told, I snatched time when my children would let me and re-worked a hat at the same time. Had I done it in one shot I estimate it would take about two hours to complete the dress alone, mostly due to the fact that I hand sew quite slowly.

First worn: To take pictures this evening with my daughter (she got some good shots during our brief, cold session!).

Total cost: Free, everything was from stash or re-used.