Challenge nine; Black & White

I love black, yet for some reason this challenge ended up being rather tricky for me. At first I made a dress from a pattern that I have used before, a vintage draped front dress pattern with two sleeve options. It didn't work! I had forgotten the issues this pattern has with my figure. As is it's 80% done, but I need to do some additional fitting and hemming before it will be finished.

And so I made a hat, or re-made a hat as it were. It was originally a bucket hat from the thrift shop from which I removed the decorative items, I then re-shaped it to be more of a period style. My inspiration was 1920s and 30s hats and hat illustrations like these:



I just love that first one!

Here is how my hat turned out:



Sally Stitch is wearing the black dress of fail in these pictures also. Here is the hat on me, sorry about the image quality, a grill makes a rather lousy tripod! Also my hair makes the brim stick out oddly on the back right side, it's fine when I use a hatpin but strange looking without one.



To make the hat I unsewed the original brim and all of the trimmings, I re-sewed it after I reduced the brim size and trimmed the wire. Then I bent and folded it into a shape that I liked and pinned it in place. I recommend buying a milliners block for this, I used my own head and kept poking myself in the forehead! After I removed it I sewed the folds in place matching the brim stitches. I am overall pleased with the way it turned out, but since it has already become hot here I will have to wait to wear it!

The Challenge: Black & White

Fabric: None, I used a wool felt hat

Pattern: None

Year: 1930ish

Notions: Needle and thread

How historically accurate is it? 75%, materials are accurate, but I'm not sure about the shape

Hours to complete: two

First worn: Not yet, I made a wool hat right before Summer so this will have to wait before I wear it!

Total cost: $2

Challenge eight; UFOs and PHDs

I have so many PHDs to work on! I set out to: finish my sample Rosie jeans and bodice/Rosie blouse from the previous challenges, I also have a Ceylon dress circa 1942 I've been working on and my Sew for Victory ensemble. All of them just need a bit of work to be completed; in fact the Rosie jeans only need eyes sewn on for the side hooks.



I made them from some dark mid weight denim that I had on hand, I wear my Rosie cord pants often so I know these will be the same. I ended up narrowing the legs by 3/4" because the denim I used is very stiff and they looked rather like two denim smokestacks instead of trousers. I used no pockets on the jeans, though I did sew some up. I might add them later on, but at least this project is finished!

The Challenge: UFOS and PHDs

Fabric: 1.5 yards of dark heavyweight denim

Pattern: None/my own

Year: 1943

Notions: Hooks and eyes, six of them

How historically accurate is it? We'll say 50%, I'm not sure about the pants style in denim for a woman or the side hooks

Hours to complete: Who knows? five?

First worn: Today!

Total cost: All from stash so free!

The blouse needs its facing, buttons and a hem. I made it with my leftover sewing print cotton and some white cotton for the contrast portions. Yeah it still needs those previously mentioned things, it's still a PHD.

The Ceylon dress needs buttons and a hem. I just have to say, wow was this pattern wonky! Pieces did not line up correctly and the use of the same pattern markings at top and bottom on the waist piece exacerbated this. Luckily I have sewn for years now and noted this on the pattern so I altered the notches to be different before cutting it out. I added underarm gussets/patches to bring the armscye up two inches in order to avoid creating a weak spot and lots of strain on the sleeve. I wish I had noted this in the pattern itself but in my try-ons it seemed ok, oh well this is really just a wearable muslin so now I know. I also replaced the sleeves (which I didn't like) with a vintage sleeve pattern (the one from my Rosie blouse). I then found the original pattern that I assume this pattern is based on for sale on Etsy, it has the cutest sleeves and pockets and frankly wish I had bought it instead (sadly it is now sold)! With a lot of work (of which it still needs more) I think this will be wearable, but sadly it too is still a PHD.



The Victory set needs the jacket finished and the pockets added to the dress. Not anymore, this set I finished and I think it turned out great! This set has its own post (the previous one) because it was for another sew along, but since it was hovering in UFO territory for so long I will still count it here, plus it's pre-war so it counts as historical. There are far too many picture of this outfit on my Flickr page.

The Challenge: UFOs and PHDs

Fabric: 2.5 yards of shot cotton in Mushroom, 1 yard in coal

Pattern: Clotilde 2889

Year: 1945ish, the pattern was undated

Notions: Two hooks and eyes, three snaps, fifteen vintage buttons in navy, six vintage buttons in pink, one vintage belt buckle in pink.

How historically accurate is it? Totally! Vintage pattern and notions, accurate fabrics and sewing techniques.

Hours to complete: Around a million.

First worn: Yesterday, to dinner and then shopping.

Total cost: Around 35$, lots of online purchases required for this set!

So that's two out of four or three out of five, not bad I guess.