Show us what you've made!

[Mary]

Deadpandiva. Wonderful dresses and skirts! They are beautifully done. What fabrics have you been using? I especially like the navy dress.

 

[Snookie]

I'm really enjoying reading about the vintage sewing SWAPs! I've never heard of a SWAP before, but now I'm seriously considering joining in. I try to do a lot of mix-n-match anyway, and I'm ready for a few new good pieces. I'm going to read up on this more. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[Rachael]

I finished the first piece of my vintage inspired swap; I'm ready for spring and they're predicting snow Sunday. figures [huh].
This is the pattern: http://tinyurl.com/bvr6nw
and this is the finished skirt:

I made some fairly substantial alterations to make it a more wearable skirt, including taking 8" off the hem and 2" off the top.

 

[Lillemor]

Rachael, that is so beautiful! I love it right from the detailed top to the bottom.

 

[kamikat]

I'm really enjoying reading about the vintage sewing SWAPs! I've never heard of a SWAP before, but now I'm seriously considering joining in. I try to do a lot of mix-n-match anyway, and I'm ready for a few new good pieces. I'm going to read up on this more. Thanks for the inspiration!

The key to a swap is to make sure all the pieces go with each other. My SWAP anchor is a print that is brown, blue and cream. I have a print top and skirt, a blue top and skirt, a cream top, brown trousers and skirt. My modern pieces are 3 knit wrap tops in brown, blue and cream. All the tops can be worn with every bottom. The concept is that instead of having a closet of individual pieces but nothing to wear because they don't match, your whole closet goes together and you have a put-together outfit no matter what's in there.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Great work--I adore that fabric, did you get it recently or is it vintage?

I finished the first piece of my vintage inspired swap; I'm ready for spring and they're predicting snow Sunday. figures [huh].
This is the pattern: http://tinyurl.com/bvr6nw
and this is the finished skirt:

I made some fairly substantial alterations to make it a more wearable skirt, including taking 8" off the hem and 2" off the top.

 

[Rachael]

I bought the fabric last month at Mill End Fabrics. It has been catching my eye since last fall when I first saw it but I couldn't figure what to make of it. There was a debate for a while over whether it mattered or not that the print shows a later era than the style of the skirt, (skinny skirts and capris on a full gored skirt pattern) but I decided to go for it anyways. It reminds me of the Gershwin bit on Fantasia 2000.

 

[Joie DeVive]

That skirt is fab!

And DeadPanDiva, I totally dig your blue dress too!

 

[goldwyn girl]

DeadPanDiva, I love all your new things especially the navy dress.

Rachael, I have that pattern, good to see it made up, lovely !!

 

[kamikat]

Here is the first outfit from my SWAP.

Here is the blouse pattern, the skirt is a modern circle skirt pattern

 

[Medvssa]

Great choice of fabrics, those are very flattering colours for you, I think

 

[deadpandiva]

Deadpandiva. Wonderful dresses and skirts! They are beautifully done. What fabrics have you been using? I especially like the navy dress.

The navy dress is a poly/cotton blend. It has a sutble pinstripe and sheen. I usually use cotton or wool fabric. I find it;s easy to tear out the seams in cotton if I mess up and I mess up alot.
Rachael- I love everything about that skirt. The print, the length, the fit.
Kamikat- Cute top. I need to make more seperates.

 

[Lauren]

Kamikat, that is SO cute! I have that pattern as well, but haven't made it up yet. I'm glad to know it's so cute!! And you look adorable, like always.

 

[MissAmelina]

Kamitkat....the blouse is darling.....

Here is my take on the Decades of Style Butterfly Blouse:

i took a fellow blogger's advice and used 1/4" bias tape along the pieced edges, to forgo topstiching on this gauze fabric....But I decided not to put it along the neckline as I thought it looked severe----although I am still undecided, so any opinions would be muchly appreciated:

It has a softer feel without it---more feminine, I think. And now I am trying to decide if I should cut the trim it off the sleeves too. I plan on serging the bottom and neckline and then hand hemming. It will take longer, but I think it will be worth it. The pattern calls for french binding, but I was afraid i would stretch the fabric---I already did when I poorly applied the bias tape to the back and had to remove it... it stretched the bottom of the fabric and i had to improvise and make "sweetheart shaped" shoulders ---the upper back is meant to be straight. But I like the curves, so it's all good.

Next time (and there will be a next time because this pattern is fabulous and easy) I will probably "nut up" and do the topstitching.

 

[Lady Day]

That looks great!

Ive seen that blouse made up with the smocking and it looks divine. Softens the bust in a lovely way.

LD

 

[MissAmelina]

I did do the smocking (it's just hard to see....poopy old camera phone) and I think the trim detracts from that, sadly. BUT it was the beta version, afterall. More versions to come! Wheeeee!!

 

[Emmaline]

Amelina-
That shirt is so fabulous! I really like the flow of the fabric; so feminine!

 

[Miss 1929]

Love the butterfly blouse, Amelina!

Why do you fear top stitching? I find it pretty easy if I use the one-sided foot as a gauge, and go slowly - it isn't half as traumatic as the ^&*$%^ bound buttonhole is!

I wouldn't put the trim on the front, it would be distracting and limit what you could wear it with. Love your fabric, too.

 

[Anachronism]

I like it with the bias tape on, personally. It gives it more of a structured look and almost reminds me of a kimono.

 

[SweetieStarr]

I am totally mortified by these pictures.
I finally made a dress from one of the first patterns I traced. An early 30,s Dubarry.

Late 30's Butterick

A Past Patterns 1930's skirt. I wanted to make it longer but I didn't have enough fabric.

This hat would look better at a different angle and the viel needs work. I made the necklace also.

How did you make that hat?! I love it!