The New Vintage Wardrobe

So, despite my first couple of failed attempts at 30’s fashions, I have bought a couple more. I did some research, evaluated both my figure and 30’s fashion to try to figure out what will work with me. I recently got a copy of Everyday Fashions of the Thirties as Pictured in Sears catalogs. Normally, these books are pretty good, having several pages of fashions on the larger end of the spectrum. However, someone on FL was kind enough to post several pages from a Montgomery Ward catalog of larger women’s fashions. So, here are the 2 patterns I got.

Simplicity 2551

Marian Martin 9381

Here’s the cool part! When I took everything out of the plastic for the Marian Martin pattern, I found this:

The original owner had copied and altered the bodice, using newspaper. I had a ton of fun reading the bits of pieces of history. There are a couple intact recipes, a Society page, some crime reports, very interesting.

Today, we have yet another failure.  This is Patt-o-rama 8304.  Haven’t heard of Patt-o-rama before?  Neither had I until I came across this one.  Now, I see it everywhere.  I LUV the neckline on this dress.  Little details like that are what I like about vintage patterns.  Also, it came in my size, which is a rarity in 50’s pattern.

I did my muslin of the bodice, and it fit perfectly, straight out of the package.  I then jumped right into the fashion fabric. I have learned from past experience that when the top half of the bodice fits well, the sleeve will fit well.  When the waist of the bodice fits will, the skirt will fit well.  I didn’t feel like I needed a muslin of the sleeve or skirt.

Well, that was a big mistake.  Remember how I hadn’t heard of this company before I came across this pattern?  I should know by now to always make a full muslin of a garment from a new company.  This sleeve fits well into the armscye, but the sleeve cap itself is way too narrow.  This is not a fitting problem I’ve run across before.  I have full biceps and have had to do a slash and spread to the bicep area, but this is much higher.

It’s so tight across the top of the shoulder that it’s pulling the shoulder seam off my shoulder and pulling the bodice taught across the top of the chest area.  I’m so disappointed.  I went to Hancock’s to buy more fabric.  Of course, they were out.  This is a nice, heavy winter rayon suiting and they are already moving in their Spring fabrics.

I must admit, I tend to get discouraged with sewing quite a bit during the winter months.  I’m allergic to wool, so finding warm fabrics is difficult.  Plus, most of the non-wool winter fabrics don’t see to work well with vintage patterns.  They just don’t behave and drape the same way as natural fibers.  I seem to make alot more mistakes in my winter sewing.  The end result is that I have 2, maybe 3 wearable winter dresses and a ton of summer dresses.  Every year, about this time, I tell myself that I’m going to quit sewing for myself, but I know I just need some lovely lightweight linen that does exactly what I want it to.