Tag Archives: 40’s

40’s bow dress

40's Bow dress

I bought this fabric when I was looking for some nice navy blue cotton poplin for a skirt. I didn’t find a nice weight of poplin but walked on this flowery fabric 100% cotton in a light, dense and almost drapey fabric perfect for a 40’s dress and very similar to the fabric on the patterns envelope. I think that the patterning of the fabric makes the beautiful details on the yoke disappear a little too much but it is certainly nice this way too. I used about 2.5 meters of a 112 cm wide cotton print, made the bodice and sleeves exactly as the pattern, but didn’t have enough fabric left for the 6 panel skirt I really wanted so I made a very pleated skirt with 15 pleats on the front and back all in all 30, pointing around in a circle. This is more of a skirt from the early 60’s or 20’s put together with a 40’s bodice and sleeves, but that’s the charm of making your own clothes, you have and opportunity to mix and match all you like.

40's Bow dress

The pattern is Simplicity 1587 a reprint from the 40’s it has an optional bow with I of course made and pleats surrounding it for the bust shaping. It is unlined and only have a neck facing, I didn’t think of a good way to add a lining because of the complex yoke which is a bit unfortunate for a winter dress. I will make another one in a plain fabric when I find something suitable, hoping for some nice wool suiting.

40's Bow dress   40's Bow dress

40's Bow dress  141207_4742

This is how happy I was about defying the weather to get these photos.

40's Bow dress 40's Bow dress

It was 4°C and pouring.

Waterlily

Waterlily-2

As you might have noticed there has been a change of style in my creations lately, that’s to say I have been making other stuff than dresses and cardigans, even shorts which is something I haven’t worn for years until this summer. Early spring I got a craving for beautiful blouses and what do you wear with blouses? Skirts or trousers and that how it all came about. After struggling to fit my first pair of shorts and, being me, wanted to continue making shorts until I had mastered it completely, continued making more. As I went on I realized that I really like sewing trousers or shorts which is what I have been making lately and that trousers don’t have to be uncomfortable or slide down when you sit down and there are more blouses that look better with trousers then they do with a skirt with the exception for a pencil skirt but they aren’t really comfortably nor easy to move around in. So I think this parade of separates might continue for some time.

waterlily-1

The latest in this is my knitted Waterlily top from the spring edition of Pompom this year, knitted in Sandnes Garn Alpakka/Silke. Here it is modeled with a wool panel skirt I made about 2 year ago, and I see now that it needs a bit of pressing but just ignore that please. I made a few modifications to the pattern in order to make it fit, firstly I added hip and waist shaping then I lengthened the body approximately 10cm. I also lengthened the yoke 3 cm below the braid and 2 cm in the lace section. The one thing I’m not perfectly pleased with it is the bind of in the back neck I made a few decreases to get it tight but it is still a bit floppy, I’m going to try and sew in a tiny thread of elastic to see it get better otherwise I will have to re do that part. This project made me realize that I don’t like to knit lace anymore, I think that a little bit of lace in a knitted garment makes it more professional and neater looking but I wish someone else would knit that part. That said I’m thinking of maybe making another one in turquoise or yellow, it so beautiful and comfortable and I think it will be great with a cardigan in the winter.

This outfit make me feel like I’d fit in the mini series The Bletchley circle taking part in London 1952.