I have about a month left of summer where I will not have any classes or job training, and I have been doing my best to take advantage of every second of that, even if it is just by reading on the sofa or sitting outside for a few minutes:) My job this summer is in the evenings and it is very calm, so I have been able to spend some quality time sewing, reading, and watching movies lately. I forgot how much sewing you can get done when you have large swaths of time to do it - in the past two weeks I have finished 4 sewing projects! And every single project that I have finished I have been really proud of, something that does not always happen. That includes this fun cat printed dress that I was able to get photos of today.
I used another Vintage Vogue pattern for this. If you have read my blog for a while, you will know that I am a huge fan of the Vintage Vogue patterns. Although I often draft my own patterns, I love seeing how clothes were put together in the past, and you can learn so many little tips and tricks from vintage patterns. This pattern included a 6 panel skirt (probably my favourite style of skirt), a pointed collar, front button closure, side zipper, and all in one sleeves.
Vintage clothing often uses side zippers, even if there is a center front or center back seam. I know many choose to change this so that their dresses are easier to put on, but I actually really love the look of a side seam zipper so I am okay with having to wrestle myself out of my clothes at the end of the day (and if you have gotten out of a well fitting dress with a side zipper, you will know that it truly is a fight for life!).
Quilting cotton is always a fantastic fabric to use, since it is easy to sew with and has so many beautiful prints available. I love this subtle cat print, since it isn't too obvious from afar. I find that subtle prints like this are easier to wear, and they still have a vintage look to them even though they are very modern. I finished off this dress with a row of vintage metal buttons which have incredibly fine detailing. Each button has a tiny flower carved onto the front, and they give me just as much joy as the little cat faces on my dress.
Although this dress was a slightly more complicated make, to a certain extent, I was able to make it in a very short amount of time. We were hit by a heat wave for a week and I wasn't able to get much sewing done through it, so as soon as the weather cooled off a bit I was very motivated to get back to it. A healthy dose of period dramas helped my motivation along. I find it impossible to watch a well costumed period drama without getting inspired to sew a whole new wardrobe!
I do my best to watch TV shows set in the era that I am working in, so while I worked on this 1950's dress I watched Endeavour (a fabulous mystery show set in 1960's Britain) and Brooklyn. I am always on the search for well made period dramas, so feel free to give me recommendations to vintage shows that you enjoy!
I am thrilled with how this dress turned out because I think that it can easily be styled up or down, depending on the accessories that you put with it. For todays photos I got to wear my Memery Shoes for the first time, and I love how dainty they are for a bit of a dressed up afternoon! Adding a belt and a nice purse could also make this dress a little fancier, even though it is a simple cotton shirt dress.
I hope that you are able to take some time this summer to enjoy your hobbies! It has left me greatly refreshed and now I am starting to get excited for classes to start again, even though I know they will force me away from my movies and sewing.
Thanks for reading!
~Katherine
