Here's a lovely little chiffon blouse from the Basya Berkman Vintage collection. The only mending help it needed from me was re-attaching loose snaps. I'm sharing it here because the laces and buttons are so delightful.
The buttons, which are decorative only, are sweet little crocheted covers over solid bases. (The front placket snaps closed.)
Showing posts with label vintage clothing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vintage clothing. Show all posts
March 24, 2016
December 31, 2015
Darn It! - Creative Mending
This post about creative mending is in honor of my personal New Year's tradition of mending everything I can during this week. (I don't just do sewing mends, but I'm not going to tell you here about the new seat in my bentwood rocker and stuff like that.) I like the symbolism of starting the year with a clean slate. Or mostly clean slate. I'm coming to terms with the reality that Life is never fully mended....
A short while ago, my blog was mentioned on a site called "Sew Mama Sew" - nice name, huh? The article is called "All About Textile Repair: How to Repair with Stitching". The theme is about making repairs that add something new - sparks of color, whimsy, a new design element, etc.
The photos in the article show loads of ways to use darning, sashiko stitching, and the like. It looks really fun! It makes me reminisce about the good ol' hippie days, when jeans were patched/embellished with colorful fabrics and embroidery.
The photos in the article show loads of ways to use darning, sashiko stitching, and the like. It looks really fun! It makes me reminisce about the good ol' hippie days, when jeans were patched/embellished with colorful fabrics and embroidery.
August 24, 2015
Sharing Some Fun Blogging
Stephanie Ann, over at her blog World Turn'd Upside Down, posted two really fun items last week.
Stephanie Ann is a re-enactor, historian, crafter, and cook whose blog has tons of great info on all these things, well worth a visit.
One -
Her new 1940s dress.
I just love the 40s styling. It has some pretty detailed patterning and extra seams, but the end result is much more exciting than shaping the look just with basic darts. (Be sure to scroll down to the end of the post. Stephanie has included links to other folks who've used the same pattern, so you can see it in a variety of fabrics.)
I'm reminded of a dress I mended for Basya Berkman not long ago. It's a 1930s-40s rayon. I don't have photos of the whole dress yet, but here are a couple of construction details. And I just love the fabric. (You can see from the seam allowances along the zipper how much it's faded over the years. I think I like it both ways, new and aged.)
Stephanie Ann is a re-enactor, historian, crafter, and cook whose blog has tons of great info on all these things, well worth a visit.
One -
Her new 1940s dress.
Photo: World Turn'd Upside Down |
I'm reminded of a dress I mended for Basya Berkman not long ago. It's a 1930s-40s rayon. I don't have photos of the whole dress yet, but here are a couple of construction details. And I just love the fabric. (You can see from the seam allowances along the zipper how much it's faded over the years. I think I like it both ways, new and aged.)
August 20, 2015
Yep, I'm Crowing - Publicity Came Looking For Me
I just got written up in an article in Crain's Chicago Business! I am happy to say that I'm one of only seven "old-school artisans" in the piece.
The Fixers: Meet the Area's Top Artisans and Restorers
Labels:
quilt repair,
vintage clothing
August 17, 2015
Mending a 1950s Party Dress
A lovely 1950s vintage, pink lace party dress....
....with a huge rip in the pleated net skirt panel. It's this pleated panel that gives the dress its special styling. (I stuck a piece of blue fabric underneath so the net shows better in the photos.) One side of the net was torn more or less horizontally and about 18" up from the hem.
Labels:
vintage clothing
May 11, 2015
Repairing Broken Lace
This is a lovely Edwardian dress with loads of lovely lace. The lace was broken in a few places. Here's how I repaired it.
Break #1
Petals had broken away from the borders, leaving the flower crumpled and fraying.
Break #1
Petals had broken away from the borders, leaving the flower crumpled and fraying.
Before
I decided not to cut any of the dangling thread ends, so as avoid risking more unraveling. I whipstitched the broken thread ends to the remaining lace.
Labels:
how-to,
lace,
vintage clothing
May 6, 2015
When Mending a Dress is More Like Engineering than Sewing
Here's a photo my vintage clothing friend Julia took of me as I was puzzling out a repair.
The dress is (more precisely - was, and soon will be again) a perfect 1950s party dress, nearly all lace over satin. The front panel of pleated netting has a bad rip in it. Just at this moment I was happily realizing that my idea of where to cut and re-sew was actually going to work!
Some of the repairs I do for Julia are simple - closing seams, restitching hems, etc. Some, like this one, are real challenges. I'll post a step-by-step on this one when I get to the sewing. Just thought I'd post a photo of me, because I hardly ever do.
Some of the repairs I do for Julia are simple - closing seams, restitching hems, etc. Some, like this one, are real challenges. I'll post a step-by-step on this one when I get to the sewing. Just thought I'd post a photo of me, because I hardly ever do.
In this photo, you also get to meet Julia's dress form, our good friend Ethel.
Labels:
vintage clothing
April 22, 2015
Now on Pinterest
Two of my buddies, with whom I share and discuss business plans for our on-line businesses, have been urging me to join the Pinterest world. I've been resisting having yet another "thing" to keep me at the computer.
At first, I also resisted having this very blog until both my kids told me, in no uncertain terms, "Mom, everyone who has a business has to have a blog." And here I am, so happy to be a blogger. So I finally succumbed to Pinterest a few months ago. After all, I already collect photos!
So, I'm introducing you to my boards.
The one I'm most fond of is called "Quilt Repairs: Before and After". I'm proud of figuring out how to post two photos in one pin, like this:
"Art Quilts" simply has photos of my art pieces.
"My favorite posts from my blog" has basically the same things you'll find here on the blog under the heading "Featured Posts."
"Dated Quilts" is pretty fun, a compilation of quilts I have worked on that have inscribed or documented dates. I love these for the fabric history they illustrate so neatly. You can read about these quilts by staying right here at the blog and using the label of the same name - Dated Quilts.
"Favorite fabrics and superior needlework" shows off the quilts and vintage clothing that have really added sparkle to the (yes, sometimes tedious) work I do.
"Looking through things" is a collection of photos I've been taking that may someday, somehow find themselves becoming an art quilt series. The first one I took was a pair of chain link fences. I found myself staring at them while I waited to pick my son up from something or other. I loved the offset rhythm they created.
"Photos I dream on" is a collection of photos by me. I've been taking a photo nearly every day that speaks somehow to what's going on in my life or is just plain lovely, and sometimes both at the same time. This board contains some of my favorites. I began this "photo diary" as a mindfulness exercise last summer when I became an empty-nester.
"Artists and inspiration" are photos of works by other people that I have come across online, with links to more of their work. Making this board turned out to be a really educational process - now I can see a pattern to what draws me in which I have never seen so clearly.
I can see already that the Pinterest outreach has already begun sending my blog some new visitors. A shout out and thanks to Julia at Basya Berkman Vintage Fashions and Cheryl at Sk8 Gr8 Designs Custom Figure Skating Dresses for spurring me onward!
So, I'm introducing you to my boards.
The one I'm most fond of is called "Quilt Repairs: Before and After". I'm proud of figuring out how to post two photos in one pin, like this:
"Textiles that tell stories" is collection of both antiques and new art by me, all pieces that are notable for the stories they carry. That's the other category that makes this job so exciting.
by Jude Hill, at spirit cloth |
I can see already that the Pinterest outreach has already begun sending my blog some new visitors. A shout out and thanks to Julia at Basya Berkman Vintage Fashions and Cheryl at Sk8 Gr8 Designs Custom Figure Skating Dresses for spurring me onward!
March 31, 2015
Zipper and Pearls
My friend Julia found this really cute 1950's party dress - in perfect condition except for missing the zipper pull. Rather than replace the vintage metal zip with a new-fangled nylon one, I crafted a replacement pull from my stash of jewelry-making supplies.
Labels:
vintage clothing
February 27, 2015
Three Wonderful Vintage Dresses
In chronological order:
Labels:
buttons,
vintage clothing,
vintage fabrics,
wedding dress
December 8, 2014
Hand-Rolled Hems
Repairing vintage clothing for Basya Berkman Vintage for these last few years has lead me to learn about all sorts of clothing construction techniques that I've never had to use before.
My mentors have been the generous folks who post how-to's on the internet. I have learned how to mend holes in sweaters, so far just with bulky knits. I have learned how to make swing tacks. And just recently I learned how to sew a hand-rolled hem. Let me tell you, I am now addicted to hand-rolled hems. They are nearly magical! I honestly was grinning the whole time.
Labels:
embroidery,
how-to,
rolled hem,
vintage clothing
September 1, 2014
1920s Beads and Fringe
A good friend of mine is sharing these lovely family heirloom pieces with us. They belonged to her mother, as flapper style as you can get! Shapeless, drapey, and embellished like crazy.
Dress No. 1
chiffon with underdress
beaded with seed beads and pearls
pearl dangles at the shoulders
ruched flowers at the waist
Dress No. 1
chiffon with underdress
beaded with seed beads and pearls
pearl dangles at the shoulders
ruched flowers at the waist
Labels:
beading,
family heirloom,
flapper,
vintage clothing
July 20, 2014
Vintage Music
At an estate sale, I found some wonderful old music magazines. I bought a few and gave them to a musician friend for her birthday. A couple are from 1910, and a couple from 1933. I photographed some interesting bits to share with you here.
Covers went from black and white to color at some point during the intervening years.
Covers went from black and white to color at some point during the intervening years.
Labels:
costumes,
estate sale finds,
vintage clothing
May 25, 2014
Prize-winning Quilts of 1947
While poking around on the "interwebs", I found a fun vintage photo. It made me smile, and I hope you'll enjoy it, too.
It is captioned:
"Two women examine the award winning quilts on display at the 1947 Illinois State Fair."
The four prizewinning quilts are:
Double Wedding Ring, Cathedral Windows, Grandmother's Flower Garden, Irish Chain
These are not at all unexpected as favorite 1947 quilts. Wouldn't it be fun to be able to see them in color?! The photo also provides a fun little glimpse of ladies' dresses, hats, and bags of the time.
The photo is in the extensive collection of the Illinois Digital Archives.
"Two women examine the award winning quilts on display at the 1947 Illinois State Fair."
Double Wedding Ring, Cathedral Windows, Grandmother's Flower Garden, Irish Chain
These are not at all unexpected as favorite 1947 quilts. Wouldn't it be fun to be able to see them in color?! The photo also provides a fun little glimpse of ladies' dresses, hats, and bags of the time.
The photo is in the extensive collection of the Illinois Digital Archives.
March 25, 2014
Delicate Edwardian Dress
I did a tiny bit of repair work on this lovely, delicate Edwardian dress. As always, it is fascinating to hold and handle these amazing old pieces, explore the construction details, and marvel at the age and quality of the fabrics and laces.
Labels:
vintage clothing,
vintage fabrics
March 9, 2014
Pewter Buttons
I was at an estate sale this weekend, and found several dusty, dingy cardboard boxes filled with dusty, dingy old sewing supplies. In amongst them, I found these unusual, to me anyway, buttons. So of course, I brought them home.
My brilliant husband identified them as pewter. We found out that in the late 18th and early to mid 19th century, many, many buttons were made of cast pewter. These, according to some Q&A pages and blogs, were made for the folks who do historic reenactments. These are easily identifiable as reproductions and not originals, because the shank is cast on as one piece instead of being added after casting just the circle. So, no Antiques Roadshow win for me this time! I am still quite happy with the purchase and my new knowledge, don't get me wrong.
These are Revolutionary War style, proudly displaying the initials of the new country.
Labels:
buttons,
estate sale finds,
vintage clothing
January 19, 2014
Vintage Metallic Trim
A while back, I posted about an incredibly lovely vintage silk jacket.
One of its many gorgeous features is the wonderful metallic braid trim. Yesterday at an estate sale, I found a length of the same kind of metallic braid. I am so excited to have some of my own! There is a little over 5 feet of it.
Labels:
estate sale finds,
vintage clothing,
vintage fabrics
December 22, 2013
Rhinestones
My friend Julia brought me this sweet evening bag made by the designer Judith Leiber, in need of repair. An image search for "Judith Leiber bags" will bring you to a fantasy land of rhinestone-encrusted little bags.
This one is quite tame by comparison, but I find it very classy and elegant. It's two bags, one silver-tone and one gold-tone, attached to one another. There's a double strap with each color of leather. The closures are coin purse style baubles with gold and clear stones. They were missing quite a few rhinestones.
Labels:
how-to,
rhinestones,
vintage clothing
December 5, 2013
Antique Silk Jacket
Thin Ice Ensemble Theater is producing "Anne of Green Gables" this weekend. One of our young actresses will be wearing a most exquisite antique silk jacket. We inherited it with a set of costumes created by the theatrical grandmother in one of our families. The jacket will be worn by Mrs. Barry.
The tan jacket is lined with a tiny red and white stripe, both silks. Then there are super wonderful gathered silk flowers with bead centers, and a metallic lace trim. Here are some close-ups. I am in love!
Labels:
costumes,
vintage clothing,
vintage fabrics
November 4, 2013
Luxurious Vintage Lace Jabot
One of the best things about repairing vintage clothing is getting to examine the items so closely and learn from them. In this case, I took notes all long, and now have a pattern for making a really cool accessory that isn't exactly common these days.
Labels:
how-to,
lace,
vintage clothing,
vintage fabrics