Wednesday 31 July 2013

1940's McCalls girl's dress

I had been hoping to share with you a tale of a fun filled forties weekend, but to say that our weekend didn't go entirely to plan is an understatement!

We arrived and set up on Friday, the sun was shining and we had great company pitched up next to us.  Saturday was quiet, but nice enough.  A few familiar faces had come along to see what this new event was all about and when the day was through, we enjoyed a seriously tasty ploughman's as we watched everyone in their finery, making their way to the evening dance.

However, as dusk fell, our Gala tent did a great impression of a sieve and as the heavens opened, our original frocks were in danger of being ruined as great drops of water came straight through the canvas!  As the light faded quickly, a frantic rush saw everything packed away and moved out of harms way before we bedded down for the night in soggy beds for what turned out to be a very poor night's sleep.  As I lay in my bed, rain pounding on the canvas and midges making a meal of my ankles, I wished for my comfy, dry, clean bed. 

A drunken fool compounded my anger and was close to suffering my wroth when, at 2.22am, he thought it funny to run around the trading village, with his cape flapping, yelling, in what I imagine was his best Transylvanian accent, "I'm a vampire, I want to the suck your blood!"  I was not amused, although I have to admit that we did all laugh about it the following morning when he staggered to the toilet looking somewhat worse for wear! 

On Sunday morning, as soon as dawn broke, we packed down and headed wearily home.  We don't like to leave an event early.  It doesn't reflect very well on us and to have a gap in a row of tents doesn't look good for organisers, but short of magicking a new canvas from thin air, there was nothing we could do. 

So with not a single photograph from the weekend, something which is unheard of, I have had a flick through some of my older photographs and found that I never showed you a dress I made for a special little lady of mine, so here goes! :o)

- x -

Many weeks back, I decided that C needed a new '40s style frock.  She had her dress from last year but fancied a change and who was I to say no?! 

Children's patterns for anything other than tots proved tricky to track down but patience paid off and I finally found exactly what I was looking for in the form of a McCalls pattern that I bought from a lovely lady with a serious addiction to vintage patterns.  

I know I harp on about using original fabrics where possible, but I couldn't justify using a vintage piece when I knew it would only fit C for this season and so nabbed, with permission, a piece of cotton from my mum's rather mammoth fabric stash. 


Although the chest measurement was spot on, C is very tall for her age so I added length to the body and the hem.  The hem has 4 inches in it so should allow for plenty of growing room.  When the dress was finished, I had to add two little tucks in the shoulder because it was too big on her.

I love the full puff sleeves and the yoke with the stripe design running in the opposite direction.



She's at the age where she loves nothing better than to dress up so posed happily for the following shots although I should have ironed it before I left her model it :o)



The first time she got to wear it at a 1940's event was at Quorn station.  As is so often the case with me, I left details like the side and back fastening to the last minute which meant she was stitched into it at 7am and cut free from it at 7pm.  No one noticed though and she was so pleased that she got so many lovely comments about how she looked. 

Here she is on Quorn station wearing her original 1940's moth nibbled cardigan and new to her CC41 sandals which were an auction bargain at just £3.00!!



Thursday 25 July 2013

Etsy & Instagram

Cripes!  Hadn't realised how long it had been since I last checked in.  The summer holiday's have started here so I've had company which is lovely but not entirely productive.

I've been up since 5am and with a cake iced and gammon glazed (I must be mad), while the rest of my household soundly sleep, I thought I'd just tell you about a couple of things I've been meaning to post about.

First up, I've finally taken the plunge and joined Instagram!  I'd seen lots of fellow bloggers saying how good it was so thought that I'd take a look at what all the fuss was about.  Truth be told, it's rather good!  I love looking at all the lovely photographs people keep posting.  If you felt so inclined, you can find me under the very unimaginative name of 1940STYLEFORYOU.  Technology wise, I can be a bit of a dunce so when I first joined, I had my settings down as private which meant no one could see my pictures but I've corrected that now :o)

My second bit of "news" is that I have set up an Etsy shop.  If you follow Landgirl1980 then you might already know about my little old shop because Charly did a splendiferous review about a couple of corsages I sent her, which you can see here.  I've already made a couple of sales, which made me do a happy dance, much to the amusement of my girls!  There isn't much on the shop at the moment because the 1940's re-enactment season is in full flow so I'm having to keep plenty of corsages for the events and fairs, but there are a handful on there and I hope to eventually add some beautiful original pieces of 1920's and 1930's clothing.  Unsurprisingly, my shop is called 1940's Style For You.  I have added a little link in my sidebar, but if that doesn't work, you can find the shop here

We spent yesterday packing the van ready for a weekend of fun at the Festival of the Forties.  It looks set to be a great event, I shall try and remember to take some photographs! 



I hope you have fun, whatever you have planned this weekend :o) x