Finding the Perfect Fall Sweater

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Gearing up for the cooler months of fallย requires a wide variety of layers. ย These are the days when you leave the house with a cardigan on and come home wearing just the blouse underneath. ย Because of this, it is one of my favorite times of the year, and one of my favorite fashion looks of the year as well! ย The upcoming long Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to begin switching out the summer wardrobe for the fall one. ย To begin this eventual transition, I have found five wonderfulย “end of summer-into fall” sweaters to inspire the switch!

I hope you enjoy!

I adore this purple/teal plaid wrap from Modcloth. ย Perfect to wear out or around the house!

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Plaid Sweater from ModCloth

Not only is this a stunning color, but very appropriate for work or meeting friends for lunch.

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Cable Knit Cardigan from Talbots

I absolutely adore this wrap! ย I would pair it with a long sleeve black shirt, skinny jeans, and my knee high boots! ย Or for a different look, a long black pencil skirt…. ๐Ÿ™‚

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Wrap by Vera Wang from Kohls

This is the perfect at home sweater. ย Warm, chunky, and perfect for watching old movies on the couch with a hot mug of apple cider!

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Chunky Kimono Sweater from Loft

I love the fact that this sweater from Victorian Trading Co. features a light cable knit and elegant blouse front. ย Simply stunning!

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Hepburn Cardigan from Victorian Trading Co.

I hope you have wonderful luck searching out the perfect transitional pieces! ย ๐Ÿ™‚

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The Reasons Behind My Love for All Historical Sewing

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I remember times as a childย that many people said an individual was either a cat person or a dog person. ย Or that someoneย was either an early bird or a night owl. ย A thinker versus a do-er, just a coffee or tea drinkerโ€ฆ.and the list goes on. I remember pondering this and waiting to see just what type of person I would become. ย Well, years have gone by and I have learned that I am neither an early morning or late night person, I love both cats and dogs, can equally enjoy a cup of coffee orย tea, and have been known to act on an idea within a split second of creating it. ย So when it comes to my sewing, it is no surpriseย that I just canโ€™t seem to settle myself down to one particular style. ย 

For a blog and a business that has the word โ€œVictorianโ€ in it, I often receive questions and comments about the topics and products I choose to discuss and sell. ย โ€œI would never have thought you would sell Regency eraโ€ or ย โ€œIsnโ€™t a topic on 1950โ€™s a little out of your genre?โ€ ย And if you didnโ€™t know me, I would say those statements would beย very accurate. ย Yet, ask anyone who has known me since I was a young child and they would simply smile and nod stating that my tastes have been that wide and varied as long as they have known me. ย You see, I find delight and joy in SO MANY things, that I could never just narrowย myself down to just one way of doing things. ย I like eggs cooked in all different ways, any fruit is more than welcome to make itโ€™s way into a pie of mine, and any type of music is my type of music. ย Andย the same can most definitely be said about my sewing.

Years ago when I was official registering my business, I struggled over what name to use. ย I decided to use the word Victorian in the title with the thought that it would, by default, encompass a wide variety of decades. ย Of course, that doesnโ€™t mean that I don’t love to dabble before and after that time period! ๐Ÿ™‚ ย I am most in love with cooking and decorating from the 1940’s and ’50s with a wide collection of cookbooks and home decor books to lay proof to this. ย I love the skill and craft that goes into creating large crinoline gowns from the 1850’s-1860’s. ย And nothing makes me ooze like seeing a elegantly designed Regency gown. ย But the list doesn’t stop there. ย Lace dripping creations from the turn of the century can be jaw dropping and seeing a well structured suit in an old black and white film evokes envy that those seam lines can be so crisp. ย And anyone who can patiently insert dozens of pieces of boning into an 17th century bodice is to be admired and praised….a skill I can’t wait to improve.

You see, to be a well-rounded individual, one should feel free to explore and learn as many various subjectsย as they can. ย And naturally,ย the same can be true for sewing. ย By all meansย do and create that which you enjoy the most, but don’t be afraid to branch out and try new things! ย 

I know I sure will!!!

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The Appeal of Floral Accessories

floral

The last few weeks of August are upon us and natures is in full bloom. ย Flowers are large, bright, and overflowing. ย The grass is full and green. ย And every tree is leafed out in all its glory. ย With sights such as these, it is easy to see how a person would want to carry a little bit of nature around with them. ย And what better place than on one’s clothing!

Today’s post is all about the use of floral details which designers have been using to brighten up dresses for decades. ย Whether placed at the neckline, the waist, or along the hem of a skirt, these lovely replicas of nature’s beauty certainly are worthy of admiration!

Here are a few of my favorites!

These two lovely 1850’s ball gowns have some lovely floral accents!

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This stunning 1870’s salmon pink gown has amazing pleated ruffles and embroidered rose detailing.

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I adore this gown!! ย Such unique placement of the flowers!

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The 1920’s definitely knew the appeal of using flowers!

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I love Billie Holiday’s gown with the petal bodice!!

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This soft yellow 1950’s evening gown definitely evokes a warm summer evening!

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With so many colors, shapes, and textures to choose from, using these lovely decorations can truly add glamour to your next creation!

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Intro to Sewing Video Series: Using Patterns from Books

In this video, ย we will complete the sewing patterns seriesย by focusing on patterns one can create from books. ย Once I began delving into this type of pattern creation and design, my sewing really began to flourish! ย While it may seem daunting and a little confusing at first, with a little time, patience, and some discount fabric, pattern creation from books can be extremely rewarding!

In today’s video I will cover:

  • The differences between patterns from a bookย versus a ready made pattern
  • My favorite historical fashion books ( list and links will be under the video)
  • How to create and store your patterns
  • Pros and Cons of sewing from books

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“Lunching by the Roadside” by Amy W. Osgood, 1923

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“Food for the inner man is just as important on a motor journey as agreeable traveling companions. ย And stopping at a hotel for meals often consumes more time than one feels can be deducted from the journey. ย Then it is that the roadside meal proves its worth. ย It does not take long; it is satisfying, easy to eat, and attractive.

Of course bacon cooked in the open air, coffee made while you wait, and corn roasted on the ear in the embers of a bonfire are alluring, but they are time consuming, and it you wish to appear neat at the end of the journey, are not always recommended. ย But there are roadside meals which are easy to prepare and easier to serve than a meal at home, for they are what one might call “one-plate roadside meals” as the following menu will suggest: roast chicken, potato ships, jelly sandwiches, egg sandwiches, fruit or a combination salad, pickles, olives, cake or cookies, fruit, cheese and coffee. ย The coffee comes from the thermos bottle who’s twin carries ice water. ย A quart-size, paraffin-treated, covered container, such as oysters are sold in, is used for the cream bottle, chopped ice surrounding the bottle. ย A covered jar is used for the loaf sugar. ย For each person, a paper fork, spoon, heavy paraffin drinking cup, and two paper napkins are provided.

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1920’s Picnic/Camping sets

Before leaving home, each individual’s roadside meal is prepared on a plate, as follows: In half-pint paraffin cartons, having covers, arrange individual fruit salads, lining the cartons first with lettuce, filling with fruit salad, and placing a crisp leaf of lettuce on top before adjusting the cover. ย Place one of these filled cartons in the center of the each large sized paper plate. ย Cut the roast chicken, which has been previously cooked in order to be cold, into convenient pieces for eating and divide into the desired number of portions. ย Wrap each portion in paraffin paper, and place one on each plate. ย Wrap individual serving of potato chips in paraffin paper, and also arrange on each plate. ย Wrap three or four olives and sweet or sour pickles in individual packages for each plate. ย Wrap the sandwiches in paraffin paper and arrange on each plate.

When all the food has been placed on the plates, lay each plate in the center of a large paper napkin, and place another paper napkin over the top of it, twisting the opposite corners and thus entirely enclosing the plate. ย Then pack these in a large basket, one plate on top of another, the salad container acting as a base for each plate place above it. ย Wrap cookies and cake in individual parcels and serve when desired. ย At meal time, drive the car under a tree, or up a side road, and it can instantly be converted into a dining room. ย Trays, carried in a denim bag and packed under the basket, are passed, and the plates are served on them. ย In this way, everyone is enjoying his luncheon in a very few minutes.”

By Amy W. Osgood, Good Housekeeping. Volume 77, Number 2. August, 1923

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Intro to Sewing Video Series: Intro to PDF Patterns

Today’s topic may either instill excitement or dread: print-out-your-own PDF patterns! ย Perhaps you have never tried, or perhaps you have had limited luck, or perhaps you are one of those lucky few who have had nothing but success. ย Either way, today is all aboutย helping you understand this wonderful sewing pattern option.

In today’s video I will discuss the following topics:

  • Whatย are PDF or downloadable patterns
  • How to store these patterns
  • Digital patterns
  • Pros and Cons of PDF patterns

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Creating a 1940’s Blouse from a Modern Pattern

1940's blouse

I am so excited to share today’s post with you, as it offers one of my favorite sewing cheats: taking an already created pattern and tweaking it into something completely new. ย And today’s little tweak comes in the form of a 1940’s blouse. ย I will show you the pattern I have chosen to use, but feel free to use any blouse pattern that you would like as the method to create this top doesn’t change too much!

Here we go!

I chose to use McCall’s Blouse Pattern #M6750 pictured below.

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Once you have chosen your pattern, takeย a look at the back of the envelopeย to find out how much fabric you will need along with the required notions. ย Then, simply add an extra 1/4-1/3 yard of fabric to account for the ruffles. ย Cut out the paperย pieces, and follow this simple step to create the new pattern for the front of the bodice.

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Intro to Sewing Video Series: Paper Patterns

Hello my friends!

Today we start the first part of a three part series focusing on the many ways to find, create, understand, and store sewing patterns. ย In this ten minute video, I will focus on the following topics:

  • How to read the back of commercial sewing patterns
  • How to care for and store commercial sewing patterns
  • How to read and store historical sewing patterns from specialized pattern companies
  • Tips to remember when working with vintage patterns
  • The Pros and Cons for purchasing, working with, and storing paper patterns

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