Day at the beach

The absolute best part about living in Florida is the beach. I just adore the ocean and sometimes we just go there to hang out and don't even get in.

My favorite outfit for just such an activity is my 1930s beach pjs made from this Wearing History pattern. They are seriously the most comfortable thing ever but they make you look so glamorous. 

I made these pjs out of some yummy 100% linen so they are dreamy to wear and quite practical for the summer sun. (And it's Florida so our summers usually last from May through September.)

I also like that it covers me up which means less places to slather on sunscreen and less places to get burnt! I probably should have brought a hat though because the sun was fierce!

I always get lots of comments when I wear these. Beach wear fashions have definitely gone downhill since the 30s. I guess people aren't used to seeing glamor on the beach any more!

On this particular occasion, I was attending a beach baptism which was really cool but definitely wasn't going to include me getting dunked. (Fun fact: I was baptized in a hot tub.)

I did end up doing a bit of wading right before we left. Even just this bit of water helps cool you down a lot and I can imagine many beach going ladies in the 30s doing the same thing.

Even though you can't see it well because of the wind, I also got a new hair cut! My hair wasn't quite grown out enough to do exactly what I wanted but my hairdresser worked some magic to give me this 20s inspired bob! Hopefully, I can get a more authentic 20s cut in a few months when all the layers grow out but until then, at least all the unmanageable bits are gone!

What's your favorite thing to wear to the beach?

Fall Sewing Projects and Plans

I've been trying to plan out my fall and winter sewing projects. There are several stash busting projects I'd like to sew up and a few others that will materialize if I find the right fabric.

I have some light weight navy wool that I had earmarked for a 40s winter suit. When I checked, there was less than I thought so I may end up with a skirt and a vest instead. We'll see. I'm thinking of one of these two patterns for the skirt but haven't decided which yet.

I want to make a blouse from the remainder of my Egyptian fabric. I think this lovely 30s blouse pattern will do nicely. The 30s had some really cool blouses and I think I need some more in my wardrobe.

Speaking of the 1930s, I'm going to make this pattern out of some lovely plaid suiting. It's definitely more of a summer pattern but made up in fall colors, I think it will be perfect for a Florida fall.

There are a few other 1930s patterns that I'd like to make for fall. I think my issues with previous 30s makes were picking fabrics with not enough drape so I'll be keeping that in mind for further fabric shopping.

 And this is the lizard who was watching me right outside my sewing room window. There is usually one on that tree but this guy was staring at me.

By the Sea

I adore the beach! And having moved from a landlocked corner of the midwest, I was quite lacking in the beachwear department. So way back in January, I started a pair of beach pyjamas.

Beach pyjamas were popular in the 1930s. They were worn for beach wear and also for lounging. They feature wide legs and could be one or two piece sets.

I had previously made a lounging version that was very fun to wear around the house. Unfortunately, they are made of polyester and not so great for hot days at the beach.

For this version, I knew linen was the way to go! Breathable, drapey and easy to care for. I found a great striped linen and some coordinating green linen that were oh so yummy!

The pattern is Wearing History's Lounging at the Lido pattern.  I've previously done a pattern review so you can pop over if you're interested in making up this pattern. But, really, they aren't too difficult to sew up and the belt at the waist means that they don't have to be perfectly fitted. You do have to know how to use bias binding as a facing and how to do button holes. And the pants have a huge hem because they are fabulous and full but it's worth it.

For this version, I decided to do a color blocked version instead of all one color with contrasting ties and collar. There's no yardage given for this type of fabric combination. I ended up using about 1 yd for the bodice and about 2.5 yds for the pants, collar and ties. Both were 60 inch wide fabrics.

And this weekend, I finally got a chance to take pictures of me wearing my beach pyjamas at the beach. And look! I match the sea grass.

My church does beach baptisms during the summer and this is wear I wore these. Since I had no plans to actually go in the water, it was perfect. I don't recommend beach pjs for swimming. All of that fabric in the pants would make it difficult to swim.

I did get to dip my feet in the water. One of the nice things about linen is that it dries quickly especially in the warm Florida summer sun.

I got heaps and heaps of compliments while wearing this! I was a bit surprised. Beach pjs are definitely one of the odder vintage fashions and it's always a bit scary when you wear something particularly different for the first time.

 Guess I was worried for nothing. I had several ladies ask me where I got them. Perhaps I need a few more pairs of these beach pjs.

On My Sewing Table: March

February was the month of I don't want to sew anything. In my defense, life was pretty crazy so I just decided to take a break from sewing. But now my sewing mojo is back! I had a sewing stay-cation this weekend while my hubby was out of town on a business trip. (He also took all of the cameras with him so you'll have to deal with iPhone photos.) Here's what I was working on.

I finally finished my Wearing History 1930s beach pjs! Now to wear them to the beach.

I also finished the jacket for my 40s suit for the 40s Fashion Calendar project. I'm behind on February's task but at least my suit will be ready!

I also started Sense and Sensibility Pattern's 1940s Swing Dress. I made it way, way back in 2011. It didn't go so well but I've learned a lot since then and this version is going much better.

 I also started working on my Borgia dress! I've done a bit of embroidery and have been playing around with pearling options. And I bought some more pearls finally so I can start putting them on for real.

 I've been pondering Spring/Summer sewing plans (since that's coming up for the Wardrobe Architect project) but haven't made any final plans yet. These are just a few patterns that popped out at me as possibilities.

HSF 2014 Round Up

It's been a busy year on the Historical Sew Fortnightly costuming front as well. Since I didn't make it to Costume College this year, I focused most of my costuming on things I could wear to the Renaissance Festival. I also did a few vintage projects since the dates were extended to 1945.

The first big project for the year was to remake the bodice of my court gown to fit over a boned kirtle instead of a corset. I am super happy with the fit now! (HSF#1: Make Do and Mend)

I couldn't wait to make this Wearing History pattern when it came out! I made it in a dreamy rayon. (HSF#2: Innovations)

Another vintage rayon project, I made up a shirtwaist dress for the pink challenge. It was just in time for Valentine's Day too! (HSF#3: Pink)

I remade the bodice on this red kirtle although it was remade again later in the year. (HSF#5: Bodice)

I beaded the forepart of my Elizabethan court dress. Originally, I started it for challenge #1 but got side tracked so it was perfect for the UFO challenge. (HSF#8: UFO)

Not all of my projects were big fancy dresses. I made some underpinnings too. See this new shift and boned kirtle. (HSF#9: Black and White and HSF#12: Shape and Support)

I also finally made an apron for my Renaissance wardrobe! (HSF#13: Under $10)

 I also ventured into outerwear this year! I dreamed of making a fitted English gown for a long time and when I scored some wool yardage on the cheap, it was a match made in heaven. (HSF#15: The Great Outdoors)

Since I used my old petticoat to make the boned kirtle for Shape and Support, I needed another one. (HSF#17: Yellow)

And a quick easy project to finish out the year-a 1930s plaid skirt. (HSF#21: Re-do)

And this 1930s dress which you all just saw. (HSF#23: Modern History)

There is also a project that never made it to the blog-a corset for my Borgia dress project that I'll be working on in 2015 (HSF#20: Alternate Universe). Hopefully, it'll both end up on the blog in January so you can see them! So that's a total of 13 challenges out of 24! My goal was at least half so I did good. Next year, the HSF will be monthly instead of twice a month so maybe I'll make all of the challenges! I've already got my supplies for the January challenge and hopefully the sewing room will be ready soon!

HSF #23: Modern History

This was perhaps the easiest challenge of the year for me to find something to do, but difficult to get photographed with the move and the gloomy Ohio weather. But I snuck it in right at the end of the year. So modern history-sew something historical or historically inspired that you can wear in an everyday context (ie what I wear everyday).

The original project for this challenge was a 1930s blouse which I made to wear when we drove to Florida. It did in fact get made and worn but I seriously underestimated how exhausting the whole moving bit would be so no photos got taken. 

This dress is a great 30s piece that was almost finished before the move. I ran out of snaps and couldn't decide on a belt buckle. A quick trip to Jo-Anns and a Christmas present lot of vintage belt buckles made this a quick finish post-move.

The Challenge: Modern History
Fabric: 3.75 yds 1930s repro quilting cotton ($9/yd)
Pattern: Wearing History Tea at Two
Year:1930s
Notions: vintage buttons ($4), piping (stash), white cotton scraps (stash), belt buckle (~$1), snaps ($2)
How historically accurate is it? Quilting cotton is not really the accurate weight fabric for this period and the buttons are 50s not 30s so I'll say 8/10
Hours to complete: didn't keep track...
First worn: December 2014
Total cost: ~$40

 I really wanted fabulous buttons. One trip to Jo-Anns was enough to tell me that actually vintage was the way to go. I looked around a lot because I really wanted white buttons! Buttons, like everything else white, have a tendency to yellow over time but I did score some fabulous 50s buttons that were just perfect!

The belt buckle was another sticking point. I had a really hard time finding a white belt buckle that was wide enough for this belt. Luckily, for Christmas, my hubby purchased a lot of belt buckles that was on my etsy wish list and this blue belt buckle was in it! I'm not 100% sold on it but it will do until I find a white replacement.

I had a lot of fun sewing up this pattern. It's got the original 1930s sewing directions which could be tricky for a beginner sewer but was a fun challenge for me. The biggest construction detail I didn't like is that the peplum is topstitched to the skirt after the skirt and bodice are attached. I think it would be much more practical to sew all three piece together at the same time.

I did have a few hiccups.  Somehow, the peplum came out too big! I made an inverted box pleat in the back for an easy fix. I think it probably was a me adjusting the pattern issue rather than a pattern issue but I'll definitely fix that for my next version. Also, the top is very blousey! I didn't make a muslin because I don't like muslins so that's one more thing to fix for the next version. The wide belt over the waist seam helps a bit to hide this and make this one wearable.

The white accents made my American Duchess 23Skidoos a perfect match! I love these shoes and I'm so happy to have the opportunity to wear them more often!

My hair was a bit of a flop but that's what I get for using a curling iron on a humid day. I can't wait for more 1930s fashions!