I Made It Monday: Old + Older = New

Old + Older = New.  Makes sense right?!

A little while ago I given some fabric and patterns which had belonged to my Great Grandmother Mabel, who I never had the pleasure of meeting.  Mabel made all of her own clothes and undergarments, and was a concert pianist! 

From the stash, circa 50's or 60's, I made this midi skirt.  There were also a lot of off cuts, rolled together and secured with the selvedge of the fabric.  I love the mindset of nothing wasted!  This fabric was in that stash; it's beautiful!

There was not enough to make a whole top so I took a white linen shirt which I bought on my first trip to New York City in 1995 (wow, can't believe that was 20 years ago!).  I rarely wore the top, but saved it all these years because of the memories attached to it.

Using my trusty New Look pattern 6194 I made myself a top.  I love the classic style of this top.  I didn't want to waste this special fabric on a "trendy" top that I wouldn't wear in a year or two.  I made a couple of slight modifications to the pattern: I added length (standard for me!) and as I used an existing shirt for the back I didn't need to add the darts from the pattern on the back.

Ta da!  A beautiful new top which I treasure.  I hope Mabel would be proud of how I used her fabric scraps.

Pants: Made By Me (self drafted)
Top: Made By Me using New Look Pattern 6194

I used the pretty trim around the neck and to add sleeves.

Miss 3 in the background, who will be Miss 4 tomorrow!

Photos c/o of wonderful Husband

50 or 60 year old fabric + 20 year old fabric = a new top full of special meaning and wonderful memories! 
I really love it! 

I Made It Monday: 1963 Shirt Dress

If you follow me on IG you would have seen this dress in the making!

I used a 1963 vintage dress pattern which had belonged to my Great Grandma Mabel, with some modifications.  I altered the sleeves slightly, added side seam pockets and modified the collar a little too. 

If you haven't worked with a vintage pattern before, let me tell you they are tricky!  They are unmarked and have a cryptic series of holes punched in them to denote different things.  Made slightly harder was the fact that this pattern had some pieces missing and my Great Grandma's bust measurement was about 33 cm (approx13 inches) larger than mine (I missed out on those genes!).

I wanted to make this dress because I love shirt dresses and my Great Grandma would have worn ones just like this.  I used vintage glass buttons handed down from Nona (my Husbands Grandma) and the belt loop comes from her too.  However, and I hate to say it, I don't love it on me.  I love the dress and the gorgeous Japanese cotton from The Remnant Warehouse, but on me I feel it's... meh.

I hope it grows on me, because I want to love it!  I just think the loose fitting shirt does strange things for my shape.  Is it just me??  Maybe.  I'm sure once it warms up (the east coast of Australia is forecast to have the hottest, or one of the hottest, summers on record) a loose fitting dress will be appreciated!

 

 

Having a bad face day!

 

I added pockets, I just love pockets!

I Made It Monday - "Mabel Midi"

Welcome back to "I Made It Monday!"

Today I'm wearing something which was half made by me, half made by my Great Grandmother 50 - 60 years ago!

 

I was recently given sewing patterns and fabric which had belonged to my Great Grandmother Mabel.  The oldest of the patterns is for a Nightgown from 1923!  She would have brought this pattern with her when she migrated from Scotland to Australia.

Great Grandma Mabel made everything herself using her peddle powered sewing machine; all of her clothes and even underwear! 

Amongst the fabric remnants was a skirt, with only the side seams sewn.  I was told that she always wore dresses, so this would have been the bottom of the dress but sadly the top was nowhere to be found.  As Mabel was a "sturdy" woman there was enough fabric to make a pleated midi skirt and cut some off the bottom to make into a waist band. 

It is so special to me to work on a piece started by my Great Grandmother.  To think she had lovingly selected this fabric, washed and ironed it, then started to turn it into a garment long before I was born is remarkable. 

Skirt: Vintage collaboration between myself & Great Grandma Mabel / Top: Saba (old)
Shoes: Jane Debster / Purse: Thrifted / Necklace: Refashioned Thrifted

I used lots of hand sewing to be in keeping with how Mabel would have sewn.  I did use my overlocker on one seam, telling myself that if Mabel had an overlocker she would have used it, but then I felt guilty as I wasn't preserving the vintage integrity of the piece so I finished the other side seam using just the sewing machine.  Talk about over thinking a seam!

I used a similar method to this to construct the skirt, but just made 2 box pleats in both the front and back.

As it was a cold day I needed my fav jacket
Jacket: Laura Ashley (old) / Scarf: Seed (old)

No, I'm not striking a fancy pose... I'm falling off my own feet!
Photos c/o my wonderful Husband who catches me at my most awkward moments!

Needless to say this skirt has become an instant favourite which I've dubbed the "Mabel Midi"!  So brace yourselves, you'll be seeing a lot of it! 

I can't wait to style it for summer!