60s – Page 2 – Stacey Stitch

I’ve been Nominated in the National Vintage Awards: Please vote for me!

Published on May 2, 2014May 2, 2014 by Stacey Stitch6 Comments

Super fantastic new for my little blog: I’ve been nominated under the Best Vintage Fashion/Lifestyle Blog category of the UK National Vintage Awards .

It means so much to me to be nominated, especially as at the end of this month it’ll be my blog’s first birthday (special giveaway to follow so keep your eyes peeled!). If I get shortlisted to the final it would be even better, the competition is very strong with other fantastic blogs listed, it’s going to be a very close call, so if you read my blog and you like what you see please vote for me.

Voting is open throughout May and it’s a simple click to select Stacey Stitch and then enter your email address to confirm the vote. Clicking on the photo or links above should take you straight to the website. It’ll only take a few minutes of your time if you have it spare.

Thanks to everyone who has voted so far, it really warms my heart to know that people are backing me for the NVAs and I am so happy to be representing the online sewing community.

It makes me feel like the dreams I have of sewing for a living could actually come true in the future, knowing I have the support means the world to me.

Big love and lots of thanks

Stacey xx

April Vintage Pattern Giveaway

Published on April 24, 2014April 24, 2014 by Stacey Stitch9 Comments

Up for grabs this month is this vintage late 60s/early 70s spring dress featuring long bell sleeves (or short variation). It’s suitable for knits, it’s a very easy, very vogue pattern in four pieces so won’t take long to make up at all, perfect for the spring days ahead. It’s a 38 Bust.

If you’d like to enter comment on this blogbelow

Visit my facebook page like and comment on the post related to this blog:

or visit my twitter and retweet the giveaway tweet:

If you do all three you’ll get three entries.

I’ll pick a winner on 30th April.

Good luck!

Mad Men: Series 7 Episode 1 – Style File

Published on April 21, 2014April 21, 2014 by Stacey StitchLeave a comment

Mad Men kicked off in the UK on Wed and I wasn’t disappointed, great opening episode to the final series and I honestly have no clue where it’s going to end for some of my favourite characters but I am sure it’s not going to be the happy ending we’d all love for some of the biggest, and most flawed, of the Mad Men cast.

On a brighter note (and to avoid any spoilers for those who haven’t watched it) here are some of my favourite outfits for Wednesday night’s show.

Dawn:

Joan:

Joan & Clara:

Joan:

Margaret:

Megan:

Neve Campbell’s Cameo appearance:

Peggy:

Peggy & Shirley:

Peggy:

Shirley:

I absolutely LOVE Dawn’s dress and jacket combo and as always I am drooling over Joan (and her massive bell sleeves). Best of all I have a few patterns that are carbon copies or easily adaptable to make a few of the above outfits of my own. Two days is too long to wait for episode 2!

Mad Men Inspiration

Published on April 15, 2014 by Stacey Stitch12 Comments

The final season on Mad Men is almost upon us, the UK air date is tomorrow and I’m equally excited and sad, it’s bittersweet to know it won’t be gracing our screens after these final few episodes play out.

To say Mad Men has been a great influence on the patterns I pick and fabrics I choose would be an understatement. I have always loved vintage fashions but being a (now retired) burlesque performer meant that I was more inclined to dress 50s/rockabilly than anything else. After a while it lost its appeal, dressing up in that way for a second job meant that it felt more like putting a uniform on than wearing 50s fashions for fun.

So when I discovered Mad Men, and devoured the first three seasons in a matter of weeks, I found something I loved much more than the Jessica Rabbit style 50s attire that a lot of burlesque performers wear the late 50s/early 60s look that I adore; classy enough for work, sassy enough for a night out.

I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise when I say Joan is my absolute favourite style wise; whenever I look at a pattern I often think WWJD? I like the use of block bold colours that they use in her wardrobe with little feminine touches along the way to soften the structured almost armour like shapes of her clothing.

So where to start when you’re thinking about creating a Mad Man inspired outfit? Gathering images is the best way to start. I set up a pinterest board a while ago where I collect Mad Men stills or Mad Men inspired images which I like the look of.

I then source vintage patterns from Etsy, Ebay and various other online places checking them against the images to see if they can be adapted and styled into an outfit from the stills, or I find patterns that are of a similar ilk to the show’s costuming and I find material that fits in with the period and put something together that even if it wasn’t actually on the show it certainly could be.

Some of the Mad Men inspired garments I have made are listed in my previous posts, but here are a few snapshots:

This is my most recent and my own take on Joanie’s green blouse:

So put your feet up, tune into Sky Atlantic and enjoy the feast for your eyes that is the final season of Mad Men, and remember, even thought it may be finishing your sewing adventures are not! I can’t wait to see what gorgeous garments there are to drool over.

March Vintage Pattern Giveaway

Published on March 28, 2014March 28, 2014 by Stacey Stitch5 Comments

This month the pattern I’m giving away it this beautiful early 50s blouse, 34bust, McCalls 3088.

To enter please comment below, visit my facebook page like and comment on the post related to this blog:

or visit my twitter and retweet the giveaway tweet.

I’ll pick a winner next Friday, 4th April.

Good luck folks!

The Wardrobe Architect: Weeks 8 & 9

Published on March 21, 2014 by Stacey StitchLeave a comment

Again I have missed a week, so I’m playing catch up a little.

I have had a reasonable excuse, though I’ve been going through a hefty HR process with work for nearly two years and had my final meeting on Monday so I have spent the last few weeks focussing on non-sewing matters (and boy, oh boy – how I have missed this!). So please cross your fingers and toes for me.

Week 8: Hair, Make-Up & Beauty

Hair

As a bit of a coincidence I’d also had my hair cut that weekend, into a bob. I am currently in the process of growing out the red hair I’ve had for years now, mainly due to the fact that there’s a whole rainbow of colours out there and I have had a hankering to dye my hair royal blue for some time. Even through my hair grows very quickly this has still become a pain in the proverbial.

At the moment I’m styling out the two tone and covering my greys with a close to natural brown which eventually washes out and the red shows through (as a side note my husband constantly tells me to grow out the grey, I think he thinks I’ve got some kid of awesome Rouge streak going on, when in fact I’ve been salt and pepper since I was 22).

So off went a big chunk and here I am with a short bob and a side swept fringe, because I like to sport a beehive much of the time and I also like to pin curl it if I was a more glam style for an evening out.

I don’t know if it’s a mix of getting that little but older and not wanting to be all Susan Kennedy (neighbour’s fans from the 80s will know what I’m taking about) but long hair is not for me any longer. I had years of the cyclical grow it long, get frustrated, cut it short, wish I hadn’t, grow it long etc. I am happily settled with a bob now and since losing weight I think it suits me much more.

Make Up

I’m an everyday make up gal. On a rare Sunday I’ll be make-up free “to give my skin a break” or more like “I know I’m not leaving the house and all I want to do is slob about in my pjs, watch films and eat popcorn and chocolate” also referred to as PMT.

My weekday workface:

foundation, concealer, powder, blusher, eyebrow mascara, mascara.

Weekend day:

the same as the above with a winged/cat eye eyeliner going on.

Going out/special occasion:

the above plus eye-shadow, highlighting powder on the cheekbones and brow bones, lipstick (of course ensuring the rules of eyes or lips are already in place).

Being an English Rose I have found it very difficult to find a foundation that’s perfect for me, but after years of finding things too dark I found Maybelline 24H Super Stay in Light Beige and it made me so ridiculously happy I could have cried, and we have been firm friends ever since. I stick with No7 translucent pressed power and No7 classic concealer (which they have stopped doing now, so I’m going to have to so in store and do their match made thing, has anyone done this?).

As far as colours go with eye-shadow, I love them ALL. Nothing puts me off and I’ll try anything, I particularly like deep red and purple shades at the moment. With lipstick I’m not so adventurous, I still with reds usually but recently my make-up artist friend did me up for a shoot and she put an orangey tone on my lips and I loved it so I am trying to think outside the box a little.

Beauty

I have become a Lush addict. I don’t have much beauty stuff that isn’t from Lush.

I usually have on the go in a month:

Soap for my body and face (I alternate which one I use each time but I love Honey I Washed the Kids)
Buffy bar and a sugar scrub
A bath bomb and a bubble bar
A couple of toner tabs
A fresh face mask
Body Lotion (Sympathy for the Skin currently – smells like banana custard)

The reason I decided to buy most of my beauty products from Lush is because I agree with their values and I have been really off put by rubbing anything massively chemically into my skin (and now approaching my mid-30s I really think it’s important to nourish it as much as possible with goodness). They may be a little more expensive than other products out there but I really do think you’re paying for quality.

While my regime in the morning is quick (shower, soap, body lotion) once a week I’ll run a hot bath add a bomb or bubble bar, whack a face mask on and stick some sci-fi on the laptop to watch while I relax. I think it’s very important to have a little time for yourself, especially if, like me, you’re super busy at work and can’t sit still when you’re at home.

Week 9: The Capsule Wardrobe

Can I make all of the things? Stick with all of the silhouettes I created in earlier weeks?

I have a plan with sewing for Vegas where am promising myself that I will make things that can be mixed and matched, especially for day wear. Does this count as a holiday capsule wardrobe?

Maybe I can’t focus on anything past Vegas at the moment (which I’m not complaining about at all, honest!).

Taking into consideration my previous silhouettes, I think setting myself goals on a few core items to make (when I get back from Vegas) might be the best idea, so on that note:

A line skirts; with maybe a large box pleat at the front on one
Shirts; I really like how my green shirt turned out and I can make it with or without the sleeves which would be perfect for all season wear
Pair of black trousers
Tailored jackets
A couple of knee length dresses
I may even get the knitting machine out and make a couple of jumpers or cardigans that I can mix or match.

I think the colour issue will be interesting as I tend to go for strong block colours, so we’ll see where this leads, I must remember to take the mix and match into consideration and not get carried away! I am certainly going to spend some time riffling through my pattern boxes this weekend and seeing what I can dig up that fits in.

Vintage Lingerie: Historical Patterns and Techniques

Published on March 20, 2014 by Stacey Stitch3 Comments

When I saw this book on Amazon I knew I had to get it. I had a quick scan through the reviews online and decided to purchase.

I adore vintage styled lingerie (total Kiss Me Deadly addict) but it doesn’t come in cheap. If you want quality, you’re most certainly going pay for it.

When it landed through the letterbox with a comforting thud I tumbled downstairs, pulled apart the packaging and gazed and the beautiful front cover.

I was aware of the author, Jill Salen, as my cousin’s (then) girlfriend (now wife) had lent me her fabulous book on corsets a few years ago when I was first foraying into making my own burlesque costumes. While the book was amazing, the thought of making a corset was very daunting and I loved reading through but it was packed up and shipped back to the lovely Sarah (thank you!).

But, I digress….back to Vintage Lingerie: Historical Patterns and Techniques.

I am more than happy with its stylistics. The book is laid out in an easy to read way, spaced out generously (I find books that are “too busy” very confusing due to my dyslexia) and sleek and stylish. It covers 30 pieces from 1890 to 1970 and is set up for each piece as follows:

The first page devoted to a beautiful piece of vintage lingerie, photographed beautifully and simply.
The following page with a description of the year or era, detailing on the fabric, techniques, measurements and embellishments used.
Following this is the scaled down pattern, each reproduced on graph paper for ease of scaling up separately.

While this book as an absolutely beautiful addition to my collection I really should say that it is definitely not aimed at beginners.

There are few (if any) instructions for actually making the garments but it really doesn’t feel daunting to me to consider starting to reproduce any of these items, after all using the internet to find clarity on certain sewing techniques is old hat at this point for me!

There are two comprehensive projects contained in the back on this book, with full detailing and step by step instructions:

A black brassiere (1930s)
A petticoat (1905)

Neither of these grabbed me as items I would really like to crack on with; there were far more gorgeous offerings in the previous pages (corselette or the Dior style longline bra for instance) but I am sure that is just a matter of personal taste.

At the back of the book is a handy chapter about embellishing and finishing techniques such as scalloping, making button loops, fastenings etc.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for good a resource of vintage lingerie. I have been looking for something like this for a while now and everything else seemed to fall short of the mark.

I can’t wait to get cracking with my first project from this, although I will definitely be making a toile, sewing in a cheap fabric and then making the final in something a little more luxurious!

Oh and I am very tempted to purchase Jill Salen’s next book Vintage Swimwear Patterns: Historical Patterns and Techniques, but that’s for another time when my purse is a little fatter I think!

Sewing for Vegas!

Published on March 12, 2014March 12, 2014 by Stacey Stitch11 Comments

Well I had a little good fortune a couple of weeks back (thanks to a big PPI refund) leading the very excited announcement that:

*drumroll please*

I AM GOING TO VEGAS!

That’s right! In June I will be going to Vegas to attend the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, with a few of my burlesque pals. Not only will I be out there surrounded by super amazing talented folk, some of the best showgirls and guys in the business, some of the legends from the old days and everyone will be super sparkly, I will also be there for MY BIRTHDAY.

For anyone who is used to jetting off to the States or anywhere further than a field in England for their holidays, you probably aren’t as excited as me, but as I have haven’t been abroad for a holiday since we spent 3 weeks in Vietnam in 2010 as my husband is studying full time, this is all kinds of awesome.

Now, foolishly or not, I have decided that most of the things I take away with me will be home made. I really can’t afford to go away and spend a tonne of cash on new threads for the trip. I would like to look as lovely as possible though so for the next few months I’ll be Sewing for Vegas.

Sew Retro

Now I did have a little money left over (once we’d bought and insured a second hand car – yippee – we are mobile again!). So I bought a little equipment (self-healing cutting board rotary cutter plus a few other little bits) and enrolled in a couple of Craftsy courses, one of them being the Gertie Sew Retro class.

I’ve picked a lovely cerise medium weight cotton, with a contrasting pale blue for the trimmings. This will be my birthday evening out dress.

Has anyone else taken this class? Any tips?

I’ve also bought a few metres of stretch denim so I can make the Butterick B5895 Capris, in full length and have a go at making them into shorts. Hopefully I’ll have enough left over to make a pencil skirt too.

I’m planning on making a start this week, progress to follow!

Anyone else got any holiday plans yet?

Butterick 2475: all Sewn Up

Published on March 1, 2014March 21, 2014 by Stacey Stitch11 Comments

You may remember my post from January where I said I’d be getting on with the start of this Joanie inspired outfit by starting with the green pussybow blouse. It appears to have taken me an inordinate amount of time to complete. I have (in my defence) been quite busy with other things though; the prep for two interviews in two weeks for jobs I didn’t get (unfortunately), babysitting for our lovely friends’ adorable six month old and visits from old friends; it’s all meant that I haven’t been able to crack on as I would have liked to.

BUT here we are and finished in all it’s splendour is my blummin gorgeous 60s blouse a la Joan Harris (nee Holloway).

So where did I start? Having never made a blouse before I wasn’t entirely sure what material to go for. I decided on a trusty poly-cotton which meant the drape would be a bit stiffer than the one shown in the picture but I did want the collar to be a little stiffer, and as I wasn’t sure how this would all play out I thought not splashing the cash on fancy fabric would be the best option.

I went about cutting the pattern, fabric and interfacing out and I was quite happily thinking “less pieces, less work than a dress”. Ah, the young sewing fool inside me.

At the end of the first day I’d made the bodice and the collar. It dawned on my when I finished that I’d absolutely breezed the collar this time, I think I’ve been so caught up in worrying about the set in sleeves that I appear to have somehow mastered collars without thinking about it. Pretty good eh?!

Then it was sleeve making time. I should state, at this point, I have never made a full length sleeve, the previous ones I’ve made have been short/cap sleeves.

So this was a bit of a learning curve.

A sleeve with a cuff turns out to be very confusing when you get down to the cuff part. In the picture above are the markings to make the shirt fit to the barrel cuff. The part that I’m about to start stitching is the reinforced part which is then turned inside out and makes the opening that you then attach the cuff to.

All looks great on paper, all does not make sense once I’ve sewn it and pinned it.

It took me half an hour to figure out what it was meant to look like from the illustration on the instructions and the consequent consultation with my husband, to figure out if I was having a particularly bad case of dyslexic brain. Turns out his dyslexic brain was not computing either.

But with fiddling, and pressing, and a few minutes break away from it I had that all too common eureka sewing moment where it clicked. I finally pressed it, attached the cuff and hoped for best. It turned out pretty well and meant the second sleeve was a breeze.

Then it was on to the dreaded time.

The set in sleeve time.

The time of doom.

Now, I made a little list of goals at the beginning of the year (some have totally fallen by the wayside already) and one of these was to master set in sleeves by the end of 2014. So when I went into this part of making the blouse I did so with a new determination that I would not simply settle for “that’ll do” and I would set these sleeves in over and over until I got them perfect.

Plenty of people gave me advice (thank you everyone for all of your helpful tips and guidance) but I really owe massive thanks to Clare at www.sewdixielou.com for spurring me on when I was halfway through ripping the sleeves out for the second time (and on the verge of having a little cry) who simply said “I never use gathered way hate it. I do it by hand gently easing larger fabric pinning every 1/2″. Then when happy pin in between pins then baste by hand. Remove pins check how it looks then machine”.

Now, this may strike you as odd (but probably goes a long way to explaining more than bit about me) but I never considered for a moment that I should use any other method than gathering.

It’s what everyone had shown me; books, sewing tutorials online, pattern instructions. All gathering. It’s a rule right?

Wrong. I am learning more and more that sewing is about finding what works for you and just because people say you should do it this way, it doesn’t mean you have to do it this way.

In the end I went for a bit of both, I gathered a little and then pinned and pinned. I sewed from the inside of the sleeve ; calmly, slowly, gently and smoothed as I went. Et Voilà! A perfectly set in sleeve!

So overjoyed was I that I ran about the house and told Tim he should come and look, at which point he did and we embraced and then I did my little happy dance (literally). Then I proceeded to set the other in, with no problem at all and then made Tim come back every five minutes to look at my beautiful set in sleeves on my fantastic blouse.

Needless to say, it wore a bit thin (for him- certainly not for me) after the 50th time, saying that though he was very chuffed for me.

Next up were buttonholes and buttons, which I forgot to buy. I finally located some small-ish ones and add them to the cuffs and the front of the blouse with a pop stud opening at the top (which is covered when the collar is done up) and here we are, the finished article.

I really feel like I’ve made sewing skills progress with this blouse.

I have learnt sleeves with openings and cuffs; I have finally managed to successfully set in sleeves and I’ve made a new type of collar. Wholly happy.

Footnote:

As I have said blouse so much in this post I’ll leave you with this little clip from Bottom. I can’t think about the word blouse without thinking about Ritchie giving his famous chat up likes a whirl “my what a lovely blouse you have on”!

A Joanie Start to the New Year & Wardrobe Architecture

Published on January 13, 2014January 13, 2014 by Stacey Stitch1 Comment

I loved this post on Coletterie encouraging us to take charge of our wardrobes this year.

I definitely fall into the category of someone who acquires things I don’t use, buys fabric because it’s on clearance and regrets it, and goes for something because it’s close enough!

I’m really looking forward to the follow up posts, hopefully this will help me with a little management and structure when I’m compiling my list of what to sew and what not to sew this year.

And on that note (and before I get too sensible about things) I’ve decided that the next thing I am going to sew will be this fabulous Butterick pattern for a blouse. Mostly I have decided to do it in green because I have the wonderful outfit my beloved Joanie (have I said how much I love Mad Men?!) wore a couple of series back which I really want to emulate.

I’ve bought some plain green cotton, which might be a little too heavy but we’ll see, either way it’ll work out as a good practice or something I can go swishing about the office in.

I start this weekend, wish me luck!