My Pendrell blouse is half sewn and believe it or not, I'm actually sewing along at the same pace as everybody else! Tasia's posts are great and I'm really enjoying the whole process. I've already got fabric and ideas for version two once this one's finished. My second Pendrell blouse will be made from this fabric...
I picked it up at a vintage fair I went to in Hammersmith a few weeks ago. The fair itself was great, but I was shocked at how expensive vintage clothes have become. Some of them were undeniably exquisite and probably deserving of their hefty price tags, but some were really not that special and needed mending to boot. It made me want to weep when I remembered the 1950's sun dresses I used to pick up at jumble sales in the late 1980's for (I kid you not) 10p. 10p!!!!! The tragedy is I don't even know where they all disappeared to. Ahh well. Anyway, along with this nice drapey, flowery, checky fabric I came out with a vintage belt…
some 1930's buttons....
and a posh lady's brooch which I may team with my swing dress (see below)
Not a bad haul. Back to the Pendrell blouse. I was going to add a bow to the neck of my first/current one based on Andrea's beautiful version. Once I cut the fabric out though I realised the print is just too big and a tiny bow would probably get lost. The tiny blue flowered print would be perfect though.
Now for progress on Casey's Swing Dress sewalong ... I've cut out my muslin after making adjustments to the bodice length and the amount of ease in the sleeves, but I'm waiting for Casey's post on sewing gathered shoulders before I jump in. I've decided to go for wool crepe for this dress, I found 3m in a tiny little fabric shop really close to my home that I'd barely even noticed before. It was bizarre, the shop suddenly appeared in front of me one day, Mr Benn style. Inside it was FULL of dressmaking fabrics!!!! To say I was over excited is perhaps an understatement. After playing with virtually the entire contents of the shop (and almost forgetting to collect my kids from school) I came out with this lovely red wool crepe.
Although crepe is top of the list for fabric suggestions on the pattern, I've been procrastinating as I'm not sure about the texture. It's very strange and looks more like something you'd use to exfoliate your face with. The ladies in the Mr Benn shop soon convinced me otherwise though, and having draped it every which way over my dress form I now really like it, it's super drapey. I think it will look fab as a 40's-style swing dress, and if it looks professional enough I may even wear the dress to my brother's wedding in July.
I know Marie and Lauren are both using crepe for their Swing dresses, would love to know what everybody else is using. x
Lovely find! That top print in blue is especially to die for. I have picked a blue silk print from my stash for the Swing Dress sewalong. Am terribly behind too. Haven't even put the pattern together yet. Yikes! I'm sure your wool will be utterly fabulous and in red no less. And it will last a lifetime too.
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Sunni
Beautiful buttons, and I love that blue fabric too. Some lovely finds!
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