Beach Bustier Adventures

Happy weekend to you all, my dear readers! This has been a really busy month for me and I apologise for not posting more often. We had a lot of important events recently in our local military community that kept me busy, as well as pretty much a weekend-long birthday celebration for myself. Not to mention the super fun steroid withdrawals I've been having (Yay! I'm just thrilled to be off the horrid things!) keeping me sickish and therefor lazy. But on the bright side, my chronic pain is better enough that I have a sewing project to share with you!

I had a blast sewing this beach bustier top. It was one of those projects where I got to see my sewing practice start to pay off; you know, when you can finally see that you're a better seamstress than you realized? My top stitching came out straight, my seams all matched perfectly, and this little baby is clean from the inside out!

I made this beauty using my 1950's Style Beach Bustier Digital Pattern with the intention of adding a skirt to make it into a dress. I had originally planned on making it strapless so I boned the side seams for more support. Then after a fitting, realized that if I waned strapless I needed to have used a size smaller. So in went the original halter strap which I really liked better in the long run.

I hadn't added any buttons at this point, waiting for the skirt to be attached so I could work out a smooth button/ zipper combo in the back.

Well, I added the skirt, and in a hurry to get it finished in time for an event, completely botched my closure plans. I kid you not, the whole thing has been sitting in a crumpled pile on my guest-bed now for a month. All I need to do is rip the zipper out and sew it in again with a bit of the dress taken in, but have I gotten around to it yet? No. (hangs head in shame).

Well, there you have it. I'm not perfect, but I sure can make a pretty half-done mess, now can't I?

Are there any UFO's (UN-finished objects) laying around your sewing space, shaming and guilting you as you ignore their cries for closure?

The Much-Anticipated Bathing Suit Pattern Giveaway!

My lovely readers, you have been so patient with me. I put off the main part of my pattern drafting work to do the Pin-Up Sew-Along and now that we've reached a nice lull with that, I have finally had time to finish the much asked-for and anticipated bathing suit pattern!

Many of you are familiar with the famous photograph of Marilyn Monroe in the lovely and clingy white bathing suit and that was my main inspiration for putting the pattern together. I find myself getting a bit curvier than I used to be (isn't that always the case?) and I love the idea of a suit that emphasizes those curves while still providing a bit of modesty for the one's you'd rather not draw attention to.

I also created it in sizes x-small through x-large, in two versions, one strapless and one with halter collar strap for supporting those more endowed like Marilyn than myself.

Before I got started I had fun using an app called Penultimate to create a mood board with bathing suits and patterns that fit into this glamorous Hollywood image that I wanted to recreate, adding sketches and ideas to incorporate into my cover image for later as I progressed.

And of course, as I always do when I release a new pattern, I'm offering a free copy to one lucky winner!

To enter the giveaway you can do one or all of the following, just leave a comment for each entry to get your name in the proverbial hat.

1. Tell me what kind of pattern you'd like me to create next. I'm always open to suggestions!

2. Become a follower of A Few Threads Loose on Twitter, Google, or Bloglovin'.

3. Like A Few Threads Loose on Facebook.

4. Like Mrs. Depew Vintage on Facebook.

5. Mention this giveaway on your blog.

I'll announce the winner this Monday the 9th.
Good luck! 

Warm Weather Thoughts... and Clothes.

So for a little break from the Ooh La La Pin-Up Sew-Along posts I thought I'd share something not lingerie-related for once.

Last spring I made this set and for some reason never took photos. Mostly because it was SO COLD and never warmed up over the summer. This ended up neatly tucked away with all my other warm weather clothes and projects.

For just the short pattern, click here.

Lately people have been asking me if I have a shorts pattern at Mrs. Depew Vintage and I do! Does that mean it's warming up somewhere in the world? It gives me hope, and reason to air out my summer pretties.

I used this great Beach Set Pattern PDF that I had based on a great 40's pattern in my stash.

To make the contrasting top and bottom strips I just cut 2 more of the waistband piece and sewed it on like bias tape before sewing any of my seams together.

Because of the nifty gathering effect of the pattern front, there's actually quite a bit of room in the bust area, depending on how tight you tie the knot at the bust. This is a 38" bust and a friend with an enviable DD pair tired it on and it fit great. I had to snip 2" off the center seam of the pattern to make it fit my much less impressive measurements.

For the shorts fabric I used a stretch cotton sateen from fabric.com that they unfortunately don't sell anymore. As much as I love the sateen effect on cotton (ah, sateen sheets) it's a complete cat hair magnet so I'll probably avoid it in the future.

How about you? Are you starting to get a bit anxious for spring? Do you have any fun spring clothing sewing plans? I'm already thinking about more sew-along ideas and I think next time we'll try some fun separates. Maybe a blouse? What would you like to see next?

Mode Du Jour, June 1951.

For your viewing pleasure today I have images from Mode Du Jour, from June 1951.

Doesn't the cover model look like Madonna?

 

 The gorgeous two piece ensemble above is a great, gathered bandeau and fantastic skirt with draped details.

You can get the look with this pattern.

This halter top bandeau look came into style in the mid to late 1940's and seams to have stuck around for the next decade.

You can get the look with this pattern.

Can you tell that I really can't wait for summer? We haven't seen the sun in 3 days now and it's REALLY getting to me...