Some Catalog Love from McCall 1929...

Hello my dears,
Today's post is simply some eye candy from a McCall's  Sewing Pattern Catalog from 1929. I've been catalog obsessed this last year. I started with one, fell in love and before I knew what had happened, I had just under a dozen.
Lord help me, but they are beautiful to behold.
So without further ado...

Make your own... Lingerie and Loungewear from 1949.

Hello lovely readers! Today I was browsing my collection of vintage editions of Le Petit Echo de la Mode and I stumbled upon this lovely fashion spread from 1949 featuring trousseau lingerie and lounge wear.

These designs were once available as mail order sewing patterns (oh, to have such a magazine delivered to your mailbox!). I realized though, as I drooled over these patterns, that I have quite a few similar designs in my shop.

So, I thought I'd share today, how to get the 1949 looks pictured in the magazine using patterns from Mrs. Depew Vintage!

1. Bra in Satin - Easily copied using Depew #2015.

2. Panties with gathered waist - Use Depew #7311A and add allowance to the waist for gathers.

3. Corselet - Use Depew #2003 and add a top-stitch motif to the center front.

4. Basic straight slip - Use Depew #604.

5. Rayon bra with lace trim - Use Depew #352.

6. Corselet with wide lace ruffle - Use Depew #2002 and finish the lower edge with 6" or wider lace trim.

7. Tap pants with gathered side panels - use Depew # 612 and add side panels as cut-outs to the side legs.

8. Slip with ruffle - Use Depew #7314, cut it shorter at the hem and change the neckline as needed.

9. Slip with ruffle and tap pants with ruffled leg. Slip - Use Depew #7314. Tap pants - Use Depew #7314B.
10. Dressing gown - Use Depew #5003.
11. Pajama set - Use Depew #354 or Depew #601.
12. Pink dressing gown - Use Depew #5004 and replace cuffs with lace.  Blue nightgown with lace trim - Use Depew #171.

In other sewing news, I was really excited to learn yesterday that Collete Patterns will be releasing a digital sewing magazine starting in December! Seamwork will feature articles, sewing tutorials, and downloadable easy-to-sew sewing patterns. I really enjoy reading the Coletterie blog and I know that the magazine is going to be even better!

Image courtesy of Seamwork and Collete Patterns.

To get updates on Seamwork's progress, writers, and patterns, and to be entered to win a full year's worth of patterns in the process, sign up here!

Happy sewing, my darlings...

A Giveaway Winner and some Vintage Eye Candy

Hello my lovely readers,
It's time to announce the winner of the November issue of Molly makes sitting here on my desk!
It was really great of you all to share your favorite sewing/ crafting magazines with me - I'll be checking out a few I've never heard about before so thanks for the recommendations. In case you didn't read the comments on our last post, here are a few that you all suggested:

My Image,
Knit Scene,
Vogue Knitting,
Cotton Friend (Japanese),
A Needle Pulling Thread,
Threads,
Interweave Knits,
and SewStylish.

Our giveaway winner is Angie of Bombshell Babe (I just had fun reading your blog, my dear). Angie, if you could email me your contact info at afewthreadsloose@gmail.com, I can send you your prize!

And in other news, the other day I was lamenting the fact that my favorite sewing/ crafting magazines were all published about 70 or 80 years ago and aren't so easy to find. I started looking through my collection (also known as the massive hoard in my spare bedroom) and fell in love all over again. Oh, how I wish that Nouveauté (novelty) was still published!

So, to honor my favorite, no longer with us sewing and crafting magazine, here are some really, really pretty excerpts from Nouveauté - June, 1935.

One of the most charming aspects of this magazine is that the inside cover was always illustrated to look like the back of the model on the cover.

I wish I could look that glamorous while fishing...

Just lovely, n'est pas? If you want to read more, you can find the entire digital copy of the magazine here.
Happy sewing, mes amis!

Weekend Eye Candy: Pictorial Review from March of 1927.

Hello lovely readers! I have a busy Sunday ahead of me which includes cleaning my house like a mad woman in anticipation of company, and cheering on my favorite football team during the Super Bowl.
But before I do any of those things, I thought I'd share some awfully pretty things with you.

For your weekend viewing pleasure, I have pictures of Pictorial Review's Printed Patterns booklet, advertising all of the yummy patterns one could acquire in March of 1927.

So without further ado (since I have to go paint my nails blue and orange to show some team spirit) here they are!

I would wear all four of the dresses above in a heartbeat, wouldn't you?

I love the monogrammed blouse up in the right corner above. What a great idea!

And swoon, you know I'm all about the lingerie... but especially, THAT ROBE!

Sigh... a girl just can't have too many 1920's patterns, can she?

Happy weekend,

P.S. If you get a moment, check out our new sponsor Floradora Presents!

The Super-Secret Christmas Robe from 1951

A couple of years ago, I found an amazing vintage Mens' robe pattern on Etsy and fell in love. I snapped it up, ordered some amazing rayon fabric and some ultra-soft micro fleece to line it with. When the pattern arrived  I was so excited... and then somehow I never made it. You know how it is, projects pile up, work gets too busy and then before you know it, it's two years later - no robe.

Vogue 8753

So this year I was determined to sew it for my husband for Christmas, and I was determined that he wouldn't even know I was sewing something for him. In the middle of finals project and a really busy month at Mrs. Depew Vintage I was sewing this robe like a crazy person. And let me tell you, lining rayon with micro fleece is about as easy as getting a puppy to hold still during a cat parade.

I sewed between assignments and studying, before and after work, at midnight while he was working night shifts and every time my husband rode his motorcycle into the driveway I madly dashed to stash everything into my studio closet and delint the threads from my clothes to hide any evidence of my undertaking.

The flat felled seams with the added bulk of a lining fabric, no matter how much I graded, were insanely hard and I ended up hand binding all of my seams inside just to keep everything clean. I was determined to use every skill in my playbook to make this robe the nicest thing my husband ever owned.
2/3 of the sewing was by hand to get everything just right and after about 70 hours of work, it was finished with just one day to spare! I even had time to embroider his initials on the cuff before wrapping it.

The rayon had two beautiful sides to it so I made the cuffs, pockets, sash, carriers and lapels with the lighter, contrasting side.

The black micro fleece lining looks really sharp in contrast to the grey and is so soft and warm that I have to resist stealing the robe for myself every morning when I let the dog out at 6 a.m.

The rayon has just the slightest metallic sheen to it on one side.

Of course it's about 4 sizes too big for Lusty Lulu (love her new name!) but it looks great on the man himself. (I don't make him pose for blog photos, he's shy.)

I also finished the inside with a hilarious "This took Forever" label by Sublime Stitching that makes my day every time I catch a glimpse of it.

And now I'm quite relieved to be done working on this giant project and back to sewing for myself. This week I'm making myself a few bras using this pattern.

How about you? Did you make any of your gifts by hand this year?