Bits and Bobs … and Life After Those Shoes

So what the heck do I post about after all that craziness with the Georgiana shoes?  Life’s returning to normal, but I’m still quite excited:

We met the 100 shoe order minimum within 24 hours!  We currently have 126 orders, and the pre-order period will remain open until April 22nd.  Thank you a million times over to everyone who bought shoes and talked about it all over the internet, you wonderful people!!

You lookin’ at me?  Are YOU lookin’ at ME?

So what else is going on?  Well, I’ve been dreaming about hats, after having bought Vintage Hats & Bonnets 1770-1970 Second Edition, and I purchased several toppers to play with, along with a new hat mannequin.  Aside from modelling hats myself, the only other way I had to really show them was on one of those horrid white styrofoam heads.  The beautiful mannequins in Vintage Hats & Bonnets 1770-1970 Second Edition were so inspiring, I had a look around internet-land and found this 1920s cheeky-looking girl on eBay for a good price.  And now she’s mine, mwahaha!  Honestly she kinda creeps me out….

She needs a name…?

I have some other things to show you, like these awesome retro “sporty” shoes from ModCloth.  I thought they looked kindof like 1930s-ish to wear with tennis dresses and snappy panama hats.  ModCloth has a nice selection of vintage-inspired footwear on right now. (no, this is not an affiliate link, I’m just excited about my new shoes).

Mmm, sporty! and comfy too.

Other news – it’s time for Vintage Summer Dresses (VSDs), as the weather is fast improving.  I have this one in the works, in a baby yellow batiste with white micro-dots.  Has anybody else used this pattern – Butterick 6582?

Butterick 6582

18 Comments

  • lahbluebonnet

    April 6, 2011 at 1:37 AM

    I used this pattern last year and I had an awful time. I'm sure you'll do great! Please post a step by step so I can compare notes and see what I did wrong! Pretty please!
    Laurie

  • Olympe de la Tour D'Auvergne

    April 6, 2011 at 4:00 AM

    I used this pattern years ago to make 20 identical dresses for a show. It was okay, not great, but not bad. I don't think you'll have a problem.

  • Lauren Stowell

    April 6, 2011 at 4:50 AM

    I think "Creepy Chloe" is a good name, hahaha, although she really does resemble Fanny from Little Dorrit haha.

    The dress – so far it's looking like it's too small. I either need to get creative with some patchwork or buy a girdle, hahaha. I've done some things differently with the edges (I hate facings, so I bound all the edges), and I'm not sure if any of it's working…update later

  • Lithia Black

    April 6, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    Congratulations on reaching 100 so quick 🙂
    I so want a pair of shoes but in Sweden payday is on the 25th every month so I can't buy any shoes in the preorder.(The last pay check I got was already fully booked with other necessary things)

    I love the creepy mannequin, I think she looks like she's at Clio 🙂

    /L

  • Sandra Brake

    April 6, 2011 at 9:54 AM

    I bought that pattern last year but haven't had a chance to try it out. I also bought a couple of others so I will dig them out and let you know which ones.

  • Abigael

    April 6, 2011 at 2:48 PM

    I tried that pattern last summer as a prototype for my bridesmaid dresses, and I thought it was pretty dreadful. It went together just fine, but the crossover front isn't ACTUALLY a crossover front… the left shoulder is sewn right into the edge of the right crossover, instead of crossing beneath. It didn't look quite the way I had hoped! However, if you give it a shot it would be lovely to see how yours turns out. 😉

  • lahbluebonnet

    April 6, 2011 at 7:53 PM

    Abigael, that is exactly the problem I had with my dress! From reading all the comments here I am glad to know it is not just me! I'd recommend attaching the two front bodice pieces, where they cross over, last! Instead, attach the side seams of the front and back bodice, attach the bodice to the skirt, *then* fiddle with the cross over. As I recall the rest was okay. I made the one with the flare skirt.
    Laurie

  • Caroline

    April 7, 2011 at 12:23 AM

    I just purchased the pattern a couple of weeks ago too! Anyway I hope it is workout-able because I have an adorable green and white voile floral I want to make it out of.

  • ZipZip

    April 7, 2011 at 3:02 AM

    Dear Lauren,
    Like everyone who has posted here so far, I had a similar experience with the neckline when I tried out the dress several years ago. The pattern seems to create shoulders that are too wide. That can be corrected to look more like the Natalie Wood lookalike model on the pattern cover by opening up the neckline. If only I'd known how to do this back then…, and had known how to fit a bodice better, too, and to wear a push-up bra. Whatever. I wore the dress for a photo shoot: you can see the results here: http://zipzipinkspot.blogspot.com/2006/05/derby-day-henhouse-hat.html.
    Very best,
    Natalie

  • Lauren Stowell

    April 7, 2011 at 5:30 AM

    Well now I wish I'd read all this before I cut it out and failed miserably at it yesterday, hahaa. Same problems – the neckline, and even worse as I didn't put it together quite right (I bound the edges and forgot to trim the seam allowance off…oops). It was also short waisted, and the extra band I added just…didn't work at all. Change of plan – ripped the skirt off the bodice, threw the bodice in the trashcan, and cut a new bodice from a pattern I draped last Christmas. Hopefully this one'll come out better!

  • Katie

    April 7, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    I made this dress a few years ago and also didn't like the neckline AT ALL. It's bulky and unflattering the way it came together. In fact, I never did finish the dress and just last week cut the skirt off to make a cute little skirt since I like the fabric so much!

  • lahbluebonnet

    April 7, 2011 at 7:49 PM

    Please do share your draping for the bodice! I truely want to try to make this dress again! I need it for one of my history presentations. Besides the dresses on the envelope are divine!
    Laurie

  • Lizzy F. and Katie K.

    April 14, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    I made 2 dresses from that pattern (the full skirt one). I love it, but dont remember any difficulties with it, but it didnt quite look like the picture at the neckline. I get tons of compliments whenever I wear them.

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