The real #VintagePledge

I am excited and honoured indeed to be joining an esteemed list of bloggers and makers joining in the July 2016 Vintage Pledge guest EXTRAVAGANZA. It means a lot to me because without joining the vintage pledge last year I don't think I would have improved so much as a dressmaker without the inspiration it gave me. I had been an admirer of vintage patterns because I liked the artwork but now I can truly say I am a maker of a wonderful wardrobe full of them thanks to the Vintage Pledge 2015 and 2016.

My 2016 vintage pledge this year over at Stitching Odyssey and Kestrel Makes was to try to use an unmarked vintage pattern. You know, a little challenge to myself, a little step up. 

I love this pattern and have avoided it for over two years now because it is devoid of printed pattern markings and that is a bit scary.

Now if I am going to be totally honest with you, my heart was with the shirt dress. I wanted to try the princess seams to give a shirt dress better shape for me but in reality when I got the paper pieces out...

...I got a little bit frightened about putting on a collar and button band with out any markings. I knew it would be possible but I kind of chickened out. No matter, as the other tennis dress was really beautiful too. The square neckline attracted me because I didn't have anything like that in my wardrobe. So I cracked on cutting out and marking every tiny hole.

I tacked the whole dress together. That is how I have been working recently. I have only ever made one toile in my life and that was a self drafted pattern. Tacking a whole outfit works for me because I have made so much now that I have a good idea of what I need to alter when I cut right at the start.

I made a few changes. If you are a long time reader of my blog you will not be surprised to know it was too long in the body. This is just what happens on me and why I make my own clothes.

I also made it longer because I was not going to be playing tennis in it even with those big ball pockets stood on a tennis court! Lengthening was a strange phenomenon because I usually have to shorten things.

The fabric is a thick viscose with a lovely drape purchased from the stitching show last year at the NEC in Birmingham. The grand purchase total being £12.00. At the end I added on the ric rac because I am a sucker for the stuff and the buttons are shown as on the pattern. I added three purely because there were three in the packet.

Will I be tackling another unmarked pattern? I wouldn't specifically hunt one down but if I really liked a pattern/design/image, it wouldn't stop me from having another go.

Do join in with the pledge if you haven't already - it could be something as simple as a skirt to get you going or you could end up like me and make nearly all of your clothes from Vintage patterns by then end of the challenge.  My motivation to sew more generally definitely started with the Vintage Pledge back in 2015. It really has been an inspiration.

We are off on holiday for a week now to Portugal. Our first flying holiday as a family, the children are excited, I am looking forward to some sunshine and this dress is going into my suitcase.

Jo xxx