Vintage Style Inspired #DIY Seamstress Made 1930 Sports Tog Blouse

   I thought I would bring to you my readers today, my love of sewing. I have done seamstress work for 35 years now and this will be my first blog post in sharing my love for sewing and just one of the many things you too can create and wear to enjoy.
   I have enjoyed making my sewn items from most times, my own creations. I don't always create a pattern. I just  go at cutting out my fabrics in the ways I see them finished, in my mind. Wheter it is aprons, dresses, totes, or one of my favorites, swim sarongs. And I have sold those creations on ebay, at craft bazaars, and now on my etsy shop that I will be listing them from time to time.
   But today, I want to share with you a top that I made for my daughter. From a vintage inspired pattern that she had bought online and ask me to make a top from the also vintage fabrics that she bought online.
   So this pattern is meant to be used for personnel use only and not resale.
But I wanted to let all you others out there who love to wear the 1930's style vintage clothing, see that you have choices to enjoy as such, without only depending on thrift stores or yard sales as your choices in finding the vintage clothing to enjoy.
    Just a little info about my daughter and her love of vintage clothing. She said she thinks she was born in the wrong time era. She loves the jewelry styles, clothing, hats, etc from the vintage years of the 30' 40's 50's.
   She has an etsy shop where she enjoys sharing her finds from those days gone by.
So, lets continue on with the pretty fabric that she brought me to create this lovely top.
                  Using this pattern here shown below (Note* These patterns are meant for personnel use only and not for resale of patterns or the items created from them.)  I have provided the link below where she purchased this pattern so that you too, can shop and create your own  to enjoy :)
                       

     Like her, I really liked this pattern. And both the blouse, trousers or shorts style would work wonderfully with either solid  or prints with a design on theme. She even brought me the needed vintage red buttons that she had located online. And though she brought about 5 different vintage cotton print fabrics, I made the one she wanted to wear first since it was summer time. Which was a light weight cotton cherry print vintage fabric. This print is so cheery and just perfect for summer with the red cherries on green stems. She can easily wear it with vintage style pants, skirts or enjoy the great match up look that simple blue jean petal pushers can bring to it.

              The pattern for this blouse was one in which someone printed off in large white sheet paper. Not the thin brown factory paper that we always see in most patterns bought in stores. And though I had to cut out each pattern piece needed from that large white sheet, I like the fact that the pattern came that way because I think it will last longer each time I reuse the pieces on the other fabrics she bought.
            I have been sewing for years so I can zoom through making something really quickly.  But I always try to make my finish piece of what ever it is that I am making, look professional by taking the time to press down the pieces with an iron, use my serger on all pieces before I piece them together etc. I use to just sew the pieces together and would use maybe a zigzag stitch so not as many threads would hang after completion between the sewn pieces. But a few years ago I v=bought myself a serger and now I use it on every piece first then also use a double stitch or a zig zag stitch to both reinforce the strength of the pieces placed together and look professional.
          I was very pleased with the finished top. And using my buttonhole option  just made the red buttons look more professional.
Of course you don't always have to use a buttonhole foot to create your button holes. Many times I have just sewn by hand the desired length and then slash the cut for the button with my seam ripper but, it sure makes sewing go faster if your machine has that option and it is easy to use.
           Here are views of the top after completion (I don't know why in the world my pictures have the black frames around them. As I flipped the pictures to upright position to save the image & transport here to view I get the black lines.)
                  When I made the top, I assumed she wanted the pockets on it so I did so. But after I gave her the top she ask could I remove them because she felt it drew more attention to the bust area and made that section more in your face so to speak. So I easily removed them using my seam ripper. So the pictures you see here are with pockets & the last picture of her wearing the top has them removed.
                        

       I actually do not like doing pleats on any item. They are not hard to do, just time consuming but if you want the unique look you have to let it be a part of your making the piece. I have to say that the pattern gave easy clear markings for the pleats and were simple to seam up and create the look. And pleats (or darts as some people call them) were on this pattern blouse on the front bodice top and bottom area as well as the back view
See here below

   2 darts at the bottom center section that require about a 4 inch seaming to create darts

I love this blouse pattern. And I can see this same pattern looking so pretty in a striped print for a sailor look, or even a thin sweater type fabric for a fall vintage look that you could wear alone of double up with a camisole underneath.

And honestly, if a person had lots of fabric and knew there measurements in length from where this tops bottom ends.....and add that extra length to it....you could easily make a dress in this pattern by just simply going much, much longer  in the length of the bodice top & front pieces and cut them out as one long piece to serve as a dress instead of a blouse top. Because your darts would remain the same in the areas needed, it's just that your over flow of the extra length in fabric would create your flow down, for the twirl look. And have a vintage dress in this pattern. Which would look great with a wide red belt worn around the waist.

 And here it is on the owner, My beautiful daughter, Crystal.

Who I have to say, wears the vintage style beautifully.

She has the long hair that she loves styling to match the time era.

And she has both mine & her dads long dark eyelashes ;)

 She wears rockabilly vintage wear well & brings justice to the style.

Though I did not make the clothes worn by her here in the other photos shared below, I just wanted to show you the styles she searches for in thrift stores, tag sales, on Etsy  etc.

So if you love the vintage style clothing then get out there and search those places for great finds!

And if you sew or know someone who does, then consider buying those vintage clothing patterns online and buy you some fabrics and create your own unique pieces to enjoy.

Though I only sew now for enjoyment or sell a few things I make like my swim sarongs. Most times seamstress like myself  welcome the chance to make extra income  and will only charge you there labor if you already have and provide all the sewing notions that are needed for each project. And your cost for the piece is much cheaper than some re creation vintage pieces that you would buy online or in boutiques.

Also keep in mind those old vintage items you may spot in yard sales, thrift stores or that your mom or granny may be tossing out like table clothes, sheets, pillow cases etc. Because they provide lots of yardage that can easily make a vintage style top or dress.

This pattern called for 2 1/2 yards of desired fabric choice. And I had pieces left over enough to make her a matching fabric headband which she can wear with it if she so chooses.

 Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed this post and it too will inspire you to sew something in the vintage style to enjoy.

I love hearing your thoughts on the subject at hand so feel free to ask any questions you like or comment away, below :)

Now I will close out with sharing vintage hair styles and clothes that Crystal loves to recreate while wearing her vintage finds.

Take Care ~Julie

 

I love this picture because she is a carbon copy of what my dear mom looked like at her age when my mom wore this style in the real 1930's

Disclose NOTE*  I wrote this post as a #DIY  project so you can sew and create a #vintage top for yourself to enjoy with the help of great online sites that offer vintage patterns for sale like http://wearinghistorypatterns.com/  This was not a paid post, nor in anyway a post to promote  the pattern shown above that was used in my at home sewing project shared with you my readers today.

I hope my post simply inspired you to sew something to enjoy for yourself in the vintage style :)