Hello friends! In the past few days, I've gone on a bit of a vintage pattern binge. There are a couple of very exciting vintage challenges coming up that I really want to take part in.

First up:  Sew for Victory! A 40's Sewalong with Lucky Lucille

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I have never sewn or purchased a vintage pattern, so it was virtual trip to the Etsy shops :)

For the 1940's Sewalong, these are the two dress patterns I found:


What first attracted me was the amazing waistline detail - I've never seen a waistline like that on a dress pattern before! Then I noticed the record player - how cool is that? I really like the version with the collar and the 3/4 length sleeves - definitely me!

The other 1940's pattern I purchased reminds me somewhat of this dress, worn by Emily Blunt on the Masterpiece series, Foyle's War:

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If you haven't watched Foyle's War, you are missing out.  It takes place in a small English town during WWII. I could go on and on about the amazing actors, beautiful scenery, great mystery plots, inspiring 1940's wardrobe, but then we would be here all week. I'll just say WATCH THIS SHOW. In any case, here is the other pattern I purchased:


I love the details of this dress - the square neckline, the gathered shoulders, the double buttons, the bow tie belt. I also love all three styles - stripes, plaid on top, and all solid.  While the bust is one size too big, I figured it would be close enough to alter easily (I hope).

Moving forward a decade or two... I am also excited for the Mad Men Challenge 2 with Julia Bobbin


Julia Bobbin, Mad Men Dress Challenge 2

I immediately knew I wanted to make this dress, worn by Peggy in Season 2, Episode 12:


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That bow! The dress itself is my favorite shape - fitted on top, 3/4 sleeves, full skirt. I have several patterns in my collection that could fit this bill - but I had no idea how to make that collar and bow. So, I was pretty pumped when I came across this pattern:


I know the dress itself is nothing like that, but the hardest part I was trying to figure out was the collar and bow - and here they are!  Pretty close, don't you think? Now I have to decide if I want to make this in a knit or a woven - oh the possibilities!

While on my vintage pattern spree, I also bought this pattern, just for fun! Anyone doing a 1970's themed challenge anytime soon?


There are three reasons I bought this pattern - first I love the style of the dress, second it can easily be made with knits, and third, it's originally from a shop in Columbus, Ohio - that's pretty much where I grew up - how cool!

So there you have it - all my new vintage patterns :)  They should be coming in the mail this week - I can't wait to get started! Like I said, I have never sewn with a vintage pattern before - any advice for this newbie?