Fun times! Who knows if I'll finish in time for the challenge, but I just love the idea all the same. I don't know where my father's pictures are, he probably doesn't either, but I pulled out all the old family photos of my mom's and had a fabulous time going through them. My grandma was so stylish, it was hard to pick out just one outfit. I did end up deciding on this dress though, worn in a series of family portraits from the mid 40's. I'm just in love with all these pictures :)
My grandmother is on the right of all the photos. I just love this dress. I've already started adjusting some patterns, and I've got some blue heavy crepe fabric to use for it. I asked my mom if she wanted to help and work on some of the embroidery on the pockets, it looks like the type of quilting she does, and she said she had a friend who was great at that. So it is all moving along! I may get it done :) Wish my grandma was around to see it. Wish she was around when I started sewing in general, she would have loved it! Only one in my family who loved clothes as much as I do.
The dress has a zippered front bodice, and what looks like welt pockets on the top surrounded by embroidery (with a little handkerchief tucked in). I think I'm going to do the pockets separately so I don't have to stress about messing up the whole thing front of the dress if I screw up the embroidery or welt pockets.
Well, I just made a muslin of the top out of a pattern from one of my german magazines. Made some adjustments and am ready to make another.
And just in case I think I need another project, I think I'm going to go through and organize all the photos and scan them into the computer as well. Along with sewing some things for my vacation to Texas. And other summer clothes in the belief that my hopes and prayers will stop the dang snow.
~Nikki
Closeup and enhanced photos of the pocket embroidery:
Colorised photo from an online thing, I had already guessed it was blue though!
And the pattern I'm working off of, lots of changes though : The purple one, top right from Hausfrau September 1943