Better late then never....right?

While I knew it would be hard to have blog while juggling a somewhat unpredictable freelance career I didn't imagine it would be this hard. I must say a have such a new found respect and admiration for the bloggers I follow and really appreciate how much time and effort it must take to blog regularly. I wondered for a while if I should continue to try a blog and then figured I'm not hurting anyone with my sporadic six months apart blog post (well at least I hope not!) So I will continue to try and see where it leads as it has honestly improved my personal sewing.

For my first Vintage Pattern Pledge of 2015, I was inspired a few weeks back by Emileigh from Flashback Summer Make do and Mend Project. I think most people who wear vintage have an item or two or more that they can't seem to let go of even when its no longer wearable. 

1940s Dressing Gown. This would have originally been floor length
but at some point in its life  it was chopped off just above the knee. 

I bought this 40s dressing gown from a garage sale at my work Rose Chong Costumes years ago for I think $5. It was already a bit of a mess when I got it with small scatters of holes all over the bodice, fabric deteriorating under the arms, a short uneven hem and broken buttons but I absolutely loved the print and wore it as a summer dress for years. After a while though I would have to repair it after every wear, mainly under the arms and side of the bodice as that's wear the fabric was the most damaged and slowly I just stopped wearing it. I never got rid of it though, even took it with me during two house moves. 

McCall blouse pattern 6717 using 1940s Dressing Gown 

With so much damage in the bodice I decided to use the fabric of the skirt, which was the strongest and make a blouse. I picked this 1940s McCall 6717 pattern from my stash as the illustration looks like print of the robe. Which could only mean it was meant to be, that sewing up this blouse would be a breeze and my waist will also look that tiny...

I started by unpicking the whole gown to see how much fabric I had to play with. I also used a piece to test hand washing as being crepe I was worried it may shrink after being washed. To my surprise it didn't change in sizes at all, also the was no fading on any of the pieces which is pretty amazing for fabric over 60 years old!

Pre- measuring the fabric before washing

Drying the fabric in a towel- there was no shrinking or fading!

As the blouse has buttons down the back I cut the back pieces from the front of the skirt which also had button holes, eliminating the need to make button holes for the blouse.....

Front blouse pattern cut from the back of the skirt

As you can see I was just able to squeeze the front piece out of what was left of the the skirt. Leaving the just enough for neck and arm facings and the shoulder pads which I'm not a hundred percent on yet, we shall see in the next post :)