RetroBabydoll
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 392
- Location
- LA
Snookie said:
No wonder you're so great at sewing. They probably went over that with you in fashion school. How did that go? What are you doing now? Sorry it's a bit off topic.
-
The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.
Fashion Fabrics from 1940
- Thread starter Snookie
- Start date
No wonder you're so great at sewing. They probably went over that with you in fashion school. How did that go? What are you doing now? Sorry it's a bit off topic.
RetroBabydoll said:
Well, it does depend on what you're making. Some things, like tailored shirt dresses, really look pretty good in crisp woven cottons. Other dresses are meant to be drapey and need to be done in rayons or light wools.
I'd actually start with a woven cotton, because it is very easy to sew on. Rayons can be pretty slick and even slithery, and the draped patterns tend to be more challenging anyway. A good halfway point is a lightweight woven cotton, since it has the stability of heavier cotton but hangs nicer and not so stiff. Also, in my experience, reproduction prints tend to be printed on nicer-quality, smoother and lighter cotton. Not all quilting cottons are created equal. And wrinkles are just a fact of life when you use cotton.
Reproduction Fabrics is a favorite of mine for repro prints.
CanadaDoll
Practically Family
- Messages
- 961
- Location
- Canada
I just found three yards of reproduction print barkcloth fabric, I'm short enough that I should be able to get a dress out of it I can't wait to get it started!
I can't wait to get it started!
RetroBabydoll
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 392
- Location
- LA
Sunny said:Well, it does depend on what you're making. Some things, like tailored shirt dresses, really look pretty good in crisp woven cottons. Other dresses are meant to be drapey and need to be done in rayons or light wools.
I'd actually start with a woven cotton, because it is very easy to sew on. Rayons can be pretty slick and even slithery, and the draped patterns tend to be more challenging anyway. A good halfway point is a lightweight woven cotton, since it has the stability of heavier cotton but hangs nicer and not so stiff. Also, in my experience, reproduction prints tend to be printed on nicer-quality, smoother and lighter cotton. Not all quilting cottons are created equal. And wrinkles are just a fact of life when you use cotton.
Reproduction Fabrics is a favorite of mine for repro prints.
Thank you so much!!!
Last_Chael
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 112
- Location
- Adelaide, South Australia
I love using lightweight cottons, they are so easy to sew! I know it's not fantastic, but I started by sewing with polycotton (also called poplin). It flows really well, comes in a huge variety of colours and is probably the easiest fabric you'll ever sew with!
I generally keep my eye out for simple cotton prints, usually florals and the like. You can usually find nice retroish prints in lightweight cottons.
I generally keep my eye out for simple cotton prints, usually florals and the like. You can usually find nice retroish prints in lightweight cottons.
Snookie
Practically Family
- Messages
- 880
- Location
- Los Angeles Area
RetroBabydoll, I loved fashion school - I had already gone to college, but I wanted vocational training. I went to the same school that Lauren attended, FIDM, although both of us already knew how to sew when we got started. I went to learn patternmaking. Now I work in technical design (imports) for a denim company. A lot of patternmaking jobs have gone overseas, and technical design has sprung up as the link between the designer and the factory.
RE: fabric for sewing, there isn't a "best" choice. There just different options, which give different effects. BUT, lightweight cotton is an easy fabric to sew, so it's a great option for beginning. Sunny's explanation is great.
Patterns usually give recommendations for fabrics that will work well for that style. Look on the back of the envelope, and ask an employee at the store if you can't find it.
RE: fabric for sewing, there isn't a "best" choice. There just different options, which give different effects. BUT, lightweight cotton is an easy fabric to sew, so it's a great option for beginning. Sunny's explanation is great.
Patterns usually give recommendations for fabrics that will work well for that style. Look on the back of the envelope, and ask an employee at the store if you can't find it.
CanadaDoll
Practically Family
- Messages
- 961
- Location
- Canada
This is such great info, thanks so much everyone! I keep learning so many neat little tips and tricks
normanpitkin
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 171
- Location
- London,England
excuse me,but!
sorry to intrude ladies ,but this(textile design )is actually what I do for a living and I can tell you i am doing a lot of 1940's designs at the moment for Topshop and Wallis shops!Not only that but they are being printed on viscose crepes and cotton voiles,both very apt fabrics.I am going to show some of the buyers at Wallis these pages from the catalogue later on today to show them what real designs were really like!
sorry to intrude ladies ,but this(textile design )is actually what I do for a living and I can tell you i am doing a lot of 1940's designs at the moment for Topshop and Wallis shops!Not only that but they are being printed on viscose crepes and cotton voiles,both very apt fabrics.I am going to show some of the buyers at Wallis these pages from the catalogue later on today to show them what real designs were really like!
Snookie
Practically Family
- Messages
- 880
- Location
- Los Angeles Area
wow, that's really neat, norman! I hope the buyers react favorably! I've been seeing more vintage prints on clothes lately, too. Hope some of that fabric trickles down to the jobbers for us homesewers to snatch up!!
Wish we had Topshop and Wallis out here, but I'm sure the UK ladies are grateful for your efforts.
Wish we had Topshop and Wallis out here, but I'm sure the UK ladies are grateful for your efforts.
Honey Doll
Practically Family
- Messages
- 523
- Location
- Rochester, NY
Miss 1929 said:
Here's a nice suit weight green plaid. I order from this place frequently. the quality is excellent.
http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/catalog_itemdetail.aspx?ItmID=MM163
Honey Doll
KittyAnneMalloo
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 83
- Location
- Country Vic, Australia
I realise I'm bumping a really old thread so I hope thats OK, if not could someone move it to the right place
I have just found this cotton in the patchwork shop. It washes up really soft and I think it would hang well once made up......but my question is?
I will be making a 1940's day dress soooooo would this print be close enought to period correct? The colour isn't showning true, it's what my Mum would call puce?
I have just found this cotton in the patchwork shop. It washes up really soft and I think it would hang well once made up......but my question is?
I will be making a 1940's day dress soooooo would this print be close enought to period correct? The colour isn't showning true, it's what my Mum would call puce?
tuppencehapenny
New in Town
- Messages
- 23
- Location
- UK
Ooh thanks for bumping the thread.
Those catalog scans are orgeous! I love the sailor print, and I WANT the pattern for the dress on p371!
KittyAnne, that print looks pretty period-appropriate to me - I could definitely see a cotton housedress in that.
Those catalog scans are orgeous! I love the sailor print, and I WANT the pattern for the dress on p371!
KittyAnne, that print looks pretty period-appropriate to me - I could definitely see a cotton housedress in that.
Miss Sis
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,888
Kitty, it looks vintage, yes, but more like what you might make a nightdress out of than a day dress. Prints for 1940s dresses tended to be much bolder prints and colours, I've found, at least for womens clothes. That looks more like a print for a little girls dress.
You could perhaps make a blouse and pair it with a solid skirt?
You could perhaps make a blouse and pair it with a solid skirt?
Foofoogal
Banned
- Messages
- 4,884
- Location
- Vintage Land
Marked copyright Pattern Rights Inc. A Screen Print. Guaranteed Washable Colors, Preshrunk
--------------------fftopic:
http://www.tias.com/7617/PictPage/1921175817.html
I would really appreciate some help with this fabric. Not my forte. Does anyone recognize the copyrighted info and what age possibly?
Thanks. Sandy
--------------------
fftopic: http://www.tias.com/7617/PictPage/1921175817.html
I would really appreciate some help with this fabric. Not my forte. Does anyone recognize the copyrighted info and what age possibly?
Thanks. Sandy
MissHawthorne
New in Town
- Messages
- 42
- Location
- Minnesota
Thank you for the bump! This is good resource to have.
Land-O-LakesGal
Practically Family
- Messages
- 864
- Location
- St Paul, Minnesota
Yeah for the Bump. I have a war era spiegels catalog some day I will try to do some scans for you but our computer that we have connected to the scanner just bit it and for some reason my laptop does not want to communicate with that machine.MissHawthorne said:
Foofoogal
Banned
- Messages
- 4,884
- Location
- Vintage Land
Noone knows the label on my fabric? When did they start copyrighting fabric?
Maybe I will just make some pillows or something for Fall with it. [huh]
Maybe I will just make some pillows or something for Fall with it. [huh]
Similar threads
