The VPLL1912 Titantic Sewing Project

I was browsing http://www.threadsmagazine.com/ recently, and stumbled on a blurb about an exciting opportunity to help test sew vintage Edwardian patterns.  Janyce Hill, owner of the Vintage Pattern Lending Library, plans to reproduce every pattern from each of the 1912 issues of a French fashion magazine, La Mode Illustree. The patterns include womens’, childrens’, and mens’ fashions.  I’m comfortable with childrens clothing, familiar with womens, and totally intimidated by fashions for men.  But setting all trepidation aside, this is too fantastic an opportunity to pass up! I need to get more practical experience with actually using vintage sewing techniques to put into practice all the “book learning” I’ve accumulated from years of studying about all forms of traditional needlework. The deal is that we agree to work on monthly assignments, and blog about our results. We don’t have to actually create a finished garment each month, and we can resize or adapt the pattern pieces any way we choose, just as long as we blog about the process.  This is great for me because my budget would have a hard time accommodating a fully recreated garment every single month, not to mention that my time is not always my own, lol. The reward for holding up my end of the bargain is that at year’s end, I will be eligible to receive a copy of all 300+ patterns and a CD of the magazines.  I can do this!!!

Note:

Gown shown is made of marine blue velvet and trimmed with skunk fur. The under dress is of Liberty cream satin. How intriguing is that? (I have to admit, that though I know some trappers, I don't think I will be trimming any of my creations in skunk fur, lol!)