1949 Singer Sewing Book

Look what I picked up at an antique shop this weekend! This book is copyright 1949 and it is amazing! I just love the illustrations and vintage sewing techniques like the 31 different seam finishing methods or the 14 hem finishes.

The author gives advice on how to successfully  complete sewing projects. Mostly stuff we've all heard before like "plan for sewing time" and "assemble and organize your materials before starting to sew." Here's what she says about preparing yourself physically;

When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness.   Have on a clean dress. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing. Sewing  must be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should. Therefore, spruce up at the beginning so you are free to enjoy every part of sewing you do.


God forbid your husband comes home and sees you without your lipstick! That would cause way too much anxiety and you will be too much of a nervous wreck to sew!

Opera Renderings

Here are some new renderings for an opera I am currently designing.

I'm renting all of the men's Victorian costumes.
The first three here are the chorus of eight. That's right; 8 of the same exact dress.  oI am making them from this pattern; view E (second from the left).

I'm drafting an A-line skirt onto the blouse pattern to make it a bias cut cowl neck dress. I'm then going to ombre dye them with the three colors pictured. They will all have a bronze sequin belt, a monocle, and a white wig with silver tinsel pieces. For the leader of the chorus I'm going to do a different sort of hand dyeing technique, more on that later!