Every year on my birthday I put together a new sewing plan for that year (my birthday is July 31st — the sewing plan is from August 1st to July 31st each year) Last year it was the dress challenge. (which is still ongoing as I created a sew a vintage dress a month challenge with two other lovely ladies. We now have a large group on Facebook and Instagram also participating with us.) The year before that was a drawing/sketch to finished garment and year before that was the create a garment a week. (I could keep going but you get the idea) This year it’s to add 1940s silhouettes to my wardrobe. Mid-1940s to late 1950s have always worked best for my shape. After many, many years of fighting it, I now sew and knit for the body I have, rather than the one that society dictates.
As I mentioned above, I am adding more 1940s to my wardrobe. I’ve mostly been concentrating on the 1950s for sewing and 1930s for knitting and have a wardrobe filled with lovely garments because of it. I have plenty of dresses, skirts and tops, but no trousers at all, very few a-line skirts and very few blouses. My main goal is to fill the holes in my wardrobe and a 1940s style is the perfect way to go!
A sub challenge to the main one, is to make trousers. I haven’t worn pants of any kind in over 10 years. I’ve actually lost track to when the last time I did. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that I hate the way that trousers look on me. Modern pants do not fit properly or rather, they don’t fit me properly. The waists are too low and they just don’t fit curvy girls the way they should. If I want the hips to fit, the waist is too big. If the waist fits, good luck getting them on. I also don’t need to be showing off my butt crack.
As with all of my other makes, it will be easy to get a fit the way I want it. It may take several toiles to get there, but I will. I’m going to be giving these trousers a try. The pattern is from Eva Dress on Etsy. Liz Von Villas and Bex Hulands have both inspired me to make trousers! I’m excited to make my first pair!
The other garment I’m excited to make is the a-line skirt. I have lots of circle skirts and gathered skirts in my wardrobe, but no a-line skirts. The beauty is they will take up way less material!
I hope you follow along with my 1940s sewing journey!
In 2021 I will also be adding 1940s knitwear to my wardrobe. Rather more 1940s. I already have a few pieces. That will be a post for another day.
Killer Kitsch Designs 