dresses – Killer Kitsch Designs

1940s, sewing, trousers, vintage, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing, vintage style

Sewing Plans!

July 22, 2020August 8, 2020 Lizzie Violet

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.

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, beach pajama, crochet, crochet pattern, crochet-a-long, free knitting pattern, knit-a-long, knitting, knitting community, pants, sew a dress a month, sew-a-long, sewing, vintage, Vintage Community, vintage crochet, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing, vintage style

Planning! Upcoming Sewing Plans

May 19, 2020 Lizzie Violet

I apologize. It’s been a while since we’ve chatted. It’s funny that, because I have been sewing up a storm. I’ve been sewing dresses and tops and some more dresses. Heck, my upcoming plans are quite ambitious if I do say so myself. What should we start with? What I’ve made or what I’m going to make. Let’s get a warm up with the garments I’ve made so far.

Dresses! For the sew a vintage dress a month challenge, I’ve made 5 dresses. I’m currently planning out my June dress. I love this challenge and the fact it has me making more dresses! My closest is currently crammed tight.

Tops! I have had the Rita Blouse pattern sitting and ready to go for a while! I finally made a couple. They are really quick and fast to sew up. I will definitely be making more.

Upcoming Plans!

Tiki! Tiki! Tiki!

I’ve been excited with the warmer weather approaching, which means I can break out my skirts and dresses. Even though we still can’t go out to bars and event venues that should stop me from wearing my makes or plan on garments that excite me. The theme that is making me really happy right now is Tiki! Here are some photos that are inspiring my plans right now.

Another garment I have been thinking long and hard about making is pants. I haven’t owned a pair in well over a decade. Why? I don’t like how they fit. Moderns pants are low-waisted and look horrendous on this high-waisted gal.

More dresses because a girl can’t enough of them!

We also can’t forget a bit of knitting and crochet. I need to keep my hands busy. Keeps me out of trouble.

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, classics, edwardian, food, music, tiki, victorian, vintage

Living Vintage in Toronto

August 7, 2017August 8, 2017 Lizzie Violet

Why do I love vintage clothing, purses, jewelry, and movies so much? I think I have always been in love with everything vintage. When I was a little girl, I would beg my mother to dress me up as a flapper. My earlier teen years I was obsessed with dressing in a 1950s style and later teens and early twenties, I was a blend of goth, Edwardian and the 1920s. These days it is a mix from the 1920s to the 1950s. I don’t recall a time when I wasn’t dressing or in love with vintage.

Over the years I have been influenced by many and lately, it has been Miss Lemon, Miss Fisher, Clara Bow and every single movie from the 1930s I’ve been watching. I adore the 1930s and every single year of that decade.

When I was a teenager and growing up in a small town, it was hard to find vintage clothing, so I made my own and I even learned to sew on a Treadle sewing machine. Between that and learning to knit, I didn’t have to rely on stores or mail order catalogues. My mother even relented at one point and gave me her purses from the sixties. Purses I sadly don’t have any longer as I wore them out. Having those skills today is also a benefit. As a curvy girl, it is harder to find sizes in a lot of vintage clothing. I tend to lean towards vintage reproduction or making my own using and resizing vintage patterns. At the moment I have a growing pile of fabric that needs my attention. I have patterns from the 1930s to the 1950s ready to be drafted and my knitting WIP includes sweaters from the 1930s and 1940s. I recently also started making my own hat pins.

1940s-shoes I am always on the hunt for vintage clothing and antique stores, diners, events, and music. I often envy places like England, where there is a wealth of vintage everything and wish that Toronto had more vintage events. As our own vintage community grows, I hope events and flea markets do as well. I have decided to start a list of what we currently have in Toronto and by no means is this list complete. These are places I’ve been to, shopped at, eaten at, events I’ve attended or generally know about. I also have had input from friends as well. If you see something that needs to be added, please let me know. I would love to keep this list up to date. 🙂

Neighbourhoods great for vintage and antique stores
Roncesvalles Avenue
The Junction
Parkdale (Queen Street — Roncesvalles to Dufferin)
Liberty Village
The Annex (Spadina to Christie)
Bloordale (Dufferin to Landsdowne)
Bloorcourt (Christie to Dufferin)
Ossington Avenue (College to Queen)
Kensington Market
Leslieville

Stores — Vintage and Antique
Dufferin/Dupont area
Vintage Studio 342 — 342 Westmoreland Avenue

Roncesvalles
Mrs. Huizenga — 28 Roncesvalles Avenue

Queen Street
Kind Exchange – 611 Queen Street West
Pearls and Pockets — 672 Queen Street West
House of Vintage — 1239 Queen Street West
Three Fates — 1394 Queen Street West
In Vintage We Trust — 1580 Queen Street West
Frou Frou Vintage — 1616 Queen Street West

Dundas West
Penny Arcade 1177 Dundas Avenue West
Door Number 2 — 2792 Dundas West
Smash Vintage — 2880 Dundas West

College Street and area
Print Vintage — 834A College Street
Arts Market – Dufferin Grove, 846 College Street
I Miss You Vintage — 63 Ossington Avenue

Kensington Market
Breathless Vintage — 9 Kensington Avenue
Courage my Love – 14 Kensington Avenue
Space Vintage — 34 Kensington Avenue
Exile Vintage — 60 Kensington Avenue
Vintage Depot — 70 Kensington Avenue
Winsome Vintage — 146 Augusta and 4 Kensington Avenue
Bungalow Vintage – Kensington Market, 273 Augusta Avenue

Bloor Street and The Annex
Monarch Vintage —897 Bloor Street West
Siberia Vintage — 955 Bloor Street West
Ransack the Universe — 1207 Bloor Street West
Puddin’ and Pie Vintage — 1248A Bloor Street West
Jellyfish Emporium — 1586 Dupont Street
Gadabout Vintage — 1300 Queen Street East
Rewind — 577 Mount Pleasant Avenue

Blackbird Vintage Finds — 11 Trinity Street
Gypsy Found Objects — 762 St Clair Avenue West

Thrifter Sisters, Aurora — https://www.facebook.com/thriftersisterscanada/

Stores — Vintage Reproduction
Black Daffodil — 3097 Dundas Street West
Doll Factory by Damzels — 394 Roncesvalles Avenue
Rosie the Rebel — 604 Queen Street West

Vintage Markets, Flea Markets, Fairs — Toronto
Arts Market at 846 College St — https://www.vintageb.com/
Geary Avenue Flea —www.gearyaveflea
St. Lawrence Market Antique Market —http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/pages/about_the_market_gallery_and_antique_market
Vintage Clothing Show and Sale (Exhibition Place) — http://www.torontovintageclothingshow.ca/
Wychwood Vintage Clothing Show and Sale — https://www.facebook.com/VintageShowTO/
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Vintage Markets, Flea Markets, Fairs — Close to Toronto
Freelton — http://freeltonantiquemall.com/
Pickering Flea — http://www.pickeringmarkets.com/

Vintage Collections/Collectors (online or at shows)
Union Label Vintage — @unionlabelvintage (instagram)

Events — Regular
Lindy Hop — http://www.torontolindyhop.com/
New Orleans Connection Allstars at Grossman’s Tavern (Every Sunday)
Spadina Museum — https://www.facebook.com/spadinamuseum/
Toronto Burlesque Festival — http://torontoburlesquefestival.com/
Toronto Silent Film Festival – http://www.torontosilentfilmfestival.com/
Toronto Vintage Crawl — http://www.vintagecrawltoronto.com/
Vintage Prom — https://www.facebook.com/VintagePromToronto/

Bars and Restaurants

Restaurants
Apache Burger — 5236 Dundas Street West
Aunties & Uncles — 74 Lippincott Street
Bloor Jane Restaurant — 2434 Bloor Street West
Bus Terminal Diner — 1606 Danforth Avenue
Cardinal Rule — 5 Roncesvalles Avenue
MARS FOOD — 432 College Street
Skyline Restaurant — 1426 Queen Street West
The Ace — 231A Roncesvalles Avenue
The Lakeview Restaurant — 1132 Dundas Street West
The Senator Restaurant — 249 Victoria Street

Vintage Toronto Diners — https://www.facebook.com/Vintage-Toronto-Diners-1384779678460763/?fref=ts

tiki Tikibars
Bill Hicks Bar – 946 Queen Street East
Bovine Sex Club – 542 Queen Street West
Miss Thing – 1279 Queen Street West
Shameful Tiki Room — 1378 Queen Street West
The Shore Leave -1175 Danforth Avenue

Bars
Cadillac Lounge – 1296 Queen Street West
Cherry Cola’s Rock n’ Rolla Cabaret Lounge — 200 Bathurst Street
Disgraceland (Bar and Grill) – Dovercourt, 965 Bloor Street West
Gun, Rod and Barbers — 2877 Dundas Street West
Reservoir Lounge (Jazz + Swing) – 52 Wellington Street East
Swan Dive — 1631 Dundas Street West
The Black Dice — 1574 Dundas Street West
The Hole in the Wall — 2867 Dundas Street West
The Local — 396 Roncesvalles Avenue
The Rex Hotel (Jazz + Swing) – 194 Queen Street West

Websites and Blogs
Cabaret Vintage — www.CabaretVintage.com
Chronically Vintage — http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/
Fashion in Motion — http://fashioninmotion.wordpress.com/
Leslieville Flea Blog – Mod Mad — http://leslievilleflea.com/mod-mad-party-madcap-recap/
Petite Plus, Meow! Blog — http://petiteplusmeow.wordpress.com/
Suzanne Carillow — www.suzannecarillo.com
Swing Toronto — http://swingtoronto.com/
The Vintage Inn — http://www.vintageinn.ca/toronto-vintage-society-events/
Toronto Vintage Society — http://www.torontovintagesociety.ca/
Yesterday’s Prints — http://yesterdays-print.com/search/canada

Instagram Accounts To Follow
@bellafloravintage
@Retrouverbiz
@victoryvintagegirl
@Wildthingvintage

Musicians (not a complete list, some of my favourites — this list will grow)
Alistair Christl — http://www.alistairchristl.ca/
Christian D — https://christiand.ca/
Ginger St. James —http://www.gingerstjames.com/
Luau of Die — http://www.luauordie.com/
New Orleans Connection Allstars — http://torontojazz.com/artist/new-orleans-connection-all-stars
The Royal Crowns — http://www.theroyalcrowns.ca/

Artists (not a complete list, some of my favourites — this list will grow)
CheapTrills Co. — https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/CheapThrillsCompany
Vintage Love (light switches) —http://www.vintagelove.ca/

Events near Toronto
Elvis Festival — Collingwood — https://collingwoodelvisfestival.com/
Vintage Car Show — Wasaga — https://www.wasagabeachcruisers.org/
Vintage Film Festival — Port Hope — https://www.vintagefilmfestival.ca/

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, free, free knitting pattern, free pattern, knitting, vintage, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage pattern

Summer Knits!

July 27, 2017 Lizzie Violet

Summer Knits!

Contrary to belief you can definitely wear knits in the summer time. If you use cotton based yarns, you will have a fashionable knit jumper that you can wear even on the hottest of days. Here are a few lovely summer knitting patterns to make and add to your summer wardrobe.

1930s Short sleeve Sailor Collar (photo not available here, but is on the pattern website)

1930s Chic Jumpers I love Theodora Goes Wild’s blog. She has lots of patterns available. This is one of my favourites.

1940s Marguerite Pullover One of my regular go to for vintage patterns is The Vintage Pattern files. There are knitting, crochet and sewing patterns available.

1940s Short Sleeve Blouses Va-Voom Vintage is a blog I check on the regular. She is also a curvy girl and has a large variety of patterns and shows sewing write-ups.

1950 Happy Time Sweater Free Vintage Knitting has thousands of free knitting patterns.

1951 Jack Frost Pullover Pattern One of the things that draws me to Jack Frost patterns — is the spooky looking photography. Always shadowy with a pinch of Film Noir.

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, etsy, knitting, online store, vintage, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage pattern

Sale

June 27, 2017June 27, 2017 Lizzie Violet

Everyone loves a sale and I’m having one! Well, a three-day sale! Use code SUMMERKNITS in my Etsy store to get 50% off all downloadable patterns. To go to my store, please click here.

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1930s, 1940s, 1950s, etsy, knitting, online store, vintage, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage pattern

Obsessed With Vintage Knitting Patterns

April 10, 2017April 10, 2017 Lizzie Violet

I have been knitting since I was 10 years old. I learned how to knit by watching my Grandma Betty. I was mesmerized how she could take yarn and turn it into hats, socks, mitts, sweaters, tea cozies and a variety of other things. I have some truly amazing memories from the hours spent learning the craft.

I too have knit everything from socks to sweaters and everything inbetween, but there is something incredibly satisfying when you create from vintage patterns. I have a collection of knitting books that I refer to often. I decide it was time to share my knowledge about vintage knitting and resources along with patterns I have found, as well as some fun vintage tidbits along the way.

I have created an Etsy store that I will use to sell .pdfs of the patterns I have. Not to worry, I will also be posting free patterns here along with what’s new at the store.

Right now I am having a 24-hour sale. If you use the code 1DOLLARDOWNLOAD, you can get the downloadable patterns for $1!

I will be adding lots of new patterns and often!