Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the Zombie Housewife!

Anne Sheridan's Trouser's



I recently caught 'I Was a Male War Bride' on telly, much to my enjoyment. I've always been aware of the film, but had never managed to see it. A quick summary of the plot: Anne Sheridan is a feisty lieutenant in the U.S. army, based in a chaotic post-war Germany, who falls in love with a French officer, played by Cary Grant (who makes no attempt at a French accent, but then he's Cary Grant, so he can do what he likes!) They decide to get married, and realise that the only way to negotiate all of the red-tape and beaurocracy thrown at them is for Cary Grant to declare himself Anne Sheridan's 'wife'.

Watch it if you need cheering up, as the chemistry between the two leads is infectious - there are some scenes that seem to be totally improvised, as they're so natural. The locations are real, so you get to see the destruction suffered by Germany first hand, and to reinforce this upheaval, there is a large chunk of the film featuring Anne Sheridan in charge of a motorcycle, ferrying around Cary grant in a sidecar, much to his discomfort.

And so to Anne Sheridans trouser's......



Trousers!

I haven't been able to stop thinking about them, and so have resolved to make a pair as similar as possible. As you can see from the pictures above and below, they are quite wide, flared from the waist with a single pleat, and best of all, a button fastening at the left side.



Side closing detail

Side view

I've trawled through my patterns; unfortunately, I don't have any trouser patterns from the late 40's (the film was made in 1949), but I think if I adapt some wide flares from the 70's, and adjust them in the fitting stages, it could work out. I know they look horrible, but I've decided to use these patterns:





Detail of simplicity pattern

I think if I combine the waist/fit of the Burda with the flare of the Simplicity, it could work out. At the worst, I'll end up with a pair of 70's Bowie-style flares, but that won't be such a bad thing:



The Thin White Duke



Actually, that waistcoat is quite cool - maybe a future project......

I've been to my beloved Dalston Mill Fabrics, and picked out a lovely red twill - total cost £8.50. Why red? Well, I already have a few pairs of wide black trousers; navy would have been too nautical; I don't like brown (I had a brown school uniform, hence the dislike); green or khaki would have been too army-surplus. And besides, I don't have any red trousers!

So now I have to decide on buttons......

A lovely surprise!

How lovely! I've been out of the loop for a little while, what with work and the boring stuff in life taking over, but how happy was I when I finally found time to open up my blog to find I'd been nominated for an award by Vintage Passions Just like Mine. Thank you, Dama, and the rest of you - check out her fab blog!

The conditions that come along with this reward are:

1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog along with the name of the person who awarded it along with a link to their blog.

2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers that you have recently discovered.

3. Contact those bloggers and let them know they've been chosen.

So here are my favourite 15, in alphabetical order:

1 - the1939clothier
2 - 1950's Atomic Ranch House
3 - AbleGrable
4 - Betty's Vintage Musings
5 - The Butterfly Balcony
6 - Diary of a Vintage Girl
7 - Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing
8 - Get Some Vintage-a-Peel by Miss Peelpants
9 - moon-doggie
10 - Snoodlebug
11 - Straight Talking Mama
12 - Tea with the Vintage Baroness
13 - Temperamental Broad
14 - The Vintage Housewife
15 - Vintage Passions Just like Mine

Take some time to have a look at as many as you can, as they are all brilliant, creative, witty people.

See you soon!

Leopard dress - finished at last!

Finally, I've finished the dress. I don't know where the time went, but the final stages seem to have taken me ages. But I'm pleased with the overall result:







Finished leopard dress

And here's the back view:

I'm really pleased with the v-neck at the back. I'm thinking of adding an apron and spooky make-up and wearing the whole ensemble as 'Zombie Housewife' for Halloween!

See you soon!





Something to cheer you up, and some leopard dress progress

Fabric Label

I found this lovely label wrapped around a roll of black polyester lining in one of my favourite local shops, Dalston Mill Fabrics. I thought it was such a pretty, cheery piece of ephemera, I had to have it, which they didn't mind (probably thought I was a bit mad), and decided to share it with all of you, to cheer you up on these rapidly darkening Autumn days.

Now for some dress progress -
15th September -
I bought a meter of yellow lining from Dalston Mill Fabrics (that's when I found the label above). Went straight home and cut out all the pattern pieces.

18th September -
Get loads done! I sew the darts in the bodice and skirt, then the side and back seams of the skirt, using my favourite French seams, so it's all neat and tidy inside. I also sew the shoulder and side seams of the bodice, using the same technique.

21st September -
Making great progress - I really want to wear this dress by the next weekend. I sew the sleeves together, complete the hems on the sleeves, and attach them to the bodice. I also attach the bodice to the skirt.

23rd September -
I put the zip in by hand, then pin the facing to the neck.


Sewing zip in by hand




Placing dress on my new dress form

I love my dress mannequin! It's totally not my size - she's like a size 8 and a bit shorter than me, I'm like a 10-12 - but it's great to have something to have my work hang on, instead of keeping it in a bag, getting all creased-up.



Dress back - deep V

I've also deviated from the pattern a bit, and added a deep V-neck at the back. I've always loved outfits with something going on at the back - swing coats, fishtails, etc.

Next up - finishing the neckline, lining, and hems.

See you soon!