Neue Moden June 1942

I have become a bit obsessed with German pattern magazines... I now have over 70 and bought yet another one just yesterday. This is not helping with narrowing down the choice of what to make.  I have nearly finished a dress, actually (yes, you've heard that before) but not from a pattern from one of these magazines.  Still, I know that everyone likes looking at the images at least!

Before we get to the eye candy, I hit over 100 followers recently, so do intend a giveaway soon, I'm trying to figure out what to offer!

On to delicious dresses, such pretty details on some these:

Deutsche Moden Zeitung 1940 & 1941

Resolutely Failing

Whoosh.  Where did January go?  I made some resolutions, mostly creative and sewing related, which I intended to blog, but never got around to it.  One of them was to make at least one thing per month, and I think you can guess what’s coming next.  I have no garment-constructing post below, accompanied by pictures of me looking smug in my new dress, ‘cos there ain’t no dress.  I DID make half a toile, and traced off 3 dresses from pattern sheets, so there was activity, but not quite enough of it.

Perhaps I can atone and in February make 2 things.  Though I’m sure you’re aware it’s a short month, a whole 2 days shorter than some, so don’t be too judgemental if I don’t quite manage it...

The incomplete toile is of the dress 90577, third from left (from 1941)

The pattern sheet shows the numbered pattern pieces and the style of lines each of the pieces are drawn with, also, usually, there's a brief bit of blurb underneath with instructions....yet the dress I chose has NONE.

As you can see, the raglan sleeves are darted and the 4 gore skirt is cut on the bias (the grain line is the arrowed line) with plenty of fullness at the hem and it hangs beautifully.  The only bit I'm concerned about is the gathering at the front and back being the only way to fit the bodice.  In the right fabric, this could be okay but I think I might have to also add waist darts to get the fit I want.  In the poly cotton of an old duvet cover that I used for the toile, the gathers don't sit right, which was no surprise.  More on this in my next post.

I also traced the white dress in the middle (from 1941):

I'm guessing this might be a case of illustration seduction ( we've all been there) as although this looks stunningly simple and elegant, the pattern pieces look shapeless and have no darts in the bodice at all, but maybe with the right amount of drape in the fabric, it might work. 

Another resolution was not to buy any more patterns, or fabric, or magazines.  Didn’t quite manage that either, but I did stay off Etsy for nearly 3 weeks.  No small feat, as I usually spent 2 hours minimum on there every, single night. Then, after being on there for about 10 minutes, I bought this yummy cotton:

Who could resist melons!  Perfect for a summery, 60s A-line mini dress. The fact that winter has finally arrived, is neither here nor there to my shopping habits or sewing inclinations.

More 1930s Patterns

I seem to have started collecting German pattern magazines, I can't resist buying them when I stumble across them (and by 'stumble across', I mean 'search endlessly for') though I have yet to make a thing from a single one.

Still, they sure are gorgeous to pore over and fritter away time that could be spent sewing the two dresses I'm halfway through.

Deutsche Moden Zeitung 1938

 

1940s Fashion

I was meant to have prepared a post documenting my experience of Tilly's Productivity Project, but I've been so unproductive that I can't even manage a blog post, yet alone any sewing.  I should have it done to post tomorrow, but until then here's some more German pattern magazine eye candy to drool over. 

The illustrations are to die for and I adore the colour combinations, the accessories, the SHOES, not to mention the dresses...  I have lot's more to post too, so I hope no-one is getting bored!

1930s German Pattern Magazines

I shouldn’t shop online with a hangover.  The rational part of my brain that reins in my urge to spend too much money seems to fail, and before I know what is happening, I have impulsively bought something too expensive that I would never normally .  Or three things.  The upshot of this though, is I now have three DIVINE late 1930s magazines, WITH patterns! 

Here are just a few pages:

I was hopeful when they arrived that I wouldn’t be disappointed and boy, was I not, I nearly wept with joy and some of the dresses are making me feel giddy! 

Unfortunately, acquiring these has increased my uncertainty of just what to make next.  Plus, I have no hangover excuse for the other 3 similar magazines that I found and bought in an obsessive ebay/web hunt yesterday! 

I have at least begun tracing a pattern from one of the insanely confusing pattern sheets, so hopefully there will be some sewing happening soon.