How to do Shirring for a Vintage Look

Get a great vintage look with this shirring method. This method adds beautiful detail just like the dresses from the 50s by using your home machine.

These techniques are from a 1950s sewing guide for White sewing machine attachments. The newer machines also come with attachments so it shouldn't be a problem adaping these techniques with your machine. Get creative and sew away!

These technique use your shirring and cording presser foot

Here are two vintage pattern that could be adapted to shirring

This pattern  looks like it has shirring on the shoulders, a very popular sewing technique in the 30s and 40s.  Simplicity 1832 from Penelope Rose

This Simplicity pattern would look great with the shirred collar technique shown above, pattern at Penelope Rose

Have fun trying these techniques for whatever garment you choose...

Next is fagoting using a binding attachment...

Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park

Took a trip to Lassen Volcanic National where the air was clear (we have been having very smokey days here due to wildfires just north of us.) We rented a cozy cabin for three for two nights. There was  me, my husband and his 16 year old son all having a great time in the wood camping and hiking. Below are some of the photos from this trip and place we hiked. And, I couldn't go on a trip and not stop at the local thrift stores.

This is the great little cabin we stayed in, there is no electricity or water, but the Park provides you with a battery operated lantern and it has a propane wall heater, that we didn't need to use, the temperatures were high around 89 F, lows around 54 F, Inside is a table, chairs and double bed, and room for the son on the floor with an air mattress.

It is getting dusk, around 7 pm this is Manzanita Lake where the cabins are, the lake was caused by a avalanche on Chaos Crags blocking Manzanita creek and forming this lake about 350 years ago. Can you see the ducks?

We hiked around the lake the first evening which was 1.5 miles.

Chaos Crags squeezed upward 1,100 years ago from explosive eruptions, and Manzanita Lake.

Chaos Crags, Manzanita Lake and Mt Lassen to the right.

And of course they made buildings out of the rocks that got spewed all over the place. This building is at the northwest entrance, not sure what it was used for, looks like it may be an old ranger house.

Manzanita Creek

They have this seismograph set up for show, there are side window you can look in to see the machine working, but it is not what they use to measure the earths activity. There are 35-40 seismographs set up around the park which is 150 square miles.

This is Loomis Museum, named after Ben Loomis who bought 40 acres here. He studied the landscape, took photos and opened this as a learning center back in the early part of the 20s. This building is by Manzanita Lake and the campground. Loomis donated the property to the Park in 1929.

Wide view of the cabins in the woods at the campground.

We are heading to the south park entrance and stopping along the road to enjoy the sights. This is looking down on a creek that meanders through a meadow.

Helen Lake

These are some wild lupines growing among the rocks. We were hiking along the trail to Bumpass Hell to see the mud pots and steam vents. The trail was pretty narrow along these rocks at some points dropping down into the valley. (3 miles round trip)

Looking south from the Bumpass Hell trail.

Hot water coming from the earth at Bumpass Hell, these are acid-sulfate hot springs with temperatures recorded as high as 322 F.

Bumpass Hell  read more about these hot spots.

So pretty, very tempting to take a soak, spring at Bumpass Hell

More hot springs at Bumpass Hell overlook ramp on right.

The park has built these sidewalks to keep people safe because the crust near these mud holes and hot springs can break and people have been know to fall into the hot water. This is exactly what happened to Kendall Bumpass when in 1865, he lost his leg when it was severely burned when he fell through the crust.

We are off on another hike, 3 miles round trip, to Kings Creek Falls

Kings Creek Falls a 50'waterfall.

Devastation from a Forest Fire in 2011, this photo was taken from the side of the road.

And how can I travel without checking out the local thrift shops, these two are in Shingletown located about 25 miles from Lassen

Found a lovely aqua and silver 1960s cocktail dress in this thrift shop

Rain stands for Rescued Animals in Need so all proceeds go to spaying and neutering and placing animals in homes. she places about 100 cats a year and 25 dogs, pretty good for a small town store. Some of the animals live right here at the store or in her home, there is no 'shelter'.

 Here I found a beautiful 1920/30 hand painted rose earring piece surrounded by rhinestones. The lady that had donated it said it belonged to her mother,  the lady was in her late 60s, she said it was from a pair of earrings but she lost the other earring and can't just throw things away so she made a pendent out of it and put it on a chain.

Lassen is just one of the 59 beautiful National Parks in this country, I have been to several others and hope to go to many more. While we were at Lassen we learned a lot about volcanoes, such as there are four types and all four types are found in Lassen. A wonderful place to learn geology, history and enjoy the peacefulness of nature.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Any recommendations, please share, thanks!

Vintage Touches for Your Dresses ~ Lace Insets

Here is another beautiful way to add vintage touches to your dresses or tops. These lovely lace insets are easy to add, just find a favorite lace, you can use lace appliques or lace fabric for these designs.

These techniques are from a 1950s sewing guide for White sewing machine attachments. The newer machines also come with attachments so it shouldn't be a problem adapting these techniques with your machine. Get creative and sew away!

This technique uses your zig-zag presser foot.

Tarlatan is a thin, stiffened, open-mesh cotton fabric.

Tarlatan

Here are a few patterns where you could use this lace inset technique. The first is a Vogue 1950s dress that shows the lace insert in the yoke and on the hip.

Vintage 1950 Vogue 7044 bust 38" at Penelope Rose

This second one, Advance 5733, I think the lace inset would go nicely where the border print is positioned.

Vintage 1950s button front dress bust 32" Penelope Rose

And, the third is a 1980s simple pull over dress pattern from McCall's 8995. I think a lace inset on the bodice in a V design or with lace appliques would give this dress some additional style, although it is quite charming the way it is.

Vintage McCall's 8995 easy pullover dress uncut size 8 Penelope Rose

Find your pattern or even use a current garment and re-purpose it to give it some vintage charm!

Next Shirring for more vintage magic style touches, until then...

Free PDF Crochet Instructions for this Lacy Filet Panel Dress

Cool and sexy crochet shift dress, love this blue, but any color will look lovely and show off those curves.

Lacy panels ends in a patterned border that hems the skirt of a dress crocheted the same back and front. Crisp puff stitches cent each motif in misses 8 to 14.

From McCall's Needlework & Crafts Spring-Summer 1974

Compliments of  Oso Victoria

Lacy Panel Dress PDF

Enjoy and happy crocheting,