Mrs. Hughes

Retro Inspired Sewing

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A Red Les Fleurs 1940’s Dress [McCall’s 7433]

11/17/2016

Hi there, friends!   I guess I’m officially back on the sewing blogger wagon sharing my makes again.  I have a back-up of them, so I guess I should get a move on! I also have a lot of things I want to sew, so there’s that as well which can be a bit conflicting. As […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A 1940’s Polka Dot Peasant Dress [Vogue 8728]

10/3/2016

Hello, friends! I’m still sharing my summer sewing…. Yes, I am stretching this out so far!  I still have another dress left to photograph, plus 3 that are kind of UFO’s.  I may not do anything with those until next spring as I am moving into fall/winter sewing and I don’t need another sundress right […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A 1960’s Inspired Phoebe Shift Dress

09/29/2016

Hello, folks! I’ve got something a little different today — a 1960’s inspired shift dress!  This dress was made as part of Sew Your Hart Out September with Harts Fabric, along with Colette Patterns and Robert Kaufman fabrics.  I wrote a tutorial on Harts’ site on how I made the retro button-on-belt featured on this dress. […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A Vintage 1950’s Rose Print Dress

09/26/2016

Hello, friends! I’m continuing to fulfill my Vintage Pattern Pledge and have sewn another of my vintage patterns!  This one is Simplicity 4667, a design from 1954 that also happens to be in my size!  Plus, I found this pattern uncut and for a steal on eBay.  Double win! I made the scalloped neckline of […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments, Vintage Patterns

A Black Floral Dorothy Lara Dress

09/21/2016

Good morning, friends! Yes, I am definitely stretching out the dresses that I made back in JULY.  Is it September already? Yeah, I’m slacking! I actually only have one more dress left to share with you that I wore on our summer vacation, plus two others that I completed over the summer.  I may get […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

The Gatsby Summer Afternoon 2016

09/15/2016

How’s tricks?  The Gatsby Summer Afternoon was the bee’s knees this year! The Gatsby Summer Afternoon is an event that I look forward to every year.  It’s like stepping back in time to the Jazz Age and it’s just the most wonderful period event that I’ve been to.  I love admiring all of the dames […]

Filed Under: Costume Events, Historical Costuming, Retro Accouterments, Retro Garments

The 1929 Pansy Dress

09/13/2016

How’s tricks, dames?  I’m extremely excited to fully share this year’s 1920’s dress for the Gatsby Summer Afternoon.  I’ve been sharing my progress in making this dress on Instagram and it was a labor of love.  The Gatsby Summer Afternoon is an Art Deco picnic held at the Dunsmuir-Hellman Mansion in Oakland, CA every September.  I […]

Filed Under: Historical Costuming, Retro Accouterments, Retro Garments, Vintage Patterns

The Eilis Dress [Simplicity 1459]

08/25/2016

Hello, friends! *Note:  Portions of this post first appeared on the Cali Fabrics blog. I’m super excited to share this dress with you.  It’s one that I’ve dreamed about for a while and I’m happy to see it come to fruition.  It turned out even more delightful than I expected, with little vintage details that […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A 1950’s Pleated Chambray Dress [Vogue 8973]

08/12/2016

Bonjour, readers! Note:  Portions of this post originally appeared on the Cali & Co. blog. I’m happy to share this 1950 Vintage Vogue pleated dress with you!  I chose this gorgeous red dotted lightweight chambray from Cali Fabrics for this project, which worked well with the numerous tucks and pleats that make up this dress.  I […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A Lemony Dorothy Lara Dress

08/8/2016

Hello there, friends! It’s another lemon dress!  This time a 1940’s iteration with the Decades of Style Dorothy Lara dress. I used this lovely lemon print cotton lawn from Gertie’s fabric collection at JoAnn’s.  I looked at this fabric in the store and online ever since it was released, but didn’t bite until I saw […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A Rose Print Chantilly

07/28/2016

Hello, friends! Whoa! It’s been a while.  I didn’t expect to be away from this space for a month, but that’s what happened.  I have SOOOO much to share with you as I’ve been sewing like I’m on the Sewing Bee and I have so much sewing accomplished.  I’m just lacking photos, and with this […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A Pink Gingham ESP Dress

06/6/2016

Hi there, friends! All the gingham. All the time.  And all the ESP dresses. 🙂 Yes, it’s another ESP dress and another gingham dress.  But I don’t have a pink gingham one and I’m currently swooning over these large checked ginghams.  I really cannot get enough. As I’ve stated in a previous post, I’m really […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A Blue Gingham Shirtdress [Butterick 6333]

05/31/2016

Good morning, friends! I feel like I have already shared this dress with you as it’s been in constant rotation ever since I made it.  This dress is definitely a summer wardrobe staple, even though summer has not officially arrived yet! For this dress, I used Butterick 6333, a new princess seam shirt dress pattern […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A 1960’s Rose Border Print Dress [McCall’s 7086]

05/22/2016

Good afternoon, friends! I’m excited to share this dress with you! I’ve already written a review of this pattern on the CSC, but finally had time to share it with you on my blog.  This is a special dress that I made to wear to my niece’s First Holy Communion and one that’s been lingering […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A Lemony Stripe 1950’s Dress [Vogue 8789]

05/16/2016

Hello, friends! I’m so excited to share this dress!  I’ve been wanting a lemon print dress for AGES and until recently, I haven’t seen many fabrics that I’ve liked with lemons on them.  I wanted a lemon fabric with a white background and as I have slight obsession with 1950’s Horrockses dresses, I decided that […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

Buttons & Bows and PB&J’s for Me-Made May

05/11/2016

Hello, friends! It’s been a bit longer than I planned since my last post.  I’ve been sewing quite a bit, I just haven’t had any photos taken to share with you. Now I have plenty, so there are some upcoming posts in the works that I’m looking forward to sharing with you. This project is […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

A Parisian Cambie

04/20/2016

Bonjour, friends! I’m excited to share my latest favorite dress with you!  This one turned out exactly as I had envisioned and I’ve already worn it twice since I made it.  I  shared my plans for this in a previous post.  My inspiration was a Modcloth dress, that I loved when I saw it, so […]

Filed Under: Retro Garments

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My Favorites

  • The 1920’s Egyptian Revival Gown
  • The Embroidered Zig Zag Dress
  • The 1929 Pansy Dress
  • The 1930’s Silk Velvet Dress
  • Sailors are My Weakness [The Dorothy Lara Dress]
  • The California Poppy Blouse
  • The 1950’s Robin Hood Dress
  • The Broderie Anglaise Birthday Dress

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“Dress Like Your Grandma” Host

Behind the Scenes on Instagram @tanyamaile

Meet my new favorite dress! This is the @gertie18 Meet my new favorite dress! This is the @gertie18 Charm #cinchitdress in cotton linen from @lafinchfabrics . It is my third and favorite version thus far. I did several alterations to this pattern for both fit and preference. This is a size 22/24 in upper cup sizes. I'm not sure if it's because I am on the lower end of the bust sizes at a D, but I raised the bust darts and also raised the shirring line a few inches. I took a wedge out of the back for a swayback adjustment, raised the armholes as they're too low for me and lowered the neckline slit. This version has the banded collar. Other versions I've made have sleeves and no collar. I also lengthened the skirt and am wearing my lightweight petticoat with this. It's difficult to see, but this version has a triangular pocket from a similar vintage 1950's tent dress pattern, which I also used to add more width to the shoulders and create a bit of a sleeve, which I'll be extending out more for my 4th Cinch-It dress. I just had my second dose of the Pfizer vax, so if I feel okay, I'll be cutting out another dress. 😉

This is a great every day dress. It's so comfortable and quick to sew. Without a belt or shirring, it looks a bit like a muu muu, which really isn't a bad thing, but I like some waist definition. My first one I made out of rayon challis, and that's a bit too drapey IMO for this pattern and I prefer this cotton linen and version 2 in chambray, which I'll share when I finish with the appliques and pockets on that. I love this pattern so much that I was going to use one of my treasured vintage Hawaiian fabrics, but didn't have enough yardage to cut this pattern out as that 50's fabric is narrow.  Now that I have this pattern fitted exactly how I want it to, I may just sew 5 or 6. 😉

#charmpatterns #lafinchfabrics #polynesianAF #vintagesewing #plussizesewing #sewistsofinstagram  #sewistsofcolor #curvysewingcollective #sewing #1950ssewing
I made a dress and took photos of it! 💃💃 Thi I made a dress and took photos of it! 💃💃 This is a @gertie18 Charm Lamour Dress and Dorothy Bolero made of cotton linen from @lafinchfabrics. 

#lamourdress #dorothybolero #charmpatterns #1950sfashion #plussizevintage #vintagedressmaking #vintagesewing #lafinchfabrics #curvysewingcollective
My new hussif/housewife sewing wrap that I made in My new hussif/housewife sewing wrap that I made in @the_sewing_room_alameda 's class at the @gbacg virtual costume academy last weekend. I sewed it in class and added the binding today. I love how it uses remnants and that I had everything to make it in my sewing room. It was perfect for this little piece of vintage fabric (printed off grain). I'm planning to make another one to go in my 18th pockets and do some embroidery on it.
I feel incredibly grateful that I've had my first I feel incredibly grateful that I've had my first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. My husband (a teacher) has also had his first dose. It feels like being on the path to some sense of normalcy and being able to breathe again after a tumultuous year. I'm also looking forward to seeing my grandma and my aunt who is in a care home -- both of whom I haven't seen since before this pandemic began.

If you're curious, as I live in California and we are not doing great amongst the states with our vaccine administration (currently ranked 38) and my county has not reached my age group yet. On Monday, I became eligible in my state as high risk due to BMI (fat privilege!). I would have had to jump through hoops and wait to get a shot at the only vaccine option  my county has (I was on the list), and looked for other options. Our state vaccine website (MyTurn) gave me clinics in other counties which I am not eligible for as I'm not a resident or worker. VaccineFinder gave me locations at area pharmacies and I tried to get an appointment and they were all booked. Finally, a friend told me about Walgreens and I went on their website and made an appointment on Tuesday and had my first shot today. 🎉🎉
This lady head brooch by @lipstickandchrome really This lady head brooch by @lipstickandchrome really made my day. Thanks to @wanderingwhipstitch for telling me about it. 💖
It was pretty unbelievable when my husband and I f It was pretty unbelievable when my husband and I found these Pyrex orange butterprint Cinderella bowls at a thrift store the other day. The orange (along with pink) butterprint were promotional pyrex from the late 1950's/early 1960's and very hard to find. I never thought that I'd have some in my collection as I've never seen these for sale in person and there are so many pyrex collectors in my area. These are mint, but missing the 444 (largest size). At $75, these were not a thrift store price, but a steal considering the current going rate. Plus, I love them, which makes them valuable to me. I rearranged this hutch of my favorites so they could be displayed there. 😊

#pyrex #vintagepyrex #pyrexcollector #orangebutterprint #rarepyrex #pyrexcollection
Today, @mommarainbows and I had a Castle Cake-Off. Today, @mommarainbows and I had a Castle Cake-Off. Who wins? We both do. 🤣 I present to you my Count Chocula cake. 🧛‍♂️ It's a chocolate malt cake with malt fudge sauce, chocolate malt frosting, malt crumble and some somewhat charred marshmallows. I used the recipe from the Milk Bar. 

This is the fanciest bundt cake I've ever made as I usually just pour a glaze on with coconut, sprinkles or berries.
Just finished: A crewelwork pillow with California Just finished: A crewelwork pillow with California poppies and bachelor buttons. I made this from a vintage 1970's Bucilla crewel embroidery kit. This is the second Bucilla crewel kit that I've made and I just love using them. I was fortunate to find this one with my state's flower on it and it was a pretty quick embroidery project.

#bucilla #crewelembroidery #crewelwork #embroidery #handembroidery #1970sembroidery #1970sstyle #californiapoppy
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Copyright 2012-2021. Tanya Maile Hughes. All rights reserved. Please do not copy or reproduce any content from this site without approval and credit. Sewing graphics by katieshoestring and California poppy graphics by DigitalDesignsAndArt

Mrs. Hughes: A retro inspired, vintage garment sewing and plus-size dressmaking blog by Tanya Maile Hughes.

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