The “Dress Like Your Grandma!” Challenge
The Idea
This is a vintage sewing challenge where family history can inspire your wardrobe. Take a photo of your grandma (or your grandpa, great-grandma, mom, aunt, someone else’s grandma — you get the idea!) and re-create an outfit or piece that they are wearing. Many of us don’t have vintage garments to remember our loved ones by or perhaps we can’t fit into what they left behind. Re-create that image with vintage patterns, reproduction patterns or modern patterns. If your style is different from a family member’s or you want to evoke a different era, find a vintage photo with a garment that suits you and re-create that. The idea is to study a vintage photograph (1980’s or earlier) and transform that photo into a garment or outfit that you’ve sewn yourself. Use magazines, books or photos online if you don’t have a family photograph.
The Details
This is a non-competitive sewing challenge, not a competition. We are not here to compete against each other in a sewing contest, we are here to challenge each other to create something, inspire and share it with others. The challenge begins on March 19, 2018 and ends on April 30, 2018. DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 15, 2018. After the deadline I will gather photos and links to blogs and/or social media in a post on this site. Following the deadline there will be randomly drawn prizes for those who participated in this challenge.
How You Can Take Part
To join in, sign up here. By signing up for the challenge, you can gain access to exclusive discount codes for participants, keep on track with the challenge, and I can more easily inform you if you’ve won a prize at the challenge end.
You can also join our Dress Like Your Grandma community on Facebook!
In addition, use the hashtag #dresslikeyourgrandma on Instagram so we can socialize, talk about our plans and gain inspiration. Don’t forget to tag me with my IG username @tanyamaile so I can see what you’re up to! If you’re concerned with privacy, crop your vintage inspiration photo or black out the face so that it only shows the garment/outfit. This is an international sewing challenge. Having a blog and/or social media links is not required to take part in this challenge. Photos (inspiration + your sewn garment) will be in a roundup on my blog following the end of the challenge.
Submitting your entry
This year, we will not be using Pinterest for this challenge. Instead, you can submit your entry one of three ways:
- Dress Like Your Grandma Facebook group
- Instagram using the hashtag #dresslikeyourgrandma and tagging me @tanyamaile
- Email me at: tanya@tanyamaile.com
Sponsors
- Blackbird Fabrics
- Cashmerette Patterns
- Colette Patterns
- The Confident Stitch
- Decades of Style Pattern Company
- Jennifer Lauren Handmade
- LA Finch Fabrics
- Make This Look
- McCall Pattern Co.
- Muse Patterns
- Scroop Patterns
- Sense & Sensibility Patterns
- Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics
- Tips from Treasure
- Vintage Pattern Lending Library
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or offering a discount to sewing challenge participants, please email me at: tanya@tanyamaile.com
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