TV helps me sew better…

Well, not exactly, but you’ll see what I really mean…

A lot of the time when I sew it’s late at night and I turn the TV on to keep me company. I’m not a huge TV watcher, but I do like westerns and Civil War period movies because I like to look at the clothing. I get ideas from the dresses I see and sometimes I have been known to snap a picture or two at the TV to capture them. So the TV doesn’t really help me sew better, but maybe it gives me some creative ideas… :o)

I found a few on my phone and thought I’d share them with you. They aren’t super clear in some cases, but I think you can get an idea of why they caught my eye.

I grabbed my phone when I saw this bonnet… I love the flowers up under the brim of the hat… I’d love to have seen this in color!

Here is the side and back of it… isn’t it sweet?

In another scene she had on a different bonnet…similar but different. I think I’ll try that the next bonnet I make. I think it’s very pretty.

I wasn’t paying attention to this movie when all of a sudden I glanced over and saw the most beautiful plaid turquoise dress with a white bodice. By the time I grabbed my phone she was moving around so much I couldn’t get a long shot of it, but it just flowed so wonderfully and I loved the looks of it. I did get a few shots of the bodice… I wish you could have seen the dress; it was stunning.

This was another dress I wanted to really study…it’s a bit asymmetrical and is VERY pretty. I am a sucker for black and white and ESPECIALLY black and white checks! I hope you like this one. Don’t you love that little peplum in the back?

This was a little hat I saw that caught my eye. I think one time when I was trying to get the pattern right for a Patsy Tonner hat, I happened to see this one on TV. I think it’s so darling and would love to have seen it in color too. I managed to get 2 kind of decent shots of it. I love the way the brim tips up in the back and how it’s curved down on the sides.

So there you go… how TV makes me sew better. Next time you watch it, see what you discover!

Don’t forget… our Sew-A-Long will start on Monday. If you missed it you can check it out HERE. We’re going to make a slip similar to this one for our sew-a-long.

See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne

16 thoughts on “TV helps me sew better…”

  1. Oh, Jeanne, I know how having the TV on just for company helps anything! Mine is on all the time, except that I am not sitting there watching constantly. It’s just the “company” that helps you as you go about your day.
    I must say, the last thing I would watch would be westerns! I never did like them, but Michael apparently does! I do doubt he is watching for the fashions though!
    I agree, that first hat is very different and might be fun to recreate. And that black and white dress is so stylish and fits her to a “T”, but I wonder how MY shape would look in that! 🙂

    1. HI Linda,
      I’m sewing today and watching The Miracle Worker about Helen Keller…not such great costumes, but still the dresses give me ideas.
      I love that black and white checked dress… I might have to find out more about what movie that was to see it closer up again sometime…
      I don’t think my shape would look very good in the dress, either…so don’t think you’re alone!
      Thanks Linda,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. Charlotte Trayer

    I love watching for lovely outfits on old movies, too Jeanne, you have chosen some good ones! Love the hats, too!!

    One of my all-time favorite “outfits” (if you want to call it that) is the pegnoir set that Doris Day wears in one of the very early scenes in “Lover, Come Back”. I even went so far as to sketch it, thinking I might make it for myself one day! Of course, I love all the things she wore in that movie as well as some of her others, such as “Pillow Talk”. One of my other all-time favorites is the dress Grace Kelly wore (and eventually got married in) in “High Society”. Pure elegance!

    1. HI Charlotte,
      I’ve been known to sketch things from the TV as I was watching something too… I’ll have to look up Doris Day in Lover, come Back… I can’t recall the peignoir . Well, I looked on Google, but didn’t see which one you meant… but, Doris Day looked wonderful in everything!
      If you make the peignoir for yourself, remember we want to see pics! :o)
      Blessings, Jeanne

  3. Fun seeing the old movie flashes. I’m guessing you don’t have tv like we do with a remote that you can reverse whatever is on and see it again? Like that news flash or sports game goal. Then you can freeze whatever frame you want. We’re always going back to catch something we missed. Maybe you have that too. Groggy this morning. Neighbors cat was here for breakfast early today.
    The elastic choices for the sew along were not great here. Would fold over elastic work? And hoping you will show us how to stretch the elastic and sew as I have never mastered that. It always shifts and looks sloppy for me. There may be a special machine foot for that, but I don’t believe I have it.
    Hope your weekend brings enjoyment. Newbie Dumpling due to arrive today or tomorrow. 🙂

    1. Hi Joy,
      No, unfortunately we don’t have TV like you do…the kind that you can stop and rewind… how I’d love that!
      Your elastic doesn’t have to be fancy…just stretchy… and kind of substantial… not some flimsy kind…I needs to be pulled kind of tight so it can’t be some dainty kind for the AG dolls.
      Most fold over elastic is too narrow to use when folded over. I suppose you could use it if you left it open and didn’t fold it over. But it might be better to just find a picot edged elastic in just white if you had to. Do you have a Hobby Lobby near by? They have the kind I use most of the time.
      So your Giggi is coming today or tomorrow? I forgot who you won… I hope it’s love at first sight.
      Thanks Joy,
      Blessings, Jeanne

      1. No, not sure when Meadow is sending tiny Giggi. Soon though. But, my sweet red head Niccolina painted by Charlene should arrive tomorrow. 🙂
        And no Hobby Lobby here only Joann’s. I’m doing an off white slip thingy so the elastic has to be in a matching color and not white. We’ll see if I can get it to work as I want a narrow band look. Should be fun to at least give the slip a try next week.
        For tv, we have AT&T. We have a router and then boxes for each tv that come with a remote. You can prerecord movies with it and do that rewind thing too. Very handy.

        1. Oh My Joy,
          You seem to have traded in your 10’ers for the Meadow girls. I can’t blame you. You got me hooked big time! They are so addicting… If I was rich, I’d have one of each! :o)

          I’m sure you can get your stretch lace or elastic to work… if not try it when you DO get some stretch lace…

          We are outdated, I think, when it comes to electronics… It’s my hubby’s fault! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
          Thanks Joy,
          Blessings, Jeanne

        2. Charlotte Trayer

          JoAnn’s should have the stretch lace, too, Joy–but look for it in the LACE section! You will have to check the various laces and see what stretches and what doesn’t, but I’ll bet you’ll find it there! You might also check in with the pre-packaged elastics; it seems like they have stretch lace in (I think) 3-yard pieces there.

          Since I make all my own underpants, I buy stretch lace five or more yards at a time! It’s all I use–don’t like the elastic. I use the wider stretch lace (such as Jeanne uses for the slips) at the waist, and the narrow stuff on the legs.

  4. Dear Jeanne, the hats are interesting. I am a big TV watcher (too much – laugh). I don’t think I usually pay too much attention to the costumes. But now I will. I see that they have a story to tell. I tend to focus on the dialogue.
    I don’t know if I have a favorite time in history for clothing. Hmmmm. I like Jane Austen so maybe it’s the Regency Period.
    I love the clothing that the Golden Girls wore!
    Happy November!

    1. HI Dorothy,
      I didn’t mean to take all the fun out of watching TV just to zone out, but I do tend to notice the clothes when I’m in the sewing mood. I also noticed cabinets when we were putting ours in… :o)
      I LOVE the Regency period too and was thinking a Regency dress was due soon! Thanks for the hint!
      Thanks Dorothy,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  5. I thought the first hat brim was lined with needlepoint until I saw the shot from the side that revealed the flowers were three dimensional. Beautiful! I’ll be having cataract surgery on Monday, so I’ll be watching but not sewing this time. I must be getting old. Having made a slip before according to your directions, I’ll be looking carefully for more tips before making another one. I got up the courage to make the slip-on shoes for the African outfit by seeing what you have done, although I only made those simple ones. Looking forward to the tutorial.

    My TV sometimes goes as much on rewind as forward. I get frustrated while listening to the radio in the car when I can’t reverse something to figure out what they were talking about.

    1. HI Susette,
      I’ll be missing you on Monday… I need cataract surgery too… my doctor tells me I can make it better than ever and not have to wear my contacts… that’s a plus! I hope your goes well.
      I’ll try to give some new tips for you in your slip making endeavors! :o)

      I guess I’m old school with an old TV! :o) We can’t rewind and when it’s bad weather our picture goes in and out with a zillion little pixels. Not fun, but it’s what we have!
      Thanks Susette,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  6. I’m not a big TV watcher, but I have found, now that I have a doll collection, that I tend to pay attention to the clothing and hats more on period dramas in the sense of creating the item in doll form.. I’ve also snapped a few pictures thinking I could copy the design on a hat. in the past I would just admire the costumes because they were pretty.
    The Sew-a long sounds like fun. I will also be watching, but can’t participate right now. I will certainly either bookmark or print off the pages for future reference though.
    A Regency dress sounds lovely. Elizabeth I know is mainly your model for those and we haven’t seen her in a while.
    I also like Doris Day movies. Some of my favorites are- ” On Moonlight Bay”, “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”, and “Young at Heart”. She’s had a hard life, such a contrast to her movie roles.

    1. HI Laura,
      I’m glad I’m not alone when it comes to watching movies and “watching” for the fashions. It’s fun, isn’t it?
      A Regency dress sound fun, and maybe Elizabeth will get her shot at a new Christmas Regency dress. I’m sure it won’t be too soon, as I’m already behind as it is.

      I looked up Doris Day on Google and saw wo many shots of her in movies I remembered. She was so beautiful and sassy and fun all wrapped up in one. I love her voice too!
      Thanks Laura,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  7. Looking forward to the sew along. I’ll probably make some to fit the Little Darlings.
    I only have blue stretchy elastic but that will work to learn with…right?
    Bought a doll at an Estate sale today…she must have been one of the first ones out of the mold because her features are so sharp. She’s all clean, needed just minor fixes and her dress and hat are adorable and she has a wonderful hand tied mohair wig. The lady told me what she paid for it in the 90’s and sadly she had it priced at a fraction of that. She was glad the doll would get freshened and her dress laundered. Looking at the tiny buttons and buttonholes the stitching must have been done under a magnifying glass!
    Have a fun Sunday!

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