Raised Daisies

During the wartime 40's, the L-85 restrictions for garment manufacturing which the WPB (War Production Board) developed in the spring of 1942, had wide repercussions on the garment industry. The restrictions centered on the amounts of fabric to be used in individual garments. This is why we see shorter skirt lengths during the war years. Designers and garment manufacturers also had to become clever in their methods of adding visual interest to a dress.

The simple silhouette of this 1940's cotton velveteen dress is made whimsical with the addition of pintucks sewn in the shape of daisies on both sides of the bodice front. This decoration took no extra fabric, save for the small puffed center which is added on top. The pintucks are sewn with a double needle. The seamstress follows a design marked onto the fabric. The tension caused by a single bobbin thread working between the two top threads causes the fabric to raise into a pintuck between the needles. I just love the intricacies involved in the many curves and turns of these daisies.

See this dress and more at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion .

Making Do

Women had to "make do" in the Depression era 30's and this dress is an example of one woman's ingenuity. I can imagine this woman needing a dress for a special event, yet not having the money to purchase the fabric needed to do so. She goes up to the attic and pulls out one of granny's Victorian dresses and makes it over to fit the current style.

She uses the bodice with its elaborate passimentarie trim and cuts a modern skirt from the old silk twill Victorian one. Now that's what I call recycling!

Take a closer look at that gorgeous passimentarie trim. It is completely constructed by hand from narrow flat soutache braid. The soutache is placed on its side and wound around and around to form this elaborate botanical design. It is backed with acid green silk taffeta to set it off in a distinctive way. Just beautiful!