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Sew Mad: Mad Men Inspired Free Sewing Patterns

February 2, 2014 by AllFreeSewing

AllFreeSewingI’m obsessed with Mad Men. It took a while for it to grow on me, but when it did, I marathon-watched the seasons day after day to get caught up. Like everyone else, I’m in love with all the fashions of the time; the pencil dresses and made-up hair and makeup on the women and the perfectly tailored suits and slicked back hair on the men so classy and glamorous.

With the first half of the seventh and final season airing in the spring of this year (the second half doesn’t air until 2015 – if you can possibly wait that long), it’s time to start getting excited for the beginning of the end of an era. We at AllFreeSewing have found some great 1960s vintage, Mad Men-inspired sewing patterns. Whether you’re on the hunt for some great throw-back skirts and dresses or headbands and clutches, we have a pattern that will suit your needs. If the home decor of the time has inspired you, we’ve also included some great curtain and kitchen patterns for you.

 

For the Ladies

Ladies of the 1960s enjoyed both snug-fitting pencil dresses and skirts and flared out floor-length dresses. They would adorn their hair and hands with properly placed headbands and gloves to always look perfectly put together. Bring out your inner Joan, Peggy, or Betty with these vintage sewing patterns. There are even some patterns for the little Sally Draper in your life!

Mulberry Style Paperbag Skirt

Bow Belt Tutorial
Elizabeth Taylor’s Favorite Lace Skirt
Mulberry Style Paperbag Skirt
Polka Dot Skirt
The Perfect Peggy Skirt
Graceful Dress Pattern
Marilyn Pencil Skirt
Vintage Heirloom Dress
DIY Fancy Lace Clutch

 

 

For the ‘Gents

Men, don a finely tailored suit and slick back your hair and you’re good to go. The go-to style for men and boys is prim and polished suits and vests with neat ties.

The Boy VestHow to Sew a Single Placket
The New Yorker Boys’ Peacoat
The Boy Vest
Handsome Rob Necktie
The Eddie Cap
The Man Cowl

 

 

 

DIY Accessories for the Home

Do you want to transform your kitchen to one of the ’60s? These home decor choices have that perfect throw-back vintage feel that will do just the trick!

Betty Draper Inspired Hostess Apron

Betty Draper Inspired Hostess Apron
Mad Men Embroidered Kitchen Towel
Kitchen Curtains with Gingham Bows
Easy Ruffle Apron
Reversible Breakfast Tablecloth

 

 

 

 

Which character’s style do YOU most envy?

 

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: home decor, julia wiatr, Sewing, vintage clothing patterns, Vintage Sewing, wearable crafts

43 Throwback Vintage Patterns

January 24, 2014 by FaveCrafts

Get inspired with the look of yesteryear with these 43 Throwback Vintage Patterns.  From home decor to knit and crocheted accessories, this collection of projects will have you reminiscing about the good ol’ days in no time!

We decided to kick off this collection of vintage patterns with some home decor ideas.  By recycling old sheet music, book pages, and other odds and ends in your craft stash, you can create awesome decorations for your home that have that special touch of vintage class.  This Measure for Measure Teacher Wreath, for example, is made using old rulers, flowers, and thread spools.  It’s a great way to decorate your workspace and it also makes a wonderful end-of-the-year teacher gift.
We also wanted to include plenty of knit, crochet, and sewing patterns so you could also enjoy the look of vintage in your wardrobe.  This DIY Fleece Cape may remind you of those chilly homecoming nights spent watching football with your high school friends.  Fans of the smash hit, Mad Men, may like making this Betty Sweater, and Downton Abbey fans will surely love this Downton Abbey Hat.

So enjoy your little trip back to the days of boyfriend sweaters, headscarves, and lacy designs with this collection of 43 Throwback Vintage Patterns!

43 Throwback Vintage Patterns

Throwback-Vintage-Patterns


If you were knitting in the 70s and 80s, you might remember condo knitting! Check out our complete guide: Condo Knitting: Knitting with Two Different Size Needles


Vintage Home Decor

  • Vintage Sheet Music Bowl Fillers
  • DIY Vintage Jar Collection
  • Glitter and Book Pages Flower
  • Rustic and Romantic Luminaries
  • Mitzi’s Fabric Flowers
  • Measure for Measure Teacher Wreath
  • Pottery Barn Apothecary Jars
  • Vintage Heart Pillow
  • Paper Ephemera Sunburst Mirror
  • Literary Lace Punches
  • Vintage Hankies Quilt

Vintage Knitting Patterns

  • Downton Abbey Hat
  • Boyfriend Sweater
  • BeeBopper Knitted Tote Bag
  • Cable Half-Poncho
  • Winter Arm Warmers
  • Button Scarf Wrap
  • Cozy Cabin Slippers for Men
  • Baby Layette Knitting Pattern
  • Lacy Vintage Hat
  • Downton Abbey Cardigan
  • Betty Sweater for Mad Men fans!
  • Jackie-O Tee

Vintage Crochet Patterns

  • Downton Abbey Rose Jewelry
  • Adorable Crochet Baby Dress
  • A Field of Flowers Afghan
  • Light and Lacey Scarflette
  • Secret Garden Flowers
  • Pretty Crochet Doily
  • Old Fashioned Oval Rug
  • Retro Summer Dress
  • That 70’s Throw

Vintage Sewing Patterns

  • Simple Reversible Vintage Skirt
  • The Peggy Skirt
  • Quick Pillowcase Apron
  • DIY Fleece Cape
  • Ruffled Envelope Clutch
  • Linen and Lace Summertime Scarf
  • The Jackie O Dress
  • Sketchy Retro Bicycle Towel
  • Fit for Pemberley Dress
  • Easy Ruffle Apron
  • Vintage Heirloom Dress

 

Filed Under: Craft Trends Tagged With: Favecrafts, Melissa Conner, vintage clothing patterns, vintage crafts, Vintage Sewing

Trendspotting: 11 Ways to Step Back in Time

November 23, 2013 by AllFreeSewing

11 Free Vintage Sewing Patterns: How to Sew Retro-Inspired Clothing for LadiesIf you have eyes you may have noticed a shift in style. Women everywhere are ignoring cutting edge clothing and opting instead for thrifty finds from the twentieth-century. No longer confined exclusively to hipsters, ladies are wearing vintage. But, “How does this affect AllFreeSewing and its band of loyal followers?”, you may wonder. Editors of AllFreeSewing have not only spotted this retro trend on the streets; hours of scouring online have revealed that the sewing community is fully on board with creating vintage-inspired clothing.

After deliberating over how to best respond to this wildly popular clothing style, the editors of AllFreeSewing put together a brand new and free eBook, 11 Free Vintage Patterns: How to Sew Retro-Inspired Clothing for Ladies. In this roundup of gorgeous free vintage patterns, interested readers will find dresses, tops, and more to create with their sewing machine. No longer will you have to sift through thrift stores to find an appropriately fitting piece of clothing; instead, you can customize an item for your shape and still retain classic elements from yesteryear.

Sew Retro Clothing that Fits

In 11 Free Vintage Patterns: How to Sew Retro-Inspired Clothing for Ladies you’re sure to love every style included. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find.

J. Crew Inspired Classic SkirtClassic Skirt – You won’t have to grumble, “they don’t make them like they used to!” when you next slip on your go-to skirt. With this free vintage-inspired sewing pattern on how to sew a skirt, you’ll know the level of quality and time that went into your clothing.

Sweet and Simple Vintage Pillowcase DressSweet and Simple Vintage Pillowcase Dress – It can be a little hard for some of us to remember a time when fabric was virtually unavailable. Out of necessity women used to sew dresses out of feed sacks or linens. This pillowcase dress revives resourcefulness in that it uses its namesake as the body. Depending on the size of your dress, no extra fabric will be needed to create this design.

Versatile Little Black DressVersatile Little Black Dress – Ah, yes, the beloved LBD. Where would be without this wardrobe staple? Get invaluable tips for sewing your very own DIY dress that inevitably fits any occasion. Whether you’re at work, at home, or on a date, this dress fits.

The DIY Discotheque TopThe DIY Discotheque Top – Sew a top that fits your flair. Even if you no longer fit into your 70’s club shirts, you can still learn how to sew one that fits your fab bod. Thanks to gorgeous photographs and step-by-step instructions, you’ll be ready for the discotheque faster than you imagined.

11 Free Vintage Patterns: How to Sew Retro-Inspired Clothing for LadiesWant them all in one place? As we said before, you can find all of these vintage-inspired patterns and more in the new and free eBook from AllFreeSewing, 11 Free Vintage Patterns: How to Sew Retro-Inspired Clothing for Ladies.

What was your favorite item of clothing “back in the day”?

Filed Under: Free eBooks Tagged With: DIY Dresses, eBook, free dress patterns, free eBook, sewing eBooks, vintage clothing patterns, Vintage Sewing

National Sewing Month 2013: Hollywood-Inspired Vintage Patterns to Sew

September 15, 2013 by AllFreeSewing

It’s Day Fifteen of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

National Sewing Month 2013

How to Make a Scalloped Front Skirt

The golden age of cinema has inspired me to write today’s blog post. The lifestyle and fashion of that era has me itching to sew all of the free, trendy clothing patterns on AllFreeSewing. It was hard to narrow down which part of old Hollywood fashion inspired me most. There was the glitz and the glam. There was chic and there was daring. For help, I decided to look to the starlets of this day and age. Actresses that will never go out of style, much like their clothing. Women like Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh, and Elizabeth Taylor remind us that clothing can outlast time.

DIY Audrey Hepburn Inspired Birdcage Veil

 

Audrey Hepburn

Breakfast at Tiffany’s and My Fair Lady, both starring the beautiful Audrey Hepburn, are classics from the golden age of cinema. Not only was Hepburn’s look flawless then, it is still trending to this day; including her cat eye makeup and her tailored dresses. The trends say it all: we are Audrey obsessed. To work her timeless look into your own closet, be sure to check out these links!

  • Golden Goddess Gown
  • How to Make a Scalloped Front Skirt -My favorite Audrey look-alike!
  • DIY Audrey Hepburn Inspired Birdcage Veil -From Wedding Obsession

Vivien LeighScarlett O'hara Tiered Gown

The stunning Vivien Leigh has been one of my favorite actresses ever since I watched Gone with the Wind. The love affair between Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’hara is enthralling, but not nearly as eye-catching as Leigh’s wardrobe throughout the movie. Her tiered gowns and netted veils (check out the Rhett Butler Veil) capture the era of the movie perfectly. Thankfully, the tiered look is back and better than ever with this Scarlett O’hara Tiered Gown. As Cleopatra, in Caesar and Cleopatra, Leigh once again captured the audience’s attention with her amazing wardrobe. We are bringing the Egyptian look back in the form of draped and flowing maxi dresses. I’ve picked out some of our favorites for you to try.

  • Chiffon Maxi
  • Cleopatra Draped Maxi Dress

Jackie's Pill Box HatOther Fashion Icons

So many actresses from the golden age of cinema and so little time. These women made everything from accessories like Jackie’s Pill Box Hat, to the The New Woman’s Flapper Dress stylish. Whenever you are feeling out of style or like you are missing the latest trend, turn to the women that made old Hollywood fashion what it still is today. Your closet will never be lacking with the timeless looks of our favorite women in Hollywood. Be sure to explore these links for more free vintage sewing patterns.

    • Elizabeth Taylor’s Favorite Lace Skirt
    • Lauren Bacall Sorbetto Top
    • Mulberry Style Paperbag Skirt
    • Enchanting Tulle Skirt

 

 

 

Who is your favorite fashion icon?

 

Filed Under: National Sewing Month Tagged With: DIY clothes, fashion, free sewing patterns, hats, maxi dress, National Sewing Month 2013, sewn clothes, vintage clothing patterns, Vintage Sewing

Sewn Retro Vintage Dress Patterns to Die For

July 20, 2013 by AllFreeSewing

Ok, maybe you don’t want to die for these patterns, after all, in the expanse of time they haven’t. AllFreeSewing has noticed that classic patterns outlive any hot trend we see. What is it about timeless patterns that always draws our attention? Just like you, many of us here at AllFreeSewing can’t help but ohh and ahh over a quality vintage sewing pattern. Also like you, though, we don’t all have time to spend hours thrifting for a cheap but authentic dress. Thank goodness we sew. We’ve gathered some vintage-inspired dress patterns to share and enjoy. Walk with us down this stylish memory lane and save some of these pretty projects to try when you have the chance.

Vintage Dress Patterns

Vintage Sheet Dress – What strikes us about this vintage dress pattern is the way it nods to more than one decade of fashion. The pattern certainly recalls Victorian fashion, but what about the length? This long dress would certainly fit the standards of the turn of the century, but don’t you remember wearing radically long dresses like these in the 70’s as well? A relatively easy-to-sew pattern, this tutorial will not only give you a great dress, but tips on sewing a skirt, bodice, and sleeves.

Vintage Sheet to Maxi Dress

30 Minute Sheath Dress – Apart from being absolutely fabulous for its simplicity, this dress pattern is totally mod. Break out your sewing machine and whip up this retro dress in less than an hour. The latter half of the twentieth century certainly made waves in terms of fashion, and this dress proves it.

30 Minute Sheath Dress

Couture Inspired Dress – Is it just us, or is there something about this Couture Inspired Dress that takes you back 60 years? This free tutorial from V&A is truly inspiring for every sewist out there. Sew up this dress in time for a celebration such as a wedding, birthday, or Saturday (you really need no excuse).

Couture Inspired Dress

A Gathered Dress – Perhaps this vintage dress pattern should have been named, “Soda Fountain Frock”, because that’s exactly what comes to mind when you glance at it. Of course the nostalgic road can be slightly dangerous to tread on; after all, no decade was perfect. However, the style from this sewing pattern evokes a convincing feeling of care-free fun. Learn how to make a dress like this one and enjoy your day as if you didn’t have a care in the world!

A Gathered Dress

Vintage Heirloom Dress – Did you think we could resist posting a pattern for babies? Of course we couldn’t. There are so many baby dress patterns out there, but we think this one is really retro. You know that this dress tutorial is irresistible. Just imagine your daughter, granddaughter, or second-cousin’s best friend’s kid in this darling dress. These instructions offer essential sewing tips such as creating a bodice and hemming advice. It’s the perfect project to practice with because it’s child-sized and adorable.

Vintage Heirloom Dress

Did you like this roundup of vintage dress patterns? Find more mod projects with our 21 Retro Vintage Sewing Patterns + 14 New Patterns collection; it’s one of our most popular!

What’s your favorite decade in terms of style?

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: DIY Dresses, free dress patterns, free sewing patterns, retro crafts, spring sewing, summer sewing, vintage clothing patterns, Vintage Sewing

Vintage Love: 9 Sewing Patterns

June 30, 2012 by AllFreeSewing

When I was little, I remember how excited I got when my mom let me play dress-up with my grandmother’s jewelry box. Back then, I loved all the sparkly costume jewelry like the over-sized “diamond” necklaces and clip-on earrings (my grandmother never got her ears pierced!). Now that I’m older, I’ve rediscovered the charms of this vintage treasure box. I wear a lot of the pieces everyday. There’s a beautiful long pearl necklace that goes with everything and a cameo pin that dresses up my pea coat.

I go to thrift stores a lot and scour the racks for vintage clothing and accessories. It’s harder to find clothes in my size without doing alterations (I’m super short!) so that’s why I love these sewing projects that recreate the vintage style. Check out these vintage-inspired sewing projects to add to your wardrobe. Best of all, the vintage style encompasses many eras of fashion so no matter what mood you’re in, there’s a look for it.

Romantic Style

Vintage Lace Camisole – This feminine camisole was inspired by a vintage lingerie pattern. It’s a delicate piece that would look lovely peeking out from underneath a sweater.

All the Trimmings Scarf -I don’t know if you have noticed but I love lace. This romantic summery scarf is lined with different lace styles and colors.

Vintage Rose Shirt – This is a great update to a boring t-shirt. Just add a silky rose and ribbon trim to make this shirt perfectly elegant.

Detachable Collar – Look like a lady in this adorable, prim and proper collar. I want to make one with my embroidered initials.

Retro Styles

Easy Ruffle Apron – Channel your inner Betty Draper with this cute ruffle apron. It makes me want to cook something!

DIY Vintage Belt – Bows, bows and more bows. Nothing says vintage charm like a well placed bow. This would look great with a full skirt dress.

Polka Dot Skirt – This high waisted polka dot skirt is so retro chic.

Retro Travel Bag – The shape and chevron pattern of this bag is fun. It would be a great travel bag.

50’s Headband – Headbands are an instant way to dress up an outfit and I love the plaid pattern.

There are so many different ways you can incorporate vintage style into your life. These easy sewing projects are a great way to get the vintage look without scouring your local fleamarket. If you want to see more vintage-inspired sewing projects (including some home decor patterns) take a look at these 16 Vintage Sewing Projects and Patterns.

Which vintage look do you love? Do you prefer a more romantic or retro style?

 

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: free sewing patterns, Sewing, vintage, vintage clothing patterns

National Sewing Month: Sewing Costumes for ‘The Help’ (Part 3): Mae Mobley and More

September 8, 2011 by AllFreeSewing

Dear Readers,

It’s National Sewing Month! To celebrate, AllFreeSewing.com is hosting a special blog series throughout the entire month. Check back daily for posts featuring our favorite projects, new sewing videos and tutorials, guest blogs from talented designers and more. We’re also giving away a HUGE sewing prize at the end of the month. You won’t believe how EASY it is to WIN!

Leave a comment on any of the blog posts with the headline “National Sewing Month”. Your comment will count as an entry into the giveaway. You are free to comment as often as once per blog post (for a total of 30 chances to win!). At the end of the month, we’ll pool all of the comments together and pick one lucky winner to win the mystery grand prize. And trust us; you want to win this one!

Whether you’re already a sewing enthusiast or new to the craft, our hope is that this September will encourage you to create wonderful sewn projects.


Here’s today’s post:

Kathleen Farris is a costumer from Memphis, Tennessee who has made costumes for hundreds of theater performances, concerts, ballets, operas, and films over the past two decades. I recently talked to her about her latest work sewing for the film The Help as part of costume designer Sharen Davis’ team. This week, I’ll show you a behind-the-scenes look at her work sewing costumes for several of the characters, including Mae Mobley Leefolt, Celia Foote, and Hilly Holbrook.

 

A copy of The Help signed by author Kathryn
Stockett with a scrap from Mae Mobley’s
dress as a bookmark

Over the past two weeks, I’ve given you an insider’s glance at film costumer Kathleen Farris’ work making costumes for the characters Elaine Stein and Elizabeth Leefolt. This week, I’ll talk about some of her other work for the film, as well as her impressions of working on a film set.

Kathleen sewed and altered the costumes for the character Mae Mobley Leefolt, Elizabeth’s daughter who is raised primarily by Elizabeth’s maid Aibileen. The toddler was played by three-year-old twins Emma and Eleanor “Ella” Henry. Kathleen loved working with them and still speaks of them fondly, calling them “cute little precocious girls.”

Aibileen holding Mae Mobley, who is wearing
a purchased dress that Kathleen
altered for the film

(image courtesy of DreamWorks Studios)

Costume designer Sharen Davis wanted Mae Mobley’s clothes to look as though she is growing out of them throughout the film, so Kathleen made her pajamas and dresses a little bit snug. One of the dresses she sewed for Mae Mobley was made of a pink and green checked fabric with miniature rick-rack.

 
Aibileen with Mae Mobley, who is putting
on one of the green checked dresses
that Kathleen made

(image courtesy of DreamWorks Studios)

Kathleen actually made four copies of this dress because each twin needed two dresses for different scenes. She also sewed chiffon nightgowns and changed purchased children’s clothing for the girls, altering them and making them unique. The final cut of the movie did not include several scenes in which Mae Mobley is shown growing over the course of one year; for those scenes, Kathleen made dresses that suggested the child was aging.

Kathleen also made a skirt for Jessica Chastain’s character, Celia Foote, a woman who is new to Jackson, Miss., and is ostracized by Hilly, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. The pencil skirt, made of pink, blue, and purple wool tweed, is meant to reflect Celia’s bright and ostentatious wardrobe style. In the film, Celia wears it with a purple-maroon sweater and a wide black belt belt when she attempts to bring a pie to one of Hilly’s social events.

 Celia Foote’s pink pencil skirt that
Kathleen made for the movie

In another scene, Celia accidentally tears the sleeve from Hilly’s green dress at a large charity auction. Kathleen was one of the costumers responsible for ensuring that the sleeve ripped properly. First, she lightly stitched the seam and clipped the stitches, which tore just fine in testing, but when it came to actually shooting the scene, the seam would not rip.

For the final scene, they lightly attached the sleeve with spray glue used for scrapbooking. Bryce Dallas Howard had to hold very still so that the seem would not fall apart too soon, and the sound editors had to add a more dramatic ripping noise afterward. The scene required about eight takes to shoot, so the costume team made one dress with twelve different bodices.

 

Hilly’s green dress:
Kathleen helped ensure that the sleeve
tore properly during the auction scene
(image courtesy of DreamWorks Studios)

Overall, Kathleen says working with the costume team was a great experience. “[Sharen Davis] was the glue that held our department together. She was respectful of everyone, and kind and compassionate toward everyone,” Kathleen says. She also enjoyed working with fellow costumer Julie Yrjanson, who made many dresses for Aibileen, played by Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis. Kathleen tells me that the entire cast was pleasant to work with, especially Allison Janney, who played Skeeter’s mother, and Leslie Jordan, who played Skeeter’s editor in Jackson and kept the costume studio entertained while they altered his costumes to make them more characteristic of the 1960s.

 Aibileen and Minnie, two of the film’s leading ladies;
costumer Julie Yrjanson made many of Aibileen’s costumes
(image courtesy of DreamWorks Studios)

Of course, this costume team is highly experienced. Sharen Davis won acclaim as the Costume Designer for the films Ray, Dreamgirls, and The Great Debaters, among others. Kathleen, the stitcher for The Help, has also made and altered costumes for The Notebook, Castaway, and A Painted House, among others. The costumes in The Help are unique because, instead of one overall costume theme, each character has her own unique style and color palette. I, for one, will be surprised and disappointed if Sharen Davis does not win the Academy Award for Best Costumes this coming awards season.

 

Thanks to Sharen Davis’ creative vision, each character in
The Help has a unique style and color palette
(image courtesy of DreamWorks Studios)

What do you think of these costumes? Do you think they will win awards this year? Would you enjoy working on films like Kathleen does? Have you designed or made any clothing based on those in films before?

If you like these costumes, try one of these great vintage sewing patterns from AllFreeSewing.com!

  1. Ruffled Collar Tutorial
  2. Vintage Embellished Bolero
  3. Petticoat Tutorial
  4. Retro Pincushion
  5. Vitnage Sewn Notecard

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: costumes, fabric, help, kathleen farris, kathryn stockett, movies, National Sewing Month, Sewing, sharen davis, The Help, vintage clothing patterns, viola davis, wearable crafts

National Sewing Month: Sewing Costumes for ‘The Help’ (Part 2): Elizabeth Leefolt

September 2, 2011 by AllFreeSewing

Dear Readers,

It’s National Sewing Month! To celebrate, AllFreeSewing.com is hosting a special blog series throughout the entire month. Check back daily for posts featuring our favorite projects, new sewing videos and tutorials, guest blogs from talented designers and more. We’re also giving away a HUGE sewing prize at the end of the month. You won’t believe how EASY it is to WIN!

Leave a comment on any of the blog posts with the headline “National Sewing Month”. Your comment will count as an entry into the giveaway. You are free to comment as often as once per blog post (for a total of 30 chances to win!). At the end of the month, we’ll pool all of the comments together and pick one lucky winner to win the mystery grand prize. And trust us; you want to win this one!

Whether you’re already a sewing enthusiast or new to the craft, our hope is that this September will encourage you to create wonderful sewn projects.


Here’s today’s post:

Kathleen Farris is a costumer from Memphis, Tennessee who has made costumes for hundreds of theater performances, concerts, ballets, operas, and films over the past two decades. I recently talked to her about her latest work sewing for the film
The Help as part of costume designer Sharen Davis’ team. This week, I’ll show you a behind-the-scenes look at her work making costumes for the character Elizabeth Leefolt, played by Ahna O’Reilley.

 

Last week, I gave you an insider’s look at Kathleen Farris’ handiwork in The Help making costumes for the character Elaine Stein. Kathleen also made dresses for the character of Elizabeth Leefolt, one of the white residents of Jackson, Mississippi and a childhood friend of Skeeter and Hilly. Elizabeth’s daughter, a little girl named Mae Mobley, has been primarily raised by her black maid, Aibileen, while Elizabeth attends social functions.

In the movie and the book, Elizabeth desperately wants to be included in Jackson’s high class social circle, but she is not wealthy enough to buy the expensive, fashionable dresses of her peers. She compensates by making her own dresses, with limited success.

Kathleen sewed or altered most of Elizabeth’s costumes. In accordance with Elizabeth’s character in the book, Kathleen needed to make everything Elizabeth wore look homemade. The lavender dress pictured below was made using a 1950s Butterick pattern. Kathleen used a shiny, floral polyester and included a raw neckline, unfinished hems, and untrimmed threads hanging out at the seams.

 

Elizabeth’s lavender dress,
hanging in the studio

 


The less-finished version of the dress
in the film (image courtesy of
DreamWorks Studios)

Kathleen actually made two versions of this dress; the one pictured above is less completed than the one in the scene below, during which Elizabeth’s character is attending a bridge party.



The more finished version of the dress
in the film (image courtesy of
DreamWorks Studios)

The following photo shows Kathleen posing with another of Elizabeth’s dresses, a cotton cowl-collar dress with chenille dots and 3/4 pleats. The costume team dyed the fabric blue because white clothing often appears overly bright on camera.

Kathleen posing behind Elizabeth’s
blue dress on a mannequin

Some of Elizabeth’s clothes were pulled from a stock of vintage 1960s clothes ordered from a costume warehouse in Los Angeles. Kathleen altered and embellished many of them to fit Ahna O’Reilley and to complement her performance.

 ~*~

One of our readers, Pam Thompson, posed a couple of questions for Kathleen on last week’s post. Check out Kathleen’s answers below!

Pam: How much research did the costumers do to make the clothes seem authentic to the time period?

Kathleen: The costume designer [Sharen Davis] had a 1962 Montgomery Ward catalog that we referenced for design ideas, and we had a number of vintage patterns from that time period. Some of us were old enough to remember that era, and there are plenty of TV shows from then that we could access on YouTube.

Pam: How much influence did the descriptions from the book have on the choices of costumes (color etc.)?

Kathleen: There was an effort to stay true to the book; however, the costume designer gets hired for her interpretation of the story. For example, the maids’ uniforms are white in the book, but the designer chose gray for the movie. A few of the costumes on screen were actual vintage clothing from that era, so the colors and styles are true to that time.

 ~*~

So, have you seen the movie? What did you think? Which costume was your favorite? Post your questions and comments below, and Kathleen will answer them next week when I write about her work on Mae Mobley’s costumes and her contributions with the rest of the costume team!

In the meantime, look at these amazing vintage clothing patterns from AllFreeSewing.com!

  1. Dirndl Skirt
  2. Bow Belt
  3. Roxanne Retro Headband

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: costumes, fabric, help, kathleen farris, kathryn stockett, movies, National Sewing Month, Sewing, sharen davis, The Help, vintage clothing patterns, wearable crafts

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Full Project Tutorials

Project of the Day & Giveaway: Wood Veneer Embellishment

National Craft Month is still going strong and today we’re bring you one of our favorite projects from Hambly. This Wood Veneer Embellishment is great for your scrapbook layout. You can choose your favorite colors and make them nice and bright for spring. Add rub-ons and dress up your pieces. Leah Farquharson for Hambly Screen […]

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Free eBooks

Find 9 Fabulous Fall Decorating Ideas in New AllFreeHolidayCrafts eBook

If fall is your favorite time of year, we have a treat for you! Our latest eBook is dedicated to all things autumn. We can’t think of a better way to … [Read More...]

Seasonal Crafts

Aprons for Your Favorite Mom

Mother's Day is coming up fast and I still don't know what to get my mom. She's a great cook and I love all the food she makes. At Christmas-time she … [Read More...]

Archives

Crochet

Adorable Granny Square Crochet Scarf Pattern

Adorable Granny Square Scarf + 10 More Uses for Granny Squares

Jewelry

22 Beach Wedding Jewelry Ideas

Knitting

Get Cozy with This Free Knitted Shawl Pattern

Paper

13 of the Most Beautiful Free Printables for Your Home

Sewing

Sew In Love Mug Rug Pattern for Valentine’s Day

Thrifty

Home Decor Dollar Store Craft Ideas

27 Home Decor Dollar Store Craft Ideas

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