Something Blue

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in her shoe.” ~English Folklore

One of my oldest and dearest friends was throwing a bridal shower for her daughter-in-law to be. The theme of the shower is “something blue”. Guest are encouraged to all wear blue! What a cute idea! Of course, I would have to make a blue dress for the occasion!

I chose this pattern and blue fabric and got to work!

I laid out the front of the dress. It is two pieces that will have a seam in the middle.

This dress has a mid length sleeve. I figured it would be perfect because it is still January after all. I might get chilly.

The back, when cut, will also be two pieces that seam in the middle. The darts around the waist in the front and the back are what will give it a fitted look.

I’ve marked the bust dart, and the waist darts.

I then pin them together to be sewn. I always put a pin at the end of the dart so it catches my attention when sewing. This way I can make sure my darts are equal on both sides, and I don’t sew too far.

Marking out the back panels of the dress. This dress also features a vent in the back, so you can walk a little easier in it.

Next I sewed the back seam to the notches. The rest is open so I can install the zipper.

Into my zipper bin I went, looking to see if I had a 22 inch blue zipper that would match my fabric. Of course I did! This metal zipper was once sold at a Kmart, by the price tag on it. Glad to see it has the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval”. HA! But wonder if that still exists.

The answer is YES! Here’s all I found about the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval”.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/about-the-institute/a22148/about-good-housekeeping-seal

Good Housekeeping still inspects lots of different household products and gives them a limited two year warranty. So if something has that seal, you know it’s a good product! Thanks “Good Housekeeping”!

This zipper was long past the two year guarantee of it’s seal of approval, but I had faith in it!

This fabric frayed like crazy. I used my pinking shears on the seams and then used a zig zag stitch to help keep fraying to a minimum.

The sleeves have two little elbow darts. So I marked and pinned those.

Then it was time to hem!

I wondered where the whole, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe” came from. I decided to look it up.

According to Wikipedia,

“An 1898 compilation of English folklore recounted that:

In this country an old couplet directs that the bride shall wear:—”Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” “The something blue” takes, I am given to understand, usually the form of a garter, an article of dress which plays an important part in some wedding rites, as, for instance, in the old custom of plucking off the garter of the bride. “The something old” and “something blue” are devices to baffle the Evil Eye. The usual effect on the bride of the Evil Eye is to render her barren, and this is obviated by wearing “something borrowed”, which should properly be the undergarment of some woman who has been blessed with children: the clothes communicate fertility to the bride.^[1]

The earliest recorded version of the first two lines is in 1871 in the short story, “Marriage Superstitions, and the Miseries of a Bride Elect” in St James’ Magazine, when the female narrator states, “On the wedding day I must ‘wear something new, something borrowed, something blue.'”^[2]

I’ve learned something and I got a blue dress for the shower! The shower was in a couple of weekends so pictures of me in the dress will have to wait. Don’t worry though, I will share them!

I wasn’t done with this pattern though! I had time, so I decided to make the jacket that goes with this dress!

So next week’s blog post will feature the making of this jacket, out of some second hand drapes. The reveal and styling of the blue dress and jacket will take place at the shower.

I am super excited to show you all how it goes! So spend some time with me next week too!

As for me, onto the next! (Which is this jacket!)