My Bleuette, Mae, has her cuddly pillow and bedcover and is ready for slumber in her 1911 Robe de Chambre and 1915 Chemise de Nuit. The pillow and bedcover are from the 1917 Taie D’oreiller (pillowcase) and La Couverture de Berceau (Crochet Bedcover) patterns.
The body of the robe de chambre, or dressing gown, is made from a very soft vintage fabric with a beautiful surface sheen. The vintage contrast fabric has a little more body, but also has a lovely sheen. It was suited to the chain stitch embroidery quite nicely. The pattern suggested the robe be made of flannel since it is a winter dressing gown. Although I had some in my stash, I didn’t use it since it wasn’t the right color to keep within the blue and yellow color scheme. The pattern illustration does not have chain stitching around the neck of the robe, but the pattern piece showed the chain stitch design. I debated whether to make the collar like the pattern or save myself some time and make it look like the illustration. In the end I spent the extra time and I’m glad I did. The chain stitch around the neck adds just the right detail to the overall look of the robe.
As the pattern states, the chemise de nuit, or nightgown, is ”piece indispensable au trousseau de Bleuette“. In other words, the nightgown is an essential and indispensable part of Bleuette’s trousseau! Every dolly needs a nightgown! Mae’s chemise de nuit is made from new fabric of a very fine cotton/linen blend. It is a basic and simple nightgown, with blue feather-stitching.
The pillowcase is embroidered in hues of the yellow and blue color scheme. The embroidery is a combination of lazy daisy stitch and french knots that produces a charming design. I used a piece of beautiful vintage lace for the ruffle that my cousin’s wife sent me (thanks, RaNae!!), and made a faux closure on the back of the pillowcase with vintage mother-of-pearl buttons.
The bedcover was crocheted with fine wool yarn leftover from a needlepoint project I did years ago. Vintage ribbon is added for the embellishment.
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La Semaine de Suzette
1917 La Couverture de Berceau |
La Semaine de Suzette
1915 Chemise de Nuit |
La Semaine de Suzette
1911 Robe de Chambre |
La Semaine de Suzette
1917 Taie D’oreiller |
1911 Robe de Chambre ~ 1915 Chemise de Nuit ~ 1917 Taie D’oreiller and La Couverture de Berceau
1915 Chemise de Nuit ~ Detail
1911 Robe de Chambre ~ Front Detail
1911 Robe de Chambre ~ Back Detail
1917 Taie D'oreiller and La Couverture de Berceau
1917 Taie D'oreiller ~ Pillow Back
Sweet Dreams, Mae!
Flowered Outfit. In the Ensemble Fleuri pattern Suzanne Rivière tells us that Bleuette wants this outfit for her wardrobe simply because of the “delicious name”. I supplied the outfit for my Bleuette, Violetta, by incorporating a flowered print from the 20s/30s fabric I found at an estate sale of a former neighbor.
I’m not a big fan of the brown/tan/orange color combination of the vintage fabric. But I DO love certain shades of orange and burgundy together. The brown in the print fabric had enough red in it that I was able to combine it with the solid burgundy cotton. So in the end, I love the color scheme of the outfit.
The hem of the dress is trimmed with the burgundy bolero fabric. The belt is made from the bolero fabric as well, and the buckle was saved from a pair of sandals I wore years ago! Being a pack rat pays off sometimes!
Suzanne Rivière also comments at the end of the pattern that Bleuette is so spoiled and knows what she wants.
Violetta was clear that she also wanted a chapeau and shoes along with her new ensemble! In the 1927 Chapeau de Chenille pattern it states that hats of chenille are all the fashion and Bleuette has seen them and thinks they are very beautiful! So I again complied with her wishes by crocheting her the chenille hat. Her new shoes were then cobbled from the 1921 Petits Souliers en Peau de Gants (little shoes from glove leather) pattern from matching leather – but not from a glove.
The Chapeau de Chenille is a very fun hat to make. I’m sure I’ll be making more of these for my spoiled Bleuette!
Bleuette ~ 1929 Ensemble Fleuri
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1929 Ensemble Fleuri ~ La Semaine de Suzette
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1927 Chapeau de Chenille
1929 Ensemble Fleuri ~ Detail
1921 Petits Souliers en Peau de Gants
Bleuette ~ 1908 Costume de Mariée
My premiere Bleuette, Nadine, wears the Costume de Mariée. I actually finished it at the end of 2005, but had never done the jupon or slip that went with it, nor had I ever gotten the right pair of shoes to go with the dress. Now, 2½ years later, it is finally a complete ensemble. I worked on the embroidery off and on over an 18-month period. I think my eyesight got worse during that time! LOL
The wedding dress is made from silk shantung embroidered with silk floss that is a shade or two lighter than the fabric. The silk floss was a joy to work with and it has a beautiful sheen to it!
The guimpe is made from some lace that someone gave to me so I’m not totally sure if its vintage, but if not, it sure does pass for it! The little piece used for the collar is vintage.
The jupon that I just completed is made from the same tissue-thin silk that I lined the wedding dress with. I used a piece of a favorite vintage lace that I have been saving for some time. It is rather wide for Bleuette, but worked just right for the slip since it can be wider there, and I didn’t want to cut it up. Perfect!
A disintegrating antique headpiece and a piece of vintage tulle found new life as Nadine’s headpiece and bouquet. As always, the entire ensemble was sewn by hand.
1908 Costume de Mariée ~ La Semaine de Suzette
1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Upper Detail
1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Bouquet from antique headpiece
1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Embroidery Detail
1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Jupon
My Bleuette, Violetta, is wearing another outfit made from the 20s/30s fabric I found at an estate sale of a former neighbor.
The pattern instructions call for a silk voile fabric to make a “dressy dress” or “robe habillée” for a formal occasion. The instructions go on to recommend using a printed muslin voile or cotton fabric for a simpler costume, since the outfit really “gets its elegance from the colors you select and from its becoming shape”. And finally it is suggested the fabric should be covered in flowers on a brightly colored background, such as pistachio green, one of the colors in vogue at the time. Now you know why my estate sale “find” was perfect for this pattern!
I gave the ribbon treatment a little twist. Instead of using one color, I combined two colors to compliment the shades in the fabric print.
The outfit is 100% hand sewn. Along with her new dress, she is wearing hand made silk knit stockings and brown suede shoes.
Bleuette ~ 1926 Robe Habillée
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La Semaine de Suzette ~ 1926 Robe Habillée
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1926 Robe Habillée ~ Upper Detail
1926 Robe Habillée ~ Lower Detail
Violetta, my Bleuette, dressed in her costume de bain, is ready for summer “fun in the sun” at the beach.
Her bathing suit is made from a 1930s apron. The vintage print fabric and orange binding has been joined by some new 1930s reproduction fabric for the head scarf, since my vintage stash refused to give up any suitable matching fabric. The outfit is 100% hand sewn, except for the topstitching on the bias binding.
According to the pattern, if Bleuette balked at her head scarf thinking they looked like donkey ears, the young Suzette was instructed to tell her they were rabbit ears instead, so that Bleuette would be happy again!
Her sandals “for walking on the sand” are made from the 1932 Pour Marcher sur le Sable pattern. An old kid glove supplied the navy blue leather.
 Bleuette ~ 1927 Costume de Bain
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 1927 Costume de Bain
- 1932 Pour Marcher sur le Sable
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Bleuette ~ 1927 Costume de Bain
1927 Costume de Bain ~ Shoulder Detail
1927 Costume de Bain ~ Scallop Detail
1932 Pour Marcher sur le Sable
Bleuette ~ 1956 Le Petit Chien
Some of the patterns in La Semaine de Suzette, such as Le Petit Chien, were not intended for Bleuette. This pattern was intended to be made by little girls to be used as a toy or as a “gift for the little brother of your best friend”.
I fell in love with “The Little Dog” when I first saw him. Even though he is from a later time period than I prefer, I knew I would have to make him up sometime – just because he is so sweet!
The pattern directions suggest the option of making the dog in oilcloth. Since the “real” oilcloth used in 1956 is no longer readily available, I used the next best thing – the modern day version of oilcloth. The dog is sewn together by hand with a blanket stitch in a rusty brown color that matches the ribbon bow. I chose to do the facial features in black embroidery.
Instead of taking the patterns advice and giving the petit chien to my best friend’s little brother, I think I’ll just hang onto it and let my Bleuettes enjoy him. 
1956 Le Petit Chien ~ La Semaine de Suzette
1956 Le Petit Chien ~ Detail
Last fall I attended the estate sale for an elderly neighbor of mine who had passed away several months before. At the bottom of a cedar chest in the basement I was very fortunate to discover a dozen or so cuts of 1920s/30s fabrics, along with a 1940s apron in mint condition. I plan to use as many of the fabrics as possible for the trousseau of my Bleuette, Violetta. This Japanese Peignoir is the first outfit I have made from the fabrics. This particular print was perfect for the peignoir, not only for the colors and design, but also because the pattern instructions state to use fabrics with “designs that are a little large”.
The outfit is 100% hand sewn. The belt fabric is from old linen, but the solid fabric is contemporary. Her slippers were made to resemble those the girl (on the left) is wearing in the pattern illustration seen below. They are constructed from leather and have a little pom-pom on the toe made from thread. I made the fan similar to the one the girl (on the right) is holding in the pattern illustration.
The thing I like most about sewing for Bleuette is scouring through my “stash” of fabrics and trims in order to use whatever I have on hand to make my Bleuette outfits. Sometimes I find things I didn’t even remember I had!
Bleuette ~ 1925 Peignoir Japonais
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1925 Peignoir Japonais ~ La Semaine de Suzette
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1925 Peignoir Japonais ~ Upper Detail
1925 Peignoir Japonais ~ Back Detail
1925 Peignoir Japonais ~ Fan
1925 Peignoir Japonais ~ Slippers
