Autumn Breeze Boutique

07/22/2025

A recent tea time. One of my neighbors gave me some fresh chamomile, and I steeped it with fresh peppermint and lemon verbena from my little potted gardens for a delicious afternoon beverage. I'm normally not big on chamomile, but the difference between fresh and dried is huge, and I quite enjoyed it.

Have you ever made tea with fresh herbs?

Find me on...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autumnbreezebyallie?mibextid=ZbWKwL
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
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Etsy: Etsy.com/shop/autumnbreezebyallie

07/21/2025

New YouTube video up! This video is a little bake-along, where I share a 1950's recipe for a delicious rhubarb roll! Find the recipe with the full video linked below, or check out my reels for the short version. ☺️

1950's Rhubarb Roll YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/bRYKD5Gl-r0?si=fo_g68RWSj-1tIRi

07/19/2025

New YouTube video up!

I hope you guys enjoy this little bake-along, and are able to try out this delicious summer recipe! I made a half recipe in the video, but the full recipe is below!

Full YouTube Video with voice over: https://youtu.be/bRYKD5Gl-r0?si=fo_g68RWSj-1tIRi

RHUBARB ROLL
Place in 13x9" oblong pan:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Cook 5 min.
Make Shortcake dough.

SHORTCAKE
Sift together:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Cut in fine with pastry blender:
6 tbsp. shortening or butter

Stir in to make soft dough:
2/3 to 3/4 cup milk

Knead lightly. Roll 1/3" thick into an oblong 6x12".
Spread with:
3 cups cut up rhubarb (1/2"), or other fruit

Dot with:
1 tbsp. butter

Sprinkle with:
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I forgot this)
1/2 cup sugar (omit if not using rhubarb)

Roll up into a long roll. Pinch edge into roll to seal. Slice (1 1/2" thick) and quickly place slices cut-side-down in the pan of boiling syrup. Or lay entire roll in hot syrup. Bake immediately. Serve warm, with whipped cream.

Temperature: 450 degrees F
Time: Bake 20 to 25 min.
Amount: 8 servings

07/17/2025

Yesterday was unseasonably chilly, so I took the opportunity to bake like a madwoman! I made scones, raspberry muffins, sugar cookies and a loaf of bread from morning to early afternoon, and a 1950's Rhubarb Roll (recipe coming soon) for dessert in the evening. And I still got my chores done, as well as some sewing. 😳 Only God knows exactly how that was able to happen! 😅 It was an unusual amount of productivity, for sure!

My outfit was very casual and 1950's in style. Those are actually the first pants I ever sewed, and this is just about the only position in which they are flattering, but they're soooo comfy! I need to try altering the pattern one day.

On a different note, I got my first nasturtium bloom! I noticed it from my sewing room window, and I ran downstairs to check! I can see another on the way, and I'm so excited. The nasturtiums are the only seeds I planted that came up, so they feel a little more special to me than the flowers that I purchased from the nursery. ☺️

Find me on...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autumnbreezebyallie?mibextid=ZbWKwL
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
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Etsy: Etsy.com/shop/autumnbreezebyallie

07/16/2025

I made a 1940's hat the other day.

I've been realizing that I really don't have many spring/summer appropriate hats--even less that actually coordinate with my current summer dresses. A lot of people seem to find tons of amazing vintage hats at antique stores, Etsy and eBay, but while I admit that I don't go on a hunt very often, I also don't seem to find much when I do go.

I saw a blog post a while back from Vavoom Vintage, where she shares her 1940's Halo Hat pattern for free, and walks through the process of making it up. The pictures have disappeared from that post for some reason, but you can still get the general idea.

I choose white wool felt as a base, and some thick jewelry wire that I had for stabilizing the front and back edges. It bends out of shape rather easily, so millinery wire would be ideal, but I didn't want to have to order some online. 😅 I also could have cut up a wire clothes hanger...

Instead of leaving the back edge raw, I chose to face it with a scrap of felt and hand stitch it in place to create a casing for my back wire.

The decoration possibilities are endless. I knew that I wanted flowers on it, to lighten up the wool base, and I knew which dresses I wanted to match. So, I started there.

My mom had recently given me several vintage millinery decorations, including the berries you see, which coordinate so well with my dress, and the little velvet leaves. I got the flowers in a recent haul from a local "damaged goods" store.

Since my plan was to wear this hat mostly with printed garments, I opted to go easy with the decorations. I used straight pins to attach everything so I can change my mind later on, if I want to.

I've already worn my new hat twice, and I love it so much! I also love how quickly it came together. Here's to making more hats on the future!

07/09/2025

I had about three yards of this cute red gingham cotton, and I'd been wanting to use it to make a summer dress. It was only about 35" wide, which is 10" narrower than the average cotton, so I knew that I'd need a low-usage pattern, and 1940's style would be perfect, both for patriotism and the use of minimal yardage.

I opted for an all-in-one sleeve bodice, which I recently drafted, and a classic A-line skirt with a center pleat, an altered version of a modern pattern that I have.

For a quick and easy neckline finish, I cut into one of my vintage handkerchiefs to use as a collar. Then I used the largest of the two leftover corners to make a flap for a bias-cut patch pocket. I think it ties in the collar nicely.

I found some cute vintage "coil" buttons in my stash, and decided to use them to close the bodice, even though they're mismatched. Two are a little yellower and a slightly different shape. I chose to alternate the two styles to either blend them in or make a feature of it. 😂

I had no matching zipper, so I chose the oh-so-vintage side opening closer of a facing and underlap. The waistline is closed with a hook and bar, and the rest of the opening with large snaps. I think it's kinda fun to do that every now and then.

I didn't have time to trim my hat before these photos, but I did pin a navy ribbon to the crown on the holiday. I paired it with some patriotic vintage gloves and my victory brooch, and I need to find a new white/off white belt. Yikes! 😳

I think I need to take a pinch out of the shoulder height next time I make this bodice, but on the whole, I'm very happy with the dress, and love having it in my closet!

If you didn't see the reel that shows this dress in progress, here's the link to it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1PKMqXb52U/

07/04/2025

Happy Independence Day, my friends! I hope you are all safe and well as we celebrate our country's freedom, and those who've made it possible. 🇺🇸

Boiling hot and humid around here today. How's the weather where you are?

🔴⚪️🔵

07/02/2025

This dress has been sitting in my sewing room for over a year. I started it in a hotel room in the spring of 2024. Being near the end of our trip when I began the dress, I was very tired, and hadn't quite the brain power to properly think through some aspects.

My plan was to widen the hips just a bit, and move the side front seams outward to match the darts on my bodice. Instead, I somehow narrowed the waist by nearly 3", and widened the hips more than necessary. 😂 I learned my first mistake first, as I was about to sew the skirt to the bodice. So, I cut it down the center front and added a strip of scrap fabric to give more width. I also changed to a very narrow seam allowance on the back seam.

I learned my second mistake much later on, after the dress was nearly complete. I tried it on, and the skirt hung wrong. I was confused at first, but I then realized that it was because the hips were soooo wide. They would have been wide anyway, but my fix for the waistline mistake had added even more! I decided to fold the excess fabric to the inside, along the side seams, while wearing the dress. I top stitched them in place for ease, and didn't trim any of the excess fabric away, in case I decided on a different approach later on. Then I hung it up in my sewing room.

I recently got tired of seeing it in there, so I cut away that excess fabric, finished the seams, added some embroidery to the skirt and hemmed it. It didn't take long, but felt like an accomplishment! 😂

My original plan with this dress was for it to be 1940's in style, but seeing it complete, it doesn't really look right to me for that period, and I wound up with mixed feelings about it in general. I think that it's a very pretty dress, but there's just something about it that I'm not crazy about, and I can't put my finger on it. So, I'll give it a chance, but it may be one of those projects doesn't doesn't stay in my closet long term. We shall see. ☺️

06/30/2025

New YouTube video up!

Most of you have probably guessed many aspects of my lifestyle by now, but I recently decided to take you along with me on a cozy Monday in my simple life. Although I don't feel that it's anything particularly mind-blowing or special, my life does look different from the way that a lot of people seem to live, and I'm in love with it. ☺️

Do you guys enjoy some of the same simple daily activities that I do? Let me know down in the comments!

Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/ekfmMMWc1S4?si=he_-0LcK8GIQINLK

Join me for a cozy summer day in my vintage-inspired country home! This is the life my husband and I have chosen to live--simple, sweet and peaceful. Enjoy i...

06/26/2025

Here are some photos of the 1940's dressing gown that I posted about last week.

I drafted the all-in-one sleeve bodice from one of my favorite shirt waist patterns. I first created a basic all-in-one bodice, then drafted the double breasted shawl collar onto a copy. I used McCall's 8068 for the skirt, simply cutting the front in two pieces instead of one, and adding enough width to each to accommodate the double breasted style. I unfortunately didn't have enough fabric to make a facing for the skirt opening, so I chose to just finish that edge with a narrow hem instead.

I also didn't have enough of any one style of eyelet lace to trim both the collar and sleeves, so I mixed two different styles, and I don't think it's noticeable.

My original design has two pockets, trimmed all the way around with lace, but due to lace shortages pocket placement, I opted for only one pocket.

For maximum comfort and range of motion, I did pleats in the bodice, instead of darts, and chose not to add a waist stay, though I did stay stitch the waistline on both my bodice and skirt pieces.

Though I didn't photograph this feature, I also added a loop to the inside of the back neckline, so I can easily hang the gown on a hook on my wall.

I think the buttons that I found in my stash are a perfect fit! I've loved them for a while, but always wondered when I would use that color, and only need two. How prefect for this project!

I've been enjoying this gown so much that I kind of want to make another, but I'm going to check some other items off my sewing list first!

06/23/2025

I've been under the weather this past week, and have been working on a couple of low energy hobbies--knitting and watercolor painting. Hedgehogs are not specifically my favorite animal, but I do think they're adorable, and fun to paint! 😂

What do you like to do when you're sick?