Sew Say We All...

Today I finished the two piece vintage skirt/midriff top (except for buttons). I'm saving the buttons for TV time. See? I can multi-task. One thing though... Simplicity 9978 only calls for FOUR buttons for that outfit. For the top. It's plain to see that the skirt buttons, but I guess we're just supposed to *guess* how many we need for the skirt. Meh. I bought some lovely sand infused ones that are semi-transluscent and they totally go with this better than the mere FOUR buttons I purchased earlier that there were no more of today. I guess it was meant to be since I wasn't really keen on the first set anyhow.

I also started on the Vintage Vogue 2636 I posted about earlier. Because I've got a weird shape, of necessity I must pin-baste the thing together FIRST and then go back and sew it. Which is PITA but oh well. I'm 98% done with that step and tweaking the fit. I will say that it looks very nice on the dress form. Better than I anticipated. The backing of the fabric is super silky polyester knit. No slip necessary, yay! The skirt on it isn't nearly as full as some of the others, but it's got plenty of ease.

And in other news, I bought a new pair of scissors. But this time, instead of buying the "chipper chicken" (name the movie this references & win a prize), I sprung for the spring action knife edge Gingher scissors. Sure they were a mere $44 & change. But I was SICK TO DEATH of having to find the doggone "sweet spot" on my POS spring loaded scissors so as not to mangle whatever I was working on. And did I mention I got 40% off? WOOHOO. So they only ended up being $26 + tax. Not too bad, really.

Also, I've begun conceptualising my oldest's First Holy Communion Dress. That's for Easter 2010. I've already got the fabric and the pattern and the thread. I've had those for years now. Today I scored (on my button run) a pearl headband for the veil. Tissues out... I'm going to use the pearl enhanced netting from my wedding veil for hers. Sniff sniff. My baby is getting so big. And I got 40% off the headband, too. I had a dream about it last night actually. And there it was.

Last week I got the most adorable cuddle fleece for oldest daughter's winter coat. Again 40% off. Which since it was already $13/yard was VEEERY helpful. It will be lined with cotton interlock fabric that is super soft so it has a little extra warmth and body. I found the perfect pattern for ONLY $1 folks. A BUCK!!!! Crazy, no?

I'll post pictures of all this madness later on. Right now, I'm too pooped to pop, so I'll sign off and check you on the flip side.

Armchair Archaelogist

I always wanted to be an archaeologist in the grand style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and dig up ancient cultures. Alas, I was born about 150 years too late and with too much of a love of air conditioning. However, I still love to seek out new worlds and new civilizations and boldly go where no man has gone before: vintage sewing patterns.

I've been archiving my collection in Silver Comic Book sleeves with acid free cardboard backers. $3.99 for 100 sleeves and $7.99 for the backboards. I've been labelling away and had a little trouble with a couple of patterns' dates. I knew from the styles that they were without a doubt from the 30s, but other than a decade, I couldn't get much farther. One was a Ladies' Home Journal pattern sold by Ed. Sarrazin of Fayetteville, TX at his general store and the other was a New York Pattern. Both LHJ and NY Patterns' information are hard to come by since not much detail is known about them.

However, both of these patterns had something in common... A strange little symbol of an eagle holding something and the initials "NRA". Now in modern parlance, NRA means the National Rifle Association. But in the 30s, notsomuch. In 1933, FDRs New Deal was supposed to help ease the effects of the Great Depression through the creation of numerous federal entities that would oversee different aspects of industry and commerce. There's a little blurb on this at History Matters. I'd say history is repeating itself right now...



But aside from current politics, the symbol intrigued me. I looked up the slogan "We Do Our Part" in Google and was led to Wikipedia's entry. Basically, that little emblem and slogan narrows down my patterns' ages to between July of 1933 and Spetember of 1935. That's less than a two year spread!

Once I'm done archiving these patterns, I'll be scanning them and fixing them to upload to the Vintage Patterns Wiki.

I meant to post this on Tuesday

but I got to feeling ill and then forgot...

So better late than never...

As I promised earlier, Simplicity 9978:




I'm actually a bit farther along than the pictures attest. I've got the sleeves sewn and pinned to the bodice and the skirt is complete except for... BUTTONHOLES. I figured I'd better quite while I'm ahead. I was afraid to manage buttonholes while I'm sick with the flu. I mean, I'm good, but I'm not THAT good...

The hem of the skirt and the lower edge of the bodice and sleeves are finished with bias tape in a nice "bright pink". Who comes up with those names anyway? Shouldn't it be called "Hibiscus" or something? "Bright Pink" is just so... ordinary... Henceforth, "bright pink" shall be called "Hibiscus".

Anyways, I'm just about done with this one and then on to the next project...

Vintage Vogue 2636



But not the jacket part. This dress will be an actual challenge for me because of my body shape. And I'm up for the challenge. I got this pattern like a million years ago from Lanetz Living.

I have made buttonholes!!!!

To some people that may seem like no big deal. Prior to completing this dress, though, I had gone 35.75 years (granted not all of them sewing years) without ever having to make a button hole. I don't know why they were so scary. Maybe it was my defective sewing machines that didn't like me. Who knows. Here is my "bumblebee" dress in all it's buttonholed (6) glory:





Now all I need is a WIDE black belt so I don't look so WEIRD....

I will say that it's got a LOT of ease. I'm finding that to be the case with most patterns even though I'm substantially larger than the patterns...

I've also started on the two piece retro Simplicity number (bottom left)...

From Musings from the throne room

I'll post pics of it soon, I promise!

In Their Easter Bonnets

Or rather frocks, they were the grandest (little) ladies at our Easter function. Don't you think?

And to think it all started with two cute hairbows. Which of course we didn't get any pictures of. Drat. I'll say this about these dresses, they were really easy to make. Just a couple of hours each. The hardest part was the peak in the front/box pleat.

I'm thrilled with the result, even if I'm not overly excited with the way the fabric drapes. It's REALLY stiff. I'd expected cotton to eventually soften up. And it may eventually. The up side of it being so stiff is that I wasn't really worried about them running around the yard and playing with their cousins.

Cruisin' Together

Not the sappy song by Huey Lewis, either.

August 31st we embark on a 5 day cruise from Jacksonville to Key West to Nassau and back to Jax. It's the first vacation since our 1st anniversary that didn't have a child along (including in-utero). I'm so jazzed about it.

And of course, something this momentous (did I mention it's our 9th wedding anniversary?)




deserves a complete new wardrobe. Lucky me, I got in my shopping spree *before* Wardrobe Refashion starts. Sneaky me, I know.

Anyhow, one is not permitted to look like a hobo stay at home mom at dinner. Apparently ratty yoga pants and stained snarky t-shirts are inappropriate. And here I was looking forward to wearing my Cthulhu for President t-shirt. Shucks. I'll just save it for 2011. I break it out for election season because you know, why vote for the "lesser" evil and all. But my rant on the two-party political stranglehold is a post for another day. Today it's ALL about the amazingness that is the fabric I have and the patterns I have to create a wardrobe worthy of the most fashionable diva the Love Boat ever saw.

The nominees (in no particular order) are:

Butterick 3052 from Patterns From The Past. Hi Michelle!

This pattern will be sewn up in views A & B. View A will NOT have the detachable frilly business because I have a cool grey, yellow & black patterned fabric that doesn't need it. View B is a silky butterfly adorned print that will go with my Lutterloh flounced skirt (not pictured).

Butterick 4369 that I picked up at a rummage sale.

This is being made up in a coordinating black, grey and yellow print from the same collection as the blouse above. I'm making the shorter version.

Vintage Vogue 2636 from LanetzLiving.

This is getting made up in a nice poly blend that is green with orange flecks, courtesy of my mother in law.

Simplicity 4044 & 9978 (sadly out of print) from my local fabric shop.

The skirt will be yellow (surprise) and the slacks will be grey to match the blouse above. Mix-n-match is a beautiful thing.

I'm making the skirt/midriff top at the lower left in a cruise-themed cotton. Now I just need to tone the midriff...

New Look 6244, 6521 & 6669 also from my local fabric shop.

Skirt: brown. Blouse: View A with the ribbon. Turqouise cotton with sheer turquoise/brown print overlay/sleeves.

Top: View A in yellow and pants in charcoal.

Dress C as shown on model with a white/pinkish cotton embellished with sequins with the strappy one underneath in plain white.

Some of these patterns I've had FOREVER and never got around to making them up. Well, the time is NOW.

I'm also making up Lutterloh 205, 154 & 155 (maybe I'll scan them in) also. Lucky me, there's the skirt pattern. Not having much luck finding the capris/top online. But well, there you go.

Once all the fabric is washed, I'll take pictures so you can see the fabulousness that is my biggest project to date. Now, I just need to finish my daughters' Easter Dresses. You know. That they have to wear in less than 48 hours. Pressure? Me? Naaaah.....

The Intrepid Seamstress: She Sews, She Scores!

My darling Mother-in-law gave me a gorgeous sarong and shawl with coordinating fabric a while back and while I don't have the knowhow to wear a sarong, I dearly love the fabric and have wanted to *do* something with it for ever since she gave it to me. So, I decided that I was going to tame the beast and start sewing for myself rather than just for the kids. Partially because of Wardrobe Refashion and partly because I'm disgusted with RTW stuff.

I posted a poll over at SewRetro to see what should be my next project and unofficial result was a Very Easy Very Vogue pattern that used to be my Nana's. It's never been used before, so I wanted to make something from it. I took it down to my local FedEx/Kinko's and had them run it through the large format copier. $11.24 later, I had my pristine pattern ready to be altered. And boy-howdy did I have to do some alterations.

I had to add 6" to the bodice, 11" to the waist and 6" to the hips. Luckily, the empire-ish waist and A-line skirt made that a fairly simple endeavor. I didn't even swear ONCE! I guess that's why it's called "VERY EASY". I omitted the sleeves and pockets since I was going for a nice simple line and short sleeves and I don't coexist well. I've got fairly large biceps for my height and getting the ease right is twitchy.

The bodice is made from the front of the sarong:

I used the zig-zag pattern that used to run lengthwise down the sarong as the front and the back of the sarong makes the back of the bodice as well as the front of the skirt. The back of the skirt is made from the coordinating pink fabric while the hem is actually the border of the sarong cut and sewn along the bottom edge of the skirt.

The dress got the seal of approval from the Mini-Fashionista known as my oldest child. She's suddenly turned into an expert on anything fashion-related. Which doesn't surprise me since she's got an eye for color and so on. At 6 years old she painted an amazing rendition of koi fish. Look out world, she's coming. She's the one on the left.

Back to the topic at hand, not only does the dress fit like it was custom made for me (der), it totally matches the shoes I bought in Indonesia to wear to my brother-in-law's wedding. SCORE! I picked up some gorgeous beads at JoAnn's with a 40% off coupon and I'm going to make some matching jewelry to go with. Go me!

A Sew Retro Post

Again! I'm on a spree this week.

This time I'm seeking advice on what dress to make next. Click on over via the linkie above and leave a comment, ok? I'll make whatever dress gets the most votes by March 31st!