The breakdown

Okay peeps, I am thrilled. I have an envelop of stray pieces that I couldn't match up but everything else looks good. I even got an apron pattern from newspaper, a child apron from newspaper, and what looks like a doll clothes pattern. There are also a couple kid patterns outside of envelopes and no instructions that are a total mystery. The Hollywood pattern is missing instructions but I don't really need them.

My favorite items besides the adult patterns are the two mommy and me patterns. I have been looking for a set of 40s patterns for ever. They are usually soooooo expensive.

Pattern insanity!!!

I just got a box of patterns for $10 at a barn sale (anew one!!). I'm still sorting but it's amazing; stuff I haven't seen on etsy or eBay! It's mostly kids but about 8 are women's in my size. Nothing is older than early 1950s.

I hope I win!

Another Heyday giveaway! I love this bag, and the red/white/blue combo is my favorite. I guess I'm just patriotic!

Inspiration Please!

After I washed the fabric I started staring at it. I'm scared if it. I'll never find fabric like this again, in this quantity, and at a whopping $2. What should I make with it? I have about 6 yards (I haven't measured but eyeballed it, it could be 7 yards) and its 36 inches wide. WTF, I'm scared to cut it. I need some pattern inspiration. I want something I can wear all the time and if I'm very careful I can get two dresses from it. Or at the very least a dress and a blouse. Ideas please!!

You can see how sheer it is, the white stools are visible behind the fabric on the left side. There are no holes, no stains and it's basically perfect. Not even a dab of color bleaching. It's like the Holy Grail of vintage fabric quests.

Update: what about this pattern?

Barn sale haul!

Okay kids, I got a steal this weekend! The border print fabric is going to make a fantastic full skirt to a dress with a pink bodice and the green floral one...... wowza. I'm guessing early 40s? It's perfect and 6 yards! The snack sets will add in my collection and the see magazine cover is getting framed along with the Lindy Hop dancing pictures inside. The patterns are all superb too, especially the McCall blouse. All for a whopping $10.

Slowly slowly

Here is what the sleeves look like. The facings are floppy, I haven't figured out how to tack it so it won't show on the front side. I may try a fusible interfacing or something.

Mail Order Sentinel #9329

My experiment in knits is back on track. I am almost done with the bodice; some sleeve facing left. It's a little droopy but I think it will perk right up once I get the weight from the skirt pulling it into place. I have so many projects going right now I feel like pulling my hair out.

Check it out!

Another fab giveaway from WeSewRetro! I picked the bathing suit pattern, who doesn't want to embrace their inner Marilyn? (image courtesy of Mrs Depew via WeSewRetro)

Newness

Here is the new pattern. Love it! I didn't need it but I bought it anyway, ugh, I can be so impulsive sometimes.

Another Simplicity 4640

Here she is! I love this seersucker frock, it's so cheerful! Somehow though it's a little bit smaller than the first one. Odd. Not bad small, just a little
More snug in the shoulders. Idk how this happened, I must have done the French seams a little bit to wide or something. It's not more than 1/2 inch overall between the front and back. I had thought about making a self belt for it too but I think it would be overkill.

The only thing I changed about the pattern was exempting the back ties and snipping off the pointy bodice bottom to make just a simple princess bodice. I did just order a a new pattern off Etsy too. Once it comes I'll flash it around. It's an early 40s princess seam dress with a really cool neck.

Pajama party time?

Is it me or should I have used this fabric as pajamas? Maybe blue covered buttons would help? Is seersucker an appropriate fabric for a reproduction dress? I like it a lot however I'm starting to have second thoughts. Maybe I'm just staring at it too long.

More cutting but not so much sewing

I am cutting another dress. Sigh, I should have cut the dress pattern I just got from Etsy (McCalls 5803) but instead I decided I wanted to use this thrifted seersucker to make a pajama set. The fabric ended up being much more cute than I remember so I cut it up in the fabulous 40s Simplicity 4640. I wanted to do the strip version as I haven't ever played with stripes before. I'm adding a different cuff too, more of a 50s winged cuff with a button and a collar in the same color. I'm so erratic with my sewing lately, I need to just finish something.

On a side note this past Friday it was in the high 80s and I got to wear cute strappy frocks all weekend. Then Monday hits and we get snow. Snow!! It's still snowing today too. Only in western NY.

Reruns

I have been wearing the navy polka dot version of Advance 8574 over and over and over and over. I didn't even really think about it till today either. So, I'm making two more. I have my Swirl knockoff, my 70s McCalls, and my mail order pattern all cut and in partial completion too. When I get a thought in my head I guess I just have to do it. So my question is this: how do you wear eyelet? It's shear by nature and has tiny holes so do you underline it? I say nay on underlining 1. bc it's more work and 2. bc then you have covered up holes.... I dunno. The bottom part will be an almost denimish fabric. I bought it to make shorts but lets be honest, I'm not making shorts. So what do I do? I don't want to look like a dope. I figured I would just wear a cami under it or something.

Yuck

It's not quite what I wanted but it will do. The thread didn't take any color and you can still see the print. I can wear it in the house but I don't think it will make outdoor appearances. The bust tucks are only okay. I just don't think was the best pattern for me. Sigh, I really wanted this to work too.

Simplicity 4200 - in purple!

Remember my unsatisfactory results with the bust gathers on Simplicity 4200...... Well I unpicked the gathers and made them and into a tuck and I decided to due it purple. I used regular old Rit dye (2 packs to be sure it was a dark purple not lavender). We shall see shortly how it comes out.

The horror that is knits - Marian Martin 9329

I never see knits, I suck at it. However when I saw the 4 yards of 60" green polyester knit at Goodwill for $1.99 I had to buy it. I have no clue how this one is going to turn out. I have been reading lately instead of sewing so this is a challenging "back to work" project. I am using the stretch zig zag setting on my machine; hopefully this will eliminate my need for any closings on the dress. I want it to be completely pull over. I am a little worried that the pockets will be too floppy.

Sneak peek!

Simplicity 4891

So far so good. I have never made anything detailed for my kids before. I'm pretty selfish with my sewing. Lorna is going to be two in a couple weeks and I wanted her to have a new dress. I think the fabric is sufficiently springy and festive. Everything is so small! The sleeves are a nightmare. It's like sewing oompa loompa clothes. The upside is that it goes together very quickly.

Movie night

Has anyone see the Doris Day movie called The Pajama Game? Omg, it's about a bunch of girls working in a sewing factory making pajamas. The opening scene is great; all the great house dresses, smocks, the shirtwaist dresses and the aprons.... oh the aprons! The colors are great, so bright and cheery. And who doesn't love a Doris Day movie with sewing!?

More costume madness

Well, it's more costumes again. I'm halfway through my daughters dress and had to pick up my good old hat standby, Butterick 6386. This pattern makes a great helmet. Anyway, I'm making a Batman costume out of thick shinyish black stretch polyester. I'm going to appliqué a batman logo on the cape and the helmet has horns.