felting fail

Passé....yeah not even the right sentiment for what happened. While if the hat would have worked out it would have been perfectly passé - 

Cute, right? I mean 'Hits in Hats'. I love it!!! And every hat is hilarious. I love the mid-sixties!!

 but.....

Yeah, it was made for a giantess. 

So, I thought okay, it is made out of 100% wool, I can just felt it. Meaning, wash it in hot and agitate it which causes it to shrink up.

Well it shrank....

But only in one direction!!! So now I have a hat that is for, well, no one! I was cracking up. Maybe I can  make some sort of bowl out of it. You know a bowl with a bill. Laugh!!

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butterick 5203

Happy New Year!!

It has been a long time between posts. I am pretty sure that is par for the course during the holidays. So I wanted to make sure my next project was worth the wait.

This pattern is actually supposed to be a dress. I decided though that it would be too cute as a coat not to make it that. So I bought this killer home dec fabric and got started.

It started out great and I could feel my self getting back into the swing of sewing. It had been a while since I sat at my machine and I was a little nervous about how it would go.

But once the bodice and collar were assembled, everything went to hell. The neck was so big. The collar is supposed to fit closely to your neck and mine was somewhere middle of my shoulder. It had an interesting Star Trekky look but I just couldn't (and believe me I really wanted to) make it work. I wanted to make it work so bad that I actually finished the coat, buttons and all, just hoping that it would just magically come together. It didn't. My husband couldn't even hide the fact that it looked weird and he tries really hard.

So that is when I got up to sewing machine and started to have the mother of all pity parties. I berrated myself for not having any real talent, only being able to make copies of someone else's hard work, hell, I even trace it!! I was pissed that everything takes me 4 million times longer than any one else. - It was a pretty pathetic display. My husband and daughter even left for the afternoon, I think I was bringing them down.

I sucked it up, I sat down and I started ripping and sewing. I wasn't about to redo the whole thing but I was going to do what I had heard Tim Gunn say a million times - Make it work.

And that is what I did.

So now I want to say I learned some sort of amazing sewing lesson. I didn't. My shoulder seams were too narrow. Nothing epic there. But what I did take from this was the real meaning of "Make it work". I love you, Tim Gunn.

So here is the coat. And although it isn't lined (a pretty big no no in the world of outerwear) I am actually pretty happy with it. Far from perfect but I would still say far from ugly.

I chose the long sleeve pattern. I and also chose to do 3 off center buttons instead of four buttons, double breasted style. Really happy I did that. I think it adds a little funk to it, in a good way.


The pattern -

The front -

The back -

So, a long post for the new year but it is good to be back!

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brrrr beret - mccall's 9448

Well it has been a long time since my last pattern and alas you only get a hat. Now that isn't to say I haven't been sewing up a storm (knitting, too), just nothing suitable for the blog.

I did make this ultra cool beret though from a pattern I found at thrift store in Camas. The fabric is wool from a maxi skirt I bought years ago but never wear. I know maxi skirts are making a come back, but I am convinced that they are never a good choice for someone as short at me, no matter what the magazines say. So, into the cut up pile it went.

Evidence that the skirt did once exist. Sure, I look like a bag lady, but at least the scenery is to.die.for -

The pattern - 

The hat - 

Crummy picture quality but whatev.

The jacket I am wearing I found at the Goodwill bins. On second thought, it deserves it's own post. My vintage coat collection is both hideous and awesome. More to come...

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style 1729

I made a dress! About time!!

This pattern is from Great Britain. There isn't a date on it but I am guessing it is early 60's.

Very simple and very fun! I wanted to make it in a very basic print so I chose navy with white polka dots. Probably not the best choice. It ended looking a little like a granny dress from 1988. Also it is supposed to have a belt at the dropped waist but I could not make that look good. However without any belt, it looked like maternity attire gone wrong. So I just threw it around my middle. Not too bad.

The pattern -

The Dress - 

Same belt from this post.

Want a closer look at the groovy things behind me?

The yarn art was my grandma's and the mood lamp I got on etsy from String Theory Knits.

All in all it wasn't a complete waste of time. I actually really like the idea of the pattern but it needs some tweaking to be something super wearable. Man, it felt good to make a dress again though!!

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crochet passé mccall's style

My Aunt found an awesome book of crochet patterns at an Estate Sale. I think she even scored it for free!! The copyright dates range from1956 - 1970. So awesome.

I was going to crochet up a poncho for myself but I got a little bored with it and made it for Cora instead. I also skipped the fringe. If I ever get quick enough to make one for myself I am totally not skipping the fringe. It is just so cheesy. I love it.

The book -

The original pattern - 

The finished product -

Yeah, I am pretty sure I need make one of these for myself. It is just so silly and cute. 

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simplicity 5389

I have been saving this fabric for a while. I knew it could look a little matronly if I didn't pick my pattern wisely.

I was so excited when I found this pattern. It was exactly what I was looking for! I wanted a sheath dress or a wiggle and this is sort of a cross between the two. It doesn't taper like a wiggle normally does but it hugs the bum like one. And now I have a great dress in my wardrobe to wear to weddings and picnics and all other wonderful activities that are going on this summer in the PNW.

I know I have been doing a lot of 60s but the patterns are so dang cute I can't help myself and a lot of my other eras are more appropriate for colder seasons so 60s it is - shucks!!

On to the pictures.

The pattern. You can see the original owner doodled on it it pencil a little. I love that. I also love it when I find notes on how to make the pattern. They are always written in beautiful handwriting that looks like my grandmother's.

Front

Back

kinda showing the "wiggle" aspect

I chose to omit the bows on the shoulders after careful consideration. I couldn't decide if they had the right feel. So I made the whole dress and then decided. I like them without it and I didn't feel like anything was missing.  I still haven't perfected zippers but I am getting a little better. ( I am less scared of them at least.)

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1967 jumper

Hello Middle School!!

This was a really fun and super easy. I have noticed the 34" busts are a little big on me even though I measure 35". I am not sure if I am just too nervous about using the whole 5/8" seam, or if the patterns just aren't that accurate, or if I don't know how to measure myself properly...who knows. (It is a little bit of an ego boost though!)

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it's finally done

Quel nightmare. Let's breakdown the drama that was this dress. Well now that I think of it there was only one thing that really made this a) turn out looking like a Home Ec project and b) so not fun to make. Sewing normally bring me a sense of happiness. It gives me a chance to release some frustrations, tune out some of the things around me and tune in some creativity.

THE FABRIC RUINED THAT!

Totally and completely my fault. I picked a nightmare fabric. When I tell you what kind of fabric I chose there is a chance you won't read this anymore because if you have ever felt fabric you know that a polyester linen-look, is probably the worst idea ever, if you sew you have probably closed your laptop in disgust.

It just spoke to me, like "Hello I am a bolt of this fabic, don't I look exactly like what the girl is wearing on the cover? Doesn't it say that linens and polyester would be appropriate? Wasn't everything in 1969 made out of something like this? Ooh look at my tag, I am 50% off and so is my matching friend over there. Buy us!" So I totally did. And I totally shouldn't have.

What resulted was a project I just wanted over so I could move on to the next one. Which is what I will do now. Goodbye dress with cape.

(wow that is not a very arm flattering photo. so glad this dress is done.)

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weekly pattern - simplicity 8114

Hello 1969, I like your cape.

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here it is!

As many of my dear friends know, I have been spending a lot of my free time (small in minutes as it may be) sewing. And those that have known me more than a few years, know that I have had a great love for vintage fashions. Especially the 50s and 60s. Nothing makes me happier than a hostess dress.

I was lucky to get some patterns ranging from the 40s-70s from various places. I decided it was time to marry my two interests and sew all of these wonderful pieces.

Now I know "passé" generally gives a negative feeling. (I know I can't help but hear the Dandy Warhols singing "I never thought you'd be a junkie because Heroin is so passé") but it simply means out of fashion. And honestly some of these patterns are so hilariously tacky that "passé" couldn't be more appropriate.

I thought I would start off with a prettier piece though. This was to get my feet wet so I chose one of two reproduction patterns I have.



Every week I will feature a new pattern, in detail, including a lot about how much I hate zippers. I was going to do them chronologically but that seems sort of dry, so I will just switch it up a bunch. I will also feature some of my favorite vintage and/or sewing buddies.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I will.

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