simplicity 5315

When I see people in caftans, I get kinda jealous. They always seem so confident and easy in their manner. So I was pretty excited when I found this pattern. I even had the perfect fabric. I made it with out too much difficulty despite the copious amounts slippery, stretchy fabric used. And then I put it on. My daughter goes "Oh Mommy, no!" and my husband said "well...it's a thing." Yeah. It was that bad. 

So no pictures on me. Yes I know I will show of my mom bod in a bathing suit, but this was a new level of fug. I know now why people seem so confident in them. You must either be smokin' hot to pull one off or have serious delusions of grandeur, like enough that it warps the perceptions of the people around you into thinking you do, in fact, look amazing....in a mumu.

The pattern  - 

The dress -

 See regal right?!?

a little crooked stitching but other wise pretty right?!

WRONG!

Okay so the last shot is the back view obviously, but what you can't see is that this is how sloppy it looks from the front when it is on a person. Or at least on me.

Maybe a different fabric.....

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butterick b4513

St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays - second only to Halloween. I always wear one of two green vintage dresses that I own. This year I thought I would change it up and make one instead!

This is a reproduction pattern and even though it makes me feel like a traitor, it is by far one of my favorites! It was so easy and it came out so well. I have spent the week since thinking about how I can modify it. Get ready to see a lot of variations on a theme this year.

Normally I start with a pic of the pattern but I wanted to show you why you won't see me modeling the dress first. Well it is because my St. Patrick's Day went something like this -

For some reason, we didn't get a good picture that night...

So here is a better showing of the dress.

Pattern -

Dress - 

Details - 

Love a good circle skirt.

This is the perfect dress for spring and summer and it seriously looks good on everyone. I can't wait to make a million of them!

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Butterick 4427

Now that Halloween is over I had a chance to make a dress. I was pretty excited to try something a little different so I chose a decade I haven't worked in yet - the 1940's.

The pattern is from 1948. While I am trying to make sleeved items, since it is almost winter and all, I had to chose the shorter sleeved version of this dress. With the shorter sleeves there is a chance I will wear it. Honestly, as I was assembling it I made a mental note that it looked it's best with no sleeves at all and I will need to revisit it this summer.

Another thing that I skipped with this dress - shoulder pads. I know they were huge (he he he) in the 40's but, I am short, like really, really short. They make me look like a box with ankles. I was worried, however, that the shoulders would slump really badly without them but, actually they turned out great. I am not sure where you would have fit the pads in.

Without further ado -

The pattern -

The front -

The back -

My first Victory Rolls. Not perfect by far but, yay for trying new things -

And yes that is the same belt seen here and here. I love that belt. Skinny white belts for everyone!

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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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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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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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