Vogue 7990, Mens Swimsuit, Pants, Caftan ....... Sewing Pattern

This sweet 80's pattern was tucked between the Misses Patterns in one of the pattern boxes I recently brought home.   I contemplated the picture, thinking about, how perhaps, if I made those swim trunks for my Beau that he'd look like that  ....  But, then again, decided I really didn't want him to look like that, as then, many other women would also be trying to get a look, 

So, I put it in my shop for someone else to contemplate. 

More Sewing Patterns

A week back, I stopped at a Church sale and came home with two big boxes of sewing patterns.  Yep, more sewing patterns.   Seems that now I've got this little business started, I might as well see if I can grow it a bit. 

As always, I started sorting them, by brand, by number so I can go through and check them to see if they are complete, tape any tears etc.  

As I was sorting through the first box, I realized I was recounting events of someone's life.    The chronological age started at 1973. 

1973:  This person was sewing clothes for Misses Size 10 and girls size 2.  Most of the pattern pieces were stuffed back into the envelope and  good number of the pieces are missing.  (A donation for Pattern Rescue)

1974:  The person is still sewing Misses Size 10, but girls size is now 3.   The pattern pieces are folded together before they are stuffed into the envelope.  They are still missing pieces, but not as many per pattern.

1975:  The women patterns are now Maternity and the girls size is between 3 and 4. 

1976:  This person is now sewing Misses Size 14  and girls size 4 and 5.  There are no baby patterns; either she didn't sew for baby, or something happened.  The patterns are nicely folded together and put into the envelopes; very few pieces are missing.


 1977.  This person is now sewing Misses Size 16 and Girls 5/6.  The pattern pieces are folded individually and placed within the instruction sheets; there are none missing. 

Then, the box runs out; no more patterns.   Did I see a person here learn to sew, as well as gain maturity and responsibility (not to mention 2 sizes)?   Did she stop sewing here, or were there other boxes that didn't make it to the sale?     I wonder.  

Coming across pattern lots is quite fun; a bit of fashion of the particular times and intrigue to the (probable) woman who created the fashions; a small glimpse into their life.  

Daisy Flower Pattern Becomes a Barbie Doll Hat; Tutorial

I keep a variety of the patterns I bring home for my personal interest or use. I was going through the box this afternoon when I came across this loose pattern piece ... (McCalls 3863).   I checked and I didn't have the actual pattern; just the one sheet. 

It says Daisy Trims, and I decided it was to make a Daisy shaped flower and thought, perhaps, I'd put an old vintage beaded earring in the center and make a brooch for my sister.   

So, I pulled out some felt and started on my own interpretation of how this would go together; and quite quickly, while putting in the 8 sets of darts, realized how wrong I was.    I went online and found the pattern in another shop; it's simply a decoration to go on a tablecloth and the marks were not darts, but cutouts.

Then, it hit me; with all those darts bringing the edges inward, it would make a great hat for Lilly's Barbie Doll.   So, I made three.   It's very simple; comes together in less than 10 minutes.   So, if you have a little girl in your life who loves to dress her Barbies ....

On mine, blue has wide darts, which makes the hat fit Barbie almost like a stocking hat, the black brown print has medium darts, making it fit her perfectly and the yellow is quite a floppy hat.    She looks great in all three!

Tutorial ...

1. Cut a round circle from a piece of felt between 3" to 3 1/2" across.  (The bigger the circle, the floppier the hat). 
2. Mark a circle about 1" to 1 1/2" in the center.  The will become the area that is the crown. 
3. Mark and sew your darts.  (I simply used a ruler and marked off into 8 quadrants ... being precise is not necessary).   The smaller you sew the darts, the looser the hat will fit.   
4. Put either a straight or decorative stitch around the edge to hold the darts down.  

Embellish any way you wish.   I used beads and buttons on the crown of two and just decorative stitching on the third. 

May I'll make her outfits to go with them.  I still have the Barbie pattern out.

McCalls 2360; Strolling down Memory Lane

I was going through the next batch of patterns to list in my shop the other day, and came across this one .... McCalls 2360.   Oh WOW.

As I recall it, Alex was 15 (2001) and going through his Goth stage with big, wide leg black pants.    I refused to pay the $70 pair Tripp Jeans cost and, in a more desperate moment he suggested he could make them himself.   Well, I was all over this concept, being a firm believer that young men should be able to cook, clean and do some simple sewing by the time they leave home.   When the weekend came, we piled into the car and drove to Slidell to Hancock Fabrics.   After a good two hours of contemplation, he picked McCalls 2360 to be his pattern and had selected three different fabrics.    I was so happy; my son actually wanted to learn to sew.  (Perhaps I foolishly equated that to mean he wanted to spend quality time with his mother .... ya right).

Cutting and laying out the fabric went fairly well, but the rest ..  lets just say it went downhill.   He really didn't want my help, and he wasn't much interested in reading the instructions.  His frustration level peaked frequently and he refused to double seam or overstitch (don't remember the actual term) as it was too time consuming and gave in long enough to allow me to put in the zipper for him. 

But, I have to say, he did get them put together.   They didn't stay put together too long, but we didn't talk about that.    I don't even recall what happened to the other two pieces of fabric and the pattern was eventually tossed; it was missing pieces.   

Well, at least he left home with cooking and cleaning skills.   (I put this pattern in my shop, just in case you have a teenager and would like to experience this one yourself !)

Clothes for Barbie

I'll start this by saying that I have a large container of Barbie Dolls.   I pick them up here and there, usually for a quarter or fifty cents.   I buy them for their heads.   I suppose that I envision that one day my sewing skills will become good enough to incorporate these heads into mixed media dolls that will hang on walls or suspend from the ceilings.   I'm definitely not there yet. 

But one of these dolls made it to Lilly's toy box.   I assume I left it laying around and Beau tossed it in.  

Two weeks ago Lilly, when Lilly visited, she found and immediately adopted this very nude doll.   She spent a good deal of time trying to put a diaper (a handtowel) on the doll.  She refused any help; it was as though she were on a mission.   Now at two, I don't know if her concern was dolly was nude or if dolly needed a diaper so she wouldn't pee on the floor.  Who knows.   She finally allowed me to change the dishtowel to a small paper towel, which we taped on her. 

All of this got me to thinking about how, as a little girl, I loved to dress up the couple Barbie Dolls I owned.  Which got me to thinking about making Barbie some outfits ..... (Not that Lilly will enter this stage of play for a year or two; but, what the heck). 

Enter  .... Simplicity 7073 (just happened to have in my store), 11 1/2" Fashion Doll Clothes; Sewing Patterns for Dummies.  

Introducing Barbie in her first two outfits !

Yard Sale Saturday, 7/10/2010

The yard sale circuit is unusually quiet for this time of year. Hardly any ads listed in Thursday paper, which is closely matched with what I find when I go out on my circuit. Hardly any. I do, however, get up and go. It's part of my Saturday morning routine.

This morning there were 4 in my circuit ... of which I found two items of interest. 

This now makes 4 small guitars that I have in my inventory awaiting design.   This one is unique in that it is smaller than the other 3.   This one stands a mere 23" tall, whereas the other child size guitars are almost 32".   These are up soon ...

The second find was the 5 X 7" picture frame.   I looked at Target and Belks but couldn't find anything I liked ... but this one seemed just right; a few lines but nothing overpowering.
 

This is my son Alex and his love, Mary.  I think the frame fits them perfectly.