WIP Wednesday: OMG

Today:

Photo shoot for New Vintage for Fashion Friday..
Video Shoot for Sew Mama Sew Vintage smock sew along...
Doing mad exercise to try and get my spandex license reinstated...
Finishing two cute Amy Butler patterns for the Amy Butler trunk show on May 9th and 10th at Luminous Threads...
Excavating the 'fridgerator to get ready for the next box of veg from my CSA...
Speed cleaning (if you do it fast it also counts as exercise. Finally,two of my least favorite activities in one package, Hurray!)
Signing the kid up for guitar lessons And comic drawing lessons to go with his robotics and film special effects and animation classes for the summer...
trying to limit my sugar... (If I am working this hard I am going to need sugar, I think.)


Yes... I don't have time to take pictures for this post, so here:



That sums it up nicely.

I will be doing a birdie girl and lace crown tutorial sometime fairly soon. But I have to get this to do list whittled down first..

stay tuned.

Tutorial Tuesday: Tea Cart Yourself Over Here

This couple is Red Hot in their casual LeisureWear.
Is that a romper she's wearing?
Fashion Genius, the romper.
Not very flattering and impossible to pee.
I'll probably make one, one day.
Just 'cause.

This is another fun project from
Mechanix Illustrated How To Encyclopedia, 1961.

( just click on the photos to enlarge to legible!)

But seriously, this cart would be so cool if I had a little craft studio. So handy.
I'd paint it a glossy sky blue and
put all my cream colored thrifted planters
on there with craft supplies in them.
I just love stuff on casters, don't you?
Makes your whole house a little more like an amusement park.

Speaking of 'Like an Amusement Park'...
My mail box over flowed last week with lovely surprises.



I got a music swap package from charming Caitlin.
She spoiled me with great music,
and also a sweet little hankie,
and some cool cards wrapped in tons of everyone's favorite twine.
I put one in the mail back on Monday... sorry for the delay, partner!




And from my friend Lindy: Another vintage Sewing Manual!!!
Singer! 192? Super Cute! and she also made me a great card.
Lindy spoils me and helps me spread sewing Joy across the universe. She is the one who found Sally Stitch for us all.

If ya'll want another look at my loot... I will be posting more pics on Flicker in a bit here.

New Vintage # 17: The Sporty Shirt Knit-Wit

Got This One at the flea market last summer. So stinkin' cute!!

Simplicity 1227. What do you think 1956-7?
That's my guess.

And I actually made it last year in the fall. I used a ribbed knit jersey-ish stuff. I decided that I needed to embellish it with some cool big black rick rack.

"Excuse Me ma'am, Fashion Police. I am sorry but it seems like we have a problem. Apparently you have added a point of visual interest on your garment that corresponds directly with a Figure Flaw. And I am sorry ma'am but it seems like your Spandex License has expired."



"But Officer! I made this shirt myself! The pattern was so cute... and the stretch pants are only for the photo shoot.. I swear! It's like a vintage thing."



"I'm sorry Ma'am, you'll have to come with us. We have no choice but to book you on one count of "If you wore it the last time it was in style: Don't Do It Again" and 2nd Degree Belly Embellishment."

The pattern was pretty easy. That made up for the challenge of sewing my first knit on a standard sewing machine. That was okay too. Do-able. Just use the right needle and never stretch the fabric . Be prepare to hand roll the hems. Here is where I really wanted a serger. the fabric is thick so it seems bulky. I used a zig zag overlock stitch on the raw inside edges and so far it hasn't frayed. But in all honesty, I don't wear this all that often. I guess I just hate getting stopped by the Fashion Police.

I think I will try the pattern again sometime with a less challenging fabric... Because I am just dying to look like those sassy girls on the cover. I bet the fashion police give them a merit badge.

Tutorial Tuesday: Sewing Stuff You Need

If you don't have all this stuff... just put on your shoes and go to the store.
This is your list of Equipment for Efficiency.
You must own it all.

white sewing manual 1947
please click images to make bigger

I have been doing a lot of brooding over a dress form that resembles my figure more exactly (duct tape vs adjustable vs paper mache...) and this tip here for making an existing dress form match your figure looks good to me. A padded muslin over a smaller form... duh. That makes sense. If I try it, I'll let you know how it goes. First I need to get a nice smaller form somewhere.
(Do you hear me thrift gods?)

Actually this is is great starter list... but it doesn't mention how important a decent iron, ironing board and sleeve board are. Personally I couldn't sew a garment without them. Now If I could just get my family to quit eating I could use that big dining room table as a cutting table. And I could save all that time on cooking too.
Now That is Efficiency.

Made It Myself Monday: birdie girl

For Michelle... for her Birthday.

Just what a grown woman who has no space for tchotchkes needs...

Oh well, maybe she can go on the Christmas tree.

Happy Birthday Michelle. So glad we are friends.

New Vintage Wardrobe # 16: The Tree Dress

Sometimes you have the perfect pattern and the perfect fabric in your stash for a long while, and you know they were destined to be together, but it is months before you are ready to dive in...

That is how it was for me and the tree dress.
I bought this fabric off the e-bay.

( Just a reminder..
if you click on an image it gets much bigger...
Just one of those Blogger extras!)

It's old. 50's I think, maybe 60's. It's narrower than the current 44 inch standard. It's just 36 inches. It is really cute with these pink and blue and green illustrator-y trees all over it. I bought it when I very first started this sewing for myself.
Anyway it is somewhat irreplaceable (at least I'd never seen it's like before...) and I didn't want to mess it up until I felt really sure of my skills.

The pattern is Simplicity 5962 from 1965.

(That collar! It's the collar!)

This was also off e-bay. My first pattern "lot". It was a good investment. I got a few really great patterns in there, including my first shirtwaist and my mod shift.

This was a great, easy pattern. I am a perfect Simplicity size 14...
so I didn't need to alter it at all. Hurrah for that!

The curves on the collar were tricky and if I did this dress again I would definitely clip the curves and trim the seam allowance even more on those, and maybe use a lighter weight fusible inner facing.

I used a medium weight because it looked on the pattern like the collar needed some body to it. However, that decision helped me to retain my title: I am the crown princess of sewing overkill.
I haven't made the belt and tie yet, but I still plan to make them in black.
(You know... like View 2...)

But since I already wore it to a baby shower so I figured it was done enough to show.

But for practicalities sake I do recommend a fuller skirt for tree climbing.

Thanks again to my photographer!

P.S. I am bound an determined to learn all the feet for my sewing machine...
On this project the new feet I used were:

my overlock foot:

handy but there was a learning curve...
It folds the raw edge and does a cool semi-serger thingy to finish inside edges.

and my blind hem stitch foot:

Check it out, the left side is the outside and the right side is the inside.

Thanks to craftapple for the tutorial, that made me feel brave enough to try it.

And Yesterday I forgot to Thank Erin At Dress-a-Day for linking to my dear Sally Stitch... And Michelle for pointing her in my direction...
"Hi" Dress A Day folks! Thanks for stopping by!

Thrift Thursday and Thank You Thursday two...

Howdy and welcome to another episode of Thrift Thursday, where I share my obsessive and potentially problematic junque habit with you...

Today: My Luggage Baggage

This week brings two new vintage suitcase acquisitions. The grey and the white lovelies in the photo below. The large blue suitcase is from a month ago. The gray was 2.00 and the blue and white were 3.00 each. All are non smelly which is very important as I do use my luggage as storage... and old suitcases can be quite offensive in the odor department. ( A few days in the bright sunshine wide open can eliminate this in some cases.. and Febreze can occasionally be helpful. But some are truly just Beyond Hope.

I also have all my older luggage which I have been collecting for 20 years now.
(yipes...there's a number for you!)

Another angle?

This one was a present from a friend who came to visit me during our brief adventure living in lovely Portland, O....



I love how it is mended with staples and bailing wire... Like someone escaped hard times with just the contents of this case. And when it started to fail, mending was the only option. A nice strong reminder in our disposable society, when things get tough you can always make do with what you already have.

and as an added bonus I got a great enamel bowl (.99 cents) which I have used for the world's prettiest compost scrap bowl, until I get a little "lead checker" thing.
I have my suspicions.
And I am losing brain cells fast enough without with any help from toxins.

And Now The Thanks Portion!

Thanks to the lovely Marilyn of Pulp Sushi who showed all my pictures of the stuff on my walls .. and to all the great people who left comments there. Yeah! How cool to get such nice feedback.

And Super Thanks to Sew Mama Sew who posted their interview with Me this week. Thanks to anyone who wandered over from there. Welcome and leave a little breadcrumb trail in my comments so I can come and visit you!

Tune In Tomorrow,
for New Vintage Wackiness!!!
( I kid you not!)

WIP Wednesday: What's Up These Days at My House

I am working on the dress for my anniversary date. Nearly done, but I am having trouble with the "removable collar." It is basted in when you want to wear it , which is fine, but I am having such a hard time getting it centered properly. I have re-basted 3 times. I would love an adjustable dress form. That would have really helped.
I have a beautiful dress form ,
but she and I can't share clothes.

Lemons are in season, I've been collecting.

The gardening is falling a bit behind.. These are for my pumpkin patch.
Today marks the 3rd day I have planned to get them in the ground.

This is why I have been collecting lemons. Stage 1 Home made Lemoncello, Now I patiently wait for 4 weeks for stage 2 of Homemade Lemoncello. If this batch comes out well, this will be a Handmade Holidaze 2008 project.
You can start trying to get on my good side now.

And I hope to cut out a New Vintage dress...
I washed and ironed and there's still daylight!

Made It Myself Monday: the p.j. top modified

This blouse was inspired by a pajama pattern I picked up somewhere.
No vintage, it's from 2002.
McCall's 3854.
I made a modified View A.. I switched out the sleeves to a view C cap sleeve, and I completely changed the casing/ elastic/ drawstring configuration by sewing a wider casing of contrasting fabric on the outside of the top but I added openings on both sides.

I fed through a ribbon on the front and another on the back and I tied it on the sides. It wasn't really flattering but I recalled how the vintage dresses often have a smooth center front.. so I stitched in two darts 4 inches long and centered 6 inches apart in the front of the blouse that went through the casing, catching the ribbon. This means the front stays smooth while the ribbons gather it at the back and sides. A bit less poofy where I don't really want to look poofy and easy peasy.

We are at the river right by my little cabin.. Yesterday was the most beautiful day ever!

And I bet you can tell but I finally got my photographer back.

Thanks, Jacob!
xxooo


oh yeah, and I got finally got a haircut!

WIP Wednesday: Crown and Glory

crowns made from gilded lace.... macro too.. cause I'm a joiner.
I'm making some from a millinery straw as well.
No real reason,just because the lace and the straw said
"make a crown from me."
Who am I , to argue with raw materials?

and a picture of the birthday outfit in use!!
Yeah!!! She liked it!!

Sally Stitch: Chapter 8: Color, Fabric Selection and Yardage

Here we go... tips on how to buy more fabric. That's just what we all need!

Hmmm, I wonder... Am I a brownette? or a dark redhead? Must be a brownette... Because I can wear some orange. What would I do without Sally? I'd be a wreck. I didn't even know there was such a critter as a brownette, so I was probably doing it all wrong!

This Supposed to be Thrift Thursday

But it's not.
It is more like WIP Wednesday Part II.
The Quilt Top .

my very first one ever...

Milo thinks maybe I was a little too freewheeling on the seams.

"I'm going to give this my kitten paws of approval..

but I think you could do better, and frankly I am a little disappointed.

In fact, I just gotta go."

Dang, Milo sure is touchy today!

If I'm good enough for this:


I should be good enough for a surly teenage kitten.

That's right Ladies and Gentlemen,
Bitter Betty is on the board...

Thanks Kristen and Beth for letting me
play a little part in one of the coolest sewing sites ever!

oh!! and Thanks Liz!!! Flattery will get you everywhere with me!!

(Thank Goodness I have Milo around to deflate my ego! Egads!)

WIP Wednesday: Bread

Today I made cinnamon bread again..

I wore my "Lotta Jansdotter Simple Sewing" apron. Good pattern. Cute fit and comfy.




I made the bread the old fashioned way with 10 minutes of kneading. (Almost burned off a quarter of a slice with all that exercise!)



Rolled out to be sprinkled with cinnamon...









Now all I have to do is the dishes!!

Now with Recipe:
Cinnamon bread

1 pkg dry yeast (2.5 tsp)
1/2 c warm water
2 c scalded milk
2 ts salt
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c butter melted
6 1/4 c flour


1/2 c sugar
1 TB cinnamon

soften yeast in warm water
Combine milk sugar salt and butter. Let cool to lukewarm.
Stir in flour 2 cups at a time until the dough is moderately stiff.
Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead8-10 minutes until the dough is satiny and smooth. Form a ball.
Let rise in lightly oiled bowl, turning once to cover top with oil.
Should be doubled in bulk when finished rising. About 1.5 hours

Punch down and cut in half .
Roll out each half to a 6 x15 inch rectangle and sprinkle with half of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll up fairly tightly.

Place in grease and floured bread pan or I did mine on a silpat sheet on a cookie pan.
Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Bake in pre heated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

mmmm.