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!

New Vintage # 2: The Sleeveless Over- Blouse

Here is Pattern # 2






Made from a discontinued Freespirit paisely..off the 40% off table a Beverly's. When you are doing your first projects with a new pattern.. It never hurts to test it on the cheap stuff.




I had to modify this one quite a bit.
The trick with these vintage patterns, especially anything that is fitted like this, is how you
do the fittings.
Remember: Basting and pinning are your friends.



When I first tried this on ( semi finished) I was less than thrilled.
It was too loose, like a cotton box.
I liked the way the fabric extended on the shoulders so left those alone,
but the rest was not the modish house wife chic I was a-lookin' for.
However, it was early in the game so I took it off,
put it back on inside out and pinned at the front and side seams, until the fabric was more under control.
Then I VERY Carefully (it is full o' pins, on the inside!) turned it right side out and retried.
Hope! Excitement renewed! It looks better!!!
hooray!!!!!



Back to the machine, seam seam seam. ( another try on.. mucho improved..) Then clipping seams, pressing them in, finishing the hems and seams, More Obsessive Pressing and Voila! Blouse Joy.

( In the bad light and underwear situation I was in, I did not feel compelled to take pics. Now I am sorry. But not that sorry.)
( I promise a fitting tutorial Very Soon.)

One last shot: fully accessorised....




We have other people who are doing this project too! Angelina is rocking the vintage pattern photos and getting herself ready to play. Michelle showed me her future project and has already made the CUTEST skirts. The Lovely Violette Crumble has a whole wardrobe in the planning stages..

So I started a Flickr Group.


New Vintage Wardrobe!

Hey! Come play with us!

When One Obsession Leads to Another

I thrift almost every week and I keep it somewhat of a game. I have a 10.00 limit.
I always go on half price days and I generally pick up stuff that I intend on making into something else.

Thrifting for me is not a matter of being cheap .. It has to do with the thrill of the hunt and the fact that I find relics of my childhood or other treasures I can't live without...I am a highly nostalgic person, and I respect items that have previous experience.



I have been picking up these 50's and 60's sewing and pattern making books at thrift stores here and there for a couple of months.
A few weeks ago, I really found one that got me thinking...



Most of my favorite things in my wardrobe are vintage...
What If: I got some vintage patterns...
(a lot of about 20, in my size, on ebay, still meeting my 10.00 limit, if you don't count shipping)....



And, use some of the great material available these days, and made "New Vintage" clothes?

Like This Jacket that I Finished Over the Weekend!! :







I used some hoarded Amy Butler Charm Parrot Tulip fabric from my stash..

(I noticed Sew Mama Sew has it in a pink version.)

Okay, never mind that I lack serious seamstress training.. I sew a bit, but I am mostly self taught ( despite my mom's best efforts.) I have stuck to easier, more self explanitory things, like simple dolls, pillows, curtains and cutting up t-shirts.

What was I thinking??? This is a hoot.. I am learning great finished seams, new techniques for installing zippers and buttonholes, what kind of interfacing you use on what kind of fabric, and how to alter a pattern and custom fit a garment. This is my new favorite thing to do ever...
I am going to post a garment every other week until my husband takes away my fabric shopping license or my crazy stash dries up. Just you wait!!!

sigh...

I * heart * sewing.....