Two Piece Summer Halter Dress

Over the summer I was called away from home on some unpleasant business that took me out of state for five weeks. I knew I didn't want to be without my sewing for that long, so I packed up my trusty vintage Kenmore portable along with a bursting at the sides compact tin box of fabric and notions.

I had already begun Simplicity 1365 ( a reproduction of 6357, which I also own) in a light cotton fabric I picked up.....wait for it...... in the thrift shop. I wanted to attempt to make a halter style that could be worn without a bra, so I made cups out of bamboo batting and sandwiched them between the fashion fabric and my muslin lining.

 The rest of the process was pretty straightforward. There were times when I followed the repro pattern instructions, and parts where I looked back at the vintage pattern instructions, which were less beginner friendly and more dressmaker appropriate. All in all, it makes for a very well finished garment with all seams enclosed in a nice cotton lining. Drat. I should have photographed the inside.

Anyway, I paired the halter up with a simple dirndl skirt made up from what I could eek of the remaining fabric. I love this skirt. It is so comfy and closes only with a pants hook and snaps. Here are a few finished pics.

Halter with high waist vintage 70s jeans, or as my sis calls them, my "mom jeans."

the perfect outfit for that insane Florida heat 

 After I finished this get up, I promptly went and ate an enormous ice cream in celebration.

A perfect end to a lovely project. 

Oh, and just because I am so sososossosososososososososos super excited, can I show you what I bought?  Can I pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease? 

I LOVE her. How lucky can one gal be? A Wolf form, in my size.... I love her. She was an absolute steal, and I feel so fortunate. Anyone looking for a Singer adjustable????

Tips from a Vintage Sewing Supplies Hoarder

When at the thrift shops, don't forget to check the pillowcases for feed/flour sacks. These are commonly misplaced among the bedding and sold for pocket change. Case in point: I found this lovely and unusual sack in a pile of pillowcases just today.

Have you ever found a feed/flour sack in with the pillowcases?

Friday Fabric Find

This is a floral seersucker marked Copyright Peter Pan Fabrics Inc  which I purchased at the thrift today. I love a vintage fabric bargain, and this fabric is super sweet!

Retro Pajamas for Meeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I purchased a pile of vintage knit fabric at auction a couple months back. Some was, of course, quite hideous, while some was kitschy retro cute. I do recognize that this is in the eye of the beholder, though. 

For a quick, easy project, I grabbed a medium weight spongy retro knit and stitched up this nightgown using Simplicity 7096.

Well, I mostly just used the yoke pieces, as I cut the yardage to a length I thought would be comfortable (somewhere between views A and B), and cut equal front and back panels from the width. The fabric was pretty wide, so I got both the front and back from one length. Then I used the pattern as a template for the underarm. 

This was stitched entirely by machine using the "burrito method" I learned from Janet Pray's Sew Better, Sew Faster Craftsy Class. There's not too much to say about construction. For a sweet touch, I included some leftover ric rac trim across the yoke and pressed and stitched it down in a bow motif. I added one of the vintage buttons from my stash, and the gown was done. Now all I need are some fuzzy slippers and hair curlers!

Tip for Assembling a PDF Sewing Pattern

I used this quick method for assembling my Mabel PDF the other day, and I thought it might be of use to someone else, too. 

First, staple together, preferably in order, as many sheets as you think you'll be able to cut through with a rotary cutter. Take care to straighten the edges, and run staples up the left side without bending the stack. 

 Next, hold a ruler on the border/cutting position and cut along it with your rotary cutter. I always cut the right side and the bottom extensions/overlap off. Repeat the stapling and cutting process until all of your sheets are cut.

 Now you are ready to assemble! Position your pages in order, and tape all of the pieces in each row together. I use Scotch Magic Tape for my PDF patterns, as it can be removed and reapplied if something is off.

 Once you have your rows taped, join them together. Fix any places where the paper doesn't meet correctly by pulling the tape up gently and repositioning. Simple and fast!