Oh, how far we've come...

As a vintage pattern/style enthusiast, over the past few years I have encountered many discussions via blog post or article regarding our romanticizing of times past, and how it leaves out an important part of the discussion. There is the age old "I wish women still dressed like that" debate. I have also read many other interesting pieces with social and cultural relevance. Then, today, as I was counting a pattern for my shop, I saw a facing piece of homemade newsprint. I like to scan these pieces to see what was in the news that was of interest at the time. This was simply the housing classifieds, but here's what I found today:

While ogling the gorgeous dresses and sweet styles of the 50s and 60s is fun, I'll keep my feet firmly planted in the modern era, thank you very much. I know things certainly aren't perfect today, and yes, people do wear their pajamas in public (I really don't care- who am I, the fashion police?) but we sure have come a long way...wouldn't you say?

Pattern Sale!

I am having a clearance sale in my Etsy shop, Farmhouse Garden . Nearly 100 patterns are listed under $5 each, many as low as $2. Also, as the old-old go out, I am listing some new-old gems! You can visit by clicking the "shop" link under the header if you are on a desk top.

Clearance Patterns

Fresh off the Counting Table

Stop on by!

The "Match the Garment to the Pattern" Game

Have you ever come across a hand sewn vintage garment that you could match to a pattern? I thought I had matched a garment to its pattern once, but I was wrong (and later found an ILGWU label in the skirt of that set).

The other day, while out thrifting, I found a pile of patterns and proceeded to rifle through them, choosing which ones would follow me home. After finishing that up, I took a peek at the dress rack in the shop, to see if there was anything fabulous on it. Lo and behold, there was a very familiar looking dress there...

In fact, there was a pair of them. 

I rifled back through those patterns I had just picked up, and found the match. It surely helped that the seamstress had taken the pattern illustration's color suggestion! 

Have you ever matched a pattern to a vintage dress in the wild? 

Cheap & Easy Vintage Pattern Storage

I have A LOT of vintage sewing patterns. I know I am not the only one! It has been discussed in various interwebby places that these are articles that should be preserved. There is the whole "to trace or not to trace debate" (we aren't going there today), and there are various opinions on pattern storage. People store their patterns many different ways- today, I'm going to tell you how I store mine. It is a cheap and easy method, because I am a cheap and easy kinda girl.

First of all, I have to separate my personal patterns from my shop patterns. I have two separate filing cabinets for this- one two drawer narrow model and one four drawer narrow model. In the two drawer, the top is mine, and I have my patterns divided by garment type. In the bottom drawer, I keep patterns for my daughter on one side organized by age and (a few sad) patterns for my husband on the other side.

Pretty on the Inside

In the large filing cabinet I have all of my shop patterns organized numerically regardless of brand, and oversize Vogues and other types are kept numerically ordered in their own spot in the back of the top drawer. I don't have a huge pattern shop (yet! I need to get some listings up!!!), and I used to just put them in storage as I counted them and root through later to find the one I wanted. This is so much better. My husband went through and organized them all for me. Isn't that sweeeeeet?

One day, I hope to buy a real pattern cabinet, but, being a dunce I have passed over two already that sold for a few ten-spots, and I will probably never see another one for sale again because I don't deserve it.

Moving on- all of the organization stuff is well and good, and we all do that our own way. However, I have a little handy storage tip. After counting each pattern, I place it in an acid free binder sleeve from the Dollar Store, usually sideways, with the excess folded in back. They cost about 5 cents apiece.

Image From Dollar General's Website

All my gals, snug, well ordered, and happy!

This affords a snug fit for the pattern and prevents any further jingle jangly wear and tear. Also, the acid free, moisture resistant storage helps keep them looking their best, and hopefully preserves them for future generations of seamstresses and seamsters. I usually just leave the 3 ring white edge on, but I trim them neatly prior to sending them to their future homes. I store two rows side by side in the cabinet. The McCall's creep into the other row, but I have more Simplicity than anything else, so it isn't a big problem.

So, this is how I do it. What are your tips for pattern storage and preservation?

Sorbetto Bow Blouse

I have played with the Sorbetto Top by Colette Patterns a fair amount now. I have it so I really like the fit, which involved angling the darts more (much more flattering to a small/medium bust) and lowering the underarm. I have made it as a back button blouse, 

a pajama top, and even a dress! 

Because the fit is good, I feel comfortable testing my amateur pattern manipulation skills on it. 

For my latest version, I decided that I am over the bias binding at the neck and arms. It always feels constricting and causes pulling. Instead, I drafted facings. I also raised the back neck 3 inches and lowered the front neckline about an inch and a half. I underlined the sheer, crepe fabric I used with a mystery navy lining purchased in the thrift (that's where the polka dot fabric came from, too). I used the glue trick to marry the two except at the darts, where I hand basted. From there I used french seams on the shoulder and side seams, stitched in the facings which were serged along the lower edges, hand hemmed the bottom with lace hem tape, and neatened it all up by stitching the facings and hem to the underlining. 

For a little more personalization, I stitched a rectangle, top and bottom, at the neckline and made a long tie to go with it so I could have a bow blouse. 

I love how this top turned out. It is easy to wear and, to me, looks polished and classic. These are adjectives I would like to be able to apply to my wardrobe more often, and I am trying to sew up some versatile basics. 

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?