A Call to Sewers and Crafters - What Can We Do To Help? - Make Face Masks

A Call to Sewers and Crafters

What Can We Do To Help During this Pandemic?

Make Medical Face Masks for Our Local Hospitals and First Responders

For a few weeks as I prepared for the possibility of self-quarantine, now a reality, I wandered what I could do to help.  Two days ago my mother call me to ask what she could use in place of a medical face mask.  I sent her instructions with materials that included cotton handkerchiefs, cotton t-shirt and bandanas.  At the same time I'm watching videos of medical personnel and their support staffs asking for help with personal safety gear.  It took me longer than I'd like to admit but I figured it out ... make medical face masks to donate.  I'm set for myself, so this weekend I'm going to my stash to find tightly woven cotton and some nice cotton prints.  Then, I'm getting to work.

The one hiccup?  I don't have my sewing machine so the ones I make will truly be hand made.  I hope I can still make to small even backstitches my grandmother tried so hard to teach me how to do.  

Commercial Medical Isolation Mask

I'm reaching out to the blog community to ask anyone who can to make some masks for your local hospital.  Even if you only make two or three and pass the word along, it will be a help.  Call your local hospital to find out if they're set up to receive them and how they would like to receive them.  Or, if they're not ready yet, give them to a doctor, nurse, health worker, or first responder that you know.   They won't go to waste.  We Can Help!  

Here is the  link to Deaconess Hospital with instructions on How to Make a Face Mask.  There's a .pdf to download and a video to watch.  The instructions were created by the Turban Project.  They are a great organization and have other patterns for use by patients as well as these masks.  Make a few for you and your family as well. They even have a pattern for children -- scroll down.  

How to Sew a Medical Face Mask Video

The Turban Project Video

There are many other links and tutorials, though I would use the one listed by the hospital for medical donations.  (They will sterilize them before use.)  Whatever instructions you use, make sure the masks you are making are rated for disease control.  I wasn't sure of some of the other links, so I didn't list them.  If anyone else knows of some proper links to websites and/or videos, please post in comments and I'll add them to this post.

I wish you all well.  Take care of yourselves and your loved ones.

Happy Sewing!


PS - This could also be a great project for families with younger crafters.  Helping can be empowering ... and relieve boredom.

PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ALONG .... THANK YOU!

Nothing Lasts Forever ... Somes blogs that have moved on.

It is sad to see a good blog go but I will take it as an opportunity to discover other great blogs. A couple have moved and some have stopped blogging. I hope they are just too busy enjoying life to post.

Holly Dai - Snowflake Costume

Art Deco - Celebrating the Jazz Age
  

Bijou Beaute seems to be on hiatus.

Create, Inspire, Be True to Your Art...

No No's Sew Hip Blog

Cupcake Goddess

She's not gone; she's just moved to A Fashionable Stitch. 

Holly Dai - Vintage or Sew

Sewing and Burlesque

Philigry - Turn a Coat Into a Bag

Nudeedudee

Vintage inspired sewing, vintage patterns and travels

Philigry

Home Sewing and Cooking

Puppydog Tails has just disappeared.

Sew a Beginner

Sewing for real life

Sewnista in the Making

Sewing and knitting

McCall's 3101

Sew Me Some Love has moved to Sew In Between. 

Swing Sewing
Vintage Sewing 

The Dreamstress has moved here.

When Ladies Dressed

Vintage Sewing

When Ladies Dressed - Gown from McCall's 3101

Happy Sewing!

Dating Vintage Patterns ...Finding Your Era

I am beginning a list of vintage patterns to help myself and others date patterns we find.  Though it is often easy to determine the decade, even to date the pattern within a five years, it is often a challenge to determine the year.  So, as I find patterns or ads, I will add them to the list below to serve as a guide.

Though this list only has a few companies now, I hope to continue to make it more inclusive over time and include:

Advance                                      Marian Martin
Anne Adams                                McCall (McCall's)
Butterick                                      New York
Du Barry                                      Pictorial Review
Excella                                        Standard
Hollywood                                    Simplicity
Ladies' Home Journal                    Vogue

BUTTERICK

Butterick Ad - 1922

 
1910-1919

Butterick Delineator 3967 - Ladies' Coat - 1910
Butterick Delineator 3079 - Ladies' Coat - 1910
Butterick Delinator 4452 - Ladies' Dress - 1911 (February Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4462 - Ladies' Dress - 1911 (February Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4615 - Ladies' Waist - 1911 (May Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4616 - Ladies' Skirt - 1911 (May Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4638 - Ladies' Waist - 1911 (May Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4639 - Ladies' Skirt - 1911 (May Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4847 - Ladies' Waist - 1911 (August Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4848 - Ladies' Skirt - 1911 (August Ad)
Butterick Delinator 4871 - Ladies' Dress - 1911 (August Ad)
Butterick Delineator 5740 - Ladies' Dress - 1912 (November Magazine) 
Butterick Delinator 6114 - Ladies' Waist - 1913 (May Ad)
Butterick Delinator 6115 - Ladies' Skirt - 1913 (May Ad)
Butterick Delinator 6150 - Ladies' Waist - 1913 (May Ad)
Butterick Delinator 6151 - Ladies' Skirt - 1913 (May Ad)

1920-1929
Butterick Deltor 3422 - Ladies' Dress - 1921 (Ladies' Home Journal)
Butterick Deltor 3971 - Ladies' Dress - 1922 (Butterick Ad)
Butterick Deltor 3974 - Ladies' Blouse Jacket - 1922 (Butterick Ad)
Butterick Deltor 4007 - Ladies' Dress - 1922 (Butterick Ad)
Butterick Deltor 5686 - Junior Miss Dress - 1924 (December Ad)
Butterick Deltor 5702 - Ladies' Dress - 1924 (December Ad)
Butterick Deltor 6166 - Ladies's Dress w/Draped Jabot - circa 1925
Butterick Delineator 1778 - Ladies' Afternoon Dress - 1928
Butterick Delineator 1802 - Ladies' Afternoon Dress - 1928

Du Barry 5104 - Ladies' Coat - $0.15 - circa 1940
Du Barry 5268 - Ladies' Suit - $0.15 - circa 1941
Du Barry 5394 - Ladies' Dress - circa 1942
Du Barry 5606 - Ladies' Two-Piece Dress - $0.15 - circa 1943
Du Barry 5960 - Ladies' Pyjamas - circa 1944

McCALL - McCALL's

McCall Ad - 1937

1900-1919
McCall 1220 - Ladies' Skirt - 1907 (January Magazine)
McCall 1903 - Ladies' Jacket - 1908 (February Magazine)
McCall 1912 - Ladies' Skirt - 1908 (February Magazine)
McCall 2403 - Ladies' Jumper Dress - 1909 (February Magazine)
McCall 2558 - Ladies' Dress - 1909 (February Magazine)
McCall 3146 - Ladies' Gown - 1910 (Ad)
McCall 3535 - Ladies' Evening Coat - $0.15 - circa 1910
McCall 4244 - Ladies' Dress - $0.15 - circa 1911 (15 years)
McCall 7560 - Ladies' Skirt - 1917 (June Magazine)
McCall 7779 - Ladies' Middy Sailor Blouse - 1917 (June Magazine)
McCall 7805 - Ladies' Dress - 1917 (June Magazine) 

1920-1929
McCall 2065 - Ladies' Skirt - 1921 (October Ad)
McCall 2365 - Ladies' Dress - 1921 (October Ad)
McCall 2370 - Ladies' Suit-Coat - 1921 (October Ad)
McCall 2365 - Ladies' Dress - 1921 (October Ad)
McCall 2387 - Ladies' Dress - 1921 (November Ad)
McCall 2394 - Ladies' Dress - 1921 (November Ad)
McCall 2825 - Ladies' Gown - 1922 (Ladies' Home Journal - Sept.)
McCall 3664 - Ladies' Dress - circa 1922 "The New McCall Pattern"
McCall 4322 - Ladies' Dress - circa 1922
McCall 4387 - Ladies' Dress - 1926 (Magazine)
McCall 4404 - Ladies' Dress - 1926 (Magazine)
McCall 4443 - Ladies' Two-Piece Frock - 1926 (Magazine)
McCall 4461 - Ladies' Ensemble - 1926 (Magazine)
McCall 5048 - Ladies' Patou Dress - 1927 (Magazine)
McCall 5050 - Ladies' Worth Dress - 1927 (Magazine)
McCall 5069 - Ladies' Premet Dress - 1927 (Magazine)
McCall 5161 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5170 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5179 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5194 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5344 - Ladies' Evening Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5365 - Ladies' Evening Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5373 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5411 - Ladies' Worth Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5432 - Ladies' Worth Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5447 - Ladies' Evening Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5546 - Ladies' Apron - $0.25 - 1928 (Color Cover)
McCall 5048 - Ladies' Patou Dress - 1927 (Magazine)
McCall 5050 - Ladies' Worth Dress - 1927 (Magazine)
McCall 5069 - Ladies' Premet Dress - 1927 (Magazine)
McCall 5161 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5170 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5179 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5194 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5344 - Ladies' Evening Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5365 - Ladies' Evening Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5373 - Ladies' Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5411 - Ladies' Worth Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5432 - Ladies' Worth Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5447 - Ladies' Evening Dress - 1928 (Magazine)
McCall 5461 - Ladies' Evening Dress & Jacket - 1929 (Magazine)
McCall 5524 - Ladies' Dress - 1929 (Magazine)
McCall 5552 - Ladies' Dress - 1929 (Magazine)
McCall 5622 - Ladies' Jacket - 1929 (Magazine)
McCall 5674 - Ladies' Dress - 1929 (Magazine)
McCall 5744 - Ladies' Evening Gown - 1929 (Magazine)
McCall 5757 - Ladies' Drop Waist Dress - 1929 (Magazine)
McCall 5766 - Ladies' Afternoon Dress - 1929 (Magazine)

1930-1939
McCall 6044 Ladies' Trousers, Jacket & Bathing Suit - 1930 (Mag.)
McCall 6069 Ladies' Beach Ensemble - 1930 (Magazine)
McCall 6080 Ladies' Bibbed Skirt for the Beach - 1930 (Magazine)
McCall 7273 - Ladies' Blouse - circa 1933
McCall 8247 - Ladies' Dress - $0.45 - circa 1935
McCall 8377 - Ladies' Dress - 1935 (Magazine)
McCall 8388 - Ladies' Dress - 1935 (Magazine)
McCall 8394 - Ladies' Pleated Dress - 1935 (Magazine)
McCall 8400 - Ladies' Evening Gown - 1935 (Magazine)
McCall 8866 - Ladies' Dress - 1936 (Magazine)
McCall 8870 - Ladies' Evening Gown - 1936 (Magazine)
McCall 8883 - Ladies' Tunic Evening Gown - 19365 (Magazine)
McCall 8904 - Ladies' Dress - 1936 (Magazine)
McCall 8922 - Ladies' Jacket and Skirt - 1936 (Magazine)
McCall 9054 - Ladies' Gown - 1937 (McCall Ad)
McCall 9056 - Ladies' Gown - 1937 (McCall Ad)
McCall 9131 - Ladies' Summer Dress - 1937 (Magazine)
McCall 9160 - Ladies' Blouse - 1937 (June Magazine)
McCall 9162 - Ladies' Play Clothes - 1937 (Magazine)
McCall 9279 - Ladies' Gown - 1937 (June Magazine)

1940-1949 
McCall 3736 - Ladies' Dress and Bolero Pattern - 1940 (Ad)
McCall 3743 - Ladies' Dress and Bolero Pattern - 1940 (Ad)
McCall 3783 - Ladies' Gown Pattern - 1940 (Ad)
McCall 4561 - Junier Misses' Dress - 1942
McCall 4621 - Ladies' Culotte Jumper Dress - 1942
McCall 6089 - Junior Misses' Ranch Pants - $0.45 - 1945
McCall 6288 - Ladies' Blouse - $0.35 - 1945
McCall 6299 - Ladies' Skirt - $0.35 - 1945
McCall 7342 - Ladie's Blouse with Extended Shoulder - $0.35 - 1948
McCall 7243 - Ladies' Skirt - $0.35 - 1948
McCall 7600 - Ladies' Dress - circa 1949
McCall 7760 - Ladies' Suit - circa 1949

McCall's 6834 - Men's Jacket and Swim Trunks - $0.75 - 1963

PICTORIAL REVIEW 

Pictorial Review Ad - 1918

1900-1919
Pictorial Review 1454 - Maid's Apron, Collar and Cuffs 1907
Pictorial Review 4640 - Ladies' Dress 1910
Pictorial Review 6719 - Summer Bathing Suit 1915
Pictorial Review 7015 - Ladies' Dress 1916
Pictorial Review 7604 - Ladies' Dress 1918
Pictorial Review 7639 - Ladies' Dress 1918
Pictorial Review 7737 - Ladies' Skirt 1918
Pictorial Review 7751 - Ladies' Dress 1918
Pictorial Review 1044 - Bathing Suit circa 1919

1920-1929
Pictorial Review 9971 - Ladies' Dress 1922 (Good Housekeeping Ad)
Pictorial Review 1073 - Ladies' Dress 1922 (Good Housekeeping Ad)
Pictorial Review 1107 - Ladies' Blouse 1922 (Good Housekeeping Ad)
Pictorial Review 1216 - Ladies' Gown 1922 (Ladies Home Journal Sept)
Pictorial Review 1463 - Ladies' Dress circa 1923
Pictorial Review 2429 - Ladies' Dress circa 1924
Pictorial Review 2675 - Ladies' Dress circa 1924
Pictorial Review 5633 - Ladies' Evening Gown 1925 ($0.50)
Pictorial Review 5729 - Ladies' Dress Circa 1925
Rictorial Review 5851 - Ladies' Coat Circa 1925

1930-1939
Pictorial Review 4891 - Ladies' Coat - 1930 (November Ad)
Pictorial Review 5226 - Ladies' Coat - 1930 (November Ad)
Pictorial Review 5406 - Ladies' Dress - 1930 (November Ad) (Printed)
Pictorial Review 5420 - Ladies' Dress - 1930 (November Ad)
Pictorial Review 7094 - Ladies' Evening Gown - 1934 (May Magazine)
Pictorial Review 7147 - Ladies' Evening Gown - 1934 (May Magazine)
Pictorial Review 7256 - Ladies' Evening Gown - 1934

If you have patterns you would like to add to help make this list more useful, please list them in a comment or email me.

Thanks and ...

Happy Sewing! 

Edwardian and WWI Eras ... A Little Inspiration

I just needed a little inspiration and sought them in some of my favorite fashion years. I thought I'd share them with you in hopes that you find a little inspiration too.

I found these illustrations on the NYPL Digital Gallery site. It is a terrific resource.

I love these color illustrations as they offer wonderful insights into the color combinations and prints of the times.

<-- c. 1912

c. 1914 Ladies' Evening Gowns and Coats -->

<-- c. 1915 I love the different styles of draping and check out those hats.

c. 1915 Lovely outfits with parasols -->












<-- c. 1917 Cold weather is no reason not to look lovely







The draping, the colors, the details ... ahhhhhh ... I need to improve my sewing skills ...quick!


If you like this post, please take a look at my other posts on these eras.

Happy Sewing!

I Won a Giveaway ... Yeah ... I think.

I won my second giveaway in one year! Yes, the pattern and fabric are just as they appear in the photo. Eileen at Eileen Fashions did not misrepresent the giveaway in any way. BTW, please check out her blog if you are not familiar with it. So, why am I so happy with this "ugly" win? Well, the fabric is growing on me (it reminds me of a lazy boy one of my uncles had) and, as the pattern is not my size, it gives me the opportunity to practice my pattern alterations and to practice working with patterned - plaid - fabrics. Worst case scenario ... I hate it. Best case scenario ... I become a much better seamstress and get a head start on my Halloween Costume. Frankly, I think this is a no lose situation. Thanks Eileen. I am Happy!

Edwardian Era and La Belle Epoque - Sewing Inspiration

Though I'm a long way from tackling an outfit from this wonderful era, it is hot and rainy today and I need a little inspiration. So off I go into cysperspace, circa 1910's ...

Beaded Cotton Gauze Dress, c. 1914 - 1916. This was posted at the Past Perfect Vintage Blog. As I was searching for inspiration, I saw that this post from 2008, which happened to be posted on the day after a rainy day.

Gowns of Queen Maud of Norway, c. 1910 - 1913.

Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown on her wedding day, 1912. I found this photo and a brief bio of this wonderful woman on the Mulatto Diaries blog.

Olga Nicolaevna Romanov, c. 1913. -->

Tea Gown, c. 1910's from The Great Basin Costume Society blog.

A 1912 Ball Gown also shown on The Great Basin Costume Society blog.

Irene Castle in a Tea Gown, c. 1914.

The Tunic Dress, c. 1912. You can see more photos and a detailed description of this dress at the FIDM Museum Blog.

<-- Worth Gown, c. 1907 - 1910.

The wonderful Dreamstress posted these on her blog from the Brooklyn Museum Collection. Click on the link to see the other great photos she has posted.

Worth Gown, c. 1910.-->

Actually, the Dreamstress is the perfect conclusion to my search for inspiration on a rainy day. If you love this era, you should check out the making of her Luna Moth Gown, inspired by this era.

I hope you've enjoyed this little stroll into vintage wonderland. These are only a handful of the beautiful fashions from this era. I do feel inspired and have set a new goal for myself:

To sew a gown inspired by this era to wear on New Year's Eve 2011.

That gives me a little less than a year-and-a-half to develop the skills to make the gown and to develop enough socials skills to be invited to the kind of party where I can wear it. (hehehe)

For now, it's time to back up my computer and do some house work.

I'd love to see your inspiration photos or your sewing projects.

Happy Sewing!

Making Time for Sewing - Stretch Knit and Bias Tape Tutorials

My organizing is taking longer than I thought, though I have managed to organize my notions. That was a real treat. I had no idea how much I have. At this point, the only things I may need to buy for my stretch knit top are needles.

It looks like I will not be ready to sew until next weekend, so I thought I'd take a little time to search out tutorials, which may be useful to me in making my stretch knit top. I am treating myself as a beginner since it has been so long since I have made anything. Through my search, my respect for the online sewing community has expanded enormously. I am so grateful to the many seamstresses and home sewers who are sharing their knowledge.

Here are the tutorials I found:

A Primer on Sewing Knits from Threads Magazine

Sewing with Knits from Patterns by Figgy's

From TeachSew.com -
Sewing with Knit Fabrics
Cutting out a Pattern Using Knit Fabric
Shoulder Seams
Knit Neckline - Sewing "In-the-Round"
Inserting Arms using Knit Fabrics
Finishing Knit Top

Tips for Working with Knits & Mock-Coverstitch Tutorial from Sew, Mama Sew!

Knit Neckline from The Sewing Divas

How to Make Bias Tape from Collette Patterns

From Amanda's Adventures in Sewing
Bias Seam Tutorial
Bias Tape Covered Seam Tutorial
Bias Tape Finish for Necklines and Armholes

Sew Your Own Ribbing Fabric from The Sewing Divas

I hope you find these helpful too. And, please stop by these sites and blogs to see what they are up to now.

Happy Sewing!

Sewing Pattern Giveaway - Retro 30's - 40s - 50's - 60's - 70's

I hope that all in the USA had a wonderful July 4th and to those in the rest of the world, I hope you had a great weekend.

I'll be posting later this week but, in the mean time, I wanted to tell you about a great pattern giveaway at My Happy Sewing Place.

Debi, who has a great blog, is giving away one pattern from each decade between the 1930's and the 1970's. Check out the rules here to enter. I've included two photos but there are five patterns up for the giveaway. Don't wait. The deadline is tomorrow night.

Happy Sewing!

Making Space ... Picking Patterns ... Closer to Sewing

I haven't gotten as far as I would like to on my plan to make space but I am definitely closer to my first sewing project. Though I am not finished creating a space to sew in, I did organize my patterns - a little stunned by how many I have - and fabrics and I've begun to organize my notions. AND, I have chosen my first pattern.

Simplicity 7395 - I'm going to sew the top in a bright yellow cotton stretch terry cloth I bought in high school. The pattern is from 1976. I really like the neckline but may modify the sleeves a bit. I would like to make at least one more top before making the wrap skirt.

Though I'm not ready to SWAP, I did choose two more patterns but I can not decide which to make for my second project. McCall's 6379 is a pullover blouse pattern from 1978. I like views B and D.

The other pattern I am considering is a poet's blouse by Sew & Sew 3125 from 1993.

I'd love your opinion on which one you think should be my second project. Suggestions for fabrics would be welcome as well since I will be going on my first fabric shopping trip in years for my second project.

These are baby steps but I'm feeling good. My goal is to start sewing right after the July 4th holiday. So, it's back to work on my "Making Space" for sewing plan.

Happy Sewing!

Making Changes ... Making Space for Change

Frustration was the theme this week ... frustration with myself. There are so many things I would like to do and changes I would like to make and I am very aware that there is not an infinity of time. Yet, it seems that there is always a reason why I can't do this, a conflict that prevents me from doing that, a commitment that must take precedence over the plans I have made.

Alright, we all have responsibilities and commitments we must attend to but most of us can make room for other things in our lives. I refuse to let this frustration become overwhelming and to just give up. I have decided to look at my life as it is now and figure out what is really getting in the way. What have I discovered so far?

I haven't made space for the things I want to change in my life and add to my life.

When I say space, I don't just mean physical space but also space in time and mentally. For example: Sewing. I have finally made the commitment to return to sewing but have yet to begin. I have the sewing machine, patterns to choose from, fabric and notions and I have this wonderful blog community to reach out to for advice and encouragement. But, I don't have the space to sew. Rather, I have not created the space to sew.

Yes, I live in a small apartment and yes, a lot of my space does double duty. But I want to sew. And though I have decided to spend some of my free time sewing, I haven't made the time. I've just counted on the time being there. And mentally, I am continuing to find other things to do instead of sewing. I am not making the space.

Time to make space in my life for what I want in my life and, to that end, here's my plan for the week.

1) All of my sewing supplies and notions and create a storage space that is for crafting only.

2) Create a work space for my sewing - it will probably be a shared space with my business work space.

3) Practice setting up and breaking down the work space. (I know this may sound silly but for those of you who have small spaces, you know how frustrating it can be to have an hour to sew or to craft but to have to spend the first fifteen minutes setting up and the last fifteen minutes breaking down the space.)

4) Clean and oil my sewing machine.

5) Choose my pattern and fabric.

6) Schedule time to sew and sew.

My goal is to begin laying out an cutting my fabric by next Saturday. Before the end of next week I will set a specific time for this.

Thank you for reading and letting me vent.

Are you making space in your life for the things you want? Have you been frustrated like me? Do you have any good advice for making space? I would love to hear from you.

Happy Sewing!

More on Slopers ... Fitted Garments ... DARTS

I am DETERMINED to sew this summer and frustrated that my work schedule is getting in the way ... but, a girl's gotta make a living.

I am consoling myself by looking through the great sewing blogs and websites when I have ten or fifteen minutes to learn and re-learn as much as I can before I begin. During today's ten minutes I found a guest posting at Sew Mama Sew by Sarai Mitnick of Collette Patterns . The topic: Darts.

Sarai gives a very simple but vauluable tutorial on darts, which can be applied to your sloper, muslin, or projects you are making or altering. The illustrations are very helpful and easy to understand.

I am so sew happy I finally entered the world of the blog. I am learning so much and I am continually inspired by these creative people who are willing to share their knowledge.

Happy Sewing!

Vintage Sewing Inspiration - 1918 WWI Dress

Though I am still far away from attempting to sew a garment with one of my vintage Edwardian or WWI Patterns, I have just been incredibly inspired by Rita at the Vintage Sewing Blog.

Rita has done a wonderful job creating this 1918 New Idea Pattern:

If you are interested in this era of vintage sewing and fashion, or if you just appreciate vintage sewing projects, you should check out her "diary" on the making of this 1918 Dress. She has great photos of the process and the finished dress plus notes, which may prove helpful in your future projects.

(Note: You will also see some notes on a 1931 Dress, which you should check out if that is more your era.)

Thanks for the inspiration, Rita!

Happy Sewing!

Simplicity Sewing Patterns - 40% Off Sale

I just found on another sewing blog a notice of a 40% off sale on Simplicity Patterns - thank you, Diary of a Sewing Fanatic. The sale is only until Friday, May 28th and doesn't include It's Sew Easy and New Look.

The promo code is: BLOGPS40. Enter it when you check out.

You can use this link to Simplicity or just go to the site yourself to shop.

Happy shopping and sewing.

100 Days Challenge ... Making Changes for Good

I hope some of you in cyberspace will join me in this challenge. Like many of you, I have been trying to change my life for more than half my life. Determination, "don't try, do it," the "light bulb" moment, Monday, to save my life, fill in the blank __________; I've tried and done so many things to change my life for the better. I have made some changes but not enough to really set myself on the path I want to be on in my life.

I have my month of May goals and I am still working on those. However, I've been reading a lot of about changing habits, making new habits and dropping bad habits and I realized that most of my efforts have not taken into account the way the mind works beyond the concept of "willpower."

I'm sure many of you have seen articles on changing or adopting habits. Recently, 21 days seems to be the magic number in the "how to change a habit" craze. That made no sense to me because I can and have followed many programs and dropped many bad habits for at least 21 days. So, I kept reading. And I found that, yes, you can change or adopt some habits in 21 days

but ...

and this is a big one ... what if you are trying to change a habit or replace a habit that you have been practicing for years? Well, I came to understand that habits can become ingrained in the mind and their triggers can as well. You may change a habit and feel you've overcome and still, days, weeks, or years later, you experience some trigger and it is as if you'd never made the change. Well, it turns out that, like most of our muscles, the brain has muscle memory, which is great when it is a good habit but not so great when it is a bad habit.

I encountered this during the past week and a half. I was doing very well, maintaining and practicing good habits. I was ready for whatever came next ... I thought. A sudden out of town trip, a family event and a small crisis at work were enough to derail me. Now what?

The 100 Days Challenge

Starting today through September 1, 2010, I want to do something to not only adopt new habits but also to thwart some of the triggers, which have derailed me in the past.

My Personal 100 Days Challenge -

For the next 100 days, I will spend the first 10 to 15 minutes of the day on me, doing a sequence of exercises and stretches to start my day off right. Even if I wake up late or if there are other things tugging at my time, I will spend these first minutes of the day changing old patterns and adopting new habits. If, and only if, I firmly establish this habit, will I add a new challenge, a new habit to adopt, break, or change.

My hope is that by changing the way I enter my day, I will avoid and suppress some of the triggers which have proved my undoing in the past. I know it may seem like a small thing but I wanted something I felt confident in committing to for the next one hundred days.

Okay, that's my personal 100 Days Challenge! What's yours?

It doesn't matter how small or how large. It doesn't matter what day you start. It doesn't matter what kind of change you make, as long as it is about making your life better: Health, Diet, Sewing, Family, Career, Beading, whatever you want to do. Just make a decision about what you want to change or what to want to add to you life and commit. This is about improving life and breaking habits that sabotage that goal. And, PLEASE, post a comment to let us know what you are doing and how you are doing as the time goes by.

I can do it! You can do it! We can do it!

Sewing Tutorials Online ... Pattern Alterations, Techniques, Fabric, etc.

Sew Tutorials is a great resource and will save you from spending too much time searching the web for how to sites. The last entry on this blog was March 11, 2009, which is unfortunate. However, the blog is still up and contains organized links to many tutorials on the web.

Here are some of the topics and links:

General Sewing
Pattern Alterations
Fabrics - How to Determine - Use - Prepare
Use of Special Sewing Feet
Interfacing
Using Serger and Coverstitch
Zippers
Buttons - Buttonholes - Button Loops

Sense & Sensibility Patterns has a very good tutorial as well titled "How to Resize a Pattern."

Happy Sewing!

More on Slopers and Muslins

This is just a quick note to let you know about another link I found on slopers. This on is on the Threads Magazine webiste. The article is called "Drape a Skirt Sloper." This is a very clear and detailed tutorial.

Another tutorial on this site, which looks invaluable for creating a good custom fit is "Get the Right Armhole, Fit the Bodice." Not only does it offer good tips on fitting for your body type - with illustrations, it also walks you through applying these tips to making a well-fitting bodice muslin.

I hope these help.

Happy Sewing!

How to Make a Sloper ... Vintage Sewing

Last night was a long one for me. Since sleep was allusive, I decided to check out some of the sewing blogs I like and I found a great entry on Sew Craftful's blog titled "How to Make a Sloper." Callie, who is Sew Craftful, offers a lot of great advice and instructions.

I agree with Callie that making a sloper is essential for getting a great fit with vintage patterns. However, I also believe this holds true for sewing with contemporary patterns as well. Though a time consuming project, initially, I believe it is worth it. I'm not sure I will make a sloper as my first project, but I will make it one of my early projects ... maybe third or fourth. The only reason for waiting is that I believe my first two or three projects may be simpler garments then the sloper will be.

Here are some additional entries on the Sew Craftful site, which should be helpful to the beginning or returning sewer/seamstress:

How to Take Body Measurements
How to Take Measurements Hints and Suggestions
How to Make a Basic Pattern
How to Make a Pattern from an Original Garment
How to Pick a Starter Vintage Sewing Pattern -- These guidelines may be helpful those who want to start with a contemporary pattern as well.
How to Compare a Basic to a Commercial Pattern
The Benefits of Working with a Muslin Mock Up or Test Pattern

A Bed Sheet By Any Other Name ... A Muslin

I was inspired by Gertie's Blog for Better Sewing and her entries on muslins - start with "What's Your Muslin Strategy?" and check out some of the comments as well. I decided that, even though I plan to choose a simple pattern for my first project, I should do a muslin. It's about getting back to basics and working on my skills from the beginning.

Well, it is a busy time for me and I know I won't get to a fabric store soon but I felt a need to make progress towards my first sewing project. There's a bedding store in my neighborhood that's open until 8:00 pm. Coming home I saw they had queen size flat sheets for $9.99. I bought one to use as a muslin. Flat queen size sheets are 81" x 96" which translates to 4.25 yards of 44" wide muslin, making allowance for the hems and finished borders. That's less then $2.50 per yard and I didn't have to spend extra money on public transportation or gas to get to the store.

I'm feeling good about this. I believe I can finish my first project before the end of May.

I hope all of your projects are happy and successful!

Sewing ... Preparing to Sew

I started sewing when I was about seven. My Grandmother taught me on her 1923 Singer ... just a straight stitch, not even a back stitch or zig zag. I loved it from the start. I was a kid who bounced off walls when I wasn't hanging upside down in trees or spinning on my head on the living room floor. The concept of me being able to sit quietly in front of a sewing machine for hours was pretty farfetched ... but I did.

In middle school I started sewing in the high school's costume shop and by the time I was in college I was being paid to work in the iniversity's costume shop. I also made various pieces of clothing for my personal wardrobe, including a prom dress and two other gowns. The last thing I worked on was a gown for a Moliere play. Then life quicked in: I got an internship and a job to support it, began working on my career, and so on ... It's been more than fifteen years since I've sewn a thing.

I've been thinking about returning to sewing for a long while but there have always been barriers ... not enough space in my apartment, not enough time, no sewing machine ...

Now, fate/luck/coincidence is at work and pushing me towards what I want to be doing. As I was standing on my front stoop talking to a neighbor, a man from the building next door put a sewing machine out for trash pick-up. I asked him if it worked. He said it did but he didn't sew and didn't know anything about it. Turns out it's a vintage Singer Dressmaker 2402 with all metal parts and very heavy. There were a few presser feet and bobbins in the case but no cams or manuals. It's in decent condition and I now have a recent sewing machine.

Next, I found some fabric in my mom's attic while looking for the Christmas ornaments. It's fabric I bought a long while ago but never got to use. And, I still like it.

More recently, another neighbor was moving and had a piece of 2'x4.5' 1/4" plywood that she was going to throw out. Eureka, I had found a cutting board which can be covered in paper or cloth easily as needed.

I've been collecting patterns over the last few years so what's stopping me? Just me.

Goals for the week:
1) Create a sewing and crafting space in my apartment.
2) Choose a pattern for my first project.

I'm actually getting exited about this.

Some of the blogs and sites that are motivating and inspiring me:

Amanda's Adventures in Sewing - great how-to advice
Diary of a Sewing Fanatic
Lower Your Presser Foot
Sew Retro
The Fashionable Past - Vintage Photos, Patterns, How-To & more
Zip Zip's Vintage Sewing - great how-to advice

I hope all of your projects are happy and successful!