Happy Birthday Kansas!

Ad Astra per Aspera
(To the stars through difficulties)

Re-Purposed For My Own Purposes

Here's an example of something I made from one of the vintage patterns in my collection.

I tend to be too much of a fabric junkie to resist buying new fabric when I get my hands on a new pattern. In this instance I believe that I acquired the pattern and fabric at the same place—an unusually fruitful stoop sale. Most of the time these involve lots of toys and uninspiring clothing, but I came across one a few years ago that had a whiff of professional estate-sales type to it. I purchased a couple of cool patterns, including this one (and one from the 20s, which I have yet to even unwrap for fear of it disintegrating in my sweaty little hands). I also bought an old flowered tablecloth from her. It had a few stains, but I was just starting to buy vintage cottons fabrics and it seemed so delightfully cheap. I can't say for sure that I had the idea of making the shirt from the tablecloth at that moment, but it all came together pretty quickly. The fabric wasn't quite big enough, so I pulled some heavy white linen out of my stash and covered the seams with ribbon that mostly matched—see my forearms). I avoided the biggest stains when I was laying it out, but some still made it onto the pieces. My solution to that was to pull out my embroidery thread and do a little wacky, girlie, florally, freehand embroidery wherever the shirt looked a little icky.

Here's another angle (where I seem to be arching my back in an uncomfortable way!)



And, a nice little detail shot.
Eat your heart out, Anthropologie.*



This was a super easy blouse. I like the look of button-down shirts, but I can't say no to one that tosses that aside and says "Just use a side zipper on me." The woman in the pattern obviously agrees with me. She looks so casual and free! I also ended up making the pants from this pattern. They were an exercise in patience and alterations. I am no fan of low-rise jeans, but I am also not a huge proponent of pants that are so modest that they practically billow out and rise up to meet your ribcage, if not quite your armpits. I am on the thin side, yes, but I swear I had to take in at least 3-4 inches on every seam anywhere near my waist and hips. And I made it in a dark, ahem, stretch denim. Occasionally I will try something on "in progress" and end up in laughter.
This was definitely one of those times. Those pants probably wouldn't have seen the light of day except that I trimmed the cuffs with some cute vintage bunny ribbon.
Bunnies solve nearly all of my problems.


*Okay, okay, I'm sorry, anthro. Will you still let me come in and at least peruse your sale racks?

Trying to Get Organized

I didn't technically make any New Year's resolutions (and I usually don't anyway) but I definitely feel the urge to straighten up and organize things.
To that end, I have been trying to scan my vintage patterns so that A) I can keep track of what I own, and B) I don't totally destroy them by dragging them out every couple of weeks to paw over them. In theory I can check out the yardage requirements if I'm scooting out to fabric-shop over my lunch hour, too. (Although I do already have fabric for Ms. McCall's 9666 up there.)
Then, when I've gotten really organized I can start posting them to this and posting pictures of garments I've actually made from them. Someday.



When I started collecting them I was heavily into the 50's patterns. I still am, but am also finding myself thoroughly charmed by the super-simple mod patterns such as this lovely lady.

I've even found myself eyeing a 70s-era pattern(!). I'm going to have to draw the line somewhere—nothing past 1979 for me...the 80's were not a good thing, fashion-wise as far as I'm concerned.