Patterns, Fabric, and Books...Oh my! And a Giveaway

I figured I should put a moratorium on fabric buying for February after my gluttonous online extravaganza in January, but February is over, baby! I headed to the pattern sale at Joann on Saturday and couldn't resist a quick peek at G Street. I found this gorgeous silk on the remnant rack, and remnants were 25% off, so I got 1 yard of this 45" wide silk print for $7.50. I definitely see it as a Spring blouse/top, but I don't have any immediate ideas considering the limited fabric. Simplicity 2936 might work, but I would need to test out the pattern and it calls for 1 3/4 yard in 45 wide. That seems like a lot for a simple blouse, and I wonder if I might manage to squeeze it out. The other issue is that the motif is huge (12 inch quilting ruler is on there for reference), so it might be better to do a pullover top rather than a button front. I am ok with pullover woven tops for now, but it's not a durable style, in my opinion. I think they'll only work for about 3 years and then be passe again. But I suppose three years out of a $7.50 length of fabric isn't a *total* loss.



I've purchased, ahem, a fair number of patterns lately. This isn't all of them but these are the ones I am currently obsessed with.

Vogue 1170, Rachel Comey Knot Blouse. It has a little of the same feel as 1935 Vintage Vogue 2859; I made that one of a printed silk and LOVE. I may use my floral silk from Vietnam. I'm not wild about the back buttons. I might change that to a back neck slit with single button at the neck and side zip.

Vogue 8633, Shift dress with little built-in collar. I guess this is one of the new patterns, as there are no reviews for it. I totally love it. That little collar is so fancy. I am into straight/pencil skirts and dresses right now and have (relatively) few of either in my closet. I just have to decide on a fabric. There is a fabric in my stash that would work, I think, but I've had it in my head for another pattern for at least three years. But the other pattern is kind of novelty and possibly a little sexy for work. But it will be a psychological journey to give up the idea of that dress.

Butterick 5382, pleat neck dress. To me, this is a better version of Vogue 8593, or better for me, at any rate. I've learned that my pear shape really needs a waist seam so that the skirt can be larger than the bodice. Vertical darts are not enough.

Butterick 5455, Maggy London shift with pleated V neck. I was going to pass this up because it seems similar to several other things I have. But hey, it was only 99 cents. This is how I end up with too many patterns. I'm thinking it will be good for the vintagey floral cotton I got in Hong Kong.

Butterick 5454, Wrap dress for border prints. Little Hunting Creek suggested this pattern for the gorgeous fabric I got from Marji and I am digging the suggestion. I also have a polka dot border print knit to make up, so if it doesn't go for Marji's fabric then maybe the polka dot.

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I picked up You Know You Want It by Eric Daman from the library's new book shelf when I was browsing for non-fiction. Daman is the costume designer for Gossip Girl. I watched a season of the show because a friend's sister's then-now-ex-husband is the producer and the friend had viewing parties for it. I was amused by the teenagers who lead lives more sophisticated than I will ever have, and the clothes are fantastic. Daman knows his stuff when it comes to costuming a cast.

Unfortunately, it does not seem that writing is one of his gifts. The book is not so much a style manual as a current fashion magazine without ads. Now don't get me wrong, the fashion spreads are gorgeous and he shows a lot of cute, current clothes. It's more like a fashion primer--this is a boat neck, this is a V neck, etc. etc.--than a style manual. The spreads below showcase a season and a style. They're gorgeous, but they don't really tell you anything.







Beautiful styling, little content, anchored firmly in current trends. I recommend a flip through the book in the bookstore, but I don't know that it would be worth owning.

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To make room for my new patterns I finally went through my stash and culled out a couple of dozen. In an attempt to make Spring sprung already, I'm giving away a grouping of sundress patterns. To enter the giveaway, please comment, clearly indicate that you are entering the drawing, and tell me what you are most looking forward to about Spring, your favorite Spring colors, your must-have Spring piece, or just how much you hate winter. The winner will be chosen by drawing.



The patterns are all uncut and in the smaller size range; the giveaway is for the whole group (i.e., one person will win all four patterns).

Butterick 6586 (OOP)
Simplicity 4531
McCall 5655
New Look 6146 (OOP)

And the Winner Is... Plus More Project Planning

Using the random number generator at random.org, Myra is the winner of the vintage girls' patterns! Very appropriate for someone whose blog name is "Adventures in Baby Sewing."

It is already in the mail, so hopefully it gets there soon! This was fun; I will do it again eventually.

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So in the category of thinking more than sewing, here is my latest project list. I have been keeping a pen and paper list of projects for a couple years, but I am really loving the visual representation of the project list as well. It's a little more exciting.

This is a mix of new fabric and deep stash. The red rayon print for the BWOF raglan sleeve blouse is rescued from a UFO project I finally acknowledged was a huge failure. I've had it for at least 5 years, because I know I moved it into my condo and my five year anniversary is this weekend. The denim and the orange knit are from just a few weeks ago. Everything else is somewhere in between.

Where am I going to start? Who knows. By the time I finished this composite I already had ideas for millions more projects, including the one I finished last night and a purse. Some of these projects are not necessarily planned for right away; the Butterick 5318 is more for early Spring/Fall, and (touch wood) it is FINALLY warm in DC, so I may not get to it until the end of summer. I just wanted to get it down before I forgot!


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But what of the last plan? You might ask.

Ah yes. Well. I have actually completed three items, and have one traced and cut. I am still loving the remaining projects, except my choice of pattern for the yellow eyelet dress, on which I have been waffling for over a year. I saw a girl in an eyelet shirtdress on the street yesterday and loved the look of it. But I think an eyelet shirtdress needs a fuller skirt and I have only 2 yards. I am now on the lookout for a princess seamed sleeveless shirtdress with a notched collar. I haven't actually gone through my pattern stash or anything. Hopefully I have something suitable in there.

So, I still have plans that someday those projects will get done as well. This is a four day weekend for me and I have planned to do little other than sew (aside from some social excursions). I am hoping to get four projects done. Ambitious, I know.

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I am meeting a friend for happy hour tonight at Vegetate. If you're in the DC area, you should check it out. It goes until 8 and mini (veggie) burgers are only $3.50 and they are awesome. Definitely the best veggie burgers I've ever had, and as a vegetarian for 17 years I've had many. The last time we met there she took the urban chic pictures of the Tracy Reese dress. I'm going to try to talk her into a repeat performance this evening.

Vintage Pattern Giveaway and Stashaholism Confessional

So a while back I posted about a big bag of vintage patterns from my friend Courtney's grandmother. The bag contained several darling children's patterns. Although I love sewing for Marvel, I don't see myself getting all elaborate.

So here's your chance to score some vintage girls' patterns!

The bottom three are size 10, the top two are a 14 and a 12, respectively. Here are the measurements for the sizes:

Girls' 10: 28" chest, 24" waist, 30" hip (71 cm/61 cm/76 cm)
Girls' 12: 30/25/32.5 (76 cm/63.5 cm/82.5 cm)
Girls' 14: 32/26/35 (81 cm/66 cm/90 cm)

I just love the little Chanel style jacket on the lower right. And how cute is that double-breasted cropped 3/4 sleeve jacket. And so on trend right now!

Rules:
-Leave a comment Wednesday or Thursday
-You must have commented sometime within the past 6 months
-I will mail anywhere in the world
-Provide a way for me to contact you. If your profile links to your blog, I can contact you through that. Otherwise, please send your email address to trena_b at h o t m a i l dot com (indicating the name you use to leave comments so I can match email addresses to names). That is my spam email address--not a good way to contact me on a regular basis as I never check it--but I don't want my real email address to fall victim to spambots.

I need to go to the Post Office on Friday to mail my mom's birthday gift, so I'll try to do the quickest giveaway ever! On Friday morning I will randomly choose a name, email the person, and hopefully get their address in time to head to the PO with gift and patterns in hand.

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It was Fashion Sewing Club last Saturday (changed from the usual second Saturday because of Mother's Day, which worked out well for me as I had been in Texas on the Second Saturday). I restrained myself to one piece, an off white poly lace. It is freezing cold in my office so I have to wear sweaters in the summer. Right now that means a ratty, oversized, black, ready to wear cardigan. I plan to make something a littler cuter and more summery out of this. I'm thinking a very simple "Chanel" style sweater. I use quotation marks because it will have no structure or embellishment; the only thing Chanel will be the round neckline and straight/square center front opening (as opposed to the traditional cardigan V).

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I desperately need to take photographs! I have several projects finished--including the fixed white high waisted BWOF 03-2009-104 skirt--but I've been all broken out and also busy. I have a nice long 4 day weekend (!!!!!) ahead of me, about which I could not possibly be more excited, so I will work on taking pictures. Even though I will likely still be broken out. I'll have to learn how to use the touchup tool.