I Triumph, Finally!

I am triumphant, have finished the dress. But first, a photo of the bible cover.


It isn't exactly the way I wanted, but is quite serviceable. Rather completely suits the needs I have .

This evening we went to take photos for a pictorial directory at our church. I love photographs as they stop time. The kids will never be this age again. However, a photo does show all that is wrong with a body from the dark circles under the eyes to the feeling you should have a sign that says "Wide Load" posted on your back side. Just when I think I am looking okay, some thing happens to pull that out from under you. Like seeing a photo of yourself, and the photo looks way worse than the way you see yourself. I always, and I mean always, look heavier in a photo than I see myself looking honestly in the mirror. Very depressing to say the least. I even put makeup on, feel like a ton of it, and then took a couple of photos of my myself. Holding the camera out in one hand while guessing where to look is a tad bit wearing on the posture. At any rate, looking at the photos I took, it doesn't even look like me. Kind of weird disembody thing.

Okay, here is the dress from heck. All finished.

I apologize for the quality of the photo, I am not good at setting up shots. You can't really tell from the photo, there is gathering on the top of both shoulders. The bodice is actually in two pieces, kind of wrap over thing but stitched together. If you look over previous postings you will find the photo of the pattern I used. It is Butterick 6582 http://crftysahm.blogspot.com/2010/08/cutting-is-done.html and used view C with the circle skirt. For all the frustration I had, feel it turned out pretty good. It may not be that "Wow!" I had envisioned in my head, but totally wearable. A small miracle in itself. I tried it on and by the time I get the belt on over the waist seam, it will really look better. I sure wish you could see the front of the bodice and shoulders better.

I think that I will make this pattern again in the future, just not immediate future. So, that is actually number 3 on my Self-stitched Sept. list. My goal is 12 items, sewn, and worn, by myself and daughter Miss J.

I am nodding off as I type and need to get all this war paint off my face and go to bed. I have to get up early in the morning and make something up to take to WBS (Wednesday Bible Study) for our table.

Thanks for stopping in, will post more when there is more to say.

Cutting is done.

I finally got done cutting. I have some sewing projects.



This is the pattern I am making first, it is for my mom. Making the shorter version with the quarter sleeve. She wants a comfy dress to wear of an evening to play cards and dominoes. The ladies have some pretty hot games going in the evening there at mom's place. I saw this blue paisley fabric and just fell in love with it. Especially at just under $3.oo a yard. It is a cotton blend so will wash and wear nicely. The gold is going to be the yoke. You can't really tell in this photo, but the outline is this same color gold. I needed a plain fabric for the yoke as I intend to embroider on it to dress it up a bit. Just don't want it to look like a house coat. I looked over some posting to blogs from some people that had already made this. Interesting was how consistent on the view that this pattern was sized generously, or had a lot of ease. After reading those postings, I decided on a size for mom and made no adjustments. This is kind of a practice piece anyway, before I use the fabric she picked.

In fact, I was so taken by the fabric that I bought the whole piece, about 6 1/2 yards. To make mom's dress and to make me a dress, I needed 7 1/3 yards, but since the yoke was out of a different fabric I decided to just go for it and with some careful cutting was able to get my dress out of it as well. There actually is a direction to the print, so used a little more fabric than I would normally so I could get all the pieces going the same way. In fact, I have enough scrap left over to make a doll outfit to start my little online business with. I decided on this pattern for my dress.

I love the look of vintage clothes. The lines are simple and elegant. This is a reprint of a vintage pattern Butterick 6582, so it is in current sizing instead of the sizing used years ago. I don't fit any of the ranges completely, so I just went by the bust and hips figuring that the bust is more fitted than the hips. I lengthened the bodice as I am long waisted and dresses are always hitting me a little short which bugs me, makes me want to keep trying to pull it down. However, in all my pride of remembering to do this, I forgot to add to the waist width. Hopefully it will fit, if not will just have to work a little harder to whittle that waist. I am doing the full skirt version. I even cut out the fabric for the belt, which I did remember to add a few inches to. I will have to head to JoAnn's to get a zipper and see if they still make those belt kits that come with the buckles. If the dress fits well enough to wear, am thinking I may make a red belt and wear red shoes with it.

While I was cutting, I got a little scissor happy and cut out a skirt for Miss J and a bible cover for my new bible. It is a larger bible than my old one so doesn't quite fit. Am using pre-quilted fabric for the cover and no pattern, just making it up. Will see how that goes. I do love the fabric though, will post a photo when I am done with the cover. I am thinking I will go back and get a little more and make a casserole carrier out of it too.

I have posted my plan, have had a sandwich, have laundry moved around, have chicken in the crock pot for supper. Have four projects cut out and am ready to sew. Will see how far I get this evening. Check back and see how it goes.

Tomorrow Is The Day?

Tomorrow is the day I will start on dear daughter 13's new skirt and blouse. She has orientation for high school tomorrow so I plan on dropping her off and coming home and cutting, cutting, and cutting. I laugh a little chuckle, my youngest son (now 20 years old) would say this "cutting, cutting, cutting" as he took the pink plastic sign from my steak at a restaurant and use it like a knife to cut his muffin or roll. The place was known for their blueberry muffins they served while you waited for your food. Sorry, getting a little vintage there.

When I went shopping with daughter, Payless is havin a buy one get one half off, so I got a pair of school shoes for me...well hubby thinks they are school shoes anyway. LOL lovely pair of black high heels, satin finish, very vintage looking. Will look lovely with some of the vintage dresses I am planning on making. And that hat that I am going to buy. Funny thing, the hat I found that is stuck in my mind is definitely of a 30's or 40's vintage, as I mentioned earlier was one I saw on Olivia Walton often.
Okay, after doing a little research, the hat I have fallen in obsessive lust over is more like a replica of a 1920's cloche hat like this one. Except the one I found has brown trim. At any rate, will have to make a dress to go with it that is similar styled. No flapper dress, but am thinking early 40's will work. I also came across a great find in my closet. One of my mom's old hats that I some how ended up with...em, took possession of...a while back. A lovely example of 1950 or so as the style is something you would see on Mad Men (which I am totally hooked on now) and my daughter wore it in a vintage fashion show we took place in. Hmm, I will have to find those photos of her and post them as she looked so cute in those vintage styles. At any rate, when I found it, knew that it would it would go with. One of those Vogue vintage patterns that I just bought and found just the right fabric at Hancock's today to make it up. Well, if it is still there when we get paid again. LOL Along those lines, found a wonderful bright blue mock wrap dress out of polished linen that is so 50's styled I just had to purchase it. Best part, it was over half off.


The idiot neighbors have been their drunken, loud, annoying bunch of loud mouths again and thanks to them and all-night-in-to-the-morning-hours of partying (like 3 AM) I am running on about eight hours of total sleep over the past three nights. Things are pretty quiet over there tonight so I am going to try the pain-free PM medicine that I bought again and see if I can actually get some sleep for a change. Have to actually get up early and have daughter at school in the morning for her thing.


Other than that, have been working on the crocheted green-yellow monster that I am struggling with wanting to just frog it all out. But am so close to finishing, although I have no idea what I will do with it when I am.


To end on a very positive note, I actually won something. Angela over at Sew Loquacious, a blog that I really enjoy following lately, ran a rewind contest. We were suppose to post a project that was from, or showed, the 70's. You can read more about it on her blog if you pop over there. I entered a photo of a granny square afghan I made back in the late 70's and my entry won. I can't wait to get my prizes. A sewing book (which will be great for brushing up on some forgotten skills, maybe never had, while doing all this sewing I have planned) and the coolest macrame (or crocheted) white owl with a large plastic ring to hang a towel or rag off of. I actually had one of these in my bedroom growing up that I made as a 4-H project, it was made of jute and macrame, that I hung all my hair ribbons on. SO COOL to have that memory come up and to actually win something.


Also, I can't believe that after spending most of the day taking mom around that I came home and actually got a two week menu plan knocked out. Even have most of third week done, will finish up fourth week and make up the grocery list tomorrow evening as well. After I finish sewing up daughter's school outfit I plan to set a day aside to cook ahead a few things or at least get some prep work out of the way. I planned a certain kind of food for each week so I don't make too much of the same thing. You know, 5 days in a row of ground beef or chicken. Kind of like the 50's lifestyle when mom planned meatloaf every Tuesday or roast every Sunday. Here is my plan.


Meaty Monday - any kind of beef
Tweety Tuesday - chicken
Weirdo Wednesday - what ever isn't beef or chicken
Too Busy Thursday - crock pot as this is quilting day at church
Freebie Friday - clean out fridge since football has started and everyone will be gone
Slow Saturday - again, since football has started will only be daughter and I so slow and easy
Surprise Sunday - surprise being who actually shows up so will fix big family


There is a group of bloggers that all post their menu plans on Mondays and I am going to join in on that. Here is this week's menu.


Monday - Roast, green beans, mashed potatoes - even made a pineapple upside down bundt cake.
Tuesday - Bacon Chicken Rolls, sweet corn casserole, boiled okra
Wednesday - Baked Pork Chops, carrots, cucumber salad
Thursday - Crock pot Amish Dinner, rolls
Friday - Left overs
Saturday - Sandwiches, chips
Sunday - Burgers, chips


Okay, so I spent yesterday watching a marathon of "The Next Food Network Star" and was a little inspired. It is on the Food Network, of course, and was really interesting. Don't think Arrti should of won, I liked Tom better, but no one asked me. Daughter thinks I should enter the next one. Like if I was actually chosen I could leave the family for that many weeks. SOOO very tempting at the moment though. Besides, I don't have the foggiest notion as to what most of those cooking terms even mean. I can cook good food, but ordinary food. I have to have a recipe as well, have no idea what the egg does to the flour or how much of what spice is enough or too much. But I did learn, after watching the show, that I have been pronouncing potatoes gratin wrong all these years. My, do I sound hick when I say it. Do I care? Not at all, I have no illusions of being Julia Child or even Paula Dean (which my accent is closer to) but that is quite fine since my family doesn't eat those styles of food. Well, they would eat Paula's and listening her to talk sure reminds me of home. Especially during one of the challenges when she said one of the cooks was "cuter than a bug's ear". May just have to go back and peruse some of her recipes for even more down home inspiration. I did however find one of my old cookbooks that teaches all kinds of techniques (actually stole it from and ex-boyfriend) and pulled it out so I can maybe practice a different technique once a month...or so.


OH MY GOSH! Just when I thought we were getting a night of reprieve, the neighbors have just started up, at just after ten in the evening, can hear them in the pool and pulling out the glass bottles which causes one of the women to turn in to a really loud cackling hen. You know the laugh I mean. The pool thing? Let's just say that from in here, every time someone jumps in it sounds just like one of those mortar type fireworks going off. Good grief. Meds here I come.


Will post my progress on the sewing tomorrow or the next day. Thanks for stopping in.

Will I ever get there?

Been shopping for youngest daughter's school clothes all week. She will be going in to 9th grade which is high school in our district. I can honestly say that there are very few of the fashions that I would have been allowed out of the house in when I was that age. A lot of the fashions I just don't understand. To me they are not flattering, no shape. Kind of reminds me of the 80's disco meets grunge. At any rate, trying to be a good mom and not stifle her finding her own style, we were successful and found a some what happy medium. She likes the look and fit, I like the coverage. Although I still think those bleached jeans look like they were thrown in the floor of the laundry room and left where the towels had bleach spilled all over them. Reminds me of cleaning up vomit actually, but then I can remember a few battles with my mom over fashion sense as well.

On the positive side, my youngest daughter did pick out some patterns and fabric and asked me to make it for her to wear the first day of school.


I hope to start on it soon. Still trying to get a few things cleaned up around the house and get the time to just start cutting and sewing. They are easy patterns, so won't take as long to sew as it does to cut probably. Am slow at cutting out, but sew quite quickly. I am so eager to just sew, anything, that I am struggling with my determination not to start on anything until I can get the house done up a bit. My resolve is weakening. The other part of that is that at those teen years, I am just happy to have my daughter make this request of me. She has black high heels to wear with it that we snagged at the thrift store. Really great find.

Speaking of great finds. I went to a thrift store while visiting my daughter when the grand son was born.


It was $1.99 and I just couldn't resist. It really is a bit small for her, but at that price just couldn't pass it up. The fabric is worth something.

This is a close up of the bead work which is all over the dress. I figure even if I cut it up for another project, I couldn't have bought the beaded fabric for that amount. Am actually tossing around the idea of mixing the beaded fabric with some black satin and making her a skirt out of it. Think it will be really cute and dressy. As well as fabric I would not be able to purchase around here.


Along the lines of my vintage obsession...I took advantage of the recent sale on Vogue patterns and picked up three. I know, not really that many but I have not had a great history with Vogue to begin with and I am trying to be really good and not overwhelm myself or the bank account with all this planning of projects. I found a hat at the mall that I really want, black with chocolate brown ribbon and trim, and I really want it. It just screams 30's and 40's and it is very similar to one that I saw often on the show the Walton's, was worn by Olivia Walton, the mom. I want to make a brown and black outfit to go with it. Bought some really vintage styled dress shoes yesterday that are just awesome. So, the hat would just top off the whole look.


Which, by the way, here is a photo of some vintage shoes that I found in a box with some old photos albums. The photos are so great. I see all my mom's family in their glory and dates such as 1948 on the photos. I just wished that more had been written about who was in the photos. The clothing and old cars are just wonderful. My dear sweet aunt Georgie was a piece of work. In my mind...now as then...was as glamorous as any movie star of the time. She married her sweetheart that was career air force. He was an instructor, not sure if he ever was a pilot, but they sure had some adventures. At any rate, here are the shoes.




There is no size on them anywhere. I have spotted them in the photos though so know she had worn them in the later 40's at least. I was looking around on some Etsy shops and notice that some of the vendors would just list a measurement of the shoe length and the heel height. Guess that is what I may have to do if I list them as well. I am hoping to create an Etsy store of my own by mid September. I am guessing that from the look they are about a size 5. My mother wore a 6 to 6 1/2 in the day and Aunt Georgie was a bit smaller than mom.

Well, off to get some lunch and work on a mountain of laundry that is waiting for me. Hope to start cutting pattern pieces this evening and possibly the fabric as well. If that happens, will be able to start sewing the skirt and blouse tomorrow. Daughter wanting the outfit for the first day of school means I have a deadline of sorts. LOL

I am back home

Well, I am back home. Need to finish up a few projects around the house before I can actually start sewing, but can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

Got to spend a week with the new grand son. That was totally awesome.

He is just pretty great. Long fingers, long toes, and a head full of black hair. Will be interesting to see what color his eyes turn out being. Of course, he will be walking before we see him again unless they can some how come here for Christmas. Praying, but not holding my breath.

And of course, had a great time playing with grandson #1 who is ready to be a big brother. He is just special to be around and I can't wait until next summer when he gets to come spend a few weeks with us.

Okay, now that you know what I have been doing lately. This is what I have planned. After I get the master bedroom finished and a yard sale held that is. Oh my gosh, it is almost time for school to start. I am actually looking forward to getting everything back on some type of schedule. Would like to make some clothes for my youngest daughter, but she doesn't really seem to interested in the idea. We will see. Am heading to a vintage shop this morning. Just to look around a bit. Speaking of vintage, here is the plan, think I mentioned this in an earlier post, but now have photos.

This is some fabric I picked up on clearance and the two patterns I have narrowed it down to making. After reading a few blogs that have made Butterick 4790, I think I am going to go with Butterick 5209. The main reason is because the fabric is a plisae (not sure how you would spell that) or thin with little bumps on it and do not think that it would be suitable for the wrap waist which will have some pull on it. I do however, think it would be perfect for the view made with the cap sleeves. Both of these patterns are current reprints of the original vintage pattern. I am so hooked on the vintage styles of the 40's and 50's. Simple lines that are timeless. I have noticed that several of the current lines from the fashion designers are using the same style elements in their fall lines. My only problem is trying to make patterns fit me. They are made for June Cleaver figures, I have Aunt Bea's. We will see how it turns out.

I took the day yesterday and went through the patterns that I do have, listed them, and was quite pleased with what I found I already had. There is one pattern that has me a bit baffled though. See what you think.



This is the front of McCalls pattern 5915 which I purchased many years ago. It was supposed to be my attempt at what would be called high fashion, probably from the days of Chrystal Carrington or sometime in the 80's I think.





However, after throwing it in the drawer and waiting...well, a while...I pulled it out to find that the images on the back of the envelope do not match at all. The fabric requirements and line drawing views were for a totally different outfit.





This is what I found inside.

Not even the same style skirt. At least it is of a style that I like much better. Can wear better as well. No problem there, can go with the flow as it has the sizes in it I would need. I got the bright idea that I would just google that pattern and find the correct image of one made up. Would print it out and glue it to the front of the envelope. Pretty smart right? Well imagine what I was now thinking when I googled the pattern number and this is the image that comes up for that pattern.

Yep! You got it. An apron pattern? Believe it or not, this is pretty typical of my sewing experiences. And, of course, I still have not idea what the outfit for this pattern looks like.

Well, I am off to the store. I should be working on my bedroom, laundry and such, but I am taking a break and heading out to do some looky louing. I am actually going to check the prices as I have found some vintage prom dresses and am going to open an Etsy shop and list them and some very vintage shoes that are from the 40's to see if I can get a little income coming in. I have a pretty decent stash of fabric and supplies so am planning on making some things up to put in that Etsy shop as well. Am thinking that with Christmas on the horizon that maybe I can sell some baby items, doll items, vintage styled aprons and maybe some quilts. It is a plan anyway.

Good news is that youngest DD is actually online in her room making a list of patterns she likes. OH YEAH! A local craft store has the Simplicity patterns on sale this month for $.99 and I can take the add to another craft store and they will honor it. I have a long list myself. LOL

Thanks for stopping in and feel free to leave a comment. It is always nice to know that someone has read my postings.

HE HAS ARRIVED!

Wow, Weston made a quick entrance in to the world today. Daughter's water broke and he was here with in the hour. Big wonderful boy. He weighed in at 8 pounds and 12 ounces and is 21 inches long, a head of dark hair. I have held him once. Hopefully they will get to come home tomorrow. Everything was going great until daughter developed severe head ache which turned out to be due to spinal fluid leaking from the epidural. They have done a patch and it seems to be helping her a great deal.

Okay, you know I had to show him off. Ain't he something!

Today, I went to lunch with a very dear friend of mine from when we used to live here. Like a sister she is. I also went to a thrift store and an antique store. Although, the antique store was half craft store for the owners things that she makes. The antique items were just lovely, and I was very good and didn't buy anything. Of course, it isn't too hard to be good when I know we don't have room to take anything much home with us. BUT...when I get home, downtown here I come. Where I live, there is an old Woolworth's five and dime store in the middle of the down town area which is trying to revive itself. It has been turned in to an antique mall with vendors on every floor and every nook and cranny. I am giddy with anticipation. Back to the story though, the interesting thing about the store I was in today is that it is the first time I have seen a depression glass pattern similar to the one's I got from my mom. It was very helpful as I took notice of the price of the pieces so now have a ball park range for what they might bring if I decide to sell them. I also have some nice vintage china that I would like to sell. Don't get me wrong, I would love to keep them, just don't have room and at the moment I am ALL ABOUT MAKING ROOM. There was only one vintage outfit, an old prom dress from the 70's, that I saw, but some of the crafted items gave me an idea of a selling price for what I intend to make. Not exactly the same thing, but would be considered in the same general line. I did see one lovely old quilt tagged at $175.00 and another one for only $35. Don't know what the difference was, but the cheaper one looked more appealing even before the price was seen. There was a wonderful old table cloth listed at $35 as well that I am seriously thinking about going and getting too. It is definitely from that vintage kitsch era, my guess is late 40's or early 50's and is white with pastel pink and mint green designs of Hawaii on it. I am no authority by any means, but I would bet it came out either in response to fascination with the islands after Pearl Harbor or later when it was made a state. It was very clean and well preserved.

At the thrift store, there was some wonderful blouses that I would have loved to have gotten from my mom, a lot of embroidered style button shirts such as Quaker Factory and name brands, but sadly they were all just to small for her. I did find a very lovely knit lace style blouse, but more like the fabric is printed to look like lace so is not really sheer at all that is a rich salmon color. I think she will really like it. I also found a lovely turquoise satin beaded belt. So rich and so vintage. LOL Guess I am using that word a bit much. But, I can see wearing it on a black dress with a full skirt. I already have just the retro style pattern, and if I didn't get dumb and junk it, I have some black satin to use for it. Although, a velveteen or mole skin may be nice as well. If I opt for the straighter look, which is questionable with my figure but am toying with the idea of living on the wild side and in a firm girdle for the right occasion. I mean, honestly, I couldn't buy the beads that the belt has on it for what I paid for that belt.