Tickled Pink This Valentine's Day

To have finished hubby's muslin for the men's shirt Sew-A-Long. I asked him to put it on for some photos and he wore it all day and out to my sister's house,  telling anyone who would listen, "Lassie made this for me!".
Cute!

I think I did a pretty good job of matching plaids~especially for my very first time.

It does have kind of a funky collar. Very retro. I think I might redraft this and do the traditional collar here.

I think I will do the cuffs, pocket and yoke on the bias when I do the real shirt.

All in all I am quite pleased with this shirt. It feels like a huge accomplishment, especially with the way my back has been lately. I can't wait to get started on the new shirt.

The Griest Buttonholer did not work out. It was the wrong one, which I only found out after following all the directions for getting it in and then realized it was for a low shank machine. I have a slant-shank. I had to haul my other machine out and get it all set with new thread...la, la, la...but I am happy I did, because I have a vest I made for Miss Moll Doll which just needs buttons and I can get that done today or tomorrow.

I am also going to order my yarn for the knit-a-long with My Gum, by Golly 

I am leaning toward this color. I can't wait to get started!!!!

Sending love to all on this day of 'hearts'

Tell Your Friends-Great Giveaway Coming Up Soon

Well I guess it will depend on all of you as to how soon this giveaway happens. I am looking to get 100 followers, let's say, soon. When I hit the 100 mark I am planning a giveaway that will include:

No, not me silly, but....

THESE

Realistically I am not going to get around to having lenses put in, so I thought I would share the love.

They are the real deal.

This lovely pattern. Get a load of the writing on it.

And what is with those hairdos?

"Thought you might like to use this sometime".

" I made me a navy blue with printed bow like this."

Size 16

Bust 36"

1 1/2 yards of this fabric.

 

American Girl 

February 1957

Not in the best shape, but a gas to look through.

And probably a few more lovely additions before the actual giveaway takes place.

So please share this post with your readers and friends.

Tell them to help me get to 100 followers and to watch for

the requirements to win this stash of goodies.

January Jones Eat Your Heart Out...I don't really mean that.

What a whirlwind of sewing it has been. Hot, hot, hot!!! I am so pleased with how this dress came out. For the very first time since I started sewing a few months ago, I feel like a seamstress. I went all out in finishing this dress so it looks as good (almost) on the inside as it does on the outside. I am just ga ga for it.

I sit here, Thursday afternoon, waiting for hubby to come home and photograph me. He has not gotten used to the fact that he never knows who he might come home to. I could be all dressed up, as tonight, or still in my pj's. He does not really like the uncertainty of it all. I can't wait to hear what he thinks of this. Who knows, maybe he will like it, but I won't count on it.

I feel that I am a mix of Betty and Joan in this. Certainly Betty's shape, but the detail on the front neckline of the dress reminds me of Joans signature piece of jewelry. I did my hair more like Joan might wear also. My hair is too long to do a Betty hairstyle. I am also wearing foundation garments just as Joan or Betty might. Too bad I don't have a foundation to fill them with like Christina Hendricks. Oh well, not even close, but one can dream.

Let's remember the inspiration for my "BDD" Betty Draper Dress. This is a promotional photo for season 4. So it looks like with this dress I am right in Mad Men style. I like that too. I did not have the perfect shoes to wear with this dress. Betty would have. So would Joan.

I love how teeny tiny this makes my waist look. I will make this pattern again and again. Who could have imagined this pattern could look so glamorous? Well I guess I could.

Lisette at WWNDW has a tutorial on making a lapped zipper. I followed it completely and it came out perfect. I was so happy I could have jumped through the computer screen and hugged her.

The fabric was almost free. The zipper was in my stash as was the lace seam binding. The buttons, which I purchased over 10 years ago were $2.50 each and the most expensive part of the dress. They are beaded. I hope you can get an idea of how spectacular they are with these photos.

 

I got the seams in the back to match up perfectly. How did I do that?

The front skirt has a facing. Someone tell me what that is all about. Is it for structure?

I hand stitched the hem and used a sweet lace hem binding. I love how it looks and I'm sure anything that Betty would wear would have this nice element to it. I stitched it while listening to Pink Martini play Ravel's Bolero(worth looking at just for the vintage photos) Thanks Rachel for turning me on to that. It took 3 replays of the song for me to finish the hem.

Nap or No-Nap. That is the question.

Starting a new pattern today.

I have been procrastinating for days due to fear that I don't know how to do this. The fabric is an adorable vintage fabric I picked up on E-bay. I am unsure if it should be cut as with nap, or without. Most of the parasols appear to be going one way. Could you help me? There seem to be more red parasols going in one direction. How would you treat this fabric? Nap/No-Nap?

I just took the pattern pieces out of the envelope. They were still factory folded. It seemed as though I was doing something very special as I unfolded them, like they heaved a huge sigh of relief after being folded and stored for over 50 years. "Ahhhh, someone is going to do something with us. It was worth the wait
.
Oh dear goodness. I almost spoke too soon. My kitty came in while I was photographing the pattern and sat down on the tissue. I was shooing her off and my two Shih Tzu's were wondering what the commotion was all about and came tearing into the room and running all over the tissue pieces. Thank goodness they were not torn, I would have been heartbroken thinking they had survived all these years only to be unfolded and torn to pieces by some dogs. Now my little guy is trying to make a bed out of the fabric. Aha moment. Small dogs and cats do not go along with vintage sewing. I will have to keep the door closed.

Sewing: A modern women tackles a vintage pattern

Today is the day I start this new project. Sewing a dress from a vintage pattern from the 1950's. I am in love with this dress. Excited to start sewing it and anxious that my sewing skills will not be up to snuff to make this into the dress of my dreams. I purchased some wonderful material from a shop on Etsy. I chose two complimenting fabrics. I will sew the dress in the fabric on top. If you look close you will see dragonflys. The over skirt will be in the other fabric show at the bottom. There are bunnies on this fabric, although the photo does not show them. Recently on the Today Show they did a segment on mixing patterns in clothing and that it is a new trend. So I thought, why not mix the old with the new and see what transpires.

My goal for today is to lay the pattern out on the fabric and (gasp) cut it. It has been many, many years since I have sewn, but I am always one for a creative challenge and with fingers crossed I am praying for a wonderful new dress. Tag along as I blog about this new found passion and help me with ideas on where I might wear this. I have a perfect pair of gloves and pearls to complete the outfit. I say a garden tea party. Any thoughts?