The Glamour Never Stops + New Patterns!

As if this week didn't have enough excitement, I was thrilled to attend the BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook book launch event on Thursday night and, trust me, that sombrero was their idea and don't even mention the scissors.

I hope to write more about the Burda book in the future because it looks terrific, despite my not having contributed a project for it.  Cat-loving, peanut-butter-and-honey-sandwich-eating Gertie is in the book, however, and wouldn't you know she was at the book launch too, accompanied by handsome, hirsute husband Jeff.  I treated her with my usual warmth, overlooking the sharp comment she'd left on my blog that very day (Thursday) about men's patterns.  Gertie looked lovely in a lustrous silk and cotton blend polka-dotted dress and coordinating pink cardigan.

She really needs to start sewing for Jeff, however, because he looks -- don't hate me -- almost bland in comparison to her.  If she begs I might just send a few men's patterns her way (since in her opinion there's such an abundance of them out there).  Wait: maybe I should sew something for Jeff...we can do a photo shoot!

But let's move on.

I'm just back from the Chelsea flea market, where one of the sellers had two boxes full of vintage Sixties and Seventies patterns, many in Cathy's size or the size above.  This is not my favorite period, though initially I thought I'd just buy the whole lot.  After digging through them, however, I realized that they were really not all that, and instead chose a few I liked and left the rest.  A buck apiece.

Who doesn't love an early-Seventies take on the turban.  So Biba.



I think this 1969-ish Vogue Americana would be perfect for Dr. Lorna Gallo, the character I play in Noah's Very Unusual Insight.  The dropped waistline is very flattering on a certain kind of woman -- flat-chested, no hips -- and Dr. Lorna is just that kind.  Time to dig out the poly crepe!



This simple suit from 1967 is fetching in that matchy-matchy Jackie O way I love.  Perfect for cocktails in town.



Finally, I chose these two McCall's.   On the left is a pattern for a ruffled "fill-in" (akin to a halter top), ascot, and matching bib and cuffs.  On the right, a stretch jumpsuit, which is right for so many occasions.  I find the idea of a ruffled "fill-in" mildly hilarious, and I would like a matching bib and cuffs for myself, frankly.



Friends, that's it.  I am going to finish my 1944 jumper today come hell or high water.   I'm nearly done with the skirt, which I then have to attach to the top.  How does one get into a jumper, btw?



Here's a question:  you have to match two pieces of plaid, both of which are folded under approximately 7 inches.  So the seam (which will form the center of a skirt with a box pleat) is going to have a 7" seam allowance.  What is the best way to match the plaid?  I actually used tape so the layers wouldn't shift under my sewing machine, but it didn't feel like the ideal technique.  I guess in an ideal world I'd have hand-basted.  Any other ideas?

Finally, do you think partners of glamorous people have a duty to be glamorous too?  Whatever happened to the days of Ty and Lana?

Have a great weekend, everybody!

We're a Hit + Vintage Pattern-palooza!

How thrilling these last few days have been, readers.  Our show, Noah's Very Unusual Insight, was a hit (despite fierce Februrary weather in October), and we're definitely going to do it again -- perhaps in the same space, perhaps on tour and coming to a city near you! 

Of course, you'd expect that I'd have hundreds of photos to post, but friends, I have none.  We did have both performances videotaped, however, so as soon as we get the files from the videographer we'll be posting highlights on YouTube.  There was simply too much going on to remember to snap some backstage pics, though for what it's worth, I did remember to bring my camera to the theater last night.  Oh well.

I will share with you what I wore as Dr. Lorna Gallo, who is a mix of Ingrid Bergman in Spellbound and Ethel Merman in pretty much anything.

I wore the Elaine dress (I'm glad I didn't dump it) with a lab coat on top.

At the flea market I found these great vintage iron-on embroidered letters.  They no longer ironed on -- I mean, they must be sixty years old -- so I just stitched them on.





I also found these vintage rhinestone shank buttons for just $1 -- love 'em! -- though they didn't make it into the show.



Michael wore men's clothes, of course, but he was very excited to have an excuse to darken his nearly invisible eyebrows for the stage.  Here's a test shot.



To shake off post-show blues this morning, I high-tailed it to the flea market and found four fabulous vintage patterns for a price so low I dare not share it for fear you'll hate me.  Here they are: 

Vogue 7282, dating from 1936.  So Irene Dunne!



McCalls 4615, from 1942.  I thought this was a house coat, but the patterns says Misses Evening Dress.  With all those buttons?





Vogue Couturier 354, from 1940.  I love how the back of the pattern reads, Have Fur Collar Made By Furrier.  I'll get right on it.



Finally, McCall's 3640, from 1940.  This bathing suit pattern is a true gem, and can be made in both one-piece and two-piece versions.  Still with its factory folds, too.







So fun!

Friends, that's all I have for you today.  We're a bit exhausted, as you might imagine, but it was really great to perform together and to discover that we're a good onstage team.

And what have you been up to?

Happy Sunday, everybody!

BREAKING! The 1944 Outfit Project

Friends, I am very excited about my next project and I hope you will be too.  I'll be making three separate garments, all from 1944, to create a lovely WWII-era ensemble for demure Miss Cathy Lane.

The genesis:  I was perusing Etsy last week, and I stumbled upon this cute jumper and blouse pattern (above right) for only $3.  DING DING DING!!!  El Cheapo just had to have it.

I love the simple sweetness of it, and couldn't you just see a youthful Gene Tierney or Jennifer Jones -- or even somewhat more mature Eve Arden -- wearing that outfit onscreen?

Joan What's-her-name and Eve Arden in "Mildred Pierce"

Here's an ad for a somewhat similar jumper, from a September, 1944 Screen Guide magazine I own:







Now that it's fall, we couldn't have Cathy parading around in nothing but a jumper and blouse, so I decided to look for a suitable coat pattern.  And that's when I found this, also on Etsy:



It cost quite a bit more than $3, but what are you going to do?

Yesterday I went to look for fabric ideas, and here's some of what I came up with.  I don't want anything too matchy-matchy, and I want it to have a period feel.  The coat, I think, should be wool; the jumper can be velveteen, corduroy, or plaid or patterned wool tweed.  The blouse will be a very soft cotton, perhaps a soft camel and white stripe.







Last night, I remembered that Pattern Review has a Refashion contest starting November 1, which is just around the corner.  So at the flea market this morning, I picked up this huge salmon pink wool blanket.  It's not perfect -- there are some difficult-to-capture-on-film areas of fading and discoloration -- but I think it's usable.  It's darker than it looks immediately below, more of a rose beige, but I wanted to show you the blanket-stitching.





I'm fond of many of the styles of the mid-Forties and, paging through Screen Guide, part of my vintage movie magazine collection, I was reminded how lovely they are.







Oh, look what else I picked up!  I don't think it's real fur, but I love the look.



And that, readers, is what's on tap, starting soon.

What do you think?  Can you see a salmon coat, perhaps with contrasting lapels, combined with herringbone jumper and brown striped blouse?  Or should I go with textured velveteen?  Planning a new project is fun!

You can see more photos from my 1944 Screen Guide here.

Have a great day, everybody!

Two sewing machines GONE + Street Fair Madness!

Readers, after a solid week of Daily Ditches, yesterday I was ready to put my willpower to the ultimate test: the fantastic London Terrace Street Fair that takes place every September just down the block from my apartment.  Could I go there and come back with nothing?  The short answer is no.  But while I didn't pass the test with flying colors, I think I earned a solid B+.  First let's back up a bit.

There were a few things on my ditch list I wasn't willing to just give away for free, namely a few of my vintage sewing machines.  (Are you sitting down?)  Remember that Singer 99 I picked up last Spring, the one I bought primarily so that Rain couldn't get his greedy mitts on it first?



Well, nice as that machine is, I never used it, especially since I already had a Singer 15-91, a Singer Featherweight, a Singer 66 treadle, and now a Singer 201, plus my Pfaff 30, of course, whose plug I still need to replace -- all excellent straight stitch machines.  So I posted it on Craigslist.  And here's the truth: I actually offered it to Rain for free and he turned it down -- an obvious slap in the face.  Just see if I offer him any more free sewing machines! 

Readers, there's more.  Remember my beautiful Pfaff 139, the 35 lb mid-Fifties zigzagger I purchased the summer I started sewing?  (It's the one that came with the pin cushion we talked about last weekend.)



I made many garments on that machine; it's incredibly smooth to sew with and has excellent piercing power.  But after I purchased a beat up Viking on eBay a few months later, I found that I was doing all the zigzagging I needed to do on that machine, plus winding all my bobbins, attaching buttons, and inserting invisible zippers.

It's weird about the Viking -- it truly looks like it survived an earthquake and is even missing the door that covers the bobbin case, though this doesn't affect the stitching at all.  I use it only for specific jobs but it does them perfectly.  It's always out and ready to sew.



I think one of the things I didn't like about the Pfaff -- and this is going to sound really dumb -- was that it came in a huge, grimy, beige plastic carrying case, so when I used the machine I had to find a place for the top of the case.  I despise carrying cases, and where am I going carry a 35 lb sewing machine?

Anyway, long story short, I listed my Singer 99 and Pfaff 139 on Craigslist on Friday, and within a two-hour span on Saturday, sold both.  And to men!

This leaves me down to the bare bones: seven sewing machines and only two of them zigzaggers.  Plus my serger, of course.  It feels a little scary but it's so wonderful to have the space back.  And both buyers were totally stoked about their respective purchases.

I've found that the quickest way to move stuff on Craigslist is to price things to move.  Especially in a lousy economy.



But back to the fabulous street fair, or should I say fairs, because later that day, on an afternoon stroll with Michael, we happened upon another great street fair in the West Village, on West 10th Street. What are the odds?

I have a weakness for vintage sunglasses, and I picked up two pair of vintage celluloid glasses -- I'm guessing from the Thirties or Forties -- for just $20 at the London Terrace Street Fair.  Cute, no?







At the second street fair, I found this sweet pattern for just 50 cents.  It's one those flouncy party dresses, this one from 1961, and how Natalie Wood is that gal in yellow?  It's missing the skirt pattern piece, but it's just a dirndl skirt, so it's a big rectangle.  If I give it away on the blog, I'll trace the dirndl skirt from another party dress pattern I have, so it feels more complete.

The ruffled capelet -- the best or worst part of the pattern depending on you feel about ruffled capelets -- is intact.



And that's it!  Two of the best street fairs ever and all I spent was $20.50.  That's some kind of record, right?

Today it's more ditching, obviously.  I'm on a roll!

Any good ditches in your neck of the woods?  Vintage sewing machine purges?  Take it from me, you don't need more than seven.  (Anybody have more than that?  Hope not.)

Happy Sunday, everybody!

Think Pink!

Readers, Dame Fortune smiled on us again today!

How often does one stumble upon like-new, vintage, opera-length, pink nylon gloves in a healthy Size 7?   Well, I did, this morning at the flea market. 

Yes, friends, pink.  I realized yesterday, after reflecting carefully on your many heartfelt comments, that I had been working against the obvious girly-girl-ness of this rose-print cotton dress.  Black gloves are simply not what this fabric calls for -- not ideally.  Plus there are rules about these things, I've discovered. Who knew?

Now, generally, I associate pink with fairy princesses, Barbie, and all things My-Little-Pony.  It's not a favorite color and certainly not one I would choose for my sophisticated cousin.  But as soon as I saw these gloves I knew this was the way to go and I hope you will agree.  I remembered, moreover, that at the bottom of Cathy's towering shoe pile was a pair of pale pink satin pumps she wore with the Elaine dress, now more than one year ago.  Remember them?



The result is just this side of Cinderella, but you have to work with what you've got, not against it.  Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!



Meanwhile, I rinsed out the orphaned petticoat I found in the street yesterday.   Can you say, ewww?  It's looking much better today.

,
I finished hemming the skirt, turning the hem up two inches, pressing a crease, attaching polyester lace I bought a long time ago to the bottom, and hand stitching.





Remember the cheap plastic boning I'd bought last week?



I stitched that to the top of the bodice to reinforce the front edge, and it looks great.  No risk of gaping.



I also added the waist stay, which I anchored to the boning casings and seams.



The stay closes with two hook and eyes.  It was easy to attach and actually makes a big difference. 



So the dress is basically finished and, frankly, I'm ready to move on.  I still am undecided about the bolero, but I'm hoping to make a crinoline this week.  If the weather cools a bit perhaps we can put this baby to bed.

Oh, and I just got this for Cathy -- I hope she's not offended!



Friends, I hope you've had a pleasant and productive weekend, even if you didn't spend it shopping for opera length gloves and vintage Sarah Coventry jewelry.



Oh, I almost forgot: it's just two weeks to MPB Day on August 13th!

If you have steamer trunks to ship, beauty parlor appointments to schedule, or reservations at the Waldorf to make, prithee don't tarry.  Hope you can make it, but we'll take lots of pictures, promise.

Happy Sunday, everybody!