Continuing Education... and changing everything I knew about darts!

Hello lovely readers. Things are starting to settle down here a bit. We're 2/3 unpacked and my studio has a semblance of order (it's all an illusion) and so with a few quiet moments to spare, I thought I'd share what I've been up to.

With our return to the U.S. from Norway, all sorts of possibilities opened up. Should I look for a job now or continue with Mrs. Depew Vintage? Should I go back to school? Take a yoga class or learn Kung fu? Should I dye my hair pink? All of these ideas have been rolling around in my head for the last 6 months, even before we started packing. Some were put on the back burner for now... the Monterey area is nearly as expensive as Norway was and maintaining pink hair would be pricey... but I did settle on a few important things.

I love my job. I love running Mrs. Depew Vintage more than anything else I've ever tried, so it follows that I should continue to do what I love! But what next? I'm a huge fan of continuing one's education, in any way one can afford or find time for. I decided to take 2 days each week off from work and take some classes at my local college in the Fashion Design department. Right now I'm taking Fashion Illustration (very useful so far, as I can't draw to save my life) and Pattern Design. Granted, I know how to draft a pretty good pattern already, but I never studied it formally and would like to add some industry expertise to my skill set. So far, it's challenging and so much fun.

My professor has a great range of experience and so far has been a fount of useful sewing tips. One of which I simply had to share with you all the second I tried it!

My whole sewing career I have been sewing darts the wrong way! I followed my sewing books and blog tutorials when I first learned darts, and as everyone knows (or seems to) you sew a bust dart from the outside to a perfect point. And it always bothered my that there was a slight point at the bust apex. Whose boobs are that pointy?
Certainly not mine! So to fix this and get an incredibly smooth finish to your dart, simply change your stitching angle, just at the very tip of the dart, and slightly curve away from the dart tip as you sew.

Just a dart sewn into a scrap of muslin... notice the slight curve away from the dart tip. Pardon my battle scarred cutting mat.

The dart pressed open to reveal a very smooth bust dart, curving instead of pointing.

 Remember, this should only be done for bust darts. Any darts, say on your bodice back, won't need this.
I know it's a bit geeky, but hell, I'm a sewing blogger so I can totally be excited about learning a new way to sew darts better!

How about you? Have you ever taken any courses that you consider continuing your education (but not necessarily working towards a degree)? Have you enjoyed taking Italian for no reason, or perhaps a bread-making class?

Happy sewing,

Sew Expensive... Butterick 5758 Bathing Suit Pattern

A while back, I was watching a great bathing suit pattern on Ebay. And of course, it sold for an amazing sum so I set the info aside for a rainy day... it's not exactly raining but my studio is still wall to wall with boxes so this is a good time to blog about some patterns!

Are you ready for it?
This lovely original Butterick 5758 from 1951 sold for an amazing $145.98.

Take a look at those lovely details! This is no simple skirted bathing suit. Notice the lovely gathers at the princess seam over the bust and the clever turned back collar formed, it appears, straight out of the criss-cross straps! It's tiny little details like this that set this pattern a head above your average vintage skirted bathing suit pattern. On a side note, I should also mention that Butterick bathing suit/ playsuit patterns always seem to be a bit more scarce, and in my opinion, this drives the price up a bit.
(You can see pictures of the Butterick Pattern flyer advertising this, and other great patterns courtesy of Cemetarian here.)

For those of you waiting for a great bathing suit pattern that don't have that kind of bank laying around, here are a few options that might work more in your favor.

Depew 1001, available in multiple sizes.

Depew 1002.

Available in a size 16 on Etsy at FancyWork, $55.

Bathing Suit Reproduction By New Vintage Lady on Etsy, $25.

Available in a size 14 at Glass of Fashion on Etsy, $59.99.

I know, many of you are thinking that summer is just about over for you. Summer has apparently just begun in Monterey (what fun! different seasons to learn!) and I can't get trips to the beach off my mind!

Pretty, pretty vintage table...

I am very excited! Tomorrow our household goods (i.e. everything I couldn't fit in two suitcases) will finally arrive! We've been without most of our household comforts for over 3 months now and I'm more than ready to be settled again!
Interesting moments in camping in our own house have included using lawn furniture in the living room, working at Mrs. Depew Vintage for hours at a time sitting on the floor in front of my computer (also on the floor), and making delicious meals with a simple frying pan and plastic cutlery. Right about now I would kill to get my hands on a vegetable peeler!

One thing I do have now is a kitchen table/ dining set! Our very own Duncan Phyfe 1940's table and chairs arrived a few days ago and looks wonderful in our butter-cream (that I'm not allowed to paint) dining room.

Though the picture doesn't show much, the table legs are two sets of what I like to call upside-down lily petals with claw feet. And the chairs are my favorite part. They have the most beautiful, curved lines.

And of course I'll be recovering the chair cushions. The antique dealer we bought them from said the greatest thing, "When I had it refinished, I knew that anything I covered the chairs with, the next owner would just hate. So I covered them with bed sheet fabric."
Genius.
Which leads me to my question... with black wood and butter-cream walls, what kind of fabric should I choose? A solid, a print, a stripe? Since I can't paint I'm hoping that I can use colorful fabrics to cheer up the room a bit.

I'm sort of toying with these... which do you like?

P.S. On another note, Mrs. Depew Vintage just reached 6,000 sales on Etsy. It has been a couple of years but I'm so proud! To celebrate, here's a coupon code for 15% off any order, good until September 5th! Use code "SIXTHOUSAND" at checkout.

Just so freakin' pretty.

Hello loves,
I have a very busy day planned. I've already been up since 5:45 to have some breakfast with my hubby, soon my kitchen table will be delivered, and then I have more shopping expeditions planned. Moving overseas stinks. You have to buy all new appliances with the switch in plugs/voltage... so I'm off on a hunt for lamps and the perfect waffle iron.
But first, I saw this on Pinterest this morning and just had to share. It's just TOO delicious.

Image source: defunct fashion.

This dress is by Charles James, circa 1957.
You may proceed with the fainting.

Don't give up on me! I'm still here!

Hello my lovely readers!
This is just a quick post today to let you know that I'm still here. I haven't really been in much of a position to blog during our overseas move. The husband, the kitty and I have all made it safely to Monterey, California and are trying to settle in as much as we can to our new house. All of our furniture (including the entirety of my studio) is half way across the ocean somewhere on it's way here so right now we just have our luggage, an air mattress, and my computer.

So far things are good and I'm really liking California, and especially loving how friendly and helpful most Americans are. It's a pretty surprising difference to Norway where (at least in my experience) Norwegians were mostly polite, but usually very reserved and often quite self-occupied.

The tough part about moving so far has just been the strange, transient life of living out of hotels and mostly empty houses, waiting for all of the things that make a house feel like a home to arrive.

Last weekend we found an amazing antique mall in Salinas, CA (a.k.a. gang land) and stumbled across the most amazing 1940's Duncan Phyfe table and chairs for our dining area. It will be delivered this week and I'll post pictures. In the meantime, the table is similar to the one below.

image courtesy of RossAuction.com

It will be really nice to have a table to sit and and work/ write... especially as I'm camped out right now on a pile of pillows on the floor, typing away madly with a pinched nerve in my back making me strangely immobile today. I'm sure it's actually quite a funny picture...

An-who, I'm still around, just not in much of a position to provide you with any meaningful, useful or interesting blog posts. I hope to resume full-time blogging at the beginning of September. On that note, A Few Threads Loose will also have some more sponsorship spots open for very low prices so if you're looking to advertise your blog or business, drop me an email! (afewthreadsloose at gmail.com).

Have a happy rest of the summer!

Giveaway Winner - With Bruno and Betty!

I know I was supposed to announce the giveaway winner yesterday but with the internet down at the hotel, I had to push it to today. But now it's time to find out who gets to win a great set of owl patches courtesy of Bruno and Betty!
Drumroll please...

Agh! So freakin' cute!

And the winner is... Abbey Irwin (Of The Irwin Bazaar), whose favorite thing from Bruno and Betty is their Thread Spool Shirt.
You and me both sweetie!

Congratulations to our winner Abbey and a huge thank you to Bruno and Betty for sponsoring this giveaway!

And now I'm off to make supper in a tiny hotel kitchenette (about as fun as shaving wet cats) so wish me luck!

Burda Style Magazine, July 2013...

I have a complicated relationship with Burda Style Magazine. I first discovered it at the newsstand of the Border's Bookstore I worked at, consequently, within days of getting my first sewing machine. I was enamoured! In my honeymoon phase I purchased some expensive silk habotai and a length of rich wool (how this fit into my saving money by sewing plan, I'll never be able to explain.) and set out to make my first dress.

I chose a dress from the December, 2008 issue, the much-blogged about Schumacher Cocktail Dress- which turned out to be quite possibly the most flattering thing I have ever sewn for myself.

Pardon my photo quality, I had a horrible camera back then :)

And then I was hooked, just like that. Even though the patterns have gotten increasingly blasé (and dare I say, uglier?) as the years go by, there is always just one good pattern and I can't stop myself from buying with each new issue.

Naturally, I was excited about the hints I was hearing of a lingerie feature in the new July 2013 issue and I ran right out from my hotel to pick it up (yup living in a hotel until the 12th, what fun!).
I skipped right past the slightly tacky beach cover-ups (though in the right fabrics, I think they could be fun) and turned directly to the "Delicate Liaison" feature.
It starts with a bra and knickers (#114) that is really more of a sleep set.

The bra is wonderful! I'm sure that the bias cut contrast bands will be a nightmare to sew, but I also think it will be worth my time. The 'knickers' however, are another story. With a thick elastic casing at the top, these are more sleep shorts than actual underwear because they will be far too bulky to wear under anything other than a loose skirt. And, I hate to say it, but if you picture the nickers in brown, it suddenly looks a bit like something a roman centurion might wear... or, God forbid... maybe even Xena.

But maybe that's just me...?

Moving on, we have a nice, basic half slip that makes no waves.

And then a rather lovely camisole. Once again it's very basic, but cut in such a way that the under bust cup gathers make one's girls look so very nice.

The camisole can also be made with a lace overlay as in #115A.

Or cut longer as a slip like the "Mini Petticoat" #116.

And suddenly, the love affair has fizzled. There just isn't any more romance. These patterns are ok and might make decent basic patterns that could be embellished but we all know that Burda could do better, be less generic, and pay a bit more attention to what the lingerie industry is doing, and what the rest of us are buying.

Sadly, what could have been a lovely issue just turned out to be a boring 1990's Victoria's Secret catalog.

How about you? Do you buy Burda Style? Are you often disappointed or have you moved on completely to another sewing magazine? Have any good recommendations for my next love affair?

~P.S. Don't forget to enter the giveaway from Bruno and Betty, it ends tomorrow!~