Gearing up for mayhem...

I am shortly to start job hunting again... which is litterally my least prefered past time.
Things I would rather do than job hunting:

•  Have a visit to the gynecologist
• eat mayonaise that's been left in the sun for hours
• spend 48 non-stop hours walking in 4" heels
• run a marathon in the nude
• wear a dress made entirely of live snakes

I think you get the idea.
So to compensate for this horrid thing that I have to do again, I'm going to have to sew some super fabulous outfits to do it in. Hence my latest sewing pattern purchases. I thought you might like a look at how I'm going to survive it all in style:

McCall's 5262:

I just bought this lovely business this morning over my morning cup of tea. I plan on making version A on the left... in cobalt blue if I can find the fabric...

McCall's 5637:

I think I'm going to have to make this one in just about every color. I don't normally go for bolero jackets but this one is really making me change my mind. I may just have to make the whole outfit up.

McCall 8220:

I bought this one about a week ago and I'm expecting it in the mail any day now. What I really love is the sleeve detail; it's all one piece, bodice and sleeve and it creates this really gorgeous line. Can you tell that I'm going to be looking for some sort of office work? My Norwegian has gotten a lot stronger and I'm hoping that I don't end up as a barista again... if I do, well, there will be a whole new post on fantastic cute 1950's party dresses and separates (my go -to barista garb).

On another note, I found my white whale. I really did! I have been hunting online just about every day for this pattern for two years!

I got it just days before I left for the states and I'm getting ready to make it up next in a fantastic 1950's rose print.

There's more to come soon on several new pdfs I have added to my etsy shop so stay tuned!

Australian Ladies Home Journal Clips

 

 That is all I have for today.

Adventures in Sewing... Part 4

Today I have for you another edition of Adventures in Sewing By Marian Corey!

This time the lesson comes to us from McCall Style News November 1946 flyer.

The topic is saddle stitching which we see so much of in vintage sewing patterns. Here's the blown up text.

And here's another lovely image from the 24 page flyer, the drop-dead gorgeous McCall 6686.

Also something you might be interested in is Short Cuts to Sewing Success - 1944 -  By DuBarry Patterns.

I have a copy and it's fantastic, and there's one for sale on etsy right now for a good price.

Book of Patterns

Today for you, I have a few images from a mail order Book of Patterns Catalog, from the summer of 1949. The whole thing is a lot of pages, and I've made it into a pdf.

Enjoy some eye candy, why don't you.

 

If you haven't already, you might also want to check out the giveaway on Casey's Elegant Musings...

Pattern of the Day

Simplicity 4732; 1940s; Misses' and Women's House Dress and Quilted Pot Holder Mitt: The practical wrap-around house dress has a comfortable dropped shoulder. The inset belt releases soft fulness in the skirt front. A large patch pocket finishes the skirt. Rick-rack braid trims the armhole seam and side and the pocket of Style I. Style II is trimmed with narrow ruffling. A convenient pot-holder mitt fastens to the belt with a string.

Isn't this just darling... and a brilliant idea?!
There's one for sale on etsy for $5!

Photos from A Torchon Home Dressmaking Course

I have this lovely old dress-making book, completely going to waste in a box in my sewing room, so I've listed it in my etsy shop. But first, I thought I'd share some lovely pictures and excerpts:

Oh, for the days where we could dress like that again... you know, minus the corset.

Adventures in Sewing... Part 3

Today fro your reading pleasure, I have another Adventures in Sewing article from McCall's Style News from September 1947!

This one is all about making pattern markings on your fabric, and the many different ways of doing it. I showed this article once before, but I think it's valid to what I wanted to mention about dart making.

Although the illustration has a creepy girl with her head backwards on her body, the article has some great ideas. Here's a blow up of the text:

Have you ever tried chalking your markings before? I have a little Dritz chalk wheel that I find indispensable on dark fabric.

This is great, but for making darts, I use pins as that article suggested. First I mark the two outer legs of the darts with pins, and then I stick a pin through the bottom so it sticks out of the top of my pattern piece at the point of the dart.

Remove the pattern paper and you have this:

I then flip it over so it looks like this:

And then fold it so that the pins are the outside edge:

And pin it, with the pins facing the wide end of the dart, so that I can sew, tapering to a point for a smoother dart.

What's your favorite method of marking your fabric?

Update: Here's a really great video from Threads on making a very nice looking dart: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/9496/mark-a-dart-and-learn-a-no-tie-finish