Adventures in Vintage Resales... fka adventures in baby-sewing

I am working on several things today, the DP spokes, which is slow-coming, baby gifts for a weekend shower (burp cloths, onesies & blankets with lil cowgirls appliqued on) and a baby quilt top from antique blocks arranged and bordered by me & will be hand quilted. See my work area: Onlooking are the oldest son and baby: Mike is working on the lawn since the work was slow today, being Friday before Labor Day: I gave up on the mini-wardrobe contest; I will finish the two pieces since they are almost done, but I never was happy with items 3 & 4 and needing to finish by today. I will still try to expand on the two pieces, but at my own pace.

The denim capris I refashioned that my daughter wore today: And a close up of the feather stitch on the hem:

I updated the template, well, because I was bored with the dots. Also, all of the white was bothering my eyes. Today was not a real sewing day, we were gone "fundraising" for the church auction, so I need to get busy tomorrow. Check out Fabric.com's clearance for a sale, if you didn't get an email. They had quite a bit in there. I have a multitude of items to finish (and start), so I am going to do as much as I can on the machine tomorrow & have handwork for the weekend with the kids home from school. I have quilt spokes for the DP blocks and other vintage blocks I was previewing what to do with on the coffee table, so I need to get those moved tomorrow. My new cutting table has a train set, or a raw, to be landscaped and finished for the auction. My husband made an HO gauge for the kiddos for Christmas and it was cool, so he has the board on the table so he can work on it in air conditioning (last winter was out in the garage). Here are some of the photo...

On clothes front, nothing new, but daughter wore her dalmation shorts with her school t-shirt today. They are kind of silly, but dalmations are one of her favorite types of dogs. I have two vintage S dresses to work on, but we'll see. Today is kind of gloomy as more rain is expected, which is usually not conducive to my sewing with focus. Well, three of the four went to their schools. I just had the baby and DH here, so I used my new cutting table for a while, cutting out dresden plate spokes, then we went to lunch. I have 4 sets cut out. The double quilt will have 13 blocks in dresden plate and 12 in a pieced block, all 15" square & alternating. I am using Moda's Prairie Paisley, which is beautiful in blues, tans and reds and plate centers in a deep golden yellow, so they resemble flowers. BTW, consider last weeks free patterns to be carried over to this Friday since there were no responses until today.

Notice the caps... I am a little excited that life should quieten down some tomorrow. Of course, I will probably meander around in a fog or the baby will be needing me more. But the relative quiet will be a nice change. My kids became so bored since we didn't go many places, 2x to the zoo, 1 to Children's Museum, but it's too hard for me to take them all by myself, maneuvering a wheelchair, stroller and 2 ambulatory kids in 100 degree weather. It also means fall will eventually be here!

Aren't these beautiful knits? No sewing, but went fund-raising (looking for auction donations for our upcoming church festival) and thrift-store shopping. Found a couple of pillowcases to try my hand at the dresses for listing for sale, a couple of plaques/pictures, some antique crochet booklets and a pair of curtains plus a quilt rack to donate from us to the auction. There was a couple of other items, but that's the bulk of it. I came home to my husband cleaning up an overflowing toilet, so I helped him pick that up (it was clear, thank God!), fixed dinner and now it's time for baths. I got in several items from Fabric.com and FabricMart, mostly for fall sewing, so now my attention is focused toward knit tops and dresses using some of Fabric.com's beautiful knit crepe they had on sale the other day. I am going to try to finish the two pieces I have put together from the mini-wardrobe and probably hang it up on making the other two it as not interesting anymore. ...

Tomorrow's patterns are a little more modern, but very usable. One is a housecoat, c 1978, good for upcoming cooler weather. The second is for 3 lengths of a mock wrap skirt with waist knot, c 1990. Both accomodate sizes 14-16, B36-38 (on the robe), so modern-day sizing. As far as previous giveaways, I apopgize, but all have been ready to go, but I haven't made it to the post office, with kids & myself sick. They are sealed and can go asap. I am so sorry for the delay. Now as to sewing today, who knows?

Today, we woke up to a baby covered in spots, so off to the doctor's. She could not say for sure, other than it's viral. It could be 5th disease, roseola, or measles, but did not show the fever or mouth spots of measles. Who knows? Anyway, we are to be somewhat home for the next few days and I would have accomplished more if I felt better. I feel slightly under the weather but it could be allergies again from the hot dampness with the rain. I did finish the refashioned capris for my daughter and can post something later. Threads are still hanging. I also cut out a retro jumper pattern for her in an appliqued denim. I hope it works out since the skirt has 6 gores and seams will have to cross some of the appliques. That will be a fall/winter dress item to use with a long sleeved top. Other than that, I have had little motivation today. Maybe tomorrow will be better...

I am 'fessin' up to buying some school clothes for the kiddos, but Wal Mart had items on clearance for $1. Come on, you can't make boy's shorts for that! Also some fresh T-shirts (my disabled 4 yr old goes through shirts since his coordination to feed himself isn't wonderful and some things do not come out well). Same with the baby, onesies. Besides, Texas has the tax-free weekend for school clothes, so we couldn't pass it up. I still made my oldest daughter a couple of shirts and about 4 pairs of shorts/capris for school, mostly from remnants and one from my old jeans, so all is not lost. When I finish the recycled jeans capris, I will photograph.

Linda, who I will also email separately for her address. I feel much better today, I think something blew in yesterday on the wind that I was allergic to. Even last night I was better, but easily tired. I did a bit of handwork (attaching trim) on one blouse but still have more to do plus housecleaning. I am waiting on the oven to make some pigs in blankets for the kiddos. That's all for now. Watch for next Friday's giveaway.

An allergy attack hit with a vengeance and had me out on the couch today. Luckily, my oldest is with grandparents, the next to youngest at preschool, so I have Andrew and the baby. Andrew isn't going anywhere and neither is the baby, so I was out for an hour or so. Luckily, Mike offices at home, so they are not on their own when something like this happens. I usually only get like this when the weather is fixing to change (rain) or I am pregnant, which I am not. I did work on the blouses by hand this afternoon and ironed a cute piece of material by M.M. called "Bad Kitty", a retro-look in pink, black and white with cats doing bad things when you aren't looking. That will be a vintage pattern jumper for my oldest to use for church since that is the only time she wears a skirt. I also have it in aqua, black & white for me. I also cut and basted a pair of capris using her favorite pattern from a pair of mine that I never wear and still had a lot of life left....

Tomorrow being Friday, more free vintage patterns: Simplicity 5502, yr 1973, size 18, B40, W32, H42 - dress/jumper with lined and shaped yoke, back zipper, high round neckline. Simplicity 8541, yr 1969, size 18, B40, W31, H42 - button trimmed dress with back zipper, shaped bias roll collar and a pleat simulating an opening, short sleeves or sleeveless. Post a comment and I will draw this weekend. And to last weeks', now I have your info & they will go out tomorrow. At this rate, I may thin my stash quicker than I thought. Once my kids go back to school, I may go through the fabric stash and make little scrap bags for quilting scraps for giveaways. On the home sewing front, I was able to get one top put together for daughter and the second is also sewn together. Both need bias tape finishing (handwork) which can be done in the evening in front of the TV. Maybe tomorrow I will get the remaining pants cut out, bringing her total to a possible 5 pairs of capri/shorts for school...

I should be working on the mini-wardrobe, but need to complete a few items for school starting next week for oldest daughter and maybe oldest son. I am working on a S top for her now, have some others in the works. Son may need some pull-on pants as he is extremely long and skinny being he has cerebral palsy & cannot keep weight on. I need to evaluate his stock of shorts/pants. He is not fully potty-trained so he has to wear clothes that are easy for a teacher/aide to change him. He is so excited to be going to regular PreK, mainstreamed as he is extremely intelligent with poor body control. He has spent two years in a special needs program and at the assessment, everyone decided he needs to be in regular school, be subject to normal classroom and work as he is actually ahead of his age/peers without disabilities. Should be an exciting year.

#1 CJ #2 Eileen Sorry I haven't posted this sooner, but I was gone most of today. Please email me your address at myrayeretsky@sbcglobal.net so I can get those out.

I was having lunch and reading the new B/McC Sewing Today and the new Sew Stylish - whatever happened to the "Demise of the Dress"? That's about 1/2 to 3/4 of what is featured in new patterns. Still using empire waists (great for those with a tummy) with more details. More options instead of the "sacks"/tunics that look like a hefty bag. I love the Sew Stylish self-draft pattern for a simple knit dress, which appears it could be a hefty bag, but adds a tie around sash, cinching it in. I am looking to make that asap, but I am working on the S wrap top, which is humming along nicely. Black cotton knit is easy to work with and the directions are pretty easy, except for after sewing the shoulder seams, I am putting in the sleeves as flat construction. You can find this in one of last year's Threads by Marcy Tilton, I think. Shoulder seam, sleeves flat, then sides, because sewing in sleeves flat with sleeve towards feed dogs helps ease it in rather than g...

Since I am starting this tradition today, I am offering another set of two free patterns. Now, if you entered your name in the previous post, you do not have to reenter on this one. In fact, enter on either post and I will be having two names drawn. Now these are also size 18 with similar measurements. The scallopped front on the left side is so cool...

I have some vintage patterns in my ebay store (shown at left), but have a bunch more to list or giveaway, the ones I will never have time to make. I have chosen 2 for today to give away, US postage free. Just leave a post with your blog link, your email or website. I will draw a name on Sunday and post the winner. I may start to do this since DH asked me "what are you going to do with that box of patterns under the desk?" Some will end up on ebay as they are 1940's-50's. Some will end up as freebies. Post away! BTW, both are size 18, B40, W31, H42.

I have given it thought and will try recutting the skirt on the crosswise grain, there is plenty of pattern ease. If this doesn't look right, I have set out an alternate set of fabrics to go with brown, rose and cream. I want to finish this, though, so let's give it a shot. I already substituted one top pattern and fabric, so I really don't want to scrap the look. I also committed to a subscription to BWOF, which i had ordered a few back issues on ebay and loved them. I muslined one and it fit better than big 4 (excepting some S and vintage half-sizes). I cannot wait; I am letting go of my quilting subscriptions to justify.

I got as far as sewing the skirt together up to adding the zipper (don't have one in stash in black), it's a little large, so I may use wide bias tape for the waist stay and add some elastic to cinch it a bit a la Threads magazine article. I am not sure about the print as it is wild with those pearl waves going across. I may make another printed skirt using the print on the crosswise grain with the waves going down or even bias cut. We will see... I may even use something else. I guess this is how these storyboards go sometimes... I cut out the S wrap blouse, view B in black cotton knit. I think it should fit fine being knit, so I did not worry about a muslin. Most of the S patterns I have worked on seem to fit reasonably well in knit in a 16. I should be able to work on basting it tonight. I need to settle on the skirt if I am changing the print to another printed fabric so I can use the print on the wrap blouse to bind the neck area and make an outfit.

Messed up cutting a blouse from a skirt for my daughter, had to leave to p/up son, so we will see later/tomorrow what I can salvage. Maybe a vest for her?

Today, decided to get busy and work on a few quick-finish items: 1. Finish daughter's camoflage shorts (hem & elastic needed) - I was waiting until we were closer to school starting to count as school clothes 2. Convert a baby romper into bloomers, cutting off the stained top area, bottom was still good. She is wearing them now with a onesie. 3. Finish a baby romper. 4. Anything else... I still have 2 hours left until the 3 yr old comes home from day school... Will also be posted on WR.

Today may not be much (any) sewing, some housework is needed today. I did go to Hancock's yesterday & buy black knit to make the popular S4076 knit top, either short sleeved version instead of the Vogue wrap top. WHen I cut the skirt, the pattern is in horizontal waves, ok for the skirt, but I don't want to be covered in it. I am thinking black solid knit with maybe a neck bias binding on the S wrap top in the dots to tie it in. I placed the site meter several days ago & noticed some repeat visitors (maybe), at least by the locations. I am interested who views this site & welcome comments from you on my posts or whatever as long it's not negative. You can give me criticism on my sewing, please, though, if you see something could be done better. I am interested in knowing who's looking, though, because I may have been visiting your site already.

Last night, while Mike went out with his parents for a bit, I made sure kids were occupied and laid out the dots out with the skirt and cut those out. Two whole pieces, wow. I also was cutting out the princess seamed top out of a "scrap" material that would make the muslin wearable, but I don't think there is quite enough to make it work, so off to find another piece that would work to try the top before cutting.