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

Sick kids again, so I have not been too active at other things. I am almost done with the plisse dress for my daughter and about 1/2 on mine. I have taxes to do, house to clean, laundry and other things taking up the day as well. I will try to finish the plisse dress and post it later this week.

Well, now the bodice is mostly together, the skirt seams are being finished, there are 8 gores, 16 edges to be finished, (oh why did I not serge them???) Now I don't want to go back & do it as I am halfway through them. I also cut out a plisse sleeveless summer dress for the oldest daughter from a freebie pattern Summerset sent to me some time back. That is from stash. I looked up Fuji Afternoon and got results for everything but my print so who knows what is really is called? Maybe Fuji whoknows???

Some the baby refashions, the striped shirt was once long sleeved, now short lettuce edged. The flowers are to cover the shadowy stained area. The came from the pants and from the white/purple set, which was also cut from long sleeved and long legged to make sleeper short set. This is the Fuji fabric that is for: This I started last night. The skirt is put together and the facings are together. The back is darted. Now I need the front and to try it all on, finish. I sewed like a possessed woman last night, no one to bother me, since DH was watching NCAA and kids were in bed. I cut out and got that far in about 2 hours, which is good for me. This cotton is good for me, it is drapey and silkier than regular quilting cotton.

Went to the big Walmart today, a find of 3.375 yds of Fuji Afternoon (?). At $2.00 yd. That was cool. It has small scattered dogwood-like flowers on a mocha background. Have just the vintage pattern in mind, too. Maybe that's next up, since my inspiration needs to be restarted. I have done a little refashioning for the baby, put together kid's shorts, and worked to the dresden plate quilt. I am about 3/4 done, too. It has only taken 7 months, good thing B is not in a hurry and hasn't had the time to quilt it anyways.

Adding another item to the artfire listings, a clothespin bag. I have another almost finished in pink and black. Each will be $14.00 with hanger included. I saw the idea on another blog but amended it some to my liking, I think it needed a button closure to help keep it closed. Another is in the plans, a vintage-y one with either applique or embroidery of a kitten doing laundry! Please check out my items and let others know as I am trying to sell my creations when possible.

Nothing today, just keeping up with all 4 kids and working in the garden. I did manage to get those aprons done, I have the remaining blocks for B's dresden plate/nine patch quilt cut out and ready to piece. I managed to cut apart the HM shirt, but have no idea how to proceed. I have other things to work on, but have been too tired after chasing everyone around, and cleaning up. I am counting it down until Monday, when life will resume as normal, school, etc. Let's hope trucking returns to normal soon, too.

I meant to do this a few days ago. Some I am listing may have been nominated by others and there are many I could nominate, but here it goes: 1. Slapdash Sewist - Trena always has a great way of looking at things, goes for the unconventional. 2. Encue Creations - Nancy does a great job explaining and demonstrating. 3. Lower your Presser Foot - Ditto for Kristy. 4. House on Hill Road - Erin has great taste for unique, eclectic quilts and other items. 5. Frogs in a Bucket - She has a little girl about my oldest's age and is great inspiration for clothes. 6. The Princess Seam - Adriana is great at that self-drafted thing and can duplicate RTW and makes it look so cool. 7. & 8. Sewing in the City and Mamie's Musings - Both are wonderful at the retro-thing and I love to see someone who has fun making and wearing them. 9. A Dress A Day - I am sure Erin has been nominated but she is the first blog I read about retro dresses, sewing, etc. on a regular basis. I read every single ...

I have been working on rearranging/cleaning the dining room (my sewing space). It was and still is a mess, but I did get the table back against the windows to open the room up, put the serger on the desk and the sewing machine on the table. I put a few things away, but have boxes of UFO's and planned projects plus refashions to do to put away/sort through. I did rip apart a size 14 Hannah Montana tshirt to be refashioned into a size 8 using another tshirt to make up some of the slack from cutting. Dinner and baths first, though. Where did this day go??? I also have a few patterns I want to put in the etsy shop, so I will note that when I get the time.

Another apron today for Artfire storefront, using Michael Miller's Bad Kitty and a cotton black and white floral.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=ViewListing&product_id=137831 My new Artfire store/listing for a vintage inspired apron from Simplicity 4737 from the 1960's. I also have an etsy store, but may keep that for patterns and supplies I want to purge.

Thanks, Lory for the nomination. I need to nominate 10, which I will do tomorrow as it is late.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK6pI9gkkoE Saw this on Grandma's Sewing Cabinet and retrieved it off You Tube myself. From the same poster, this other ad, which is so "fluffy" with her dancing about. I love how she has to get her husband's attention away from the darn newspaper so she can show him her latest creation! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2WVejdbYFs

Another shirt for the oldest using the Lizzie McGuire Simplicity top pattern named previously & I should be able to tag on this post. This was made from a thrift store girls dress, size 14, out of diamond pique knit in blue with navy and white flowers in that puffy stuff that is on the surface of the fabric. This one, the sleeves are lettuced lightly and I have to cut the back on the CB seam since the dress had one. I also reutilized the store bought dress hem as the shirt hem. It has been sitting on my cutting table for a month waiting to have the facings tacked down. I also hemmed one pair of jeans I bought at the thrift store for her. Cute jeans for a $1.25 that were Arizona brand with sequins, etc. She is wearing both today for school.

Another one down, I have so many to go and no motivation to finish them at times. A pair of PJ pants for the oldest, complete with ruffled eyelet lace to complete the girly camo look. I used her B4176 pants pattern, her TNT. When she outgrows the 8, we will have to find another with similar lines. This was using pink/green quilting cotton from the remnant bin at Walmart and stash eyelet from the resale shop, so they were inexpensive. I was going to take a photo of her wearing them after I select a tshirt and applique with the scraps to make a set. She is in need of lightweight spring pajamas. Everything is either very worn or outgrown. Today I have a relatively quiet day ahead, so I plan on some progress on SOMETHING and on cleaning up the messy work area. Maybe going ahead and cutting out some of the projects that are upcoming. School spring pictures are in two weeks, but I am planning on her wearing her green plisse dress from last summer and the baby wearing a seersucker d...

Thanks Trena on your comment about the fabric on my blouse. I love the fabric, too, so much I have been crawling the web for rayon jersey. There is not much out there, Lucy's Fabric is one source, so is Fabric.com, but all solids for now. Gorgeous Fabrics has some, too. I am cash-short right now with regards to fabric shopping, so it will be a bit before I can splurge on some from Ann's or other source. First up is buying the fabric for my daughter's first communion, which will be expensive for my experience and have something picked out already from Ann's. One thing I noticed is that since I used wider elstic and this fabric is weightier than the slinky was, I felt that band when I wore it. Next version, I may add a bit of length to the upper bodice under the bust or go back to thin elastic. I am planning on redoing it one more time in a solid, maybe not hemming the sleeved, just rolled serged or lettuce hemming on the sleeves and the bottom to make it fluttery...

As previously mentioned, I have tried B5216 what is really the 4th time. The very first, view A, I think, was a discard. The 2nd time, view C, no sleeves, elastic at empire waist, was a discard in seersucker. I did the pattern as is and that CF really needs to be closed some if you do not have the bust to keep it in line. The 3rd time, in a slinky poly knit, worked ok and is wearable. In fact, I wore it yesterday as our temps reached into the 80's. But, I did not close the CF enough and have to wear a tank underneath which adds bulk to my front. This latest model was done from Italian Scripted Rayon Jersey, bought last year from Fabric.com. Linda of Danville Girl and Carolyn of Diary of a Sewing Fanatic both used this knit. They made twin sets, I think. I did not have enough for that, so I went with a pattern I knew and wanted to experiment with to develop a TNT (see, Carolyn, I am working on your challenge!). I need tops that fit my unique shape, moderate maternity wear...

We have been experiencing some economic slowdown here in our home, trucking is slow this time of year. It started around the election and is just starting to pick up, but we experienced the full brunt of it this month (Feb.) Therefore, I had to keep #3 home some from his day school to cut down on expenses. Wow, I am not used to following a 4 year old boy around that doesn't have his sister to keep him busy. He is used to going everyday and was bored without the older siblings to keep him busy. Also, the baby was distracted by him being here and refused to nap longer than an hour or so. He returns tomorrow, I am ready, poor baby. The baby is in a playpen or walker and I can continue my chores, sewing, cooking, etc. without wondering what he is into. Despite that, I did make (most of the way) a clothespin bag, finished another version of B5216 in rayon jersey from Fabric.com, worked some on the dresden plate quilt and made progress a few minor things. It was done in small sp...