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

I do not know how well you can see this - I need batteries for the camera, so this is from a cell phone, an older cell phone at that. I have the major parts sewn but not together as a dress to try on, front bodice princess seams, back bodice princess seams, front skirt piece with pleats, back with darts and lower CB sewn. These pieces are only pinned together on the form in case more adjustments are needed. I have not yet tried anything on. The bodice appears big on the form, may need to recompare the Simplicity lines to this one and pull in a bit. I think I had to tweak the Simplicity for the upper chest - I am 39 in the bust (that's why I like the vintage patterns in half-sizes) and short, so I went with the 40 (size 18). I am broad in the back, this form needs some surgery to make her more like me, I do not have a large full bust, just broad. I like the lines, the pleats on the skirt, especially in the ponte knit. I am adding sleeves, but have cut them to above the elbow...

Vogue 8511 in purple ponte de roma, the softer version. I need a new dress for a sweetheart gala in town on the 5th of February. It mimics the Simplicity I have made before without a midriff and this has a pleated tulip shaped skirt. I even overlaid the pattern pieces and the bodice is very similar. Should be fun...

I scored this anyways. The way it works, bid on things when you have less money to spend, and I think I won't win, and I do. Isn't a beauty?

Nothing new, life has been in the way of sewing much, the quilt is being pieced in sections. I have Vogue 8511 in mind for an upcoming benefit we are planning on attending in purple ponte de roma knit. I really like that pattern and I couldn't find a bad review of it, the pieces for the princess bodice virtually match the Simplicity 2473 I made two versions of last year, so I think it will work fine for me. Being ponte, I will still use a zipper, but the hems can be machine made and seam finishes simple, speeding up the construction. I also have a vintage jumper for little girl on the ironing board already cut out, waiting on me and some time. Please let me get some soon :)

The status of the top as it is on my kitchen wall - I use a piece of flannel that has a nylon backside for a "design wall". It's tacked up there. I have played with the pieces since yesterday, now the strips need to be sewn into blocks in groups of 4 showing 16 little sqaures. The large beige blocks are to be embellished with antique or vintage laces, doilies, eyelet, linen. I will work on it more tonight, soup needs to be started for dinner.

On a different note, I read the post about frugal pantry cooking on the Life as Mom blog. She had a link to USDA's charts on what grocery bills should be. For a family of 6, thrifty method, we should spend about $639.65 per month, give or take. Wow, many months we don't even spend that, when I am really careful, plan ahead, shop the sales. The "liberal" plan was much higher, over $1000/month - I cannot even fathom spending that on groceries, unless we bought lots of snacks, gourmet, etc. Any thoughts? See for yourself http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2010/CostofFoodNov10.pdf

The title of a new quilt I am working on - made from various Moda fabrics, mostly found in the local quilt shop's scrap bin for free, scraps of my own that coordinate and a few fats I bought. I also plan on adding a few blocks that are enhanced by vintage laces from some salvaged doilies given to me by Hayley's godparents. Hence the name, a fresh start, a new lease on life for some vintage pieces almost 100 years old. I am also working on cleaning house bit by bit, so I work for an hour, sew for an hour, approximately. It's a simple design, based on Moda's Bake Shop pattern Wild Rose Postage Stamp Quilt. Most of my jelly roll pieces come from the bin at Seams Like Home here in town, from Blackbird Designs' Harvest Home, some marbley solids, subtle polka dots. I took most of the day yesterday planning the block sets, walking away and standing back. I am seriously considering making quilts for sale, one a month, so if I stick with it, who knows? I had a great ...