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

made a dress for H. It is out of stashed broadcloth, the poly-cotton type that ends up washing out soft and is pretty wrinkle-free out of the dryer, like men's shirts can be. I think the cloth came from a garage/estate sale. Buttons from stash, vintage, from the thrift shop. She picked them out, liked the duckies with headcloths on. Snaps at the back neck, french seams, handmade bias tape arm and neck openings, slipstiched on the inside. Sometimes the bias "waves" sometimes not, I may have twisted it a bit in sewing it down. I used Butterick 4176 in size 3. I loved this pattern for my oldest daughter, so I bought the little sizes in a Hancock's 99 cent sale. It's a keeper/TNT for me. I plan on a few more dresses as I have time for her, she loves them and I love making them out of fabric that needs no/little ironing. I also made bloomers for underneath.

Excuse the mess, but we have a new top from B3070 my TNT modified shirt pattern from the 80's. I used a stashed brown knit crepe from Fabric.com, about 2 yrs old and made the freestyle ruffle from a mesh knit remnant from Hancock's. I made a strip the length of the fabric, pinked and ruffled it and added scattered gold and tan beads for effect. A most comfortable everyday shirt, by the way. I wore it twice this week already - in fact I was wearing it when I took this photo, took it off to put it on the dressform for a photo then put it back on.

Yeah, I did not want to take a photo of myself, too hard. It is resting on my desk chair. In the second you can see the added embellishments to utilize the puffs on the neck binding. For the record, this is my TNT, B3070, from the 1980's, traced and redrafted to fit me. I used two layers of mesh, which made it puff a bit in the front armpit area. This does not happen with regular knits, which makes me think it is the mesh and the two layers. I sewed them together and the neck and cap sleeve hems, left the sides free and hems are free and two lengths so the underlayer peeks out at the lower hem, both ruffle edged with zig zag.

This summer I bought a bit of Citrus Paisley Mesh from Ann (Gorgeous Fabrics) and cut out my B3070 TNT top, two layers as she recommends. Then I sewed the neckline and slightly stretched it out (oops!). I put it aside. It sat. Tonight with Mike & the oldest at the local football game, I worked on it again. I put a binding strip from the fabric. It puffed. I looked at it again. I am leaving the puffiness. Instead I will work with it and add some embellishments there to utilize the puffs. Tomorrow I will get batteries for the camera and take some pictures. BTW, that mesh is so pretty, the paisley in lime green and yellow. I know it's summery, but we live in So Texas, it's usually warm here.

The other day the Vogues were on sale for $5.75, I think, and I flipped through, trying to find what I have been desiring, something with a waist, cap sleeves, smaller skirt. I think this might do the trick, so I bought it, and received it in two days. I am going to try to work a muslin of this one this weekend, to see if it works. The suggested fabrics are satin, linen, wool crepe, yeah, right, in 100 degree weather. I think my muslin will be a light cotton and broadcloth lining. Now what do I have that will work? I need to give it some thought. I am in search of a dress that is current to be a TNT, something that doesn't fade with time. Vintage is great, but I want something that can be now, too. Wish me luck...

A preliminary photo of the Sweetest Little Dress, you can see my embroidery is not the world's greatest, but it will suffice. This is my new TNT, the white top in the lower left, you can't tell, but it is really a box top. I curved the sides in and created a little kimono-type sleeve (like the little dress has) and made a gently sloped v-neck, no facing. It is out of my last piece of epaisse knit crepe from fabric.com. That stuff is so cool to work with. I hope they carry it again soon. I will buy many pieces of it. This is a cool top to work with, 1 yard of 60" wide, works better with knits, you can just turn under the neck, hems with steam a seam then topstitch down. I made it in an evening around kids' baths, etc. BTW, the wet spot on the bed cover is from the baby's wet head after bath, nothing else! My DH just got home, so I will end this one, good night!

One of my favorite shows, Deadliest Catch, premiered its new season last night, wow! I just love those guys! On the sewing front, not much, working on some quilt blocks, another criss cross top for the oldest out of some remnant knit in purple and a top for me from the same, using a 1980-ish top pattern. Now, the top used dropped shoulders, pads, very 80's, but it has an option with extended shoulders with no attached sleeve, making it a cap sleeve effect. It is designed for a woven or stable knit, but I used that purple interlock, so it is drapey, which is good. I adjusted the pattern for my tummy, swayback and widened it some at those areas. I basted it together on the machine as I will serge it for the final. I think I found a good TNT! It works well. I had made a woven version once about a year ago and wasn't too sure, but tried it on again this weekend and it looked better, but I could see my faults at early garment sewing. It inspired me to try it in a knit. I wa...

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...

I hadn't been doing much as I caught a winter cold/brochitis, and have been laying low for a few days. I can't keep focused when I am coughing and sneezing alot. I have been taking a lot of naps, too. I have worked on the oldest's pants some, but really haven't done much of anything other than laundry, basics at home. I did read some of the other blogs. Carolyn's post about TNT's was great. She is a great example of developing TNT's that work for you and using them as a jumping-off point to keep in fashion. If you think about it, most patterns are a basic shape for a top, skirt, etc. and then add details, length, width, etc. If you already have that basic shape down, you can change it as your needs dictate. Something to explore this year as a goal. Well, that's it for now, I need to get back to the dishes.