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

out the door. I have sold 7 patterns between Saturday and today, and continue to add more in small batches. With 4 kids, I can only be at the computer so long. The housework and cooking and laundry is enough to keep 3 people busy around here. I added a 50's pattern today, and have another 2 to add, these are larger bust sizes, 38 and 40. I am also handquilting in spurts today. I will take a photo this evening of the wall hanging made from scraps from the Dresden plate blocks. Thanks to Little Hunting Creek for directing Peter to the shop, and anyone else who has helped me out by purchasing or promoting. I love you bloggers, so supportive!

I found a cute little top that can be really cool. I made it for my oldest using 2 fat quarters for the bodice/sleeve ruffles and 1 fat quarter for the straps. I found the material at Seams Like Home here in our little town. When I told Sarah what I was making with them and how I was trying to make little girls things to sell, she said she would showcase something in the shop. I told her it would have to be made from fabric bought there, hence, a shirt would be great since I could make it from fats. I will go back next week, though and buy some yardage to make a dress to also showcase. I think in thanks I need to plug her generosity on this blog. Her store is http://www.alittlefabricstore.com and she has stock listed online for sale. They are very pleasant there. Check her out! Meanwhile, I will try to photograph the shirt on the oldest tomorrow as she is using it then. I would say it could be duplicated, so I will also list it in my shop.

I did not realize the last post was my 200th post! Wow! I am working on dress samples, the non-wrap version of 3945 and a baby gift, a Texas A&M baby dress. I have also completed two versions of a 1980's Butterick cap sleeved (sleeveless) top. I did one in lawn and one in knit crepe. I like the knit version better. I don't do well in wovens sometimes, too stiff. The lawn is pretty and I may try another top with the leftovers, I have a yard or so left. I will probably recycle the wadder, into something for the oldest, well, it's not really a wadder, I just wasn't totally convinced. The knit one is fine and finished. I will try to photograph it later. I have some ideas for girls dresses and baby things, working on some now. I have a few ladies in town interested in purchasing for their daughters, too. This may work. More later...

Well, I am NOT a football fan, so hopefully it means I can spend some time sewing. Mike, of course, would not miss a minute. The kids will probably be on the other TV. He went to church alone as my oldest still feels bad, I am home with the bunch. Right now, I am picking up around here since my Mom & Dad will probably stop by. It has been over 2 weeks, since she had her surgery in that time. Seems they took the cancerous area out of the colon and she is fine, needing to recheck in 3 months. I think she'll be by to see the little ones. On the sewing front, for '09, I have finished one PJ pants for the baby, 1 pair of school pants for one son, about finished one for the oldest, but I think they will be capris as there is nothing left to hem. She grew alot when I wasn't looking! I have some other items laid out to cut today, so maybe me & my machines will get to work together! I also received a response from Lory (The Diary of L) & Carolyn (Diary of a Sew...

I am talking about the Kreative Blogger award and others. I am NOT trying to sound sour, and I am NOT sour, because there are others that are better bloggers and sewers/crafters than me. I am pleased to see some like Carolyn of Diary of a Sewing Fanatic basically shared it with her following and readers. But I did not post it, as I would rather wait until my blogging is deserving, but I am not demeaning anyone who does, at all, because I think we are all creative bloggers and deserving it for our unique and various talents. This comes under ramblings that have no purpose, I think. Sorry, this is something I had to get off my chest, thinking about it as I come across it. I hope no one gets offended about it, if so, sorry...

I have been reading others histories and decided to join in. I gave a version on Pins and Needles, but not here. My mother sewed for me, my grandmother sewed alot in her day, usually making her own pattern from RTW in downtown Houston shop windows, making notes and a sketch. I resisted learning how to machine sew, absolutely would not do it. I hand-sewed doll things about 8, learned to crochet and embroider from my grandmother. I fell in love with cross-stitch in my teens and did that for years, now my eyes are too strained to do much with it. I cross-stitched through two pregnancies on bed rest. Fast forward to 2007. I was pregnant again after a recent miscarriage (I have had 3 lost, we have 4 living children, oldest is adopted). At the end of the first trimester in Jan 07, I had an ultrasound, no heartbeat. I was devastated again. I needed something to concentrate on, so I decided to learn patchwork, log cabin blocks, and got a 2nd hand machine from one of the church ladies...

I am with Lory, no resolutions, only goals for 2009. 1. Work on better fitting of clothes for me. 2. Make about 1/2 of the clothes for the girls. 3. Make a 40's vintage dress and finish the brown one. 4. Try a 50's or 60's dress (step outside the box). 5. A real challenge, a 30's pattern. 6. Learn how to serge better and master more functions on my Bernina. 7. Bound buttonholes/a lightweight jacket or short coat using them. 8. Finish some ufo's and use them or give them away as presents (kids clothes) 9. Become more organized in the home and in sewing. Now for the review of finished items: Before this blog and PR and may or may not have photos: 1. Blue paisley skirt and blue/green floral skirt, using "Sew What, Skirts" as a guide: The paisley is ok, the floral needs adjustment as it is too large in the hips and looks sloppy. Both are basic A-line with elastic waists. After the blog: For me: 1. Black cherries dress from a vintage Simplicity wrap dress S39...

Simplicity 3918, now OOP, is great. The pink/brown leopard is an earlier attempt, wearable, pre-serger. The gold/black one was made today, first time to really use the new serger. It took minutes to assemble. I am still a little green at the rolled hem, so the neckline has spots in the point a little heavy. I tried covering it with beads. I am not sure about them. I may take them off and try another layout of them. I am also running elastic thread by hand under the loops on the wrong side to slightly cinch the low neckline in a bit so I don't flash everyone. Overall, I liked it. I am ready to try another to refine the serger usage. Also, I am a little puffy today, but photos always make me seem heavier than I really am. Tomorrow, I will post some photos of some earlier things sewn, before the blog and a list of finished items, resolutions (mostly sewing) and ufo's I want to finish once spring returns.

I didn't post yesterday as I was busy! Baby's dress is finished with the exception of a bow in the back. Oldest's lacks the finishing of the zipper and that area of lining hand tacked down plus a bow or other suitable ornamentation in back. Do not use the McCall 5742, the bodice looks nothing like the photo in the length, it comes up higher than the photo. As I mentioned before, the bodice is actually a sqaure yoke, weird sleeve caps and a lower bodice. I blended the yoke and bodice into one and only eliminated seam allowances. Overlaying the original and my copies they are the same length and shape as finished. They musta lengthened it for the model, but my oldest usually fit well in an 8. The back length is approximate to the stated number on the envelope, so it's not that it's too short. Just misrepresented in the photo. The taffeta really makes the skirt stand out, too, so be ready for that. Oh well, she loves it and said it's a princess dress. ...

Saw this on Linda's blog and decided to try: Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz... You Are a Bette! You are a Bette -- "I must be strong" Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective. How to Get Along with Me * Stand up for yourself... and me. * Be confident, strong, and direct. * Don't gossip about me or betray my trust. * Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side. * Give me space to be alone. * Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me. * I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack. * When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am. What I Like About Being a Bette * being independent and self-reliant * being able to take charge and meet challenges head on * being courageous, straightforward, and hon...

No sewing today, just some reorganizing in the breakfast room of what is on the cutting table, it was a mess... Tomorrow is voting day. I, for one, do not support Obama. This is my choice according to my beliefs, esp. concerning abortion and other life issues, but I do not address controversial issues often here because this is focused on sewing and other crafts, plus family happenings. I do respect other opinions, but do not believe this is what we as a country need. I will leave it at that. Next up is a Simplicity dress #2929, I think. I have a poly charmeuse ready for it. I also have another NL jumper for the baby cut out and have corduroy for my oldest to make another jumper, this time an 80's pattern that has a slightly dropped waist (remember those?) like basque style. I may amend that some, but it's a stash pattern and handy. These will be Thanksgiving dresses for us. After that will be Christmas dresses. The baby's will be the same NL with sleeves, the old...

but I have been working on a baby blankie for a baby present for this weekend. I know of 6 babies needing presents, 2 of which are already (recently) born. Time to get cracking! No, what I am blogging about today is my daughter in 2nd grade. She said they held "elections" (just like we did in 3rd grade for Ford vs Carter, gosh, I am old!) and she voted for Obama. Now some of you reading may be Obama supporters and I am not trying to offend anyone, please bear with me. We do not support him due to our religious beliefs (pro-life) and for other reasons. Do we love McCain? Maybe not 100%, but he is pro-life and more conservative, but he is not who we had wished to be on the ticket originally. This is a very conservative small town, too, in a ranching and farming area. But, in questioning her, she could only remember Obama's name (probably because it is unique). She said her teacher had not endorsed him, so that is good, because the teacher should not endorse anyone...

Our internet two-wire went out, so we had to buy another and spent most of the day gone, no work on my dress. Makes me think about how things were long ago, sewing and other daily life. I love reading accounts in historial fiction about making dresses by hand. Little House books are what come to mind, the hand piecing of quilts, embroidery, crochet, rag rugs, and hand sewing dresses, long dresses, with bustles, trains, etc. I wonder how we would survive in that environment? Probably not very well, given our level of "comfort". It was a big deal to own a treadle sewing machine, something that the family dragged out to take their portrait with (I saw this in a book about antique quilts on the frontier) and sent a photo back home so others could see their great fortune. In light of present day economics and everyone bandying the "D" word around, we as homemakers and sewers/crafters may have to turn our attention to practical sewing (wardrobe refashioning, hand-m...

I haven't blogged much, but have visited everyone elses and seen the wonderful things going on. Summerset has her cowboy outfit, Carolyn and Linda are always busy as well as many others. I have been working at things, just not consistently. The auction took alot out of me and had me stressed, not to mention it's held in an old unairconditioned dance hall and it was 90 deg that day. We did well, especially considering the change in weekend. A couple of complaints, but there always are. Now onto Western Days... I am almost finished with the black dress and I plan to start a fall transitional dress tomorrow, since Mike will be in Houston and only the baby will be home. I have the fabric picked out, the vintage pattern(s) picked out, so I will try to cut out and assemble the basics tomorrow as he should be gone from 4:30 am to about 10:00 pm. I am using a Moda cotton that is from the "allspice" line, I think, robin's egg blue with rose flowers, brown, olive an...

On the anniversary of this date, recalling the last 7 years... 2001 - watched on TV, saw the 2nd tower fall on the news while holding my oldest daughter (we were in Houston then) 2002 - pregnant for the first time, not knowing we would lose him prematurely in 5 days 2003 - sitting in a hospital, trying not to have Andrew prematurely, watching the broadcasts; he was born the next day 2 months early 2004 - pregnant with Philip 2005 - living in a new town with all of these babies & DH 2006 - just found out I was expecting and miscarried a few weeks later 2007 - pregnant with Hayley today - watching a hurricane's status and reading the 9/11 recollections My mother thinks hurricane Carla, which was 1961, passed through the same area (freeport area) on/about Sept 11. She can't remember the exact date. September is not my favorite month, but we should not forget 9/11.

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...

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.