A new vintage sewing pattern contest

Vogue 7400 - dress and bolero

Patternreview.com is having a Vintage Sewing Pattern Contest this month. Get out your favorite original pattern from the 1920s - 75s and get sewing! My company is sponsoring the winning prizes for the contest. Now is the time for some summer vintage sewing! As an incentive to my blog readers - please enter the coupon code "contest" and you will get a 10% discount on the patterns you order.

You do have to register for Pattern Review - but they have a free membership level.

Hope to see your entry!

Anyone for Tea?

I will be hosting a 1950's tea party at Costume Con 26 in San Jose, CA and giving a talk about the history of sewing patterns.

This brings up the question - what do you wear to tea? I can't wear gloves, because I'm serving. I need an apron of course. You need nifty music and good cookies.

Vogue 9156 c. 1957

Hat, or no hat?

Anne Adams 4834



Vogue 9260c. 1957



Vogue Special Design 4565 c. 1955

Vogue 4004 c. 1959

Happy Birthday Mr. Rogers!

In honor of Mr. Roger's 80th birthday - March 20th, 2008 is "sweater day". I grew up watching Mr. Rogers. I loved the shows music and the puppets. I was great "seeing" him on the cartoon Arthur. Wear your sweater proudly today! I will wear my zip up one today. So much for spring in New England :(

Happy Birthday my neighbor!

If you want to find any more information on the men's knitting books shown above, please check them out here.

Tag along

Nina - Not A Llama tagged me w/ a meme.

Here are the Rules for this game of tag:

1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry.
5. Let the tagged people know, by leaving a comment on their blogs.

6 unimportant things about me:

1. I am a Girl Scout and Cub Scout assistant leader.
2. My first car was a Red Pinto Wagon - no it didn't blow up. Name: the Ruby Slipper.
3. When the Blizzard of '78 hit - I got 5 days off from Junior High School - no great stories - just lots of high piles of snow.
4. I'm uncoordinated, yet I can sew - hmm.
5. I hate to be late.
6. I sang in choirs all through school - but haven't been in a singing group since then.

I tag: my cuz (a knitter) Devs, my other cuz (writer) Elana, my childhood friend (who is touring with Spamalot) Jamie, another childhood friend Lucy (who owns a knitting store), my buddy Cindi who is a quilter, and oldhalloween.

Mondrian Memories

One of the most memorable clothing exhibits I saw the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1983. I clearly remember seeing the "Mondrian" day dress of 1965 there.

I am sure that there was a Vogue sewing pattern with a similar design. Here are two "copy cat" versions of that pattern from 1965-66.

McCall's 8131
circa 1965: High waisted dress w/ bateau neckline

Simplicity 6400
circa 1966: - slim dress with jewel neckline

There are dresses like that out there today - look at:

Diane von Furstenberg 'Mondrian' Shift Dress - at Nordstroms

Do you want to make the pattern into your own fashion?

Double Breasted Coat Mania

Not one but two teen idols wore double breasted coats for the Macy's Parade! I really liked Jordin's coat, but Ashley's had WAY too many buttons for me!

Ashley Tisdale

If I was going to sing on a float - here is what I would wear.

McCall's 9490

I think this coat has a great Lauren Bacall look to it. Here she wears a lot of buttons, but I think they are better placed.

or

If you wanted less buttons - maybe this one would work.

Simplicity 4022

Jordin Sparks looked adorable

Simplicity 5381

I like Simplicity 5381 - it has that Audrey Hepburn look to it - maybe they would let me have a breakfast at Tiffany's?

Still need some other ideas to keep warm? Try these on for size.

Vogue 3488

Butterick 3438

Butterick 5554

Princesss Diana Wedding Gown Pattern

There are a few celebrity weddings people remember. Princess Diana's was up there for a Top Ten event for the 1980s. That classic scoop neckline.

That full skirt with a train that went on forever, not to mention those sleeves!

Do you want to make that dress for your wedding? Try McCall's 9452 circa 1985. This pattern comes with or without a train (not as long as Di's). Many dresses from the mid-80's have some of these elements in it, either the scoop neck, the puffy sleeves or the ruffle neckline.

Good luck in creating the dress of your dreams!