Can't refuse reuse!

In the past few years I have had discussions with Girl Scouts in my town about doing her Gold Award around having our town not use plastic bags. Another young Girl Scout asked me to sign a pledge to not use plastic shopping bags. Both girls got me thinking about all the bags I use for shopping. It took a few months, but I finally gave up my new bag addiction. I have a bunch of bags that fit nicely in my purse. I drive the store owners crazy by providing my own bags. The supermarkets are more used to the bags. I am happy to report that I got through black friday without acquiring a single new bag. I have very few plastic bags in the house to re-use, and none to throw out. It really took an effort at first, now it is 2nd nature. I think I've gotten my daughter in the habit too.

Here is group in England (morsbags) supporting the use of reusable cloth bags.

Do you want to make some of your own shopping bags to use up your fabric stash? Try some of these vintage patterns!

Simplicity 6912

This one would look great in vinyl or a durable canvas. You do not have to add the pom-poms unless you want.

McCall's 5630

This pattern shows you a interesting way to make a tote bag that looks like pants. I thought it would tell you how to cut off jeans or a skirt to make it into a purse. No, this pattern has you cut out the pattern and make the purse from scratch. They are nice and don't have you insert the zipper.

Last year, for my son's holiday fair, I created purses made from old jeans. They where based on instructions from Threadbangers. I was told they where not a hit. Not enough bling. I have a great messenger bag made out a chino pants. It holds all my cub scout items, and it looks great with my uniform.

This year I made purses out of Men's ties. I have been told there where a hit. I have not had luck selling them on etsy. I love working with the different colored ties, the problem is due to their shape the inside of the purse is larger then the flap.

Simplicity Designer's Patterns

Between 1949 and 1950 Simplicity produced a line of patterns. They started the same time as Vogue's Paris Originals Line. The patterns have an oversized envelope (8" X 11"). They where nice styles, but they are not VPO's.

Simplicity 8002 c. 1949


Simplicity 8104 c. 1949

This one is the closer to a Vogue style. Notice the pleating on the front of the skirt.

Vogue Paris Original Model - 1189 c. 1952 Dessès - Suit - pleats on the side of the skirt. Didn't someone try that on the Project Runway Post Office challenge with BAD results?

Simplicity 8293 c. 1950

After 1950, this line of patterns was discontinued. I have not seen these patterns in the vintage re-issues.

The Girl Scouts - the old way

I have been working on a personal research project to re-create an early 1920s Girl Scout uniform. The town I live in had a troop dating back to 1918. We have an original uniform from a member of this troop, along with images of the wearer. I would like to wear this kind of uniform to honor the Girl Scouts in my town, and hey, I think it's a cool uniform! (O.K. I wouldn't wear it to my troop meetings, or hiking in the woods, but for parades it would be fun!)

This is Elanor Parkhurst, a member of Troop 1 - Chelmsford, MA

This is not a scout from my town - but it is a great image of the uniform

I have a problem, though. This is a rare piece of clothing and there presently isn't a good pattern of it. Since I like to research sewing patterns, I've been working on a solution. I have found a pattern that will help me produce this uniform! The pattern is complete, but it is missing the instructions. This is the "Official Yeowomen's Costume of the US Navy" circa, World War 1. I'd say it is a close match to the Girl Scout uniform pictured above.


Can you help me in my quest? Do you have the instructions to this pattern (Butterick 1101) in your private vintage pattern stash? Where would you wear this uniform?

The pattern shown above is owned by Past Patterns. Please go to their website to inquire when copies of this pattern will be available.

For more information about this uniform, I found the Blue Book of Rules for Girl Scout Captains. Published 1924. This is a scan of Elanors Parkshust's book. That woman saved everything! My council has her two of her uniforms, her membership cards, scrapbook, handbooks, and hats. What a wonderful snapshot of the Girl Scouts in the 1920s!


It contains detailed information on the official Girl Scout Uniform for the year 1924.



To see more pages from that handbook. Please visit my flickr site.


To kick this suit into today - I found this jacket by Walter on bluefly.com Maybe I'll wear my suit for more then parades. :)


Finally an update to this project!  Please check out Pattern 126 at Past Patterns website.

Apron dresses - a dress, a jumper, an apron?

What is an apron dress? Simplicity and McCall's have taken a stab at this. Here is Simplicity's take on this dress. This is Simplicity 8869 from 1994.


Simplicity 8869


I happen to like the McCall's 1970s version of an apron dress. This is a freebie pattern that McCall's gave out in 1975. They use it as an apron, a jumper and a summer dress. It reminds me of the $200 + halter apron dress by Inhabit - though theirs doesn't wrap around, and I'm sure the Inhabit a stretch knit. My problem with all of these dress is, what do you do if you have the figure of a woman? How do any of these support you? Only the DKNY takes into account a cup size.


McCall's Sample B

Or maybe we should just keep the two ideas apart. Use the apron to cover us up and a dress to wear.

Please click on the images or links- they will take you to my website if, I have them for sale!