Accepted!

Hey, I got three sewing patterns accepted to the upcoming book One Yard Wonders. Very exciting! The patterns are:

• An obi-inspired heating pad and holder
• A shorts pattern customized to your measurements
• My martingale dog collar

I've got about three weeks to make up samples and send them off with complete instructions. Yikes! Better get started...

My fabric

I've designed a couple of fabrics to be printed by Spoonflower, and here's the one I had printed and sent to me as a swatch:

It's an 8-inch repeating tile, so you're not seeing it in all its glory here. From the left, you're seeing my design, the unwashed swatch, then the swatch after it's been washed. The red circles indicate where some of the color chipped off when I washed it.

Initially, I was really disappointed by that, but I contacted Spoonflower, and Stephen promptly replied and gave me a great resolution, so I'll be happily ordering my fabric in confidence.

I can't wait to show you what I make with my full order!

Faux-western skirt

Our staff appreciate picnic this year had a western theme to it, so I took the opportunity to buy some vaguely western-looking fabric I'd been eyeing for a while and make a skirt.

I didn't use a pattern, but I based this on the skirt of Butterick 4443, since I know it fits me and it's a basic A-line skirt. I cut one piece on the fold, then drafted a new piece that had 7-9 extra inches added to one edge. That gave me a nice, won't-blow-open skirt. I cut those pieces not on the fold.

I sewed both fabrics into separate skirts, then bound them together with homemade bias binding. I fastened them with a buttons at the both corners of the overlap. There are buttons on both sides to make it reversible.

The fabrics turned out to all be from the same collection, which I didn't realize until I'd gotten home. No wonder they all matched so perfectly. :)

Polka dot dress

Jeff took me to a party, and I made a new dress for it

It's a reproduced pattern from 1952, and it's constructed very interestingly. I reviewed the pattern, and that's here.

I really like this dress. It makes me feel pretty, especially when I'm wearing it with a petticoat, like I am in the picture. :)

Free patterns from 1943

Here are three patterns from The Complete Book of Sewing from1943. Patterns are from a plain slip-on blouse, panties, and a bra. Click on the photo, then get the biggest size for greatest usefulness.

Enjoy!

Vintage sewing pattern up for grabs

Want a vintage sewing pattern for free? I'll even pay postage.

So, as you can see, the cover's in a bit of a state. Every time I touch it a little more flakes off, so I've put it in a page protector and stopped touching it. The good news, however, is that only the cover is in bad shape. Here's the back cover.

The pattern size is 18 1/2, which is bust 37, waist 31, and hip 40. The instructions are yellowed, but intact, and the pattern pieces, while cut, are in great shape. The waistband is missing, but should be easy to reconstruct. See here for proof of size:

So what do you have to do to get this pattern? Just tell me why you want it, promise me you'll make it soon, and send me a photo of the finished outfit when you're done. If you can't do all those things, don't ask for the pattern.

To ask for the pattern, just leave a comment on this post with:

• your email address
• why you want this pattern
• your intention to make it soon and send me pictures

That's it. I'll pick the person who gives me the best reason, in my opinion, on Sunday, July 27. I'll even pay for postage, so this is 100% free to you, so if you don't intend to make this pattern, please don't ask for it.

Thanks!

Another dress!

I made another dress, using the same pattern as the bunny-taunting dress.

It's much harder to see the princess lines on this one, but trust me; it's the same dress. I made a few changes to the fit this time, but I could still lose five pounds to make it fit perfectly. But I love it. And it has pockets!

Simplified Sewing booklet

Jeff and I hit our favorite antique mall, Heritage Square Antique Mall, yesterday, and I scored. I got a nearly complete set of booklets for a correspondence sewing course from the 1920s for $1.50 each.

Not only are the booklets very helpful in explaining sewing, but they're a fascinating look at the time period. I've scanned in the "Simplified Sewing" booklet, which includes a bunch of patterns that can be made using only measurements, including aprons and kimono nightgown.

Access it here. It's a big file, so be patient.

Let me know if you make anything from the booklet, I'd love to see!

Bunny taunting dress

Hi, Orlando & Fiona! I made a special dress just to taunt you:

Look! It's covered in carrots!