I Feel a new Collection Coming On...

I realized this morning that we have the beginnings of a new collection.  As if we need something else to collect!  Afraid it's my fault.  I seem to have developed an liking for 50's/60's low-brow homemade art.  Specifically, paint by numbers and gravel art.  It began with these paint by number pieces a few weeks ago.

Paint by Numbers by Freda Davis

Yesterday, I spotted this gravel art cornucopia that I just had to have for the breakfast room!  I think my stepson, who was out shopping with us, thinks my taste may be lacking.... *lol*

Am I crazy?  I think they're rather fabulous.  Once we got the cornucopia home, the hubby agreed that it's perfect in the breakfast room. Stepson still seems to have doubts... :D

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Finished Overalls!

Here they are... finally!  I used the yellow creme brulee buttons.  Overall, I'm pretty happy with them.  They are a tad big, but it's not too noticeable when I have a blouse on.  I'll probably make them again, but in a less drapey fabric next time.  Last time I made them, I used a cotton linen look fabric, and that was perfect.  The darts originally came out really pointy, so I went back and pulled them out and restitched them, being good and tieing the ends off instead of back stitching the second time!  I also extended them by about 3/8" and turned my needle about a 1/2" before the end of the dart to create more of a curve.  Hope that makes sense. :)  The only other fitting change I made was lengthening the rise by a 1/2".

The blouse I'm wearing is one I made years ago and has gotten a lot of wear.   It's DuBarry 2471B, and you can find a reproduction of at it at Past Patterns.  I may have to reorder one myself, as I seem to have lost the pattern, and I love this blouse!

Simplicity 3322

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Got My Spoonflower Swatch Today!

My Spoonflower swatch came in the mail today!  Whoo hoo!!  I'm very happy with how it turned out.  The red shifted to be a bit more orangey in printing, but I decided I actually liked it better this way.  Here's a snapshot of it.

 Yay for Spoonflower!

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Buttons, Buttons Everywhere

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm getting really tired of looking at buttons!  I found a woman with a good selection of vintage buttons on ebay last night though, and I think I've found them.  I actually ordered four different styles from her, but only got enough of two of them for the overalls.  One style is a cherry red, but the one I think it's more likely I'll use is a beautiful shade of yellow!  My mother has dubbed them the creme brulee buttons.  Don't they look yummy!?!

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Overalls Progress and Button Indecision...

So the overalls are coming along.  They're actually going pretty quickly -- when I get the chance to sew.  Thing is, I don't get that much sewing time.  Mostly during naps.  I got the buttons in the mail the other day, and as you can see in the picture, they don't match after all.  Darn monitor.  Anyway, I'm kinda rethinking red now even though I had originally nixed it as an option.  I need nine buttons, so the smaller ones in the picture, which are the correct size, won't work.  I have exactly nine of the larger dark red buttons, but they are bigger than the pattern calls for.  Think I'll see if they'll work anyway. 

I decided to underline the bodice with a lightweight cotton broadcloth I had in my stash, because the linen/rayon softened up quite a bit after laundering.

In progress overalls bodice.

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Yippeeeeee!! Bound Buttonholes Here I Come!

Let me start off by saying I hate making bound buttonholes.  Actually, the more accurate thing to say would be I don't make bound buttonholes.  If making a perfect bound buttonhole had been a requirement for graduation, I might not have the fashion design degree I have today.  That all being said, I love the way bound buttonholes look.  Awhile back I read a post about the Dritz Bound Buttonhole Maker.  Of course, they aren't being made anymore.  So, I've been watching them on ebay, but mostly they go for crazy prices.  Apparently, I'm having another lucky ebay day, because I just won one that was part of a lot of random sewing notions for only $12.51!!!  Hoping it'll prove to be as wonderful a gadget as everyone says!

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The Pattern Organization Has Begun!

Many thanks to those who shared their methods of organization!  I've given in and started The Great Pattern Scanning Project of 2010!  Actually, it's going much more quickly than expected.  All bow down to the new Kodak printer/scanner/copier!  We decided it was time to get a new printer as we were tired of spending ridiculous amounts of money on ink for the old one.  I had no idea that lots of the printers now come with scanners attached.  This thing is so much faster than the scanners I've used in the past.  I love it!

Anyway, I have about a hundred scanned so far.  I decided to create a Flickr account for them.  Then I created sets and have them filed in the sets by company and clothing type.  The nice thing is that one pattern can be in multiple sets, so they are all cross referenced, solving the problem of where to file outfit type patterns.  The actual patterns are filed away in comic book boxes and sleeves by company and number.

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