Don't you feel like crying?

Look at the details on this dress. The sleeve treatment, the pleated and crossed bodice, the flowing skirt. Oh yes, I'd love to put this on my list. But it's a Marfy. So what, right? Uhm not quite. These patterns have no seam allowance, which fine, I can not be so lazy and add those. The problem is they don't come with directions.

Does that look like a dress you could put together without help? Not for my level of expertise.

Le Sigh

Instead, I punish myself by going to the Marfy site every few months and bawling like a baby over what might have been.

Let's look a bit more, shall we?

I adore the top of this dress. It's a shame the bottom is the only part I could manage.

This one looks simple enough but I can't figure out how the bodice comes together.

Very 1930's, isn't it?

Those side pleats are divine.

Don't you just love those details?

It's a cruel, cruel summer

Or at least it was. Sort of was anyway. The misery of southern living is that it's September and I'm still roasting as if it were the 4th of July.

Sigh.

So where have I been you wonder?

And thanks to the power of the internet and message board tickers I actually remember this go 'round exactly how pregnant I am. 19 weeks. Fun! Or it would be fun if contemporary maternity patterns weren't scarce and vintage patterns didn't all look like tents. As a bonus, I guess a home sewist circa 1958 didn't have to worry about proper sizing. Fitting is rather easy when everything is designed to envelop you in five yards of tacky. I'd look like a spinning top, a cranky, back acky spinning top.

Don't believe me?

I'm not doing this.

So like any good internet addicted girl, I decided to take a twirl around the internet. Luckily, plenty of sewing bloggers have tackled the issue and have given me numerous ideas for how to adapt regular patterns for maternity wear. Unluckily for me, the majority of vintage patterns I own won't exactly fit the burgeoning "sisters." And so, I find I will be vintaging up some existing patterns and kind of hodge podging something together from the stash. This is actually a good thing considering the weath of patterns and fabric I already own.

As if the prospect of outgrowning most of what I own wasn't enough of an impetus to sew my little heart out, a quick visit to Colette Patterns gave me yet another reason to break out my sewing machine and get to stitching. It's a good thing too because I have to admit I was incredibly depressed to find Sarai is set to release three new patterns in a few weeks and all of them answer the age old question of AMC fans everywhere, What Would Joan Holloway wear?

Aren't those cigarette pants just divine? And the cute little top, good gracious. Well, I know what I'll be sewing once I've evicted the the wiggly little worm I've got swimming around in here. These will be my first pair of pants ever and Sarai's patterns are just the thing to get started I think.

But I digress.

Sarai has issued a sewing challenge! It only went up a few days ago so I'm not behind. I'm not sure how fall my finished products will come out looking seeing as how I live in a land that doesn't really do autumn until very late in the year with a slight bit of winter at the end. But I'm willing to give it a go.

Wish me luck!

And yes, this post means I plan to return to my normal blogging schedule. Thanks to a rather energy sapping bout of morning sickness, I don't have much to update you with. However, this means all my previous projects are still on the table and I have plenty to do.

Tooodalooo!

Make Me Bad

I know, I know. I've been a grade a slacker. More than a full week without a single blog post. I've even slacked in my general housewifery. Booo toooo meeee!

So please forgive me and I am back with a vengence, I promise.

Don't ask about that damned contest entry. I'm cutting to.night. I swear!!!

Speaking of bad, I just won this via ebay. (Shaddup, Amy.) I really need to figure out a way to make it a full on summer dress. Can't you just see it in an adorable cherry print with green gingham trim?

Summer Sun, Somethin's Begun

When it comes to sewing, I have an incredibly short attention span. Even while working on one project, mentally cutting out the next, and hammering down the details for the third, I'm thinking about what I'm doing next season.

As you know, I'm currently working on this bag, McCalls 5822. Here's a sneak preview.

Then, I'll start on the Easter dresses in conjuction with my EvaDress Contest entry.



And I just realized I only have 15 days. ACK! For some reason, I thought it ended the 28th of March. Oops! Guess I'm skipping the muslin after all. So feel free to ignore the cherry print fabric and focus only on the the pretty paisley charmeuse. I might manage the little jacket but I wouldn't hedge any bets if I were you.

After that, we are moving on to some wonderful lingerie by Colette Patterns, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. I'll give up more details in a few weeks but I'm planning three sets, everyday wear in ivory and pale pink cotton batiste, a luxurious set in ivory crepe back satin with black lace trim, and a proper pretty set of dusty coral crepe.

Even with all that planned, I can't get my mind off summer sewing. The sun has been bright down south for the last two weeks, warm enough to roll the windows all the way down in my old car and fill the roads with Mick Jagger, much to the chagrin of other drivers, I'm sure.

No matter.

My love for Start Me Up cannot be contained. But I digress.

Summer sewing, yes, that's what we were discussing. For bonus points, aside from the necessary notions, we'll be doing some MAJOR stash busting.

Let's start at the bottom. I've not made either shorts nor pants before, aside from a handful of pajama bottoms. Cross your fingers that I don't screw up six yards of cotton twill when I attempt these capris and shorts, will you? Although, I picked up some in khaki, bluebell, and pale pink last summer for less than four dollars a yard at Hancock Fabrics, so if I completely jack them up, at least I'm only out my time and hopefully, I've learned something from the experience.

I own enough floral print, gingham trims, and solid knits to make up enough tops to get me through the longest Southern summers. May I resist the urge to buy more patterns since I own the following and they'll do just fine with all the various ways I could adapt them. With ruffles, pockets, lace insertion, dyeing techniques, etc, the possibilities are endless.



And then there are all the summer dresses. Add the cherry print above to a list that includes this, this, this, and this, and it's a cruel, cruel summer, leaving me here all alone with a sewing machine. My closet will love me and my husband should be satisfied so see my stash dimishing, though admittedly, he won't be pleased with all the works in progress draped over the couch and coffee table.

On the Wings of Love!

Ottobre, Ottobre, how I love thee!

Another one of my New Year's resolutions was to stop buying patterns. As I was packing up after all the Christmas sewing, I realized my ass has a problem. Okay, so more like 170 problems. Yes, ladies and gentlemen. This is how many patterns I own. Sad but true.

Doesn't look like 170 patterns, does it? Those little envelopes can be deceptive.

As one last pattern hurrah, I subscribed to the very adorable, very versatile, Ottobre Design Magazine. Six issues a year, four children's, two women's. This is very useful as finding cute boy patterns worth sewing for pete is quite the difficult task. And so, I have a lovely pattern subscription to act as the methodone to my pattern addiction.

My first issue came in the mail today. SQUEE!!!!!

The infant patterns are enough to make my ovaries ache but I quickly glossed past those chubby cheeked little barf monsters to the relevant portions.