Simplicity 7812

Another easy dress to fit and sew. This is also another vintage pattern (1992) and this was from my stash, yes, I'm that old!

I sewed this up before the Olympics, once the Olympics are on I have to watch, although I think I had my own pattern cutting Olympics in front of the T.V. When we were kids we used to play Olympics and we wanted to be Olympians when we grew up, but alas it was not to happen. The best I could do was second place in the high jump. I lost to one of the other tall girls in school.

This is a wrap dress and luckily the wrap is the right size so you are not showing your slip when a wind comes up.

I sewed this with the lazy method, no special pattern modifications and no pattern matching and it all worked out well, happy dance!

McCall's 9249

This pattern is from 1998. I bought it at a thrift store for twenty five cents. After all my sewing failures, I wanted something easy, fast and would probably fit. Fortunately it achieved all three, yeah! I cut the size 16 for the top and added about one inch to the back. For the skirt I graded out to a larger size.

It's kind of hard to tell but this dress has two layers, the top layer is a floral mesh and the bottom is cotton. No hems on the mesh, just the selvage.

A little easier to see here.

I made the straps smaller and longer, I hate ties in the back.

Sewing for thrift stores

This is Vogue 9104. I specifically chose this pattern because after all the past sewing bombs, I wanted a sure thing that would fit. Well...it doesn't! There are big gaps in the armholes, toward the neck band. The neck band was not comfortable and overall the dress just looks baggy.

The fabric is so cute and I used one of my scarves for the back of the neckband. The band on the bottom is an embroidered linen. What a waste!

I was thinking I need to just sew a pattern I've used before, but nothing is sparking my interest. Hopefully there's a tall thin person out there needing a bright colorful dress.

This pattern is now in the donation bag with the dress.

McCall's 6953

 

 This is another one of the dresses that did not let me enjoy sewing. The top did fit, but the pleats did not work in the back, so even though I wanted to throw this away, I picked out the back and added gathers instead. The bottom band did not fit well and it was a lot of futzing to get them together.

 

The fabric was from JoAnne's (last year) it is such a pretty fabric and I love the color, but it is very lightweight, and I don't think it's going to be durable.

Let's hope for some better sewing karma in the future!

Vogue 9106

 Sometimes do you just not enjoy sewing very much? The last three things I've made have had fitting issues and have taken a long time to sew. I was so excited for this vintage pattern and I loved the fabric to go with this (Pottery Barn Kids sheets). I made my normal size, but the top wouldn't close the sleeves were way too tight and where the gathers ended it was like arrows pointing to your butt and the gathers for the bust did not go below the bust. OMG! Took out the back darts, opened up the sleeves by cutting a tear drop shape and adding self bias for ties. So it does fit now, but I still don't love it. I'm just going to hang on to it until next summer and then make a decision on what to do with it. Two thumbs down!

Simplicity 8132

This is one of the few dresses that I've sewn lately that I actually like and was easy to sew. I probably would have never picked this pattern, but I saw Mimi G's cute version made in denim and just had to make it. I bought a swim suit top from target that was meant to go with this dress, but when I put the two together it did not look good. I may make the bralette later if I find suitable fabric.

The fabric was from JoAnne's purchased a year ago.

Simplicity 2444

This is the first time I've ever used Simplicity 2444, I swear! I did try on the top and it was too tight, so I took out the back darts and it fits like a charm. I did use gathers instead of pleats, because I don't get along with pleats too well.

Okay, I saw this dress on dollyclackett.blogspot.co.uk
Luckily, she gave the name of the fabric (Native Garden by Timeless Treasures) so I could find it online. I don't think we'll run into each other wearing the same dress because she lives across the pond.

Pink has always been one of my favorite colors since I was very little. I think I was born loving clothes and pretty things. My Grandma would take me shopping on my birthday (around Easter) and she would buy any dress I wanted. It was such a treat because my mom was practical and would buy things on sale.

Have you loved clothes and fabric at an early age also?

McCall 7163

I'm finally using some of my vintage patterns! This was fun to make because it had a little twist from modern patterns with the bodice closure. Since I used a stretch material for the top I didn't add the zipper. I added a bit to the back width and that was about it for alterations.

I also used just a plain skirt pattern. I had wanted to use the skirt that came with the pattern but the bugs did not want to run diagonally.

Here are the ladies standing on the street corner. And, no, I did not pay five cents for the pattern.

Sewaholic Lonsdale Dress

Finally made the Lonsdale Dress. Sewaholic patterns do fit nicely. The only problem I had (on any style like this) was too much fabric under the arms. Luckily I tried the top on and added elastic under the arms.
Is there such a pattern adjestment such as hollow armpits? I also made the straps shorter and attached them to the back of the bodice.

Do you like my tanlines? YIKES!
I saw fabric like this in the Burda magazine and wanted (needed) some.
I went to S.R. Harris in Burnsville and there it was, happy dance.

Vogue 8894 and Simplicity1803

I finished this dress last year, but today was my first chance to wear it. It is a mash-up of three patterns. Simplicity 1803 for the top, Vogue 8894 for the skirt and I have no idea how the sleeves came about.

I guess my husband was using the soft focus lens, ha! The skirt is made from a vintage, dyed tablecloth. The top fabric from Jo Anne's. I don't know about this dress, it looks kind of weird.

I should also know from past experience to make the top front the smaller size and add on to the back. Other than that it fits well. Look for this at your nearest Goodwill at the end of the season.

McCall's 5842

This pattern was cut out for two years before the sewing took place! I hate sewing gathers.
At least it still fits. Once again it was cut to a size 16 with no alterations.

 

This dress is made from sheets from Crate and Barrel. I ended up liking this pattern, except for the gathering.

Butterick 6582

This pattern has been used by so many and looked so cute, I had to go for it. I thought I had this in the pattern collection, but I didn't for some reason and had to go out and buy it. The fabric is from Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul. I love the color, it is a very unusual color of blue.

This was fun to sew, because it was different as far as the construction and how the pattern went together. I made no pattern alterations except for using a different skirt because I couldn't fit the one included on the fabric.

I don't like these shoes with this dress, they look too heavy...oh well.

Butterick 6051

Finally, a nice spring day! I had cut this out last year and just got to it now. Both fabrics were from JoAnne's. The top is a knit from last year and the bottom a cotton from a few years back.

If you make this view of the pattern, don't plan on going to anywhere where you might need to raise your arms. Sporting event, prayer meeting or the like, just pass, or add length under the arms or use the sleeveless view. The waistband construction was strange. I cut out two fronts and backs, and sewed the waistband normally and inserted the elastic to the whole waistband, with the gathers in the back. If I make this again. I would interface the front and have the elastic in the back. But other than that I like the pattern.

Our new frog is anxiously awaiting his new home!

McCall's 6700

Finally, a nice spring day to wear a dress. The other nice spring day was spent in Houston stranded in the tax day flood!

This is a pattern many have used and made really cute maxi's. This inspiration (or copy) came from Mimi G.

I had this cut out for a year. I didn't want to work on this because I didn't want to turn the tubes for the ties. Instead, I used braid and backed it with binding, but you probably wouldn't even need the ties.

Look at those trees!

McCall's 6987

Here is one of the dresses from my "hurry-up and finish winter sewing, so you can move on to spring" sewing projects. I made the dress longer and graded out at the hips. As you can see there is plenty of room, so you probably won't have to do that. The dress is made from fabric from the stash. Velveteen for the main fabric, brocade for the ruffle and flocked cotton for the yoke and sleeves.

My husband said, "that looks like a dress your mom would wear." So, I guess he did not like it too much, but I do!