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Monday, January 31, 2011

Yellow Tracing Paper, Bill Cunningham et al.

Posted on 6:47 AM by dvdsvdsdv

Friends, the excitement begins tomorrow, and if you're like me,  you're already quivering in anticipation of our Men's Shirt Sew-Along.  Might I suggest a long walk and/or a cold shower?

Today I'd like to share some additional flea market finds to keep your mind on other things.  First, do you know Bill Cunningham, the long-time NY Times photographer who rides through the city on a bicycle documenting fashion trends for his On the Street feature in the the Sunday Styles section?

Well yesterday I found a wonderful vintage copy of a book he published in the Seventies call Facades.  It's made up entirely of photographs documenting more than two hundred years of women's fashion modeled by celebrity photographer and (current) nonagenarian Editta Sherman, also known as the Duchess of Carnegie Hall.  For a period of many years, Bill collected antique and vintage clothing and accessories he found cheaply in second hand stores and the like (those were the days) and then Editta would model them for him in front of a building of similar vintage as the outfits.  It's a wonderful book, not least of of all because Editta is neither young, svelte, nor conventionally beautiful; just charismatic, playful, and gorgeous to look at.











 

Of course, I immediately thought of a more conventional beauty (Didn't you?) who can also be found strolling the streets in the fashions of yesteryear, albeit new interpretations of same.











Sub sole nihil novi est, right?  More pics from Facades here, and you know where to find Cathy (over in the MPB archives, on the right).

Readers, unable to resist the pull back to the Love American Style days, I also bought a few more of those $1 patterns:







A more serious purchase, in anticipation of tomorrow, was yellow tracing paper, a 50 yd. roll of which I picked up at the local art supply store for about $10.  I've used drafting paper to draft a few slopers, but I have never traced a pattern before -- do you believe it?



Well I've learned how.  While it takes a bit of time and focus, it is not hard.  Nearly all the vintage patterns I've used are one size only, so I might trace the pattern either to preserve it or to make adjustments to it.  But if you're starting with a multi-sized pattern (like nearly all contemporary patterns), tracing allows you to copy the pattern in one size while preserving all the others, should you ever want to make it in a different size.

This would have been very handy with my vintage Vogue toggle coat pattern, for example, which is quite rare.  It never occurred to me: I cut the Small and Small it shall ever remain.  I will be tracing my Negroni pattern.

So as you can see, I am already learning new things and the Sew-Along hasn't even started yet.

Which reminds me:  one minor caveat before we begin.

I was checking out our Flickr group yesterday and I detected the distinct aroma of locker room.  Friends, perhaps for the first time in Sew-Along history, a large number of our participants are men and the male-identified.  Therefore I must request that we all observe a few basic rules:

a) Ladies, please do not walk around in a state of undress; b) Gentleman, the same goes for you; c) No smoking and please refrain from wearing heavy perfume; bath splash is acceptable;  d) If you must exchange intimacies unrelated to men's shirts please take your comments to your own blogs and/or Flickr pages;  e) Always leave the toilet seat in the down position.   Signed, the Management.

Please get lots of fresh air and exercise today if possible and of course a good night's sleep is a must: We're going to need all our energy and mental focus in the days ahead.  You might even want to sleep alone for the next few weeks if you catch my drift.

See you all on the morrow, patterns and scissors in hand!

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Posted in books, flea market, patterns | No comments

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Last Sunday before Sew-Along stream of consciousness

Posted on 6:16 AM by dvdsvdsdv

Friends, have you ever seen the original version of The Thomas Crown Affair from 1968?  I bought a used copy of the DVD at the flea market yesterday, having heard about what a stylish movie it is, and it is indeed quite glamorous.  Faye Dunaway is fetching in styles familiar to any fan of vintage Sixties Vogue Paris Originals.

Lovers of taupe nail polish, this is the movie for you.


Otherwise it is something of a snoozefest, though not unwatchable, especially if you're a Steven McQueen or Michel Legrand fan (The Windmills of my Mind won the Oscar for Best Song that year). I read that the Persol sunglasses McQueen sports in the film were auctioned off recently for something like $60,000, which is a lot of money for a pair of sunglasses even today.

Anyway...

Other fun flea market finds include three yards of this vintage cotton fabric for $2.



I was originally attracted to it because it had a very distinct right and wrong side and I thought it would be perfect to use for my Sew-Along Negroni muslin.



It was a little stiff originally but after laundering and ironing it has softened up a lot. Does it look too much like something you'd pull out of a Dixie cup dispenser?  Should I save it for something better?

I also found some wonderful old patterns for just $1 each.  I picked up three but I may go back for more today.  A vendor had an entire boxful of largely Seventies patterns that had likely belonged to the costume designer for Eight is Enough.  

Have you ever in your life?  The last time I saw this kind of foreshortening was in a Mannerist painting.  And just think what a shirt in that vintage-airplane-and-hot-air-balloon pattern would cost today -- if you could find it.





Words fail me.



And then there's this.



If there was ever a Junior pattern that tacitly acknowledged the reality of teen pregnancy, I think this is it.  You'll be relieved to know that this pattern includes matching "bikini pants."







I know more than a few of my readers were dressing this way back then, and probably well into the Eighties.  At first I thought that girl was holding a yarmulke, but on closer inspection I think it's a 45 rpm record, no doubt Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves or Paper Roses.

Speaking of Marie Osmond, did you know she has her own Marie-branded Janome sewing machine?  Apparently she's been sewing her whole life, quilting in particular.  Who knew?


I have a soft spot in my heart for Marie Osmond I won't lie.  Any Marie fans out there?

Oh, before I forget! -- If you have a few minutes: remember that video I posted yesterday of an Eighties-era commercial for the Nevele hotel in the Catskills?  Well if you really want to laugh -- or cry -- read some of the feedback left by some of the Nevele's last guests on Trip Advisor (12 pages of them). 

The titles of the reviews are a bit of a giveaway, from "Pathetic and Disgusting," "The Worst," and "Remember the Shining?" to the more nuanced, "No!!!!!!!!"  Honestly, I nearly peed my pants reading them, so go now just to be safe.

Friends, it's time to get moving -- much planning in the works.

There is still time to join our Sew-Along Flickr group if you haven't already and I am delighted to see that you're getting to know one another there.  Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if some real and lasting relationships came out of all this or at least a hook-up or two, given the amount of activity under some of the discussion topics.  Fortunately I'm a very laissez-faire moderator.

Does everybody have their fabric and pattern(s) at the ready?  Hope so!

NOTE: You have only one more day (January 31) to get the 20% discount on the Negroni pattern offered at the Colette website if you're just joining us.  More details here.

Happy Sunday, everybody!
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Posted in fabric, flea market, mens patterns | No comments

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Sexy Valentine's Day Sewing or "Get a Room!"

Posted on 6:33 AM by dvdsvdsdv

NOTE: The following post is for ADULTS ONLY.  All minors please return to your mines.

Mature friends, it should come as no surprise that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and I was reminded yesterday (rather abruptly some might say) that a few of you may have joined the Men's Shirt Sew-Along with the expectation of having a completed shirt to give to your beloved as a Valentine's Day gift.

Readers, while we may be tying things up by Februrary 14, it's entirely possible we'll still be ripping out our placket seams on said date. I don't want to rush things.

Therefore I feel it incumbent upon me to come up with some alternative gift ideas for those who insist on sewing for the holiday rather than just forking over $10 for a Whitman's chocolate sampler.

As of this writing, all the patterns below are for sale on Etsy though no doubt they will disappear quickly, so don't delay.

For me, nothing says I love you like his and her terrycloth wraps.  For those needing his and his or hers and hers, simply make two of the same pattern piece -- Easy! 



A lovely evening no doubt awaits this committed couple, probably in a room like this.


For those too embarrassed to purchase the pattern above, a somewhat more demure version can also be had that includes a two-piece bonus bikini!



As you rekindle the romance in your relationship, you'll certainly want to stroll the quaint byways of remote Catskill villages in his and her gauze drawstring pants.  Given the recent weather, bring gloves.



Girls, something sexy at bedtime is a must, but sexy can mean many things these days.  For the bold...



For the more demure, what can be lovelier than a vintage negligee?

 

 

The vintage man will certainly want a pair of these:



Covered up with this perhaps:



Oh, Rex!


For the more hirsute, there's this cuddly ensemble. When did we stop tying our robe -- 1976, 1977?



Readers, I hope this has been a help to you.  A shirt makes a lovely gift but it isn't terribly romantic, is it?


Would any of you like to share your favorite Valentine's Day memories with us today?   Does it involve a sewing machine?  I hope so.

In closing, are any of these patterns sitting in your stash, waiting for the appropriate occasion?  The time is now.

Happy Saturday, love birds!

The Catskills goes Disco...

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Posted in patterns | No comments

Friday, January 28, 2011

Ouch! + Sewing on Edge

Posted on 6:52 AM by dvdsvdsdv


Poor Freddy.  He had nine (9!) teeth pulled yesterday.  He's doing much better than when I picked him up from the vet but he's still a little sore.  I do like the more sculpted cheekbone look, however, don't you?

Where have I seen that face before...?


If you've never seen dog teeth without the dog attached you might just want to skip this next photo.  It's a little gruesome.



They don't smell so great but after they dry out, maybe I'll do something craft-related with them.  Mini toggle coat perhaps?

In other news, we are getting closer and closer to our Men's Shirt Sew-Along starting date next Tuesday.  I've heard it rumored that a few of you may have jumped the gun and cut your patterns already.  Bad, very bad. 

Sadly I have had to disqualify Mainely Dad.  When I asked him, via loudspeaker, to Step away from the Sewing Machine with your hands up and he resisted, things nearly got ugly.  How was I to know he wasn't wearing any pants?

Guys, you've waited this long, surely you can wait just a little bit longer.  Don't you have other projects to complete, children to raise, etc?  Have you performed your daily doggie dental hygiene?  Don't make the mistake we did or you'll end up with another Freddy on your hands and a drawer full of mini toggles.

A few of you have asked about the Sew-Along schedule.  OK, none have you have asked about this.  I'm guessing it's because, like me, you know that things take the time they take and what's the point anyway?  Is the train leaving the station at so-and-so an hour?  I don't think so.

I know some of you are sewing gifts for your significant others but to the best of my knowledge nobody needs a completed shirt before the end of the month.  Life is a long time and if it's not you probably won't need a shirt anyway.

One last thing.  In my topstitching video, I talk about the importance of being able to stitch right up to the edge of your fabric.  If you're using a zigzag foot, you may want the aid of an edge foot guide, sometimes called a "stitch in the ditch" foot, which can help you to maintain an approx. 1/16" straight edge.  For the edge of a sleeve placket you are going to want to be as close to the edge as possible without falling off.

This is also true for collar stands, the edge of a pocket, and the top of a cuff.







This is a great time to practice with some scraps if you have the time and the inclination. How close can you get, stitching accurately of course, to the edge? Are you able to turn corners (with needle down, please) and land the same distance from the edge?  If you have some time between now and Tuesday, give it shot.

Friends, that's it. We're expecting more snow here and as you can imagine, I can hardly wait. In the meantime I'll be nursing a sore dog and experimenting with tapering the back of my shirt patterns.

Thanks for all the fitting tips yesterday, btw. They were helpful to me and to many others as well.

Happy Friday, everybody!

I never get tired of this, though Nancy's about as supple as bendable leg Francie.

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Posted in Men's Shirt Sew-Along, topstitching | No comments
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      • Yellow Tracing Paper, Bill Cunningham et al.
      • Last Sunday before Sew-Along stream of consciousness
      • Sexy Valentine's Day Sewing or "Get a Room!"
      • Ouch! + Sewing on Edge
      • Further dealings with fit + YOUR favorite fit reso...
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