First project Fini

The first (an easiest) pattern from my Sewing Through the Decades checklist is Butterick 3772.  In fact, it was so easy that tracing, cutting the paper pattern, cutting the fabric and sewing took about two hours.

I bought this cotton tablecloth at the Former Pattern Murdering Thrift Shop in my village.  I still don't know all the proper terminology for fabrics, so I'm going to call this thick cotton.  No, that's not right.  It's only medium weight, but very tightly woven, so I didn't have to worry about finishing the seams - I just pinked them.

(The daycare just finished a unit on insects, so all the little ones really love bugs.  "Bug" was one of Tashi's first words, so I thought she'd like this fabric.)  

Here's a photo of Tashi trying to take a photo, because there would be no photos of this project without letting her have her way, but there would have been a whole hell of a lot of screaming.

Bye bye.

Sewing Through the Decades Sew Along

I just read about the Sewing Through the Decades Sew Along hosted by Debi and Sarah and thought it would be the perfect incentive to get the new year started.  After the chaos of Christmas (family death, travel to the west coast, travel back home, travel to US, getting stuck in Newark for a day and sleeping in the customer service line with the baby, etc. etc.), I have simply been recovering, and haven't even turned on the sewing machine.  But! I received a wonderful Christmas present:

Yay!  

So, since I'm a relative beginner and my pattern collection consists mostly of whatever I have leftover from the '80s-'90s, plus my recent thrift store scores, I think the best approach for me is one pattern from each decade.  My earliest pattern in 1948, so let's start there:

1940s:  Recent Etsy purchase; I plan to make view B in a vintage floral cotton I have around here somewhere.....

 1950s (via 2007):  Well, I had to cheat on this one since I don't have any 1950s patterns for women.

 1960s:  Maternity, but view C is so elegant that I think I'll give it a try.  Maybe just reducing the gathers in front will do the trick?

 1970s:  I already have the fabric and buttons picked out for this one:  View D with khaki for the yoke and snakeskin print for the body. 

 1980s:  I couldn't find a date for this one, but it is so totally obviously 80s.  Like, totally.

 1990s:  I've had this pattern since 1995 and still haven't made it.  It's a bit too mumsy, but maybe with the right fabric......I hope?

 2000s:  Something for my little Tashi.  Should be easy to whip up with some leftover fabric.

2010s:  Hey, I actually bought a new pattern from a real fabric store!  And paid full price!  There's a first time for everything.

So there's the plan for the next X number of months.  Between work, travel to South Africa / Botswana to host my tech transfer, travel to Florida and Cuba in the spring for family visits, and the usual winter sicknesses, I'm not sure how far I'll get.  But having a goal is sure to help me along.  

Pattern Illustrators

I don't know about you, but I have my favourite pattern envelope illustrators.  They aren't credited (as far as I know), but certain works always catch my eye.  Take these Very Easy Very Vogue illustrations below:

I don't particularly love the patterns, but I am always "hearting" them on Etsy because there is something so attractive about them.  Then I realized that they all appear to be drawn by the same artist. 

On the other hand, you probably recognize the woman in these bizarre McCall '70s illustrations.  I call her The McCall's Cutie:  Fake-and-Bake tan, too much rouge, too much teeth, too vacant a stare....

 Marlo Thomas is often transformed into The McCall's Cutie.  Unfortunately.

 

 

What about you?  Are there certain envelope patterns that inexplicably draw you in because of their art?  Is there any way to find out the name of the illustrator for a particular series of envelopes?