tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606805859777064802024-02-07T03:15:26.441-08:00Feeling Sew Good ❤ This DIY vintage sewing blog includes vintage pattern reviews, sewing tips and inspirational articles.Ladyfairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09366412775672548522noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-72692510231659672452018-02-01T07:39:00.000-08:002018-02-01T07:41:10.217-08:00Mad about the 60's Sales Event<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDytytRftIFv-Gbt6czeV5sHltRfCzFnd0tV0MFpldAD2yeIKAMCWK6qjmF6jsx-J3nleB4rYzibKsEAZ2J8KAQzObZMO9hTvdjaFvVq2pv6yfX8k2SQa64D_YJTf-EnDl1BnM3PXSARLH/s1600/60%2527s+flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="690" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDytytRftIFv-Gbt6czeV5sHltRfCzFnd0tV0MFpldAD2yeIKAMCWK6qjmF6jsx-J3nleB4rYzibKsEAZ2J8KAQzObZMO9hTvdjaFvVq2pv6yfX8k2SQa64D_YJTf-EnDl1BnM3PXSARLH/s640/60%2527s+flyer.jpg" width="408" /></a></div>
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<h1>
FEBRUARY SALE</h1>
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For the duration of February get 60's sewing patterns and apparel at 50% off! Sale only applies to old stock, not new inventory. <a href="http://etsy.com/shop/perfectlyantiquated" target="_blank">Visit shop here.</a></div>
Ladyfairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09366412775672548522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-78709269307016582002017-06-13T14:28:00.000-07:002017-06-15T06:38:55.389-07:00Closet Disco Queen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the 70's...</h1>
Now, I'll be honest, the 70's was not a favorite decade of mine despite the fact that it heavily influenced 90's fashion (the bulk of my youth). I remember it for its high frilly collars, peasant dresses and thick polyester double knits, which could only be worn in the wintertime. Similar to the late 60's, you won't catch me wearing tent dresses or anything overly mod or hippy-ish. I was a chubby girl growing up and baby doll dresses, which you would expect would disguise my fat, only ended up exacerbating my figure flaws. As a result I wrote off 70's fashion. More recently, I've been warming up to some of the decade's more notable design trends, largely those that were reflected through 90's fashion (but lord do I still loathe an empire waistline...). I have accumulated some "new" 70's inventory for the shop, and I picked up a few items for myself that I'd like to share today.<br />
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I have made 50 sales in my shop since it opened and I have had to say goodbye to many adorable patterns during this time! It's been difficult but necessary. As you can imagine, I have a stash of lovely vintage patterns of my own that I refuse to part with. It's not very big any more, only a handful of my favorite designs, and many of which are quite easy to find on Etsy and Ebay alike, but I adore my collection. Even when I haven't been sewing vintage in a while, I might get my vintage box out and rummage through it just to admire the cover art. I haven't added anything "new" to this collection in quite awhile, until two weekends ago when I surprised myself by purchasing and keeping two 70's patterns, a 70's sewing book and magazine.<br />
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Let's start with the patterns. Normally when I find 70's patterns they're hideous pant suits or over-sized caftan tunics. I don't even give them a second thought, as soon as I see Farrah hair I keep on moving! Yet these two patterns caught my eye. Something about them looked so stylish, feminine and elegant. I've been looking to add more dresses to my collection, but more specifically dresses with unique design elements. The first pattern is Simplicity 5728, described as a Misses' dress with an "Italian" type collar and front midriff. The maxi-length is quite pretty but it's the shorter version that sold me on this pattern. It's sexy without being gaudy. I love the little gathered, cap sleeve and contrasting cuff, and the big open collar which exemplifies 70's fashion. I have a sleek floral satin that I might dedicate for use with this pattern, it's cream coloured with multicolored flowers in a tight, small print. I imagine it'll be a pain to work with but will flow beautifully if successfully sewn. The second pattern is Style 4848. If you're from outside of Canada you might not have even heard of Style patterns. I believe they're more commonplace here, in the UK and in South Africa. I've never had the experience of sewing with this brand before and I'm excited to give it a try. I considered passing on this pattern but that lovely gathered sleeve and a-line shape is right up my alley. It has a distinctly 40's vibe to it with a little more sex appeal. I wouldn't mind making it in Version 1, although I seldom have that much fabric on hand.<br />
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What do you think of these dresses? Yay or nay?<br />
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As for the book, I picked up a copy of<i> Better Homes and Gardens Sewing Book</i>, originally printed in 1961 and reissued in 1970. It has all of these adorable little illustrations from the 60's. It's full of great tips and information. It has complete hand stitching instructions, diagrams for making design changes on the fly, and troubleshooting for all those annoying problems we run into. I've seen many sewing books in my time but this one was too adorable and well organized to pass up. Plus, I prefer to sew vintage and I would rather be exposed to the finicky, hand sewn techniques of the past than contemporary machine reliant ones. Unlike most of the Singer compilations, this book is organized in a binder, it has little tabs dividing the sections which makes it easier to navigate. And it has these cool vintage dressing tips with coordinating fabrics and silhouette styles! I love this book. I paid like two dollars for it, but you can get on Ebay for fairly cheap. If you're a vintage fan I encourage you to check this book out. I mean seriously, look at this mid-century sewing room spread! How can you resist?!<br />
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The final find is "Let Yourself Sew" from Simplicity. It's a one-issue release magazine that showcases a series of popular designs from the 1970's, it also provides information on sewing techniques and tips to embellish garments. My favorite images are below, particularly the 70's does 30's spread (second photo in).<br />
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<h3>
A final note on Etsy...</h3>
Etsy...ugh. I've rarely encountered problems with these guys but I've heard stories from friends. Sadly I fell victim to one of their glitches. I won't go into detail but what I will tell you is that twice, two different representatives with two very different stories, found a way to blame the glitch on me, even though a woman in the forums with the exact same problem received an apology and a refund. All I wanted was an apology. It would have been nice to get the 20 cent refund but an "our bad" would've sufficed, but instead they turned it on me. This is quite commonplace with Ety's customer support, apparently they deflect blame all the time. Their CEO has adopted a "blameless" workplace policy where any errors are submitted anonymously and no one is held accountable for their mistakes. Has this policy extended to their customer service? Probably. Somebody should tell them that this is not how you do business. The customer is. always. right.<br />
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As a result, I am reluctant to continue to do business with them. In the future I might sell patterns through this blog but we'll have to wait and see. It is easier for me to sell through Etsy and I'm eating through my inventory much faster than anticipated, but I can't handle any more of their mistakes. It reflects poorly on my business and I'm flabbergasted that their reps fail to see the impact of their errors. :( I will of course let any of my buyers know through here when I make the final decision to withdraw from Etsy, and even at that it'll be a "two weeks notice" sort of situation.<br />
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<h3>
Conclusion</h3>
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Perhaps I don't hate the 70's as much as I did in the past. Maybe I'm becoming a closet disco queen! I hope that life is treating you all well. Have you found anything unusual in your shopping excursions?</div>
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Happy sewing! ♥</div>
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Ladyfairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09366412775672548522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-42232141256951970852017-05-03T03:38:00.002-07:002017-05-03T03:38:15.107-07:00🌏 Shipping Internationally!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<br />It's official!</h2>
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I am selling my patterns internationally. After having sold on Etsy for almost a solid year I have seen a steady influx of international visitors to my shop, ultimately this had lead to my decision to expand my reach. I had initially felt that the international shipping rates through Canada Post were too unreasonable but after sharing experiences with other sellers it appears most international buyers are willing to accept these costs. </div>
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I hope this opens my door to many great new clients!</div>
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Visit <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/perfectlyantiquated" target="_blank">Perfectly Antiquated</a> for more info.</div>
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Happy Sewing ♥</div>
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Ladyfairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09366412775672548522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-33046867402993591032017-03-03T06:31:00.000-08:002017-03-03T06:31:00.076-08:00FSG Film Club<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Welcome to the newest addition to my vintage sewing blog, the Feeling Sew Good Film Club! I wanted to continue my classic film reviews but I felt the format of my general reviews was rather limiting. The FSG Film Club has a stronger emphasis on analysis and comparison of films through themes and subject matter.<br />
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The first installation to this series will be an analysis of the "romantic drama" genre through the films <i>Come Back Little Sheba (1952) </i>and <i>Autumn Leaves (1956). </i><br />
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<i><br /></i><i>What is Love?</i></h1>
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Romance films aren't exactly my forté. To be perfectly honest with you, I tend to shy away from them because my perception of romance in film has been tainted by too many bad Julia Roberts and Richard Gere movies. Romantic films these days tend to be more comedic in nature and often times are resolved with a happy ending. A few weeks ago I had a hankering for some classic cinema and I really wanted to watch a love story. It was still cold and dreary outside, I was cooped up, and I desired something soothing and dreamy to wash away my winter blues. What I ended up with was quite the contrary...</div>
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I started by perusing TCM's film catalog in their e-store, and I was surprised to see that there actually wasn't a romance genre available as a search filter. I thought, how odd! Weren't there love stories back then? I'm not sure why they don't have films categorized as romantic, perhaps they put them in with the screwball comedies and the dramas? But I feel they are deserving of their own category, provided love is the central theme of the film. So after scouring the internet I came up with two films that I had only watched partially in the past. In both cases I had only seen the ends of the films but I was enthralled by them. I knew I had to seem them in their entirety. </div>
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Both of these films have been assigned to the "romantic drama" genre. I struggle with that decision, but after watching these movies I began to question how I define the romantic genre. I had to ask myself, what is love? What constitutes romance? Is it ooey gooey touchy feely stuff? Is it characters pouring their hearts out? Self sacrificing? Dreaming dreams? Loving against all odds? My god, what is romance?!</div>
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Perhaps romance is too abstract for a precise definition. Perhaps it's too subjective to assign it a meaning that we can all agree upon. If you watch these films, I guarantee that you'll be asking yourself these exact questions. Why? Because it's complicated. Back then the formula for the romantic genre wasn't so clear cut. It wasn't always a happy ending and the characters weren't always likeable. I recall a "romantic comedy" involving Joan Crawford as a character with a slutty fiancé who cheats on her at every opportunity but once she threatens to do the same it's suddenly "unfair". It certainly didn't feel romantic to me, it just left a bad taste in my mouth. So again, you can see how abstract this genre is; as long as love is the central theme, even unrequited bad love fits the label.</div>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">
Romance in<i> Come Back Little Sheba</i></h1>
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This is a film I highly recommend you watch. If you've seen <i>What's Eating Virginia Wolf, </i>it's a lot like that only a thousand times better. I'm biased though. I <i>hated</i> Elizabeth Taylor's performance in <em>that</em> movie. It was a horrid grating thing that droned on for too long and was too vulgar and symbolic. <em>Come Back Little Sheba</em> - based on a play - tackles very similar subject matter, only there's far less in-your-face metaphorical shit. The characters in this film aren't super likable, they aren't meant to be, so arm yourself with that knowledge prior to watching the movie.</div>
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The film centers around a dysfunctional relationship shared between a married couple, Doc, a recovering alcoholic who works as a chiropractor, and Lola, a layabout "housewife" who neglects her marital duties. The couple invites a young art student, Marie, to rent a room from them, which puts added stress onto their already strained marriage. As the film progresses both Doc and Lola see reflections of themselves through Marie, as Marie attends school and hangs out with this dickbag named Turk. Where Lola reminisces about her glory days of being beautiful and in love, Doc is reminded of all the negative aspects of their youth together. <br />
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SPOILERS! If you wish to partake in the film club discussion, please stop here and watch a copy of the movie.<br />
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This is a really sad story and I'm sure most of us know people like Lola and Doc. When Lola and Doc were courting, Doc pressured naive Lola into having sex with him, she gets knocked up, they get hitched, he drops out of medical school, she's disowned by her father, the baby dies somehow, Doc blows his inheritance on booze, and Lola's only spark of happiness, the little dog Sheba, has run away. That is a lot of depressing crap. It's a reflection of the times when premarital sex was taboo. Their marriage is a marriage of inconvenience, not based on love but because Doc felt it was his duty to take care of Lola. And of course what would society think of an unwed mother? Heaven forbid... <br />
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The film culminates in a breakdown of the marriage between Doc and Lola. Marie's presence exacerbates a rift that had already existed in the relationship. Doc, who had successfully reached a full year of recovery from alcoholism, finally regresses into his addiction when he believes he witnesses Marie throwing her future away for sex. This is where the film strays from the contemporary romance formula; Doc is a violent man when he's inebriated and all that pent up resentment toward Lola is unleashed in murderous rage as he chases her around the house with a knife calling her a fat slut. It's only when the neighbors and the AA people come to her rescue that Doc is dragged away to some kind of mental hospital where he is committed for a few days.<br />
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Lola is left at home alone to reflect on the event. She attempts to reach out to her parents for support but after all these years (the couple appears to be in their 50's) Lola is still unwelcomed by her father. Afterwards, Lola speaks of a dream that's heavily laden in symbolism, it sparks a revelation and encourages her to change her ways. I couldn't find a transcript of the dream, but in general it speaks of the couple's history together and a need for Lola to pick up and move on with her life. She does this by cleaning up her act, getting up before noon, making Doc breakfast and redecorating the house. Her transition into her role as the perfect housewife is possibly a way for her to take care of Doc as opposed to simply co-habitating with him.<br />
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If you can look past the sexism of expecting all women to be subservient housewives... the "romance" in this story seems to lie in Doc and Lola's ability to overcome the past and live for the future <i>together. </i>During his stay at the hospital Doc calls out for his "pretty Lola", and upon his return he breaks down begging for forgiveness, to which Lola says she could "never leave him". There is an apparent need for one another, but is that considered love? Or is this simply co-dependency? They're both vulnerable in their own ways. Doc is susceptible to relapsing into his addiction, and poor Lola, nobody seems to enjoy her company for no other reason than that she's not a good enough housewife or she's too nosy. It's like they're so dysfunctional they couldn't possibly be with anybody else! I knew a couple like that, they were so scared of being alone that they ended up staying with each other... but is that really love?<br />
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I think the most awkward part about this film is that it hits on a personal level for me. I can't say with certainty that my paternal grandmother was pregnant before she was married. I don't pry but I would honestly not be surprised if that were true. The only thing I do know is that they were married in England, and then he went off to Canada, leaving her with my father in her belly. There were long periods where she heard nothing from him, no money or anything, then suddenly he tells her she's going to Canada. I can't remember if he came back to see her, or what. I do remember her saying when she arrived that she was completely alone and had to call up friends - who just by <i>chance, </i>happened to live in that region of Ontario. My nan would've otherwise been stranded, and lord does the thought of that piss me off. He literally plucked her out of England, with no regards to how she felt about it, and dropped her in a new and foreign place, pregnant, with little to no support system. He went off somewhere, we're all pretty sure to cheat on her. It's just awful to think about. You don't want to believe these things but I've heard it plenty of times now. They had a hard relationship. They were always fighting, lots of yelling, they did not seem to get along. They put up a front around the kids but it seldomly lasted. I think we all knew my grandfather struggled with alcoholism. I'm pretty sure it's what killed him in the end. Now, my nan lives alone and her mental health is slowly deteriorating. In a way she misses him but I can never be sure if that's love, ya know? I don't know if she loved him. It's not my place to ask. But as an outsider looking in, I don't think she loved him <em>romantically</em>. Maybe for a small time, but that was it. She just dealt with him. And this is why <em>Come Back Little Sheba</em> is a tough pill for me to swallow, not only because of the sexist stuff but because it's hard enough for me to imagine that my own nan was romantically in love with this person who treated her like shit and made her pay for everything, while he went off and blew his own money on booze. I know her story is only vaguely similar to this film, but there's enough there for me to think no, Doc and Lola aren't in love, they're just putting up with each other.<br />
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What are your thoughts on the relationship between Lola and Doc? Is this love or something else entirely? What do you think about the ending?<br />
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Next Time:</h2>
I will discuss the film <em>Autumn Leaves </em>(1956), a movie starring Joan Crawford and Cliff Robertson which focusses on the blossoming love between a young soldier and mature typist.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-23876165028520942132017-03-01T05:35:00.000-08:002017-03-01T05:35:10.368-08:00Coming Soon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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New to Shop!</h1>
First I'd like to thank all who participated in the <i>I love the 50's </i>sales event. It was a great success. I'm excited to announce that Perfectly Antiquated will be expanding to include vintage garments for a limited time only! This is a trial run, if it garners enough attention/sales then I might move into selling some vintage repro as well. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for some groovy new additions!<br />
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Happy Sewing ♥Ladyfairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09366412775672548522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-70757662013326997182017-02-08T11:39:00.001-08:002017-02-10T07:33:44.887-08:00What happened to Vintage?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Why, we haven't talked in <i>ages!</i></h1>
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Sadly, that's the truth. This blog looks more skimpy than ever before as I've removed posts that I didn't think were adding anything of value. I always wanted this blog to focus on sewing and it started turning into something else entirely. More like an occasional personal blog with sewing related subject matter about nothing significant. As much fun as thrift store shopping is, I kind of get the feeling that nobody wants to read about it. I mean, I've been back to the thrift store about a hundred times since my last "thrift store score" post. If I did these posts consistently the whole blog would act as a diary of my shopping excursions. No, I want to simplify! When it comes to my posts I want quality over quantity.</div>
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That doesn't mean, however, that I want to get rid of my Etsy related posts. At least not yet. From a marketing perspective I think it's good to advertise that my shop holds sales events. I'm holding one right now and sales have been mildly successful. By the end of the year I might get rid of these posts, I might even shut the shop down entirely. I still have a number of patterns for sale in my possession, but after researching them through various e-commerce platforms I have found that the patterns in my unlisted inventory are either a) too popular or b) too unpopular. Either I have too much competition or nobody wants what I'm selling. The shop might finish by the end of December depending on sales. If it ends up costing too much to operate the shop, which many Etsy sellers eventually find, then it will definitely have to be shut down. We'll wait and see if that happens and I'll discuss it further when the time comes.</div>
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So what happened, anyways? Why did this blog go stale so quickly?</h3>
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The truth is...the <i>other</i> blog got more attention, because it's more about me as an artist and as an individual, and it also focuses on my everyday fashion. I wear more goth clothing than vintage. This is partly due to the fact that I <i>own</i> more goth clothing than I do vintage. Yet, I own more vintage sewing patterns than goth and alternative ones! I think I've been more comfortable wearing goth and alt clothing. It's easier to coordinate with those styles. Even when I'm not dressing that way, I'm wearing skirts and t-shirts. I'm dressing very casual these days and vintage fashion is usually anything <i>but </i>casual. To be honest, wearing a petticoat daily isn't all that appealing to me. I had gained a lot of weight in the last few years (I have lost it but I am worried it might come back due to a change in diet), it effected my wardrobe planning drastically! You don't want to wear a structured, waist fitted garment when you're bloated and your stomach hurts. Most 50's and 40's silhouettes are pinched at the waist and are accessorized with waist belts and I just couldn't handle anything touching my stomach, it felt awful. I felt awful, I looked it too. That's why knitwear became my best friend. Everything I've been wearing has been knit, especially now because it's still winter here. </div>
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Weddings take up a lot of attention, too (it went well by the way). The wedding had added a significant amount of stress to my life and I think I ballooned up because of that. I put all of my focus on planning the event and writing for the other blog, and I scarcely found any time to commit to Feeling Sew Good. The vintage scene has changed, too. I'm not sure if any of you have noticed but it's not as close knit as it used to be. Rochelle from Lucky Lucille, who was like the Queen of Vintage, dropped vintage two years ago to pursue...casual hipster looking clothing. Her Sew For Victory sew-along brought together mass amounts of vintage sewing enthusiasts, and then it just dropped off. While A Stitching Odyssey still runs a year long pledge, the immediacy of the challenge and vibe is different than Sew For Victory was. Perhaps there's a group of vintage sewing enthusiasts on Facebook, but I can't be bothered to use that site. I just miss the connection with other vintage sewists, much of what I'm seeing in the blogosphere are collector's of vintage fashion and not makers of vintage fashion.<br />
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<br />What happened to vintage?</h3>
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Some time ago, I had read a blog post from another vintage blog where the author was questioning whether or not the vintage trend was "dying out." I think in some ways it has. I believe <i>authentic</i> vintage is becoming less popular while new or reproduction vintage brands, like Hell Bunny and Voodoo Vixen, are still quite successful. Reproduction vintage is still fairly big in the alternative fashion market. Perhaps the desire to buy authentic vintage isn't as popular as it used to be. You gotta figure, authentic pieces became a hot commodity a couple of years ago when the vintage trend hit it's peak, now antique dealers are aware of the fad and are selling pieces at high prices. It's a real score if you can find a vintage dress for cheap. A few years ago I purchased a 60's sun dress for probably around $70 CAD and nowadays it'd likely cost double that (triple if it's coming from America because our exchange rate is garbage). It's too expensive to buy real vintage any more and I'm sure that's impacted the scene substantially. Likewise, authentic vintage fans might be put off by repro or new vintage because the construction and quality is drastically different.<br />
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Another thing that might have impacted the growth and longevity of the vintage trend is that not everyone wants to wear the same style for more than a decade (citing Lucky Lucille as an example). 50's fashion doesn't evolve, neither does the music, it has to maintain it's ties to the aesthetics of the era otherwise it's <i>not</i> 50's fashion. Do you get what I mean? It's rather limiting. That's why there's rockabilly and then there's pyschobilly, which was born <i>out </i>of the rockabilly genre but is not in fact rockabilly. In other words, we can create new garments inspired by the 50's but they won't be authentically 50's. If you're interested in going authentic vintage you have to stick to a set amount of aesthetic guidelines in order to be successful. </div>
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Perhaps this is why I mix and match. Going authentic would be too boring and restrictive for me. But I can see why vintage enthusiasts are digging deeper and deeper into the past. A lot of my store search results these days are 1920's and 1930's fashion. 1940's is far more popular than the 50's and 60's combined, and the 70's are ridiculously hot right now. You have to widen your style scope to continue enjoying your vintage wardrobe for years to come. Nobody likes wearing the exact same style for more than a decade, some of us don't even make it a whole ten years. Not to mention not every style suits every body type. Check out this funny vintage advert from one of my old mags, Playtex sums it up!</div>
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I suppose what I'm driving at is this: vintage is just as important to me as it used to be but it's not practical for my every day wear and it's not my whole life. I'm going to be sewing a few vintage items this year but I want to pick and choose styles that I can get a lot of use out of. I used to want to do a shit ton of fabulous vintage gowns but it's not realistic nor practical. Where would I wear them??</div>
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For my style goals I want separates, in both vintage and my usual style. But more importantly I do want to experiment with different decades, maybe try a few 70's pieces, who knows! I'm planning to make a wiggle dress, some sun dresses, shorts and blouses. I have ideas for the future, but I can't promise that this blog will boast as much posts as my other blog. I can't commit to 5 posts a month on here, that'd be a lot of sewing, but I do want to write more, at least once a month if I can manage. I think it would be good to make a pledge to myself to get these sewing projects done, for the sake of my stash and for the sake of my sanity!<br />
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What are your thoughts on vintage? Is it still a big deal to you or has your style evolved?<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-10307521250863533482017-01-26T08:11:00.000-08:002017-01-26T13:27:47.742-08:00Love is in the air ♥<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I Love the 50's SALES EVENT!</h1>
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Valentine's Day is approaching, why not spoil yourself with something nifty from the fifties? Shop the I Love the 50's Sales Event. Starting February 1st, all patterns from the 1950's will be marked down a full 50% off. This applies to menswear, children's and women's! Sale will end February 28th.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/PerfectlyAntiquated?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=19516878" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Check out my 1950's patterns!</a></span></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-26217953602922658532016-09-25T04:12:00.001-07:002017-02-10T07:33:06.787-08:00Honeymoon Sales Event<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://etsy.com/shop/perfectlyantiquated" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Honeymoon Sales Event</a> is on until October 15th, 2016. Up to 50% off of bridal and select patterns! Sales have been quick so stop by and see what's in store.<br />
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<span style="color: #ea9999;">Take at look at these </span></h1>
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<span style="color: #ea9999;">vintage <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/PerfectlyAntiquated?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=19521613" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bridal Patterns!</a></span></h1>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-48975646086562339492016-08-05T03:57:00.001-07:002017-02-10T07:34:03.115-08:00New Look! New Items!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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New Items in Stock!</h1>
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Sales have been steady and there are plenty of new items in stock at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/perfectlyantiquated" target="_blank">Perfectly Antiquated.</a> Patterns are being added weekly. I have a batch of children's wear, more 50's and 60's women's wear, and some craft patterns that will be listed in the coming weeks. Remember, if you're overseas and you're interested in one or more of my patterns you can contact me for a shipping quote! </div>
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Meanwhile, check out these groovy 70's patterns!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-813551302207592172015-08-17T17:00:00.003-07:002017-02-10T07:34:10.103-08:00Shop Open<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Minor Update</h1>
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If you don't happen to be a follower of my sister blog then you've probably been unaware of the ongoings in my life; like a major surgery, followed by a bout of illness, and now a very difficult and time consuming work schedule. During whatever personal time I may find I've been hard at work on my art, but something that's sat on the back burner for far too long is my vintage shop. Now, don't get too excited, although this shop is done up to look like an antiques shop it's really just a place to sell off things that belong to me or were bought up at store closings and the like. I *was* an amateur antiques collector, and I need to downsize, plus make money to pay off medical expenses.</div>
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Much of what will be in this store is vintage patterns that I have in excess or no longer need. Some are uncut others have been used gently. I've tried to price them fairly but unfortunately Canada Post drives shipping up the ass, so it's made things difficult to get a profit out of it and please the customer at the same time. I'm currently only shipping in North America because shipping rates internationally are painfully high and not worth it for either me or the customer. If you know someone who would be interested pass the word on, I'll be adding patterns gradually (there's something like over a hundred of them). I might also be selling off some vintage jewelry, accessories, and a few small clothing items, but the majority of products will in fact be patterns. Again, this store is just to sell some stuff off, I'll probably retire it after I'm done. ;)</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/PerfectlyAntiquated" target="_blank">Perfectly Antiquated</a></div>
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Happy Sewing! ♥</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-73211112787925841872015-04-01T12:42:00.000-07:002017-02-10T07:41:15.825-08:001950's Cropped Blouse - Simplicity 2470<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Pattern Make:</b> </i>Simplicity<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Pattern Number:</b> </i>2470<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Year of Publication:</b> </i>1958<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568; font-weight: bold;">Size:</i><span style="color: #cb2568; font-weight: bold;"> </span>12 Teen<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Type of Garment</b>:</i> Jr. Misses' and Teen Age Blouse<br />
<i><b><span style="color: #cb2568;">Suggested Materials:</span> - </b></i>All views in: Cottons, broadcloth, flannelette, polished cotton, chambray, linen, rayon, silks, blends.<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Suggested Notions: </b></i>- Blouse View 1, 2 and 3: 2 spools of thread. View 1: 9 buttons. View 2 and 3: 6 buttons.</td></tr>
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<i style="color: #cb2568;">Briefly describe your garment: </i>Two types of blouses available in this pattern; the basic foundation of this pattern is a button down blouse with darts, a yoke, a decorative box pleat and detachable collar (with a point at the center back). You can complete Version 1 or 2 which is essentially the same; it's a regular sized blouse with fitted darts and uses long or short sleeves, with the collar (detachable or not). Version 3 is cropped and gathered at the waist and features a button tab on the waistband. I chose Version 3.<br />
<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">What materials were used in the creation of this garment? </span>Stash fabric, of course, because it's springtime and I need to do some spring cleaning! I used a green cotton cherry print. It's a very lightweight fabric and features a busy print, which is why I felt it would work well as a blouse. For the collar I used stash white cotton broadcloth. I also used a lightweight fusible interfacing for the collar and to stabilize the buttonholes. The interfacing is not necessary for this pattern, it's not recommended at all in the instructions. I only used it because my contrasting collar fabric was so lightweight that you could see every detail of the seams! The interfacing helped to eliminate that problem but it also made the collar a little stiff (this might be fixed after a few washes). I think it would be better if you used a cotton that isn't too lightweight for this project so that you don't have to use interfacing.<br />
<i><span style="color: #cb2568;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568;">Did you make any alterations to this pattern</span></i><span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">? </span>Yes, this is the first time I tried to alter a pattern prior to the muslin. I followed Nancy Zieman's "fitting finesse" which is where you adjust the pattern in increments by adding to the side seams and pivoting the pattern pieces. She also refers to this as "pattern fitting with confidence"; you can find it on Youtube.<br />
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I added approx. 1/2" to the bustline and 3/8" to the waistline of each seam. I dropped the bust dart because I discovered in the muslin fitting that it sat 1 1/2" too high and was 1 1/4" too short - this is to be expected with a junior/teen pattern. Although Nancy's fitting suggestions did help the fit in my waist and bust, the back was far too long. She recommends in her book that I add one inch difference to the back because of the comparison between my measurements and the pattern; I thought that seemed odd so I decided against it. I'm glad I did because the back proved to be too long anyways (I have this problem sometimes with patterns). In the future I plan on taking in less than an inch on the back piece by the yoke because otherwise the back sags a little. Also, since I made adjustments to the bust I think it effected the armscye because the facing didn't sit properly. I ended up finishing the armholes with home-made bias tape and catch stitched them into place.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Were the instructions well written and easy to follow? </span>Everything was easy to follow except for the application of the collar, that was pretty bad. The diagram was clustered and not well done and the directions were somewhat muddled. I've applied a collar once before and felt that this pattern did not do a good job of explaining it, it made it more complicated than necessary. It does do it correctly it's just worded poorly and I'm sure a beginner would feel confused with this one. It also doesn't help that the blouse facing is just slightly longer than what I'm used to; normally I find it will line up with the shoulder seam but in this case it was a centimeter longer and was overlapping the shoulder seam (even after taking in the 1/4" hem). The diagram showed it as being exactly like that, so it's not a pattern piece error, it's literally over-sized for no good reason at all...<br />
<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Why did you use this pattern? </span>It's cute, I got it a few weeks ago and instantly fell in love with it for its simplistic design. I have a handful of blouse patterns and this one is the nicest looking out of all of them, so I figured what the hell, I'll give it a try. I love creating separates and I felt that this pattern could help build my wardrobe.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><i style="color: #cb2568;">Are you happy with the final result? </i>Sort of. The fit is okay, I messed up and forgot to add the additional length to the waistband that I had altered in the bodice. It sits a little snug at the waistline but it's not impossible to live with. I think my choice in fabric resulted in the blouse sitting kind of funny. It was advertised as children's spring cotton but I wonder if it's some kind of quilting cotton because it doesn't drape well (it's sort of frumpy). I also don't like how the back sags but as I mentioned above that could be fixed in the future. My biggest beef with this design is the placket: the placement of the buttons is off and the pattern does not use enough of them! It results in puckering (with peek-a-boobs) and the top button doesn't sit right. This pattern should use eight buttons total instead of six (four main buttons and two on the tab) and possibly use interfacing.<br />
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Overall, it's not terrible a looking blouse. It will make a nice lightweight top for warmer weather. I can always unbutton the top button since I don't like it so much. There's nothing I can do about the back issue unless I want to open up my armholes and right now I am not in the mood (I must have seam ripped those bloody things eight times over). I was going to sew this again soon but I think I'll wrap it back up and try something different. It's just too much of a headache right now.<br />
<i><span style="color: #cb2568;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568;">Would you recommend this pattern to others and if so, what skill level?</span> </i>As I mentioned above, the instructions for the collar are kind of sketchy; I wouldn't recommend this project for a beginner. If you already have a handful of sewing projects under your belt then I don't think it would be too difficult for you to try this pattern. If you get stuck on the collar just search for "how to set a collar" on Youtube or the like. I've only ever made two 1950's blouses, and this one was by far the nicer <i>looking </i>blouse, but both had fit issues. You can easily pick this pattern up on Etsy or Ebay, I've seen it being sold at reasonable prices.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Would you sew this garment again? </span>I might make this again using Version 2 out of another lightweight printed cotton. I'm not sure I'll ever make this sleeveless or using Version 3 again, it just had so many problems. I'll likely stash it and bring it out again in a month or so.<br />
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Happy sewing! ♥</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-13722786855266733892015-03-10T09:23:00.000-07:002017-02-10T07:36:37.627-08:00Makeup by the Decade: The Roaring 20's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Makeup trends of the 1920's</h1>
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Rather than reiterate what you can already find on the subject of 1920's makeup, I figured I would write about my interpretations and understanding of the makeup from that era.<br />
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It sounds funny but when I think of 1920's fashion, I picture a little girl whose gotten into her mother's clothes and makeup and worn too much of it. I think it's the perfect analogy for this decade in makeup; everything was worn in excess. Mascara was hot on the scene, blush was saturated, and eyebrows and lips were highly exaggerated. Nowadays we would look at wearing this much makeup as garish or amateurish, but if you're looking to sport a 1920's look I don't think you have to cake your makeup on in order to be successful.<br />
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One of the things you should do when trying to recreate a vintage look is to consider what was available at the time; what was new or on trend at the time in colours, products and styles? For the 1920's we're aware that certain products were popular: mascara was a sure choice for accenting kholed eyes; on trend lip colours were reds and plums; and eyebrow and lip shapes were over-exaggerated.<br />
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Eyebrows</h3>
I believe the eyebrows are what make the 1920's look. If you mess them up you'll end up either looking like a clown or from a different decade altogether! People often assume that in order to achieve a 1920's look you need thin eyebrows but this isn't the case. If you look at photographs from the 20's you will find women with thick natural eyebrows alongside those with pencil thin, drawn on eyebrows. The real defining element of the 20's eyebrow is not necessarily the thickness but the overall shape. If you study the images presented here you will see eyebrows from this time rarely feature a well defined arch, instead eyebrows are rounded. Also, they are usually elongated and shifted, sloping downward. I believe this was done in order to achieve a softer and rounded appearance of the face (as much of the makeup from this decade demonstrates). By rounding the eyebrows and drawing them closer to the eye, it creates a kind of sympathetic look. I've often felt the women from this decade look like cherubs and perhaps that was the intention. Aside from those who chose to curve and slope their eyebrows, there were also women who chose to shape their eyebrows in a more straight and severe looking fashion. This is notable in a few iconic looks, at times seen in images of Theda Bara or Clara Bow (see below).<br />
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Lips</h3>
The second most important element in achieving a 1920's look are the lips. Like the eyebrows, the shape of the lips were highly exaggerated. They were made to appear smaller with a well defined "cupid's bow" (the bow of the lip). For women with fuller lips this was achieved by drawing within the lip line, for women with thinner lips the cupid's bow may have been defined outside of the lip line (as shown in the illustration above **please forgive my wonky drawings). Look at the photos and advertisements of women from this era and you will see the different and unusual shapes used to define the bow of the lip. Lipstick colours that were popular at this time were in dark or bold shades of red, brown, orange and plum.<br />
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Eyes</h3>
When you think of eye makeup from the 1920's, you may picture the dark and sultry kohled eyes of Theda Bara. This is the most commonly referenced makeup style of the 20's and although I acknowledge that it has it's place (especially given the heightened interest in Egyptian culture during the 20's), I feel it's a tad overdone and really ought to be used for an evening look. If you look through the various promotional photographs or illustrated advertisements, you'll probably notice that not every girl had dark kohled eyes. Beyond your basic black, there were also shades of brown, blue and even gold was being used. You don't have to cake your eyelid in black shadow to invoke the roaring 20's, as I mentioned before, it's more about the shapes and application of the makeup that make the look. My suggestion for achieving a 20's daytime look is to use softer shades or neutral eye-shadows like peach, gold, sage or taupe. Accent them with a bit of eyeliner close to the lash line on the bottom and upper lids (or leave the lower lid out and apply mascara to the bottom lashes). Apply mascara liberally!<br />
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Face</h3>
Use of blush was also popular at this time but it was applied to the apple of the cheeks, it was not used to contour but to exaggerate roundness. It was applied generously in shades of orange, pink or red. I've ready varying opinions, but it seems foundation for the most part was intended to look warm and natural.<br />
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Conclusion</h3>
If you get the shapes and shades down right you can easily create a 1920's makeup. This look is really fun and unusual and can change your appearance dramatically. If you're curious to see what I mean, look at images of Joan Crawford from the 1920's and then those of her from the late 30's or 40's - I had to do a double take! It almost looks like two different people. Keep that in mind if you ever plan on disguising yourself for whatever reason. ; )<br />
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Next Month: The Dirty 30's<br />
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Best wishes! ♥</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-84368835233495424702015-02-12T08:43:00.003-08:002017-02-10T07:39:21.838-08:00Movie Review: The Cat and the Canary 1939<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i style="color: #1694bd; font-weight: bold;">Title: </i>The Cat and the Canary<br />
<i style="color: #1694bd; font-weight: bold;">Year: </i>1939<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Distributed by: </b>Paramount Pictures<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Directed by: </b>Elliot Nugent<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Starring: </b>Bobe Hope, Paulette Goodard, Gale Sondergaard, et al.<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Costume Design by: </b>Edith Head<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Genre: </b>Comedy, Horror</td>
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It's been awhile since I've reviewed a movie. It's not that I haven't seen any. I've watched plenty of movies over the last couple of months, and I've planned on writing reviews for them, I've just never gotten around to doing them. I either lose track of time or I have to prioritize more important things. I've really wanted to talk about at least one horror film before the winter ends, with good reason; winter is the most dreary and depressing time of year for me. I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which means I get drowsy, irritable and unhappy during the winter months. This year I've been very fortunate because we've had plenty of natural sunshine flowing through our windows and brightening up the house, but then I look down and see all that white fluff and it's depressing. What I like to do during these times is watch horror films. It seems odd, but I feel it's an appropriate winter pastime. It helps me to concentrate on something when I struggle with sad feelings and it's perfect for those dark, silent nights. I truly feel that winter enhances the viewing experience. There is definitely a parallel between the atmospheric tension of an old black and white horror film, and the anxiety that I feel about a never ending black and white winter. Funny, but true.</div>
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I happen to own a handful of films on DVD but I acquire the majority of what I watch through downloads. I've had <i>The Cat and the Canary</i> sitting on my computer since October! I originally intended to watch it around Halloween, but the holidays got so hectic that I kept putting it off and eventually forgot about it entirely. It wasn't until recently that I rediscovered it. I had just watched <i>One Body Too Many; </i>an apparent spoof based off <i>The Cat and the Canary - </i>I'm merely speculating here, but the former film does utilize the name of the deceased relative, "Cyrus", as well as the exact same portrait of him. At first I wasn't sure if <i>OBTM </i>was intended to be something of a remake. Rehashing storylines was commonplace back then as films would only show in theaters for so long, viewing times were limited, so it would make sense if <i>OBTM</i> was an attempt to cash in on <i>The Cat and the Canary</i>'s success. But the more I think about it the more it seems <i>OBTM </i>is just paying homage to <i>The Cat and the Canary. </i>Either way, the timing is awfully ironic, I didn't plan to watch both films together, nor did I know of any connection between the two!<br />
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Speaking of remakes, <i>The Cat and the Canary</i> (1939) is a remake of <i>The Cat and the Canary </i>(1927), which is based off of the play of the same name!</div>
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<i><span style="color: #1694bd;">The Plot</span></i></div>
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The film is set in the Louisiana bayous at the residence of Cyrus Norman, a millionaire who died ten years prior and whose will is now going into effect. Mr. Norman's mansion is situated in a remote location, his beneficiaries must travel via an alligator infested swamp just to get there (and there's no going back either, not until morning). The guests clearly feel uneasy at the prospect of staying in the mansion; it's old and creepy, and the caretaker, Miss Lu (<i>Gale Sondergaard</i>), is a bizarre woman who claims to be in tune with the other world. Intent on getting things over with, the guests assemble in the living area and are told the details of the will. The potential heirs are Aunt Susan (<i>Elizabeth Pattesrson</i>), Cicily (<i>Nydia Westman</i>), Fred (<i>John Beal</i>), Charles (<i>Douglass Montgomery</i>), Wally (<i>Bob Hope</i>) and Joyce (<i>Paulette Goodard</i>) - Norman's only surviving blood relative. Not surprisingly, Joyce is the sole beneficiary to Norman's will. It's indicated that should Joyce fall mad within thirty days (madness being an inherent problem in the Norman bloodline) then the inheritance shall be awarded to the next heir. This puts her at considerable risk of any wrong doing from the other potential heirs, who feel bitter sweetly about Joyce's inheritance. It's made all the more complicated by a disturbing letter given to Joyce by Miss Lu, that implies Joyce's good fortune will be short lived. Not to mention that there's also an escaped mad man loose in the bayou who looks like a human cat...<br />
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Everyone acts concerned for Joyce's well being, but it's not clear if they are being truthful or if they're after her fortune (and the hidden treasure, naturally). Of all the guests, Wally, Joyce's childhood friend and the film's comic relief, appears to be the most genuine of the men. This is kind of a given as much of the story takes place around the two of them. This is your archetypal haunted mansion kind of film; there's flashing lights, ghostly noises, hidden rooms and trapped doors, being watched, being stalked, murder, mayhem, mystery, so on and so forth. It's a good film and I don't want to give too much away, so go ahead and watch it.<br />
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<span style="color: #1694bd;"><i>How would you rate this film? </i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif , "kushtie script"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">★★★</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif , "kushtie script"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif , "kushtie script"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">★ - I loved it!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">What did you like about the movie? </span>I like a lot about this movie. First off, the atmosphere was stellar. They did a really good job of set design, it all felt very immersive, like you felt as though you were actually there. When Joyce and Wally go outside, you can almost feel the mugginess of a swampy summer night. I loved the flickering lights and the sounds, I wouldn't say I felt scared, not in the way that we feel scared with horror films today. Instead, I would more describe the feeling of thrill when watching this film. For an older film that in itself is a hell of an accomplishment. To feel thrill at the thought of a spooky mansion, or when Joyce is being violently perused by something lurking in the dark, it's just great. Beyond the atmosphere I found the characters to be fairly interesting, too. Aside from the protagonist, I enjoyed Miss Lu. Gale Sondergaard did an immacualte job of playing a haunting and mystical care taker. I think she was around forty when the film came out, but she was just gorgeous. I found that refreshing. Ordinarily when we see these kinds of murder mystery/haunted house films, there's usually a crochety woman but she's terribly old so we sort of excuse her behavior. But when the woman is younger, and very pretty, it's much more alluring. You wonder why she's so mysterious and withdrawn, and you get the feeling she has a tremendous wisdom about the house and other worldly things.<br />
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The genre for this film is a horror comedy, and I think that was entirely successful. Bob Hope was a powerful comedic presence at the time and he really did an excellent job in this film. I felt Westman was good during her parts as well, but unfortunately you don't hear as much from her. Unlike other horror films that attempt to incorporate a comedic element, this film didn't let it get in the way of the thrill, it seemed like the timing was well planned. For example, Hope might dish out a handful of puns and then leave the room, then something suspenseful would take place, and he might joke afterward to take the edge off, but it never interrupted what would otherwise be a scary moment, it just flowed right.<br />
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<span style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">What did you dislike? </span>It's hard to say I dislike something about a movie that I awarded a five star rating. I rarely give a rating that high. I only did it because I felt that in comparison to other films of that time, this film stands out. I would put it with the Universal monster films, and let's be honest, some of those really weren't <i>that</i> great, but it is ranking it quite highly. Although there are a few things I would have liked to see improved, I don't think they hurt the film in any way. What I would have liked to see is more time with the other guests, including Miss Lu. It seemed like some of the characters was seriously underutilized.<br />
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There were limited interactions with the group as a whole, it was usually Joyce on her own and then one person would interact with her at a time. This made it so other characters didn't get as much screen time. I felt that if they were given more lines and more depth it could have created greater tension within the group and heightened the suspense. I found that half way through I really didn't consider Cicily or Aunt Susan as a threat and they were shown so infrequently that they might as well have not even existed. The same for Fred, Joyce's other suitor, who happens to be a crusty guy that seems too easily defeated. He competes for her affection against Charles but gives up way too easily. You just want them to break into a fight over her but it <i>never</i> happens. I wanted Aunt Susan to be more consumed by greed so that she could be a potential killer. I wanted more lines from Cicily because she's also comic relief and had a decent comedic chemistry with Wally. The film did have me guessing, but honestly only between like three people and there were a lot more characters in this movie than just that.<br />
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<i style="color: #1694bd;">Who was your favorite character? </i>Bob Hope's character, Wally. And that's only if I had to choose one, but he certainly stands out to me. I might be a bit biased though, as he reminds me of my fiancé. He has excellent timing with his lines and they really make me laugh, just in his delivery. He's kind of cocky and silly, but I also thought he was hot when he was wooing Joyce. I'm a sucker for being called "baby".<br />
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<i style="color: #1694bd;">How did you feel about the costume designs? </i>Edith Head was the costume designer for this film, and if you know me you're already aware that I adore her designs. The story takes place over the course of a single night, so there's not much in the way of wardrobe. Joyce has three cute dresses, she starts off with this adorable little gingham number, which I was eyeballing the entire time. The film ends with her in another simple dress, this time floral, but still cute. The real gem, is the dress she's wearing at the height of the film's suspense. I absolutely gush over it. It's a stunning white gown. I couldn't find many stills of it, but she's wearing it in the photo below. It has a kind of beaded/sequined knotted motif on the front yoke. It's gathered near the collar bone and has a plunging neckline. She also wears this adorable little brooch with it.<br />
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How many movies are there from this time where the woman in danger is wearing a beautiful white gown? I'm pretty sure <i>White Zombie</i> had it, I know <i>I walked with a Zombie</i> had it, and I know it makes me think of the <i>Bride of Frankenstein</i>. Keep that in mind if you ever plan on making a horror film: give the female lead a sexy, virginal white gown.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-87613026829833415982014-10-24T09:09:00.001-07:002014-10-24T09:11:47.096-07:00Update!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A Picture Heavy Update for Fall</h2>
I feel bad for pretty much neglecting this blog but because so many of my sewing projects right now are alternative, Bien Aimée is getting all the attention. I do have some vintage sewing projects planned for the future, in particular I'd like to finish the blouse top that I wanted to do back in August. I also want something special for Christmas as this is me and my fiancé's first Christmas while living together and I want it to be special. So there are vintage things to look forward to. I'm also going to do a vintage Halloween post next week for Halloween. If you're a Halloween fanatic like me (if you aren't already following Bien-Aimée) I have a series called Frightful Fridays that you might want to check out. I even included a simple pirate costume tutorial!<br />
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As for vintage finds, I didn't think this was worth posting an entire Thirft Store Score post for, but I purchased two brightly coloured petticoats for five dollars each! That's a real score. The pink one is photographed in the main photo for this post. I normally don't like petticoats sticking out from underneath dresses, but in this case it looks HOT! The other petticoat is a very light cyan blue.<br />
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So just to give a simple update, I've been enjoying the fall weather. My fiancé and I went on vacation on Thanksgiving weekend and I loved it. The foliage was beautiful. I don't have the pictures from my vacation with me but I do have some pictures we took on our walk the other day. So if you're wondering what's going on in sunny Southern Ontario, this is what it looks like.<br />
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I really hope I can one day get a DSLR because the camera on my phone has this obnoxious tendency to over-saturate the crap out of things! I'm proficient in Photoshop now and I still can't save these pictures from being super saturated. It doesn't seem to know what green is... or blue. It can be really frustrating. None the less, the foliage here is gorgeous! You can click the images to enlarge them.<br />
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Other than that, I love my job and I'm still seeking additional employment. I'm told my hours will pick up for the holiday season, which is exciting news. I've also had time to relax and enjoy being with my fiancé, which has been a blessing. I went fishing and caught one bass and one sunfish. I haven't done much crafting but really hope to get into that soon. I missed the boat on Halloween crafting but I think I'll start the Christmas projects as soon as November hits.<br />
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I hope you're all having a lovely fall! What have you been up to?<br />
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Happy Sewing ♥<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-61628229159787680202014-07-08T10:23:00.002-07:002014-07-08T10:30:06.767-07:00New Patterns!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterick 7763 - 1956 Misses' Playskirt, Shorts and Tops</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
My Prize Selections!</h2>
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As I mentioned in a previous post I was the recipient of the first place prize lot in <i>The Vintage Contest</i> from <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pattern Review</a>. The prize was hosted by<a href="http://www.sovintagepatterns.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> So Vintage Patterns.</a> Their selection is quite immense, so I had a lot to look at. Happily I settled for a dress pattern, a playsuit pattern (pictured above) and a petticoat pattern. They're all super cute and I'm so happy to have received them today!!</div>
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I have to say that the packaging was perfect for this delivery. I'm also very impressed by the condition, it looks as though these patterns have never been opened! They're immaculate. I'm very excited to get started on the playsuit, it's perfect for summer. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simplicity 3251 - Misses' One Piece Dress 1950</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advance 6468 - 1953 Misses' Skirt </td></tr>
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Thank you So Vintage Patterns and thank you Pattern Review members! I'm excited to add these treasures to my collection and to sew more beautiful clothing. </div>
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Happy Sewing! ♥</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-66676182500913893802014-06-19T09:55:00.001-07:002014-06-19T09:55:21.241-07:00Good News!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
First Place in The Vintage Contest</h2>
Some of you may be aware that I won first place in Pattern Review's <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/blog?s=1846446" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"The Vintage Contest"</a>. I'm very happy about this and I'm thankful for all the lovely comments I've received on my gown. You might be wondering why I haven't reviewed this dress on this blog yet... I want to save it for when my dress actually fits me. Sadly, I gained weight during this project and the dress doesn't fit around the waist. I'm either going to have to wait until I can wear it or I'll have to sew a new bodice. Either way it will be awhile before you see my full and in depth review because I have our foster cat living in my sewing room. I want him to be nice and comfortable with the rest of the house before I move him to another room. With my sewing room off limits I've taken up making crafts again and I'm hoping to open an Etsy shop soon.<br />
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I do want to sew very badly and I feel that in another week or two that will be possible again. I'll be going on a short vacation soon, which I'm really looking forward to. I just need fresh air and a change of scenery. I also hope to get inspired while I'm out, because I've been running low on new ideas for my art. It'll be nice to go on nature hikes, go fishing and get back in touch with my family.<br />
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I do have many plans for upcoming sewing projects. Of course after winning the contest I received a gift certificate for patterns. I chose three in total. I purchased a 1950's playsuit pattern, gown pattern, and a petticoat pattern. I ended up spending a little over my gift certificate amount, which I sort of regret but I realize it would have cost me the same to buy it off of Etsy what with shipping and all that. I couldn't pass up on the vintage petticoat pattern, it's something you would think I already have in my collection but I actually don't! I have a petticoat pattern from the 80's and it just isn't the same. So I'm looking forward to these patterns, they're really cool. Unfortunately I forgot to save the images before I ordered them, so now I can't show you what I ordered, but in time you'll see!<br />
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I'd like to give a special thank you to all who voted for me and thanks to <a href="http://www.sovintagepatterns.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">So Vintage Patterns</a> for supplying the prize. : )<br />
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Happy Sewing! <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif, 'Kushtie Script'; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">♥</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-5178239680337160442014-06-07T07:26:00.001-07:002014-06-07T07:27:39.882-07:00Modern Day Twist: Simplicity 4529<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Upcycled Floral Pencil Skirt</h2>
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Recently I reviewed <a href="http://feelingsewgood.blogspot.ca/2014/05/pattern-review-simplicity-4529.html" target="_blank">Simplicity 4529</a>, a pencil skirt from the 1960's. I praised this pattern before and after using it once more to create this floral pencil skirt, I'm praising it again! It is a super easy sewing project. In this case, I used material from a dress that I had purchased from Pacific Mall in Markham, ON. If you've never been to Pacific Mall it's a mall that deals specifically with Asian goods. If you're an anime fan or like Korean street fashion then this place would be your paradise! At the time I bought the dress I was making the transition into wearing more girly clothing. When I graduated high school I dropped a lot of weight but still struggled with being comfortable with my body. When I was shopping at the mall I had this cute little sales associate sucker me into buying a twenty dollar sun dress. I tried it on but felt it was somewhat on the smaller side. Well, as is the reality of shopping at Pacific Mall, their stuff is pretty much always on the XS side. I don't think I've ever seen anything for a large or plus sized person. I bought the dress hoping that it wasn't as short as I thought it was, but I <i>never</i> felt all that comfortable in it. Even when I was careful enough to crouch instead of bend over, I always felt like my butt was showing. </div>
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I decided earlier in the year that I would make something else out of it so I threw it into my UFO bin. A few days ago the temperature was climbing and I realized just how badly I need more skirts, dresses and shorts. I decided that the old baby doll dress would be very easily converted into a skirt. I seam ripped the dress and laid the pieces flat. As I mentioned in my previous review, this pattern uses one main pattern piece for the skirt. Instead of side seams it uses darts to create shape. Well, this would not work on my dress due to the fact that the dress consisted of front and back pieces. I had to redraw the pattern so there would be two back pieces and one front (like most pencil skirt patterns). I cut them out and assembled them, I was very pleased that the skirt fit well and looked good. I didn't have enough material to create the waistband so I used some hot pink bias binding instead. I also made use of a pink metal zipper that I picked up for 10¢ at a thrift store, and it looks great (photo below). It's shorter than the original pattern which is much more comfortable for casual wear. Unfortunately the fabric wrinkles like nobody's business, but I don't think it shows in person as much as it does in photos. What's important is that I have a new skirt to wear in this humid thirty degree weather.</div>
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I'm very pleased with the final product. I love to upcycle old clothes! And with this pattern it's so easy. If you can find a copy of Simplicity 4529 I strongly recommend you purchase it. : )</div>
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Happy sewing! ♥</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-39363542647727403872014-05-19T19:26:00.002-07:002014-05-19T19:33:48.534-07:00Pattern Review: Simplicity 4529<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Pattern Make:</b> </i>Simplicity<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Pattern Number:</b> </i>4529<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Year of Publication:</b> </i>1962<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568; font-weight: bold;">Size:</i><span style="color: #cb2568; font-weight: bold;"> </span>28" waist with 38" hip<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Type of Garment</b>:</i> Misses' Skirts in Proportioned Sizes<br />
<i><b><span style="color: #cb2568;">Suggested Materials:</span> </b></i>- Both views: Cottons and blends; cotton crepe, duck denim, sailcloth, homespun, broadcloth, pique, cotton satin, poplin. Linen. Rayons, silks, synthetics; shantung, silk linen. Wools and blends; flannel, worsteds, knits.<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Suggested Notions: </b></i>- View 1, 2 and 3: Thread, 9" skirt type zipper. View 1: One 3/4" button. View 2: Belt.</td></tr>
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<i style="color: #cb2568;">Briefly describe your garment: </i>It is a pencil skirt from the early sixties. It features a kick pleat at the back center seam and darts at the waistline and sides. I chose the plain skirt without the button tab or belt carriers. The pattern provides three different "sizes" to choose from. It only comes in one waist and hip measurement, of course, but it gives options for different heights: Small 5'3" and under, Medium 5'4" to 5'6" and Tall 5'7" and over. There is no real difference between the sizes other than length, really you could cut the tallest and adjust the hem but the sizing makes it easier.<br />
<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">What materials were used in the creation of this garment? </span>That's a good question! This is another stash project for me. I believe the fabric is a poly-spandex blend and it was a dream to sew with.<br />
<i><span style="color: #cb2568;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568;">Did you make any alterations to this pattern</span></i><span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">? </span>Yes. My waist measurement is 26" not 28" so I took the skirt in slightly to accommodate my measurements. I also made the side darts slightly longer than marked. It fit rather loosely in my hip area and I wanted to correct this. I also did not sew the hem as directed in the instructions, however, I don't consider that an alteration, just a personal preference.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Were the instructions well written and easy to follow? </span>Fairly well written and easy to follow. The diagrams were alright and there was one step I had to reread once or twice. The zipper installation was a dream and I will be using that technique on all my skirts from now on.<br />
<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Why did you use this pattern? </span>I liked that the skirt is made from one solid piece (plus waistband and button tab or belt carriers). I have never seen that done before. I wondered how it could possibly have shape without side seams but it does work!<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><i style="color: #cb2568;">Are you happy with the final result? </i>It is very 1960's and by that I mean it has that kind of bubble hips effect, where everything from the waist down is super puffy. I made my skirt a little more modern in appearance by elongating my side darts. I'm happy with how it looks. :)<br />
<i><span style="color: #cb2568;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cb2568;">Would you recommend this pattern to others and if so, what skill level?</span> </i>This is a very easy skirt to sew! I would recommend it to beginners. It doesn't require a lot of material at all, which is awesome. You could easily get this done in a day or maybe a few hours, depending on your skill level.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Would you sew this garment again? </span>Yes, the skirt I made is rather "dressy", I consider it business attire. I may try to sew this pattern again sometime using a more casual printed fabric.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-13020359301333104172014-05-05T20:24:00.001-07:002014-05-05T20:36:19.780-07:00Sew For Victory: The Finished Blouse<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkcxcSyVJdAoo5YySpWABJMvQJy0BJ_OOQz30AcU9jPHGwHHnaLuZ38mz9AbKzu3zxPMVV7q2ayAYWfc7393m4nCXxBWOhwLzOuFNnH4TNYoRm4_SP6Dc_WM3MpsgnxzbsilSZ6IF1SPx/s1600/1940sblousefinished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkcxcSyVJdAoo5YySpWABJMvQJy0BJ_OOQz30AcU9jPHGwHHnaLuZ38mz9AbKzu3zxPMVV7q2ayAYWfc7393m4nCXxBWOhwLzOuFNnH4TNYoRm4_SP6Dc_WM3MpsgnxzbsilSZ6IF1SPx/s1600/1940sblousefinished.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete 1940's Blouse using Simplicity 3715</td></tr>
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Sew For Victory - The Final Results</h3>
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Well there is good news and bad news. Allow me to start with the good news, I have completed the blouse for submission in the sew along. It is very pretty. It's a chiffon blouse with a detachable collar. What's the bad news? After attaching the sleeves and the shoulder pads it doesn't fit comfortably any more. It creates too much friction under my armpits (and although chiffon is usually fun to touch it can get pretty irritating when rubbing against the skin). I suppose if I make this pattern again I'll be making an alteration in the back, near as I can tell there isn't enough room across the back which is causing the pull beneath the armpits. It's my fault, I didn't make a solid muslin to detect fit issues.</div>
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There is hope, mind you. I will be removing the sleeves and binding the armholes, turning it into a sleeveless blouse. I will remove the shoulder pads too, so it will look a bit "slouchy" but I rather like it that way. I also plan on sewing a detachable collar out of satin, because the chiffon collar doesn't sit correctly and looks rather plain when paired with my snazzy little buttons.</div>
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I put a lot of work into this project and aside from fit and design issues I'm happy with the results. I learned new tricks and I'm not as terrified of chiffon as I used to be! I'll be posting a review on this pattern as well as sharing my new knowledge of chiffon on my new blog, which I will launch within the next day. I hope everyone had fun during this sew along! :)<br />
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Happy sewing. ♥</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French Seams, Lace Hem and Chiffon Bias Binding</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-89627551188914346482014-04-30T08:49:00.000-07:002017-02-10T07:41:49.903-08:00Sew For Victory: The Incomplete Blouse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3gMz4hLMJ3dvJdS6J9FMd2N5dstuaAorFu8GR73bivx1uDnHcY1MgVHB3TI1bcyiKZVkJf7vund9cLrhn_TErVn-CWB7A-n-roGBgY3uz0PpWBgFBzvGZ51eK1ABvqEB-VozS8FSf7Fb/s1600/notdone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3gMz4hLMJ3dvJdS6J9FMd2N5dstuaAorFu8GR73bivx1uDnHcY1MgVHB3TI1bcyiKZVkJf7vund9cLrhn_TErVn-CWB7A-n-roGBgY3uz0PpWBgFBzvGZ51eK1ABvqEB-VozS8FSf7Fb/s1600/notdone.jpg" /></a></div>
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Unfinished Business</h2>
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Sadly today is the last day for Sew For Victory and I'm officially out of time. It has been a long and crappy month for me. Let's start at the beginning...</div>
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When I first heard of the Sew for Victory sew along I was really stoked about it. I had just received two 1940's patterns and was eager to put them to use but sadly I didn't have enough material for either of them. Not wanting to spend more money on fabric (finances are tight) I ventured to the thrift shops and picked up two beautiful meters of vintage floral printed chiffon from 1995. I got it for three dollars. I was instantly in love with it but I was stuck without a pattern. Being ambitious I decided I would self draft a pattern. The design I came up with is pictured below this paragraph - pardon the weirdness, I felt she looked like Alice in Wonderland. I did complete my pattern drafting and so far it works well for jersey but I kept having issues when altering it for chiffon. The darts and gathering at the waistline didn't show as well on the dark chiffon as it did on the jersey. I decided to change the neckline to a deep-v neck with gathering around the bodice, this worked alright on my first muslin but when I added a measly inch to it all hell broke loose. When I realized I had a whopping three days left I decided to abandon the idea. I will make my original design one day out of polka dot jersey, but I will have to purchase a walking foot for my Kenmore. </div>
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I was really disappointed and it didn't help being freakishly ill for the majority of April. : ( After biting the bullet I found another way to utilize my material. I have a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/342555115379409414/" target="_blank">vintage blouse pattern</a> from 1951 that I felt could be easily altered to look more 40's in appearance. I knew I wanted a contrasting collar and sleeve bands, so I created a new collar for the blouse, but forgot to add the extra .5" that I altered in the bodice. So after assembling it and then fumbling around with it for a few hours, I'm finally at an end. The collar is done for, because it is chiffon (with a sew-in facing) it is still very fragile and has been frayed far past the seam allowance. I was just too aggressive with it. I will have to draft another one at the appropriate size. I also still have to attach the 3/4 sleeves and the sleeve bands, finish the hem, finish the button holes and sew on the buttons. It's a lot of work and I know it isn't happening today. I'd also rather not rush things and have this go to shit because I really want it to look good. I am kind of bummed that all I had for the front interfacing was sort of white (it shows a little) and I had to use a bias binding that is a little heavier than what I desire, but it's all I can afford and use right now. I hope it doesn't show too much. : /</div>
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I <i>will</i> get this done and when I do I'm going to wear it with pride. I will be launching a sister blog very shortly, it will chronicle all of my other sewing projects. I'm going to keep Feeling Sew Good strictly 50's and 60's, maybe 40's too, we'll see. Until then, I hope that everyone else's sewing projects are going well!</div>
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Happy sewing! <span class="fn" style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif , "kushtie script"; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.6499999761581421px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">❤</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif , "kushtie script"; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.6499999761581421px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-66838898010419453212014-04-15T10:56:00.000-07:002014-04-15T13:41:32.676-07:00Free Stuff: The Simplified Sewing Booklet from 1953<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx2_watxe8j8YzdtNUZQS2JYY2M/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Simplified Sewing Free PDF" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7viQbY0v6-RNwnFQgkDPpcvRDQ1Bm_dUA_kn5eIXq4WkLWKdY-czQWNAJE4PkVtvylYdwH96yuVt6o2zi3AEPKjAJ2PBt4H3pHdIoyAAdthJLHSw54U4vbivcWCytnuqvUyZOLemZCbdK/s1600/freebie.png" height="800" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Simplified Sewing</b></i><br />
Click the image above to open a PDF!</td></tr>
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From my collection to yours, here is the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx2_watxe8j8YzdtNUZQS2JYY2M/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simplified Sewing Booklet!</a> Printed in 1953, this booklet features a variety of sewing techniques and tips. From cutting patterns to handling and caring for fabric, you will find a wealth of helpful information in this cute little booklet! </div>
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Enjoy and happy sewing! ♥</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-51893985118254166482014-04-10T10:19:00.002-07:002017-02-08T09:01:47.854-08:00Movie Review: Ziegfeld Girl 1941<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDiVBH-J0dMst_yd00sSQLutr9Ws3DsPabDPUHpICOFRzap65xy7_haUyVWoOsRu2ZbVm3ITVV0GLebLINWm4sJtDwy8FSwOTS-k-AVsHb_W9446RvBvrSSXezI87XW_aZfyT5NwfCh80/s1600/Poster+-+Ziegfeld+Girl_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: center; float: center; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDiVBH-J0dMst_yd00sSQLutr9Ws3DsPabDPUHpICOFRzap65xy7_haUyVWoOsRu2ZbVm3ITVV0GLebLINWm4sJtDwy8FSwOTS-k-AVsHb_W9446RvBvrSSXezI87XW_aZfyT5NwfCh80/s1600/Poster+-+Ziegfeld+Girl_02.jpg" width="484" /></a></div>
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<i style="color: #1694bd; font-weight: bold;">Title: </i>Ziegfeld Girl<br />
<i style="color: #1694bd; font-weight: bold;">Year: </i>1941<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Produced by: </b>MGM<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Directed by: </b>Robert Z. Leonard<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Starring: </b>Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr, James Stewart and Lana Turner<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Costume Design by: </b>Adrian<br />
<b style="color: #1694bd; font-style: italic;">Genre: </b>Romance, Drama</td>
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Aside from my passion for vintage sewing, I am very interested in classic films. In a previous post I was discussing my finds at a flea market, one of which was a picture of Hedy Lamarr in<i> Ziegfeld Girl,</i> 1941. Seeing her in that costume made me want to give the movie a second viewing. I had seen bits and pieces of it on TCM but I had never finished watching it. A few days ago I sat down and watched the film from start to finish. I wasn't disappointed!</div>
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First, I should explain what a Ziegfeld girl is in case you aren't familiar with the term. Ziegfeld girls were chorus girls of the Ziegfeld Follies. The Follies were popular revues performed on Broadway in New York City in the early 20th century. Ziegfeld girls were notable fashion icons both onstage and offstage. Ziegfeld girls would don elaborate gowns by notable designers like Lady Duff Gordon or Erté. These girls were all roughly about the same size and had similarities in their appearances; this was the beginning of the super model when beauty was becoming standardized. Many starlets were turned down by the Follies, including Joan Crawford (and she was pretty). You had to be one hot tamale to be a Ziegfeld girl!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lana Turner, Judy Garland and Hedy Lamarr</td></tr>
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The film is about three very different women who secure stardom in the Ziegfeld Follies. It begins with Sheila Regan (Lana Turner) who is discovered by Mr. Ziegfeld while she is working as an elevator operator. Sheila comes from an ordinary working class family in Brooklyn. She is not accustom to the lavish lifestyle of the Follies and it begins to take its toll on her relationship with her boyfriend Gil (James Stewart). Sheila develops a drinking problem which has a great impact on her work and social life. The second girl to be discovered is Susan Gallagher (Judy Garland). Susan is the youngest of the group and comes from a performing family. She visits the Ziegfeld office where she attempts to pitch her father's vaudevillian act. Susan is disappointed to find that Mr. Ziegfeld is only interested in her and not the act. She reluctantly chooses to become a Ziegfeld girl, breaking up the act and leaving her father to find employment for himself. This works in her benefit, however, as she finds her own voice and becomes a main attraction at the Follies. Sandra Kolter (Hedy Lamarr) is the next girl to be hired, she is discovered after she accompanies her husband to the orchestra audition. Sandra willingly accepts the job offer because the couple has been struggling financially. Her husband is clearly feeling emasculated when he hears the news that his wife is now the breadwinner. He also dislikes the idea of her being eye candy for other men. Sandra faces a great deal of difficulty in keeping her marriage together while being a Ziegfeld girl. Throughout the film the women struggle with their new found fame and the romantic interest that it attracts.</div>
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<span style="color: #127899; font-style: italic;">How would you rate this film?</span> ★★★☆☆</div>
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<i style="color: #127899;">What did you like about the movie? </i>I enjoyed each girl's story and found there was enough variety to hold my attention. Although the story is rather cliché (each girl comes from humble beginnings into wealth) there was something different in its presentation that I enjoyed. It's as though each girl represents a stage of life: Susan, being the youngest, represents the child that is full of spirit and has nothing but good intentions. She wants to support her father and tries to get him into the Follies. She is selfless. Sheila on the other hand is like the out of control teenager. She has a thirst for excess and is completely self-absorbed. She doesn't think before she acts and therefore her life begins to unravel. Sandra is like the mother of the group, she is older and wiser. She attempts to impart her wisdom on Sheila, explaining that love matters more than money but Sheila hardly pays her any attention. Each character provides a moral lesson and although their endings are a tad predictable they are satisfying, nonetheless.</div>
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<i style="color: #127899;">What did you dislike? </i>Firstly, even though it's Judy Garland singing, I didn't care much for the musical numbers. The only one that really sticks out to me is <i>Minnie from Trinidad. </i>It was fun and catchy but that's about it. She performed wonderfully, she just didn't have the best material to work with. Also, her story seemed cut short to me. Perhaps she had so many musical numbers that Susan's romantic life couldn't be explored in depth. For a film that is often described as three young women finding romance, Susan's character barely even needs to search! She meets Jerry (Jackie Cooper) and likes him. It's not even a real passionate relationship, nothing really happens between them. It's sort of matter-of-fact. I guess much of the romance takes place off screen? It was rather disappointing. Also, I wish that Hedy Lamarr was given more lines, they seem few and far between. The way she acts, she's so endearing, it's a shame not to give us more time to appreciate it. </div>
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<i style="color: #127899;">Who was your favorite character? </i>Sheila Regan! Maybe because I was a bad girl myself once, lol. Really though, Lana Turner owned this film. She upstaged <i>Judy Garland!</i> There is something very convincing and sincere in her portrayal of Sheila. When you're first introduced to Sheila she is gabbing with a co-worker and laughing it up. Later you watch her life go into a downward spiral and it's difficult to endure. If Lana had delivered her lines with more hostility or if they were more unfeeling, you wouldn't give a damn about what happened to her but there's something in the way she speaks, even when the words are bitter, that makes you think she's good on the inside. There is one scene in this film where her acting is so bad it's laughable, but it is a very brief moment and the rest of her performance outshines it. </div>
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<i style="color: #127899;">How did you feel about the costume designs? </i>Of course this would not be a blog about fashion if I did not discuss fashion! The costume designer for this film is a favorite of mine, Adrian. He is known for his over the top, super sexy designs, and what better designer to choose for showgirl costumes? However, I realize there are many people who dislike the designs created for this film. They certainly do not reflect the era in which the film is set (1920's) instead they are more reflective of contemporary design. Yet, I see this error occurring frequently in old costume dramas; a little peek-a-boo of a 1950's hairstyle in a film set in the 1800's. It happens all the time but in this film it is very obvious. But why? I can only surmise that they wanted the film to resonate with contemporary audiences. What benefit is there to show a film so filled to the brim with out-of-date fashions? Remember, the real Follies were only twenty to ten years prior to when this film was made, by then the fashions were well out of date. Today's films aren't 100% honest in their costume designs either. There are plenty of costume dramas that change the lines of old fashions to make them look more aesthetically pleasing to today's audience. Do you remember how there were lots of ugly things in the 80's? Well how come movies about the 80's don't have ugly things? Get it? Regardless, I found the designs to <span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">be sexy or at least amusing. I adore the starlet costumes fr<span style="font-family: inherit;">om the first number and I do get a sense of the early 20th century from them. They conjure memories of Georges <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Méliès films. Maybe the makeup and hair isn't quite right, but I get a kick out the costume designs. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Images from <a href="http://www.thejudyroom.com/ziegfeldgirl/gallery.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Judy Room</a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-90882158455412245512014-04-08T08:57:00.002-07:002014-04-14T10:12:29.918-07:00Pattern Review: McCall's 6277<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><b>Pattern Make:</b> </i>McCall's<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568;"><b>Pattern Number:</b> </i>6277<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><b>Year of Publication:</b> </i>1962<br />
<b><i style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Size:</i><span style="color: #cb2568;"> </span></b>11 - Bust 31 1/2"<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><b>Type of Garment</b>:</i> Misses' and Junior Dress with Overskirt<br />
<i style="font-style: italic;"><b><span style="color: #cb2568;">Suggested Materials:</span> </b></i>Dress - Lace, Printed Silk or Cotton, Shantung, Embroidered Linen, Linen, Pique, Cotton Damask; Lining for Lace Dress - Taffeta, Satin, Polished Cotton; Overskirt - Peau de Soie, Polished Cotton, Cotton Damask, Pique.<br />
<i style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;"><b>Suggested Notions: </b></i>Thread; Dress - Ribbon Seam Binding, 20" or 22" Neck-Type Zipper, 1 Hook and Eye; Overskirt - 2 Hooks and Eyes. </td>
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Briefly describe your garment:</i> This is the archetypal 60's wiggle dress. It features darts at the waistline and bust, and a sexy sweetheart neckline. I chose to sew the dress without the overskirt and omitted the pleated vent.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">What materials were used in the creation of this garment? </span>This was a frugal sewing project for me, I decided I would use materials that were strictly from my fabric stash. For the dress I used a red crepe back satin and a poly-blend liner for the interfacing. I also used a 9" invisible zipper from my stash (instead of the 22" zipper that the pattern suggests using).<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Did you make any alterations to this pattern? </span>Yes, because I was using materials from my stash I could only work with what I had. Due to my limited amount of satin, I had to cut the back pattern piece on a fold, eliminating the pleated vent (the back actually consists of two pieces sewn together, but I made it into one piece). This alteration also led me to hide a 9" invisible zipper in the side seam as opposed to having the suggested 22" zipper down the back of the dress. To replace the pleated vent, I created a side seam slit for ease of movement. I also adjusted the sweetheart after I finished the dress; it looked rather dull to me, so I ruched the center front of the neckline and stitched on a rhinestone brooch.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Were the instructions well written and easy to follow?</span> These instructions are well written and fairly easy to follow. They provide directions for underlining lace, if that is your chosen material. I wish it would have been more direct about sewing and clipping notches for the sweetheart neckline (it does not provide a diagram for this and I know a sweetheart neckline is difficult for some first timers).<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Why did you use this pattern? </span>Although I had two wiggle dress patterns in my collection, I selected this one for its sweetheart neckline. It's a wardrobe must have!<br />
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<i style="color: #cb2568;">Are you happy with the final result? </i>I am pleased with my dress. Unfortunately for some reason the invisible zipper is peaking out a little bit, the fabric must be pulling somewhere (?) but it's not enough to bother me. I am much happier with the dress after ruching the neckline. Before it looked a little bridesmaid-y (<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhai-savUkzKB_bCs4zXdc_jU2KCbIZdY8_btEo_Smd9CHwzAxPHL9Q1y-AzP9mZIeyLkP1s0aJpA7p6q8R-BAV29edJgZ-i7vQXp41_K-WoyuM9x1bAjWNgGGnch-gt41Wbkexa9K-QTh_/s1600/old.jpg" target="_blank">see photo</a>) which I'm sure is great if you need a bridesmaid dress! However, I wanted something a little more sexy. I feel I have achieved that with my alterations.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568;">Would you recommend this pattern to others and if so, what skill level?</span> </i>I would definitely recommend this pattern to others! It is a simple and beautiful dress. I highly recommend it for beginners, because unlike other vintage patterns, this one uses little material and notions. It is a very basic design.<br />
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<span style="color: #cb2568; font-style: italic;">Would you sew this garment again? </span>I would certainly sew this dress again! If I do choose to make this dress again, I would like to use a more structured material like Taffeta, or I would like to sew the dress with a printed or lace fabric.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pattern photo courtesy of Vintage Patterns Wikia. <br />The photo of me is mine, so please do not use without permission!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-25135822521828601082014-03-18T20:20:00.000-07:002017-02-08T09:03:43.842-08:00The Sewing Space - Where dreams come true!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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How to create a sewing space</h2>
As a seamstress, you should have a space that is dedicated to sewing. You may choose to set up a space inside a closet, use a desk in your living room, or you may even be lucky enough to have a whole room devoted to sewing. Wherever you may choose to do your sewing, it should be organized and free of clutter. If you can keep that space strictly a sewing area, you will find it less stressful.<br />
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I used to use the kitchen table for sewing on when I was young. It was a terrible spot to sew! My family was constantly getting in the way, or someone would spill their food or drink on my material. It was utter chaos. I eventually moved to the basement, but that wasn't much of an improvement. It was very dark, cramped and cold. Although it was more spacious than the kitchen and had less traffic, it was far more<i> </i>uncomfortable. Today I have a room dedicated to sewing in and it is a very comfortable and functional space. These are some of the things I want to discuss today: the fundamental tips for creating a sewing space. You may have seen very elaborately decorated sewing rooms and spaces on Pinterest, and although they may look cool much of what you see in them isn't necessary. You don't need five bookshelves, or thirty cubby-hole organizers, or specially crafted spool holders, you just need the <i>basics</i>. A simple sewing space is the best sewing space!<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">When developing your sewing space, there are a few key things to consider: What goes into making a sewing space? What are the most important things to consider when selecting a space? How can I improve my productivity? How can I make my sewing space more comfortable?</span></div>
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What goes into making a sewing space?</h3>
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It may seem obvious, it has a sewing machine, right? It's more than just that! Your sewing space should have a good solid desk or table to work on. Some advise having two separate desks, one for sewing on and another larger desk for cutting on. If you don't have space for a second table, you might consider a folding table so you can store it when it's not in use. In your space, you should have a sewing basket, drawer or organizer in which you can hold all your notions, tools and patterns (see photo below). You should keep all these things separate and organized. </div>
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Many of these items can be purchased at sewing supply stores, department stores or hardware stores. Tool organizers (top left) can hold lots of items and can be mounted to the wall. They are great for small spaces! Standing organizers (right) are perfect for storing patterns and larger tools. Sewing baskets (bottom left) are ideal for storing standard sewing notions and tools - sometimes you can purchase them <i>with</i> notions and tools inside!<br />
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In your sewing room, you should have a chair that you can comfortably sit in for long hours. I do not recommend wooden chairs as they are often too hard. I recommend a good ergonomic office chair, if you can get one, or at least a chair that has some padding to it. Lastly, you should have a good lamp to light your work area. You may consider using a drafting table lamp because they can easily clip onto your desk or work table. I used one for years and it helped tremendously when doing fine detailed work.<br />
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What do you consider when selecting a space?</h3>
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There are a few things to consider. First, <i>what kind of lighting does it have?</i> Is this the brightest space you can use? Working in darker conditions can be more stressful because you might not be able to see what you're doing. I can tell you from my experience with sewing in a dark basement that it is much better to be doing your work in a well lit area. The second thing to consider is<i> is this a high traffic area?</i> If you can help it, you don't want to work in a space that your family members frequent. It should be off to the side where you can work undisturbed. Third,<i> is it spacious enough?</i> Is the space big enough for you to do your work in? You'll need to have an area to cut material, set up an ironing board, and have enough elbow room to sew. Try to find an area with optimal space. </div>
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How can I improve my productivity?</h3>
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Improving your productivity in a space is simple. You should have all your notions and tools organized, but you should also keep them within reach. There is nothing more obnoxious than having to dig through bins to find a notion or tool. When you're working on a sewing project, take note of the tools that you use most frequently. Choose to store those tools close by, like in the drawer of your sewing desk or in an organizer beside the sewing desk. These things should be within arms reach at all time! You will find that sewing can be a breeze when things are well organized.</div>
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If you are using a sewing machine and an overlock it is suggested that you have more than one work table. Not everyone has the space to do this, but if you happen to use both machines frequently it pays to have them out<i> together</i>. L-shaped and U-shaped desks are great for this! You can easily go from straight stitching on your sewing machine to serging hems on your overlock.</div>
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How can I make my sewing space more comfortable?</h3>
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Other than the obvious need to choose an area that is bright, clean and healthy, there are things you can do to make a space more enjoyable. I have adorned my room with items that make me happy. I have cute stuffed animals, books that inspire me, a beautiful tulip lamp, potted flowers and a gorgeous chandelier. I'm sure this isn't how other people envision <i>their </i>sewing rooms. The point I'm making is this; <i>make the space your very own. </i>Bring in inspirational paintings or photographs, have your favorite books on hand, or paint the area a fun colour. It doesn't have to be the Taj Mahal (unless of course you want it to be)! Just decorate it the way you like. </div>
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Did you know that my sewing room doubles as my meditation space? It does! I use a tabletop fountain to drown out the busy noises from the street outside. I will also play ambient music and light candles. This is contrary to what many people will tell you to do when meditating. Generally people will advise you <i>not </i>to meditate where you work. Workplaces are often regarded as high-stress environments, and therefore are not seen as ideal places for relaxation. However, I believe in the total opposite! I think bringing peace and relaxation into a workplace is a very positive thing. Think about it, meditation is all about relaxation and focus. In order to sew well, you should be relaxed and focused! The real bonus here is that when you become frustrated with your sewing, you can put it down, turn on some music, light some candles and meditate. It has worked <i>wonders</i> for me! When I enter my sewing room I am instantly at ease.<br />
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I'm sure this isn't the most perfect guide to developing a sewing space. I'd love to hear more tips and tricks from other seamstresses, but I believe I have covered the most important aspects of the sewing space. If you have any tips you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment below.<br />
Thanks for stopping by and happy sewing. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif , "kushtie script"; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.6499999761581421px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">❤</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160680585977706480.post-81354677384274791182014-03-11T14:49:00.000-07:002017-02-10T10:21:17.950-08:00A happy beginning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVNbx_uN6KRGZNU-F8w_AWdTc7EPquYN0_7EnGaVlqYbbXVorcpAB6PmYeYMg656UpEoTowxfRjBeQrmfC0hHMRtsIqbqtsSxGIsn2LfiNyF1x_OQ22Dkse-u9ldCGp7EEY2Mw7mQNAfP/s1600/nightmaredress.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Nightmare Before Christmas Dress" border="0" height="714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVNbx_uN6KRGZNU-F8w_AWdTc7EPquYN0_7EnGaVlqYbbXVorcpAB6PmYeYMg656UpEoTowxfRjBeQrmfC0hHMRtsIqbqtsSxGIsn2LfiNyF1x_OQ22Dkse-u9ldCGp7EEY2Mw7mQNAfP/s1600/nightmaredress.jpeg" title="The Nightmare Before Christmas Dress" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Nightmare Before Christmas Dress</td></tr>
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<h1>
Nightmare Before Christmas Dress!</h1>
Well this is my first blog post and what better way to start than by announcing something big; I won second place in a contest on the beloved site <i>Pattern Review</i>! You can view my entry and their lovely article by clicking <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/blog?s=1785906">here.</a> The competition was awfully close, I had some great competitors. To give a brief run down, I created a Nightmare Before Christmas dress from scratch {photo above - minus the leather cincher}. I had a bunch of pinstripe fabric in my organizer that was just dying to be something. It was such a bold and striking pinstripe, however, I couldn't imagine <i>what</i> I'd use it for. It wasn't until this contest popped up that I became inspired, and The Nightmare Before Christmas Dress was born!<br />
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What a lovely notion, sewing something from the movies. Isn't that where we all fell in love with fashion? The movies? After all, we recall vintage films for their Hollywood glamour. I had strongly considered sewing a vintage garment for the contest but I sew vintage normally and I didn't feel I was challenging myself enough. I mean, what's the point of entering a contest if you aren't challenging yourself?<br />
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I believe it is important to challenge oneself because it improves your skill set. That's why I try to sew a variety of different things. Over the years I have accumulated vintage patterns, spanning across the 1940's to the 1990's. There are dress patterns, pajama patterns, sports separates and suiting patterns. There is enough to build me a wardrobe twice over (and the same can be said about my fabric stash). The reason that I began this blog was to chronicle my sewing projects. However, I decided that just wasn't good enough. I not only want to share my sewing experiences and pattern reviews, but provide a resource to readers. I want to help people who are like me, self-taught sewers who may not do everything "by the book". You can learn from my mistakes! But also, I want to inspire you.<br />
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My background is primarily art. I have worked in design and social media, but I have always considered myself to be "artistic". I loved acting, writing, music and drawing when I was a child. More recently I've fallen for film making. You could say my creative juices are <i>overflowing</i>! I have my hand in many projects at a time, and much of it influences what I do in my sewing. I find myself cross-referencing my other projects often. You may notice this in future posts. :)<br />
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I hope to share many of my creative sewing experiences with you in the future. I also look forward to meeting other seamstresses and learning from them, so please feel free to <a href="http://feelingsewgood.blogspot.ca/p/contact.html" target="_blank">contact me</a>!<br />
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Happy Sewing ❤
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