Blow the trumpets of triumph; the dress is done!  Thanks to LIRR’s drastically reduced service last night (read: poor Lois in a vintage beret and vintage elbow length leather gloves is confused by the deserted LIRR platform and returns home crestfallen), I spent a pleasant evening zigzagging the edge of the hem and sewing on a bias strip.  This afternoon, after an equally pleasant morning of vintage scavanging, I hand sewed the hem and added the snaps and buttons to the midriff.  (This while listening to NPR StoryCorps Podcasts - highly recommended by the way.)

For those of you who don’t know, I started this project in early July and gave myself a six week (August 18th) deadline.  Well…better late than never, eh?

I finally got back to work on what I’m calling “Project Replica” - the construction of a rockabilly dress from a 1950s pattern.  (Totally cool, right?  The only thing that would make it better is if the fabric itself was vintage too.  Alas, I purchased this material at JoAnn’s Fabric just a few weeks ago.)  I first had to fix a mistake I made during my last sewing session when I got a little too zealous and sewed a seam that was supposed to be left open.  For those of you who don’t sew, there are a few ways to remove stitches.

The first way to remove stitches is to pull the bobbin thread.  When a sewing machine sews thread comes from the top of the machine as well as below.  Underneath the machine is a shuttle with a bobbin (small spool of thread).  To put it as basically as possibly, the needle pulls the thread from the top through the fabric and it loops/knots with the thread from the bottom before pulling back up and propelling forward to repeat this process just a fraction of an inch away from the initial needle insertion.  (For a more accurate description of how sewing machines work, visit this link: How Stuff Works - Sewing Machines.)  If you can get a hold of the bobbin thread and pull it ever so gently, you have a good chance of releasing all the knots/loops so that the whole seam easily unravels.  (This is why you should never pull a loose thread in a garment of clothing if you are wearing it or right before you put it on.  I’m sure thousands of ladies can testify to pulling at a thread on their skirt hem only to have the entire hem fall!)  In the following picture I am attempting this technique, however I never have much luck with this.  My mother always had a real knack for it, but I can never get it!  

One can also pull out the stitches one by one.  This is tedious.  Very tedious.  No one wants to do this.  See below:  
Perhaps the most lucrative technique is pulling the bound pieces of fabric tautly apart from each other and breaking the stitches with the seam ripper between the two pieces.  This gives the sewer the opportunity to break a handful of stitches at once, however you have to be very careful because you could easily tear the fabric.
Anyway, once I removed the unnecessary stitches from the collar I attached it to the dress, constructed the facings, sewed them on, clipped the seam allowance and pressed it.  Seams are clipped to reduce bulk.  In this particular case we have the seam allowance from the bodice, the seam allowance from the collar, and from the facing.  The collar seam allowance is doubly thick.  I actually made a zig zag stitch around the whole seam allowance as well after clipping it because both of the fabrics I’m using seem to fray easily.  
So, the bodice is basically constructed!  Here are some pix: 
Not great pix - sorry!  It’s hard to photograph yourself!  :)  Anybody have an comments?

So, I think I’ll call this new creative endeavor “Project Replica.”  I’m counting last night as night # 1, because I did some of the prep work - basically clearing off my sewing machine/makeup vanity.  Don’t mock me; that was a big achievement!

Tonight I opened up the pattern, gathered all of the pieces, laid them out on the fabric and did all the cutting!  See?

Once I started actually *thinking* about the placement of pattern pieces and cutting process I wondered if I chose the strip a little too hastily.  I had considered the conundrum that stripes would pose with the collar and midriff and had opted to do those segments in white muslin.  But when I took a real close look at the pattern I realized that the front of the skirt is flat with pleating on the sides, not all around pleated/gathered as I had originally though.  So, I had to think about lining up those stripes.  Even though the bodice and the skirt will be separated by the white midriff, I don’t want the stripes to be too far off.

I enlisted my mother’s help.  She is the professional seamstress after all.  Besides, I get her involved (willing or not) in all my projects.  As we bent over the fabric pinning pattern pieces in place I said to her, “Wow - last time we did this together was probably ten years ago!”  Then I realized, I need to move out.  Soon.  @__@

Mom helped me figure out how to line up the stripes and, if it turns out disastrous, I have plenty of extra fabric to recut.  I cut the pattern with an extra 1/4” at all of the side seams because, according to the vintage pattern measurements, a size 11 waist is 24.5”.  Well, I’m at *least* a 25”, so I’m giving myself some extra room.  I can always tailor it back down if necessary.  By the way, can you believe the difference in sizing over the past 50-ish years?  

Snip snip!  So the entire dress is cut out.  Although, dang, I forgot to cut the interfacing.  I guess that will be for another night.  Anyway, the bodice, sleeves, and 6 paneled skirt (!) will be out of the floral stripe and the collar and midriff of white muslin.  It’s gonna be loverly!

As diminutive as it seems, this little pile of fabric pieces will supposedly add up to be an awesome rockabilly dress!  Stay tuned for more!

I don’t remember what made me start browsing vintage patterns on Etsy.  I probably saw a dress I wanted and didn’t want to pay for it.  I’ve also had this desire lately to clear all my makeup off my sewing machine case (yes, I’ve been using it as a vanity) and tune up the old stitcher for some creative fun.  (Granted, I should take care of the laundry basket full of mending before I take off with the fun stuff, but I probably won’t.)

Somehow, though, I ended up looking at 1950s dress patterns, and - oh! - aren’t they incarnation of femininity! In my perusing of MBChill’s Shop, I came across this: http://www.etsy.com/transaction/30944355. Looking at this pattern, I started musing about my own seamstress talents, wondering if I had it in me to start, and complete, such an undertaking.  On a whim I bought the pattern, along with a few others, and confidently paid for my purchase.  I love vintage clothing so much, why not make my own to fit me perfectly?

When my patterns came in the mail I was quietly excited.  On Saturday afternoon I dragged my mother to the fabric store, requesting her input on prints and fiber content.  I settled on a cotton blue and white floral and stripe print.  Since this particular pattern has a somewhat difficult looking collar and midriff, I decided to use the stripe for the bodice and skirt and accent it with a starch white for the collar and belted area. I think it’s going to be fab and am looking forward to emulating Betty Draper!

I’m going to blog about the project as I progress.  Hopefully this won’t be a tale of woe.  Since the dress is a summer print and blend, my goal is to be finished by August 18th, giving me 6 weeks.  Is that enough time for this endeavor?  Especially with a full time job, two bands, a social life and an Etsy shop?  I have no idea.  But, if I don’t set a goal I doubt it’ll *ever* get done!  Ok, folks - cheer me on!

P.S. I will be undertaking this on my grandmother’s pink Kresge Newark, circa 1950.  

My parents and I are junk collectors.  We go to yard sales and flea markets, thrift stores and antique markets.  Occasionally, we’ll pick something perfectly good up off the curb.  I can’t decide if this is a character flaw or an asset.  We get awesome stuff for cheap.  We are helping to reduce, reuse, recycle.  We fix stuff up and then make a profit.  But, we also end up with more than we could ever use, store, or enjoy.

I try to curb my habit, but it’s hard.  I encourage my parents to curb their habits, but that’s harder.  As a result, we usually have a yearly yard sale to try to get rid of those things that we realized we didn’t really need after their acquisition.  I think this year tops all the sales we’ve ever had.  Among our items for sale are:

• antique pieces of furniture that have been refinished
• antique pieces of furniture in need of some TLC
• a trampoline
• a wire frame couch
• tons and tons and tons of gift bags
• lots of clothes, shoes, hand bags, belts, swim suits, etc.
• 2 sewing machines
• a couple of mirrors
• lots of books
• lots of picture frames
• a roll of brown felt backed vinyl, about 5’ in width
• a child’s table and chairs
• Christmas ornaments
• salt & pepper shakers
• stuffed animals
• an antique coal stove
• a library ladder
• a crystal punch set (bowl & cups)
• Mae West Arby’s collector glasses
• a piano stool
• a huge, pioneer microwave

There is more.  It’s unbelievable.  I hope to God we sell lots of stuff because I don’t want to drag anything back into the house!  See for yourself…

That old man in the chair isn’t for sale, but if you make a tempting enough offer I might reconsider.

Those are my folks.  Mom’s hard at work and dad’s counting the money.

Formica topped table shading my big black dog, antique dresser, a couple of pictures…

Bar stool, library table, roll of vinyl, multi-colored couch…

Sewing machine, Samsonite laptop case (new with tags), vintage dart board, cat in the hat stuffed animals, globe…

Yellow Hoover, rocking chair, mirrors, hutch…

Odds and ends…

Clothes & coats, and TONS of furniture my dad pulled out of his work shop…

This hutch looked like a piece of crap when I came home from work yesterday.  My dad magically transformed it.

Come on - you know you think this stuff is cool.  Who wouldn’t want it?

Recently a huge thrift store opened up in my town.  The local National Wholesale Liquidators closed down (you know how big those are) and this took its place.  The store is called Unique, and it’s definitely the best thrift store I’ve ever visited.

Everything in Unique is arranged by gender, type, and size.  So all ladies pants in size small (which is a very loose range of sizes 0-6) are in one section.  All mens shirts size medium are in another.  Scarves are all over here.  Pocketbooks all over there.  There’s a whole aisle for china.  In the back you can find furniture, electronics and luggage.  There’s a section for books, music, and movies.  All jewelry is nicely laid out under a glass counter.  It’s thrift store heaven.

Before Unique hit town, hardly anyone I knew went to thrift stores.  If they did, they didn’t mention it.  When the store first opened up, I bought tons and tons and tons of vintage clothing at $4 or so a pop.  I acquired these beautiful blazers in maize and olive colors from the 1950s for $6 each.  They fit me so well that I had them dry cleaned and they are now prize possessions of my closet.  I just can’t bring myself to sell them.  I bought a rabbit fur Lord & Taylor dress with a rhinestone belt for $10.  I found a white wool suit with a fur collar for $8 altogether.  It was the best.

That was just a few months ago.  Now, Unique is always packed.  The prices have risen.  Vintage is harder to find there.  I’ve heard stories from first hand witnesses about women fighting over cutlery.  It’s out of control.

Since when did second hand become so popular?  I’ve never done anything popular.  It was really getting my goat.  ”Do I have to start shopping at Bloomingdale’s to avoid the crowds now?” I thought.

In my attempts to keep a positive outlook, I’ve decided to view the new popularity of the thrift store and second hand in general as an additional challenge, and thus feel doubly lucky by the wonderful finds I make there.  Just today I purchased a beautiful 1960s negligee and matching robe set in dusty pink, a retro wool and silk brown and orange scarf with geometric shapes, and a mother of pearl inlay brooch, among other treasures.

And, what am I worried about?  There’s enough vintage to go around.  Lord knows I own more vintage than I even get the chance to put into my shop.  So, why shouldn’t everyone else enjoy shopping at Unique too?  Sounds like LB has just had a case of the Mondays.

If you live on Long Island and enjoy shopping second hand, then you should check the store out.  It’s on the corner of Old Country Road and School Street in Westbury.  Even if you don’t like vintage, you might find a brand new Lucky leather handbag, or unworn designer shoes with the tags still on them, or grungy snow boots that are just perfect for walking to dog (all purchased at Unique.)  Also, on most holidays, all merchandise is 50% off.  Happy shopping!

To check out my latest finds, visit my online shop at www.LonesomeBrown.etsy.com.

P.S. Don’t be surprised if you find me in sweats and crocs with no makeup grumpily navigating my way through the crowds.  :)

COAT SALE

Frugal + Vintage = Score!

I’m a bargain hunter.  I wait until July to buy bikinis, after Christmas to buy sweaters, February to buy coats.  That way, I can get them on sale.  (Provided that your size is still available, that is.)  If you’re the same way, then you’re in luck.  All vintage coats in the LonesomeBrown store have just been reduced by 30%.