Sew Vintage: Simplicity 7068

My littlest girl is a very big fan of all things bunny rabbit. When I saw some bunny print flannelette fabric at the op shop recently, I knew just what to do with it. She didn't let me forget my promise of new jim-jams until the elastic had been threaded in and the last button sewn on. We chose a pattern from 1978 and some vintage blue buttons from my grandmother's collection. 

I reckon as long as no-one looks too closely at some of the finer details (that collar!) then everything will be just fine.

Pattern: Simplicity 7068

Fabric: New, thrifted

Buttons: Vintage Beutron

Miffy accessory and cutie-pie smile: Model's own.

Sew Vintage: McCall's 8121

I wish I could capture the cadence of her voice in writing. "Can I come with you, Mumma? Can you help me? Can I have that one?" 

The request, this time, was a pink dress. "Can you make a pink dress for me, Mumma?" Why, of course, little one. A pink dress it is.

Luckily, this Anna Maria Horner fabric from the stash was pink enough, and the pattern, copyright 1965, also met with her approval. Bright yellow vintage buttons from my grandmother's stash finish it off.

Sew Vintage: Style 3821
Sew Vintage: Simplicity 7409

Sew Vintage

The vintage sewing pattern collection is growing. And the first little dress made has been well-worn and well-loved. Here is number two - Style pattern 3821, size 2, copyright 1972. Otherwise known as a little red dress, as requested by my littlest girl.

The instructions were a little light on detail, but that's OK - I find it easier to wing it with these older patterns. Something about something written recently makes me stand up and follow orders. But 1972, with all its talk of basting and seam binding and double-fold trims. Meh! Just sew already.

I love the shirred cuffs and gathered skirt, and though the buttonholes and collar were a bit of a fumble, I quite like those too. And it has to be said, my very special new machine has made the inside of the dress so professional and tidy, not to mention how easy it makes turning and sewing the hems.

I'm joining in with Creative Spaces for the first time in a long time.

In My Sewing Room

A new piece of machinery arrived today. It was as though a switch was flicked in my mind one day recently, from "No, I can do without" to "I must have one now." 

To make room, a sort-and-tidy was required. I wasn't expecting the thrilling unearthing of this here and that there, op-shop finds stashed and forgotten. I always gravitate to the linens, sheets, sewing supplies, yarn. I didn't realise how fruitful it had been until today. Someone in this town, or a few someones, have been destashing in a serious way. 

Cotton threads, lengths of lace and ribbon, unused fabric in colours and patterns I'd choose new, vintage sewing patterns, and perfect quality flannelette sheets to be whipped up into little girls' jimjams on the special, magic machine.

Spare room, guest room, storeroom, junk room, bouncing-on-the-bed room, once-in-a-blue-moon ironing room, and now, right now, my very own sewing room.

Little Girl, Little Dress

A while back I showed you some of the snappy vintage knitting patterns I've been accumulating. I've also been finding lots of sweet sewing patterns, luckily many in the right sizes for my girls. Grabbing at minutes here and there over the past week, I managed to finally pull one out and turn it into this cute little dress.

It's Simplicity 7409, toddler size 2, and I made the view 1 dress.  I used some recently acquired fabric from Spotlight, reduced to $5 a metre, and then 50% off. Bargain! I didn't add the apron or any other frills. Which means this dress set me back a total of about $1.65, including the pattern.

But I did add a zipper. I'm sure the government did something newsworthy that day, and there may have even been several large and important world events, but here at my place, a zipper went in, and that's about as big a piece of news as ever there was.

I doubt this will get much attention as a pretty summer dress. Miss Pearl has declared her preference to wear it layered over jeans and tops. That way, she says, she can get the most out of it over the winter. 

That said, no amount of chill will get her to put something on her feet. Wild child.