Three

Three fun finds.

Three 35" vintage cotton fabrics.

Three yards or more in each bright piece.

No Time For Love

In our school district, we are in the middle of a search for the next superintendent and lots of meetings due to great upheaval in education in Wisconsin (you know, the whole union thing).  Anyway, school board life is very intense right now... meetings every night last week and every night this week including Friday as well as 9 hours this last Saturday... which leaves no time for what I love.  Except this.  I love this pattern.  1965.  Don't you love it, too?  Just bought it on Etsy and can't wait to make it up!  But wait I will.  No choice.  Til then, I can look at it longingly and read the instructions and dream about the fabric I'll pick for it.  Sigh.

Mary Tyler Moore and Gang had Style!

I've been DVR-ing reruns from the early years of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and playing them back on fast speed, stopping every time Mary, Rhoda or Phyllis has a change of clothes.  I don't know why, but I'm loving those mod looks right now.

Every once in a while, I troll around Etsy just looking at patterns from the late 60s/early 70s.  When I find one I love, I pop it into my favorites.  Sometimes I think about it too long - like I did with this groovy little number.  Next time I checked it out?  SOLD!  Ugh.

I love this one, too.  It's not sold yet, but it's kind of out of the price range I like to pay for a vintage pattern.  However, I'm beginning to think I can't live without it.  All the dresses I could make!  Border prints!  Cool 60s zipper pulls!  

Then there's this one that sold right out from under my nose.  As soon as it was gone, I started dreaming of all the cute buttons I'd use right down that scallop on the front of a sleeveless summer shift.  Well, finally I broke down and bought it somewhere else online for too much money - afterall, I really don't think I could have gone on living much longer without it! 

Let the Festivities End...

Ok, ok, I know... the holidays are over.  Here's hoping yours were light hearted and cheerful.  I guess I'll have to keep this blog going at least one more year since I didn't come close to writing all the Christmas posts yet in my head.  But for now, the cookies and chocolate have almost run out (not soon enough!), the kids are back in school (too soon!) and it's time to take down all those warm and cozy lights and decorations...  sigh...

But before we close the last rubbermaid tub on the ribbons, boughs and bells of 2010, I'd like to share one of my favorite Christmas decorations.  It's a poster found at an antique shop a few years back and decorates my 60s modern porch.

Fantabulous Knits!

Ok, I admit it.  When double knits rose to meteoric popularity in the early 70s, I was as interested as anyone else.  That was before they conjured up the image of a grandma in a coordinated, belted lavender pantsuit.  

Here's an unusual 70s piece with tags still intact that someone

once snapped up at a "fantastic riot sale" at Minnesota Fabrics... 

...fantabulous.

Yeah, I remember that blue floral "maxi" dress I wore to my brother's 1975 wedding (hi Dave) and it was full fledged polyester double knit.  That's me with the high forehead - my sister Barb on the right (also in double knit - I'm telling you, it was everywhere!).  Oh yes, I admit it.  I must not have been adverse to double knits at first.  After all, it was the new miracle fabric, easy to sew, didn't fray, kind to the figure, easy to wash and never needed ironing.  Double knits were used for everything from women's dresses to men's suits.

Alas, synthetics fell out of favor in the 80s and 90s when we all became fiber snobs and chintz and 100% cotton ruled.  Lately, there's been a return to stretchy, clingy, funky, who care's what it's made of single knits and I think the prejudice against double knits might also fade away.  I've been taking another look at them.  Of course they aren't so easy to find, but patience at the thrift stores will yield a few goodies... and I've got plans... mad, mod clothing plans.

These are a few of my recent thrift finds and all polyester double knit.  

My vision hasn't completely crystallized yet,

but I am seeing mod, London, Twiggy, 1968-1972

skirts and jumpers with contrasting trims and pockets.

Or if some are stretchy enough - leggings will be fun and funky.  

Oh yes, I have ideas.  Stay tuned.

Treasury Making on Etsy

Check out my latest treasury on Etsy

I could get addicted to making treasuries!

Mod and Feminine

These old Butterick patterns I recently bought are speaking to me.  

I'm still feeling the mod vibe... don't you just love that attached belt that goes around back criss-crossing and buttoning?  I think when I make it, I'll scoop the neck just a little more... maybe.  What do you think?  Solid color or all over floral?  Texture?  Two fabrics?

At the same time, I'm also feeling a bit of the wistful femininity of the crinoline puffed and fluffed skirts and dresses of the early 60s.  Love that midriff that gets wider at the side seams.  I want to make this in a crisp white cotton with orange border print flowers - maybe an exposed orange metal zipper going right down the back.  I'd also choose the diagonal overlapped front and put three jeweled buttons for closure?  Or maybe three funky orange shaped buttons...  Hmmm... thinking... thinking...

The good news is I'm almost ready to crank the sewing machines up... in their new location - my bedroom - for the summer.  Just a last bit of organizing and set up yet to finish.  Can't wait!

New & Now & Hip & Retro

OK, I know I've been missing in action lately.  Either it's a busy stretch or I'm going to have to choose between serving on the school board and RubyLemons.  

I've got the itch big time to get sewing again and sell my stuff on Etsy.  And the word, "mod" just keeps coming up in my head.  I have the urge to sew mod clothes - kinda like Marcia Brady meets Mod Squad meets Mary Tyler Moore.

I'm collecting fabrics again... knits and those 60s and 70s prints that I shunned twenty years ago will work perfectly for these patterns.  Double knit, too... making a comeback in retro funky styles.

Oh, the ideas never stop.

Now if only I had the time to bring them to life! 

The key will be not to just sew up 70s outfits with 70s fabric.  No.  Each one will need to have a twist that says loud and clear that this piece of clothing is new and now and hip and retro.