Dress #6 -- Simplicity 6352 (1965)

Dress #5 -- Simplicity 8485 (1969)

Dress #2 -- Simplicity 1012 (1960s repro)

Didn't change anything, although I will make it in a 14 if I make it again (I made a 12). I don't bother matching patterns so it's all good to me. I had a limited amount of this FABULOUS fabric so I had to do what I could!

Dress #6 -- Simplicity 6194 (1965)

An easy dress I whipped up from a 1965 pattern.

Easy to make. I think I made it in a day. The bodice is a tiny bit big, but can easily be taken in. I'm still a n00b when it comes to post-war patterns (1945ish to the "New Sizing" of 1967).

Dress of the Century: 1960-1969

I haven't been sewing the past couple weeks. I have fabric, but no pattern that I feel corresponds with what I have, lol. So instead, let's do the next segment in the Dress of the Century series. The sixties!! I made a 60s fashion time line in this post, but I'll use different pictures for this post. So....double the sixties!!!

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

Dress #21 -- Simplicity 7355 (1967)

Hey there. I made this quickie dress in a matter of a few hours:

Copyrighted 1967. This dress was EASY to put together and it was drafted beautifully! Everything matched up perfectly. Dress #20 had a few drafting errors where pieces didn't line up as well as they should have. This is why I love vintage patterns best -- they go together perfectly!

But enough about that. The pattern envelope makes this dress out to be a bit dressy, but I saw some "youth quake" potential and had a go at it. First, my fabric choice was spot-on. It's kind of ugly-ish and garish! Not uncommon in the late 1960s! I then made the sleeves wider at the end and shortened the skirt to a less matronly length. As I said on a previous post, sometimes shift dresses can teeter on the edge of being too "Thelma Harper" if I don't execute them right. Simplicity 7533 is the most 60s dress I have ever made. It's more 60s than some of my real 60s dresses!

Dress #17 -- Simplicity 3833 (1960s repro)

Hey there! My weekend sewing has come to an end. I have to put the machine away for a bit before my back stays in a permanent hunch! Hehe! Last night and most of today I completed the 1960s reissue Simplicity 3833 shift dress. Once again, I am impressed with Simplicity's perfect sizing to my figure. The results:

I paid 0.56 cents for this in an extreme JoAnn pattern sale!

The main fabric used is Alexander Henry's Vinyl Vacation that I bought at J&O. As I was making it I thought the blue bodice was just, well, too blue. And it began reminding me of scrubs. During the process of putting it together I hoped it wasn't going to end up looking like fancy scrubs! Or even worse...a maternity dress! I always get nervous when my dresses are in that half-sewn "sack" stage. I know I shouldn't ever judge how the final product will look in that stage, but I always do! I was kinda worried about all that BLUE so I decided it needed something to break it up a bit.

The Sack Stage!

First, I cut out the sleeves in the Vinyl Vacation fabric to break it up. I pinned them on, but hated them. I have decided I strongly dislike sleeves on shift dresses. Short sleeves (long sleeves are great, though!) Short sleeves on shifts remind me of Thelma Harper every single time I attach them! Now, I love me some Mama, but her look is not what I am going for. She's the same reason I stay away from "couch cushion" florals!

Then it occurred to me: This dress is almost the same exact construction as Simplicity 1609, especially the neckline and the way the facing is attached. Why don't I use the scalloped collar from 1609 to break up the blueness? What a great idea!

That little tiny bit adds enough ZING!

I also decided to add the belt bits to the back. Again, too much novelty fabric and it needed to be broken up. Paired with a blue zipper, it came out better than I though it would!

This dress is so SUMMER PICNIC I can't even deal. I love it and it's possible I'll make it again in solid colour blocks (something I've been wanting to make forever!) I still think 1609 is a better pattern, though. It makes me look slender and I have endless "themes" for it. And speaking of 1609, last night I scored the ORIGINAL 1965 version on Etsy -- IN MY SIZE! Beyond thrilled:

That's it for now. I hope you are enjoying your weekend endeavors, whether they involve sewing or not!

Dress #14 -- Simplicity 8485 (1969)

I started making this one about three weeks ago, but I developed a very painful boil under my arm. I had to have it lanced and today was the first day I've felt "myself" -- so I finished up my dress!

As it sat unfinished, I wasn't feeling it. At first I made the side panels white, but the contrast was way too stark and I just didn't like it. So I decided the entire thing would be zigzag. As I top-stitched the side panels, it occurred to me that a fancy strip of white bias would set it off.

The collar is a bit off, but I don't care. I didn't know those two front petals would be so long and floppy, but that is how they are supposed to look, apparently. I lined up all the dots and did the correct seam allowances. Oh well. My hubby says it looks "60s" and that's good enough for me.

Dress #13 -- Simplicity 8414 (1969)

And I made another entire dress yesterday:

EASY to make. Took me only a few hours. Of course, I'm a dummy and chopped it too short the first time :( I tried to "repair" it, but the design didn't line up so I just said SCREW IT. The uneven bottom makes it *mine.* I can tell people I effed it up :) When I sew, I do it for fun and if I have to break some rules then so be it. The jumper is amazing, though. So cute and I perfect fit with ZERO alterations.

HAIR!!

I've been changing drastically over the past few months. Everything about me is getting an overhaul. I didn't just wake up and decide I was going to change, a series of events brought everything on. And since this blog really only focuses on the "shallow" stuff, my ever-changing self includes MY HAIR.

I have mastered pincurls and fingerwaves. I have been known to sleep in wave clips to achieve my perfectly sculpted hair. Let's swoon over some fingerwaves, shall we?

*sigh*

From 2001 until 2012 I wore my hair in a dutch bob with "Bettie Page" bangs. My last bob haircut was in September 2012 and I have been growing it out since. Except the short bangs. I kept them because I figured it gave my mundane, straight, long hair a "look." Lately my hair has been long enough to make two braids. With the Bettie Bangs the hairdo was instant 1940s with very little effort! But with my change in style, I'm beginning to grow the bangs out.

I've been practicing my beehive. Yes. I want high, high hair. It still needs more growth and I still need more practice, but I keep at it each day. And I have my 1960s pictures as inspiration:

Female impersonator LaVerne Cummings

Style icon Lisa Reed

I'm currently trying to train my part to go backwards instead of in the middle. With the length of my hair, I can flip it or ponytail it, or just let it hang. I'm hoping to have my "craft" ready for the Queer & Kinky Cabaret next weekend!

Fashion Shift and Simplicity 1609 -- again! (Dress #11)

I've been undergoing a huge change in my personal fashion lately. For many, many years I was all about the 1930s and the earlier 1940s. I do still love this era for fashion and still wear it, but I've been setting my sewing needles toward late 1960s and early 1970s patterns -- an era I NEVER would have thought I would make/wear/become interested in. As a matter of fact, I used to hold a bit of contempt for the 60s and 70s and my assumed idea that it was a time that "ruined" fashion and the 30s and 40s were spat upon. After reading a few books on the topic of 60s fashion, I've come to realize that is not the case. Especially the later 1960s when there was a 20s/30s revival. I first became a tad interested in fashion from this era in 2012 when I had a subscription to ancestry.com and had access to all the Sears catalogs from 1896 to 1993. I even made a post about the 1930s-influenced fashions of the era.

I also blanketed the 60s into eras -- early 60s was still the 50s, mid 60s was mod, late 60s was hippie. While this is somewhat true, 1960s fashion is far more interesting that just that! With that said, I made Simplicity 1609 once again in a pop-art comic fabric:

I cut the center on the fold. It made the bust area kinda looser and wonkier, but it can be hidden with a cardi. I just love this pattern and all the different "themes" you can make with it, but I think I'm going to put it aside for now and make some adorable vintage goodies. Like these:

1969

1971. Green one!

1972

1974

The green dress on 9083 is very 1939 -- the puff sleeves, the collar and cuffs, the nipped in waist and full skirt! 5466 and 6798 have the delightful early-30s-esque flouce sleeves. I really have no idea which one to make first!

Dress #10 -- Simplicity 6085 (1965)

I did hit a lull with this one:

While making it, I just did not like the way it was turning out. The pattern was MUCH longer than where I hemmed it. I cut off about 6 inches so it was right above the knee like the drawing. Also, when I was making it, because of the longness, it just kind draped flat and didn't have that classic 1960s bell shape. It wasn't until I shortened it that the bell came alive! That made me happy! Otherwise, it just looked completely un-vintagey; like something you could buy in the mall today.

I cut out the pieces for a blouse, but ended up just doing the skirt. That's how unsatisfied I was with this pattern. Good news, though -- I'm making yet another themed Simplicity 1609! I love that freaking dress!

Ugly Patterns!

I've always LOVED "ugly" stuff. Like, hideous, awful, terrible stuff. I think it's better to be this than just mediocre. So I've taken it upon myself to collect some UGLY sewing patterns. I have rule when getting these fugly beauties added to my collection: I will not spend more than $2.00 for an ugly pattern. Yea, I like 'em ugly, but I'm not crazy! So far, I got these:

1969

The actual outfit is alright, just that graphic print!

Next two are from 1978

I seriously never knew I needed adult Annie patterns until I saw them. Annie was my absolute fave when I was a kid so OF COURSE I needed these!!! Can't lie, I love the bottom one and don't think it's ugly at all. I will make and wear that one! The top one, though, is just wrong.

1983

It's sack-like horrible-ness struck me down! I had to click ADD TO CART.

1987

I just LOVE that pink version! But I wouldn't have been caught dead in a dress like this in 1987. I was all long black skirts, turquoise Chuck's, and Smiths t-shirts.

1991

I did have an outfit similar to the grey on ein the foreground in 1990. Except it was pukey yellowy green. I remember wearing it to our family vacation to Boston that year so I'm sure my dad has a bunch of pics....

And that is my small collection right now. I paid no more than two bucks for each of these, but I would love to add a horribly 1950s "Sack Dress" pattern to this collection. I know I won't find one of those for $2.00, lol.

Sack Dress

Here are some more ugly patterns from the internet that I sadly do not own...

You have probably already deduced that I don't like dresses that cover the figure. Most of these patterns are shapeless sacks.