Vintage Pattern and Bad Memories

When I was in 5th of 6th grade (11 or 12 years old) I went to the local drugstore and bought a sewing pattern I just adored.  It was like one of those 50's dresses with the nipped in waist and a full skirt. I wasn't quite skilled enough to handle sewing it by myself and my aunt was going to sew a dress for me.  Well, she took one look at my dream pattern, decided I was too chubby, and coerced me into settling for another pattern.  I think I picked the fabric (kelly green with some sort of flowers) and she made the dress.  I loathed it.  It was stiff and tent-like. Imagine my surprise when I saw a pattern pop up on my facebook stream that jogged my memory.  It was a vintage pattern from 1969.  I would have been 11 when it came out and I remembered the pattern.  I didn't think I was capable of sewing dresses at that time.  Then I remembered!  That was the dress my aunt made for me. The dreaded tent dress. I think I wore it once and it haunted my closet for years.

Nowadays most fashion experts tell you that even chubby girls need a waist with a belt or something to define it. My aunt used to call me chubby checkers which was very hurtful. To get stuck with that stigma as a child definitely changed the person I was. I am still self-conscious.

Update: As fate would have it my daughter just bought a vintage dress in the style I wanted my aunt to make for me when I was a kid.  So you can see exactly the type of dress I was talking about if you couldn't picture it before.  Her's has a side zipper.

Turning a Peasant Blouse Into a Dress

Saturday I ran into a woman that was wearing the Folkwear pattern Afghan Nomad Dress. I bought that pattern years ago and never got around to making it. So last night I'm trying to find one on line for less than $18.00 or so.

This morning I get up and log on and realize the pattern for a peasant blouse sitting on my desk that I just bought from Yardsellr is very much like that Afghan dress silhouette. (McCall's M808). I can lengthen it either by adding tiers, or just draw it longer into a maxi version.

Butterick B5100 Tunic Pattern

My daughter came down for my birthday and on Jan. 4 we went to Joann's craft store. I found a pattern in Butterick that I really wanted only they weren't on sale at the time. The retail price was $15.95. On sale they are usually $1.99 for Butterick. So I decided to wait until it was on sale again.
It's a tunic B5100 that I think will be the perfect backdrop for knitted or crocheted cowls, shawls and scarflets, like the leaf scarf I just finished crocheting. It would also be a little dressier than what I normally wear and I could wear it to interviews or meetings.

So then about a week later I was trying to move my bedroom chair when I realized something in a plastic bag was hung up on the chair legs. I finally got it worked loose and it was a bag with patterns in it. And one of them was the one I almost bought at Joann's. So I was really glad I didn't buy it. I know I'm not the only one that accidentally buys duplicate patterns.

Tribal Style Pattern

I just got a majorly cool pattern from Folkwear. It's a tribal belly dancing costume pattern put together by Fat Chance Belly Dance.
It is a very complete pattern with everything from the choli to the skirts and pantaloons. Can't wait to pick out the fabric. Go take a look at the pattern: http://www.folkwear.com/144.html
Also, I paid for it with paypal and got it as quickly as could be expected.