Friday Thrifting...

I love Fridays... It is the one day, that I let all of the hustle and bustle of the week go... and after dropping the kids off at school(because a Mom is never truly "off" the clock)...It Is Me Time!!!(until I have to pick up the kids... sigh...)  I start off with coffee and a fresh bakery treat... and then I'm off to thrift...  Lately, I have been finding the coolest stuff... so I just had to share...

I hit the jackpot on vintage patterns... 5 for $1.00...  I find it amusing that while I was digging through them, I kept saying to myself ... "Oh! I've got that"... I may be developing a small pattern hoarding problem...

Ahh... I just love vintage fabric... It makes me giddy!  The two on the left are knits I found for $2.00 a piece, the red is a dotted swiss($1.00), and the white is an eyelet($1.00)...

This fabric deserved to be photographed all by itself... I was absolutely gaga over it... at a mere $2.00 for 4yards!  My biggest dilemma is what to make out of it.  I know it will be a dress... but it has to be the perfect one!

I saved the best for last... I found this vintage fan for $7.00!  It works perfectly... but there was a loose nut... a problem that was easily solved by my handy husband.  I have wanted one for sooooo long, and can't believe the price I paid for it!

I can't wait for friday to get here... I'm ready to go out again!  There are treasures to be found... Items to discover... And prices to be bargained with...

Get Thrifting!

***Jennifer

P.S. I found this during my travels... I didn't purchase it, because it was wwwaaayyy out of my price range, but the saying struck a chord with me... It is so true, and I thought it was worth sharing.  The wheels are turning... as I ponder ideas to recreate it...

Until then, it's definitely taken up residency in my heart...

***(In case you can't read it)***
THIS BRIGHT, NEW DAY...
COMPLETE WITH 24 HOURS OF
OPPORTUNITIES, CHOICES, AND
ATTITUDES.  A PERFECT MATCHED
SET OF 1440 MINUTES.  THIS
UNIQUE GIFT.  THIS ONE DAY.
CANNOT BE EXCHANGED, REPLACED,
OR REFUNDED.  HANDLE WITH CARE.
THERE IS ONLY 1 TO A CUSTOMER...

Friday's Findings...

It's been a while since I've posted any finds from my weekly foraging... going from estate sales to garage sales looking for treasure...  Here are my deals and steals...

Super cool 70's chandlier... $3...

Super excited about this book I picked up for .50...

Straight from the 70's it's a master pattern book... for just about anything you could ever want to sew...

It still had all of the pattern making materials
attached to the back!

I haven't had a chance to play with it yet... but the step by step instructions don't look to overwhelming...

Necklace... It's plastic... but I like it anyway... $1...

Another $1 necklace find... and believe it our not I hemmed and hawed over buying it... until someone snapped some sense back into me by pointing out... "Hey!  It's only a $1!!!"

Never one to resist... BUTTONS... $1 and .25

More fabric for my collection... each $1...

I love digging through old things...  I'm a treasure seeker to the core...  I enjoy making up a history for items in my head...  and peering into the past...
Happy Hunting!
***Jennifer

Hidden Treasures...

After a tiring day, as I walked down the hallway of my home...drawn to the sun streaming in through my studio windows... lifting my spirits, even though I felt like I didn't want to lift a finger...  Sitting my weary body in my sewing chair(or better put... My Thinking Chair)... I thoughtfully gazed at my wall of neatly folded vintage fabric.(hopefully I am not the only one that finds this a peaceful way to unwind) I thought about what I'd like to work on next... maybe a shirt?... No... I'm thinking maybe a dress...  As I looked through my stock pile for something with enough yardage... I pulled out this...

I found this fabric at Saint Vincent's for $1.99 at least five years ago.  When I bought it I remember thinking it was OK...  but, nothing special...  With over 3yards I couldn't pass it up though.  I don't often come across vintage knits.  So, home it went... and after being washed and dried... it's been sitting unassumingly on the shelf...

As I opened it up to look for flaws... my eyes were drawn to the salvage edge...

I could not believe what I was reading... My heart skipped a beat as I realized that  Diane Von Furstenberg signature was staring back at me!  How had I missed this?  A quick google search told me that, while I didn't find the exact print,  I did find a 1970's Vogue pattern ad... featuring one of her dresses and knit fabric that she designed for the collection (that was similar to what I had)...  So cool!

There was a part of me... after finding out this information... that wanted to fold this fabric back up, and hoard it away...  I can't actually cut something out of this... can I?  And then my reasonable self took over... Of course I should use it... Isn't that what she designed it for?  I'm sure she would get a kick out of my excitement...  And I can't enjoy it if it's secreted away... So in honor of Diane Von Furstenberg(who made the wrap dress a staple, and designs clothes that gives the allure of effortless beauty) ... I am definitely making a dress out of this fabric! 

Here's what I think I'll try... I haven't watched the show yet(Fashion Star), but this pattern caught my eye...  I think it's a perfect match up...
Who knew... that I had this hidden treasure?  I am super exited!!!  I'm to tired to start it tonight, but I will post my dress when It's completed...  What a great way to end my day...
Doesn't this make you wonder what treasures are hiding in your house?
Happy Hunting!
***Jennifer

Using Hem Tape ... and How To Do a French Seam...

So... I am holding myself to my promise, and worked on a old (from the pile)project first... before I could do a new project... Here's what I worked on today...

 

Those of you that follow me, may remember this dress...  I absolutely love it, but my sensitive skin does not like the wool in the seam at my neck... So into the project bin it went until I came up with a solution...

  

Meet my solution... Fusible hem tape... This stuff is great!  After applied, you can wash and dry you garment as you normally would... I'm going to use it to apply a strip of fabric, to cover the scratchy seam... and it's no sew!



 

First I measured and cut out a strip of fabric that was slightly wider than the hem tape...

Then I peeled the hem tape away from the paper...

 Placing the hem tape where I wanted to start... I then covered it with my strip of fabric, and press with a hot iron... 

Continue laying out your hem tape with the fabric... and keep pressing until you come to the end...



Now I have an itch free seam... this silk will be much softer on my too sensitive skin...



 Now for the new project!

I have had this vintage panel of fabric for a long time... but being only 16" wide, it's never been big enough for the projects I've had in mind... While cleaning out my office I came across it again.

 This time I realized that it would be perfect for an infinity scarf...

Ever since my friend Maya made me one, I've been kind of obsessed... I'm kind of cheating, because I am not lining or hemming it( I like the selvedge edge)... However, I did use a French seam to connect the ends, because it might show... If you've never done a French Seam before, here's how...



First you start with wrong sides together...

Then using a 1/4inch seam(from the needle to the edge of my foot is a 1/4"... but I would measure this first before you stitch, because some machines can vary)... stitch seam together...



This is what it will look like on the right side...



Next fold along your seam so right sides of fabric are together... Sandwiching your seam on the inside...



Another view of the wrong side...



Now stitch a 3/8inch seam along your folded edge...



Your French Seam is complete!



Right side French Seam view...

French seams are great for any seam that is going to show... like on a hood, or for sheer fabrics... because the raw edge is encased on the inside...  This seam can replace any traditional seam called for in a pattern, if you are using a 5/8 seam...

Well I love my new scarf... I think it is perfect for the transition from winter to spring... 
Happy Sewing!
***Jennifer

Sew simple... adding trim...

This weekend I finally got to make an outfit from a Lisette pattern for myself... (I previously sewed one for my daughter during Kids Clothes Week)

Continental top and skirt...

My favorite things about this pattern, are that the skirt features a side panel on the front and back... and the back of the top is gathered ... Since I wanted to highlight the panel on the skirt, I decided to use some trim (remember the Rick rack I found on Friday)... Here's how I did it...

Placing the fabric at the 5/8ths line... I basted the Rick rack in place to one side ...



Holding onto the the Rick rack while I'm stitching... I make sure that the points of the Rick rack line up with the side of my foot...

Then with the Rick rack sandwiched between... sew your seam as usual...



Now you've got a seam trimmed with Rick rack... See it's "sew" simple...
(if any of your basting stiches show, you can pull them out)



With such a busy pattern I think the side panels would of been lost without the trim...
Oh, and being the rebel that I am... the pattern called for the skirt to be cut on the bias... but I didn't have enough fabric to do that (And I had my heart set on this vintage fabric).  So I cut it with the straight of grain... but in a size bigger since it would not have the stretch that bias give you...



I also made the top out of this vintage knit...

And I ran out of fabric for the back... so I used this check that was hand cross stitched by someone...  I like the combination of fabrics...



 Here is the complete look...

 Well... I hope this inspires you to add trim to a garment your making... it can seem a little daunting at first, but once you've done it you'll be happy with the result...
This outfit cost me $3.18
Brown print fabric- gifted $0.00
Brown/cream knit fabric- thrifted $0.99
Brown check- gifted $0.00
Tan trim- thrifted $0.10
Brown zipper- thrifted $0.10
Pattern- Joann's $1.99
Affordable fashion... I love it!

Happy sewing!
***Jennifer