11 aprons

One of my sewing goals for 2012 was to do more sewing for charity.

So I was happy to discover that Craft Hope Project 17: Aprons for Haiti is currently going on. Haiti by Hand is accepting aprons until the end of July for women of Haiti. Nothing too frilly, ruffly or lacey, in fabrics that are very wash-friendly (quilting cottons are recommended).

After searching around for free apron patterns/tutorials, I ended sewing a very easy full apron following this idea.

Using quilting cotton fabrics from my stash & about $30+ in bias tape I cranked out 11 of these aprons in 48 hours !  I was able to get 2 aprons out of 1 yard of fabric & 3 packs of bias tape.

I think maybe I've become the bias tape queen !  Even though it was a lot of bias tape sewing, I really enjoyed sewing all these aprons.

Girl's Sewing Patterns Giveaway!

UPDATED TO ADD: out of 168 entries, the winner is: Our Busy Little Bunch thanks to everyone who entered.
*****
 It's May Giveaway Day !

A big thank you to Sew, Mama, Sew! for hosting such a fabulous giveaway event !

 The prize: 6 girl's sewing patterns
Including...

Oliver + S Music Box Jumper (2010)
Sizes: 6-12 M, 12-18 M, 18-24 M, 2T, 3T, + 4
Difficulty level: 1 out or 4 scissors
Mostly uncut, only one piece is cut out in size 3T, so whatever size you need to make you'd be able to make it.
I sewed my daughter a Music Box Jumper (in size 3T) using this pattern.

Oliver + S Swingset Tunic & Skirt (2007-2008)
Sizes: 0-3 M, 3-6 M, 6-12 M + 18-24 M
Difficulty level: 2 out of 4 scissors
Uncut

Butterick 3772 (2003)
Sizes: 4, 5, 6
Difficulty level: very easy
Uncut

McCall's 3949 (2003)
Sizes: 3, 4, 5, 6
Uncut

Butterick 4176 (2004)
Sizes: 2, 3, 4, 5
Difficulty level: very easy
Uncut

McCall's 5918 (2009)
Sizes: 2, 3, 4, 5
Uncut

Enter to win:
:: please leave an answer to the following question: What is your favorite thing about summer? (favorite thing to do, place to go, to eat, to drink, etc.) My favorite thing about summer is the sunshine :)
:: one entry per person
:: open until Friday May 25 at 5 p.m. PST
:: I will choose a winner and email the winner by May 27, then I will note the winner in this post
:: I will ship internationally
:: the 6 girl's sewing patterns will be shipped by June 1

Signature Look Season 4

{Project Run & Play season 4 sew along signature look}

The dress: Purple Rose Party Dress
One of my favorite things to design & sew? Party/holiday/special occasion dresses, like the jingle bell dress or the bow dress.

The fabric: Rows of Rosettes fabric
Gorgeous eye catching fabric in a vibrant purple color with lots of texture

The pattern: 100% designed by me
:: sleeveless drop waist dress with a circle skirt
:: sash which is attached at the sides of the bodice ties in the front
:: bias tape trim is used for the hem on the circle skirt, the 2 arm holes & around the neckline
:: v-neck back
:: invisible zipper & hook & eye closure in the back
:: just as pretty in the inside with French seams on the bodice pieces & bias tape trim on the bodice/skirt seam.

Free pattern & tutorial coming soon !

Be sure to check out all the sew along signature looks at the Project Run & Play flickr group.

children's vintage sewing patterns

 The Vintage May series is going on this month, hosted by skirt as top & Craftiness in not Optional.

Another post here inspired by Vintage May, see my previous post about my vintage sewing machine collection & women's vintage sewing patterns. This time it's children's vintage sewing patterns. I apologize in the advance for the photography, some of these sewing patterns I own & took photos of at home, but some I took while vintage shopping. I think I am spoiled to have so many vintage shops within driving distance where I can find so many vintage sewing patterns. The ones here are from the early 1900's all the way to 1988 (remember 'vintage' is anything 20 years or older). Anyway, some vintage eye candy for you today ~ enjoy !

(Above photo)
McCall's 8226 (1950) ~ I was amazed to find this one is such excellent condition especially considering that it's 62 years old !!!

Pictorial Review 8634 (early 1900s) ~ one of the oldest patterns I've ever seen

 Simply Pattern no.225 (one of the oldest patterns I've ever seen), Advance 3443, Butterick ?

 Simplicity ?218, ?, Simplicity 1701, Simplicity 8428 (1969)

 McCall's 8743 (1951), Simplicity 3234

 Simplicity 5999, Simplicity 2599 (1948)

 Butterick ?, Simplicity 3696, McCall's 8863 (1967)

 Vogue 5229, Simplicity 5519 (1964)

 Butterick 2409, Simplicity 2740 (1959), Vogue 2753

 Butterick 3342, Butterick 3743, McCall's 7545 (1964)

 Simplicity 4332

 Simplicity 4829

 Simplicity 4568, McCall's 6132 (1961)

 Simplicity 5685 (1964)

 Simplicity 6111 (1965)

 McCall's 8551 (1966)

 McCall's 7885 (1965), McCall's 7854 (1965), McCall's 8593 (1966)

 Simplicity 2582 (1950s), Simplicity 7792 (1968)

 Simplicity 7938 (1968), Simplicity 7776

 Simplicity 7785 (1968)

 Simplicity 7966 (1968)

 Simplicity 8717 (1970)

 Simplicity 5483 (1972)

 McCall's 4449 (1975)

 Burda 01209, McCall's 7756 (1981)

 Simplicity 7866 (1986)

 McCall's 3830 (1988)

Do you sew for children using vintage sewing patterns? Whenever I'm sewing something for my daughter using a vintage patterns, I always think about who was the mom long ago that used this, who was she sewing it for? I bet she sewed it with lots of love.

Happy Vintage May !

Holly Hobbie guest post

 Kristin from skirt as top invited me to contribute to the Vintage May series that is going on right now... so be sure to head on over to her blog for my guest blog post about Holly Hobbie. Happy Vintage May !

women's vintage sewing patterns

 Vintage May is going on this month, hosted by skirt as top & Craftiness in not Optional.

Another post here inspired by Vintage May, see my previous post about my vintage sewing machine collection. This time it's women's vintage sewing patterns. A couple of years ago when my mother passed away, I inherited all of her sewing patterns, I think that there were about 80, & here are some of my favorites. Some vintage eye candy for you today ~ enjoy !

FYI, when dating vintage sewing patterns, I found these websites helpful:
Sewing Pattern History / How to Date a Vintage Sewing Pattern
Dating Vintage Simplicity Patterns

(Above photo)
Advance 5985, early 1950s

Simplicity 1058, 1955

Simplicity 1085, 1955

Simplicity 1158, 1955

Simplicity 1463, 1955

Simplicity 3340, 1960

 Simplicity 3449, 1960

Simplicity 3790, 1960

Simplicity 3868, 1960

Simplicity 5274, 1963

Simplicity 4619, 1964

Simplicity 4808, 1960s

McCall's 3218, 1955

McCall's 5699, 1960

McCall's 8190, 1966

McCall's 3608, 1973

Vogue 2067, 1969

McCall's 8926 (Brooke Shields designer & model, she was 19 in this photo), 1984

Simplicity 7948 (Uma Thurman model, she was 17 in this photo), 1987

Thanks mom !

Happy Mother's day today to all the moms out there !