Sewing Made Easy, really? Yes!!!!

Sewing Made Easy 1959, yet to be made vintage patterns from my collection.

I love to sew and I am not to shabby but I am self taught, everything I know about sewing I have learned on my own (well there was that week in 8th grade Home Ec where we sewed a snake, weird huh?). Over the years I have been collecting patterns well not really more like hoarding patterns, but any who these gorgeous patterns seldomly get used and that is so very very wrong. Shame on me!

A few of my favorite patterns from my collection.

 

Self taught has made me a master at tailoring ready made, making wicked awesome pencil skirts, sewing my own designs (like my halloween costume) and whipping up accessories but horrible at understanding written directions and terminology amongst a few other important details. So when it comes to getting ready to make most dress patterns and especially suits I am scared out of my wits.

Gosh, I really cant wait to make these.

All my problems have been solved, well in away. Today I stumbled upon something I have been needing for way to long, but did not have the extra pocket cash to pick up via the internet. This book is entitled Sewing Made Easy and that is exactly what it does.

A few more favorites.

My first sewing book and its from 1959 perfect for all of my vintage patterns, best dollar I ever spent! I am no longer scared to make a fancy dress but excited, if I have any questions I can just refer to my new lil sewing bible! Over 400 pages covering all the basics and then some, along with lovely how to's, like slip covers for furniture, curtains, hats, slippers, belts (which I have included a picture of below for you to save or use as inspiration) and turning two ugly dress' into one gorgeous dress.

Click to enlarge. The first is my favorite, using a mans watch chain to make a belt how bad ass is that for a 1950's housewife!!!!

I hope all of you guys have an amazing Veterans Day and even better sewing adventures.

Dear fabric and patterns I am sorry for neglecting you

Sewing is definitely one of my biggest passions, but due to the fact that I work full time right now and we are leaving for Texas very soon, eekkkk 10 days, yes I am super nervous, I have had no time to sew lately. On the bright side I can not wait till we get to Texas we are moving in to a house built in the 1940's and pretty much all I know about the house is that it has 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, hardwood floors and a big back yard for my 3 pups. 3 bedrooms woo hoo, for about the past 9 months my boyfriend and I have shared a room that we rent. A whole house for the two of us is going to be quite spacious. We have decided the smallest room of the house will be my office, studio and sewing room slash extended closet. Right now my sewing spot is a tiny space in the garage of the house we rent are room out of. Its not only horribly lit but its also infested with spiders and other friendly bugs who love to say hi while I am sewing. Due to the lack of space all of my fabric and vintage patterns has been in boxes for the past couple of years. I am definitely looking forward to elegantly and conveniently displaying all of my gorgeous fabric I have been collecting. Lately I have been a major fabric hoarder, due to the fact that fabric is so cheap out here in the LA fashion district. If I had all of the money in the world I invest in a 100 tons of vintage fabric. But since this is not the case I wanted to share my favorite vintage fabric and pattern finds with my lovely blog friends.

1950's Rose Glazed Cotton MsLegacySews

1950's Antique Store Novelty CottonMsLegacySews

1940's Tropical Deco Vintage Barcloth catnapcottage

1950s Juvenile Novelty Western Cowboy Cotton PatternPeddler
1950's Belly Up To The Bar Cowboy Sheen Cotton violet64

Vintage Patterns

Links: 1. 2. 3. 4.

My footprint

As I drove to work this morning I thought about the recession we are in and how similar this situation, is to the economy at the beginning and during WWII. I always hear these public announcements on the radio about the drought and how water usage could soon be mandated and fines given out for using to much water (this is only in southern California that I know of). This sounds eerily similar to the beginning of World War II when rationing systems were put in place in the United States. The first item to be rationed in January 1942 was tires, because supplies of natural rubber were interrupted because of the war. Soon after, passenger automobiles, typewriters, sugar, gasoline, bicycles, footwear, fuel oil, coffee, stoves, meat, lard, shortening and oils, cheese, butter, margarine, processed foods (canned, bottled and frozen), dried fruits, canned milk, firewood and coal, jams, jellies and fruit butter, were rationed by November 1943.
It was required to get classified, and a book of rationing stamps was given, this was done by appearing before a local rationing board. Each person in a household received a ration book, including babies and small children. Imagine today if we were rationed on things like fuel and shoes. I know I would sure have to change some habits, I am the first person to admit it I have and addiction to heels.

What in the world would I do if once again pleasure driving was prohibited, and all road trips would be thing of the past. Its so interesting how times have changed, certain supplies and materials so limited today that we are even running out of water in some areas, any we can not run on fossil fuels forever. Putting limits on are intake of goods is that something we need now? (to the left I added a picture of some soldiers in fatigue during WWII) With the war going on and are debt rising, should we learn to make use of are resources better and live like we were back in the 1950s.
Back then when a family ran out of their coupons they could not buy rationed goods till the next month, victory gardens were encouraged. (here is a great advert for victory gardens from the 1940s) These gardens provided fresh healthy fruit and vegetables, cut down on food bills, as well as saving on gas by not having to drive to the market. Now to me that sounds wonderful, if only I could start a garden of my own immediately I would. Plus its an excuse for me to take out one of my old patterns from the 1950s I have collected and make my self an outfit to garden in that is easily washed and comfy for the backyard. Sadly at the moment my boyfriend and I rent a room and are not moving into are own house until july of this summer. I think I will wait until we are settled to start my new garden (don't want to shock my little plant friends).
I have always thought of my self as old fashion but now more then ever I am striving to live simpler, live like a young couple would have in the 1950s. Make those easy changes to name a few cooking more often, not using paper towels but instead cloth towels, and also making my own clothing, to improve my human foot print on this world and keep myself sane. Forgetting about what the media wants me to dress like or how they think I should do my hair but I believe it is important to bypass all the trends and live a much simpler life. When I say simpler I mean cooking at least 5 nights a week and never putting a TV dinner in the microwave but chopping the onions and carrots yourself. Once I get home from work tonite I will cook a nice meal for my boyfriend and also start working on a new outfit made with a pattern from the 1950s. The cost of buying clothing is way more then making it yourself plus the fit is perfect, a well fitting outfit always flatters any size or height.