McCalls, Butterick and Vogue had one of their regular dirt-cheap-patterns sales, ending yesterday. I ended up ordering nine patterns, and paid–taxes and shipping included–around $50. Considering that a single Vogue pattern can retail for $30 at a sewing store, that is a very good deal. Not that I will sew any of them any time soon, but I will be able to look at them on my shelf of sewing patterns, and begin collecting fabrics and notions.
This suit is one of the patterns currently making its way to me by post. The neckline details on the blouse are neat (though I think I’d want to slim it down) and the pants have a waist. Pants With Waists are one of my main motivations for sewing. I hate low-waisted pants, and I particularly hate being unable to find pants to wear to work that allow me to sit in my work chair without constantly pulling my shirt down over my butt.
Shirts With Buttons That Fit are another big reason I sew clothes for myself. It’s always frustrated me that while men have shirts that can vary by neck width, length, sleeve length, and torso size, women generally can choose between small, medium and large. As if women’s bodies, above the waist, all expanded volumetrically in identical ways. Speaking only for myself, if I find a button-up shirt in a store that fits reasonably well across both the bust and the waist, it’s a minor miracle; and even then, the back will be all bunched up and the darts are sure to be in the wrong place. Did you know that almost every clothing manufacturer sizes their clothes to fit a b-cup?
Anyway, so I ordered a bunch of shirt patterns, including this one. $4, and it came with a bunch of options for collars and cuffs and sleeves. I could sew a whole wardrobe’s worth of Shirts With Buttons with this one pattern (once I figure out how to adjust it to fit properly, at any rate).
Then there is the Sewing for Frances sub-shelf, wherein I try to make her clothing that is comfortable, doesn’t drag behind her on the ground, and which she will actually wear. Unfortunately, sewing patterns for kids consist of approximately 95% fancy dresses, and 3% fancy tops and pants with ridiculously enormous frills and ruffles on them. Frances prefers jogging pants to almost any other item of clothing on the planet. So there’s a disconnect.
I ordered this: a bat-wing t-shirt with gathers, and leggings. (And a bunch of other tops, too, but the bat-wing one gets my vote.) Frances is also excited about the possibility of a bat-wing top, which helps. Plus, a pattern for boys’ pants (of five total patterns for boys across all three brands) which, if I take off the cargo pockets, might make a decent corduroy pattern.
I also added to the natural dyeing Someday Shelf with a sale purchase of some undyed fabric–but more on that when I’m ready to try it all out. I have the kitchen scale, the stainless steel stock pots, the mordants, the dyes, and the fabric is coming…. Now all I need is a hot plate.
What am I going to do with my home-dyed fabric, you ask?
No idea. What’s your point?
Zoopolis 