Next up: Pinstriped dress pants

Last Thursday was my birthday, so I am now 28. Oh snap, I'm so old! My parents got me an awesome food processor and Andrew got me this Le Creuset casserole. I am very excited by both! 

 The downstairs neighbors were nice enough to watch t-rex while we were in New Orleans. Same colors, but different sizes...

 This is the fabric for my pants. It's a navy "superfine" suiting that I bought at Discount Textile Outlet.

 This is my pattern: Vogue 1051. Making these pants has been boring and a pain in the butt. There are four welt pockets.

They are nearly complete, but I just organized all of my sewing stuff and realized that I have no pants closures. Grr. I do not feel like driving to Jo-Ann today, since I just went yesterday to get more navy thread.

I didn't make a muslin, so we shall see if they look great or horrifying!

Zebra Party II pictures

Mardi Gras in New Orleans was super fun, like always. Stephanie bought a ton of brightly colored wigs and we all had a variety of costumes. It was the first year I can remember where random strangers wanted to take our pictures; some would ask and some would just snap a shot like you're in the zoo.

Don't we look awesome?

 I did wear my crazy Hawaiian dress for one day, but other wise I mostly wore my green.

 As you can see we were very colorful!

It was a great trip and now I want to bust out a birthday dress for my bday, which is later this week.

Have a lovely Tuesday!

Pattern winner!

Andrew and I went to this estate sale because it was only a few streets away. Mostly all overpriced junk, but this treadle sewing machine was very pretty and the table was as well. They wanted something like 160 for it and it was missing the belt. So I took a picture for free!

 The winner of the patterns is Beata! Yay, email me your address at mollysewsblog -at- gmail [dot] com.

I have way too many patterns so I will do another giveaway in a week or two for March. I have more sizes too, maybe some 36 or 38 ones?

Zebra Party I complete

Stephanie said she like the Vogue pattern better, so I made that one which is for a 34 bust. Close enough and then she can wear layers if it cold out at the parades. 

 Clearly, it will spectacularly noticeable at a parade, where most people still dress fairly normally. It is meant to button in the front like an actual robe, but it's lycra! So I sewed it shut. If it fits over the dummy with no struggles, it will fit Steph. I also didn't finish any seams or do facings because it's lycra. Come on!

 It's pretty trippy and awesome!

 Under the sleeves are hidden side pieces with elastic, so the waist should be fitted.

I am quite pleased! I have a few more things to make before we leave, but I am being productive and sewing again! Whoo hooo!

This may be in part because Andrew went to NY on business from Tues-fri so I was forced to amuse myself. Which I did! I watch every episode of Downton Abbey in order! In four days! Yeah, that's healthy right?

I did complete all of this boring hand sewing while watching season 1 on Netflix. Hemmed a skirt, sewed on many missing buttons and replaced the straps on my brown silk dress blah blah blah.

I love loveeee Downton Abbey. Then I watched all of season 2 that has aired so far, which PBS has online. It was awesome. Now I am just sad that the Walking Dead and Downton Abbey are both on Sundays and I have to work! Pooh. This SNL skit cracks me up, trying to sell the show to guys on Spike TV. 

Next up: Insanity Zebra and FEBRUARY PATTERN GIVEAWAY

These were part of my giant box of patterns and I immediately thought "Mardi Gras!" Woot woot. We will be in New Orleans next Wednesday and I'm super excited! Stephanie made me a bead bra to match hers, so I am making us both insane kimono things.

 I went back to Discount Textile Outlet because they had a ton of cheap, crazy lycra. I bought hot pink and lime green zebra lycra which was 5/yard. Which is good, since the patterns want 4 yards. I bought 3.5. I am making Stephanie's pink one first.

On to the GIVEAWAY! I will mail these four patterns below to ONE winner! The winner gets ALL of them! I will mail internationally (slow mail). Just be a follower/become one and leave a comment to enter. All of the patterns are for a 32 bust. It includes a 50s blouse pattern, Simplicity 4256; a 1960s suit pattern, Simplicity 4859; Vogue 7192, a late70s/80s skirt, blouse and vest pattern and Butterick 6146 for some 80s business chic.

I will choose a winner on Sunday, Feb 12 and then hopefully mail it on Tuesday before we go out of town. Good luck!

Estate sale loot and the rest of the patterns

I went to this estate sale just to see a pristine version of my bike. It's a JC Higgins (the Sears store brand) from the 50s and it's awesome! This one still had the original store tag and was like new. Mine is old and rusty and the seat has been replaced. It's super heavy and has a headlight and tail light. Love! This one has already sold, but the lady wouldn't say for how much...

 Andrew said we should look for a cast iron frying pan for steaks, which I poo-pooed because we already have about 6 skillets. Then in the basement we found a griddle! Compromise reached!

 I also found this t-shirt that says "adopt a horse." Frankly, I think those horses are procreating recreationally if you know what I mean. How else would they pose like that? hee hee

I also bought these patterns for 50 cents each. Meh, why not? We all know I'm a hoarder.

 At another sale, the woman collected compacts. She had hundreds! I bought this one which is silver (plated, perhaps) and has a crazy faux-Myan/Inca design. I like it.

 Obviously, I threw away the ancient, used powder puff. It has a little screen to hold in loose powder, which I shall wash and sanitize. Me likey.

 These are the rest of my box o patterns from Lisette (indirectly). These are all "basics". Nothing is too spectacular, but I think I want to have them just in case. Give me your thoughts!

Maybe I'll make a sassy seventies wardrobe, you don't know!

Box O Patterns: No-go's for sale

Well these are all patterns that don't appeal to me, or are too simple or similar to another pattern I have or are cute but not my size! Poo poo. If you like any of them, email me and I will set up an etsy sale for you. I always claim I am going to sell things on etsy and then (so far) never dooooooooo....

 I already have so many 60s patterns and the pieces are all the same...

 I like the yellow dress, but ti's too big!

Perhaps these puppies can go off to new homes!

Also, I found another stack of "keepers" and I bought some ridiculous fabric at Discount Textile Outlet. Here's a funny snippet from the cutting table:
Two guys have dug a roll of white upholstery fabric from the basement and want a price. The girl quotes them 3 a yard with a discount for more than 20 yards. Then she walks over and says "Oh this is something different! This would be 1/yard and 80 cents for every yard over 20!" The guys were thrilled and bought 50 yards.

I was amused. Were they making mummies?!