There's a dress in there somewhere...

I've always been curious about those international women's magazines. You see them on eBay all the time, the ones with that singular page where there are like 30 dresses printed on it. They look interesting, and man, think of all those clothes!

Well, out of curiosity, I decided to get one.

I got one from Germany, mid 30s with about 10 different dresses printed on one master sheet, back and front.

I can't read German, and I have a feeling I don't need to, the dresses are pretty straight forward, and also they are numbered in the diagram listed on the side of the pattern sheet. That's powerful helpful.

The patterns are a default size of 34 bust, but with all the tracing I'm going to have to do, grading should not be too much of a problem.

Lookit that coat on the right! Fantastic!

Flipping through the magazine, I was drooling over the fashion illustrations!

Here is a taste.

I'm pretty excited about this, and right now as I force myself back into sewing, I have some amazing brown wool crepe that is just screaming to be made into a 30s frock.

I must abide, right?

Took my serger in for repair yesterday. I hope to hear back early next week as to the damage.

I miss it so.

A day at the Getty

I'm not going to lie, this week has been pretty shitty (pardon my French).
My phone line has cut out, again. Third time in 15 months, and because California is in a state of emergency, ATT (#&%*(*@(!!!!) said they can't get to it for THREE WEEKS!

Can you go without home internet for three weeks? No, didn't think so. So job hunting, internet surfing, and just basic networking have all been stifled because ATT is the only player in the game. Don't bet me started on competition...

But I digress, again.

In the middle of my chaos, I get a call from my friends visiting from Australia. They contacted me earlier in the week, but with my virtual foot being cut off, I forgot. Yesterday was Getty day. AHHH! So I hosed myself down, put on some clean clothes and hopped in a cab.

I'd never been to the Getty museum before. I didn't know it was that far out of LA. When we got there, we waited for the tram to take us up the mountain and to the campus. It was a very peaceful ride, and one of the frequent goers recommended we get in the front car to see the view.

Great suggestion, even saw a deer just chillin' by the tram tracks.

Once we reached the top and got out, it was so quiet and still. No traffic and visual obstructions, just marble covered buildings and the putter of fountains. We ascended the main steps and I could not help but think we were on Mt. Olympus.

I said that over and over, especially when we partook of the many panoramic views sprinkled all over the complex.

There were many exhibits going on; illuminated manuscripts from 16th century France, modern photography, expressionists paintings,

17 th century furniture (this 'princess bed' is totally going to be reference for a Princess and the Pea illustration)... I could go on.

This was a bed that we ALL wished we could have in our place. It's about 8ft long and as coral pink as is pictured.

AWESOME!

My favorite exhibit was the Secret Life of Drawings, where they show the restoration process of some of their most severely damaged drawings. I loved seeing so much not entirely modern, though a lot of it was, but painstakingly long detail used in restoring those images. It was humbling and often an uncredited task.

As the day wound down, more nature revealed itself. We caught a hawk riding on the current stalking out some food below. He was there fora good ten minutes just hovering. It was spectacular. We looked down in the cool air and saw the lights of the cars on the roads start to glow. The sky was orange and Olympus was closing. I really didn't want to go.

We returned to mortal status but had a wicked ride home.

*kidding*

We had dinner at a rather good Italian place. The wine was great.

And here I sit in a cafe with a not very good cup of coffee (I make better coffee at home, mind you) in a cafe so I can type this. *sigh*
Just when I thought 2011 was gonna be my year.

So now you know the reason for my sporadic posting. I'm gonna try and get better. Some friends have offered my some time at their places, and I'm working on putting together more advanced posts. So please bear with me. Catalog Sunday will always happen :)

That museum trip hit the spot. I'm so inspired! I had just finished a 2 year long animation project and was feeling rather ill that my internet went down before I could post it online, but I'll let y'all know. Right now I'm getting ready to take my serger to the repair shop. I miss it and I'm tired of everything I use being out of commission. This thing I can at least help.

Man, this ended strangely.

Wardrobe deficit: Awesome vintage shoes.

If there is one thing I'm pretty girl about, its shoes. I'm girl, but I'm practical. You won't catch my cubby ass in a pair of 5" stilettos. Not that I wouldn't work them like nobody's business, but I'd rather not fall and brake my neck.

I do like gal shoes, a lot, but I have this need to not want my feet to hurt after standing in them for 10 minutes. Oh, if men knew what we did to our feet in order to make our calves look all hot.

But I digress.

As you can see, my normal run around shoes are in severe need of replacing. As I steer my footwear to a more vintage slant, I remember buying these Bass shoes from Mervyn's about 4 years ago for all of $8 each pair. I LOVE them. They have a 50s vibe, and the thick soles are so comfortable. I've tossed these bad boys in the washer and none of the rubber ever came unglued.

I love the denim pair, nice and broken in. Too broken in. They have holes at the creases now. Yeah, it's time to replace them.

I wanted some basic canvis kicks that I could walk a long time in and not have to worry about my toes. Some that I could wear thick socks with. Some that were not so thin that I'd feel pavement after 6 months.

I have a couple pair of old Converse, pre Nike. I'm kind of over this shoe brand. I know it seems kind of silly, but the magic of chucks faded when Nike bought the brand.

I decided to look into PF Flyers. They were bought by New Balance.
PF Flyers have been around for ages, and lo and behold, they came out with a reissue line a few years ago. I have a pair of canvas wing tips from them I got nearly 4 years ago and I could not get over the awesome kitschy vintage box they came in. I store sewing stuff in it now.

Gotta love Zappos. I picked up a pair of their center-los that are styled from their early 50s sport shoe.

I LOVED them the moment I tried them on. So awesome and comfy because PF Flyers have a removable arch support in all their sport shoes. I'm not a total arch support needing person (I have regular arches), but these are just like walking on clouds.

The rubber soles are thick and the canvas is lined. They are great.

Gotta love Amazon even more.
I found a 40s styled Grounder-Lo version that the PF FLyer website discontinued a few years ago.

I expected only super tiny sizes to remain, as I'm a pretty standard 9 1/2-10 in women's, 8 in men's. That size was there! I was shocked! I bought two pairs!

When they arrived I squeeded like a kid when I found they were in the same kitschy vintage box my Flyers wing tips came in! Not to mention they were half the price of the ones at Zappos. Sorry Zappos.

I made a pledge to myself a while ago to invest in shoes, not simply buy them. I was tired of getting 3 cheap pairs only to not wear them because my feet hurt, and forgoing that three figure pair of shoes because they were too pricy. As a result of this pledge, my shoe selection is pretty skimpy.

It's always been skimpy. I'm picky. I haven't bought leather shoes in probably 10 years. It's the vegan in me. Don't get me started on my own personal hypocrite soap box. I figured I had done my part, paid my dues and decided on getting some cow skin for my feet after all these years.

*sigh*

Every girl needs a pair of saddle shoes. I think it's written somewhere. Of course when I decided to get some saddies, I went to Muffys. I selected a pair styled from the 30s with a white rubber sole. They came before Christmas, but the left one was damaged, and just like the champs they are, they promptly sent me a replacement shoe.

I haven't worn leather shoes in years, so I'll have to get used to the braking in process. I'm most likely going to do the alcohol soaked socks and wear them around the house for 30 min. In any case I'm excited about them. I'm just excited about new shoes.

It's not like I don't want girlie shoes to go with my dresses. I do! I tried on a few pairs of dance shoes (thanks Zappos) because they are often styled from vintage designs with a workable heel, but didn't find any that were to my liking. Im saving to get some Re-Mix shoes. Their showroom isn't too far from me (don't judge the shoes by their horrible website). For all those in the 'scene', Re-Mix is the place to go for vintage styled shoes. *sigh* Their 30's shoes DO something to me, if you know what I mean.

This adventure is far from over. I have a lot of shoes to try on and if time is on my side, I'm more than willing to take up the cause.
If not for me, for America!

Catalog Sunday

Starting off the New Year right with more images from

the winter 40/41 Chicago Mail Order.

December Pattern Showcase!

Like, OMG! It's been a year since I've talked to you all!

Like, how does that happen and all?!

Hope everyone had a lovely new year and there

better be more sewing in everyone's future.

I'm not one that uses obituary dates to set goals in my life, but this coming year, I do have some things that I want to concentrate more on.

• Get a JOB!
• Finish one of my children's stories.
• Storyboard two stories I have.
• Learn to swing dance.
• Learn After Effects.
• Move from my current apartment.

Yeah, those are the big ones. I know sewing isn't in that list. I sew a lot already,

I'm pretty caught up with all of that.

But this past month, with it being Christmas AND my birthday

(Dec. 13th: late presents always welcome!),

I treated myself on some new patterns.

A '30s sloper. I thought that was quite interesting. So she's mine now.

This one I bought because of the nurse's uniform. Every year there is a huge vintage event, the LA Air Raid, and for the last two years I've been meaning to go! I'm thinking of going as a nurse, but I'd want to ge the uniform as close as I can. I've been researching black nurses during WWII, and have some great photos.

This dress might be my project for the next few weeks. The Air Raid is in February.

I was really into accessories patterns this month. The one right above I saw a long time ago. It was in a forgotten lot and I thought I bid high enough. You know how that goes... I actually think this is the same pattern. I was comparing screen shots and tears on the envelope are in exactly the same places. It's so strange that happens a lot!

I got this one for the neckline.

Im going to add sleeves and have so much fun with stripes and colors.

My New Years was rather uneventful. I was in bed by 7:30. Slept right through it. I was cool with that. Right now I have some cabbage and potatoes roasting in the oven filling my cold apartment with warmth and yummy smells. Not a bad way to start the new year.

SO what are all of you gearing up to do for this brand new set of 365 days? Any major projects? Classes?

Details!

Sweater Transformation: Conclusion of the Non Bedazzler Edition

It's finished!

I really like the color and I found buttons that match it perfectly.

It was meant to be, because I had just the right number of buttons too!

I backed the placket with some leftover cotton I used on one of my earlier projects.

Just tacked it in by hand. I then stitched closed the button holes and

re-sewed them in a darker color.

Even removed the tags and uncovered some non dyed parts.

I'm very pleased by this whole process.

It's filling the knitwear gap I have in my wardrobe.

Right now I'm suffering from a head cold, and I'm so loaded up on water I feel like a sponge. The plus is I'll have great skin next week! :)

Once I feel better, I'll be back.

Thanks all!