My Latest Etsy Finds & Wants

Here's a peek at some of my favorite Etsy finds & wants!

Just in time for Spring! Sweet scalloped hem shorts PDF sewing pattern from PatternRunway.

Vogue Paris Original 2628: Super chic Alexander McQueen for Givenchy asymmetric double-breasted dress pattern from PatternVault. This one comes with a hefty price tag, but I would love the challenge of making this dress!

Pleated shirt PDF sewing pattern from SalmePatterns. Simple and pretty.

Colorful rainbow striped vintage 1970s wrap skirt from OldAge. One of my absolute favorite vintage clothing stores on Etsy!

Cute nautical knot rope bracelet by junghwa. I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but I think I would wear this quite often this Spring and Summer.

THANKSGIVING SALE @ My Etsy Vintage Pattern Shop!

I'm having a 30% off sale on all inventory from my Etsy vintage pattern shop! The sale is running now through Sunday 11/28 @ midnight. Most patterns are now only $3.50 each! Here are a few of my current favorites:

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Vintage Pattern Love

For lack of anything else to post, here are a few patterns I've found on Etsy recently that I just love!

1980s blouse with double-breasted front closure.

Chic 1970s brimmed hats.

Super-cute 1970s stretch knit cowl neck dress and leggings.

1960s Norma Tullo young designer dress with a sashed midriff.

1980s blouse for sweater knits. Love the exaggerated sleeves!

Sexy 1960s sheath dress with a shaped keyhole neckline.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I definitely plan on doing some sewing and will hopefully have some things to post next week!

Fashion Icon: Diane Keaton as Annie Hall

This was inspired by a post on 70s New York Fall Style from the cool fashion blog Stars We Are.

I love 1970s fashion, especially the layered, sophisticated and liberated American style of 1970s New York. If I could swipe the wardrobe of any movie character of any era, it would be the wardrobe worn by Diane Keaton in Annie Hall which embodies this 1970s New York style.

Technically, the title of this post really should just be "Fashion Icon: Diane Keaton" because the outfits she wore in Annie Hall were all inspired by her own distinctive style. Here's a collage that I made from various photos of Diane Keaton and scenes from Annie Hall which, if you haven't already, you should find and watch immediately (click to see the full-size collage):

Here are tons of fun vintage items that I've found on Etsy that embody Diane Keaton's signature Annie Hall look:

1970s Calvin Klein wardrobe pattern

Another 1970s Annie Hall style wardrobe pattern

Late 1970s dress pattern

1970s plaid wool jumper dress, which Annie Hall would have worn with a turtleneck sweater

1970s wool tweed blazer

1970s caramel-colored corduroy blazer

1970s striped turtleneck sweater

1970s stacked heel loafers

Vintage black vest / waistcoat

Vintage 1970s lace-up leather Oxfords

Set of vintage Ralph Lauren silk neckties

Avant Garde upcycled ascot necktie

Vintage Pendleton wood fedora

1970s oversized plastic sunglasses

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans...."

I don't know which John Lennon song this quote is from ("Beautiful Boy", maybe?) but it kind of sums up my sewing activity as of late - tons of plans to sew like crazy, but no time to follow through because, well, life doesn't just conveniently pause for a moment (or several hours) just because we want to make a dress, does it?

While rummaging through a box of patterns that I have queued to put in my shop, I found a cool 1970s Vogue poncho pattern with a list that was jotted down by the original seamstress, as well as a newspaper ad for a big sale on Pendleton wool fabric:

Like myself (and many other home sewers out there), I'm sure that this person had the best of intentions to start and finish this project. She made a detailed list of notions, fabric and lining that she needed to purchase to complete the project. She even clipped out a sale ad for Pendleton fabric, (which would have been a stellar choice for a poncho, by the way). How do I know she never made the poncho? Well, the pattern is still factory folded and the list and ad were both neatly tucked inside, never to see the light of day until 40 years later. It makes me wonder what happened? Why didn't she follow through or even begin the project? Like many of us, I suspect that the answer is simply: LIFE.

Here's a scan of the Vogue poncho pattern, by the way! Isn't it lovely?

1970s-Inspired Chloe 2010-2011 Winter Collection Ad Campaign

I'm really taken with the ad campaign for the Chloe winter 2010-2011 collection! The photos look like they were taken from a 1970s high fashion magazine, especially the first one. I love-love-love the high waist wide leg pants!

Here are a few vintage patterns that I found on Etsy this morning. Now you can make your own version of the laid-back 1970s style designs that are featured in the ads!

$14.00 from thevintagebungalow.

$7.00 from allthepreciousthings.

$10.75 from ZipZapKap

$14.75 from pintucksew

$5.00 from SewingWithMissDandy

$10.00 from SewingWithMissDandy

Yes, it's safe to assume that I have fall/winter clothing on the brain. There's a heat index of 107 degrees here in Springfield today! I am so ready for cooler weather! Are any of you longing for the crispy coolness of fall? Here's a sneak preview of my Marilyn trousers, which I completed last night:

They are made from a not-so-summer-friendly brown herringbone wool/rayon blend suiting. Ironically, they are the polar opposite of the wide leg pants featured in the Chloe ads!

Here are the Winners!!!

First of all, thanks to everyone who took the time to enter the giveaway and check out my pattern shop! In fact, the response to the giveaway was so great that I've decided to not only giveaway a $25.00 gift certificate, but also 2 $10.00 gift certificates! I assigned everyone who entered a number by the actual placing of your comments (if you linked back to the original post or commented on a fave pattern from the shop, you were assigned 2 different numbers), plugged them into a random integer generator at random.org, and here were the results:

Winner of the $25.00 Gift Certificate:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

80 - Fog City Vintage & Such

Timestamp: 2010-07-19 17:46:23 UTC

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Winner of a $10.00 Gift Certificate:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

42 - Allison (from www.afuzz.tumblr.com)

Timestamp: 2010-07-19 17:46:50 UTC

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Winner of a $10.00 Gift Certificate:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

11 - The Long and Winding Bobbin

Timestamp: 2010-07-19 17:47:09 UTC

If you are a winner and have not yet heard from me, please contact me at: missdandy [!at] hotmail.com so I can give you the details.

Thanks again to everyone who entered....please stay tuned to my blog because I will be featuring giveaways like this often!

And So It Begins...The First Project!

Here's the fabric, pattern and notions that I will be using to making the first project from my newly reduced seamstress-friendly sewing pattern collection:

I'll be making the dress - view B. I think it will be perfect to wear during the rest of the hot summer months and I believe I will be able to get a lot of wear out of it this fall as a layering piece! I absolutely love chambray so that's what I'm using. The photo makes it appear a little darker and heavier than it actually is. This pattern requires lots of top stitching, so I'm going to use contrasting bright yellow thread for that. And top complete the look - bright yellow buttons for the front placket!

I just had to show everyone this vintage pattern from 1965. Sadly, it's a super small sub-teen size (31" bust). I think the illustration is one of the neatest I've ever seen, though - it looks like everyone's having a great time, listening to the latest Beatles or Kinks 45, no doubt! I just listed this in my shop this morning if any of you would like to take a peek at the back of the envelope.

Pattern Collection Collage

Here's a digital collage that I've made of my pattern collection - all 50 of them! The image has been shrunk by Blogger, so be sure to click it to see the full size version:

I begin the first project from my whittled down collection tomorrow! First, I will post photos of the pattern, fabric and notions that I will be using and then I will take photos of my progress along the way. I'm so excited!

Round Two: Separates, Skirts, Pants, Coats, Jackets and Accessories Patterns

I weeded out more of my pattern collection today. Here are the various accessory, skirt, coat/jacket, pants and separates patterns that I've decided to keep (and I just realized that all but one are circa 1970s!).

Separates are the best because they give you more bang for your buck! I love the jacket/blouse with the fitted midriff, the flared skirt, the Bermuda shorts, the pants...well, everything about it!

I adore the wide leg pants in this pattern - they are very reminiscent of 1940s style pants. And what girl doesn't need a simple wrap coat to compliment her wardrobe?

Really pretty raglan sleeve blouse, wide leg pants and flared skirt.

I like the fact that this pattern offers two different styles of pants - wide leg and straight leg. The vest is cute, too!

Simple to make Betsey Johnson hooded coat/jacket that could be adapted for many different seasons.

I'm in love with the over sized pointy collar on this 1970s coat! The fact that it was designed by Betsey Johnson also helps.

Reversible hooded poncho for those rainy days.

I know, I know - this is very similar to the Betsey Johnson pointy collar coat, but I love the fact that this coat has a hood and utilizes extra large buttons!

I've made the drawstring skirt before and I still want to make the wrap skirt with the super-wide waistband. Not a huge fan of the long tiered skirt, but the other styles make it worth keeping.

Every seamstress needs a fitted pencil skirt pattern in her collection! I had several, but this is the one I decided on.

Cute A-line skirt and flared skirt pattern. Both are must-have basic wardrobe separates.

This pattern offers lots of different skirt styles, which made it a definite keeper.

I used this pattern to make several quick cotton shorts for the spring and summer. Easiest pants pattern ever and, even though the only closure is a drawstring at the waist, they are very flattering!

I wanted to keep this one, not for the purses, but for the obi wrap belts!

My only hat pattern. Not a huge fan of the scarf/billed hat, but I love the floppy brimmed hat and the fedora style hat.