local news interview with Scott L. Schwartz from the movie "Measure"

This is a local interview with Scott Schwartz, from the Ocean's 11, 12, 13 movies, who is one of the stars from the film "Measure", which I have been working on.

i've been working as head of wardrobe on the movie, "Measure"

For the last few weeks I have been working as head of wardrobe for the film "Measure."  We just started filming 5 days ago, so I haven't had a chance to update the blog.

I feel so lucky to have been asked to work on this project and I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful cast and crew to get to work with.  5 days down... and oh... 11 to go :)

Here are some recent news links to this awesome project:

The Mob's in Town

Movie Shoot Coming To Norwood

Independent film director chooses Norwood as backdrop; visits students in East Walnut Hills

Hilarious pattern find!

I stopped at the thrift store this week.  I love going to the thrift store to find cheap fabric and sewing materials.  I scored a pattern for 25 cents this week that had a number of winter hats, gloves, etc, which had never been used.

Today, I took a better look at it, and I started laughing my butt off.

It was when I noticed "View H" at the top center.  And seriously, for a better look... follow this link to see a  BIG version of "H"

I have threatened my husband with one so that we can hold hands in the street in the winter.  :)

the next project... and the leftover fabric

I had been thinking about making a smock for a while to wear while working on these projects, but I found a lovely 1950s pattern that I have for a waist apron which has four pockets on it.  It's a pretty simple pattern with only three pattern pieces and I don't expect it to take long at all to make (may have just jinxed myself saying that).

The reason that I decided to make this piece next is so that I have a place to store my scissors, tape measure, pin cushion, marking pens, and etc when I am sewing.  I tend to put things down, need them again five minutes later and then realize I left it on the other side of the room, wasting a lot of time getting up and crossing the room way too often.  I think this is the perfect solution and a great excuse to use another vintage sewing pattern!

This also seemed like it would be a great way to use some leftover fabric (this pattern takes 1 yard to make), which I seem to have tons of, as I tend to always buy just a little extra for my projects to give myself a little leeway for possible mistakes.  Originally I thought it would be neat to make version three with the tull netting and the contrast ribbon and fabric, as I happen to have an entire bolt of it that I have never used.  But I laid a little of it on my lap, as I sat there in shorts and realized I would hate having that itchy stuff lying on my lap all the time when I am sewing.  Not to mention the fact that I thought that one time with scissors in my pocket and my pockets would be no more! lol!  Beautiful, but not quite practical for my needs.

Finally, I decided this use some leftover striped seersucker from my two-piece 1940s dress which I made and blogged about last week.  I absolutely adore this fabric and it's lightweight makes it perfect.  I'm going to use some off-white fabric for contrast (which I found a large roll of at the thrift store for $1).  I can't wait to get this one going!

finished Twister's new doggie bed today!!!!

Here it is!:

This was one of the largest most complicated things I think I have ever made.  Overall though, I'm soooo happy with how it turned out!  It's now in the corner of our bedroom.

It would be awesome if he would actually use it.  We put him on it and he turned around and walked right back over to curl up on the cotton batting I had left lying on the floor. Yeah.  Apparently, I could have gotten him a much cheaper bed.  C'est la vie.

darned zipper

Halfway through making my dog bed. I finally got the darned parka zippers on... After ripping them out 6 times. 

New Fabric Arrived!!! Whoot whoot!

I thought it would be cheaper to make my little pooch a doggie bed with a pattern that I found at the thrift store (unused!).  Unfortunately, after all the fabric and 4" high density foam that I had to purchase, I think it costs way more than if I had just bought one for him at the store.  Oh well! LOL!

This is the first time that I have ventured to purchase fabric from an online fabric store.  I placed an order with Fashion Fabrics Club.  Overall I would say the experience was okay.

I placed my order on June 13th and received an email confirmation.  But then I kept waiting and waiting for a shipping notification.  Then I started thinking that perhaps they didn't send shipping notifications after all.  So I started looking on my porch... nothing.  Then I started trying to check and see if perhaps my order wasn't received after all.  THEN on June 22, I received a shipping notice in my email.  So it took almost 10 days to ship. THEN on June 27th it arrived.  So from order date to delivery it took two weeks from order to delivery.  The price was right, but when you are excited to get a project started and have no fabric, it kind of sucks.

Anyway, here is a photo of the fabric that I am making my puppy (9 month old "Twister"... part Pug - part Dachshund or as he was sold, a "Daug" lol) a doggie bed with:

I was sort of limited in my options as to fabric choices due to the fact that since it's a dog bed it needs a very durable material.  I was also limited because I didn't want to spend too much on fabric since the amount of high density foam I was going to need to purchase at the fabric store was apparently going to cost upwards of $125 before tax (so I got online and found a place where I was able to purchase it with shipping for less than $45!!! Ha! Take that fabric store!)

This is a really nice thick canvas material and I think it's a really pretty design.  Albeit he is a boy and butterflies are girly, but he will like it darn it!

Can't wait to get started!!

dating the 1940s pattern

In the previous posts I had originally thought that the pattern I used was from the 1940s.  There is no copyright date on the pattern, so I guessed according to the dress design and the hairstyles on the package. I did some more research and have come to the conclusion that it is actually from 1940.

I found this page Cemetarian: Advance Patterns of New York which shows several examples.  The pattern I have is by Advance and cost 15c.  Looking at the photos, I thought perhaps it was from the late 1930s then. (if you bother to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, which I didn't bother to do, there is a list of approximate copyright dates).

So I remembered a wonderful book that I have Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s There is a pattern dating guide in the appendix of the book.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who collects vintage sewing patterns, I have found it to be invaluable.  It's full of information, patterns and merchandise photos, and whats-more, it has an entire chapter dedicated to the history of the pattern companies in general.  (The author also has another entire book dedicated to the 50s Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1950s (Schiffer Book for Collectors and Designers,)  I recommend buying both, this guy really did his research!)

According to the dating guide, my pattern is from 1940.  Bingo!