Thrift store patterns and fabric
I never used to buy patterns. In fact, I had a positive phobia of paying for patterns for a LONG time. But then, I never used to buy fabric, either. So I guess it’s just another example of how far I’ve come (or how the mighty have fallen, depending on your perspective, I guess).
Yesterday, I popped very briefly into my local Value Village. I was secretly hoping for more Japanese pattern magazines, but that’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime find. I did, however, walk out with two kids patterns (somehow I’m more susceptible to kids patterns, or maybe I’m just in a kids-sewing rut at the moment…) and this awesome cotton dragon-print curtain. The patterns are basic, but mindful of the raves Kwik Sew gets I decided to pick it up, and the Simplicity sleepwear set is cute and simple and totally uncut. The patterns are simple enough that the kids could probably stitch them up themselves, although convincing them that they’re interesting enough to try may take a bit more work.
I really love the curtain, too. It’s not a big curtain. I was thinking of turning it into an apron for me when I got it, but am also tempted to make it (with the addition of some coordinating fabric) into a sundress for Tyo, maybe. The print might be cool and tough enough to actually get her into a dress.
Young Image, My Image
Or not. She’s been in tomboy mode long enough now that I actually have a hard time picturing her in anything dressy. But the musing brings me to my next recent pattern acquisition, which includes some really cool kids sundresses. Yes, I jumped on yet another bandwagon and ordered two issues of My Image, the newest pattern magazine on the block. Or blog, as the case may be. What can I say? They emailed me with a 25% off coupon, which brought the price down to roughly what I’d pay for an issue of Burda Style, even with shipping from Europe. The envelope squeaked in right before the current postal strike escalated into a lockout and the dribbling mail delivery screeched to a complete halt. I miss my mail, especially as there were a couple of other goodies I was hoping to receive soon. /sigh.
My Image, winter 2010/2011
Anyway, I ordered the winter women’s version (which includes 11 womens’ patterns and five children’s patterns) and the summer kids-only version. So all in all it turned out to be a pretty big haul for the kids, pattern-wise. And while there are some nice patterns in the adult section, it’s really some of the kid ones that are making me squee. Like the empire-waisted coat third down on the right in the image above. And basically all of the sundresses in the summery kids issue, below:
Young Image, summer 2011
Plus some of the other pieces I can totally see Tyo in. I will admit I’m not super-enthused with their made up samples (which you can peruse in their entirety on the website linked above). They look great and are well-photographed, don’t get me wrong, and I like that they have multiple versions of each pattern. But the designers seem to lean heavily towards intense prints. Again, not a bad thing in and of itself, but it tends to obscure, rather than highlight, the really nifty seaming of some of these patterns. Some of these patterns are crying out for colour-blocking, too, to highlight those nifty panels.
Anyway. As if that weren’t enough potential-kid-sewing, the children have become enchanted with the idea of making some sundresses for their little cousins, whom they are going to visit in a few weeks. Last night I had quite the little sweatshop going on in the basement just before bed; Syo was tracing out patterns, Tyo was ironing the fabric. She’s much more industrious about that than I am, by the way.
In Me-Made June news, here’s a catchup that finally gets me up to date:
June 19
June 19
Posing with R2 at our local comic convention. I felt a little sad not to be dressed as Catwoman or Princess Leia, but I figured this outfit could, with a little massaging, pass as steampunk.
Apparently my husband really likes steampunk. This is odd to me because he pretty much hates anything antique.
I should really pick open the lining of this skirt and add some boning. I knew it probably should have it when I made it, but I didn’t have any on hand so tried to do the job with heavy interfacing. Silly me. I am happy to report that by the very end of the day I was actually a little too warm in my (beyond)high-waisted wool skirt.
Corset-Waist skirt
50s shrug (Free multisize pattern now available! 😉 )
Absolutely boring tank-top
June 20
MMJ 20
An almost summery day, interspersing warm sun with sudden thunderstorms. Which I guess is the definition of June. I think this is a pretty good almost-summer outfit, simple but cute.
50s Shrug again. I’ve been getting a LOT of use out of this version. It’s great for throwing on top of a plain tank or short-sleeve shirt to spice it up a little and add a tiny bit of warmth. Unfortunately my fancy knit got a major snag in the back and I’m not sure how long it will last before that turns into a big hole.
Very old tank One of my first knit projects from last summer.
Jalie Jean capris I’m very glad my best attempts to screw these up failed. They remain one of my favourite denim makes yet.
June 21
MMJ 21---Happy Solstice!
Another simple, cute, summery outfit. I love that my ironing board matches my shoes.
Jalie 2908 capris
Crazy cowl topThis is one of my favourite knit tops at the moment. I really should make a jillion more, but I hacked up the pattern in my attempts to refine it, and wasn’t as satisfied with any of my changes as I was with this original. Joke’s on me!
Oh, yes, and happy Solstice! It actually feel summery here today (forecast high of 23C!… sad that I’m rejoicing over that, I know). I love the long days—light at 4, dark only well after 10. I like that they’ll now start getting shorter less, but am comforting myself that the hottest part of summer is still to come.
Tanit-Isis Sews 
I’ve been debating over trying out the My Image/Young Image and Ottobre magazines, but I don’t have a local source for individual magazines so I have to subscribe. Just this week I went ahead and ordered Ottobre. I’m really going to regret the choice when I start seeing you pump out cool outfits from your issues.
Hehe, we’ll see. I don’t have a local (or even Canadian) source, so I just ordered the individual issues from the web shop. Shipping’s a bit of a beeotch but not any worse than from the sellers I looked at in the states. (Like I said, I had a coupon code). I have heard nothing but good things about Ottobre, though, and you probably get more patterns for your money?
Oh GREAT. Just what I need. Another magazine. Thanks a lot.
sheesh.
(Nothing like a little graciousness, right?)
The dragon fabric is amazing!
I love those capris on you! We finally have summer here, just arrived the last few days, so I should be sewing some shorts.
I’m always buying more patterns I don’t need, so I can’t exactly lecture you there. They keep coming out with newer and better designs… I’m curious about magazine patterns but I’ve never had much luck with Burda in their ready-made patterns and that’s the only magazine I’ve seen around here. I have several Japanese pattern magazines, but I don’t read Japanese and am way intimidated by the tracing.
I’ve been trying to drag the Hubs to the local Comic Con for years and it hasn’t happened yet. Maybe this year… Do they have actors and TV/movie promos too or is it strictly comics?
Yeah, there were actors (Elvira was there, my friend’s main reason for going 😉 ), various booths of vendors (a lot of art but also various costume, toys, dvds, jewelry, etc.). Talks and stuff although we didn’t catch any of those.
I haven’t tried any Burda envelope patterns for me yet… the one kids’ one I’ve used was fine, but obviously that’s not fine-tuned fitting.
Love your me-made photos! And I especially LOVE the one with R2!!!
mmmmm child labor…… heh heh
I also love the R2 photo, fun to see your threads in action out in the real world.
I love your coral cowl, it looks really good on you. 🙂 Those patterns in the magazines look cute, I especially like the M1005 tunic.
why do you tempt me with my image.
so i was looking in my closet last night for something, ANYTHING me made that could go with jeans. nada. and i thought dammit i need some cute things like tanit isis has!
Hrmm, turnabout’s fair play?
What about that ridiculously short, gorgeous tunic “dress” you made back in the winter? with the bits of faux-snakeskin and stuff. 🙂
Love the dragon fabric. Maybe another will show up if you keep trolling the store. Checked out the My Image website. Might order for my birthday, at least a month away, but that’s what I am using to justify myself.
Ooh, like the cowl neck top–the coral has to be my favorite summer color. I have yet to try to draft a cowl neck but seeing this makes me want to try one. 😉 Also, I am awed at all your jeans variations… do you think the Jalie pattern would lend itself to a high-waisted change? Seems like this is the pattern everyone loves and I’ve yet to jump into jeans.
The trick with the cowl is getting the right amount of drape—I actually pinned the fabric to my (rather inadequate) dummy to get a rough idea of the length and width of drape I wanted, then used those measurements in altering my knit block.
The Jalie 2908 pattern comes with a high(er) rise version that is either at the navel or just below. The ones I make are a good inch or more lower than the low-rise version. Although I won’t absolutely swear that hell will freeze over before I wear high waisted jeans, it would probably require some major fashion shaming and possibly a brain injury… so I have no personal advice on the high-rise fit. There’s a billion and one reviews over on PR, though, so you can check out some of the high-waisted version there. 🙂
The fiddly thing about altering the rise in jeans is keeping the height of the yoke the same—you have to change the height below the yoke, then alter the length of the yoke to fit the new height. Lowering the rise was fairly easy but I think raising it would be a little more work.
I knew I spotted you at the Comic Expo! Was too shy to say “Hello” but I wanted to ask where you’ve found Jalie patterns in AB – I can only find them online, which is a bit of a problem with the postal strike.
Ooh, a local! (You would’ve been my first random recognizer) There is one place in town that allegedly carries them, although I haven’t checked it out myself, they may only have the figure-skating patterns. I ordered mine from the company, obviously not during a postal strike. 😛
It was the bolero that really gave it away. 🙂 Marshalls also allegedly carries Jalie but I’ve only found a boatload of Kwik-Sew patterns there. Perhaps this is fate telling me to finish my current projects before I start new ones!
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