pattern junkie

Up To No Good

I have a lot of pattern pics stored on my computer in files with titles like "Doll Terror," "What's On Her Head?," "International Superspy" and "Dress of Evil" -- but one of the biggest categories by far is "Up To No Good."  What is it about groups of women that suggest that they are, well, up to no good?  Perhaps we all have memories of being the targets of mean girls in elementary school, junior high and high school. (Or was that just me?)

Say hello to just a few of the dastardly women of Patternland -- there are many more to come:

Simplicity 1181, 1951

Don't tell me that the women in Simplicity 3559 aren't plotting!  White Halter is beckoning with one pointed finger, while Stripes is enjoying the show.  Flowers, however, clearly thinks they should have gone with her plan.

Simplicity 3559, 1955

What is it about Pink's expression and body language in Simplicity 1181 that makes it seem like she's about to snatch the viewer's very soul away?  Go ahead, White -- laugh, laugh, laugh!

McCall's 4535, 1959

McCall's 4535 is a tough one to categorize -- clearly Yellow and Print Dress are conspiring about something.  But the sunglasses and big hats give this a dose of International Superspy as well.  My theory is White just handed off that purse to Print Dress.  Expect a high-speed scooter chase to follow.

"But what about the children?!," you cry.  Rest assured, it's not all innocence and light there, either -- check out McCall's 3228:

McCall's 3228, 1987

This one puzzled me for a while, but I think I finally figured it out.  Blue Suit Boy is exhibiting Carrie/Firestarter-like psychic powers and wreaking devastation -- perhaps on us!  Red Skirt is fascinated by him, while all the other kids are laughing at our coming demise.  Quick, look away!

Finally, McCall's 3722 -- or, as I prefer to call it, "Caught In The Act:"

McCall's 3722, 1956

Have you ever seen such a blatant example of "Who, me?  I'm not doing anything!"  It's the equivalent of hitting Microsoft Word to cover up your solitaire game when the boss walks by -- everyone is pretending nothing is going on.  Even the poodle is in on it!

Monday Morning Eye Candy: A Rose By Any Other Name

Squee!  Today's eye candy, McCall 1541, thrilled me so much when I spotted it on the Vintage Wiki that I had to search it out from Jen at Mom's Patterns and make it mine.  The rose applique!  The leaves!  The band!  The felt hat! 

 

McCall 1541, 1950

 

The pattern calls for 72" wide felt, and I'm not sure how I feel about the prospect of a felt skirt.  Will it be charmingly retro, or -- even in non-acrylic felt -- will it evoke kindergarten cutouts?  Has anyone done any apparel sewing with felt lately?  Do tell!

The Reasons For Your Excitement Elude Me

I've never seen two people as excited about grapes as the women in Butterick 7288.

Monday Morning Eye Candy: Walk in a Whisper

Valentine's Day is coming, so it's time to go over-the-top on the romance front here at Pattern Junkie.  Look no further than Modes Royale 1321, which advises you to "Look romantic and walk in a whisper."  (Try doing that before your morning coffee!)

Modes Royale 1321, Spring/Summer 1955

Monday Morning Eye Candy: Draped Elegance

A lovely start to the week, simple and timeless as a cappuccino.  Behold Vogue 7218:

Happy New Year, fellow Junkies!  I've missed you!

Great Slanting Tucks!

Sewing pattern envelopes are generally mullets in reverse: party in the front, business in the back.  Oh, those illustrations!  Chock full of eye candy calling out to you: "Buy me.  Sew me.  With me your life will be joyous, glamourous, carefree."  But flip them over and it's time for Serious Business: bust measurements, yardage specifications and descriptions that are little more than a checklist.  "Raglan sleeves, center back zipper, waist tucks.  Choice of collar."

There are exceptions, however.  Take the Butterick pattern descriptions of the 1950s: they're things of fanciful beauty, little bonbons of prose that make my heart go pitter pat.  I first became aware of them when I bought this pattern, Butterick 7348: 

How great is this description?  "Gentle mannered dress has a fitted bodice with faced sleeves, a stand-up collar and a bouffant skirt that's spiced with two great slanting tucks on either side."  I've been trying to work "great slanting tucks" into my vocabulary ever since -- ie, "Great slanting tucks, Batman!  The Joker is at it again!"

Then, of course, there's Butterick 7162 -- the Blouse of Many Moods.  But it doesn't stop there!  Search for "Butterick" and "1950s" on the Vintage Pattern Wiki and a whole bevy of delights await.  Want more examples?  I'm happy to oblige.

Butterick 6153 has a bit of an attitude problem.  This "daytimer" dress "moves easily in city or suburbs."  What about the country?  6153 strikes me as a bit of a snob.

Butterick 6946, meanwhile, declares itself a "seven day wonder - the dress to reach for - feel just right on any day."  Not to be outdone, Butterick 8939 ("a "bevy of important jackets") promises to "cover all your needs."  I'm assuming they mean all your jacket needs -- I can't imagine it paying rent or anything -- but perhaps "needs" was a synonym of "breasts" back then.

Finally, here's Butterick 6903.  The description declares it to be "exciting news in jacket-dresses - versatility plus smart fashion" -- but I think the truly exciting news comes later in the description, when we learn that the "skirt takes a fling with oversized pockets."  The skirt and the pockets are having a fling?  How did they meet?  Will these (three) crazy kids make it work?  What happens to the dress if the skirt and pockets break up? 

Great slanting tucks, that'd be a problem!

The Ultimate Wiggle Dress?

Wowza.  That's about all my brain could muster when I first spotted Woman's Day 5104 (Woman's Day!) on the Vintage Pattern Wiki.  Have a look!

Where do I start?  The yoke seaming, the draped collar, the impeccable fit...the whole thing is just gorgeous.  No wonder they called it "a dream of a dress!"

I Am Not-So-Secretly Judging You

I love how the women in Butterick 5564 appear to be mocking, well, ME:

GRAY: She's looking at us again.

YELLOW: She's looking at ME.  This color is fabulous.

GRAY: No.  She's entranced by my contrast collar and cuffs.  (stifled laugh)  Look at her.

YELLOW:  I know!  What is that thing she's wearing?  I believe that's a knit...pants and shirt? 

GRAY:  She needs a girdle.  And a longline bra.  Let's not even get into the fact that she's not wearing makeup and that her hair, it's...

YELLOW:  Pulled back in a ponytail.

GRAY: She's still staring.

YELLOW: She's actually contemplating our dresses.  As if the fact that the pattern is in her bust size means she could pull it off!

GRAY: Ha!  A gathered hip yoke.  Dream on, sister!

The Career Gal Dress

Happy Labor Day, all!  What better pattern to feast your eyes upon today (as you relax and enjoy not laboring) than Advance 6235, described on the envelope back as "The Career Gal Dress"?  I mean, a collar inset, stripes, button trim and a wiggle dress silhouette -- what's not to love? 

 

Yellow Plaid and Gray are clearly in cahoots.  Sharp dressers are sharp thinkers -- and in no time, they'll be running the company.  Keep your eyes on them!

Pretty Pretty

Repetitive adjectives are the best I could manage upon spying this little beauty:

How gorgeous is that?!  I love the contrast faux corset!  You could do a floral and contrast print as modeled, or make the corset part out of silk...or how about a gray dress with a gray and white plaid bodice, spiced up with a little yellow trim?  Mmm.  Me likey!

Alas, it sold for over $30 on eBay.  Even worse, there's no name or pattern number listed, so it's impossible to hunt down.  I suppose it wouldn't be that hard to draft -- you could take a dress pattern and just cut it up, inserting panels with pointed ends.  Someone get on that and let me know how it goes, OK?