This Week's Pattern Story

[DATELINE: MINNEAPOLIS] In response to the surprising rise in juvenile delinquency among young girls, first offenders in one small, unnamed suburb of Minneapolis are being held for 4 hours every day, after school, in the empty monkey house of the local zoo.

The girls are given appropriate items to help them practice for their future lives as productive consumers and home-makers, including cleaning supplies and snack foods. They were also given new dresses and encouraged to participate in traditionally feminine grooming activities, such as braiding each other's hair.

When asked about the new program, one young offender, a Miss K—, on probation for destruction of public property, said "The cokes are nice. I guess. But they won't let us have a gramophone."

[Click on the image to visit the eBay auction for this pattern, from seller 3senuff.]

Also, starting today (Friday) Sheila of Out of the Ashes is having a 15% off sale through Monday (Labor Day for us here in the States). Keyword for discount is LABORDAY.

Comments

[Packrat]

Where do you come up with your stories? LOLThis dress is darling, BUT... It would be time consuming to make. It would choke. It has buttons down the back. Ever try sitting in school chairs in dresses with buttons and big bows on the back? Extremely uncomfortable.

[kathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture]

I think this is darling! Ive got a couple mockups going for blouses something like this. The necklines and back buttons are a bit hard to handle for the modern woman, so Im working on that. But hey, suffer for beauty!

[Cookie]

The majority of the repeat offenders who end up in the monkey house are Charwoman Charlenes, the daughters of charwomen who see no escape from the family business. With the advent of vacuums and modern cleaning equipment, they find themselves trapped in an indentured life thats become, tragically, obsolete. Security and professional observation were increased at the monkey house (and the program itself came under attack) when Pink Dress was seen drinking the amonia from her cleaning kit. She recovered, and public pressure resulted in her being sent to business school on a scholarship. Not all the programs participants were so fortunate, however. For instance, the endings of Print Dress, who had repeatedly complained of malaise and depression due to the monkeys houses too-short hemlines exposing what she increasingly feared were fleshy calves, remains unknown.

[Anonymous]

Another favourite activity is helping each other button up our dresses.

[Melissa]

I totally thought the girl in the green dress was holding a pool cue until I scrolled all th way down.

[the reluctant sewist]

It looks like Green Dress is holding a canoe paddle with the end sawed off.

[Sandy]

I think this pattern must have been used for an advert for a button maker or a buttonholer for a sewing machine. With all the buttons up the back...why have one at the front neck?Oh, I know... The girls in the monkey house could sometimes get away with a bit of rebellion by undoing the front button...see bored Am I bovvered girl in the line drawing inset. (Kids in the local senior schools round here see if they can get away with tying their uniform ties very short so they look like 3 inch long kipper ties. what they do with the tail part is beyond me.)Sandy in the UKPS not too sure what a monkey house is in relation to delinquents...I guess it is a US thing?

[Joni]

Is Green Dress getting ready to play shuffleboard?And what is *really* in Beiges coke bottle?

[Lisa Simeone]

Sorry, but I would wager thats not Coca-Cola in that bottle . . . methinks shes tippling . . . !

[evalyn]

When pressed for further comment, Miss K added: and the they make us wear really cheap shoes that are too small so we cant run away.The way shes gripping that coke bottle make this reporter believe she knows of what she speaks.

[Theresa]

To me the dress looks like its on backwards.

[Hana]

Somehow, the one at left reminds me of Baba Yaga, whos going to throw a pair of children into her oven... with that thing, which remins me of the tool used for putting loaves of bread into oven.

[Latter-Day Flapper]

Dresses that button up the back are a form of forced group participation--you cant get dressed without asking somebody for help.That blonde looks particularly recalcitrant. I bet she got kicked out later for baking Ex-Lax brownies. Or worse.

[BALLET NEWS]

Hello, you have the most gorgeous site here and I had to leave this comment for you ! Your posts are lovely and you have interesting pictures. Its all perfect so thank you for sharing them all and best wishes....

[Sheila / Out of the Ashes Collectibles]

Thank you to all who shopped during my sale this weekend! Now I have lots of room to list more - smile!

[Melissa]

Shes not drinking from that bottle, shes pulling the cap off with her teeth.

[alicatcrumbcake]

anyone else notice that its a size 14 yet the bust is a 32!