Linktastic Whatever-Today-Is

Hoo-boy. Have I been busy (and it shows no signs of slowing down or stopping)!

Here's some stuff I would have written about, had I had the time:




That above is City Quilter's new NYC Subway fabric. (I love CQ and try to visit when I have a spare half-hour in NYC. Beautiful, well-laid-out quilt fabric store!)

Mary Beth sent me a link to the Home Sewing Is Easy fabric. Home Sewing IS easy, but maybe not as easy as shown here ...

Our own Cookie's hilarious (and useful) post on hairstyles, over on LuciteBox.

Gwen has some really cute and useful fabric-yardage cards here (which you'll need if you don't just follow my advice in this post).

Robin sent me this link from eBay. Art lover? You want (or maybe don't want) to click.

I love this dress, from Jen at MOMSPatterns:



(She's also having a Spooktacular Sale for two days and two days only! Use coupon code 'spooky25' when you check out and you'll save a whopping 25% off of your orders. Code expires at the stroke of midnight on Halloween [EDT].)

Can it be? Yes ... LINKTASTIC FRIDAY RETURNS! On a Monday.

Reware Vintage (in Pontiac, Michigan) is having a sale -- that's Bethany's black lace dress up there, B40 and $36 (!) -- 20% everything using coupon code THIEF.

Wendy at PatternStash is having a sale; it runs today through Tuesday. 20% discount with code "Dressaday".

A reader (who is NOT a pattern-seller, but a pattern-buyer) has asked if I could make a post about what people would like to see in online pattern stores, and also what they would NOT like to see. If you have wishes or pet peeves, would you email them to me? I'll compile a list and post it here (and you can be as anonymous as you like).

If you missed the comments on the COPA entry, I've set up a Google group for a potential co-op, and you can sign up to join here.

Lisa gives me some of the best news I've heard in a while ... Liberty + Target? Please let it be true ...

Great new blog from the FIDM Museum ... I especially liked this post.

Trista of Sugardale is getting rid of some vintage patterns on Etsy (you remember Trista, don't you?) and you can find them here.

Do you guys know about the California Art Deco Society's Gatsby Afternoon? That's not my time period but I'm very tempted ... (thanks to Kate for the link!)

It's a dress, it's a kayak, it's a cool link from Tracey. Check it out.

Sarah (of ColorKitten) sent a link to Little Golden Book fabric! (*WANT*)

That's it for today! Enjoy your little dose of Friday on a Monday this week.

Shout-out to My Peeps

Lots of stuff going on in the blogosphere and elsewhere:

Lisa of Miss Helene's was featured in an article in the Indianapolis Star (and she didn't even tell me -- Rachael did)!

Cherie of Shrimpton Couture was interviewed at Collector's Weekly!

The fabulous founder of Spoonflower was interviewed on the APM podcast The Story. (Thanks to Kay for the link, and you should also know that the first part of the podcast is about a man who at the age of 17 parachuted into a forest fire with a group of fire fighters. Nothing about fabric, unless it's Kevlar.)

And our own fabulous Cookie was a featured blogger at Holly's Lucite Box blog! (And Holly's starting a BIG sale tomorrow ... check this space later for more details!)

Whoa ... is it ... could it be ... Linktastic Monday?

A quick one,just to get you started on the week!

Help the Etsy crew send Valentines to the Citymeals-on-Wheels!

Kathleen points us to a giant knitted bus!

Jen at MOMsPatterns has found the oldest fauxlero yet, we think -- from the 1930s! (Oh, and while you're there, Jen is running a sale: use code 'greenbelt20' to save 20% off of any order at MOMSPatterns until Friday, January 30, 2009. All sale patterns are down to $2 until the end of the month as well; coupon is good on ANYTHING!)

Libby sent this fabric-shopping site -- the fabrics are the ones we know and love (Michael Miller, Alexander Henry, etc.) but you HAVE to check out their illustrations! So clever!

I was interviewed HERE. Learn all about my secret double life, my mysterious past, and my plans for world domination. Or, you know, about this blog that you're reading right now.

Birgit sent me a link to a lovely companion in the "A Day" blog world: Robot A Day.

I love this "Lucy" dress that Cemetarian has up right now. But I love that orange plaid fabric in the illustration even more.

Quick update -- check out my essay at Jugglezine!

It's here.

Illustration by Kat MacLeod, who seems completely awesome ... I'm going to have to find more of her work!

What? Is it Linktastic Friday Already?

It surely is, and probably way overdue. First off, Holly at LuciteBox would really, really, really like your help in finding her this:



It was originally listed on eBay (by Red Buckaroo, but not in Holly's size. (You see the problem.) If you want to see a part of why Holly wants it so much, click through to her blog to see her adorable dog Oslo ...

Theresa sent a link to this slide show of First Ladies fashions, which is interesting not only for the pictures, but also for the evidence of the complete absence of copyediting ("shoulder-bearing" and "arm-bearing" where they should have "baring", sheesh).

Wink sent this rickrackalicious skirt ... with pockets! Nadia found us shoes to not-match, and Judy suggests these. And if that's not enough rickrack for you (and how could it be?) there's this rickrack fabric, sent by T.C.

Becca thinks the brown dress in this link may be a fauxlero. Opinions? [WARNING: link plays (bad) music]

Speaking of fauxleros, Wendy pointed out that the AMC Dress at BurdaStyle has a very nice one.

Robin sent a link (inspired by the discussion of one-yard patterns) to furoshiki, the cool Japanese practice of wrapping presents in fabric. I heartily endorse this idea.

Kathleen (at Little Hunting Creek) sent a link to this really interesting semi-Duro, up at Pattern Review. Check it out!

Leslie sent in this awesome typography poster. In a similar vein, Lorrwill sends us the link to the thesaurus t-shirt.

I can't believe it's the end of August already, but Jen at MOMsPatterns.com can and she's running a back-to-school sale on 1100-1300 new old stock children's patterns. You get a 15% discount with coupon code 'backtoschool' ...

Sorry it's such a short linktastic Friday ... but please keep those links coming!

The Mother of All Linktastic Thursdays

Have we actually HAD a linktastic Thursday yet? Nevermind, this will still be the largest one. I have to keep you guys going over the (for US-ians) holiday weekend, since there's no way I'm blogging tomorrow, my FIFTEENTH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

The present for the fifteenth anniversary is "crystal," and so DH and I have been joking about what to give each other: "A DVD of The Dark Crystal!" "A CD by The Crystal Method, or Crystal Gayle!" "Burgers from Krystal!" "Way too much Crystal Light!" But the joke always stops on "crystal meth!" (yes, I know, drug use isn't funny, especially meth, but ...). I think we're just going to go roller-skating, though.

Anway: on to the links!




I sorta bought this pattern last week, even though I still have no idea where to put the pockets. It's so Lilly-Pulitzery, isn't it? I think it's the scarf-ponytail combo. I see this in a Liberty twill with contrast binding, natch ... or maybe a bright pique. Yellow with pink binding? Ooh! Anyway, Michelle at Patterns from the Past has one more, in a slightly bigger size (B38-40); click on the image to go snap it up! And tell me where to put the pockets, please.

Oh, and speaking of patterns: Jen has started a special section on her site, where almost 200 patterns are on sale for $1-4. And her coupon code for July is FIREWORKS15, for 15% off. Use it over and over again all month ...

The nice folks (Hi Trudy!) at Hotpatterns are running a Choose 3, Pay for 2 sale ... I think it's automatic, no code required.

Sheila at Out of the Ashes Collectibles is also doing a sale: 15% off all weekend, code AMERICA.

PashaPlum just put up some larger-sized patterns in her Etsy shop. I like this one best.

Remember that Sew U wiki contest? Birgit and Jace won!

Mary Beth sent a link to this bib at PurlBee. It's not a dress, but they've got this gorgeous linen bias tape in from Japan that is well worth seeing ...

Kay sent a link to another toilet-paper wedding dress contest, this one for design students (sponsored by Cashmere tissue, which I think is a Canadian brand). Some "I can't believe that's made of toilet paper" moments there, for sure.

Several people (including Margaret and India and Jen) sent a link to the great felt-tip marker pocket dress:




I love all the little pockets, but couldn't at least one of them been big enough for my cell phone?

Lisa sent a link to a kerfuffle over at the NYT about jackets-required restaurants. Needless to say, I'm firmly on the side of the snooty restaurant. I'm not saying you can't eat fancy food in flip-flops; I'm saying why would you WANT to? There are few enough opportunities to get all dolled up these days, so let us have our fun!

Nora sent a wonderful link to the naughtiness that was the tea gown.

Eirlys sent a link to this Michael Miller fabric called That's Sewing Wrong. It made me laugh ...

And Dilly sent a link to this wool with little Es on it. I think it would make an incredibly elaborate Halloween costume. You sew it on the bias to make a businessy suit and then claim to be an Enron executive. NOBODY would get it, which would be wonderful.

Did you know The Blue Gardenia is blogging about learning to sew? She's hilarious. And she certainly has enough patterns to choose from. (But I don't think she should do this one.)

Rita at Cemetarian sent me this in response to my I-love-tucks post. Soooo nice.

I saw Jeffrey Beebe's paintings last week and fell in love with them. I now need to become moderately-to-ridiculously rich so I can afford his work. But a girl can dream ... about clock-watching bristle-block guys.

And too-many-people-to-list sent me the link to the letter scarf. And pretty much everyone apologized for sending it, to which I say: "Don't apologize! Keep sending!" I mean, it's not like your links pile up in drifts around my office ... and each one is a lovely reminder that people actually read this blog, internalize my obscure tastes, recognize excellent items elsewhere on the interwibble and then are motivated enough to hit SEND. Which, quite frankly, is a power medieval kings would (and often did) kill for. So keep sending! I love links!

But that's all I have for today. Check back next week for more of As the Links Churn. Will Erin ever find orange bandanna-print fabric? Or clean up her sewing room? Or get to Trader Joe's for more 100-calorie milk chocolate bars? Tune in and find out!

Linktastic Thursday!

Jane sent this fabric, which is on sale at Hancock's of Paducah ... she also sent earlier some even better alphabet fabric from Fashion Fabrics Club ... which is now unavailable. (I'll take my own pic and post it when mine arrives.) She also sent this text-based fabric, if you just can't get enough typographical goodness.

Kathy found this pattern at a yard sale for 33 1/3 cents (she got three for a dollar).

Needless to say, I love the pockets.

Speaking of pockets, Kim sends this brilliant Sesame Street video about their social importance. (Watch for the über-Seventies carpenter pants pockets.)



Nancy found near-perfect ginkgo fabric from Marimekko. I can see I'll have to start a special savings fund for this one. (Warning: site loaded badly in Firefox 3.)

Cookie found the fauxlero to end all fauxleros, at the Antique Dollhouse of Patterns:




I think that pattern is also a dirigible hostess dress, for sure, from the late, waning, Pan-American days of the industry.

Heather sent this wonderful ruffly number.

Melissa sent this comma necklace. Want.

Kate in Texas sent this really cute bee fabric from Hart's Fabrics -- which doesn't let you link directly to items, frustrating! So search on "bee" if you want to find it.

I would make a very serious tailored dress out of this ... it's $8.99/yard and only 45" wide though, so maybe not this week.

Another "not this week" fabric (I missed the auction!) is this:

I have not a single, solitary idea what I could have made out of it, though, even if I had gotten to the auction in time, since it was only 4 yards of 36" wide ... from seller emt-mom-70.

Marilyn wants to know if there are charities that would take her cedar chest full of wool fabric ... and I'd like to know if there are charities that would like a lot of cotton scraps, since mine are getting outrageous, and -- let's be honest -- the chances of me making that charm quilt I keep muttering about? Are infinitesimal.

I haven't seen the Sex and the City movie yet (I know!) but HotPatterns (spoiler alert) has a related pattern ... now I think I really should go see it.

But not today. Today I have 500 emails to answer. Wish me luck!

Linktastic Friday: Helpfulness Edition

Jen helpfully sent me the above link -- isn't it fantastic? You don't usually get vampiness AND pockets in the same pattern. (Which has never made sense to me: where do those mankillers keep their red lipstick and extra perfume? I don't see a handbag in this picture, do you?) (It's being listed by JuniperFare Vintage Wears on eBay, click the image to visit the listing.) Jen is also a member of the EVintage Society, check them out!

Libby helped me find Simplicity 2222, which I don't even think she knew I was looking for:



Allison made a prom dress for a bowling pin. That's all I'm gonna say; you need to check out that link for yourself.

Rita at Cemetarian writes about what to do with incomplete patterns. What do you do with your incomplete patterns? (Remember there's always Pattern Rescue, too!)

Lisa sent this astounding raffia-embroidered 1960s dress. If you have a fancy beachy party coming up, you need to visit this auction.

Elle sends a link to MyShape.com, which supposedly lets you enter your measurements and then shops for items that fit your shape. (I vaguely remember ita wanting something like this a long time ago ...) I put in my measurements and I am something called an "M" shape. Since "M" is one of my favorite letters of the alphabet (mmmmmm) this pleased me ... but I didn't find any cardigans I liked in the shopping section. D'oh! (For more on bodyshapes, you might want to re-read this excellent guest post by La BellaDonna.)

Penny sent this dress, which I love. I'm pretty sure I have this pattern, though, so I'm sharing. Isn't that helpful of me?

Carla did a great interview with Trista of Sugardale. You remember Trista from a previous Linktastic Friday, I'm sure ...

Oh, and apropos of yesterday's steampunk mention, Jonquil found this great clock-parts fabric. I really want a dress of this, and every time I wear it I will look impatiently at my watch for added effect!




If you have run out of things to read on the Internets, Michelle (from Patterns From The Past) very helpfully sent this GIANT LIST of sewing blogs. It's a rainy Friday here; if it's a rainy Friday where YOU are ...

Requestions (I was going to type "requests" but my fingers decided to follow through with "ions" and it looked funny, so, now, we're using the word "requestions" here at Dress a Day HQ):

Can anyone help Cat find a good kimono pattern (that isn't Folkwear, she knows about that one)? Please leave a comment ...

Kate is looking for a pattern for those Hawaiian-y 1950s halter dresses (like this one). Do you know of a pattern for these? I know you can buy reproductions, but she wants to make her own.

Can anyone help Laura? This is her question:

I don't mean to bother you, but I can't seem to find info and if anyone would know, it would be you or your readers... No matter what I do, my skirts always turn around on me. I walk, they shift, I run, they shift, I sit still, they shift. Circle skirts, straight skirts, etc, and always counter clockwise if looking from above. I used to think it was interference from my purse, but it happens even if I don't carry one. I figure I must walk unevenly or something, but do you know any way to get it to stay put? I've tried pinning them to my bike shorts (works for circles, but not straight skirts - the skirt still turns below the pin line). Any ideas?

I would like to know that answer, too ... for me it seems to happen when I'm wearing a bigger size than I ought to (some vintage I will MAKE fit me by sheer force of will, right?).

Still about skirts, Sandy is looking for a Halston skirt pattern, which she explains as "the skirt is actually like two in one—there is an inner skirt which is only fastened at the waist, so you can turn the whole thing over and have a second skirt." Do you know about this? Leave a comment, please!

Also, it has come to my attention that the "search" function on this page is BROKEN. Like, returns no hits for "Duro" or "shirtdress" broken. I'm not sure why ... but if you need to find where I wrote about roller-skating, or buttonholes, or that dress with the crows and the megaphones, or whatever, use Google, and type [YOUR QUERY TERM HERE] site:dressaday.com. That will limit Google's search to just A Dress A Day.

A Linktastic Friday to End All Linktastic Fridays

No, not really -- this is NOT the last Linktastic Friday. But I haven't done one in so long, that I thought ridiculous hyperbole would be justified.

A lot of this post will be on the LIFO (last in, first out). Like this wonderful post by a mom about her daughter's prom dress saga. (Thanks to Jo for the link, and to Patti (the mom in question) for the phrase "I'd eat raw tarantulas in hot sauce [for my kid]".)

Or like this dress:




Sent by Una, to add to the "fake bolero club". I kind of want it, even if it is a bit on the obvious side. (Not Dolly Parton-obvious, but still.) [And do you know what is awesome? This blog is the first hit for the Google search "fake bolero".]

Oh, and Jen at MOMSpatterns has offered us another coupon code, so that we can all take advantage of being members of the sewing blog cabal. 20% off from now until May 23, by using the code 'iheartsewing'. In other cabal news, Cherie at Shrimpton Couture is having a 15% off sale through the end of May.

You HAVE to check out this bathing suit up right now at Dorothea's Closet. I mean, REALLY. GO THERE NOW. Look at what the pigeons are doing! And then marvel that somebody's three-martini lunch actually made it into production.

Barb has a new blog about sewing with neckties. And Libby has put her *stunning* necktie dress up at BurdaStyle. It was for her 50th birthday, and she looks magnificent. Happy birthday Libby, and thanks for being an inspiration -- I have now penciled in "make necktie dress" for August of 2021!

Lynne says there's a good Little Black Dress exhibit going on in Brighton. Which only makes me sadder that I *won't* be in London this next weekend, as I had hoped. Too much going on here, unfortunately. With any luck I'll be back in the UK soon (and the dollar will recoup some of its oomph against the pound. Perhaps after November?)

Cat sent me a bunch of links to Sartorialist-style street fashion photos from around the world. I really liked the Japan one. Sure everyone is young, and cute, and has an asymmetrical haircut and interesting socks, but that's not a BAD thing.

Did you know some site called Kaboodle (which I never heard of before, and have no idea what they do) is having a contest with Marie Claire magazine, in which they ask you to take a picture of yourself in your favorite spring dress? The winner gets $1000 and a trip to NYC. I've only seen one vintage entry so far, and I haven't really seen much handmade stuff. Mostly sundresses. I think maybe we should all enter. Especially those of us who like to wear vintage, or who are not model-sized ... first round of the contest ends June 12. If you enter, let me know and I'll go vote for you!

Or, you know, you could just enter the Pattern Review vintage sewing contest.

To counteract the recent NYT story on the demise of the dress, is a story from the Guardian on how dresses are being reinvented. Thanks to Susan for the link!

In case you were worried I had found a new obsession and not told anyone, here's a shirtdress, sent in by Deb. Check out the collar, it's yummy. And this one, which has CHEVRON POCKETS. Or this one, which has four pockets AND a cute collar.

Deb also sent this. What's that, you ask, hesitant to click on an anonymous link? It's scanned images of the Gazette du Bon Ton! I bet NOW you're clicking, huh? (note: text at site hosting the scans is in Japanese.)

Mary Beth sent a link to Shay's blog, where SHE links to a great set of scans of a 1920s comic, Ella Cinders.

Eirlys sent a link to a thesaurus bracelet that she found on Etsy. Ooh, pretty! Laurie sent this robot clutch purse, which is cute but obviously made for humans. Robot pincers don't clutch, they DESTROY. Plus you keep your robot lipstick and robot keys in your chest plate -- everyone knows that.

There's an interesting 2-part interview with the daughter of a 1960s knitwear designer up at Marge's blog. (Warning: site plays music.)

Mindi put her favorite pattern, ever, up on the wiki. Go and marvel. And Lorraine sent a link to a dress that looks like the walkaway dress as reimagined by Loretta Lynn.

Oh, and more Liberty sneakers. Hi-tops this time! You can wear them in your Liberty chair. (Thanks Dory, Eirlys!)

And one more picture before we go, from the wonderful LOLbots:





All right -- linktime's over -- I should really go and get some Actual Work done now, but many, many thanks to all of you who commented on yesterday's post -- I was overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity. Thank you!

Linktastic Monday!

Oh, yes. The links are too good, and just keep coming. You all spoil me, you know?

First off, I don't know how many of you ARE fans of Simon Winchester, but I know how many of you SHOULD BE fans of Simon Winchester (that would be "all"). He just sent me a link to him talking about his new book on YouTube, and that link would be here. If you ever have a chance to hear him speak in person, grab it (and if you need help figuring out when Simon's coming to your neck of the woods, you can sign up to stalk, I mean track, his readings here). He's tremendously entertaining (and so are his books).

Rita sends me this perplexing novelty-print dress:



Where do you think would be an appropriate place to wear this? I'm thinking either the Kentucky Derby (if you're clueless about what to wear to the Derby, i.e., you think "The Derby's in the South ... this has Southern belles on it ... perfect!") or perhaps the funeral of your hated ex-husband Rhett. ("What? It's black!") I'm happy to entertain your theories in the comments (and if you think "It's perfect! I must have it! Now if only Rhett would die!" click on the image to visit the ebay auction.)

And remember those Liberty-print Jack Purcells? Ronnie sent me a kind email letting me know that they're on sale now, online at the Converse store. You have to click on the "online outlet store" image to get to them, as they don't seem to come up in the search. But now they're only $57, instead of $100. (I got a pair from my lovely husband for Christmas, and plan to wear them constantly now that it's not friggin' SNOWING all the time.)

Cherie at Shrimpton Couture is hoping to get your feedback to improve her site ... and if you give her some, you'll be in the running for a $100 gift certificate ...

Stephanie asked if there was a dressaday tag on Flickr, and there is. My Dress A Day Flickr stream is here, although I've been lazy about uploading stuff to it. If you want to tag photos "dressaday", please do so and I'll set up a feed to see them! I also set up a Dress A Day group. Go nuts. (And if you want to send me pictures, sending me Flickr links is a great way to do that! Especially if you license them under the Creative Commons!)

Have I linked to the COPA (Commercial Pattern Archive) yet? It's at the University of Rhode Island. There are some broken links AND their CDs don't work on Macs (!) ... but it's still pretty neat. I wish there was a way we could hook them up with the wiki ... the wiki right now is about 25% of the size of COPA, which has 25,000 patterns dating to 1868.

Kristy (at Lower Your Presser Foot) sent this marvelous link to some Ikea dressers that fit patterns perfectly ... so perfectly that her husband thought that she had GOTTEN RID OF SOME PATTERNS. (Ha! Never!)

Eva made a gorgeous dress of Liberty babycord. And she's says it's all my fault. (Who, me?)

Also, Eirlys points out that there's a new exhibition coming to the V&A in May: Story of the Supremes - performance costumes from the Mary Wilson Collection, which means all the sequins your little hearts desire. There's ALSO a good chance I'll be in London the weekend after this exhibit opens -- Saturday May 24 -- would anyone want to do a Dress A Day meetup at the V&A? And possibly go either fabric-shopping or to tea afterwards? Leave a comment, let me know ...

Linktastic Tuesday, All-Pockets Edition

The pattern above (click on the image to visit the eBay auction) is not only a great, easy dress, but it also inspired me to post some pocket links, or quasi-pocket links. (The one above is a B32, but there's also two B38s on eBay right now, too.)

Michelle (of Green Kitchen) sends this great link to Bitter Betty's site, where she posts a pocket tutorial.

This (sent by Mary Beth) isn't actually a pocket, but I think they're missing a significant use case by not including a stealth pocket in it. Considering how many women do keep things in their bras, why wouldn't you add a pocket to a bra accessory? Seems like a no-brainer to me. (Of course, I don't think I'd ever buy one of those things, as they seem uncomfortable and liable to wiggle around, but hey, I admire their problem-solving gumption.)

Also in the thing-that-should-have-pockets-but-doesn't category, Pretty Bourgeois posted a link to a dress that looks like the LL Bean Tote Bag. Too bad there's only one monogram option.

I missed the original auction for this one, sent by Ginger Lane:




But if you click the image there's a B34, sans envelope, up on the 'bay right now. I'd rather not have the envelope -- for some reason, the pictures on that pattern creep me out.

And one more pocket link, from Summerset. Seriously, this link, which explains how to put a pocket and an invisible zipper in the same seam, changed my life. Do you know how many 1950s side-zipper dresses I can put pockets in now? EVERY ONE OF THEM.

Linktastic Friday No. 4: The Return of Linktastic Friday

Tina at What-I-Found sent me a link to the pillow above; I need to put it on my couch and sit next to it wearing my letter/number dress, don't I?

Dilly sent a link to these sewing-themed shoes from the UK chain Office, which makes it very difficult for people to grab their pics. I guess you'll have to click on the link if you want to see them.

Remember those "Four Yard Line" patterns? There's also a One Yard Line line: check out this skirt and blouse pattern (Butterick 9475), sent by Myra.

Ann sent a great link to a post by Babazeka, where she quotes an old sewing manual about how to be properly dressed when you sit down at the machine. Priceless. (Ann also sent a link to Donate My Dress, which passes along gently used prom dresses to girls who need them.)

Hana in Brno sent a link to this dress -- a wedding dress made completely of dollar store materials. It looks pretty good!

I know I haven't said much about the wiki lately (I think we need to have another contest), but we have another seller who is happy to have her images loaded up into it: Vintage Swampcrone.

Blogreader Carol has a wonderful blog about papercraft. Check it out!

Kristine sent this, which is up right now on eBay (click the image). Isn't it cute?




Doug (yeah, I said Doug) sent this link to a site called Unraveling Histories, which features dresses made from silk RAF parachutists' maps. The site is hard to navigate and even harder to pull pics from but it's definitely worth a link! And there's a Dutch version.

Lee (at when she was knitting) sent in pictures of her Duro! And it's her first dress! You should click the link and check it out, her color choice is beautiful.

Stephanie sent in this Whole Food halter dress, in the front of her local WF in Oakland:



The *very* funny Jonathan Caws-Elwitt has made up these t-shirts (click the image to visit his CafePress store):




Whew! I think that's it for this Friday. Wouldn't want to break the internet ...

Linktastic Friday No. 5

Wow, it's linktastic Friday again. Where does the week GO?

That Duro dress up there is Ann's -- remember her Shwe Shwe blog?

It's snowing here in Chicago today, but Lisa sent me a link to a pink shirtwaist dress that I wish I were wearing today. Outside. On a picnic. Without snow.

This dress would be an excellent picnic dress, too. With those pockets, you wouldn't need a basket ...

Nora sent me a link to this alphabet fabric, but I ended up buying this one. Although now I think maybe I should have chosen this one, instead. Ah, well.

Another tape measure bracelet from Lisa ... sold out, but I bet if you emailed the Etsy seller she'd make you another one. Ask nicely, now ...

Did everyone see this stunning (and stunningly expensive) Claire McCardell pattern on eBay? This one, while not as dramatic, certainly went for a lot less ... and ooh! Check out this pattern, it's quite nice and looks very easy ... thanks to Jeanette for the pointer to the second Claire pattern!

Completely Magnificent Dress from Sugardale.

Theresa sends a link to StyleShake, which I haven't had a chance to really play with yet. It's another one of those "choose your own adventure dress parts, and we'll sew it for you!" sites. Which generally I'm in favor of. As proof they'll make anything, though, I present to you this:



Whoa, that's it for this Friday, even though I have more links I really should post ... maybe next week will have two doses of linktasticity. You never know.

Oh! One more thing: Jen at MOMSPatterns.com is having another 20%-off pattern sale, now through midnight Monday. (I don't know what time zone Jen is in ...) Use coupon code 'slacker20', she says, because she's been slacking this month.

But, before I forget, this blog was given a very generous writeup in a new craft mag, Make It Mine! Thanks!

Linktastic Friday No. 4

Candy at Contentment Farm has a bunch of patterns up on eBay right now, including the one above. Don't you love the soft pleats on the skirt?

Eirlys sends dice-shaped tape measures, guaranteed to make sewing more of a crapshoot than it already is.

Totally make-you-want-to-learn-to-knit vintage patterns for short-sleeved cardigans at Little Grey Bungalow. [from Sewretro List]

Paper wedding dresses that look as if you can actually dance in them (instead of standing very very still so as not to spill dress-melting champagne on oneself). [From Lisa at Miss Helene's, who also reminded me about the Duck Tape Prom Dress contest.]

And speaking of paper dresses, Theresa found a link to a paper Warhol soup-can dress. It's long sold, but the lovely folks at Memphis Vintage left the image up for us to wonder at. Thanks!

If you're not signed up for the Museum at FIT's email notifications, you might want to ... they have some really interesting exhibitions (Madame Grés!) coming up.

I hate (and I mean HATE) St. Patrick's Day (when your name is Erin you hate St. Patrick's Day -- damn it, I'm Scots, doesn't that count for anything? Keep your green-beery hands to yourself!) but Mary Beth (of The Lazy Milliner) sent this, which is both St. Patrick's-Day themed and Obama-related. Just don't spill beer on it, okay?

Brenda (at Cast On, A Podcast for Knitters) sends this link to an exhibition on homemaking at Cornell. She points out the boggling fact that the Home Ec department used to RENT ORPHANS for the students to "practice" mothering. Rent-an-orphan. The world is always weirder than you think it is.

While you're thanking your lucky stars you're not a rentable orphan, check out this 1930s video about the fashions of the year 2000, sent by Leia. Weirdly enough, there's no mention of Prada OR Marc Jacobs.

I know nothing about this; I haven't even visited the link. But it was pitched to me as the "First Fashion Blog in Uzbekistan", and I'm afraid that if I visit it, it will turn out to be a parody site, and I want to Believe. Let it be Uzbekistan: fashion forward! (And not a bunch of bored college kids auditioning for The Onion.)

Marion sent a link to Spoonflower, which had a survey up (closed now, I'm sorry!) about what kind of on-demand fabric printing you might want, at what price. Needless to say, this URL is on my watchlist. If any of you feel so inclined, you might want to email them and tell 'em you want it too!

Jen (at MOMSpatterns) sent this vintage-patterns-themed bracelet (from Etsy seller The Other Sister).

I know I've mentioned REMO t-shirts before, but now they have this offer where you can get a free t-shirt!



You DO still have to pay shipping (from AUSTRALIA) but their t-shirts are so wonderful; they have really good women's sizes, and they wash beautifully ... I'm even wearing one right now!


And one last thing before I forget, this has nothing to do with dresses, but it's the funniest thing I've read all week: Paul Ford does six-word reviews of ALL 763 SXSW mp3s. And I mean "laugh-out-loud" funny. (See how linktastic Friday lets me thwart the constraints of this medium?)

And that's all for this linktastic Friday. If you're going to send me a link (which I encourage!) and you want me to link your name to a site, make sure to include your URL ... if you're sending me a link to Your Own Stuff, that's fine, but make sure you tell me that. Also, I (and my inbox) greatly prefer LINKS to large images, rather than the images themselves ...

Enjoy your weekend ...

Linktastic Friday No. 4

So I was thinking about not doing Linktastic Friday today, and posting the dress I made for last weekend's American Crossword Puzzle Tournament instead, but I'd have to IRON that dress and that seems just too overwhelming this morning. So maybe Monday you'll get to see that dress.

I am disappointed, though, that by NOT putting off Linktastic Friday I don't get to say "Linktastic Friday falls on a Monday this week" because that pokes my funnybone. (Don't worry, I'm sure I'll re-use that joke at a later date.)

But, without further ado: on to the links!

The image above is a really nice shirtdress in a larger size from Born Too Late Vintage ... thanks to Marge for the link!

I don't remember where I found this link to Uniform Studio, so if it came from you, please take credit in the comments. I really like this aesthetic (which may surprise some of you -- although who doesn't want to dress as if they're sweetly androgynous operatives from the future?). Check out, especially, the "gathered line dress". Wonderful.

Robin sent me the link to this beautiful and very, very, very expensive architecturally-themed fabric collection from Finland. (42 euros! = oh noes!)

And while we're drooling over expensive fabric, Kristin sent me a link to Waechter's Silk Shop, which is based in the US and has Liberty at $36/yd. (Mostly the florals, though.) Jane Ellen sent a link to Peggy Anne's which is selling some of the more classic florals at $29-something a yard.

Also, Heather found this yellow-and-gray newspaper-printed stretch knit at Fashion Fabrics Club. Or maybe you want a dress-form print silk hankie in the same colors? (Sent by brokentemple -- but snap that one up quick if you want it, it's a Buy-It-Now).

Have you all seen this shoe-storage wheel? Sent in my sister, who knows me too well ... and speaking of shoes, last week's tape-measure lamp reminded Kate-in-England of these shoes. Pinstripes and tape-measure cockades, oh my!

Gretchen sent this link to a dress made from 41 pairs of recycled Levi's 501s. It's *amazing*, and exactly what I would wear to a Costume Institute Ball honoring Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein. (Scroll down past the scary baseball-jacket Pierrot costume to get to the jeans dress.)

Liana draws a paper doll every day. Some of them are dresses. Works for me!

Cranky Librarian T-Shirts (and other stuff). Makes me want to be a librarian even more, so I can have a license-plate cover that says "I am a librarian ... and I WILL shush your ass." Sent by Paula, who has a blog about those loop-loom potholders. Awesome.

Some company called Mippin (it's official: the internet has now completely run out of domain names) has done some fancy scraping to make this blog work on your mobile phone. I think. I haven't tested it, but the mobile url is supposedly http://mippin.com/dressaday. Feel free to try it out, it doesn't cost me anything (it may cost you, depending on your mobile web-access plan). Blogread responsibly!

Janet at Lanetz Living is off skiing in Colorado, but she's having a sale at her site while she's gone: 20% off, just use the coupon code "ski20" when you check out. (That's why the internet is the best; how could you have a sale at your brick-and-mortar store and be off skiing at the same time?)

And I *thought* I'd posted about this before, but I can't find it, so here it is again:




Thanks to Eirlys (who does not even live in the US) for finding this at Antique Dress. Too bad it costs ... wait for it ... $ 1,485.

That's it for this Linktastic Friday! More links next week ...

Linktastic Friday No. 3

Carmen sent a link to the lamp above -- made of measuring tapes! So cool.

Cel sent this link to "Make It Yourself": Home Sewing, Gender, and Culture, 1890–1930 by Sarah A. Gordon -- really worth looking at.

Jay at CLMP let me know about Sonya Naumann's great art project: Thousand Dollar Dress. Sonya is taking pictures of a thousand different people wearing her thousand-dollar wedding dress! Genius.

If you want to make the world a better place for women, I can't imagine a more satisfying place to put your money: Goods4Girls gives reusable "sanitary supplies" (that is, menstrual pads) to girls in Africa, because if they don't have them, they can't go to school. (And regular paper products, when they can get them, can't be disposed of safely.) I suggest donating a week's worth of pads, if you can; they don't take direct cash donations but offer a list of suppliers who will make them and send them to Goods4Girls for you (they also offer instructions to make your own).

"The untidiness men find repugnant ... the carelessness men can't stand ...". Thanks to Deborah for the link (and check out her magnificent coat on the cover of Vogue Knitting)!

Nikkie, the curator the Fort Morgan Museum in Fort Morgan, Colorado, is looking for help; they are having an exhibit this fall on the WPA (Works Progress Administration, later the Works Projects Administration) and its impact on Morgan County. One of the local WPA works in Morgan County was a Sewing Project, where simple, serviceable apparel was made and then distributed as part of the relief efforts. If you have any of the standard patterns used for the WPA program, or any finished clothing items, and would be willing to lend them to the museum, would you contact her through the link above?

Jezebella sent in this skirt. Please click that link to see the best and most hilarious pocket ever.

Julie sends in these very nice paper dolls ...

Rita made a vintage-patterns video!

Hilarious 1950s Atlantic piece on the sameness of women's magazines ... [via Faking Good Breeding]

Elisa (aka The Mad Fashionista) was in the NYT! Congratulations!

Nora sends a link to Etsy seller Jane Bon Bon who makes GORGEOUS skirts and dresses, including plus-size. Marvelous appliqué. She makes stuff to order, with no extra charge for plus-size and her prices are very reasonable for custom work!


Remember, if you want to send me a link for Linktastic Fridays (no promises!): 1) email me links to pictures, not the pictures themselves, if at all possible; 2) if it's your auction/site/whatever, please disclose; 3) tell me if you want your name (and how much of it) attached to the link and linked to your site, if applicable. Thank you!

Linktastic Friday No. 2

So apparently, in the 1980s, French newspapers were (occasionally) printed on fabric. Who knew? (And more to the point, why didn't I know THEN, when I could get some?) [Thanks to Robin for the link, and click on the image to visit the Etsy auction for this dress made from said papers.]

Rita at Cemetarian sent in this pocket-licious pattern. I would CLANK when I walked if I made it (because I've never seen a pocket I couldn't overstuff), but I'm still tempted ...

Carolyn sent a link to this astounding crochet UNO dress (But wouldn't you always lose in a UNO dress? You'd never get rid of all your cards!)

Great story in New York magazine about people who only wear one color ... and it's not black. Plus, bonus points for including Stephin Merritt.

[Another] Erin sent me a link to ceramicist Sunny Shultz and her clay dresses. The grayish-brown clay and all the layers make them look very post-apocalyptic. (Which is a GOOD thing, in case you were wondering.)

Tracy sent me a link to these vintage pattern lightswitch covers.

BeSewStylish has a downloadable glossary of spelling terms (PDF).

Charles Savoie sent me an email asking me "[are you] sure you want to recommend that title [Fashion is Spinach (now online free at the Internet Archive, btw!)]? The author advocated men wearing skirts". To which I reply "Wha huh? And that is bad why?" I do not discriminate on the basis of gender; if a guy wants to wear a skirt, dress, muumuu, whatever, it's totally fine with me. But, gentlemen, if you're really so easily swayed that my merely recommending a book will put you into non-bifurcated garments, may I recommend the Utilikilt? (Warning: last link has video/audio at load.)

I should really put this on the other blog (and I will in a minute) but I couldn't resist the urge to make Semicolon Appreciation Society T-Shirts (and stickers, so you can "edit" faulty signs).



Here's the back (on the white shirts only, no back printing on black shirts):



And oh, if you're only going to visit one of my links today, you should really make it Invisible Magnet, a new blog about perfume. Personally, I'm not very knowledgeable about perfume (or adventurous, either -- I wear Fracas, which is really just a very expensive upgrade from Love's Baby Soft), but I have a feeling that after a few months of reading this new blog, I will be. It's written by Ana (whom I know & love) and Liz (whom I'd REALLY like to meet) and they are covering the whole spectrum: the chemistry, the personalities, the packaging, and that I Hate Perfume guy who makes stuff that smells like burning leaves. Also they do that great blog thing where they post their conversations. (For what is the use of a blog, without pictures, or conversations?)


[Housekeeping notes: if you send me links for this now-regular Friday feature, do let me know 1) if you want your name included, and if so, how MUCH of your name, and 2) if you want me to link your name to your blog, send me that URL. Also: I reserve the right to ignore your link if it's something I've already posted about, isn't appropriate for this blog, is obviously over-the-top self-promotion (minor self-promotion is fine), or if I just get absent-minded and forget about it. Please don't send me huge images via email; send links instead! The little elves that run Thunderbird thank you for that courtesy.]

Whew! That's a wrap on another linktastic Friday, folks. See you on Monday, have a great weekend. Courage.

Giant Friday Link-o-Rama

I have been feeling mildly guilty because you guys have been sending me so many great links -- much more than I could ever write about individually, even if I posted with BoingBoing-like frequency. BUT: they are so good that I don't want to deprive you of them, so I'm thinking about doing Linktastic Fridays. What do you all think?

First off, Jen sent me the awesome comic image up above. Who needs a two-timing guy when you have an outfit that great, I ask you?

Also: everyone's heard that Isaac Mizrahi is leaving Target to go to Liz Claiborne, right? I'm so excited about this; I really want to see what he can do at a slightly higher price point and a bigger collection. And I'm hoping maybe he'll choose some fit models that aren't so dern long-waisted ...

Check out this ADORABLE corduroy windowpane-check jumper/dress (thanks to Lisa for the link). This one might show up as a Secret Lives someday, I think.

NYTimes reports on (recycled) juice box dress! Yes, I said juice box dress! (thanks to Barbara for the link)

Lisa at Miss Helene's found this great Home-Ec quiz in a pattern. Some of the questions stumped me, for sure. Try your luck ... or just get a hit of sweet nostalgia off the mimeograph format.

Laura Skidmore of the Vintage Fashion Library was featured on CNN! And she gave a shout-out to Dress A Day! (And her hair in the picture is perfect ...)

Robin sent a link to this truly terrifying 1970s jumper dress with the worst case of crotch-pocket I've ever seen. It takes quite a bit to make me dislike a pocket; this dress succeeded in doing so where so many others have failed.

And two sales for you: a bunch of sellers at Specialist Auctions are having a Vintage Blowout Sale -- everything $19.99 or less! It started yesterday but I'm sure there's a ton of great stuff left (including lots of large-size patterns). More details are here ...

If you have been looking for the original version of the Butterick Walk-Away Dress (6015) Jen has a copy right now (B30) available AND has a different shirtdress-like version with a narrow skirt! (And if you use the coupon code love15 you will save 15% off any sized order through the end of the month!)

Whew. Did I forget anything? If I did, that's why Blogger made comments ...

Spoiled for Choice

I'm so sorry I didn't post yesterday -- there were some internet-connectivity issues, and then there were some "I have to give a talk downtown" issues (compounded by the snow issues), and then there were the "back from a long weekend" issues. I guess I "have issues." (Except for issues of the magazine, which are the only issues I want to have. THOSE are still at the printer!)

Of course, any day on which I don't post is NOT a day in which I have NOTHING to post -- I usually have the OPPOSITE problem, as in, I could post so much every day that I would do nothing else. For instance, just in the last 36 hours or so, I was sent links to:

-- this incredibly cute squirrel-print sundress (sent by Julie)
-- a reminder that PurlSoho has new Liberty cottons in stock (from Rebecca)
-- a link to a wedding-perfect satin dress WITH POCKET (from Kai, and let's just see a picture of that pocket, okay?)




-- some paper art dresses (sent by Theresa)
-- an Anne Fogarty polka-dot midriff-emphasizing dress on eBay (sent by Robin, and let's just peek at that one, too, shall we?)





And there were several more links that I will save for another day. Aren't I the luckiest blogger in Blogdom? Thank you (and keep 'em comin')!

Post-fundraising drabble #3

Believe me, I've had a full life. I've been places, and I've done stuff. But there's been gaps. I've never seen a snake. I've never seen a peanut-butter sandwich. I've never seen an airplane. I've been told about them, but I haven't seen them. I've never seen snow. I have trouble even believing in it. As cold as ice cubes, but teeny-weeny and somehow fluffy? And it falls from the sky slowly, like feathers? And piles up like sand dunes, so high you have to shovel it away just so people can walk? I just don't buy it.

[dress, on ebay now -- click it to go to the listing -- from Jumbleaya]

Linkishness for today:

Elaine sent a nice link to a dress on London Daily Photo. What can I say to motivate you to click? How about "enormous polka dots"? That do it?

Advance warning: I'm going to take the days between Xmas and New Year's off from blogging -- a combo of not having a lot of internet access and not having a lot of leftover energy. But I'm planning to do some Serious Sewing in that time ... wish me luck.

Question: is it cheating to do a drabble from a pattern, and not from an actual dress? Or should it be in the voice of the pattern? Tell me in the comments, please, if you have an opinion either way.

A quick Friday hodge-podge

First off, if you are planning to download yesterday's pattern from the V&A site, you might want to hold off until Monday -- Cassie, the web content manager for the V&A site, made the dress herself, and emailed me to say that she is going to upload slightly tweaked instructions sometime today. (Also, I forgot yesterday to link to link-sender Catherine's web page; it's here.)

Also, if you are not reading Rostitchery, why aren't you? Today (or maybe last night) she linked to a bunch of sewing machine accessory videos. I really don't like watching tutorial videos (I'm too impatient) but I was TRANSFIXED by seeing this binding foot in action! I want one. I need one. I must have one. Can you say "contrast bias hems for the rest of your natural life"? I can. (There's a slightly scarier-looking one here.)

And one last thing (maybe your Dress A Day Moment of Zen) -- Laura bought a copy of a 1958 McCalls Pattern magazine, and uploaded a few images from it. Here's an ad for a particularly wonderful dress:



I find looking at vintage dress ads almost exquisitely painful; the whole idea of advertising is to get you to covet the product, but the product, here, is almost fifty years gone. The chances of me ever finding this dress, in my size, in wearable condition ... well, they're vanishingly small. Which means I will just have to redouble my efforts on the time-machine-development front, right? And just enjoy looking at the picture.

A pitiful excuse for a post

Just links today, no Actual Content. Expect Actual Content to resume next week. I've had what looks to be a hard-drive failure (and of course I do backups on Fridays, so I've lost a week of Very Hard Work, including a new "Secret Lives" ...). Any of you who have intercessory powers with the spirits of computing, would you use them to plead for me? Luckily I have backup computers all over the house (that's only a slight exaggeration) so I am not cut off from the Internet ...

Check out Lisa's Fashion 101 Rules ...

An article from the WashPost about a truly horrific handbag, which costs $52,500. Yes, that's right, FIFTY-TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. (Thanks to Jonquil for the link.)

I, um, gave a talk at TED this year (and wore a Duro). If you want to see me talk about the Future! of! Dictionaries! you can check it out here. (Warning, starts playing immediately, with sound.)

And Liz Tran, whose art you saw here earlier this year, is doing a daily dress art project for the next month. Lovely!