As expected my obsession with short and simple dresses has not subsided.  So what am I to do?  Start sewing, naturally!  But I’m feeling a bit lazy, I despise setting in zippers and want relatively easy sewing projects.  So I’ve rounded up some patterns (not vintage!) that seem to fit the bill.   The above pattern is Simplicity 2360.  It has the same feeling as the Sessun dress from my last post, particularly the yellow print on the left.

New Look, it seems, has a plethora of slip-over-your-head, no-zippers-to-install or buttonholes-to-make dresses and tunics.  I think you have to use a bit more imagination here but I see the potential, can’t you?

New Look 6679.

New Look 6887.

New Look 6851.

New Look 6913.

I don’t have much in the way of fall/winter fabrics as I’m mostly a summer dress kind of girl.  But I’m thinking of blacks, grays and navy blues; wool, fine wale cord, linen, super thin and soft denim…even voile or lawn in a dark color.  Have any of you used one of these patterns?  If so, let me know!

I’ll also do a round up of vintage patterns from my stash.  I’ve got a bunch of a-line mini dresses from the ’60s that are really cute although a little more complicated in construction and probably have zippers. (Which is why I’m leaning more towards these new patterns – for now.)

Have a sweet Thursday!

‘Ello, sweets!  I hope all of you in the Northern Hemisphere are able to enjoy some warmer weather this week.  I have been so inspired by the change I have updated my Etsy shop (fable*) with a ton of vintage (and some new) goodies!  Really, really wonderful things that I can scarcely believe I’m parting with.  I know these pretties will find their way to good homes so that makes it okay.  (Psst – I have also listed items at very reasonable prices too.)

There are lots of sewing patterns, millinery, beads and a couple of lacy, floaty wearables.

Special for blog readers this week: Buy any 2 millinery items, beads or sewing patterns and get the 3rd millinery item, beads or sewing pattern for free (equal or lesser value; through midnight Friday, March 26th, PT).  Just leave a note in the “Message to Seller” box when you checkout letting me know what free item you’d like.

Non-U.S. Peeps: Please convo me the item you are interested in, plus your city/country, and I’ll get back to you with a shipping quote.

» Visit the shop here.

Thanks for looking!

Speaking of being tired, I’m feeling a little under the weather.  Besides lack of sleep, it must have something to do with the constant supply of chocolate chip and yellow cake, plus rum and sugar cane coke (in other words, sugar!) this past weekend.  Oh well.  My husband took me out for dinner since I didn’t feel like cooking and I had a nice, large bowl of tubu chigae which is spicy Korean tofu soup.  Despite my lack of desire to cook, I managed to make a trip to the grocery store after work when I was feeling ambitious in terms of what’s for dinner this week: grilled steak and arugula, French onion soup, roasted vegetables.  Oh, maybe some mushroom chicken too.   At the very least I can pop the vegies in the oven in the morning since they are not too much effort.

Anyway, on to sewing. Casey posted some wonderful vintage pieces she hopes to work on; my favorite being the 1930s jumper.  I love jumpers!  There is something very sweet and girlish about them, yet decidedly practical too.  I was inspired to look through my pattern stash and find some jumper patterns that I might want to work on.  I won’t commit at the moment, since you know how that goes!  I think it’s better if I practically finish something before I announce its inception on this blog, therefore we can all be pleasantly surprised by the finished product.

The pattern above is 1950s and the full-skirted version is pretty fabulous.  I’ve decided that I look good in this silhouette.  I wonder, though, if I could possibly have enough fabric?

I love this early 1940s jumper, on the right:

The blouse is pretty sweet too!

This early ’80s style reminds me of something my mom might have made and worn.  I even like that floral print.  It would be especially nostalgic in a fine wale corduroy.

I’m throwing in this non-jumper pattern because it’s another thing I find inspiring right now:

Oh my goodness, can you imagine me traipsing around L.A., sporting a bonnet??  But, really, too cute, yes?  Which one is your favorite?