Job Lot 2 (part 2)

I seemed to have resolved most of the formatting issues now. Huzzah!


Less awesome is that my third lot is yet to arrive (the biggest bad boy of them all) and I am finding it difficult to be patient. I wants it now! I have to keep reminding myself that given it is travelling from the states it will probably take at least another three weeks. *grump grump*


Until then I'll review the other hundred plus patterns that I've committed to making. #pure lunacy.

#23

Style: Simplicity 6501

Era:1974

Size: 6 & 8

Would I have bought it? No. A 70s pattern has to work quite hard to get me and this isn't flamboyant enough.

First thoughts: I strongly dislike version one, and solely because of the sleeves with the crazy ass points (why?). However version two with the long sleeves is really growing on me.

Difficulty: Medium

#24

Style: Style 4636

Era: 1974

Size: 10

Would I have bought it? Maybe, when I was ten this is how I thought you were meant to dress as an adult.

First thoughts: I love the floaty, flirty, romanticism of this pattern. I think there is a strong chance it could look mental when made up though. I'm looking forward to the made version because I can pretend to be a princess!

Difficulty: Hard (aside from the pattern there will need to be a lot of grading up to get it to fit).

#25

Style: Style 1111

Size: 12

Era: 1975

Would I have bought it? Nope. I like my nightwear a little less subtle than this.

First thoughts: The shorter versions have potential, although they're a bit Mary Sue

Difficulty: Medium

                   

#26

Style: Simplicity 6034

Era: 1973

Size: 10

Would I have bought it? YES

First thoughts: How beautiful is this? And not just because the photo shows a floozy lush having an amazing time. I think it looks very 40s and I heart the puff sleeves. I want to make it in a floral sateen.

Difficulty: Hard

# 27

Style: Simplicity 6955

Era: 1967

Size: Neck 15 1/2

Would I have bought it? No. Not even with the kipper tie

First thoughts: I love the poses on the illustrations, it makes me wish I had a man. I think made right these shirts could look really cute. Not sure if I'll be going for orange polka dots.

Difficulty: Medium / Hard

#28

Style: Simplicity  6736

Era: 1974

Size: Size 8 (Girl)

Would I have bought it? Putting aside the 'no children' thing, probably not. These dresses look mental.

First thoughts? I think what I find objectionable is the high necks, especially with frills. 

Difficulty: Medium / Hard

#29

Style: Simplicity 5517

Era:  1973

Size: 10

Would I have bought it? No. It's too Texan for my taste.

First thoughts: I appreciate the amount of options this pattern offers (trousers, skirt, shirt, shirt-jacket). But overall I'm not enthused.

Difficulty: Hard

Job Lot 2 (part 1)

I'm splitting this pattern review up. I'm new to blogging and I'm struggling with formatting issues re: pictures. I'm hoping less pictures equals less formatting issues. But we'll see.


Onward! To the job lot pattern review! And there are some amazing 'what the fudge were they thinking back then' patterns. This may be my favourite lot so far, even though its unlikely to result in a lot of wearable clothes.

#16

Style: Simplicity 4922

Era: mid 60s?
Size: 10 (children)

Would I have bought it? No. I don't have children.

First thoughts: These are cute, kinda Enid Blyton boarding schools. Makes me want lashings of ginger beer (with rum). I have a little sister who wouldn't be seen dead in this. So maybe for one of my friends babies? In six short years they could be wearing it.

Difficulty: Medium

#17

Style: Simplicity 7214
Era: 1975
Size: 14
Would I have bought it? No, I associate suits with the office and I'm rarely drawn to them. Trousers are hard.
First thoughts: I'm not sure, I think this has some potential. Although there is something a bit sleazy pimp about it that I find off putting.
Difficulty: Hard.
















 
#18 and the 'What the fudge?!?' winner


Style: Simplicity 5680
Era: 1973
Size: Does it matter? Its a MUU - MUU!
Would I have bought it: No. Not even for funnies.
First thoughts: There's almost too much to be said. I can't imagine when I would ever wear this outside. Maybe when I've given up on life and have lots of pug dogs and accepted spinsterdom. At the same time, I'm falling in love with pattern despite myself. I think it might be the awesome illustrations, which clearly show amazingly successful, sexy and confident women. I think I'm going to make three Muu-muus and then me and my housemates can have a Muu-muu party!
Difficulty: Easy

#18 Runner up to the 'What the fudge?!?' award

Style: Simplicity 8711

Era: 1970

Size: Medium

Would I have bought it? No. I'm not drawn to shirts

First thoughts? Its all a bit Gil Gerrad in Buck Rogers. I caught between love and disgust. Its moments like these that I wished I had a boyfriend to bully and dress up. Maybe by the time I get round to this I will.

Difficulty: Medium

#19

Style: Simplicity 6190

Era: 1974

Size: Size 7

Would I have bought it? No, still not had any children in the last twenty minutes.

First thoughts: I love these dresses. They make me all dewy eyed and sentimental about having children. Even though I know they steal your life essence.

Difficulty: medium

#20

Style: Simplicity 8861

Era: early 1979

Size: 18

Would I have bought it? Nah.

First thoughts? Meh. Unexcited.

Difficulty: Medium 

#21

Style: Simplicity 8861

Era: 1974

Size: 10

Would I have bought it? No. I refer you to the collar and picture.

First thoughts: Most. Unflattering. Shirt. Ever.

Difficulty: Medium

#22

Style: Simplicity 4818

Era: mid 60s?

Size: 18

Would I have bought it? No, it's still pretty.

First thoughts: Cute, simple and hopefully an easy make. Not much else to say really.

Difficulty: Easy

My next make...

I've put aside a 50s pattern I've been making because of fit issues (and laziness) and I've decided to make up this pattern from the ebay job lots. Its from the 1980s and that is not usually a decade I favour (nor did style it seems) and I would never have sought out a 80s pattern. However, I LOVE this! The buttons, they go all the way down the back of the dress! *squee sounds* The shape is simple, but I think will be flattering.

Amazingly this pattern is from the late, and nefarious, News of the World. It'll be fun naming the dress on that basis alone. So sad that tabloid newspapers rely solely on boobies to sell papers, rather than boobies AND sewing patterns.

The dress looks like a simple make, although it will be my first time with elastic. I'm quite taken with the red illustration of the dress and I've bought some very cheap (£1 a metre) crepe-ish meterial from Walthamstow market.

Job Lot 1

It's worth pausing to mention that I like the fact that job lots are lucky dips. I don't know if the patterns will be my size, if they'll be complete or even if I would have chosen them in any other circumstances. But I love surprises and I love not being limited by my tastes and habits.


The downside (or upside?) is that I'll need to learn to grade up patterns at some stage. I've seen some online tutorials on this, but I won't be throwing myself at it anytime soon. I still find hemming a challenge, slipstitch makes no sense and fitting is a mystery. But I love the idea of making all of these patterns up, so one day I'll work out how to grade up. Until then I'm pointing myself at the easier patterns in my size. On to the pattern review!

#1

Make: Simplicity 4860

Size: 18

Era: The pattern envelope and instructions aren't yielding any clues on this one. I'm guessing early sixties.

Would I have picked it? Yeah, it's cute, very Jackie O.

First thoughts: I could imagine it being a lovely work dress. I LOVE the buttons on the second view.

Difficulty: I think fairly simple, to my untrained eye at least.

#2

Make: Butterick 5549

Size: 14

Era: mid to late 70s?

Would I have picked it? No, probably not. Not a huge fan of the seventies, and its a bit disco for me.

First thoughts: Although I wouldn't have picked it, I think short dress with sleeves has potential. And the long dress no sleeves, could be gorgeous in a lovely floaty fabric. I am not feeling the trouser suit combo.

Difficulty: Easy / medium

 #3

Make: Simplicity 3597

Size: 18

Era: late 60s?

Would I have picked it? No. Bit frumpy. Bit Maggie Thatcher.

First thoughts: Not feeling this one, can't yet imagine beyond the illustrations.

Difficulty: Medium / Hard

#4

Make: Simplicity 6434

Size: 16

Era: late 60s?

Would I have picked it? Yes, although that is solely based on the back view and the bows (I love the bows!)

First thoughts: Did I mention that I think the bows are awesome? I love a low back on a dress, I think it is a subtle kind of sexy. Some concerns about how the front will look. I don't think I have a strong enough jawline to carry off a high neck.

Difficulty: Medium / hard

#5

Make: Style 2442

Size: 14

Era: 70s?

Would I have bought it? No. This is partly a reflection on the pattern (the jacket cover-up would not look out of place on Buck Rogers) and partly because I do not have the body for the cute bikini combos.

First thoughts? Maybe. After a lot of exercise.

Difficulty: Easy / Medium

#6

Make: Butterick 2973

Size: 16

Era: mid 60s?

Would I have bought it? No, I think I've seen nicer versions out there

First thoughts: I think this will make up better than it looks, done well it could be quite Hitchcockian. I like the blouse, but mostly because it has a bow at the front and buttons down the back (I'm a sucker for buttons).

Difficulty: medium / hard

#7

Style: Simplicity 8002

Size: 14 1/2

Era: mid 60s?

Would I have bought it? Probably not, its a bit 'meh'

First thoughts: I'm reserving judgement until the make. The right fabric could render this stunning. On paper its a bit flat.

Difficulty: Easy / Medium

#8

Style: Simplicity 7715

Era: late 70s?

Size: 14

Would I have bought it? Yes, even though the photo is asking me not to.

First thoughts: I'm as much a sucker for thrills as I am for buttons. The long sleeve no thrill version is also cute, it makes me think of The Avengers and Roger Moore-era Bond girls.

Difficulty: Easy / Medium

#9

Style: Butterick 2353

Era: mid 60s

Size: 42 (not sure how this translates to regular sizing)

Would I have bought it? Maybe, I tend to go for dresses. But I think this is a nice suit.

First thoughts: It's not first on my list, partly because I'm too excited by other projects and partly because jackets scare me.

Difficulty: Medium / Hard

#10

Style: Simplicity 5908

Era: early 60s?

Would I have bought it: Yes.

Size: 18

First thoughts: These sort of dresses were popular huh? Even so, I like the shoulder rouche, and I think it has a bit of a 1940s vibe. I quite like how prim and proper it is, I could imagine Betty Draper wearing this.

Difficulty: Medium

#11

Style: Simplicity 6461

Era: mid 60s?

Size: 14

Would I have bought it: No - it doesn't grab me.

First thoughts: With further reflections I quite like the jackets. Although I would normally shy away from boxy jackets I think these have real potential in some sort of brocade?

Difficulty: Medium / Hard

#12

Style: Blackmore

Era: mid 60s?

Size: 18

Would I have bought it? No. Just no.

First thoughts: The illustration hurts my eyes. The colours! The frump! This dress is frumpy, mcfrumpy frump. I'm finding it difficult to find any love for this pattern. And I've had two cocktails. Two strong cocktails. When I come to make this I will name it Frumpenstein.

Difficulty: Easy (apparently)

#13

Style: Simplicity 6725

Era: mid 60s

Size: 16

Would I have bought it? No. Not that it isn't pretty it jut doesn't inspire me overly

First thoughts: An average dress, no strong feelings one way or the other.

Difficulty: Easy

#14

Style: Butterick 5679

Era: late 60s

Size: 14 1/2

Would I have bought it? Hell no!

First thoughts: Perhaps this isn't is a frightful as it appears. The illustration is pretty horrific, but maybe there is a nice dress lurking in there. I can't see it yet. Reminds me of my primary school uniform for some reason.

Difficulty: Medium

#15

Style: Butterick 4141

Era: Mid 60s

Size: 18

Would I have bought it? Maybe, the illustrations are cute.

First thoughts: This is a cute twinset, but I worry its too boxy for my pear shaped figure.

Difficulty: medium / hard

Patterns

I'm new to sewing. I've probably logged about 20 sewing hours outside of my sewing course (to be reviewed at a later date!) and to date I have made two dresses and one half finished blouse. And this has shown me how much I still have to learn! I'll showcase my efforts at some point and the lessons that they taught me.

However my enthusiasm for a new hobby knows no bounds and I have steadily built up a stash of fabric and patterns. Until last week pattern and stash were roughly proportionate. And then I went C R A Z Y....

I found a job lot on ebay of 15 patterns from 1960s. I bid and I won the lot for £14 and £5 delivery. I then found another lot of 15 patterns from the 1960s and 1970s for £10 and £5 delivery. Veni, Vidi, Vici. And it should have stopped there.

But I am not a girl known for her restraint. I saw the big lots, the lots of over 100 patterns. And in my mind it became justifiable to bid £100 for 100 patterns because I'd be paying £1 a pattern and that is cheap. Who can deny it? I bid for and won 100 'vintage' patterns (approx - the seller was clear that there were more than a hundred but offered no further detail on the contents) for £115 - with delivery. I then won 194 patterns (50s, 60s, 70s) for £110 with delivery from the states.

Holy moly! I've managed to desist from buying more and the first three lots have arrived. I'll review them in separate posts. I'm officially not allowed to buy any more patterns (except for colette patterns - I'm not made of stone dammit!) until I make some of these up. In fact I think I should make it a project to make them all.....