Blue Star Flag

I want to make a blue star banner in honor of my husband. I could buy one but making it myself seems so much more personal and will mean more somehow. I bought some red white and blue cotton at Joanne Fabrics last night. I have no idea what the proportions are supposed to be for the flag. Well, I know that the ratio is 1:1.9 but I'm not sure how wide the red border is. I'll probably just eyeball it and see what I like. The length will be 47.5 inches and 25 inches wide. I'm thinking 3 inch borders all around but I'll probably start at one inch and get smaller until I like it. I'm also going to stitch the remaining red fabric to the back of the flag so it looks neater and you don't see all the stitching and seams. I'm making it to fit in the window of our apartment and as I don't have much luck with suction cups, I'm going to add a couple inches to the top and fold it over and stitch it like a curtain so I can put a tension rod through it.

If this goes well, I'm going to make one for my in-laws for Christmas and make a tiny one to hang on my rear view mirror. I don't know how to stitch letters but I'm going to learn and I want to stitch his unit, where they're deployed and "Operation Iraqi Freedom 2009" along the bottom.

Pattern Collection

You can see the Photobucket album here: http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h230/asianflutterby/Patterns/

Fabric Collection

This is my collection of vintage fabric. I don't know the exact dates or the fabric content of most of them. I'm not good at burn tests or feeling the fabric and knowing what it is, but I like to guess.

Wool - yellow green and white plaid

Jersey

Cotton?

1930's Cotton

Rayon?

Rayon

Cotton

Four leaf clovers, it feels very cool and silky. It's also kind of flimsy, like a thin scarf.

Rayon

Wool - Dark green and white houndstooth

Wool

UPDATE: I finally finished the pants! They were soooo easy but they aren't perfect. I'm only a poor amateur but I'm pleased with my first pants. Next time I'll know what to do and I'll also know to use a size smaller. I'll get pics up after this weekend. I'm wearing the jeans to the same car show I mentioned before. I'm driving my father-in-law's WWII Jeep to the show so he can drive his Weapons Carrier. I once attempted to drive the jeep in a skirt and it did not go well. I was so distracted by my skirt flapping around and flashing passersby that I could barely drive.

Slight change of plans. I got frustrated and took the pants apart. I bought a repro Simplicity pattern at Joann Fabrics that is in my size. I was able to use the pieces I had already cut since they were too big. I got everything pieced together and they should be fine with a little adjustment. I made a size bigger than I thought I'd need just in case but I am definitely going to take them in about an inch on either side. I think I may cuff them if I have the length on the bottom.

The sweater is definitely not going to be done by Saturday. I was hoping to finish it for a car show on Saturday as it is supposed to be cool for the first time in weeks! I can probably get the front and two sleeves done but there's no way I'll complete it. Oh well. I'll just wear a button up shirt with a jacket and take my knitting with me to the car show. There's just too much going on right now for me to devote all my time to one project.

***NEW PATTERN***




1941 Vogue pattern for blouse with button or pull over shirt. Size 12, 30 Bust. I'm really really excited for this pattern. I got it from Woodland Farms Antiques. I believe it's called Woodland Farms Vintage now. I've gotten so many great patterns from this site. I don't think I've been a 30 bust since jr. high school, but I just couldn't pass this pattern up.

I'd like to make the shirt that pulls over your head. I need sporty casual clothes. I'm rarely in the mood to be dressed to the nines, especially if I think I'm going to get dirty or if it's going to be a long day; sometimes, I just want to be comfortable. I'm going to keep an eye out for jerseys in cotton, rayon, or wool. I think it will look good with a skirt and with pants.

First Post

I'm doing this mainly to organize my thoughts about my many projects. Every time I look at the pile of patterns I'd like to complete I get overwhelmed. I enjoy sewing but sometimes it's more of a chore because I feel compelled to do it by my lack of height (4'9) and my lack of cash for really nice vintage clothes. I just can't bring myself to buy something that is too long only to cut the bottom off to shorten the hem. The other great thing is that when I inevitably get red lipstick on it or spill coffee on it or drop something greasy on it, I can throw it in the wash or remake it if it's beyond help. So, first project......



I just started this pattern. I'm really excited to have a pair of vintage-ish jeans. I'm not too pleased with my selection of denim but I'm not sure what late 30's, early 40's denim looked like. These pants are darted in the front and back with a pocket and cuffed wide legs. I've already made the overalls from this pattern. I'm not so good on grading patterns and this pattern is about two sizes to big. I've pieced everything together but I have to adjust it to fit. I'm really not good at getting pants to fit and I don't remember how I got the overalls to fit.....Grrr, frustrating.




I also knit.....a little...This sweater has been super easy to do except for the pitfalls I put in my own path. I wasn't paying attention and knit too many rows of the red. Since the pattern has a lot of knitting two together and slipping stitches, I'm not sure how to undo this mistake except knitting backwards through 14 rows. I really don't want to have to go all the way to the ribbing to pick up a row and unravel the rest. I'm almost to shaping the sleeves! I may end up doing that just because I have a 12 hour roundtrip car ride coming up and I should be able to finish most of the sweater during that time.