MPB Men's Shirt Sewalong

Pattern acquisition SUCCESS!!!

So I totally had to get my hot little hands on a copy of the same pattern that Peter has with that funky front. Etsy, how I love thee. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? So longing for the same pattern is not wrong, is it?

Anyhow, the pattern has shipped and I expect it to arrive in the next day or so. I'm so excited to make the short sleeved view in the orange/blue vintage plaid fabric. What's weird is that blogger won't let the pic use the "transparency" that it was saved as. Instead, it has a black background... Meh. Just the normal blogger weirdness I guess.

Fun With Statistics

I've posted before about my obsession with cataloging my patterns. And how a 99¢ sale at the local Mega Fabric Mart is like a siren song. Well... This morning at a quarter to two EST, I completed my catalog. At least of the patterns that are complete, in envelopes and readily at hand. I'm not counting patterns that are in the garage in a bin (not too many of those) or empty envelopes that I've no clue where the pattern pieces went (two of those) or the patterns that are en route to me from a variety of Etsy sellers.

Nope. Just the ones at hand. I found exactly TWO duplicates in my stash of 292 patterns. They can be found in my Etsy shop. Now on to the stats:

288 Unique Patterns

• 135 Vintage, Vintage Reissue or Vintage Repro Patterns
• 1 Backpack Pattern
• 10 Apron Patterns
• 89 Children's Patterns
• 20 Costume Patterns
• 1 "Cozy Wear" Pattern
• 42 Craft Patterns
• 61 Women's Dress Patterns
• 2 Home Dec Patterns
• 7 Jacket Patterns (there are 2 copies of two patterns because I needed both size ranges)
• 7 Lingerie Patterns
• 3 Needlework Patterns
• 8 Skirt Patterns

By Era:

• 6 1980s Patterns
• 20 1970s Patterns
• 13 1960s Patterns
• 35 1950s Patterns
• 32 1940s Patterns
• 7 1930s Patterns
• 1 Early 1900s Pattern
• 1 Regency Pattern

By Pattern Company:

• 4 Advance Patterns
• 1 AmericanWeekly Pattern
• 5 Burda Patterns
• 46 Butterick Patterns
• 8 Mail Order Patterns including 2 Grit, 1 Pictorial Review, 1 Ladies Home Journal, 1 Let's Sew, 1 Capper's Weekly, 1 Vogart Needlework and 1 Superior Needlework
• 1 Kwik Sew Pattern
• 1 Hollywood Pattern
• 27 McCall's Patterns
• 20 New Look Patterns
• 140 Simplicity Patterns <--- The irony of this is not lost on me. Why? Because "Simplicity" is an oxymoron when it comes to their pattern instructions. I find Vogue patterns easier to comprehend.
• 27 Vogue Patterns
• 1 Wearing History Pattern
• 1 Sense & Sensibility Pattern

Are your eyes glazing over yet? Because mine are. And that's not even close to a fully accurate breakdown.

I dated all my vintage patterns as closely as I could using the guide over at Cemetarian. And my better half is working on an app for Windows Phone/Windows 7 that will hold the catalog - complete with pattern envelope image. Once the app is finished and tested, we'll offer it for sale. Sorry iPhone/iPod Touch users, Apple is so uptight about programming for their devices that we won't be offering an app for you. I can't say too much about the app as of right now, but it will be "Teh Awesome" and an "Epic Win" once it's finished. I'm such a lucky girl!

Once I get done with digging out the lurking patterns in the garage and receive all my ordered ones, I have a feeling I'm heading for 300 - dun dun DUN!!!!

Tonight we sew in heck! Or something like that...

Featured Blog Post: Aux Belles Choses

And the "Alice Apron".

Once upon a time a girl had so much vintage fabric
she didn't know what to do.
So she cut it all out and stitched it together
and said to herself, "Now that is MUCH better".
But still she was blue for she had no more room
to keep her creations.
So she packed it up and mailed it forthwith
from Florida to Texas as a surprise gift.
Little did she know that that little thing
would be one tiny spark and from it a business would spring.

Stephanie was the recipient of the apron in the "poem". I took pictures of it and here they are:

I've been so thrilled to watch her progress as an entrepreneur and sewist. The Alice Apron is - in my opinion - one of her best works. From concept to creation, she's really captured the feeling of Alice in Wonderland but with a mature twist.

A Sew Retro Post

Again! I'm on a spree this week.

This time I'm seeking advice on what dress to make next. Click on over via the linkie above and leave a comment, ok? I'll make whatever dress gets the most votes by March 31st!