Sadly, despite having a project all ready to start, I haven’t been able to do any sewing. That's because I am now in another Manitoba town, far away from my sewing machine. But that’s alright, it just gives me a chance to pick up more supplies!
Especially since pretty much the entirety of my sewing supplies are still in southern Ontario.
First off, I checked out this cute little fabric store located on Main Street. While I didn’t get any fabric (as if I need any more potential projects to distract me from thesis writing), I did pick up some supplies, including fabric chalk, pins, bias tape, rivets and piping (for one of the tops mentioned here), and a few other do-dads.
After the fabric store, I checked out the local thrift store, and boy oh boy, did I hit the jackpot! Never mind the adorable denim trousers and casual dress jacket in exactly my size, this place had a beautifully organized sewing section. They had tonnes of fabric and notions! Guess that’s the bonus of hitting a thrift store in a strong Mennonite community.
I picked up a whole whack of pretty (and some pretty ugly) buttons, as well as two large pieces of fabric. So much for not distracting myself with more projects.
The white and yellow striped fabric is actually a large cotton/poly blend top sheet (in excellent condition), and I sort of want to make a shirt-dress with it. It’d have to be lined, of course, but I think it’d look really lovely. The other fabric is a woven shirting-weight fabric of mysterious origin, and I have no idea what I’ll do with it yet.
Sure is lovely, though. Possibly a blouse? A light-weight skirt? I may even have enough of it to make a dress!
Oh, and I found this really ugly (but with great potential!) shirt dress pattern. It’s very obviously from the early ‘90s, but I like the fuller skirt on it. I’m torn between making up this pattern (view C, with alterations to modernize it a bit), or picking up McCall’s 4769. Hmm… Any thoughts? Maybe alterations at this scale is a little too much for me, and PR has many adorable reviews of the pattern. Sadly, there is none for this vintage(?) pattern. Eh, we'll see.
Thifting is pretty awesome in my books, mostly because I'm cheap (I'm from the Canadian prairies, we're sort of known for it), but also because I believe in reusing rather than wasting resources on new (usually inferior or disposable) products.
Do you thrift shop for clothes or sewing supplies? Or do you prefer to only use new fabric/supplies/clothes? Any particular reason why?
Hehe the 50s sewing book I posted about earlier this week came from a Mennonite shop :). I love thrift store sewing finds, though they're a bit perilous on the stash front as you have to grab it when you see it. No danger to the Prairie-thrifty stereotype here (or the broke-ass grad student one, for that matter).
ReplyDeleteLove those buttons! :)
Great finds Heather! Love the idea of a shirt dress, but personally neither of the patterns you suggested really grab me, although I like the fuller skirt on the thrifted pattern (which shouldn't surprise you in the least :) ).
ReplyDeleteLove the flower pins - I have the same kind and they are some of my favorite pins - don't roll around and lie nice and flat.
@tanitisis: Hah! It's terrifying when the two stereotypes collide, eh?
ReplyDelete@Heather: I wasn't fond of the modern shirtdress at first, until I saw a bunch of reviews on it. They're lovely! Although it sounds like the instructions suck for the collar, but the more I look at it, the more I'm drawn to it. Meh, we'll see. I'm not ready for that project yet.
And as someone who has had pins go through toes not once, but twice, I like the idea that these are easy to find and won't roll away! Plus, hullo pretty pins!