13 Reasons to Get Out the Sewing Machine: New Children's Patterns at GoofingOff Sewing

Need a reason to get the sewing machine out? How about 13 reasons? 13 great children's sewing patterns at GoofingOff Sewing. Something for the little ones all the way to the Oh-so-cool teens. 

McCall's 8812 Infants' Lined Tops and Panties UNCUT

The criss-cross style and button shoulder straps makes this outfit so cute. One pattern with 8 looks.

Simplicity 7984 Boys and Girls Hats....12 styles...Partially cut COMPLETE

What's summer without a hat? Keep the sun off and look cute, too! Maybe make a few in the same color for the little guy's (or gal's) crew...great party idea. 

Butterick 4385 Girls Dresses in size 7-14 COMPLETE

Lovely enough for a summer wedding with a little jacket to keep the chill off the shoulders. 

Simplicity 8881 Junior Teen Dress, Pants, and Scarf. Size 7/8 bust 29 inch COMPLETE

Oh, so retro for the teen....cute dress with bell bottoms pants!

McCall's 3850 Boys' and Girls' Robes and Pajamas Size 7/8 COMPLETE

New jimmies or robe for gift-giving? Maybe a sleep shirt and shorts in some cute, funny fabric. 

McCall's 4164 Boys' Shirts Size 3-6 UNCUT 

So Joe Cool, especially in little guy sizes...Makes the look all that much cuter.

McCall's 4291 Boys' and Girls' Pajamas and Nightgowns Size 8  COMPLETE

More jimmies and nightgowns...Great gift idea.

McCall's 9051 Infants' Pinless Diaper, Diaper Cover, and Wrap Shirt UNCUT

These would be a wonderful shower gift. Use the appliqué or fussy cut a cute pic from fabric and make something unique and ecologically sound. One less diaper for the landfill...or a cute diaper cover for a trip out of the house. 

McCall's 8870 Toddlers' Costumes Cow, Flower, Clown, Witch, Dinosaur, Bear, and Bat in size  1-2-3 UNCUT

Now, you know I had to have a costume pattern in here...Of course I do. This one is for toddlers....I love tots in costumes...They are so cute! And they know it.

Stretch & Sew 970 Children's Jacket Size 8-14 UNCUT

Retro preppy look from the 1960's.

The Children's Corner "Libby" Girls' Jumper/Sundress Size 1-8 UNCUT

Adorable jumper pattern from The Children's Corner. Use contrasting fabric for the sash for a different look. 

McCall's 4963 Girls' Tops, Gown, Shorts, Pants, and Blanket Size 3-6 UNCUT

 Oh, something to use all that fleece....Blankets and jammies!

Indigo Junction Bear Essentials Girls' Jumpers with Bear Appliqué and Bear Backpack Size 2-8 UNCUT

OK, not just a cute jumper with a bear but a bear backpack, too. Sew cute!

OK, 13 reasons. I had 14 but it sold before I could publish this post. Sometimes that happens. Anyway, remember to use the coupon code BLOGGIN to get your 15% discount exclusive to blog readers. 

Sew On!

Post by Eileen......who is Goofing Off!

Mid Week Rummaging: Little Girl and Her Doll Twin

Nothing  seems cuter than a little girl and her baby doll, except a little girl and her baby doll in matching outfits. The concept isn't new....this ad for a little girl's and doll's matching outfits is from Ladies' Home Journal, December, 1939. Hats, sweater, skirt, and apron match. Adorable! Great idea for holiday sewing. 

Nothing  seems cuter than a little girl and her baby doll, except a little girl and her baby doll in matching outfits. The concept isn't new....this ad for a little girl's and doll's matching outfits is from Ladies' Home Journal, December, 1939. Hats, sweater, skirt, and apron match. Adorable!

Post by Eileen at GoofingOff. 

Use the coupon code BLOGGIN to get your 15% discount during purchase. 

New Listings in GoofingOff Sewing: Be Still My Rockabilly Heart!

It's mid summer and incredibly hot in this part of the world. Summer in north Florida is like this: hot in the morning, rain in the afternoon, hot in the evening. Sometimes we are lucky to get a breeze..and when we do I love to stand in it and savor it. The next best thing is a fan on the front porch blowing while I sit in the front porch swing.  There are times I want to stay outside sans A/C, especially if I am working in the yard. Today darling hubby put up a fan above the swing (had one that died 2 years ago...fan, not the hubby) after I bought a new one. Hooray! Maybe I will sit in the swing and let the fan blow on me (a little, not gale force) during our afternoon shower.
Meanwhile, back at GoofingOff Sewing, there's some new patterns just listed. Some, like the Rockabilly Summer Tops, are perfect for summer...as in now...others good for fall or holiday sewing. Either way, each one has its own charm.

Be Still my Rockabilly Heart! Simplicity 2118  Misses' Blouses and Bras from 1957 in size 18, Bust 38. COMPLETE

McCall's 2542 Misses' Pullover Dress from 1986 in size 10. COMPLETE

Simplicity 5979 from 1965. Misses' Weskit, Pants, Skirt, and Blouse in size 12, bust 32 inches. COMPLETE
What is a weskit? It looks like it is part vest, part blouse; this one is lined and double breasted.

McCall's 6996 Men's Shirts in 38-40. COMPLETE

New Look 6251 Misses' Two Piece Dress. European sizing. COMPLETE 
Size 8-18 or 36-46 (Euro) Six Sizes in one Pattern!

McCall's 6597 Misses' Playsuit sized for stretch knits. COMPLETE

Simplicity 9738 Script Alphabet Embroidery Transfers

Simplicity 6411 Hip Huggers, Bra-Top, and Shirt in size 18, Bust 40 inches. COMPLETE

Simplicity 4762 Men and Boys Vests and Ties UNCUT Imagine matching vests and ties at a wedding, a holiday gathering, or photo shoot. Too cute!

Simplicity 8161 Misses' Shirt-Jacket, Pants, Skirt from 1979 in size 10 COMPLETE

McCall's 3857 Misses' Jacket, Top, Skirt, & Pants Size 12 or 14. COMPLETE

Simplicity 8749 Men's, teen boys, or Misses' Shirt, pull-on pants, and cap in Xs-S-Med. COMPLETE

Use the coupon code BLOGGIN to get 15% off your purchase at GoofingOff Sewing. 
Savor the summer and Happy Sewing!
Post by Eileen ......who is GoofingOff.

Mid Week Rummage: Accent on Daintiness

Hostess Gown, Hollywood Patterns 1897, from 1939.

Happy Wednesday. 

My good friend, Nan, finished counting and checking about 100 patterns....which means I HAVE LOTS OF WORK TO DO! However, a gal has to take a coffee break sometime, so I did, and while I sipping my dose of caffeine (medicinal purpose...clears the cobwebs from the brain) I traveled back to 1939 through the pages of Ladies' Home Journal. 

I love to look at old magazines and newspapers. I heard someone say photography is like time travel.....well, I guess that is what I do. Today I traveled back to December, 1939, when Europe was at war but the U.S. wasn't....yet.  English mothers were worried about their children surviving bombing raids, dresses were still long, and the photo gallery for 1940 shows legends like President and Mrs. Roosevelt. Among the pages was this advertisement for Hollywood Patterns by Charlotte Johnson. 

Hollywood Patterns, Accent on Daintiness, 1939

"Accent on Daintiness" show several patterns for nightgowns, negligees, slips (fitted bodice and brassiere!), and robes. I love the hair styles and the Fred and Ginger fashions. Be still my heart! Maybe I can find some music, like Glen Miller or Benny Goodman to play so I can stay a little longer. 

Coffee break is over. Back to 2015. Got to quit goofing off. Wait...I am GoofingOff! lol

Post by Eileen .....who is GoofingOff. 
Get a 15% discount with the coupon code BLOGGIN... good to blog readers. 

New Fabric Listings in GoofingOff

I do a little sewing, usually a pillowcase or two for do-good work. Making something for little girls comes pretty easy to me....something pink, a little bit of lace, and a ribbon or bow (or two...or both) and Voila! perfect for girls. Boys, on the other hand....hmmm....that's a bit of a stretch for me coming from a family of 4 girls and having a daughter...an estrogen-enriched atmosphere if there ever was one.  So I did a little looking around and found some fabric suitable for everybody. 

Moon Owls 100% Cotton fabric. By the Half Yard. Owl circles are 2 3/4 inches across. These little owls are so cute!

Halloween Stache Fabric 100% Cotton by the Half Yard When I found this fabric I couldn't stop laughing. Vibrant colors, nice weight. 

Race Cars fabric by the half yard Vroom, vroom!

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Alexander Henry Fabric Route 66 By the Half Yard Get your kicks..... This is really nice fabric. Good for pillowcases, passport holders, journal covers....

Alexander Henry Aloha Girls by the 1/2 yard  Beautiful fabric.

So there's a few ideas to work with. Make magic happen.

Post by Eileen Patterson....who is GoofingOff!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is one of those..."we know what it isn't and don't know really what to do about it" syndrome. A syndrome that many thought (and still think) it is "all in your head" (they used to say that about asthma, too) but it's real. Recently I read a blog post by a woman who has it describing her experience. 
Pretty good read.
Do I Have CFS? by Blu Chicken Ninja

Read it. Great insight into the syndrome and its sufferers. 

Pluto: Who Else Is Obsessed?

Star Gazer Fabric in Half Yard or fat quarter lengths

The scientific world is buzzing lately with the pictures of Pluto coming back to earth. I love looking at them. I am so amazed at the thought that we have real pictures of this planet (ok, dwarf planet) coming back to earth. Ice mountain ranges, a moon with craters, and nitrogen (maybe water?) on this frozen planet!!! So cool. 
A patient called me into his room when the photos were first broadcast. He was as excited as I was. He went on to tell me how JFK spoke about putting men on the moon and space exploration and how lucky he was to be alive to see it. Well, I guess that's how I feel.
 I doubt if I will be the nurse in the first Mars colony but maybe it will be someone I helped train or influence. Never know....Why not? The movie Avatar starts off in a VA hospital....yes, a very futuristic VA hospital....there will always be a need for nurses..even on Mars.
Or maybe I might get a pattern order from the colony.... Wonder what the shipping charges would be? How would they cut the fabric? Pattern weights probably wouldn't work (low gravity) Or maybe they would...(more gravity). Lots to think about. 

Post by Eileen Patterson.....who is GoofingOff....and stargazing. 

Mid Week Rummage: YSL Pantsuit for the City

I found an old issue of Life magazine with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward on the cover (Life, October 18, 1968). Unfortunately, some lovely young person wrote over most of the magazine...like on the cool ads. Beware when the kids are quiet....Anyway, I started looking through the mag anyway and came upon this:

"the chiffon see-through with the ostrich fluff around the hips (left) is St.Laurent's and the pants variation is by Galitzine. New York stores selling copies of the St. Laurent report that most buyers also choose the optional underpinnings. Galitzine usually sells hers with a bra to private customer."

Yves Saint Laurent showed his fall line and part of it was see through. I remember seeing something about it in the paper,  a see-through blouse, and didn't even want to approach my mom about that one. The heading was "See Through Break Through" and told about the launch of the transparent shirt and the topless bathing suit by Galitzine in 1964. While both had a lot of attention, nobody really bought into it, at least not in the US. In '68, YSL decided to try again. I still don't think it worked.....however, he did bring pantsuits to the city. 

Top photo: "Betty Saint (left) from his Paris salon, wears his wide-legged outfit and Faye Dunaway his jacketed black wool. Faye also bought a see-through dress---without the underpinnings.......Some restaurants are still in a quandary about whether or not to permit pants, but Miss Stutz for one says, 'I would rather change restaurants than change my clothes."

This was big.....real big. Before that it just wasn't acceptable to wear anything but a dress or skirt in the office or at school. It's hard to imagine when women in pants was not accepted. 

"At an unusual appearance at a New York fashion show, St.Laurent happily receives the applause of models who are all wearing his pantsuits.".....none in see-throughs...

Post by Eileen Patterson....who is GoofingOff

Cocktails, Anyone? Cocktail Dress Patterns at GoofingOff Sewing

What is it about a  cocktail dress that makes a woman feel sexy? Is it the silky fabric that clings in the right places....that turns a walk into an event to observe...the little extra wriggle in the walk?  That's the go to dress for date night or a friend's wedding. From the LBD to the Lady in Red they add something special to the night...

Here's a few dress patterns to make that special cocktail dress.

Vogue 1895 by Designers Tom and Linda Platt. Note the sweetheart neckline. 

Simplicity 8841 with fitted bodice and spaghetti straps from Jessica McClintock

Vogue 8149 Strapless with fitted bodice....

Butterick 5541 Draped dress with a sleek, sexy silhouette.

Butterick 3514 Sleek silhouette with a slit to show "just a little bit." 

McCall's 5770 from the early 1960's with fitted bodice and flared skirt. 

Advance 8728 from the 1950's. The trapeze dress, first designed by Yves  St. Laurent (who else?). Fitted at the shoulders, widening at the hips. Proper cocktail length somewhere around the knees.

Do I have one in my closet? Really? At least one, in black, close fitting to wear on special occasions....of course.

Post by Eileen Patterson....who is GoofingOff.
Use the coupon code BLOGGIN to get a 15% discount from the GoofingOff Sewing shop...exclusive to blog readers. 

Costume Patterns are at GoofingOff Sewing

McCall's 7218 Yaya Han's Original Peacock Costume

Make believe....for me make believe conjures up images of capes and masks, swords were really sticks, bicycles magically became horses. My crinolined dress made me a ballerina if I twirled fast enough. A costume took make believe to a whole new level...I really was a princess or a fairy when I wore the costume. It was magic.

McCall's 4887 Girls Fairy Costumes UNCUT These aren't just cute, they come with wings, too. Totally practical.

McCall's 7212 Girls' Princess and Fairy Costumes UNCUT

McCall's 7211 Dog Costumes...Frozen UNCUT  
 Imagining Miss Boxer singing Let It Go...

McCall's 7213 Girls' Sleeping Beauty Costume UNCUT

McCall's 7214 Kid's Ninja Turtles and Minion Costumes  UNCUT

McCall's 7216 Southern Gentleman's costume pattern UNCUT

McCall's 4139 Capes UNCUT

The Annual GoofingOff Costume Sewing Pattern Sale starts September 1. I'm getting excited already.

Post by Eileen Patterson.....who is GoofingOff.
Use the coupon code BLOGGIN to get your 15% discount.....only for blog readers.