New vintage shirt & NJ pride re-fashion
I have two things to share this week. First, a shirt made using this
vintage pattern, Simplicity 6048, copyright 1965. (You can read the
full story of my acquisition of this pattern here.) 
I chose to use this pattern largely because I had a piece
of fabric I liked that fitted its requirements. This pattern was uncut,
a nice discovery. As for the finished product, I don't know if
I'll end up wearing it very often, but I like it. It was simple and
quick to put together, thanks to the kimono sleeves (which I am trying
to show off using the same sassy pose as the ladies in the
illustration), but making the keyhole was interesting enough to keep it
fun. A less lazy person would have taken the time to make sure the
pattern met at the center front seam, but it doesn't bother me that it
doesn't. I made the belt out of an old tie featuring another vaguely
Asian bird print. The button (not functional - another time-saver,
since I can't do buttonholes on my machine - there's a zipper in the
back) was from my grandma's old button box.
One
more even speedier refashion to report, a re-fashioning of a youth
t-shirt into a toddler dress. These t-shirts are swag sent out to
people who make donations to where dad works,
but the smallest size available was still way too big for her. So, I
narrowed it, cut off the sleeves and top, made some casings and
threaded through the strips cut off from the sides. Hard to see in this
picture, but there are bows at each shoulder. Now she can sport her
pride in Daddy's job and in New Jersey - that's the Pulaski Skyway
in the picture, probably familiar to anyway who has ever left New York
City traveling west, and one of those iconic structures that captures
the ugly beautiful essence of New Jersey. 
I don't expect to do much sewing this week, as we'll be
leaving for a week on Wednesday. I do hope to throw together a dress
for her to wear to the wedding we'll be attending on that trip, maybe
something similar to this black skyway dress, but in a material more
likely to meet the approval of the great-grandmas.
