Old Friends

When I was learning to sew, patterns not only had big impact but a familiarity - like old friends. This Simplicity 9544 in particular - I learned to sew with Simplicity, and loved the Jiffy Young Junior/Teen styles. 9544 was very popular, a lot of young teens made them in all different versions. Even Seventeen magazine featured it -- In the 70's, their fashion editorial pages would have their models in sewn outfits for the different pattern companies. I made it twice. One in a yellow rose bud print on a black background (foretelling of moving to Texas?), the other was another black background with brightly colored flowers with the dominant color hot pink! I made the shorts for both out of black, but trimmed the pair for the colorful one in hot pink rick-rack. And then used the rick-rack down the front and along the openings. LOVED those outfits. I wore the rose version for the first day of Junior High School - 7th grade at Hoover Drive. At least I looked good for my descent into Hell. Let's move on. I remembered looking at the Vogue patterns catalog at McCurdy's fabric department. You had to order those patterns, even then Vogue held a cachet. I thought this Vogue 1363 Nina Ricci wedding gown was gorgeous. I don't know if it was the scarf or the photo or the fabric or being 14 years old.

This morning I started sorting through my pattern stash - I think I have sewing ADD - and found two more favorites. Even before I had a date, I wanted to sew and wear this Gil Aimbez Butterick 5387 pattern for my Senior Ball. I made the version on the far right out of all-over eyelet and border eyelet. I trimmed the underskirt in more even more lace! Then I threaded narrow turquoise ribbon through the holes on the sleeves and the skirt bottom. It was so pretty, I actually still have it. I'll see if L can fit into it and if she will allow me/be bribed to get a photo! The 7880 Simplicity Contemporary Fashion was another favorite - from the notes on the pattern, I made the skirt least four times. You look at it now and the styling would still be fashionable to wear today. I made the blouse out of two eyelets, a different one for the yoke. The vest was a solid red trimmed in white braid to match a red and white flowered print light weight linen from Jo-Ann's - $4.99/yard and I needed 2 7/8. The first time I ever spent that much per yard on fabric and you can bet I did not round up to three yards. This outfit was a serious weekend of babysitting ($1/hour), but oh sew worth it. You could make the skirt three ways - a border print or scarf print cut on the bias, in addition to my wallet-emptying linen. Look at how thick the cutting lines were on the patterns back then. Yet they always fit. Hmmm.

Funny how you can remember all the details of the things you've made. Coming across patterns on the Internet and in my collection was like running into old friends.