tips for daily wear

Madewithawesome have some of the funniest designs out there and have never failed to be very original. The story is that they come from a magical world at the end of a rainbow, where you get only if you follow a very colorful unicorn. Neat, isn’t it? They have a different kind of humor than others and make for a fantastic collection of prints.
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The WormholeFossils RefueledGarden SnakeHot Air BalloonLunch Breakzp8497586rq

0/5 (0 Reviews)

Seriously. Holly at LuciteBox vintage has had this up as a Buy-It-Now on eBay for like, a week now and it’s STILL THERE. I was taking a look at my list of to-be-blogged topics and believed “There’s no method that dress is still up,” but when I went to check, it was. Sheesh! What is up? Is everyone still getting back from Labor Day vacation? Are you still trying to get that last week of wear out of your summertime sandals? Does everyone have the horrific head cold I came down with?

I mean, inspect out the back:

That alone should have made you hit that useful “Buy It Now” button.

Anyway, it’s navy, B36/W26, and just ordinary gorgeous, and pretty inexpensive at $74.

Everyone should have a extremely structured dark dress for the days where you mean Business. This is a brook-no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners dress. I have one that is black crepe and insanely severe; but it can go from lady-scientist to hardcore-vamp with a change of shoes and a slash of red lipstick. This is one of those dresses, and believe me, once you have a dress such as this you feel a renewed sense of confidence. It’s like having a $100 bill in your pocket, an unmetered vehicle parking space, a new pair of kickass shoes, and a amazing idea, all at once. even when you’re not using it. just having it in your closet, ready to pull out in case of emergency, is enough.

So why is this still available? I don’t know. I am going to have to fall back on my conventional there’s-no-good-explanation explanation: sunspots.

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Fear of the fear of FailureMay 1, 2008

material is, don’t you know:

That’s the Japanese liberty print I purchased in Tokyo, oh, lo these numerous weeks ago. (If you hadn’t noticed, I got a bit behind on blogging there before Christmas … sorry about that.) I purchased it at the exact same location I went to back in 2008 — so pleased it was still there! 

It took me a while to select this — I truly desired something dark, however of program all the spring prints were calling to me. I ought to have taken photos of the runners-up, however they were mainly dark ditsy florals. this has a bit much more heft to it, as well as the olive color is just gorgeous. Here, have a better look: 

 

Not rather sure what this will be yet, however vogue 8728 is a strong competitor … 

 

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Fabric buying in Japan: Liberty!August 5, 2008With 56 comments
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I like this dress. I believe it would be fun to have this gown with three or four different underslips, in different patterns, type of like using different t-shirts with exact same suit, only better. This gown was most likely utilized in one of those 1960s films where the heroine’s “disguise” included a totally conspicuous hat as well as sun glasses that would shield cars and truck headlamps, or where she dressed as a young boy (but with full-on false eyelashes), or she “hid” by standing behind a set of brocade drapes (like any type of villain with typical sense doesn’t have venetian blinds at this point).

You can nab this gown (and potentially indication up for Interpol) at the vintage fashion Library, where Lisa is having a totally free shipping sale. Yes, that even includes you people outside the U. S. of A. (See what I imply about Interpol?) Also, 10% of your purchase cost will be contributed to the United Christmas service in Indianapolis. (Interpolnapolis? Okay, took the joke as well far.) This sale includes patterns at miss Helene’s also — email Lisa for much more details if you want to purchase from both sites. Sale lasts up until the 17th, so shop now for finest choice …

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Oh, Leola.August 13, 2008
Rude? Or just Clueless? Or Something Else?April 19, 2007
Collared!September 29, 2008

I’ve been looking for a vintage all-metal zig-zag sewing machine to keep in a treadle base ever since I was confronted with my singer 252’s limited life expectancy. This search led me to the singer 328K.

My requirements for a sewing machine were:

Singer short shank sewing machine so all my attachments and accessories are compatible
All metal gears and no timing belt to break
Takes special stitch cams (fashion discs)
Can be used with a treadle base
Uses regular sewing machine needles
Top-loading drop-in bobbin (they have fewer thread snarls than front or side mounted bobbins)

I wasn’t sure my perfect sewing machine existed, but then I found the singer 328, and it seemed to meet all of my requirements. The only thing I wish it did that it doesn’t was hold two fashion disks at once so I can switch between zig-zag and 3-step zig-zag easily.

I bought my singer 328K on ebay. On the auction listing there was a video of the seller putting it through its paces without thread, but the motor worked, the needle went up and down, and the feed dogs moved, so I thought there was a very high chance it was in good working order.

When I got the sewing machine, it had survived shipping. I attribute that more to the shape of the sewing machine and the fact that it was in a case than the limited amount of packaging material. I cleaned and oiled the machine, then put thread in it. As soon as I started to sew, the thread right away jammed in the bobbin area.

I finally figured out that the spring on the bobbin case was broken off and the bobbin tension screw was missing. Well, I just happen to have a singer 252 parts machine with a very similar bobbin case, so I took the spring and screw off of its bobbin case and put it on the 328K bobbin case. They fit just fine, and the sewing machine works! Do you know what lesson I took from this? NEVER, ever get rid of vintage sewing machines or sewing machine parts. Which means I will have to be very careful not to acquire too many sewing machines, or my house will be too crowded to live in.

One of the things I noticed about this sewing machine is that the shuttle race oscillates rather than spinning around in a complete circle. I suppose it is cheaper to manufacture an all metal machine this way, since you don’t have to have gears down below the bobbin. also you don’t have a timing belt that can break. The affect of this design is that the machine vibrates when sewing at high speeds, which is kind of annoying. It’s not quite as bad as my antique vibrating shuttle machine, though. now that it is on a treadle base, I can’t sew fast enough to have the vibration be an issue.

If I hadn’t read that the singer 328 can be put in a treadle base, I never would have guessed that it would work. On the bottom right of the sewing machine bed there is a plastic plug that unscrews to reveal a notch for the treadle belt to go through.

After removing the plug, the motor belt needed to come off. I found this blog post that helped me figure out how to get the motor belt off.

I have two treadle bases; one is a singer base from the early 1900’s and the other is a German treadle with a larger wheel. There is so little clearance for a treadle belt I figured the singer base would be the only one that would work.

I made my own table top with a custom hole (nothing fancy – it’s made from scrap wood) so I could position the sewing machine exactly in the right spot to get the best clearance for the treadle belt. I quickly realized that no matter how I positioned the machine, the treadle belt would rub on the front of the sewing machine frame just below the bobbin winder. I think you are supposed to replace the handwheel with one with a smaller pulley before hooking it up to a treadle, but I don’t have one that fits. I’ve seen pictures of a singer 401G (which has a similar shape to allow for a treadle belt) with leather shavings all over the machine from the belt rubbing. Yeah, that wasn’t going to work for me. some of the sewing machine frame had to come off.

I’ve marked below the part I cut off. The frame is aluminum, so it wasn’t too hard. I drilled holes along the cut line, then filed down the edge. A Dremel would probably be good for this, but I don’t have one. For anyone else doing this, learn from my mistakes – mask off the end of the machine so it doesn’t get metal shavings all over inside and put tape on the front of the machine so you don’t scratch it when your drill bit or file slips.

I could have just left the original wiring in place, but the old cord was getting a little stiff and I didn’t want to have the foot controller in the way, so I put in a new power cord to the light only. since the machine is metal, my electrician spouse suggested grounding the machine to avoid the possibility of electrocution if there is an electrical fault. sounds like a good idea to me! There are moving parts in there right next to live wires, so Icould see the possibility of something bad happening.

I filed off the paint where the red circles are so I could connect the grounding wire there

New wires connected

I had to put washers on the screw so the grounding cord connector would be pressed in tightly

I couldn’t put the upper screw on the side cover back on, since it would hit the treadle belt. You can see the belt through the hole.

The light works!

Since there is so little clearance for the treadle belt, I didn’t want to use a metal staple to connect the ends of the belt. I figured it would scrape on the inside of the sewing machine. instead I connected the belt ends with upholstery thread and put fray check all over the thread. We’ll see how it holds up.

I would not describe the singer 328K as “treadle ready”. It took a lot of work to get it set up, and even now there is barely room for the treadle belt. maybe someday I’ll get a replacement handwheel that works better for this machine.

Would I recommend this machine for treadling? Not really. It’s not terrible, but it takes some modifications to make it work and it sews slowly since the pulley on the handwheel is so large. It should be a good machine for teaching young kids to sew on, though, since it treadles slowly and easily. I just happen to have a couple of kids I’m teaching to sew, so maybe this isn’t a bad thing.

Update 11/5/2015:
I found a handwheel that sort of fits on this machine and lets me sew much faster. Spoked handwheels are too thick around the edge, so they hit the cover on the side of the machine and won’t go on all the way. You might be able to use one with the cover off, but I didn’t want to do that, since then I’d have exposed wiring and and ugly gaping hole.

The handwheel I used is a solid black one from a motorized singer 128. Unlike most solid handwheels, this one has the same diameter at the belt groove as the spoked handwheels.

I put the new handwheel on and moved this sewing machine to a different treadle base that has a slightly larger wheel than singer treadle bases, so now I’m getting 6 stitches per treadle instead of 3. about 5 stitches per treadle is typical for a singer treadle sewing machine. sewing faster means treadling is a little harder, but it’s still reasonable.

The only problem with this handwheel is that I couldn’t use the bobbin winder because the ridge that the bobbin winder makes contact with is in further. I really wanted to be able to use the bobbin winder on this machine since it winds really nice bobbins, so I cut and filed off some more of the aluminum sewing machine frame so the bobbin winder could make contact with the handwheel. I kept filing off a little more, then a little more. I was getting worried it wasn’t going to work and I would have hacked up my sewing machine for nothing, but eventually I got enough taken off, and the bobbin winder works.

I was trying to use the 328k as my main sewing machine, since I know the plastic gear deep inside my singer 252 is likely to break at some point in the next few years. I just don’t enjoy sewing on the 328k, though. It doesn’t have a lot of harp space, doesn’t have the extra-high presser foot lift feature most machines have, and I have to make extreme adjustments to the tension when using various stitches. also I just think it looks like an ugly alien grasshopper, so it’s hard to fall in love with. I just got a straight stitch only singer 201 to use as my main treadle sewing machine. I’m happy enough with the 328k to use it a secondary machine when I need to use zig-zag or other utility stitches. So I think I’m finally set for life with sewing machines.

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My singer 411GFor the last couple of years I’ve been searching for the perfect zig-zag sewing machine that can be treadled. I haven’t found one that meets all of my requirements, but I’ve found several that come close. My singer 328K is all metal, it makes most of the stitches I need,…
March 24, 2017In “Treadle sewing Machines”

Review: Janome 712T Treadle sewing MachineThe Amazon product links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on these links and purchase something, I will earn a small commission. I’ve been sewing on treadle sewing machines most of my life, and I really don’t enjoy sewing on electric machines, so when I first saw…
July 24, 2016In “Sewing machine reviews”

Treadling a singer 201-2 and StuffI’ve had another flare up of VSMAD (Vintage sewing machine acquisition Disorder). I thought I had it under control, but apparently not. This disorder cannot be cured, but does occasionally go into remission. I’ve acquired two new machines in the last month – a singer 201 for myself, and a…
November 5, 2015In “Treadle sewing Machines”

I was directed to this site last night as well as there were great deals of charming gowns there, however this is the one, by Helen Cherry, that I was still believing about this morning. Obviously, the material is extremely close to my cherished liberty of London, if not really from their looms, as well as the shape is sophisticated as well as simple. I desire the photo was clearer, since I truly suspect a bit smocking or tucks at the waist, which would be just the type of unexpected, witty touch I’d requirement to see to even believe about paying $400 for a dress.

I utilized to believe that if I were fabulously affluent (and if you truly believe about it, I really am, compared to 99% of the world) of *course* I’d hire somebody else to sew up my dresses. No a lot more hemming, no a lot more redrafting, I’d just dump the material as well as a rough sketch on somebody else’s stitching table as well as show up for a fitting or two. however the a lot more I believe about it, the a lot more I recognize exactly how much I’d miss the process of really putting gowns together, of feeling that enjoyment when the sleeve cap slides in well to satisfy the armscye, as well as the fascination of enjoying the method the needle bites into the fabric, drags the thread down to satisfy the bobbin, as well as then runs away again.

When you believe of it that way, I’m reluctant to pay $400 for a dress, not since I believe it’s an unconscionable amount of money (it isn’t, really) however since I’d be paying somebody $400 to have my fun instead of me. It’d be like hiring somebody to go on your holiday for you as well as then showing up two weeks later to gather the snapshots.

So if this gown phone calls to you as an item (and you wear a size 4, 6, or 8), click on the picture to go get it. Where would you wear it? What would you wear with it? If this phone calls to you as both an item as well as a process — exactly how would you make it, as well as make it your own? I think, for this one, I’d prolong the carry line a bit for a bit a lot more sleeve, as well as I’d perhaps trim the neck with a large bias band of the exact same material — I like that look where a material with a strong vertical aspect is banded with the exact same aspect on the diagonal.

For summer, I’d like to wear this with a bit 3/4 sleeve cardigan in that exact same blue, with my preferred Fornarina cream-and-blue spectator ankle-straps. In winter, brown tights as well as shiny brown leather round-toe wedges as well as a thicker sweatshirt … I’d most likely hit Toho Shoji on Sixth Ave to get affordable blue ceramic beads to make a choker to opt for it, too, as well as then take the pendant off before I walked out the front door, as I always do. Or perhaps tawny topazes …

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I missed blogging against sexism!March 9, 2007
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Prom Time (circa 1989)April 20, 2007

At first sight, it was total infatuation. It was the second look that made me say “nah …” to this expensive-ish ($295) dress from Neiman Marcus. It certainly makes an excellent first impression. The garnet color, the way it aggressively outlines (and most likely creates) an hourglass shape … on the model, it’s a beautiful dress.

However … on me, or on a lot of women like me (ha! we are LEGION) those gathers over the hip wouldn’t lie down and behave. They cooperate nicely on this angular example of modern femininity, but on us old-school examples, I’m not so sure they would. I’m thinking the ruching under the arms would be irritating and bunchy. and as lovely as wide necklines as these are to contemplate, the undergarment-wrangling they require make them not worth the effort (for me, at least–your undergarment-wrangling-tolerance levels may vary).

Besides — it’s 50% rayon 40% polyester! My polyester tolerance is LOW.

So. I won’t be ruching (hey, it’s my blog and I’ll pun if I want to) to buy this dress. but don’t let me talk you out of it. I think that if you are leanish and want curves, this is the dress for you. If you have a pre-existing curves condition, maybe … not so much.

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So do you keep in mind The uniform Project? lady uses the exact same gown everyday for a year, increases money for charity, excellent idea, yadda yadda.

Even cooler, she made a pattern for the dress, as well as is selling the pattern … except: by getting the pattern (for $25, including $2 additional to her charity) you agree to this wackaloon EULA:

I acknowledge that the styles as well as patterns (the “Dress Patterns”) used for sale on this web site are secured by copyright, trademark as well as other intellectual residential property rights managed by uniform Project. I agree that I may utilize the gown Patterns only for personal, non-commercial purposes. For the function of clarity, I shall not utilize any type of product of garments produced with utilize of the gown Patterns (the “Dress”) in any type of industrial advertising, film, television, print or on the internet media, nor shall any type of gown be offered to third celebrations without the prior written consent of uniform Project. For the avoidance of doubt, no prior written consent shall be needed to publish pictures or videos of any type of gown on a non-commercial website.

There are so lots of things wrong with this. Where to start?

— First, this contract would prohibit you from contributing a gown to goodwill or selling it at a lawn sale.  And IANAL, however I believe this is permitted under the ideal of very first sale: in other words, when you get something, particularly a physical object, it is your ideal to offer it as you choose. 

— It’s quite common for industrial stitching patterns (Vogue, etc.) to state you can’t utilize the pattern to make garments commercially, however — you don’t want to anyway. however stating you can’t wear the gown on TV? Why not? Do they seriously believe that if somebody shows up using this gown in, say, a Mentos industrial it infringes their trademark? What if you are photographed for a “man on the street” segment? (And the founder of the job works in advertising, or did, which makes this all the a lot more head-scratchy.) 

— Again, IANAL, however as far as I know, you cannot copyright a fashion style in the us (in fact, Diane Von Furstenberg has been trying to modification that for years, in part to secure her famous wrap dress) however only the printed pattern (or you can trademark a logo, which is part of the reason why significant logos are so prevalent these days). (And I’m not an professional in utilizing the USPTO site, however I didn’t even see a trademark registered for the uniform Project, under that name.) 

— as well as what makes something a non-commercial website? I run ads, is this site commercial? (That’s why there’s no photo of the gown or pattern here, although I believe their limitation makes no sense.) What about somebody who makes butter-and-egg money from Amazon affiliate links? who gets complimentary products for review?

Does any individual (perhaps somebody who is a lawyer) understand why getting a gown pattern would be saddled with such a restrictive agreement? I can’t envision the possible “tort” that would necessitate this type of heavy-handed protection. Does somebody using this gown in an ad truly injure the uniform job in a substantive way? 

Needless to say, they lost my business. 

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Oh, Leola.August 13, 2008
APB on a BDP (BDP = Bridal gown Pattern)February 4, 2009
Oh, I Forgot!August 9, 2007

Lately I’ve been getting a great deal of extremely kind email stating good things about the trick Lives of gowns series (one, two, three, four) as well as asking me, with different levels of plaintiveness as well as expectation, whether I’m going to compose any type of much more of them.

Well, the response is yes, I do want to compose much more of them. say thanks to you for asking! The issue is that I haven’t been able to spend sufficient time searching for photos of gowns that are itching to tell me their stories! My genuine Job(TM) has been hectic, my other genuine Job(TM) is unfortunately neglected, as well as my household is believing that in six much more years they’ll be able to state me lawfully dead as well as gather the insurance.

So — if you come across a gown that you are sure has a story woven into its material or clinging to its buttons, please send me a link. (Please don’t send me photos as accessories unless they are photos you took of gowns you own; if the photos are on the internet please send me the URL.)

If I utilize your photo as the basis for a trick Life I will credit rating you as the finder, of course!

I understand there are lonely Ancient-Mariner gowns available trying to tell us–bursting their seams to tell us–their stories. Won’t you assist me discover them?

The goal is to do one weekly or two, while supplies last.

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The trick Lives of gowns Charity Drive 2008December 5, 2008
In Which I Pretend to be a genuine fashion Blogger(TM)January 9, 2012In “Fashion Blogger”
Secret Lives of gowns #14March 27, 2008With 80 comments

Of her closet, that is.

Yep, a while back I threatened to start selling all the vintage I no longer wear, and, after a marathon digital-camera session on Saturday, I’m starting to list some dresses. They need a good home! They’re mostly pretty cute! They all start at $5.99! A couple folks asked me to link to them here!

I don’t know why this photo is fuzzy. (Okay, I do know — because my digital camera skillz are not so skillful.) Anyway, there is a closeup picture of the print (little letters! little letters in circles!) in the listing.

If you have questions, please email me. If you’re antsy because this is a new seller ID, let me know and I’ll link you to my other eBay ID, which has a 99.6% positive feedback rating. (I’ve been an ebay member with that ID for nearly eight years. Yeah, I know, I’m a geek.)

Anyway, this is the only post I’ll make about my ebay listings. I’ll add them in the links column, too, but that’s pretty much the limit of my shilling here. Oh — if you win one and mention “Dress A Day” in the Paypal comments, I’ll throw in a couple dress A Day pencils, too.

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Fear of the fear of FailureMay 1, 2008
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A guest Rant on “Why Are vintage Patterns So Expensive?”July 17, 2008With 116 comments