Part Two: In which fabric has been sourced. In part, out of my linen closet, where I found a set of sheets and somewhat matching curtains left over from my old apartment.
The sheets, a solid, very pale lilac in the neighborhood of Pantone 14-3911 for those of you with Shopping Guides,* are cheap (also inexpensive, ba-dum-bum) and will be a good weight for making up a muslin. I can get started on that as soon as I finish up some work-related stuff. (Woo! Income!)
The “curtains” that I would use for the finished dress are actually unsewn lengths of a subtly baroque-print fabric that I had previously hung from a rod with curtain clips. I never stitched them up just in case I ever wanted to use the fabric for a project, but then stored the panels in my linen closet instead of my sewing stash, and thus “lost” them for five years. But… I dunno. It’s enough fabric for pattern 7245, for which I should be happy. And yet, it isn’t thrilling me.
Enter: Mom. Who calls to tell me that she’s going to the thrift store and Hobby Lobby, and that I’m going with (re: driving) her whether I want to or not. While I would usually jump at the opportunity to take advantage of her Senior Tuesday 50%-off deal, I am watching my pennies very carefully. But I do need zippers for these dresses, and I’m not being given a choice anyway.
At the thrift store, I find a complete twin sheet set in a print that I’m sure will work wonderfully with this dress. Navy blue, with large Asian dragons and phoenixes and swirling red ribbons. With mom’s discount, only $5.
Hobby Lobby’s selection of zippers is slim, but I finally find a 9-inch blue zipper. And then see the sign that all patterns are 40% off. And after all, I still have the vintage blue floral curtain fabric that started this whole mess! I picked up McCall’s 5686 for $1.80.
View B is very similar to the Simplicity 3282/view 1 that I’d wanted to sew in the first place. I’ll simply leave off the sleeves and lengthen the skirt, and I think the 5686 neckline is actually better suited to the fabric I have. I can still add the 3282 bows to the shoulders for a cute touch.
Maybe I’ll sew TWO dresses on Vintage Sewing Weekend!
Still to be continued…
____________________________
*If you don’t have a Pantone Shopping Guide, you really should get one. Invaluable for matching furniture, clothing, wall paint, you name it. 1,757 swatches, in a convenient fan guide. The same 1,757 swatches that Pantone provides for the textiles industry, but in a vastly cheaper printed-rather-than-fabric-swatches format. $20.
____________________________
NOTE: See that single-open-quote in the McCall’s “Easy Stitch ‘n Save” logo? It should be an apostrophe. This common typographical error makes McCall’s (and everyone else who does it) look like a bunch of amateurs. If you would like to hire a graphic designer/production artist who notices these things and will not let them slip by and reflect upon your own business, contact me via tiddleywink.com. (No, I don’t do website design. This will be apparent when you see my poorly-coded site.)
shoes and pie 
Should there not be an apostrophe before AND after the n, as well? There should be one wherever a letter (or group of letters) has been omitted. As one designer who is a grammar nerd to another…just sayin’.
Yes, you are correct, there SHOULD be two apostrophes. But I’m willing to cut SOME slack. :)