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Well Sewing Friends,

  I have made some decisions and decided to spread my wings! Long have I deliberated on how to promote my business without turning my blog into a giant boring advertisement and the solution was really quite simple once I thought about it. Create an email list!

I'd like to introduce you to: EmSewCrazy's Snippets & Surprises

This email will be sent out... monthly? Or less... Haven't figured all that out yet. If I don't have any amazing finds or sales or cool things to show you why would I send an email to just clutter up your inbox? 
When I do send you an email it will always be connected to sewing somehow... whether it's something I've made that expresses our love for sewing or delightful vintage fabric and patterns I've picked up in my wanderings. 
I also want an easy, quick way to notify you of sales that are happening in the sewing world! So if you are interested... subscribe below and get your first surprise! A coupon code for my new collection!

Collection?
What collection??

Let's celebrate Valentines Day expressing our love for those incredible buttons! I'm trying to bring vintage buttons back out into the light of day without harming them and these elegant and fun beauties are what I've come up with. This is just a sneak peek up on Etsy now. The rest will be released February 4th so you can shop and ship before the holiday. 

Not the best photo but... I'll also be releasing limited edition vintage embroidery pendants. All cut from damaged linens the delicate handwork still remains. They're perfect for Valentines because you can insert a small love note in the back if you so desire.

Ok... what do you think? Why do you sign up for newsletters and what do you like to read in them?

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Black Tie Pattern Event

STASHBUSTERS! DON'T LOOK! THIS POST IS NOT FRIENDLY TOWARDS DECREASING THE STASH.

Hello Everyone else! Or should I say,
 Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. You are all cordially invited to my wonderful team's Black Tie Blitz.

I personally will be offering 20% off your entire order with the coupon code: BLKTIE20

I did some revamping of my shop and thought I'd share a little run down of how I break things up and give you some deal finding secrets.

Fabulous Frock Patterns

This is what it says, all my lovely dress patterns for Bust Sizes 30 to 36 if you want anything bigger you need to check out my Buxom Beauties section for Busts 38 and up.

Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you've got do is call,

If you're just looking for a good deal, which sometimes is all we're looking for, I made a totally new category, Eight Dollars or Less

This is where you'll find most of my modern patterns, very simple designs, the ones I think are just plain ugly, and the occasional incomplete pattern.

I also have a category for all the Magnificent Men in our lives! Hopefully I'll get it better filled out soon.

This is what passes for dress up where I live. I'm planning on getting it counted
and listed...

While all other pajama patterns go in my other new section, Unmentionables and PJs, Men get to keep theirs separate.

If you're sick of sewing clothes, check out my Holiday and Crafts, full of random sewing books, knitting and crochet patterns, and all the creepy doll patterns I manage to buy.

Or if you're looking for some special fabric for that special vintage pattern check out Fabric Books and Notions for all the wild and weird fabrics I can find, in remnants, sheets and yardage. 

If you think all this is fabulous and want to see more be sure to stop by our PatternPatter's Blitz thread on Friday for the main list of shop sales and all the new patterns getting listed throughout the day.
Thank you for your patience with this announcement. I'm off to wriggle into my dress.... See you there!

After Christmas Parties

This morning is a brief moment of sanity amidst the blood sugar insanity going on against my will and best efforts in my body. While I'm waiting for the Dr.'s advice I thought I'd quickly pop on and let you know of some great things going on online. *(Cause we all need ideas for spending all that Christmas money;) 

I'M SO EXCITED!!! If you haven't heard of Cake patterns you need to hop over to Steph's blog and website to check them out. Her Tiramisu dress pattern was at the top of my Christmas money list BUT she was running an amazing treasure hunt on her new website and I managed to find all 8 pieces of cake and plan to claim Tira as my prize! There are still a few days left to join in the hunt if you want to take on the challenge!

Buy Your Copy!

On a side note: I'm delighted to be able to "eat" cake with others and know it is gluten free and isn't going to affect my blood sugars.

Next up: The 12 Days of Christmas!

Made By Rae is having 12 Days of giveaways on her blog. She also makes patterns with an emphasis on Boy stuff. Today is the cute Charlie Tunic! If you don't win the give away you can purchase it here

Pattern Patter is having their own 12 Days celebration in an effort to clear out inventory before the new year. Check out this thread to see the list of those having sales and scoop up all the coupon codes.

 


Last but not least there's me!! I too am having a sale. It's a special One Day Only sale on the 31st. I am offering a whopping 40% off all patterns and fabric in my store. I've set it up so the discount is already applied so you can just shop to your heart's content!

So that's it for me now... off to take care of my blood sugars!

*Parentheses in italics mean loud whispers in case ya didn't know.

1st Craft Fair Experience

I successful completed my first major craft show!! Through snow and cold my friend and I persevered and had a great weekend full of learning.

Positives:
Our booth got lots of compliments on set up. We had great height and depth going on and I was pretty proud since we weren't able to do a practice set up beforehand.

Note to self, remember to adjust lighting and retake bad pictures.

We got the largest boot size and managed to fill it up nicely! My friend and her husband built a great display for all her handmade jewelry organizers. Between the two of us we had a nice mix of items that meshed very well display wise.
 
   We met a lot of amazing people, Caramel Creations was the booth right next to us! We got lots of delicious samples and were inspired by the story of this amazing company started by a mother and two daughters. The other vendors were very friendly and helpful.
   The time flies by! While we were never wall to wall people it stayed pretty busy and time at the table flew by. Between visiting, crocheting rugs, eating and bathroom runs the day was over before we knew it!
   Have a partner. I couldn't have done this without my friend, Natosha from OneBlessedMommie. We found it easier to talk about each other's products than about ourselves and ended up being saleswomen for each other. It's great to have another set of eyes and hands around to bounce ideas off of and allow you to leave the table or chat a bit. It also allows you to run out and nab a tasty gluten free lunch!

Learning Points:
  Get your rest! It makes your time a lot less overwhelming and helps you deal pleasantly with the customers.
   Bring drinks and snacks. While this may not be allowed in all venues it's really nice to have some water to sip on. With my diabetes and celiac, snacks are a must too. Make sure they are easy to eat and don't leave your hands messy.
   DIVERSIFY! We probably heard and later read this tip the most. We had mid to higher priced items so missed those customers looking for something small to pick up.
   Don't give up! Since it was our first show we were warned not to expect too much.

Feedback:
  It was great to get live feedback on our items and see people's reactions as they interacted with our products.
I learned I must get used to hearing, "Oh these are SO cute! But I don't have a baby."

Shop

It was great to see that my baby boots are a hit but I need to make something that has a wider target audience if I want more sales. I also need to seek a venue that caters to my boot target market.

My friend heard, "Oh what a great idea!
"That's just a board?
"I've been trying to make something for my jewelry."
We had to learn tact and patience to politely reply to people when we felt like her hard work and great product was getting the short end of the stick.

My favorite jewelry organizer

All in all we had a great time and learned a lot. We made several great connections and leads on some other great shows. We look forward to the next time.

Here's a few links I found the day before or right after our show: Handmade Jane; Etsy Article

This is an amazing pinboard with lots of great display ideas:

 http://pinterest.com/paperflora2/craft-set-up/

Do you have any great craft show tips? I'd love to hear other thoughts and ideas. 

Life, Expect the Unexpected

Isn't that the cutest sewing print!

I know, cliched title. But I really don't want to break my posting schedule so here I am late at night typing away. This week has been busy prepping for my first big craft show and making a late night trip to the ER.
As I was gathering my things I found a box of old inventory/projects and decided to get them ready too. I had to smile to see how I have grown as a seamstress. From purses that didn't need pockets or zippers to those that do; and how the planning of old projects led to skills that allow me to make something more beautiful and polished now. It was good to look back and realize the time and materials weren't wasted. And there was growth! Always nice when you can see good growth on oneself.
So that's it for my serious post. Has there ever been a project that made you stop and see your sewing skills had grown?
See ya all next week where I hope to share how my sewing group's first Christmas Sewing Swap went and my first craft show!

Vintage Pattern Sizes and How To Choose Yours

   In my last post I promised to try to explain a bit about how vintage patterns sizes work and why we who sew should not get hooked up on an arbitrary number called "Size"

   First some history, before Simplicity, Butterick, McCalls and Vogue became "The Big 4" they were simply creative people who found a market for their goods. My favorite is Butterick who started making and selling women's patterns on his kitchen table in 1863 at the encouragement of his wife. To read more, One Yellow Cottage has a great piece on Dating Patterns.

   But with each pattern company came a different measure of sizing. By 1937 a complaint was made to standardize the pattern making industry. Please pop over to this blog and read about the survey the U. S. Department of Agriculture published in 1941. Or Fashion Incubator has a wonderful in-depth 3 part series on the history and evolution of garment and pattern sizing. 

   While pattern sizes have not changed as quickly as RTW there was still a bit of vanity sizing going on and more importantly different UNDERgarments! 

Source

Wonder why those patterns had such tiny waists? Yep, corsets, girdles, Bullet bras! So never fear my friends, women didn't really look that way naturally!

You can expect to do alterations when you buy vintage patterns; but really, we have to alter most patterns we buy, vintage or not, since we are all wonderfully and uniquely made! 

Gertie has the best list of vintage pattern alterations with quick explanations on how to do them! I have used her method of letting out the waist on a couple dresses now with beautiful results. 

   The oldest vintage patterns only came with the bust size printed on them since it was assumed the seamstress would adjust the waist and hips to suit her personally. Most vintage patterns also came only in one size. Don't let that stop you though, there a lots of great tutorials on grading up or down a size and remember you may only need to adjust one part, ex. using Gertie's method.

Here's my online picks for grading:

Casey at Elegant Musings

Threads

Megan Neilsen's fast method

  Another thing to remember is Ease. To explain this simply, garment or wearing ease is what you need so you don't rip out of your clothes like the Incredible Hulk when you sit down, bend over or take a breath. Style ease is dependent on the look the designer was going for. Here's an example:

Lots of style ease

Very fitted not a lot of style ease

Depending on the style you may be able to buy a smaller size if it is more loose fitting; or larger if the vintage style is fitted and you don't want to do a lot of changes.

I feel like there is a lot going on in this post, with links sending you here and there. Here's my short list of buying vintage pattern tips.

1. Buy by Bust Measurement not Size. You can use your full or high bust measurement.

2. Decide what undergarments you are wearing and plan alterations accordingly. 

3. Remember most vintage patterns only came in one size which makes cutting and fitting easier. 

4. Consider the garment's ease.

5. Join WeSewRetro, it's a great community, with a vast experience base to bounce questions and ideas off of. Or contact me and I'll do my best to help ya too.

So ends my vintage pattern ramble. Please feel free to leave comments adding any more tips you may have on buying or using vintage patterns. Or correcting any incorrect info I may have posted. I tried to link back to my sources and get accurate stuff but ya never know...

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming....

To unashamedly bring you a Sale Announcement! Growing up we watched a lot of PBS. On one hand their fundraisers were great but on the other the "Fundraising" part was always long and annoying. Hopefully this won't be too painful to you.

As you know I am part of an amazing Etsy team called Pattern Patter. We decided to put on a huge sale for all you vintage pattern lovers out there! Here's all the juicy details:

When: Black Friday through Cyber Monday The 23rd through the 26th

Where: Here's a thread where we will be posting all our blitz listings www.etsy.com/teams/9565/pattern-patter/discuss/11193969/  


You can also search Etsy for this coupon code some will be offering: BFBLITZ

Who: Tomorrow there will be a list of all the shops and the discounts they are offering posted by Katherine at http://wesewretro.com/ 

I am offering all my patterns and fabric at 20% off. You can see them all at this link: http://www.etsyonsale.com/shop/EmSewCrazy

What: Lots of amazing patterns, fabric and sewing notions. Both from the present and the past.

Why: We are sick of being called hoarders by our family members and want to clear up some of the clutter before Christmas! :)

I think that's it! I hope to see you all there! My goal is to sell 100 patterns! Am I too optimistic? I don't know. It's my first holiday season on Etsy and I am full of wide eyed wonder waiting to see how it goes.

I'll catch you all later this week with a timely sewing Thanksgiving post.

The Pattern Man!

Continuing on our pattern journey I'd like to introduce you to Pattern Patter's Man. He has a fascinating story and is a great example of all the different directions life can take you. Without more ado, please meet Tony.

Who are you?
Tony Potter is my name and my shop is Filecutter. Named comes from my fathers trade in England - yes he actually cut files by hand using a chisel and hammer. I'm originally from England but schooled and serviced in the Army in the U.S
I'm retired and Joyce (my wife) have a 7 1/2 acre pecan farm with other fruit trees. Spent my career in agriculture and retail sales.

What made you decide to collect vintage patterns and sewing supplies?
Joyce purchased a pattern of a man in overalls thinking themodel looked like me and I decided to sell it and that's how it started. Actually Filecutters was first a vintage and collectible shop on Etsy.

How long have you been collecting?
My collecting started early with cars and when I couldn't afford that because of a growing family I started collecting vintage movie poster. I have had a life long love of Laurel & Hardy and now own more than a 1,000 movie posters.

Do you sew? Vintage, Modern, or Both?
No I do not sew but Joyce is a tatter and I do get involved with that sometimes.

Do you have any sewing tips for those of us who do sew with vintage patterns?
Vintage patterns are becoming increasing hard to find and need TLC. Its important to choose wisely and pick what you feel comfortable with. Finding a source of vintage patterns is the most important element, honest, fair pricing and reputation should be foremost in your mind. Don't buy just because its there, rather buy it because you trust the person you purchased it from. Vintage patterns are not cheap and sourcing is very important.

What is your favorite pattern or sewing thing of all time? Why?
I guess the pattern Joyce purchased for me so long ago. I have not seen another one and cannot remember the maker or vintage...NUTS

Why did you start an Etsy store?
You have seen the TV show "HORDERS", well I'm not quite that bad but as Joyce said enough is enough. I guess my collections became beacons of junk in her eyes and told me to sell.

Pretty organized for a hoarder! Wish my office looked like that!

What is your favorite part of the selling process?
Satisfying the customer and knowing that they will enjoy what you have provided. 

Least Favorite?

The least enjoyable part of a pattern seller is making sure the patterns are complete and salable.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
Unrelated to sewing, it has to be the "Potter's Nut Cracker" only because I invented it and its been such a popular tool.

Which item do you just want to go away?
I really have no item/s I want to go away only because its so easy to just delete the item/s you no longer want to display or sell. 

A great big thank you to Tony for taking the time to share his story. Isn't his Nut Cracker neat? I had to laugh when he mentioned "Hoarders" Pretty sure his is not the only family that is worried about the piles of patterns! Hop on over to his shop and see if you can help relieve his wife's fears. If you find something great post it in the comments. Until next time, Happy Sewing! 

Falling For (Vintage) Fashion

School's back in session, the season is changing, and fingers are itching to make up some new and beautiful things. I don't know about you but walking through the Mall, (which I do about twice a year) is so BORING! They have some beautiful colors and some basics but any detail or originality? Nada.When I received my first box of vintage patterns I fell in love with the different designs, the story each envelope had to tell, the history behind that style, all the little details. Since I have joined Etsy I have found a wonderful community willing to share knowledge and the vintage pattern love. This month I want to tell the story behind several of their shops as a way to say thank you! If you are looking for sewing inspiration perhaps you will find it in the world of vintage patterns!

The First Seller I would like to introduce you to is Mary Beth of RetroMonkeys.

"Hi my name is Mary Beth and RetroMonkeys is my Vintage Sewing Pattern Shop. I live in Southern California with my husband and 3 boys; the oldest in college, and twins in high school. 

   I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2002. By 2004 I found it impossible to work a full time job but still had the need to be productive. I did various volunteer jobs until 2009 when I rediscovered sewing. I opened my first ETSY shop sewing custom clothing for children. That’s when I caught the vintage pattern bug. I really liked the styles from the 1960’s for little kids. Simple, no ruffles, and comfortable. I started buying lots of patterns and before I knew it, I had a fairly large collection. I decided to reduce my collection and started listing some for sale. Soon I found it necessary to move the patterns to their very own shop."

Ooohh 60s children's patterns! Do you have any tips for working with vintage patterns?

"My first tip is to learn how to resize a pattern. Vintage patterns are sized differently. There are lots of tutorials online. Start with making a muslin fitting garment before cutting into your fabric. 

My second tip is to read all of the instructions before beginning. The instructions that are included sometimes are very vague. They assume that you know more than you may. I’ve been almost finished and realized that the instructions never mentioned putting the zipper in!

Finally, save the unprinted patterns until you are comfortable with all of the other variables. "

Any tips for finding great vintage patterns to sew with? 

"Buy your vintage patterns from a reputable seller. Most sellers make sure all of the pieces are accounted for and clearly describe the condition. Also, choose a style that works with your body type. Also choose one that won’t be too challenging to start."

What is your favorite pattern of all time?

"My favorite pattern of all time is a tough question. There are so many lovely styles. The 50’s had some beautiful dresses. One of my favorites is McCall’s 4666."

"Another Favorite of mine is one that got me hookedMy mother made this coat and hat for me in the 1960’s. When I got this pattern it brought back all of the memories of her sewing it for me."

 

What pattern do I wish would go away? 70’s pantsuits, and boy’s pajamas! Some of the women’s pantsuit patterns probably aren’t as unattractive as they seem. The fabrics they chose to use in the Illustrations are horrible! I have many – none listed.. I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Another one that seems to be in EVERY lot that I buy, is this:

My favorite pattern that I have right now is 

Etsy Listing

"Ultimately, I want all of my patterns to ”go away”! I want them all to find a new home where they are loved and appreciated.  Bottom line is that everyone has different taste in clothing and I do believe that for every pattern, there is a person who would love to have it. 

I really enjoy what I do. I’ve always worked in customer service. I love getting to know people from all over the world. I’ve met so many great people and made some true friends. Making people smile makes me smile. I plan on being around for years to come."

Thanks Mary Beth for giving us a peek in the life of a pattern seller and sharing some of your pattern memories! Love the outfit from when you were little!

To learn more about Mary Beth check out her shop's About page and to see all her great inventory browse her store.

Until next time, do you have any special items that were sewn for you as a child?