Michael's new (vintage) Butterick shirt!

Readers, has this ever happened to you?

I wasn't feeling much like sewing yesterday so I decided I'd do some ironing instead.   I started with the vintage cotton floral fabric, freshly laundered, that I intended to use (eventually) to make Michael a shirt, most likely from Butterick 3995, one of the patterns I featured yesterday.

Highlights from the MPB Vintage Pattern Collection!

Friends, before we get started today, I simply must share with you a most extraordinary experience I had yesterday.

Post-Holiday Mish Mash

With Thanksgiving behind us, we can finally catch our breath here at MPB before the true holiday madness begins.  In the interim, why don't we take a few moments to catch up on where we've been and perhaps think about where we're going.

Cathy Models the 1944 Topper!

Friends, with the 1944 Outfit Project completed, Cathy and I took advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday to undertake our photo shoot, complete with Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade floats!

Happy Thanksgiving, Big-Shouldered Gals (and Guys)!

Friends, this morning we're busy peroxiding Cathy's hair, rouging her cheeks, and adjusting her attitude.  On photo shoot day, everything must be perfection!

Big Shoulders, Big Heart

Readers, is there any question that big shoulders ruled in the early Nineteen-Forties?  It wasn't just a Joan Crawford thing, but she was definitely ahead of the trend.  Apparently her shoulders were already so broad that MGM costume designer Adrian decided he would exaggerate them further rather than try to disguise them.   After wire hangers, aren't big shoulders what Joan is best remembered for? 

Snoods - Yea or Nay?

Friends, let's cut to the chase.  What do you think of the snood?

Name That Notion!

Friends, this weekend at the Chelsea flea market I was delighted to stumble upon a big bag full of vintage notions and a trunk stuffed with vintage cotton fabric.  As you can guess, I couldn't resist.

First, the fabric:

1944 Butterick Topper UPDATE!

Readers, it's time to return to the 1944 topper project, Butterick 2969.  And I have good news to report.  Though this coat hasn't been without its challenges, I'm very happy with it so far.

VIDEO highlights from our show!

Friends, I'm delighted to share with you video highlights from Noah's Very Unusual Insight, the cabaret show Michael wrote and which we performed last month at the Duplex Cabaret Theatre in NYC.

Peter's New Book For Better Sewing or "The Dert on Gert"

Readers, I own many sewing books.  Probably too many.  I try not to think about it.

But there is one sewing book I've wanted for a long time now, a rare old sewing book, around which something of a cult has formed.  Can you guess which book this is?

Unisex - The Musical!

Readers, a pre-dawn epiphany:

The loathsome message implicit in every unisex sewing pattern is "we are so into each other, we don't give a damn how we look to the rest of the world."  Am I right? 

Peter's 1944 Topper Project + COAT QUIZ!

Readers, having recently put the finishing touches on my 1944 misses' jumper -- which evidently stirs up unpleasant young Jane Eyre at Lowood charity school-type memories for a number of you -- I am now ready to get started on the most challenging and exciting of my three 1944 garments, the vintage Butterick topper.

SNEAK PREVIEW - The 1944 jumper!

Friends, at long last, I have finished the jumper...I think.  This garment was a major pain, primarily because the fabric is unstable, and let's face it, I'm not terribly stable myself.  It's also a plaid.

The Glamour Never Stops + New Patterns!

As if this week didn't have enough excitement, I was thrilled to attend the BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook book launch event on Thursday night and, trust me, that sombrero was their idea and don't even mention the scissors.