Patterns From The Past: Simplicity 7394 - A Classic Chanel-Style Suit

Today's pattern from the past is Simplicity number 7394, a classic Coco Chanel-style suit.
This red mohair version trimmed in black happens to be my favorite among the variations I'm featuring in today's post:

Now THAT one truly makes a statement, in my opinion. Fabulous.
Here are three versions depicted on the front of the vintage pattern:

Make the skirt short or long; make the jacket with pockets or without - and in any fabric you choose.
It will look great no matter what you do, I think!
This one is terrific, also:

Match your blouse to the trim on the jacket - perfect:

 Trim the jacket with fringe and metallic buttons:

 Do that again, but make it in lavender with along skirt for a very elegant look:

 Or try it in black and white, with lace to dress it up this time, and wear it to your next evening soiree:

 Of course, it never hurts to add wonderful matching or contrasting  accessories such as a bag, belt, or jewelry to truly pull together a sensational ensemble!
Pattern front....

      ... and back:

(The suit versions pictured on the models here are from Family Circle magazine, a lovely article from 1976, which also featured a photo of the late, great Coco Chanel!)
You've seen nine variations here today.
How would YOU sew it up?

Patterns From The Past: Simplicity 7456 A Cute Little Hand-Me-Down Dress & Shorts

Today's vintage pattern is Simplicity number 7456:

You could choose the dress alone, with or without pockets, or you could make the version with the epaulets at the shoulder, and the matching shorts to go underneath:

My sister Lori chose the latter version when she made this for herself back in 1967 or so.
 I'm sorry this photo, below is not a very good one - but I simply had to share it because she is wearing her dress!
The epaulets and pockets (and I think, maybe the shorts?) were a solid bright green, which matched the green in the adorable print fabric.
 That's me in the hat, and we are with our Mother.

I was delighted when Lori outgrew the cute outfit, because then it came to me!
And I am pretty sure I loved it as much as she did.
I mean, I remember wearing it until it simply didn't fit anymore, or it was falling apart - or maybe kind of both.
I even chose to wear it on class picture day, as you can see in my last photo, here:

And that talented little seamstress , whom I used to PAY to sew for me, because she could whip things up, while I seemed to spend agonizing hours at the sewing machine, making mistakes?
She happens to be celebrating a birthday today.
And I am headed over to see her, and my sister Tina, too!
Happy Birthday, Lori!!

Patterns From The Past: Simplicity 7430 - A Dress And Matching Bag

Today's pattern from the past is Simplicity 7430 from 1967.
It's The "All Girl" Look :

I found the poster seen above at Urban Basics And Company in Battleground, Washington, which I mentioned in yesterday's post.
I'm assuming this picture must have been on the cover of one of those huge pattern books we used to love to sit and look through at The Quality Shop, our wonderful fabric shop that used to be on Main Street in Placerville.
 How I wish I had color photos of the inside of that wonderful shop!
 I miss it.
I had no idea such a thing as this even existed - a new poster featuring a 1960's pattern and my favorite models Colleen Corby, Lucy Angle and Shelley Hack!
 Seriously; I bought it, brought it home, framed it and hung it on my wall.
 Love it.
There were one or two others, I think, that were similar. I couldn't buy them all, unfortunately. But I wanted to.
(Again - I don't always know all of the models, so if you know the name of the blonde, please fill me in!)
Here's the front of the pattern:

I love the little matching bag.
In fact, back in about 1966, when I was in elementary school, I got three new dresses from Sears catalog one year and one of them had a little matching purse that was similar to this one.
 I remember being SO happy with my new dresses, because we didn't get a lot of new clothes.
And I WAS the youngest, so I got hand-me-downs.
 Don't get me wrong, I was happy to have the hand-me-downs! I liked them! It's just that new was always nice.
Funny how times have changed - I seldom buy anything new these days. I'm thrilled to find very nice - and very reasonably priced - attire at thrift stores. I don't even WANT to pay the price for new retail merchandise. In fact, just last week I found two new-looking pairs of Coldwater Creek jeans in my size for $3.00 each.
Score!
(By the way, my poster may say 1968, but the pattern is absolutely dated 1967.)

 Making your own clothes was  definitely a money-saver back in the 60's and 70's, and I have mentioned before that in high school I used to pay Lori to sew dresses for me, because she was much better at it.
Here's another version of the dress with the swingy little handbag:

The back of the pattern:

I think it's a cute little dress.
My favorites are the rick rack-trimmed, long-sleeved aqua gingham, the blue print with the matching bag, and the bright floral with the bag.
Which one of the six versions seen on the pattern front do YOU like best?

Patterns From The Past - And Pattern Boxes

So, I have a wee bit of trouble resisting vintage patterns when I find them, as you may have gathered over the years if you are a reader of this blog.
I just plain LIKE them, and they also remind me of when I was a teenager.

Going to The Quality Shop on Main Street in Placerville and picking out patterns and/or fabric was one of our favorite things to do!

But if you're going to buy a bunch of great vintage patterns, you will eventually need a place to store them, and I happen to think these cardboard pattern storage boxes are the perfect thing:

I had found a couple of them over the years, but now the owners of one of my favorite thrift shops are on the lookout for them for me!
I went in one day and they had acquired four brand new, unused ones!

I was very happy to purchase them, bring them home...

...quickly assemble them....

...and then promptly fill them up!
(Sorry, but no pictures of that, because it was done in the basement and I have very low lighting down there, unfortunately.)
But you'll just have to take my word for it;

I had MORE than enough patterns with which to fill them!

Patterns From The Past: McCall's 7801 - Separates From '65

I really get a kick out of these vintage advertisements for McCall's patterns when I find them in my vintage Seventeen Magazines:

 Here's the pattern she is "talking" about in the ad, McCall's 7801 from 1965:

The ad is silly - but it IS cute:

She made everything, and she certainly was stylin' in her mix and match wardrobe which included a madras plaid.
That's a LOT of sewing, girlfriend; good job!

So he called her shift a "super highway with crazy road dividers", huh?
Hey, she seems happy about it, so that's enough for me.

Here's the back of the pattern:

And, so that we can truly complete her ensemble, here is the pattern for her madras tote bag, "McCall's Quickie No. 7760":

And now, we're off!
Just like "He" and She.

Patterns From The Past: Simplicity 9112 A Peasant Skirt And Blouse

Today's pattern from the past dates back to 1970.
It's Simplicity pattern number 9112, and in the first photo, you see it worn by a model in the December edition of the Simplicity Fashion News:

 With this pattern, you could make a skirt, blouse, scarf and even a sash.
The front of the pattern features another lovely model (Is it Dayle Haddon? I'm not sure... ) wearing the maxi-length version.

The midi-length in black gingham:

A little run-down on the various "views":

And last of all, here's the back of the pattern:

Hope you enjoyed today's look at yet another pattern from the past.
I am fan of this sort of old-fashioned peasant-style look from WAY back!

Patterns From The Past: From 50 Years Past! A Suit From Simplicity Pattern 7439

Yes, today's pattern is not only "from the past", but it's actually from fifty years past!
Yes indeed, as you can see below, this pattern graced the cover of the Simplicity Fashion News booklet in January of 1967, sewn up in a nice red, white and blue plaid and modeled by none other than the lovely Shelley Hack:

And here is a picture of the pattern front:

"Designer Fashion" straight out of the 60's,  shown here with the jacket in red and the blouse and skirt done up in beige:

 And the skirt and jacket in the same green print knit with the blouse in a pale blue:

 (Sorry, Miss - and you are lovely, too - but I say Shelley wore it better!)
And last of all today,  we have the back of the pattern:

Yes, ladies, why don't you sew yourself up a suit from 1967 today?
(That is, if you have the pattern, of course!)

Patterns From The Past: Tennis, Anyone?? A Few Options From Simplicity

They are playing tennis today at the 2016 Olympic Games.
How about you? Do you play?
(You'd better make sure you have your sunscreen with you.
I'm just sayin'......)
Sunny Redmond looks pretty "slick in tennis whites"; she's seen below wearing a tennis dress made from Simplicity pattern number 5696 (from 1973):

That photo is from a vintage "Simplicity Fashion News" pattern booklet.
Here are the variations shown on the pattern:

I think they're all cute!
And here is the pattern front, itself:

And the back:

Or perhaps you would prefer the pattern below, Simplicity 9989 from 1972?

 Here's an option for the younger "set" (pun completely intended), Simplicity number 6307 from 1974:

And the front of that pattern:

And I'm sure you could find a host of other options to choose from, if you went searching for a vintage tennis outfit pattern.
As for me, I think I'll just stick with watching them play in Rio, thank you very much.