When the weather outside is frightfully hot, don this short set. June 9, 2014 22:48 2 Comments

You paw through your dresser drawers, looking for something cool. Surely you didn't donate all your denim cutoffs to the Salvation Army last fall when you were attacked by that rare closet cleaning bug. But, apparently you did. Darn. And it's been so hot. Last week, 103 degrees two days. And when it's that hot, it doesn't really matter if it's a dry heat. Six percent humidity or 40, 103 is unbearable.

So. Cute shorts are a closet must. Hollywood 1354 is scrumptious. Truly. It's from the Forties, too. Your favorite decade. And you could make the skirt a couple of inches longer for those modest moments that strike on occassion.

 

That pretty, yet wild, rose print you saw on Etsy would be spectacular.

And yes, you can indeed find this sassy pattern at The Blue Gardenia. But you know that? Didn't you?

Emulate Sutton Foster's impeccable 1950s-style Tony evening gown. June 9, 2014 00:35 2 Comments

I only watched half of the Tony Awards this year, so it seems unfair to do my usual award show best dressed list. So. I am doing something different. Sutton Foster's gown was my favorite, the one I'd most like to wear while accepting an award myself. Absolutely. (Do they dress for the Pulitzers? Do they even have a presentation? Mmmmm . . . something for me to check out. Later. And, yes, I do think big!)

So lovely and so 1950s, Sutton Foster glams up the awards.

 

One could get a similar look – and, frankly, in my opinion – an even more beautiful one with Vogue Couturier Design 824. It has a more structured and detailed bodice. And that bolero with its framing collar – wow! I think I'd stick with that luscious fuchsia satin, though. Irrestible.

I am so in love with this pattern!

The fabric organization continues . . . June 8, 2014 17:36

I continue to organize my fabric. His Bertness and I moved box after box in the storage unit until we found – I think! – all of it. I'm not only listing swatches and yardage in an old sketch pad I found in my office, I am zigzagging the edges and washing each piece that will not be dry-cleaned before I put it away. Yes, dear readers, it is a bit of a hassle and somewhat time-consuming (all right, extremely time-consuming) but it's also very inspiring. I want to make garments out of these lovely pieces. I must formulate a plan . . .

Gorgeous bra top, sleek slacks and a lovely shirt for the modest among you. June 5, 2014 23:34 2 Comments

Racy bra top. Beautifully cut pants. And a shirt to wear when the wind blows cool or you feel modest. A sophisticated '70s ensemble for summer pool or garden parties. The men will swoon. The women may glare. Can you resist?

And you can get Vogue 7534 at The Blue Gardenia, where you'll find patterns for the snootiest fashionista!

Learning to sew: A '50s Simplicity skirt with sexy slits June 4, 2014 23:39 4 Comments

I've decided I must break my slothful habit of wearing yoga pants around the house (and to the grocery store, the library, El Patio.) Enough! Really.

So I am making skirts, knit tops and cool cotton dresses for the summer.

First up, this mauve linen print. The version with the sexy yet ladylike side slits. I worked on it one day last week, and it fits perfectly. Don't you beam when that happens? I do. I'm lining it in a pinky nude Ambiance, because who needs saggy linen butt drop? I plan to finish it this weekend. And I like it so much, I think I'll make another. Pictures to come once I've made the top. Doncha love the fabric and the pattern?

An update, and, oh, the lovely looks it offers! June 3, 2014 22:56

Think of His Bertness, scanning patterns, adding them to the site, working so hard this weekend for two reasons: to make you happy, and therefore, make our pups happy, because the more patterns you simply can't resist at The Blue Gardenia, the more treats the little hair ranchers get! Do let me tempt you, my pretties, with one pattern from each decade:    

I adore Simplicity 1721. A pattern from the NRA period (and that would be the National Recovery Act, not the, ahem, group that claims those initials today). The patio pajamas are luscious, just the garb for lounging in the chaise while your significant other totes and fetches and does everything possible to make you happy. Second, the pattern includes a smart pair of gaucho pants and a cunningly designed blouse. I love the two, two, two looks in one pattern envelope. I do.

 

 

And from the 1940s, both collar variations on Advance 5136 have panache galore. So comfy, so cool whipped up in a pretty cotton sateen.

Simplicity 8380 is the picture of summer chic. Sophisticated enough for the office, fetching enough for sipping sidecars at your favorite bar. And that stole is so 1950s.    

My personal fave: Vogue 8371. I have quite a thing for dolman sleeves, and I long for this pattern in my own size. (That would be Bust 34, in case you have one lazing about your pattern cabinet.)

 

You'll also find lots of other beauties this update, from 1930s evening gowns that would turn Myrna Loy green and 1960s swimsuits that will cause temps to rise at any beach party.

 

So. Pop on over to The Blue Gardenia. You won't be disappointed. Promise.

   

Be the star of the picnic in this 1940s playsuit. June 2, 2014 23:31

The family reunion picnic is a mere two weeks away. Sigh. She’s not exactly the picnic type. All those ants and flies. The heat. The humidity. However, Grampie is getting older, and he’s not in the best of health. His badminton days are long past, so she really doesn’t want to miss this one. What to wear? How about whipping up that sassy Du Barry romper she saw at The Blue Gardenia? It’s so fetching, and her legs could use some sun. Perhaps she’ll use that lovely cotton sateen she bought at Gorgeous Fabrics a few weeks ago. It will be so cool.

Of course, you can buy this cute pattern at The Blue Gardenia. And, yes, we happily ship abroad.

 

Pucci, Ricci, Montana – Those are only a few '60s-on we just added! May 13, 2014 00:05

  Isn't this the most elegant shirtdress you've ever set those gorgeous orbs upon? It's my favorite. Absolutely. And it is one of the many 1960s patterns The Blue Gardenia added to the site tonight. I also adore this Betty Jackson. Huge pants, so reminiscent of the Thirties. Perfect for an evening party on the patio, sidecar in hand. This criss-cross back and the silhouette of this Montana design isn't something you'll see on every street corner. Sassy. Sexy. Feminine. The jackpot, pals. And of course this is just the tip of the update iceberg. So many more wonderful patterns in the Sixties-On section. Do drop by!  

From steampunk bodices to saucy hats, an update for the style-setter. May 1, 2014 19:55

You guessed it. While I was in Colorado Springs, His Bertness was working his fingers to the bone adding fabulous vintage patterns to The Blue Gardenia. Isn't he a sweetie? Absolutely. A few of my favorites: Butterick 6788, the perfect lounging robe. The perfect beach robe. The perfect bath robe. The perfect cape. Yes. It is a perfect pattern. In case you hadn't picked up on that. 1930s, natch. Another 1930s that makes this patternista swoon: Butterick 5434. This is so elegant. So Irene Dunne. It has not one version but four!!!! And a saucy and unusual hat. Can you beat that? Not even with a stick, chicks. And if you're in the mood to rock the steampunk look and, hons, that was the look at the writing convention, you must purchase Butterick 1792. Three versions, all smokin' hot. And, yep, you'll find these patterns and many more additions at The Blue Gardenia. Ship abroad? With delight.

My closet: An elegant '70s Oscar de la Renta. So lovely. April 30, 2014 23:39

Isn't this dress yummy? My mother made one for me years ago, and I wanted another. My sewing teacher said it was beyond my skills, so she made it for me. (Bless you, Leslie!) I wore it to a writer's conference this weekend and to dinner at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs in the shadow of lovely Pike's Peak. The dress drew a shipload of compliments.

We used a tightly woven slate blue silk crepe de chine. I wore it with a 3-inch-wide covered belt made by lovely Pat in California. I was a very happy traveler. Indeed. I cant wait to wear it again.

Swing dresses, Mad Men sheaths, Miyake and more: Take your pick! April 20, 2014 23:44

New vintage patterns at The Blue Gardenia! Check the Forties, Fifies and Sixties to enjoy the fashion show. I'll tease you with one from each decade: Hollywood 648 offers a fun way to practice laying out striped fabrics. Love those pockets! Of course, this pattern, loaded with Forties attitude, would look fetching in solids or florals, too. Doncha think? From the Fifties, this amazing design from Hannah Troy is sure to please. Sassy and sexy and hard to find. Good size, too. Issey Miyake admirers, take note: The Blue Gardenia added not one, but two outstanding patterns. Vogue American Designer 2088 will take your jacket wardrobe up several notches. So. Drop by and peruse all the additions. We know you'll find something you can't live without.

Will you have eggs with that? April 15, 2014 00:25

She is feeling in a glamorous mood. Sweatpants just won't do for lounging around the house. She feels she's gotten sloppy. Heck, she knows she's gotten sloppy. Wearing yoga pants when she's not on her mat? No more. McCall 8111, copyright 1935. Now, that is the look she seeks. Elegance with a touch of spice. And even though she's new to sewing, she knows she can make this pattern — and make it in a slinky three-ply silk charmeuse. After all, she lined a wool coat in charmeuse. It wasn't hard to work with at all. Not a bit, despite the stories she'd heard. Yes, this is the one. She'll look like a movie star when she butters her whole wheat toast. She'll be sexy brushing her hair and powdering her nose at her vanity. Yes indeed. Yes, patternistas, you know this is available at The Blue Gardenia. And our shopping cart works now. That makes us so happy. So. Drop by and put a few goodies in your shopping bag, It'll make your day — and ours!

Like '40s & '50s Vogue Couturiers? Sleek '30s? Come hither. April 14, 2014 15:55

Channel Jean Harlow or Lauren Bacall in our latest pattern additions. April 11, 2014 01:11

  The skies are sunny, the wisteria is blooming and The Blue Gardenia has just added fabulous vintage patterns! Tons of thirties, many in multiple sizes and most still in factory folds. And three fantastic 1940s Vogue Couturiers. Can you resist the suit above or the one below? Details galore! Yes indeed. Just follow this link to check them out. And remember to change your blog link to the new address. At the end of the month, we'll be moving off Typepad.

Prescription for sunny days: 1930s sweat elegant sports attire April 4, 2014 00:47

You are looking forward to the weekend. You are yearning for the sunny days the forecaster promised. Absolutely. Lemonade. Chicken salad. Laughter. Strolling around the course attempting to smack that little dimpled white ball. You don't really care if you hit it or not. Neither will anyone else, because you are going to look so swellelegant. You, in your butter yellow and French blue linen sports dress. The one you whipped up from delicious 1930s Ladies Home Journal-New York 1280. Lovely. So very. And, yes, this pattern is available at The Blue Gardenia, where you'll find patterns suitable for even the snootiest fashionista. We added many 1930s patterns, most in factory folds, from 1933-1935. Enjoy!

Free your inner Carol Lombard or Mildred Pierce. April 3, 2014 00:31

  I am happy to be back. So very. You might even say ecstatic. I've missed talking and sharing. I've missed having a working website. And I thank you for your patience, dear readers and clients. I do. And I am delighted to be sharing outstanding pattern additions with you. You'll find McCall 143 in Lingerie. It is not only sexy, elegant, suitable for Carole Lombard. It's also multipurpose: a bed jacket, an evening coat, a negligee. Can you beat that? I think not. I am also smitten with Butterick 6668, another Thirties style with unusual details. The collar on View A will definitely have your audience sighing in envy. I am not usually one for bows. Too saccharine for this gardenia. But I loveMcCall's 3499. Absolutely. The girliness of the bow contrasts perfectly with the severity of the square collar. It's salted caramel in a dress! This design is from 1953. Do you love it as much as I do? Enhance an hourglass suit with an over-the-top face-faming collar, and you have won my stylish heart. Vogue Special Design S-4189 is the suit of my dreams. Channel 1951 when you wear this. It is runway ready. Sometimes, you just want to don a 1940s housedress and pretend you're Mildred Pierce. May I suggest Simplicity 4900, from 1943? Goes great with pie and fried chicken! And if you're in the mood to play  -- and who isn't when the sun shines bright and the skies are the color of blue hydrangeas -- slip into Hollywood 1354. So cute. So sassy. You'll find many other additions at The Blue Gardenia. And remember, the newly designed site has a shopping cart that works and a search function. How cool is that?  

The shopping cart is working! April 2, 2014 00:11

And I am one happy seller. So shop, shop, shop.

Screen sirens heed the call of 1950s glamour at the Oscars. March 3, 2014 01:12

I wouldn't trade my fabulous Pantone Bone China cup in Emerald for many of the Oscar gowns this year. They were that dull. Stars, buy a vintage pattern and find a good dressmaker. OK? Really. Get with the style program. I do love  – indeed lust  – for Amy Adams' Gucci. It's a good thing I don't have offspring, because I would so be up for trading. I also have a strong attraction for J-Law's Dior. But then, she is my girl crush and she can do no wrong. She and Meryl are my fantasy BFFs. Unless, of course, they suddenly shoot someone for texting in the theater or playing loud music at the gas station. Then, babes, the romance is over. Kaput. The train leaves the station without you. What did you think of Whoopi's rehash of Julia Robert's Dolce & Gabbana look at the Golden Globes? I think Whoopi really kicked up the style quotient. I know that's the unpopular choice. But. There ya go. I think I may have to put my own spin on this look. I am on the fence about Viola Davis's Escada. The color is my favorite. The bodice is delicious. But there's something about the skirt that seems just plain wrong. Love her hair, though. I would have liked to see a more colorful lip. I really want to read your thoughts on this, but we are having a slight malfunction on the blog comments. Hope to have it fixed ASAP. Bear with us, please, dear readers.  

The most delicious 1940s blouse. Maybe ever. February 25, 2014 00:13

[caption id="attachment_894" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Gorgeous silhouette. Pretty transfer. Can you top this?[/caption] She is a pushover for blouses. Absolutely. And the 1940s era is her favorite. Strong. Elegant. With a healthy dose of pizazz. One of the most luscious she's seen lately: Butterick 3549. She loves it. And as it happens, we have it. We do. And it can be yours. How can you say no?

An evening gown. A summer dress. It's chic, mod, so Dior. February 21, 2014 00:59

[caption id="attachment_2749" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Vogue Paris Original 2230 Day or Evening Dress Designed by Christian Dior Bust 32½ Dress complete; stole missing; Vogue sew-in label included[/caption]   We've just added a bushel of smashing patterns at The Blue Gardenia. I adore this one. I do. It's in my collection. Shouldn't it be in yours, too? And, yes, we do ship abroad. With pleasure.  

Learning to sew: A just-out-of-print Badgley Mischka. February 19, 2014 23:12

Can you say wadder? This dress would have been one for me, if it had not been for my fabulous sewing teacher. The pattern is Vogue 1256, designed by Badgley Mischka. So many problems! Absolutely. Before cutting the fabric, a bamboo jersey, we added about an inch to the bodice. The pattern is quite short-waisted. Leslie made one with me for herself, and she is petite with a short waist, and she had to lengthen the bodice as well. (How's that for a whiny run-on sentence? Don't tell Mrs. Geneva, wherever she is!) Further, the skirt is very short. I did not add the zipper the pattern uses, because there was no need: even with lining, it easily slips over the head. I have not worn the dress yet. I will. Eventually. His Bertness really likes it. Go figure.

It's unseasonably warm, and thoughts of spring encase you. February 17, 2014 17:26

It reached 70 degrees today. 70! You didn't even have to grab a sweater when you went out for your coffee date. Such blissful weather has you thinking of spring. And McCall's 4912, copyright 1959, is just the look your are going for. You love the collar. It will showcase that gorgeous amethyst necklace you just purchased.

You saw some cotton at Fabric Mart Fabrics, a cheerful cotton print, and it will be smashing for View A. 

And, of course, this pattern is available at The Blue Gardenia, where you'll find patterns for the snootiest fashionistas. Come check out our brand new site. It's fabulous and so easy to shop!

Learning to sew: Butterick 5559 by Maggy London is done! February 11, 2014 17:03

The blue knit Butterick is complete. The picture is fuzzy: His Bertness snapped it with my iPhone and he tends to get far away to take pictures, which means I must crop for any details at all to show. It's his signature as a photog, I suppose. Emma looks lovely, though. She just does not take a bad picture. She's always stunning.

I am pleased with the dress. It was fairly easy to make, but I do feel a Spanx --- or something like it ––– is in order. I am feeling more comfortable sewing and more at ease with knits. I must say, though, that I do like vintage patterns better. This is, in case you care, Butterick 5559, a current pattern, designed by Maggy London. I like the details, and it was easy to whip up. I do highly recommend it.

I used a lightweight cotton knit, generously supplied by my talented sewing teacher. She's made this dress three times! Yeah, she really loves this pattern!

Do drop by The Blue Gardenia. We added lots of patterns this weekend. Let us know what you think of the new site.

I'll be moving the blog to the site in the next couple of weeks, so get ready!

Shameless plug: We just added some smashing patterns! February 9, 2014 20:39

And here are just a few of them to whet your appetite:

Vogue 6430 is just the sort of style I don to slink around the swankienda. Marvelous, isn't it? I think the negligee would make a stunning evening coat, too. Absolutely. You'll locate this beauty in Lingerie. But you knew that.

McCall's 3848 is one of my favorite 1950s blouses. So simple. So sleek. So darned sexy. And it's an "Instant" blouse. You know, just add water . . .

I love this shirtdress. Butterick 8221 takes the style to new heights. Indeed.

You'll find all these, and many more, at the newly designed Blue Gardenia website, where we offer patterns for the snootiest fashionistas! Drop by.